In a bid to slow down the spread of COVID-19, the government has implemented a ban on non-essential mass gatherings of more than 500 people and then mandating that everyone arriving from overseas self-isolate for 14 days. On a more local level, cafes, bars and restaurants across the country are taking their own precautionary measures. As well as encouraging customers and staff to stay home if they feel unwell, increasing cleaning of their venues and providing hand sanitisers, a slew of popular coffee pit-stops are temporarily refusing to accept reusable coffee cups . Melbourne's Market Lane Coffee has revealed it's switching entirely to paper cups for all coffees served across all of its stores, saying "we want to do what we can to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19". It's also requesting customers use contactless card payment instead of cash, and has rolled out more stringent cross-contamination protocols in-store. Other popular Melbourne cafes to implement similar changes include Mayday Coffee & Food in Richmond, Carlton-born coffee roastery Seven Seeds and Beaumaris' Saska Cafe. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9sJhsTAVRA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Meanwhile, Bonnie Coffee has rolled out similar changes across both its Sydney and Melbourne stores, saying it wants to minimise transmission as well as to avoid contamination of its own equipment. Other Sydney venues that are taking a break from reusable cups include Mecca Coffee, Sonoma, The Carpenter, Surry Hills' Artificer, Sample Coffee and Cherry Moon. Plenty of Brisbane spots are following suit, too, including the CBD's John Mills Himself, which is scrapping cash payments and pausing the use of both dine-in cups and reusable takeaway cups. "As a business where being environmentally best practice is a core value this is no easy decision," the team explained. "For now our community safety must come first." Other caffeine haunts like Pourboy and Coffee Anthology have also put a pause on reusable cups and are encouraging contactless payment instead of cash. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9vtkRugLlK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kitti Gould
Change is coming to Herston, Brisbanites. Change is coming to the entire city of Brisbane over the next decade — hosting the Olympics will do that — but revamping Victoria Park / Barrambin has been in the works long before that news. First announced in mid-2019, the new vision for the inner-city site involves transforming it into a 64-hectare destination complete with a tree house lookout, water play gully, high ropes course, mountain bike track, reinstated water holes and wetlands, and a community edible garden. And, as the Brisbane City Council has just revealed, the project now has a new draft master plan. That might not sound all that exciting, but plenty has happened with the proposed revamp over the past few years. Brisbane City Council first undertook a months-long community consultation process, with more than 5400 people tendering submissions and over 3500 folks showing up to an open day back in September 2019. Then, it unveiled an overview of the best suggestions in December that year, which it combined with advice from local and international design experts to come up with a new draft proposal that it also asked for feedback on. In 2020, it released another plan — and in 2021, it closed the golf course and opened up a heap of parkland, too, as an early step. Now comes the latest rundown of what else is in store, much of which will sound familiar from past iterations. This time, though, it builds on the 51,000-plus ideas and pieces of feedback received during the past phases — and takes into consideration that future works will need to cater for Victoria Park's temporary equestrian cross-country course, and its role as the host of BMX freestyle events, during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. So, moseying through wetlands, riding along rainforest mountain-bike trails, peering out from a treehouse lookout to take in views of the city skyline and mountain ranges, and climbing a high-ropes course — they're all included, all on the edge of Brisbane's CBD. Also on the agenda: a cafe as part of the lookout, an entire 'Adventure Valley' including the bike track and high-ropes setup, a another water play area alongside the nature water play gully, and an adventure playground. The existing pedestrian and bikeway bridge will get an upgrade, and there'll be a community sports precinct as well. And, an Education Hub and Visitor Centre, too — plus plenty of shady foliage including revegetated forests and pockets of native bushland. Regarding all that greenery, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner advised that "over the park's transformation, we will increase tree canopy cover from 10 to 60 percent, with more than 10,000 trees and shrubs already planted, including 80 native species." "This will be an incredible venue during the Brisbane 2032 Games and Council has already been working with experts to ensure that the equestrian cross country course is integrated into the master plan. Once the Games are over, the course will revert to public use and our plan for that part of the parkland will proceed," the Lord Mayor continued. In the immediate future, Victoria Park is also getting new park furniture, shelters, picnic tables, barbecues and drinking fountains — and yes, the existing putt putt course, driving range, bistro and function centre are all staying open while the revamp takes place (should you have the urge to play mini golf or grab a bite to eat). When the full makeover is done, the transformed Victoria Park will become Brisbane's biggest new park in five decades, and one that'll alter the face of the inner city. A completion date for the revamped park is yet to be set, other than after the Olympics. If you have thoughts, the current draft plan is open for feedback until Sunday, October 30. Find Victoria Park on Herston Road, Herston. For more information about the overall transformation, or to provide feedback on the current draft plan before Sunday, October 30, visit the Brisbane City Council website.
From Tokyo book stores to the catacombs in Paris to Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain's LA apartment, there are some pretty ridiculous places up for rent thanks to the Internet — but this Airbnb listing has to be one of the coolest yet. Well, if you're into post-impressionist painting, that is. As part of their current exhibition Van Gogh's Bedrooms, the Art Institute of Chicago has created an IRL replica of Gogh's famous work — one that you can visit, touch and book to spend the night in. Because just looking at epic, classic pieces of art is way too basic these days, the museum has recreated Gogh's The Bedroom in 3D life-sized form, complete with all the details painted in the original. They've used digital technology to replicate the painting of his 'Yellow House' in Arles, France, making the real-life version even more vivid, distorted and emphasised. It looks incredible — and, unlike other installations, you can actually get all handsy with it. The room — which is located off-site in Chicago’s River North — is listed on Airbnb by Vincent himself for just $14 a night. The reason for the price? Well, according to the host: "I'm charging $10 [USD] for no other reason than that I need to buy paint." It's the ultimate experience for art nerds; Vince will even chuck in some tickets to his Art Institute of Chicago exhibition with the price of the room. The exhibition features all three versions of his bedroom paintings that he created from 1888 to 1889. It's the first time the pieces will be shown within the same space in North America. Via Colossal.
Jump in your car smack-bang in the middle of Adelaide and, in 40 minutes, you'll be among the rolling hills and idyllic vineyards of McLaren Vale. Very few wine regions on the planet are so easily accessible from a big city. Without leaving the area's four square kilometres, you can visit more than 70 cellar doors, eat your way through Mediterranean-style dishes, cycle along the Shiraz Trail and venture inside an architecturally impressive rubik's cube. And just beyond lies the rugged cliffs and dreamy coves of the Fleurieu Peninsula coastline. We've created this comprehensive guide to the breathtaking coastline, so you can spend more time sipping on great wine and less time lost down dirt roads. If you have the time, immerse yourself in the Clare Valley and the Limestone Coast, too. Or explore Adelaide — there are plenty of underground bars and fairy light-lit rooftops to uncover. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are limitations on where you can go on a holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_680419" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Red Poles, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] EAT Thanks to its combination of fertile soils, proximity to the sea and Mediterranean-like climate, McLaren Vale is a chef's — and food lover's — paradise. There's a cornucopia of restaurants and bars to choose from. Start with a caffeine hit and bagel at Dal Mare Coffee, where you can also hire a bicycle, or Mullygrub, which does excellent coffee and hearty brekkies, such as the hot-smoked salmon bowl. For lunch with vineyard views, head to Gather at Coriole; its menu takes inspiration from foraged ingredients — think buffalo curd with citrus and pink peppercorn and potatoes with cultured cream, native juniper and chives. Then there's The Salopian Inn, run by passionate chef Karena Armstrong, who draws on produce from her flourishing organic kitchen garden, and Red Poles, a quirky eatery dotted with artworks and cute courtyards. Alternatively, a mini-trip to Italy is on the menu at Pizzateca for woodfired pizzas with expertly crispy and chewy bases. [caption id="attachment_680418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maxwell Wines[/caption] However, the most unusual setting for a meal in McLaren Vale has to be Maxwell Wines' underground limestone cave. Dug out single-handedly a century ago for the purpose of growing mushrooms, this extraordinary space is now a 50-seat restaurant. Head chef Fabian Lehmann, who cut his teeth in Europe's Michelin-starred institutions, offers simple yet luxurious dishes, such as lobster with celeriac and yuzu or chicken with mushrooms and leek. If you're exploring further afield (which is definitely recommended), be sure to visit McLaren Flat for lunch or dinner at The Currant Shed. Or, drive to Port Willunga to feast on super-fresh seafood and local produce at Star of Greece. [caption id="attachment_680416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alpha Box and Dice, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] DRINK The majority of McLaren Vale's wineries are small-batch, boutique operations, so, no matter where you go tasting, you're likely to come across out-of-the-box drops. However, if you're extra adventurous, make Inkwell Wines your first stop. Its wines are all single vineyard, additive-free and made with minimal interference, ensuring their expressiveness. Other spots keen on experimentation are Alpha Box and Dice, where head winemaker Sam Berketa is currently working on an A–Z of wines, and Mollydooker, whose intense drops have their origins in 114 acres of vineyards along Seaview Ridge. Meanwhile, Gemtree is devoted to organic production. [caption id="attachment_680415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitolo Wines[/caption] Meanwhile, Mitolo Wines comes out of a rich Italian heritage, with the family having arrived in Australia from Abruzzo in the 1950s. From there, head to SC Pannell to sample an array of Mediterranean-style varietals from Spanish tempranillo to Portuguese touriga nacional, and on to Hither and Yon — its range includes aglianico, a variety from southern Italy, and Spanish mataro. If beer's more on your mind, there's Goodieson for left-of-field brews — from mango NEIPA to coffee stout — as well as Shifty Lizard in Willunga. While you're seaside, you might as well sample a single malt whisky or two at Fleurieu Distillery. [caption id="attachment_650548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D'Arenberg Cube[/caption] DO With so much food and wine to work your way through, you'll probably want to get active at some point. Do just that on the Shiraz Trail, a 32-kilometre off-road cycle path that winds its way from Willunga to McLaren Vale, passing numerous wineries, restaurants and cafes. Another option is a visit to Goolwa, a sweeping beach a half-hour drive southwest of McLaren Vale, for a cockling session. Cockling, for the uninitiated, involves shuffling in the sand to uncover pipis, which you can take home and turn into a tasty soup or pasta. Note that cockling is only permitted between November and May, and any pipis smaller than 3.5-centimetres wide must be left to their own devices. To add a bunch of local produce to your pipi soup, head to Willunga Farmers' Market, which has been a gathering spot for farmers, growers and producers since 2002. Back in McLaren Vale, there's the famous D'Arenberg Cube. This incredible, five-storey architectural masterpiece, inspired by the rubik's cube, holds all sorts of wonders, including a wine sensory room, a virtual fermenter, an alternative realities museum and an array of installations. [caption id="attachment_680411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Jetty Port Willunga[/caption] STAY To sink into total luxury after eating and drinking all day and all night, check into The Jetty, Port Willunga. You'll have an entire apartment to yourself, perched on absolute beachfront, with epic views over Gulf Saint Vincent's azure waters. Plus, you can count on a private deck, a deep hot tub and a king-size bed. Meanwhile, at The Farm Willunga, you'll be sleeping in an apartment on an organic, biodynamic olive grove and vineyard. Expect to arrive to a bottle of complimentary wine and your own balcony overlooking rural vistas backdropped by the ocean. Breakfast takes the form of a gourmet hamper, crowded with local goodies. On the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula lies Port Elliot, home to Jimmy Smith's Dairy, a dairy-turned-bed and breakfast. With the help of Studio AKA's Amy Grundy, local couple Noel and Robyn Akmens transformed the original building into a series of stunning rooms. Original features, such as bluestone and airy ceilings, interweave with contemporary touches, including handcrafted furniture, built by Noel himself. Also on the southern side are the Beach Huts Middleton, a series of super-cute dwellings, painted in cheery, bright stripes. All come with a welcoming bottle of bubbly and, depending on which you choose, dashes of comfort — from spa baths to barbecue areas. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: D'Arenberg Cube via SATC. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Brisbanites love a market — especially one that specialises in top-notch pre-loved clothing. There's nothing like finding a quality item at a clothing market. There's the thrill of searching through the racks to stumble upon the piece, plus shopping secondhand and upcycled clothing is more sustainable than buying your clothes new. If this all sounds entirely relatable to you, head to the Second Life Markets when it hits Brisbane for winter on Sunday, July 16. The event will host 80-plus pop-up stores boasting vintage, secondhand and upcycled clothing. The stalls will span all ranges of clothing, including masculine, feminine and unisex pieces. The Second Life Markets run successful quarterly events across Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, London and, as of May, Brisbane. The seasonal events bring together local sellers and independent designers, as well as a heavy dose of good vibes. Brisbane's winter market will run from 11am–4pm. Entry is $10 and, in the sustainable spirit of the market, it's asked that you bring your own reusable shopping bag(s) with you on the day.
In 2011, in this very country and galaxy, a pop culture favourite gained a singing, stripping burlesque parody. It's the mash-up that was bound to happen. Who hasn't looked at George Lucas' space opera, its sprawling drama and ample spectacle, and wondered what a steamier, funnier version with more visible butt cheeks would look like? Russall S. Beattie clearly did, and had a good feeling that other people would give it a shot. The Empire Strips Back was the end result. It became a hit around Australia, then took itself overseas to much acclaim. Now it's returning home for a 2019 tour — once again showing local audiences that lightsabers aren't the hottest thing in the Star Wars galaxy. The saucy show promises "seriously sexy stormtroopers, a dangerously seductive Boba Fett, some tantalising Twi'leks, a delightfully lukewarm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker [and] the droids you are looking for", according to its website. Apparently Yoda doesn't get the sexed-up treatment, but there is plenty of song, dance, acrobatics and — because it's burlesque — the removal of clothing. A dancing Chewie and Han is just the beginning of this cheeky take on Star Wars cosplay. Given that it's got an upbeat soundtrack, the costumes are extremely detailed and the show throws out lots of references to George Lucas' original plot, it's not surprising that local audiences — presumably the same ones that pack out Star Wars parties and large-scale screenings with a live orchestra — have latched onto the production. Heading to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, The Empire Strips Back sits alongside Dame of Thrones in Beattie's pop culture parody stable — so if you've already seen one of your fantastical screen obsessions get the burlesque treatment, then you know what you're in for. If you're super keen, you can also nab a Wookieerotica magazine online: a 116-page, 70s-style men's mag, just casually featuring all of your favourite jedis, siths, ewoks and other Star Wars characters. Either way, it could be a great introduction to burlesque or Star Wars, depending on which way you're coming at it. The Empire Strips Back tours Australia early 2019. It will be at Perth's Regal Theatre on January 11–12, Melbourne's Palais Theatre on January 18, Brisbane's The Tivoli from January 31 to February 2 and Sydney's Enmore Theatre on February 15–16. Ticket pre-sales commence at 9am on Thursday, September 13 — visit the show's website for further details. Images: Jon Bauer, Leslie Liu and Josh Groom.
It's one of Brisbane's go-to waterside spots — for picnics, listening to live tunes and, sometimes, watching movies under the stars — and it's been keeping a picturesque patch of South Bank busy for a decade now. So, hitting the big one-oh milestone, River Quay Green is celebrating with a jam-packed weekend filled with excuses to head by (and to eat and drink while you're there, obviously). Across Saturday, November 27–Sunday, November 28, you have a few options. This is the type of party that lets you choose how you'd like to mark the occasion, because we all have our own speeds. If throwing down a rug is more your style, Otto Ristorante, Popolo Italian Kitchen, River Quay Fish and The Jetty South Bank are all doing both lavish and standard picnics — and Aquitaine Brasserie is also getting in on the former. That means that you can pick between prawns, oysters and prosecco, antipasto-heavy spreads, and Moreton Bay bug bao buns with roast beetroot and watermelon salad — and they're just some of the choices. Go for one of the long table picnics and you'll enjoy a stylish communal experience, while the standard option will require you to bring your own setup. And, if you'd prefer to dine at one of the aforementioned venues, they're all doing in-house specials as well. Otto is pairing negronis with pea and parmesan arancini, Popolo is putting on a six-course Italian feast and Aquitaine Brasserie is serving up a bottomless boozy lunch. There is a birthday to celebrate, after all.
UPDATE: MARCH 2, 2021 — Creed Bratton's Australian tour has been postponed to September 2022, with The Office star now playing Brisbane on Wednesday, September 21. Current tickets will still be valid for all upcoming tour dates. The below article has been updated to reflect this change. Dunder Mifflin's most eccentric employee is coming to Brisbane, and he has plenty of stories to share. Best known for playing a highly fictionalised version of himself on the US version of hit sitcom The Office, Creed Bratton isn't someone that viewers will forget quickly — and if you enjoyed his antics as a quality assurance director at everyone's favourite Scranton paper company, then you just might want to check out his live stage show. Beyond The Office, the real-life Bratton has quite a history. He started as a travelling musician, played lead guitar on the first four albums by American rock group The Grass Roots, and has released his own solo records, too. On-screen, he has also popped up in Grace and Frankie, western flick The Sisters Brothers, and Comedy Bang! Bang!. Bringing his variety show to Brisbane's The Triffid on Wednesday, September 21, Bratton is continuing what he's doing for years — solo stage shows, that is. As well as music and comedy, he'll chat through the ups and downs of his career, including the obvious: his time on The Office. If you've ever wanted to know why Creed loved spider solitaire so much, whether he actually did any work and if the character was ever really in a cult ("you have more fun as a follower, but you make more money as a leader," he once claimed), this might be your chance.
It could've been a scene out of the series itself: when Felicity Ward learned that she'd be starring in the Australian version of The Office, she was in a memorable situation that couldn't better sum up the past five years. "I remember where I was. I was in New Zealand and I was about to do a COVID test — but in New Zealand, it's so gross. They don't stick a thingy up their nose. They spit into a tube. So you go into a booth and there's pictures of food, and you just have to try to summon the spit," she tells Concrete Playground. "And you have to get that much spit. And then there's someone next to you, 30 centimetres, 50 centimetres on the other side of this paper partition, and you can hear them. It's so fucking gross." "I was working on another show in New Zealand, and twice a week I had to go and do a COVID test in the centre," Ward continues. "So I was about to walk in and I got a call from my agent, and he was like 'hey, can I have a chat?'. I was like 'yeah, yeah'. And then he's like 'I would like to offer you the lead role in The Office' — and I think I cried. I'm pretty sure I cried. I was pretty excited." Now streaming all eight season-one episodes on Prime Video, the latest take on The Office doesn't just set up shop in Australia, in the Sydney office of packaging company Flinley Craddick, where Ward's (Time Bandits) Hannah Howard is the local Managing Director. It also firmly takes place in today's COVID-impacted world. The premise: attempting to capitalise upon the move to remote working post-lockdowns, and to also save money, Howard's employer wants to shut down its offices. As someone who sees her colleagues as family members — a fact that always sits at the heart of her OTT, awkward, chaotic and often-cringey behaviour — Sydney's head honcho couldn't be less onboard with the plan. As Ricky Gervais' (After Life) David Brent and Steve Carell's (Despicable Me 4) Michael Scott likely also would've in the same scenario, Howard makes a deal with her own boss (Pallavi Sharda, The Twelve). If her staff can hit their targets and find savings quickly, their office will remain open. Unsurprisingly, though, returning to Flinley Craddick IRL full-time isn't a particularly popular proposal with her team — which includes flirty sales staff Nick (Steen Raskopoulos, The Duchess) and Greta (Shari Sebbens, Preppers), HR rep Martin Josh Thomson (Young Rock), IT manager Lloyd (Jonny Brugh, What We Do in the Shadows), finance head Deborah (Lucy Schmit, The Pledge), fellow salesperson Tina (Susan Ling Young, Barons) and intern Sebastian (Raj Labade, Back of the Net) — although Howard's right-hand-woman Lizzie (Edith Poor, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) will always follow her lead. There's no stapler in jelly this time around, but there's still plenty that's recognisable — to viewers of the past two English-language versions of The Office, with the British OG running from 2001–03 and the American take airing from 2005–13, and to anyone who has ever worked in any iteration of its setting. One key difference, not only compared to the best-known versions of the show but also to their counterparts in Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Chile, Israel, India, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Sweden and Saudi Arabia: somehow, the Aussie The Office is the first with a female boss. Ward had only watched England's The Office before stepping into Howard's shoes. That said, her main source of inspiration didn't come from the screen — it was herself. We also chatted with the comedian and actor (and Wakefield, The Inbetweeners 2, Thank God You're Here and Spicks and Specks alum) about standing out in a franchise built on awkward bosses, her read on Hannah at her worst and best, and how all things The Office have evolved over the 23 years since the English version's debut. On What Ward Drew Upon to Play Hannah Howard "Just me. I did not draw upon any of my experience with other people. The character was so well written, I'm like 'she's annoying, I'm annoying, let's tap into that'. Before you got online, I was just sitting here singing Jack Harlow — and that is how I live. That is basically what Hannah is. There's so little distance between me and Hannah. I would hope that I'm slightly more charming than Hannah. I have more self-awareness than Hannah. But she does, to be fair, have a job. I had a job. I mean, my job at the moment is promoting a job that I had last year. But I don't have a salary, I will say that. Imagine having a salary!" On Ensuring That Ward's Version of an Awkward Boss Stands Out From the Others in a Franchise Built on Awkward Bosses "I didn't think about the other ones, to be honest. I just thought about it like it was a sitcom, and what would I do for this character? I read the script. I'm like 'I know who this character is'. And so I just did that, and then tried to be as stupid and as cringe as I could. Every single take, I tried to make people laugh — I tried to break them in scenes. That was the only thing I thought about. I'd never seen an episode of the American one until I'd finished filming the Australian one, so I wasn't drawing on anything from them. And then Ricky's character — 'Ricky', like we're mates. 'Hey babe!'. I've never met the man — that was a male boss in 2002 or 2003, or whatever. So there's no crossover really there even with the character, apart from the conceit of the show, which is so clever. And it's actually only since I've been doing interviews about it that it makes sense to me. It's that the audience are so embarrassed for the lead that they don't like them. The bosses are delusional. They they're not aware that other people don't like them. And then the second that the bosses start to have self-awareness, that they doubt themselves, the audience go 'oh no, you can't doubt yourself. We love you. We can doubt you, but you can't doubt you'. And it's so subtle. I think it's incredible to make a character that you don't necessarily like that you absolutely love." On How Ward Sees Hannah — and Ensuring That She Isn't Just OTT and Frustrating, But Genuine in Her Affection for Her Colleagues, and Also Vulnerable "I think that there's an enormous amount of heart to Hannah, which is embarrassing at points, but ultimately you do love her because of how much she cares. Even though she's a loser and she's very annoying, you do kind of want her to win. You want her to win definitely over her bosses. No one wants the big boss to win ever in any show. For me, it wasn't a balancing act because it's all written. Julie De Fina [Aftertaste], who is the head writer, and Jackie [van Beek, The Breaker Upperers] and Jesse [Griffin, Educators], they broke all the storylines together and they direct different episodes, and it was all on the page. I didn't have to go 'so how can I bring heart to this character?'. It was just in the script. In the Melbourne Cup episode — I don't want to give the plot away for anyone — but when she sort of gets her heart a little bit broken, my entire teenage years I was in love with my friends, my male friends, and I was like 'I know, I'll just be really matey with them and really aggressive, and rip the piss out of them and try to beat them in shit. And that how they'll like me'. Yeah, great, great equation there. So when the character Danny's like 'oh yeah, I'm doing this other thing', it was so easy for me to go 'oh yeah, do you remember the years 1992 to 1998, Felicity? Why don't you think about that while you're doing this thing?'. So it was easy." On What Makes an Australian Version of The Office Unique "I don't know if you're from a funny family, but I remember trying to explain to someone else why my family was funny, and I couldn't do it. But I know when we're all together why we're funny and what would make us laugh. Trying to explain to other people why this is an Australian show, apart from the fact that Julie is Australian — I was going to say we're all Australia, but we're not, half the cast are Kiwis — it's just intrinsic to the characters. It's implicit in the workplace. And what's been amazing is speaking to people who have worked in corporate, who've gone 'oh my god, this thing happened to me, and this thing happened to me that happened in the show. And that thing when Hannah did this, my boss used to do that all the time'. Obviously Julie and Jackie and Jesse — the three Js, cute! — they know the world, they understand the world, and they just write the world in a way that resonates with people that have watched it so far." On Why The Office's Brand of Workplace Sitcom Still Appeals to Audiences 23 Years After the First One — and How It Has Evolved "I suppose what's fascinating is how relevant it's become. I don't work in an office, I don't work in corporate, I never have, I'm hospitality till I die, but I thought the conversation about working from home, working in the office, I thought that had wound up. I thought we'd come to the end of that and the show would still be post-COVID and it wouldn't be time-stamped, so it would still be relevant. But this conversation has come up again in the last month, that people are still trying to get everyone back to working in the office full time. And so it's become even more relevant again. So the timing of it is pretty good. I think if you're going to remake a show 23 years later, there has to be a point of difference. The fact that it's Australian — it will be uniquely Australian because it's Australian, and because we are Australian and Kiwi, it will be antipodean. And then I think the reason to do it 23 years later is to have a female boss. I think that's the only reason you remake it, because you're doing something so wildly different. The American Office came out, what, like three years after the British one? Something like that. And there was — I was there — there was a big backlash at the time. And then in the second season, it started writing its own scripts and it became its own show. I had never seen an episode of the American Office until we'd finished filming our one, and I watched it and I'm like 'these aren't the same show'. There's echoes of the same vehicle, but they're so brilliant, both of them. They do their own thing and they operate in their own world, and they love it. And hopefully ours does the same thing." The first season of the Australian version of The Office hit Prime Video on Friday, October 18, 2024. Images: John Platt and Prime Video, © BBCS and Bunya Entertainment.
Brisbane's thriving food truck scene is at it again, with another meals-on-wheels get-together joining the city's growing list. This time, the monthly gathering not only offers up plenty of food options, but a bayside view to go along with it. Kicking off from 4.30pm on February 16 and occurring on the third Friday of each month after that, Shorncliffe Food Truck Fest brings a heap of mobile eateries to Allpass Parade for your eating pleasure. Ending your week with some of Brissie's best bites and an ace watery vantage — now that's the life. For the first event, King Of The Wings, That Greek Truck, Flavours of Eataly, Indimex, Spud The Food Truck, Micasa, I Dream Ice Cream and Maxi Coffee will be taking care of your hunger, covering everything from chicken to burgers to caffeinated brews and dessert. Plus, All Inn Brewing will also be onsite, so there's your booze covered. And to top it all off, live music is also on the agenda.
Well, their name says it all: the 31-year-old stalwart of Fortitude Valley Asian dining was clearly one of the first of its kind in Brisbane and, in our honest opinion, The Vietnamese Restaurant certainly lives up to the definitive ring its name conjures. While some of Brisbane's other renowned Vietnamese haunts may trump it in the colourful, sleek decor stakes, The Vietnamese Restaurant more than makes up for its humble fit-out with brilliantly flavoursome, moreish eats and excellent value. Its salt-and-pepper squid ($17.50) is, this reviewer believes, the best in Brisbane. Crispy, salty and peppery (well, one would expect from its name, but even more so) explosions in every mouthful. Other gems include perennial chef's special the crispy duck with Asian greens and mushroom sauce ($20), the chilli and lemongrass chicken ($14.50) and the aptly named make-your-own "fun rolls" ($13), which serve as a potentially messy but nonetheless very enjoyable entree. Continuously owned by the Le family since its inception in 1983, the BYO and licensed restaurant also has a 50-person upstairs function room for special events. Open seven days a week, The Vietnamese Restaurant acts as an ideal destination for a quiet midweek dinner, work lunch (the $13 entree-and-noodle soup "speedy lunch" is a great deal) or a pre-going-out Saturday-night group banquet. This is a true Brisbane classic you need to try if you haven't already.
If you've always had a fondness for the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky, the idea of spending an evening stepping into anything Addams Family-related probably sounds like a dream. Whether you first discovered pop culture's eeriest family via the 90s films, through old episodes of the 60s TV show, in various animated guises over the years — including on the big screen — or thanks to Netflix's Wednesday, that fantasy can now become an IRL reality if you score admission to Wednesday Island. When the streaming platform dropped the full trailer for Wednesday's second season on Thursday, July 10, 2025 Down Under (it was still Wednesday in the US, fittingly), it announced that it was creating a Wednesday experience in Australia. So, on Saturday, August 16, the platform is transforming Cockatoo Island / Wareamah in Sydney Harbour into a fan festival-hosting haven to the show. Now, just a day later, applications are now open to attend — and to be part of a setup that'll make you feel like you're at Nevermore Academy, complete with other activations, performances and more The details remain vague even now that the timer on the pop-up's website has ended its countdown — it was whiling away the seconds until 12am on Friday, July 11, 2025 — but Cockatoo Island will celebrate all things Wednesday for a macabre winter evening. You need to be over 16 to head along. You'll also have to dress the part, too, so you'd best dust off your black-hued and gothic-looking outfits. At present, applications are open for VIP double passes until Sunday, July 20, 2025. Thirty competition winners will score attendance, a merchandise pack, access to an exclusive viewing area, food and drink vouchers to use while they're there, and transport to and from Wednesday Island — via boat from Sydney, and also return economy flights to the Harbour City, and/or one night's accomodation, if you're located outside of metropolitan Sydney. You'll also be able to head along to a pre-festival event. To enter for VIP tickets, you're asked to record a video of up to 30 seconds showing why you need to be hitting up Wednesday Island — and why, like Wednesday, you're an outcast. After that, Wednesday fans will be able to go in the running for general admission tickets between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3, 2025. What that entails hasn't yet been revealed, but boat transport to and from the island, plus one food and one beverage token, will be included if you're selected. Netflix is also bringing the Wednesday cast to Australia as part of a worldwide promotional tour, but how that will factor into Wednesday Island also hasn't been announced as yet. As for watching the Jenna Ortega (Death of a Unicorn)-led and Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)-executive produced series when it returns for its second season, you'll be doing that in two batches. Part one arrives on Wednesday, August 6, then part two on Wednesday, September 3. Check out the full trailer for Wednesday season two below: Wednesday Island is taking over Cockatoo Island in Sydney on Saturday, August 16. Head to the pop-up's website to apply for VIP double passes until Sunday, July 20, 2025, or to go in the running for general admission between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3, 2025 — or just for further information. Wednesday season two arrives in two parts, with part one dropping on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 and part two on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, both via Netflix. Read our full review of Wednesday season one. Images: Bernard Walsh, Helen Sloan and Jonathan Hession/Netflix © 2025.
Fancy teeing off at mini golf over a few drinks — while playing your way through over-the-top, pop culture-themed holes — but don't feel like venturing from the Brisbane CBD to Fortitude Valley? From Friday, November 29, you can now grab a club and start swinging at the city's second Holey Moley, which has opened its doors in the Wintergarden shopping centre. First announced last month, the location is hardly surprising, as it's where Strike Bowling — which is also run by the same company as Holey Moley — has been operating for well over a decade. Lucky for us, Funlab has decided to double the Queen Street Mall fun, meaning that you can now knock down a few pins and then get tap, tap, tapping (or vice versa, if you'd prefer). Inner-city dwellers can work their way around a nine-hole course that features a Ferris Bueller's Day Off-inspired hole, a replica of Vincent van Gogh's bedroom and a room filled with flying cash. Among the other themed holes, there's one paying tribute to Steve Irwin, another featuring King Kong, a Forrest Gump-style hole and yet another ramping up the wizarding antics — it's called Hole 9 & 3/4, naturally. Fancy breaking up your time on the green — not that Holey Moley's holes are typically green — with a stint of singing? Earlier in the year, the chain added karaoke to its Fortitude Valley digs, and it's on offer in the Wintergarden as well. Don't worry, you'll be doing your crooning in private rooms, so only your mini-golf pals will hear your vocal stylings. Booze and food are also part of Holey Moley's lineup, including plenty of cocktails. When you're not downing drinks with names like Austin Sours and The Sugar Caddy, you can sip an alcoholic concoction from a tiny bath tub that even has rubber ducks floating in it — or opt for wine, beer, spirits or a mocktail. As for snacks, choose between pizzas, hot dogs and extravagant burgers (such as The Dirty Birdie, which combines southern fried chicken, lettuce, bacon, slaw, guacamole and chilli mayo). Or, enjoy chicken wings, mac 'n' cheese bites, and five types of potato dishes (spanning normal fries, loaded fries, waffle fries, tater tots and sweet potato fries). If you're vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free, you'll find something on Holey Moley's menu, too.
The single greatest cult film this side of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is screening in Brisbane in 2023 — again. The Room never gets old. It's a feat to behold. And even if The Disaster Artist didn't take audiences behind the scenes not that long ago, and Greg Sestero didn't hit up our fair town a couple of years back, it's always worth revisiting. Described by critics as "the Citizen Kane of bad movies", with one comparing the film to "being stabbed in the head", Tommy Wiseau's The Room is an indescribable mess of plot holes, non-sequiturs, blurry camerawork and soft-core sex scenes, topped off by some of worst performances ever put to film. So naturally, we're heartily recommending you go and see it. Of course, the truth is that no one really sees this movie. Rather, they experience it. Screenings of The Room are fully interactive, with audience members screaming lines of dialogue, dressing up like their favourite characters and hurling plastic spoons at the screen. This behaviour is actively encouraged by venues — although, at New Farm Cinemas's next session, you will need to bring your own cutlery with you. The cinema bar will be open ahead of the screening, something you should probably take full advantage of. New Farm Cinema's The Room screenings say "oh hi, Mark" on the last Friday of each month, kicking off for 2023 at 9pm on Friday, January 27. From there, make a date with the same venue on February 24, March 31, April 28, May 26, June 30, July 28, August 25, September 29, October 27, November 24 and December 29.
Aaaah, steak. If you're a meat-eater, there's nothing quite like a juicy slab of beef cooked just how you like it. Well, actually, sampling a heap of steaks ranging from grain-fed to grass-fed and Angus from wagyu just might top munching on one — and it's on the menu at Ribs and Rumps Fortitude Valley's Beef & Wine Tasting Dinner. As these things often are, it is exactly what is sounds like (and it sounds so very delicious). You'll eat morsels of meat. You'll drink Penfolds wines to match. You'll arrive ravenous (we suggest), and leave stuffed full (we predict). Also on offer: a drink on arrival, a foray into the world of pork ribs as an entree, sides and signature sauces with the tasting plate that comprises your main meal, and either salted caramel brulee or oozing chocolate pudding for dessert. Plus, there'll be experts on hand filling you in on everything you're drinking, too, because this kind of dinner is about learning as much as it's about eating.
Ten years after setting up shop at Eagle Street Pier, Matt Moran's Aria Brisbane is saying farewell. With the inner-city waterside precinct slated for a huge revamp in the coming years, the acclaimed restaurant is closing its doors when its leases finishes, with Saturday, June 15 marking the last day of service. Co-owned by Australian hospitality group Solotel, Aria Brisbane opened as a sibling to fellow fine diner Aria Sydney, and quickly became one of the Brissie CBD's must-eat destinations. Moran's ever-changing menu has always skewed both seasonal and local, particularly highlighting Queensland ingredients — which pair well with the site's stunning river views. "All good things come to an end, and the end of the current lease seems like the perfect time for us to go out on top in Brisbane," explained Moran. "I want to thank our staff and also our loyal guests who have embraced Aria as one of the city's most sought after dining experiences." Moran also highlighted a selection of his favourite Aria dishes, including the scampi from the restaurant's first years, the confit pork belly and the banoffee with banana and caramel — and, in good news for Brisbanites, they'll all be on the menu until the Eagle Street spot closes its doors. For six weeks starting from Tuesday, May 7, patrons can tuck into Aria's ten-year (and ten-course) tasting menu. On the lineup is everything from goat curd cigars and duck and pea pie to fried brussel sprouts and toasted rice sorbet, available for lunch and dinner with or without matching wines. Solotel will remain part of Brisbane's dining and drinking scene — it also operates Riverbar & Kitchen, located a little further along Eagle Street, as well as Little Big House at South Bank. And as for Eagle Street Pier, a new $1.4 billion waterfront hub has been proposed for the riverside stretch, marking the biggest change since it was built back in 1989. If it goes ahead, current plans include two new towers to replace the existing buildings, permanently closing the zone between Charlotte and Market streets to vehicles, and adding apartments, a hotel, retail spaces, and new restaurants and casual eateries. Find Aria Brisbane at Eagle Street Pier, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane until Saturday, June 15 — open Tuesday–Thursday from 5.30–10pm, Fridays from 12–2.30pm and 5.30–10pm, and Saturdays from 5–10pm.
When Bros turns its attention to Hollywood's past with queer stories, and with gay men on-screen specifically, it doesn't hold back. A film starring and co-written by Billy on the Street, Parks and Recreation and Difficult People's Billy Eichner isn't going to bite its tongue, including about the poor record of LGBTQIA+ inclusion and representation in mainstream cinema. First, Eichner's character Bobby Lieber reflects on being asked to pen exactly the kind of feature that Bros is — a studio-made rom-com with two gay men as its leads, that's honest about queer life and love, and also broad in its appeal — with acerbic and hilarious results. Later, Bros digs into Hollywood's penchant for tragic queer tales, and for Oscar-bait performances by straight actors playing gay. The movie laughs, but it also hits its targets. Blazing a trail, yet being hyperaware that this'd be a better world if it wasn't: that's one aspect of Bros. The first-ever Hollywood rom-com about and starring two openly gay men, it's a film that does what nothing else has before and knows it. That feat is worth celebrating. So is the fact that Bros features an all-LGBTQ chief cast, another mainstream milestone. Just as worthy of praise and affection: that Bros is warmly and candidly entertaining and engaging, while still remaining unflinchingly authentic about the characters and culture it depicts, and clearly knowing that making viewers laugh and cheer is a rom-com's number one aim. It was filmmaker Nicholas Stoller, a veteran of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Five-Year Engagement and the Bad Neighbours franchise, that actually set Bros in motion — and approached Eichner to be involved. The pair had worked together on Bad Neighbours 2 and TV series Friends From College, but Eichner was still skeptical that a movie like this could and would ever happen. Thankfully for audiences, it has. In the process, it also adds a big-screen star turn and a nicely layered performance to Eichner's resume. He doesn't run around the New York City streets yelling about pop culture at people, but he does get opinionated on his character's podcast, and the feature is set in NYC. He does have Debra Messing pop up as well. Plus, Eichner gets to fall for — and also work through a swathe of conflicting feelings about — Luke Macfarlane's Aaron Shepard. The Brothers and Sisters and frequent Hallmark network star is another key part of Bros, and he's no one's mere hunky love interest. This is a pioneering film not just because it's about two gay men and hails from the big end of town in filmmaking circles, but also because it heroes complex gay characters living complicated gay lives. Visiting Down Under for Bros' Australian premiere, Eichner and Macfarlane chatted with Concrete Playground about making gay rom-com dreams come true, never thinking a movie like this could happen, and the rewards of genuinely reflecting their own experiences and community on the silver screen. ON GETTING THE CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY — AND HAVING A STORY TO TELL Billy: "I was shocked that he [Nicholas Stoller, Bros' director and co-writer] wanted to do it with me, and very flattered. And I said yes knowing that it was a huge and very rare opportunity, but also not having any idea if I had the skills to do it, or a story that was worth telling. But as it turned out, once I sat down at my laptop, 20-plus years of being an openly gay man and navigating the world of dating and relationships and all that, I had a lot to say. I didn't even realise it at the time, but I guess I had a lot bottled up that I wanted to get out — and this movie gave me the opportunity to do that in a funny and entertaining way, I hope." Luke: "I was sent a script — and part of the job of being an actor is reading scripts, and sometimes that's a challenge. But reading Bros was a total delight. I really remember laughing out loud, and being a little bit nervous because comedies have not been something I've done a lot of. But also just underneath all the comedy and the jokes, I really understood and responded and connected to this character of Aaron." ON NEVER EVEN THINKING THAT A MOVIE LIKE BROS COULD EXIST Billy: "It wasn't something that I was thinking about. I honestly think I wasn't sure if something like this could happen even. I thought maybe it could happen as an indie film, because historically that's where we were allowed to make movies like this, as independent films. And many of those are great, and we are very lucky to have them — and Bros wouldn't exist without decades of queer indie cinema paving the way for more mainstream queer content. But even so, when Nick [Stoller] and Judd Apatow, who produced it, when they said that they thought that Universal, a major studio, would want to make it, I honestly didn't believe them. I didn't think they were right. I was pleasantly surprised — really shocked — when Universal both wanted to make it and felt strongly that we do it as authentically as possible and with an all-LGBTQ cast. I was really, really surprised by that. And so, it's not really something I thought about because I didn't really think it was possible to produce at this scale." ON SEIZING AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY Luke: "The approach to every job as an actor is that you have to do your absolute best because they will take away the opportunity if you don't. So I can speak simply as an actor, I always try to give the best, but rarely do I connect as deeply with a character." Billy: "I think for all of us, we understood what a rare and unique experience it was, and we all wanted to bring our A game and do the best we can. Nick Stoller, who's directed many movies over the years and has been involved in many TV projects successfully, said he's never been with a cast that showed up to set and was more prepared. You don't sit there and think 'let's shoot a historic scene' or 'oh god, this scene has to be good because, you know, it's the first LGBTQ this or that'. But at the same time, we just all wanted to do a good job because we realised what a rare opportunity it was. And we wanted to give the LGBTQ community a movie that felt authentic to their experience, and give every audience — straight, gay or whatever it was — a movie that would make them laugh out loud a lot, and feel good about life." ON ENSURING THAT BROS IS AUTHENTIC ABOUT GAY LIFE, LOVE AND CULTURE Billy: "It just came down to wanting the movie to be an honest reflection of my life, and the lives of the gay and queer people that I know. Again, we didn't sit down and say 'let's write a historic movie'. You don't even sit down and say 'let's write a gay movie'. We just said 'let's write an honest movie, and a funny movie, and let the chips fall where they may, and hope that regardless of how familiar they might be with the inner workings of gay male dating and relationship culture in 2022, that the honesty would be impactful for all audiences'. And, that you could feel this when you're watching the movie. I think you can tell when a movie is lying to you. And, we wanted to give people something that was uplifting, and feel-good but still grounded and truthful. Honestly, our goal was just to make a laugh-out-loud funny movie. We didn't want to make a gentle dramedy about the gay male experience, and we didn't want it to be sad or tragic. We wanted it to be honest but ultimately a feel-good movie. We wanted it to be laugh-out-loud funny start to finish, and we also wanted to make sure that both of the central characters were multi-dimensional people — that they were both more than meets the eye. When you meet Bobby, when you meet Aaron, you might think they're a certain type of person or a certain type of gay man, but as the movie unfolds you realise there's a lot more for both of them going on underneath the surface — that they both have their moments where they're wrong, they both have moments where they're right, they have moments when they are flawed and hypocritical, they have moments when they are hilarious and triumphant and joyful. I think that reflects real life — that was our goal for the movie, to make sure that it was very rich and complicated and not one-dimensional or two-dimensional. Even if that made it a bit more of a complicated experience for the audience, we weren't just going to give them this kind of easy breezy rom-com that floats by without anything real going on. We wanted to give people a very rich experience." ON THE REWARDS OF MAKING BROS Luke: "You always want to play characters that are complex and multidimensional and have an arc. Just purely from an actor, and being rewarded and challenged by your part, that's exactly what you want — especially when the character is so close to who you are and the life that you live. So, I'm incredibly grateful that this script that was written, that is also very funny, was also very smart and kind of meant for smart audiences." Billy: "There's so much of it that's been so rewarding. We want the movie to be as relatable as possible to all audiences — straight and gay. That said, there hasn't been a tonne of representation in mainstream films for queer characters, for gay men, especially in comedies, and again movies that aren't tragedies, movies that aren't about the suffering of being gay historically, that are about modern gay people and the way we live our lives. And it's been really gratifying to hear and to be getting messages from people, especially queer men, and who in addition to thinking this movie is funny and entertaining, are having a real emotional response to it. It's just very impactful and very moving to see your life, or a version of your life that's at least a little closer than the ones you usually get — and certainly more than a movie about a straight couple might make you feel. As much as we love those movies, there is something unique and powerful about seeing someone from your community, someone that is dealing with the same types of things that you're dealing with on a day-to-day basis, when it comes to love and your own insecurities and vulnerability, seeing that reflected on a big screen especially. I think that's an experience we don't get a lot as gay men, especially in contemporary storytelling. And getting the messages I've received from gay men who've seen it, who've had a really emotional response to it, who said it really moved them in a way that was surprising and they weren't expecting that, has been really gratifying." Bros released in cinemas Down Under on October 27. Read our full review.
Every season, a new cocktail trend rolls into town. Often brightly coloured and served in a frou-frou glass, the excitement of a new-to-you cocktail is enough to whip any of us into a frenzy. But among the cocktails that come and go is one classic that never goes out of style: the highball. The classic whisky-based cocktail is one that everyone should have in their repertoire, and not just because of its simplicity. So, we've partnered with popular premium mixer brand Fever-Tree to give you a a proper rundown on the simple-yet-versatile drink. Better yet, to celebrate Fever-Tree's A-class dry ginger ale, we're spicing things up with a ginger highball recipe, too, so you can whip up one at home, then get reading. [caption id="attachment_743897" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HIGHBALL The exact origin of the highball is hotly contested. However, what we do know is that during the late-19th century, there was a phylloxera (a common insect pest of grapevines) epidemic that wiped out vineyards in Europe. So, wine and spirits like brandy and cognac became less readily available than they had been. This lead the wealthier classes, who used to mix brandy and cognac with carbonated water, to opt for blended scotch whisky with soda instead. And so, most would argue, the highball was born — although the name was yet to come. So, from where does the term 'highball' stem? One story goes that English actor EJ Ratcliffe brought the concept to America in 1894, where a bartender at the Adams House in Boston dubbed it a highball, due to the vessel in which it was served. Others have sworn the name is a throwback to an old American railroad signal. It is also thought that the name's origin could be Irish or British, with the term 'ball' being common for a glass of the amber liquor in Ireland and, more specifically, it served in a tall glass in English golf clubs throughout the late-19th century. As we said, this tasty tipple's history is anything but linear. [caption id="attachment_743100" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] FUN FACTS TO IMPRESS YOUR MATES WITH Two versions of the highball appeared in an American cocktail book called The Mixicologist in 1895. One under the name Splificator, which calls for whisky and naturally sparkling water in a 'medium thin glass'. According to lauded drinks writer David Wondrich, 'splificated' was Irish slang for drunk. The other drink was dubbed the High Ball, made with whisky or brandy and carbonated water. But over the years, the name highball stuck — and the rules for making one vary as much as the story of its invention. To make a highball, some say the whisky and ice needs to be stirred 13.5 times and soda water poured down the arm of the spoon. Others tell you to keep that spoon the hell away from it. Whisky highballs are so popular in Japan that it's become a top choice for punters. It's hardly surprising since Japan is known for its top-shelf whiskies. Plus, the drink's popularity is thought to be due to many Japanese people enjoying a drink with their meal, and sipping straight whisky doesn't have the same appeal as an ice-cold mixed bevvy. HOW TO MAKE A FEVER-TREE GINGER HIGHBALL Half the fun of mixing cocktails is putting your own spin on them. If you'd like to make your highball a bit more zingy, swap soda for ginger ale, which has become a common mixer for the tipple. By doing so you not only complement the whisky, but also add a more refreshing flavour into the mix. You can also look to shake things up by making yourself one of the many riffs on the ginger highball, such as the Whisky Buck and Mamie Taylor — both of which add lime juice into the equation. Whatever you decide, there are two ingredients that remain constant: whisky and ginger ale. Fever-Tree believes if three-quarters of your drink is mixer, you should only use the best. So, this recipe calls for one-part whisky to three-parts Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale. However, if you like your firewater more front-of-palate, simply use less mixer. Want to get even more creative? You can trial different garnishes, which means more taste-testing opportunities. INGREDIENTS 45ml Starward Two-Fold Double Grain Whisky (or the whisky of your choosing) 135ml Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale Plenty of ice Slice of grapefruit METHOD Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in whisky, then slowly pour in Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale. With a bar spoon (or any long-handled spoon), gently stir the concoction. For a bit of extra zing, garnish with a fresh slice of grapefruit. Want to hear top Aussie whisky producers talk about their secrets to mixing up a good tipple? See Fever-Tree's video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itnMTytOJmM Keen to whip up a highball at home? Purchase Fever-Tree Dry Ginger Ale via the Woolworths website and get mixing. Top image: Trent van der Jagt
If gin's your thing, that undying love is being pushed front-and-centre at the Brisbane Gin Festival. Headed to Brisbane Showgrounds for its 2025 event, the three-day festival will bring 50 craft gin distillers from around the country under one roof between Friday, April 4–Sunday, April 6. Apart from bottomless tastings, punters will also have the chance to chat directly with the makers. Stallholders will be hawking plenty of gins, including Black Cockatoo Distillery, Heaps Good Spirits and Prohibition Liquor Co, plus The Gin Boutique, Hickson House and Nosferatu. And, once you've picked your favourite, you can purchase bottles for takeaway. Tickets start at $73.72, with four sessions to choose from: 5–8pm on the Friday, 1–4pm and 5–8pm on the Saturday, and a 12–3pm session on Sunday. Your entry includes a tasting glass and a tote bag — plus all those samples. Nosferatu is also doing guided tastings on the Saturday, while Kendor will get you creating your own gins on the Sunday. You'll pay $110 to attend, and will get access to the festival as well.
Brisbane's funniest time of the year is getting closer for 2024, with Brisbane Comedy Festival set to fill Brisbane Powerhouse and other venues around the city with laughs from late April. Across its full lineup, the fest features 130-plus comedians putting on more than 350 shows. Eager to attend but not feeling too financial? BCF is doing $24 tickets to a hefty batch of gigs — but only for a 24-hour period. Comedy lovers, you've got from 10am AEST on Tuesday, March 12 until the same time on Wednesday, March 13 to nab cheap seats to more than 100 shows — or until the allocation of discounted tickets is sold out. Getting in quick, aka ASAP, is recommended, then. You'll need to enter the code 24FOR24, and you will still pay a booking fee on top of the $24, but you won't be paying full price overall to head along. 2024's Brisbane Comedy Festival will take place from Friday, April 26–Sunday, May 26, at New Farm's riverside arts venue, plus sites such as The Princess Theatre, Fortitude Music Hall and The Tivoli. The program is jam-packed — and, with so many gigs slashing ticket prices during the $24 sale, so is the roster of shows that you can catch for less than the price of dinner. Josh Thomas, Lizzy Hoo, Nat's What I Reckon, Nina Oyama, Arj Barker, Ed Byrne, David O'Doherty, Rhys Nicholson: they're some of the comedians that you can see for $24. There's also Mel Buttle, Reuben Kaye, Stephen K Amos, Tom Ballard, Takashi Wakasugi and Will Anderson. Among BCF's events that aren't standup sets, improvised whodunnit Murder Village and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare are also slinging $24 seats — and so are Queerstories, Thank God You're Queer and The Debate. The list goes on, spanning Joel Creasey, Luke Heggie, Ivan Aristeguieta, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Felicity Ward, Tommy Little, Peter Helliar, Dave Hughes, Akmal, Fern Brady, Urvi Majumdar, Jenny Tian, Connor Burns, Chris Parker, Dilruk Jayasinha, Geraldine Quinn and Hannah Camilleri, too. Rom-com production 44 Sex Acts in One Week; Bob Franklin, Tony Martin, Bev Killick and Gretel Killeen teaming up for an Aussie Comedy Legends night; Aboriginal Comedy All Stars with Andy Saunders, Elaine Crombie, Janty Blair, Jay Wymarra, Kevin Kropinyeri and Sean Choolburra: you can pick up $24 tickets to each as well. [caption id="attachment_850754" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atmosphere Photography[/caption] Brisbane Comedy Festival 2024 takes place between Friday, April 26–Sunday, May 26, with $24 tickets available for 24 hours between 10am AEST on Tuesday, March 12–10am AEST on Wednesday, March 13. Head to the festival's website for further details and the $24 sale page — where you'll need to enter the code 24FOR24 — for $24 tickets. Top image: Atmosphere Photography.
If you're the type of traveller — or staycationer — who chooses their hotels for the perks and extra inclusions, then you'll be particularly excited about the latest addition to Melbourne's accommodation offerings. Originally slated to launch in May, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer has now opened its doors, marking the Swiss brand's second site in Australia, after Mövenpick Hotel Hobart. And if either the chain's name or its country of origin have you thinking of sweet treats, yes; they're very much part of the hotel's menu. For starters, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne is celebrating chocolate hour every afternoon, from 3.30–4.30pm. That's when guests can tuck into complimentary desserts ranging from mini ice cream cones, to chocolate petit fours, to ice cream sandwiches. You can even dial up the indulgence factor with a few chocolate cocktails or the signature chocolate ice cream parfait. Mövenpick's hotels all serve the brand's line of food and beverages as well, which means that Mövenpick ice cream is also available. Also onsite, you'll find the dedicated Mövenpick Cafe, along with newly opened modern Asian restaurant Miss Mi, which is plating up a bold, vibrant menu by Head Chef Esca Khoo (Dinner by Heston, Longrain, Lûmé). The 172-room hotel will sate your appetite for style, too, its elegantly appointed suites boasting premium linens, photography works from the likes of Steve Scalone and Sean Mcdonald, and contemporary bathrooms complete with rain showers and Yuni Beauty products. And those wanting to work off any overindulgences can hit the hotel's dedicated recreation floor, home to a 25-metre swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and gym. Housed within the new 78-storey Premier Tower development on Spencer Street, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne is one of more than 80 of the brand's accommodation sites worldwide. Find Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer at 160 Spencer Street, Melbourne. Head to the Accor website for bookings and other information.
If you live in Brisbane you have probably heard (or even seen) Jeremy Neale. He is a man about town in the sense that he is everywhere at once — and this is a good thing. If there was a competition for 'Mr. Brisbane', he'd probably be the only nominee and the 'sure-thing' winner. You may have seen Jeremy on stage, singing or shredding (or drumming) in one of his many bands; you may have seen him on YouTube, dreamily crooning and punching bad-guys in his video clips; you may have seen him at Black Bear Lodge where he is slinging you drinks; you may have seen him behind the decks at many jaunts around Brisbane, when he DJs under the moniker Bris Springsteen. I hope you get my point; he is everywhere — but for good reason. He is a supremely talented individual and a super nice guy. Jeremy Neale is the frontman for 12-piece garage-rock hydra Velociraptor, but he is quickly gaining notoriety for his solo material, earning high rotation on Triple J with songs called 'Swing Left', 'Darlin'', 'A Love Affair To Keep You There' and 'In Stranger Times'. He's played around the country and earned thousands of adoring fans, each one with a story about he was really nice to them and gave them a high-five. Jeremy is going on tour with equally talented men The John Steel Singers this month. We asked Jeremy about his tour, his music and his love of Brisbane. G'day Jeremy! How has the past year been for you? Pretty crazy, right? Scientifically speaking with outdated pop culture colloquialism I guess you could say it was cray cray. You're a super busy guy. How do you find time for all your projects and still manage to live? To be honest, last year I didn't really. I butchered myself to get stuff done. Smashed a bunch of work to pay for music and then music took up all of my spare time. It was kind of like working two full-time jobs at the same time, I guess. I didn't really get my personal life in order but like any good coming-of-age movie I learned some valuable lessons and this year I'm looking after myself a bit better, eating well, exercising, y'know? Those kinds of things. I started doing yoga again, playing basketball and indoor soccer and watching TV every so often. Normal stuff that's helping me get out of my head and into the world again. You're touring with the John Steel Singers. What do you like about them and what do you think makes them a great band? They're legendary dudes. They've got that band of brothers-style camaraderie that I think any good band needs to have. They're clearly intertwined in each others lives outside of just music. It's beautiful. Their tunes are great too. The evolution between Tangalooma and Everything's a Thread has just been incredible too. What you've got now is a release that is a true artistic statement. For me personally, the new album took a couple of listens to get into but it's a truly magical album and well worth your time. What can people expect from the Jeremy Neale tour extravaganza? If some heinous aggressive dance type bro challenges you to a breakdance fight out the front of the venue, you better let them know that I've done nothing but watch the film clip to Run DMC vs Jason Nevins 'It's Like That' for the last week so I've got your back and I'm ready. Other than that — there'll be some music. Some guest appearances from Jeremy Neale starring as himself; myself and the band playing the songs as good as on the recordings but with this sweet live vibe. The stage banter of a young John Candy. No candy though, I don't really eat sugar. I guess it's cool if you want to though and I could probably buy some if there's a corner store nearby. Tell us about what else you have in store for us this year? This year is a mighty year. It seems Tiger Beams is no more, but everything else that I'm an active writer in seems to be making some exciting plans. There will be a new Velociraptor single out in a few weeks with an album coming out in July. I've been recording a bunch of new stuff with Teen Sensations as well. As for the solo guise after the tour with The John Steel Singers, I'll be heading to play a festival in Wollongong, touring with Loon Lake, hitting up the UK for The Great Escape and subsequent international touring. Come October you should also see the first single from my new generation of club banger tracks too which is what I'm most excited about. You DJ under the moniker Bris Springsteen so you must have a bit of hometown pride. What do you like about Brisbane as a city? I think it's just the right size — complete with a very supportive music scene. The weather rules and there's enough good people to live a life that has meaning (if in this instance we are stating that an important testament to the value of life is making meaningful relationships with those you share the world with. Which I am in fact stating in this instance is an important aspect). There's a bunch of cool stuff you can do and we have a man-made beach in the city. Total victory. Brisbane is a land of opportunity if you apply yourself. When you are in town, where do you like to eat, drink and hang out? A lot of the new places I end up venturing to are either through playing or DJing. My staple hangouts are Black Bear Lodge and Alhambra Lounge. As far as smaller bars go I really enjoy Shady Palms in Stones Corner and Jungle and The End in West End. My favourite restaurant is still Halim's in Rosalie. Who are some other Brisbane musicians that you think are doing great things for the local scene? WOODBOOT are an exciting band. Roku Music are an exciting band. Occults are an exciting band. Rolls Bayce are an exciting band. The Good Sports, also an exciting band. I'm super keen to see what Go Violets will do next. I wish Johnny & The Fembots were still playing shows. As for individuals. Andre Johansson-Walder - the kid can play but he's also just a top bloke who knows how to record bands like a pro boss. And there would be a bunch more but it's 2:40am I'm one sleepy dog, so my recall isn't great and nobody is posting on Facebook at the moment to trigger my memory. We've got a great scene of musicians, writers, venue operators, promotors and all round participants so rest assured, there's a bunch of legendary people doing legendary things right at this very moment. And maybe they're sleeping at this particular moment but they're merely charging their batteries for the most triumphant things to come. Jeremy Neale and The John Steel Singers are playing two shows this week, both at Black Bear Lodge. More info here.
If your love for our national spread goes far beyond merely smearing it onto your toast every morning, this may be the perfect getaway for you. A Vegemite jar-shaped tiny house, called the Vegemite Villa, is popping up in NSW for two nights this December. The four-metre-high and two-metre-wide cabin can sleep two and is filled with some Mitey-fine paraphernalia — think Vegemite-themed socks, slippers, eye masks and an alarm clock, shelves lined with jars of actual Vegemite and even a bed that looks like Vegemite on toast. Spend a night here and you'll be a very happy little Vegemite. The jar-shaped cabin will pop up in Brogo, NSW, near the home of Vegemite's parent company and Aussie dairy giant Bega Cheese. If you do manage to snag one of the two nights here — December 6 and 7, available to book exclusively through Booking.com — you'll need to prepare yourself for a decent drive. Brogo is located a 5.5-hour drive south of Sydney or a 7.5-hour drive north of Melbourne. This isn't the first time Booking.com has created an OTT getaway, either, with the digital travel company previously setting up an Avo-Condo (yes, a tiny home shaped like an avocado) in Circular Quay last July. The Vegemite Villa is popping up at 610 Warrigal Range Road, Brogo, NSW from December 6–7, 2019. A night in the villa will set you back $89, with bookings opening at 10am AEST on Wednesday, December 4 via Booking.com.
One of Australia's best bars is taking a trip to one of Australia's best hotels this winter, as The Calile welcomes the crew from Sydney agave den Cantina OK! for one night only. It's part of The Calile's Rooftop Harvest series, which invites figures from the hospitality world around Australia to create dishes and drinks using ingredients from the hotel's rooftop garden. Behind the stick will be Cantina OK! Venue Manager Jordan Grocock and Creative Lead Jaxon Kite, who'll be shaking up a bespoke cocktail inspired by the pastel tones of The Calile's pool. The Sandia OK! is a vibrant green and pink margarita in which fresh lime and hibiscus leaf harvested from the hotel's rooftop garden are mixed with makrut lime leaf tequila and topped with shaved watermelon for a textural and visual punch. Alongside them, The Calile crew will be serving one of its signature creations. The Marigold Highball is a twist on the classic highball, with a mix of Red Mill coconut rum, soda, coconut vinegar and a house-made shrub crafted using marigold leaves picked from the rooftop garden. Both drinks will be paired with seasonal snacks that also showcase ingredients from the June harvest. Entry is free but registration is recommended — don't miss your chance to experience one of Sydney's most celebrated bars, no flight required. [caption id="attachment_1006984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dexter Kim[/caption]
Trade your cramped office cubical for the great outdoors at Australia's new summer camp designed specifically for grownups. Located in Aireys Inlet an hour and a half outside of Melbourne, Camp Kidinyou will give adult professionals the chance to get in touch with their inner child, with a weekend's worth of activities, games and more. Set to take place over the first weekend in December, the getaway is the brainchild of Florida-born life coach Dara Simkin, who was inspired by her own summer camp experiences as a child, as well as the recent popularity of adult camps in the US. "I feel like Australians understand the concept of what summer camp is from television shows and movies, but there was never that real experience as a kid," she says. "So I'm wanting to fill that gap." At $478 per head, the camp is pitched at professionals "looking to unplug from their business and go and do something different," explains Simkin. "You can always go to a bar, you can always go out to dinner with friends. I'm trying to create something that's really different and exciting. You're outside, you're meeting new people, and creating relationships over a weekend." Campers will take part in a wide range of activities, including arts and crafts, meditation, contemporary dance and '80s aerobics, as well as team sports including kickball, volleyball and relay races. "I think that a lot of us have missed out on playing fun, competitive sports in our adult life," says Simkin. "When's the last time you did an egg and spoon race?" "There's so much research now around play," Simkin continues. "It increases brain function, it increases creativity and focus. We're built to play. We're built to connect, and we're built to have those kinds of deeper relationships... it's just that something happens when we get older where we feel like play is a waste of time, or play is immature. But I think even as a business owner or as an employee, incorporating play into your work life or your social life adds so much more peace and balance and fun." Meals will also be included in the entry price — and before you start flashing back to the terrible food you ate on school camp, rest assured that the offerings at Camp Kidinyou will be of a much higher standard. Think all-you-can-eat wood-fired pizza, bakery breakfasts, coffee by Bonappuccino, and dinner catered by Melbourne BBQ joint Fancy Hank's. "When you arrive there's nothing to worry about," says Simkin. "You pay for your registration, and everything is included. You don't have to pull out your wallet once the whole weekend." Campers will even get to hunker down bunk beds, guaranteeing that quintessential camp experience. Just please… make sure you're on your best behaviour when the lights go out for the night. "I want to build a community around the camp," says Simkin, adding that she hopes to host "camp reunions" back in Melbourne. "Just because camp is over, that doesn't mean we can't go bowling together, or play kickball games in a park. Once you're a camper, you're a camper for life." Camp Kidinyou runs from December 2-4 at Angahook Camp in Aireys Inlet. For more information and to book your place visit www.campkidinyou.com.
Move over Google Glass. After years of development, the search engine-cum-world-enveloping-super-corporation have announced the very first public rollout of their brand new modular phone. Codenamed Project Ara, Google has confirmed that the customisable device will be made available for purchase in the second half of 2015. The only downside? You'll have to live in Puerto Rico in order to do so. The Puerto Rican pilot program is part of ongoing testing for the smartphone, which consists of a special exoskeleton into which users can slide various physical 'modules', such as a camera, external speakers or an extra battery — essentially building their own phone. According to Google, the potential for modules is limitless — and we can certainly appreciate the theoretical advantages. Not only will users be able to customise their phone's appearance, they’ll also be able to incrementally upgrade obsolete hardware, cutting out the cost and general inconvenience of purchasing a whole new phone. On an even more practical level, as someone who habitually drops their phone on the footpath, the prospect of being able to simply detach a cracked screen and replace it with a new one is pretty damn appealing. Google is remaining coy when it comes to things like pricing, although according to the Project Ara website, the cost of the components will hopefully be between US$50-100. Google have also stated that they hope to have as many as 20-30 different modules available by the time the phone is on sale. Taking a tip from the mobile food industry, Google will also roll out several 'food-truck' style stores in conjunction with the Puerto Rican release, with users able to trial the device before they commit to purchase. Presumably the reception in Puerto Rico will be used as a baseline, in order for the company to tweak the device ahead of a wider release at some point in the future. Via Time. Images: Google ATAP.
When Freaks and Geeks first aired on Australian TV, it was one of those series that you had to actively search the television guide for. If you were devotedly scouring the listings at the time, then you already knew that the Paul Feig (Another Simple Favour)-created show was instantly among the coming-of-age greats, and also destined for a cult following. The past quarter century has proven that true of this glimpse at 80s-era suburban high-school life, but here's something that viewers back in the late-90s and early-00s couldn't have foreseen: a 14-hour marathon featuring all 18 episodes of the series screening at SXSW Sydney in 2025. Feig is SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival keynote speaker and its first recipient of the new SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award. If that's not enough love for the director, writer, producer and actor, the Harbour City fest is also pairing his visit, chat and accolade with a retrospective of his work. Audiences can see three key titles from across the filmmaker's career, including that all-day stint with Freaks and Geeks. If you're keen to binge-watch the Jason Segel (Shrinking)-, Linda Cardellini (Nonnas)-, Seth Rogen (The Studio)-, Busy Phillips (Girls5eva)-, John Francis Daley (Game Night)- and Martin Starr (Tulsa King)-starring show on the big screen, that's on the agenda at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick on Saturday, October 18, kicking off at 9.30am. Or, a few days earlier, you can see the cinematic comedy sensation that is Bridesmaids, complete with Feig in attendance and taking part in a Q&A. If you have any burning questions about the Maya Rudolph (Loot)-, Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale)- and Rose Byrne (Physical)-led flick, Wednesday, October 15 is your chance to ask them. For the film's wedding-themed chaos, you'll also be heading to the Ritz Cinema. The third part of the retrospective program is a Sunday, October 19 session of The Heat, Feig's odd-couple buddy-cop comedy with Sandra Bullock (The Lost City) and Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), also at the same venue.
If furniture could talk, the couch from Friends would have plenty to say. For a decade up until 2004, the orange-hued lounge played a pivotal part on everyone's favourite 90s sitcom, as Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe whiled away the hours in Central Perk, reclined upon the sofa's comfortable-looking cushions, drank copious amounts of coffee and nattered non-stop about their lives. As far as on-screen seats go, it's up there with the most famous. And, almost two decades since the show went off the air, it's coming to Australia. The Friends Experience is bringing that bright-coloured sofa Down Under, finally hitting our shores after stops in New York City, Long Beach, Detroit, Birmingham and Brussels. This isn't the actual couch that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer plonked their butts on for ten seasons, but it is a replica — as is much at The Friends Experience. That includes a version of Central Perk itself, as well as the fountain, Monica's kitchen, and Chandler and Joey's recliners. Why? Nostalgia and all those snaps everyone is going to take, obviously. Keen to sit where your TV besties once did (or on a settee that resembles the one they sat on, to be precise)? Then you can do just that from Friday, September 1 at The District Docklands in Melbourne, where The Friends Experience will make its Aussie debut. We can't promise that the sofa will always be empty, like it magically was whenever Monica, Rachel and the gang wanted to grab a caffeine hit, but you will be able to see and touch the replica either way. Yes, a version of the couch has done the rounds Down Under before, but that's not going to stop Friends diehards from heading along. Also, this is an official dive into the Friends world, complete not just with set recreations, but costumes and props, plus a gift shop filled with merchandise if you need a souvenir. There's no word yet if The Friends Experience will tour to other Australian cities, but cross your fingers — and get whichever five folks you'd like to hang out with at Central Perk to as well. Could you all be any more excited? The Friends Experience hits The District Docklands Level 1, Corner Star Crescent and Studio Lane, Docklands, Melbourne from Friday, September 1, with tickets on sale from 10am on Thursday, July 27 — join the waitlist now. Images: Original X Productions.
Brisbane barked and TransLink has answered. After asking the city's residents whether pet dogs should be allowed on CityCats, receiving an overwhelming yes, then trialling the move since late 2019, the State Government has permanently changed the rules regarding pooches on the city's ferries. Canines are now permitted to travel along Brissie's water-based forms of transport — so you can now go cruising along the Brisbane River with your four-legged best friend. That's great news if your trusty mutt likes speeding along the old brown snake — or if you're headed out for the day via the watery form of public transport and want to take your furry pal with you — however there are a few conditions. Dogs are only allowed onboard in off-peak periods, which covers between 8.30am–3.30pm and 7pm–6am on weekdays (between) and all day on weekends. And, when New Years Eve and Riverfire both roll around, dogs won't be permitted from 12 noon. Folks hitting the deck with their woofers will need to either enclose their dog in a carrier, or secure them on a lead and make them wear a muzzle. You'll also be required to travel in the ferry's outside areas — so no, your pooch can't get comfy inside the cabin, or sit on the seats — and, understandably, you'll have to carry waste bags and clean up after them. [caption id="attachment_754201" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikicommons[/caption] It's also worth noting that, if the boat is at capacity or there are other operational reasons, the ferry master may ask you and your dog to wait for the next service — so it might be worth factoring in some extra time if you're planning a river outing with your doggo. Dogs can travel at no extra expense, which means you won't need to buy Fido or Rover a ticket as long as you have one for yourself. If you have multiple puppers, though, each person can only take two pooches onboard with them. For more information about TransLink's pet dogs on ferries rules, visit its website. Dogs are allowed onboard from Monday–Friday between 8.30am–3.30pm and 7pm–6am, and all day on weekends. Top image: Sheba_Also via Wikicommons.
Some like it fancy. Their dining, their threads, their lifestyle. Quality craft, premium ingredients, considered processes — all key elements when producing the finer things that make life delicious and wonderful. Come Sunday, September 4, dads, father figures or your favourite leading legend can bask in a whole day set aside to celebrate all that they are. And, if that person likes to lean fancy, we've got your back with a top-notch roundup of luxe presents they're sure to love. First up? A smooth sip. DELICIOUS AND WONDERFUL WHISKY A terrific bottle of booze is a reliable winner when it comes to gifting for the 18+ crowd. And if a timeless Scotch whisky is their thing, Glenmorangie's full range should be your first port of call. The award-winning distillery produces a stunning range of whiskies in the Scottish Highlands (and the country's tallest copper stills). So, if your father figure is after a smooth sip, reap the goods of our legwork. Keeping it classic? You want The Original, the elevated yet mellow drop that's aged for 10 years in bourbon casks. Opting for something out-there? You're looking for The Lasanta, the attempt at bottling the "magic of a sunset" according to Glenmorangie's director of whisky creation, Dr Bill Lumsden. And if your dad deserves the top of the shelf, you're after the extremely rare — and extremely good — 18 Years Old. The lauded drop spends 15 years in American oak casks, then another three in Olorosso sherry. Good things take time, so trust this is brilliant. Glenmorangie, price varies FRESH KICKS Sneaker cred is important in the world of dads. So, regardless of how fashion-forward he seems, a little refresh to the wardrobe will never go astray. Playing into the luxe-streetwear trend is this green and white pair of Golden Goose Ball Stars. Paying homage to the eighties — and delivering a healthy dose of nostalgia — these Italian-made premium kicks are cool, effortless and set to be on regular rotation. Golden Goose, $830 LUSH LOUNGING Whether he gets his laps in or regularly enjoys a dip in the salty sea, having a luxurious towel around you really heightens the aquatic experience. Baina's Roman Pool Towel — made from 100% organic cotton in Portugal — hits the mark in both quality and style. A checkerboard of tabac and noir is both timeless and timely as far as trends go, making it a piece Dad'll use for years. Verdict: a truly solid gift. Slowe, $110 STAND-OUT SKIN SAVIOURS The largest organ in the body needs to be cared for with utmost importance. And when it comes to gifting-appropriate grooming options, you can't do much better than Aesop. The Parsley Seed Extended Anti-Oxidant Skin Care Kit is ideal for self-care novices and aficionados alike. Open this up and you discover six hardworking products: cleansing oil and toner, instantly hydrating serum and treatment, an eye cream and a masque — all tastefully packaged in Aesop's signature apothecary style. If your dad is always in the sun, out and about in city air or looking to brighten their face, present them with this — gold star guaranteed. Aesop, $360 HEIGHTENED HIGHBALLS Any drop that's worth drinking is worth pouring straight into a fancy — and deliciously different — glass. The sparkle of a highball housed in calm waves of viridescent glass will take happy hour up a notch, and Fazeek's designs are the ultimate way to get there. Specifically, The Wave Highballs in green (though, there's clear and pink, too). These stylish vessels are all hand-blown and come in sets of two — perfect for cheers-ing your pa. Fazeek, $99 for set of two FLASHY FURNITURE Your dad is a design-head who likes to make a statement? The Arnold Circus Stool — or side table or giant vase (if flipped on its head) — in red/orange is big, bright and will be a magnet for decor-related compliments. Expertly crafted from 100% recycled polythene plastic by the stand-out design talent Martino Gamper, each piece is wonderfully unique. Just imagine those green glass Fazeek highballs resting on top. Makers' Mrkt, $230 LUXE THREADS You can't go wrong with linen, and there'll be no shade thrown if you decided to nab this wardrobe essential for yourself instead. Rag & Bone do what they do so well: easy-breezy style, classic tailoring, designs that last. This Long-Sleeve Beach Shirt is a winner no matter who you're shopping for — regardless of personal style. Incu, $330 SMOKY SCENTS A hard-hitting present is a piece that someone covets but is reluctant to purchase themselves. Fragrance often finds itself in this category, though once you've made a scent your signature, there's no turning back. Cue the scentsmiths over at Roemy. Designed and made in Australia, cruelty free and long-wearing, they've got a stellar lineup of fragrances ready and waiting. Our rec? Forest. Crisp yet warm and reminiscent of sun after a sudden downpour. Plus, each bottle comes with a sample, so you can test drive an option for next year. Roemy, $239 Happy gifting this Father's Day, and if you're still scratching your head, you can't go past a bottle of Glenmorangie's delicious and wonderful whisky. Top image: Mark Babin, Unsplash
Heat, power, light, summer, joy, strength, the changing climate: think about the sun and any of these notions might spring to mind. Expect the artists exhibiting at the 24th Biennale of Sydney to ponder them all and more thanks to the two-yearly art showcase's just-announced theme: Ten Thousand Suns. When the Biennale last popped up in 2022, it did so with a program called Rīvus, which means 'stream' in Latin. It had water on the mind back in 2018, too, when the art event famously showcased Ai Weiwei's 60-metre inflatable boat. For its 2024 run, it's taking inspiration from a glowing source — and it has just revealed the first 39 artists that'll be reflecting on the topic as well. [caption id="attachment_910496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joshua Morris[/caption] "The 24th Biennale of Sydney will invoke a spirit of abundance and generosity as powerful political tools, and resist the mainstream mindsets of perpetual crisis that often lead to inaction. This edition revisits legacies of collective resistance, strength and exuberance, embracing a more hopeful and joyful outlook, while celebrating the exhibition as a carnival of rays and radiance, aptly titled Ten Thousand Suns," said 2024 Biennale Artistic Directors Cosmin Costinaș and Inti Guerrero. "Next year's Biennale works across time periods, beyond the borders separating cultural practices rooted in different genealogies, and from all continents. The exhibition owes a profound debt to the rich heritage of what is known today as Australia, especially to the struggles and practices in which First Nations communities and migrants have faced and played key roles." [caption id="attachment_910497" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Creation of My Metaverse (Between this World and the Next) (2021). Serwah Attafuah. Digital 3D render, 3600 x 6000 px. Support: Sotheby's. Courtesy the artist © Serwah Attafuah.[/caption] Running from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10, 2024 across Sydney, and free to attend as always — with the list of venues yet to be revealed — the Biennale will feature works by artists such as William Yang, Tracey Moffatt, Serwah Attafuah, Kirtika Kain and Kaylene Whiskey among the homegrown contingent, as well as Sachiko Kazama from Japan, Francisco Toledo from Mexico and Malaysia's Anne Samat. From the lineup of talents so far, Biennale boasts its usual significant focus on local creatives, accompanied by artists from the US, Brazil, Indonesia, The Philippines, Taiwan, New Zealand, France, Guatemala and more. In addition to ample art for attendees to peer at, wander past and experience, the 24th Biennale of Sydney will also feature a contemporary music lineup in partnership with Phoenix Central Park. The venue's curatorial skills will be taken to new locations beyond its stunning Chippendale site, responding to both Ten Thousand Suns as a theme and the works on display. [caption id="attachment_910498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cannot Be Broken and Won't Live Unspoken (2022) [installation view]. Anne Samat. Rattan sticks, kitchen and garden utensils, beads, ceramic, metal and plastic ornaments. Wall panel: 365.75 x 731.5 x 61 cm. Floor: 609.5 x 609.5 cm. Commissioned by the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Photographer: Anne Samat. Courtesy of the artist and Marc Straus, New York.[/caption]"We have long held the view that contemporary music is an art form worthy of elevated presentations in fine art spaces. It's a great privilege to be creating a music program that will respond to the breadth of work curated by Cosmin Costinaș and Inti Guerrero," said Beau Neilson, Executive Producer and Creative Director at Phoenix Central Park. "Together they have assembled a rich and dazzling array of visual art that captures the sociopolitical zeitgeist with a spirit of optimism, and we look forward to honouring this vision with an exciting lineup that will span the duration of the Biennale." [caption id="attachment_837012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] BIENNALE OF SYDNEY 2024 — FIRST ARTIST LINEUP: Adebunmi Gbadebo Alberto Pitta Andrew Thomas Huang Anne Samat Bonita Ely Christopher Myers Citra Sasmita Darrell Sibosado Doreen Chapman Eisa Jocson Elyas Alavi Francisco Toledo Freddy Mamani Hayv Kahraman Idas Losin I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih (Murni) Li Jiun-Yang John Pule Kaylene Whiskey Kirtika Kain Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien Ming Wong Nádia Taquary Nikau Hindin, Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, Kesaia Biuvanua Orquideas Barrileteras Özgür Kar Pacific Sisters Pauletta Kerinauia Sachiko Kazama Satch Hoyt Segar Passi Serwah Attafuah Tracey Moffatt Trevor Yeung Udeido Collective VNS Matrix William Strutt William Yang Yangamini The 24th Biennale of Sydney will run from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10, 2024. Entry will be free, as always. We'll keep you posted on the whole artist lineup and exhibition program when they're announced. Top image: Mr. Cuddles Under the Eave (2021). Trevor Yeung. Pachiras, straps, 7 x 8 x 8m. Photography: South Ho. Courtesy the artist and Blindspot Gallery, Hong Kong
"I never expected that my work would amount to anything," says celebrated Australian Chinese artist Lindy Lee in conversation with Concrete Playground. "One dreams, but I never dreamed that I would ever have a proper career in art," she says. It's a humbling statement from the artist whose retrospective Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop opened at MCA Australia earlier this month. Celebrating her dynamic and often experimental 40-year practice, with more than 70 works including paintings, flung metal pieces and immersive installations, the exhibition is one of the most exciting events in Australia this summer. If you're not familiar with Lee's art, she says her work is never about giving off a message or trying to explain something. "But rather [to create] an experience for the viewer where they find themselves whittling out questions and curiosities," says Lee. "Art exceeds what anyone can say about it. When viewing it, it is almost self-reflective." The multidisciplinary artist has a playful approach to her art in which process is as important as the finished piece. There are Lee's early photocopy works from the 80s, wax paintings and whole-room installations. And there's the dazzling steel sculpture 'Secret World of a Starlight Ember', made up of thousands of tiny perforations and located in the Museum's forecourt, which you'll want to catch at night — and undoubtedly take a selfie. But there are also six artworks that are particularly close to Lee's heart, which, according to the artist are not to be missed. For Lee, they represent different points of her practice, direction and philosophies — and they're pretty great to look at, too. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] 'NO UP, NO DOWN, I AM THE TEN THOUSAND THINGS' Lee's practice is deeply rooted in Daoism and Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism philosophies, with her works often examining the connection between humanity and the cosmos. But it wasn't always so, which is why her work 'No Up, No Down, I Am the Ten Thousand Things' is such a seminal piece. "[It] was the first work that I ever created with a direct intentional relationship with Zen philosophy," says Lee. 'No Up, No Down, I Am the Ten Thousand Things' takes over an entire corner of the Museum, with approximately 1200 colourful photocopies, marked with flung ink (an ancient Chinese art form), scattered across the walls and floor. The bold work first exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW in 1995 and has been recreated by Lee thanks to the MCA's Director and exhibition curator Elizabeth Ann Macgregor — her first curated exhibition since the MCA's 2012 Anish Kapoor show. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ken Leanfore[/caption] 'MOONLIGHT DEITIES' This massive, immersive piece of art was commissioned especially for the exhibition and is made up of 31 perforated paper discs, varying from two to ten metres in diameter. So expect the wow-factor when walking through this one. Predominantly black and white with "the silvery light you get on a full moon night", 'Moonlight Deities' has a sense of otherworldliness to it. On the surface, it's all about dark and light, silhouettes and shadow, with moon crater-like projections dancing across the room. There's little difference between the discs and the shadows they cast, which, as you walk through the room, create a sense of liminality — all connecting back to Ch'an buddhism. "I have a fascination with time. In Zen philosophy, the thing I find immeasurably fascinating is the notion that time is actually an ingredient of what we are," says Lee. "We're all impermanent. And in the universe everything changes." [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] 'BIRTH AND DEATH' 'Birth and Death' is Lee's most personal work in the exhibition. "It remains one of the most important works I've ever done," says the artist. Created as an homage to her late nephew Ben after he passed away aged 22 from cancer, 'Birth and Death' touches on political and cultural themes such as migration, Chinese culture and the White Australia policy. "But the essential purpose of this piece was to honour Ben and give him his place in five generations of family," she says. "It's about paying honour to someone I cared very much about." The work is made up of 100 accordion books, with books dedicated to members of Lee's family at various stages of their life. Using red, the work evokes an association with blood as much as it does with China. It is as visually impactful as it is evocative. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] 'STRANGE CONDENSATIONS' Lindy Lee is no stranger to experimentation in art. In fact, it is a major part of her process and with 'Strange Condensations' she surrenders to it. Her flung bronze works came about from seeing accidental bronze drippings on a foundry floor and, naturally, she wanted to turn it into art. By taking molten bronze and flinging it at surfaces, the artist creates almost cosmic constellations — in a hazmat suit, no less. Again stemming from her Buddhist beliefs, 'Strange Condensations' — and its making — is symbolic of the universe as an infinite net, constructed and dependent on everything within it. "What I love about [flung bronze] is that it's uncontrollable. Everything that exists in that moment makes that mark," says Lee. "Each shape is unique and it is absolutely about the conditions of the time that creates them. And thus it is with life." [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] 'OPEN AS THE SKY' AND 'UNNAMEABLE' If you thought splashing 1200-degree metal around was experimental, think again. Wanting to make her flung bronze works three-dimensional, Lee turned to a litre of Pauls custard — as a cooling substance to drop molten metal into. With the metal rolling into itself while cooling, it creates spontaneous forms that Lee then scales up. The end result is a series of gnarled, pitted sculptures like 'Open As the Sky' and 'Unnameable'. As well as being the product of a cool science experiment, these works are the artist's own version of gonshi (ancient scholar's rocks) and, in turn, celebrate her Chinese heritage. "It takes an immense energy of geological transitions and force over thousands of years to make [gonshi]. That's why they're admired; they literally contain the movement of the universe through them. So, you know, I wanted to make my own." 'Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop is showing at MCA Australia until February 2021. The gallery is currently open 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Sunday, with COVID-19 measures in place. Entry is free and unticketed. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively. Top images: Anna Kucera.
A Gold Coast favourite has made the move north, with Bar Monte opening its doors in Newstead. The sibling to Miami's popular Italian-inspired spot offers a more elevated experience for Brisbane's fast-evolving dining scene — it's still warm and inviting like its big sister, but with a touch more edge and sophistication for the big smoke. Behind the 100-seat venue are James Sutherland, Kim Stephen (Light Years) and Lorenzo Toscani (Pixie, Byron Bay). Designed by Studio Plenty, the space is a refined take on neighbourhood trattoria, with spotted gum timber, glossy ceramic tiles, sculptural wool pendants overhead and curved banquettes winding across the room. The result is a setting that's both welcoming and eye-catching. [caption id="attachment_1025310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessie Prince[/caption] The menu reimagines Italian classics with contemporary twists, especially with small plates like Ortiz anchovy toast with smoked tomato butter and lemon, mortadella bun with pickled green chilli and limoncello aioli, and yellowfin tuna with pineapple, green chilli, lemon and koji mayo. Pastas and mains are more straightforward but no less considered, with highlights like paccheri alla vodka with nduja and stracciatella, barbecued chicken alla diavola with fermented chilli and bullhorn pepper sugo and a dry-aged bistecca with a porcini rub, onion and marrow butter. Award-winning sommelier Andrea Martinisi — whose accolades include a top-ten placing in the Association of Sommeliers International's World Best Sommelier Competition — has curated a tight wine list of just under 100 bottles spanning Italy, France and Australia. His wine program is complemented by a playful cocktail list that leans into savoury flavours — a Caprese Martini, like the dish, is layered with tomato, basil and a hint of mozzarella, while a bright and herbaceous celery margarita is dubbed the Celerita. Together, they set the tone for a drinks list that, much like the food, is at once inventive and approachable. [caption id="attachment_1025306" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessie Prince[/caption] Top images: Jessie Prince.
Let's be honest. Buying something for your dad gets harder every single year. He doesn't need another hardware store gift voucher and he's probably still working his way through the bottle of whisky you got him three years ago. What he does want is to see you happy and to spend more time together. Now, you can do both at once. That's the beauty of an experience over a gift. You get to do it together, talk about it for years — and secretly — you get to choose the thing you've actually been wanting to do. Dad will be happy just to come along for the ride. So, whether he's a rev head, a big softie, or somewhere in between, these dad-approved ideas in and around Brisbane are the perfect way to spend the day. Here are seven experiences you can gift for Father's Day. Take a V8 for a Spin at Queensland Raceway This one's for the dads who claim to have taught you everything you know about driving. With this experience, you can let him prove it. At Queensland Raceway, he'll get to drive five solo laps in a real V8 race car — then switch seats and hold on tight as a pro driver takes over for three full-speed passenger laps. It's fast, loud and exactly the kind of Father's Day gift your dad won't be expecting. And if you're up for it too? You can book back-to-back sessions and make it a full family showdown. Book a V8 race car drive experience here. Spend Half a Day Learning to Drift If your dad wants even more adrenaline, this drifting experience (also at Queensland Raceway) will take things up a notch. It's a half-day session where he'll learn the art of controlled chaos in a purpose-built drift car, including skills like high-speed slides, tyre smoke and plenty of sideways action. With pro instructors guiding him through each step, he'll be pulling off smooth drifts in no time. If you want to see him go full fast and furious, this one's a must. Book a drifting experience here. [caption id="attachment_961956" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] default[/caption] Climb Brisbane's Story Bridge at Twilight For a change of pace, skip the cars and take dad to the top of Story Bridge instead. This twilight climb is something you can enjoy doing together, and gives you panoramic views of the Brisbane River, CBD and beyond — with the golden-hour glow making it even more special. The climb is guided, safe and surprisingly peaceful, with just enough height to feel like an adventure. Plus, the view from the summit makes for a pretty unbeatable photo together. Book a story bridge climb here. Grab Breakfast at Farm House, Kedron For a proper Father's Day breakfast before a day of adventures, head to Farm House in Kedron. It's a local favourite for big brekkies, specialty coffee and country-style charm without going too far from the city. Here you'll find eggs benedict, hash browns and fresh juice all made with ingredients from local family farms and food producers. It's also dog-friendly, so dad can bring along his fur baby too. Go on a Fishing Charter If adrenaline spikes aren't really your dad's vibe, maybe fishing is. Queensland has heaps of options when it comes to getting out on the water. You can choose from half-day or full-day fishing experiences on the Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast, which will see you and dad head out on a boat for a few relaxed hours of casting lines, meeting new friends and, if you're lucky, reeling in something for dinner. Book a fishing charter here. Watch the Sunrise From a Hot Air Balloon This hot air balloon experience ticks every box for a great Father's Day gift. You'll take off just before sunrise from Ipswich, then spend 60 blissful minutes floating above the Scenic Rim, Great Dividing Ranges and Moreton Bay. Your pilot has over 32 years of experience and will spend the trip telling you all about the balloon and surrounding areas. Once you've landed, breakfast and coffee is served for some good quality time with dad. Book a hot air balloon here. Book Dinner at Agnes in Fortitude Valley Finish strong with a booking at Agnes, one of Brisbane's most acclaimed restaurants and a guaranteed way to impress dad. The entire menu is cooked over open flame, including meats, seafood and even desserts, which gives everything a smoky flavour that always hits the spot. There's also a great wine list and impeccable service. If your dad loves good food (who doesn't?) then this is the move. This Father's Day, skip the shops and choose an experience you'll both remember. Whether it's a surprise flight, a hot lap or a bridge climb, the most important thing is that you get to spend time together. Book dad an adventure with Adrenaline — five-year validity, instant delivery and memories made together.
Here's your latest excuse to pretend that it's the late 90s and 00s: The Offspring and Simple Plan are teaming up for a heap of 2025 Australian shows. After playing an Aussie gig late in 2024 as part of Victoria's Always Live music season — their only concert on that trip, which sold out in 30 seconds — the band is returning to hit up arenas in four cities. In Brisbane, they have two dates with Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, May 14–Thursday, May 15. It's been a quarter of a century since The Offspring earned a claim to fame that every music fan Down Under should know: topping Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most-controversial result to date. 2024 marked four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and more than 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — and the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. While the band released albums Let the Bad Times Roll and Supercharged in 2021 and 2024, respectively, you can still expect to hear their famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the group's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will have company in the form of Canada's Simple Plan. From The Offspring alone, you'll get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. Images: Daveed Benito.
Three Blue Ducks is expanding its collection of popular farm-to-table eateries with a new road trip-worthy regional restaurant. Following the opening of a Snowy Mountains outpost in 2020, and the recent closure of its original Bronte location, the hospitality group has now turned its attention to the New South Wales mid-north coast. Three Blue Ducks Bellingen will be located at the area's dreamy hotel The Lodge, becoming the group's sixth venue accompanying locations in Rosebery, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Melbourne and Nimbo. Set to open later this year, diners can expect all of the hallmarks of Three Blue Ducks at its latest iteration. Located on the hotel's 16-acre gardens, the restaurant will serve up ethically sourced dishes highlighting local produce. Owners Darren Robertson and Andy Allen have been working with farmers from the region to source ingredients that will feature across the all-day menu. [caption id="attachment_852010" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Three Blue Ducks Providoor, Steven Woodburn[/caption] "Sustainability and ethically sourced produce is a primary focus for us, and this ethos will continue with our menu offering in Bellingen," says Robertson. "The area and its surroundings is a melting pot of different flavours, ideas and innovative ways of presenting food, which makes Bello a must-visit location for food lovers." Bellingen locals, hotel guests and tourists will all be able to head in for a classic Three Blue Ducks spread for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Accompanying the produce-heavy eats will be coffee from Single O, and a robust list of wines and beers from across NSW. There will also be a separate functions menu, with the Three Blue Ducks team working with The Lodge to offer private events and catering for weddings. The Lodge boasts 30 individual rooms, luxury glamping options, a pool with day beds and a bar, and five alpacas that wander the gardens. Three Blue Ducks Bellingen will open sometime in 2023 at The Lodge, 1381 Waterfall Way, Bellingen — we'll update you with a launch date when one is announced.
After nearly a decade of Westerosi power struggles, obsessed fans and soaring ratings, HBO now finds itself with a Game of Thrones-sized gap to fill. The network isn't completely saying goodbye to the world created by George RR Martin, with at least one spinoff confirmed, and several others possibly in the works. But it's also looking for its next big hit. Bleak superhero saga Watchmen is one of the network's options, with a television adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel headed to screens later this year. His Dark Materials is another, as based on Philip Pullman's award-winning young adult trilogy of books of the same name. And if it sounds familiar, that's because — like Watchmen — one of them has already been turned into a movie. Twelve years after the incredibly family-oriented The Golden Compass made its way to cinemas, it's now heading to TV alongside sequels The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. HBO is keeping things simple by sticking with the franchise name, other than individual book monikers. And, based on the just-launched first teaser, it has help from a hefty cast — with James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Wire's Clarke Peters and Logan's Dafne Keen all starring. Still on the big-name front, Academy Award-winning The King's Speech director Tom Hooper is helming the first two episodes. Keen plays Lyra Belacqua, an orphan who seems just like everyone else, but hails from an alternate universe — one where a person's soul manifests as a shape-shifting animal called a daemon. As she looks for a kidnapped friend in the Arctic, she discovers a church-run stolen children ring, learns about mysterious particles known as Dust and ventures through different worlds, including the one we all know. McAvoy pops up as a powerful aristocrat, Wilson is his ex and Miranda plays a balloonist and adventurer. While HBO hasn't announced an exact premiere date as yet, His Dark Materials' eight-episode first season will hit screens by the end of the year. Instigated by and co-produced with the BBC, the show has already been renewed for a second season before it even airs — so the US network is clearly aiming big. Check out the first teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qz8L4KaTss His Dark Materials will air on HBO in the second half of the year, with an exact release date yet to be announced. We'll keep you updated — including about air dates Down Under. Images: HBO.
IKEA's blue-and-yellow Frakta bag has been a shop staple for more than three decades. It has helped carry your purchases of (too many) tea light candles, and proven an integral part of moving house. It's been used to make everything from masks and boots to bucket hats and even outfits for dogs, and has inspired a $2000 Balenciaga knockoff as well. And now, it's getting a new colour — so get ready to add a different hue to that pile of bags stuffed in one of your cupboards. Back in 2019, the Swedish retailer dropped a limited-edition rainbow version of the instantly recognisable, and super versatile bag; however, it was only available for short time. From November this year, IKEA will release a vibrant pink iteration as well, this time as part of a new collaboration with designer Zandra Rhodes. The vivid Karismatisk bag falls under the Rhodes-designed, 26-piece collection of the same name and, obviously, it's pink. The colour is bright, and there's another design flourish you won't find on the regular blue Frakta, too: side frills. "It is playful and functional — and the colour pop of pink adds an extra Zandra accent," said the designer. The Karismatisk bag will be available to purchase at IKEA stores n Richmond, Rhodes and Logan from November for $3. It'll also be available online at the same time. Across the rest of Rhodes' collection, you can also pick up cushions with eye-catching prints, both blue and pink vases, gold lampshades, and a range of rugs — plus mirrors, LED lighting, and candlestick and tea light candle holders. The Karismatisk bag will be available to purchase at IKEAs stores in Richmond, Rhodes and Logan from November for $3, and online via the retailer's website at the same time.
Fond of baked goods? Can't process gluten? Then, if you're a Brisbanite, you're also likely a fan of Nodo Donuts. The bakery chain has been slinging its gluten-free doughnuts since 2014 — and baking them, not frying them, too — at an ever-growing lineup of local stores. From August, Nodo will be doing just that in another location as well: West Village in West End. The expanding precinct already boasts everything from gelato and burgers to Italian eats, Mediterranean cuisine and Hungarian pastries, and now it's adding Nodo's doughnuts to the mix. While the chain has cafes in Newstead, Hawthorne, Camp Hill and South Bank, plus a grab-and-go joint in Elizabeth Street in the CBD, its West End spot will be a kiosk — like Nodo's Chermside, Carindale and Garden City outposts. It'll nestle into the Peters Lane retail precinct, and more than just doughnuts will be on the menu. Yes, obviously those baked orbs of deliciousness will be on offer, with Nodo's range including raspberry white chocolate, blueberry lemon cheesecake, pumpkin maple, strawberry Oreo and banana cake doughnuts. In addition, the brand's ninth Brissie location will also serve up breakfast dishes such as egg toast, pumpkin loaf and bowls, plus cold and hot coffees, cold-pressed juices and shakes. Designed by Cameron & Co Architecture, the new Nodo won't include seating — but given its location, and West Village's abundance of green space, you won't be short on spots to get comfy with your takeaway treats and bites. Find Nodo Donuts at West Village, 45 Mollison Street, West End, from sometime in August — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
For viewers, much that occurs in Such Brave Girls inspires two words: "here's hoping". Here's hoping that no one IRL has ever been contractually obliged to slip their hand down the pants of the boyfriend that they despise twice a week and on special occasions, for instance. Here's hoping that no one has ever sat in a doctor's office caked in green wicked witch makeup waiting for an appointment about deeply intimate matters, either. The emotions that both situations capture in this brilliant new three-time BAFTA-nominated British sitcom— one digging into the feeling of being stuck on a path that's anything but your dream and dispiritedly going with it, the other surveying life's uncanny ability to put everyone in circumstances so absurd that they seem surreal — are that raw and resonant, however, that watching resembles looking in a mirror no matter your own experiences. If Such Brave Girls seems close to reality, that's because it is. In the A24 co-produced series — which joins the cult-favourite entertainment company's TV slate alongside other standouts such as Beef, Irma Vep, Mo and The Curse over the past two years, and streams via Stan in Australia — sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson star as well as take cues from their lives and personalities. This isn't a play-by-play retelling, though. It doesn't claim to bring anyone faithfully and exactly to the screen. But it understands the truth of dealing with trauma, and its fallout and damage, making that plain vividly and with unflinching commitment. "Death, silence, hate" is this duo's personal spin on "live, laugh, love", they jest in a joking-but-not-joking way in-character; Such Brave Girls gets everyone giggling at the idea, but also backs it up. Making their TV acting debuts together — Sadler has previously written for Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Joe Lycett's Got Your Back and more — Sadler and Davidson also play siblings. Josie and Billie, their respective on-screen surrogates, are navigating life's lows not only when the show's six-episode first season begins, but as it goes on. The entire setup was sparked by a phone conversation between the duo IRL, when one had attempted to take her life twice and the other was £20,000 in debt. While for most, a sitcom wouldn't come next, laughing at and lampooning themselves, plus seeing the absurdity, is part of Such Brave Girls' cathartic purpose for its driving forces. If you've ever thought "what else can you do?" when finding yourself inexplicably chuckling at your own misfortune, that's this series — this sharp, unsparing, candid, complex and darkly comedic series — from start to finish. As well as creating the show and penning it, Sadler leads it as Josie, a bundle of nerves and uncertainty that's always earning Billie and their mother Deb's (Louise Brealey, Lockwood & Co) brutal honesty rather than sympathetic support. She's in her twenties, struggling with her mental health and aspiring to be an artist — but, above any firm sense of a career or a dream, she's largely working through a never-ending gap year as she tries to get through day after day. She receives a paycheque from a bookstore job that she abhors, usually while catching her colleagues off guard with her anecdotes. After hours, Josie's doting boyfriend Seb (Freddie Meredith, A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou) awaits — hovers at her side, pleads for sex and moves in without anyone telling her, to be precise — but she's certain that she's queer and only passionate about bartender Sid (Jude Mack, I Hate Suzie). Davidson's Billie is the eternally optimistic opposite of her sister — albeit really only about the fact that Nicky (Sam Buchanan, Back to Black), the guy that she's hooking up with, will stop cheating on her, fall in love and whisk her away to Manchester to open a vodka bar bearing her name. There's nothing that she won't do to make that happen, whether it means bleaching her hair to look identical to her competition (Carla Woodcock, Tell Me Everything) or agreeing to be Nicky's cover when he's busted at a nightclub for drugs. The other thing that Billie has an unwavering belief in, to a delusional degree: that their dad, who went out for teabags a decade ago and never came home, has just gotten lost at the shops because it rearranges its aisles all the time. Both girls live with the exasperated Deb, who also sees a relationship as the solution to her problems, setting her sights on the iPad-addicted Dev (Paul Bazely, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves). She's saddled with debt thanks to Josie and Billie's father going AWOL, and has picked her latest paramour as a path to financial stability thanks to his sprawling house alone. So, when she's not sternly advising her daughters to settle for what's easiest — "I know it's hard, but as you get older, you learn to love with less of your heart — less and less until eventually there's nothing left anymore" is one such piece of guidance; "work isn't about fulfilment, it's just so you can buy stuff to make you feel fulfilled" is another — she's telling them not to do anything to jeopardise what she considers the best chance they've all got as a family for a solvent future. With actor-slash-director Simon Bird behind the lens — alongside first-timer Marco Alessi on one episode — if Such Brave Girls seems like it belongs in the same acerbically comedic realm as The Inbetweeners and Everyone Else Burns, there's clearly a reason for that, too. That said, in its mix of humour and bleakness, alongside its dedication to diving headfirst into the messy existences of its three key female characters, it's also in Fleabag's wheelhouse. Nothing is too grim to find guffaws in, though, whether it's depression, existential malaise, suicide, termination, abandonment, daddy issues, death, grief, narcissism, infidelity or realising how much about life is simply learning to stomach disappointment. Call it searing, call it ruthless, call it insightful, call it hilarious: each one applies. Here's another "here's hoping" for Such Brave Girls' audience to put out into the world: here's hoping that there's more to come. Actually, here's yet one more: here's hoping that this is the start of big on-screen comedy careers for the show's sisters, who bring such a layered rapport to Josie and Billie that viewers who don't know that they're genuinely related will guess quickly, and who deliver masterclasses in comic timing again and again in the process. Brealey, who has Sherlock, A Discovery of Witches and Back also to her name, might appear to have a hard task, then, playing a convincing mum to real-life siblings. But Such Brave Girls doesn't just feel blisteringly authentic, even at its most ridiculous, whenever Sadler and Davidson are in the spotlight; it's that unvarnished with everyone. Check out the trailer for Such Brave Girls below: Such Brave Girls streams via Stan.
Can't stop, addicted to the shindig? Then you'll be excited about the latest huge music tour heading to Brisbane. Get ready to give it away, give it away, give it away now, too — your money, obviously, to see Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Los Angeles-based rockers are bringing their new global stadium tour our way, with Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante singing songs to you beneath the marquee at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, January 29. The band's dreams of Californication are zipping around the planet as part of a hefty tour that kicked off in June 2022 in Spain, and also includes stops in London, Paris, Dublin, LA, Chicago, New York and more alongside its Down Under leg. And yes, the Chili Peppers have a record to plug in the process, aka Unlimited Love — their 12th studio album, which dropped back in April last year. [caption id="attachment_859838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Clara Balzary[/caption] Both Unlimited Love and the tour mark the return of guitarist Frusciante, who left the Chilis back in 2009, then rejoined the band in 2019. And, the tour will see the group head to this part of the world for the first time since 2019, too — and playing plenty of hits from their almost four-decade run so far, obviously. There's a hefty number of songs to choose from. Since their self-titled first EP in 1984, the band has sold more than 80 million albums, won six Grammys and entered the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. They've also released tracks spanning 'Under the Bridge', 'Scar Tissue', 'Breaking the Girl', 'By the Way' and 'The Zephyr Song', as well as 'Otherside', 'Soul to Squeeze', 'Around the World', 'My Friends' and 'Suck My Kiss'. Red Hot Chili Peppers will be joined Down Under by someone else who's sold just as many records: Post Malone. Yes, it's a two-for-the-price-of-one kind of tour — two massive music names, that is. Post Malone heads our way fresh from releasing his fourth studio album Twelve Carat Toothache in June 2022. Images: Pavel Suslov
If finding excuses not to exercise was a job, most of us would be at the top of the field. Blaming your bank account is no longer a valid reason from Monday, January 15–Sunday, January 21, however. For the entire week, Brisbane's latest place to work up a sweat is hosting free classes — and, better yet, it's putting on unlimited free classes. Show up as many times as you like to try out CorePlus Studios West End's sessions this week and you won't pay a cent. CorePlus Studios West End comes to the River City after originating in Victoria, where it set up 22 studios in four years. This is the chain's debut interstate site — and free sessions is one helluva way to welcome itself to the neighbourhood. On offer: free hot mat (including strength and cardio) and reformer pilates (with athletic, strength, cardio, and pre- and post-natal), plus free yoga (complete with hot yoga flow, warm slow flow and warm yin). You do need to reserve your place online, however — and, unsurprisingly, sessions are booking out. Run by Matt and Larisa Tait, the venue puts on 45-minute classes from 5.15am on weekdays, 6.30am on Saturdays and 7.30am on Sundays.
Whether you watched along during its original 2010–12 run, or you've been hooked to repeats of old episodes over the past nine years, there's no denying the joys of SBS game show Letters and Numbers. It celebrates clever contestants doing word and number puzzles, each episode has an engagingly low-key vibe — all while still remaining tense as competitors try to work out the right answers, of course — and it's very easy and immensely enjoyable to play along with from home. The show didn't use a new format, though, with the Aussie series taking its cues from both French TV's Des chiffres et des lettres, which dates back to 1965, and also from Britain's Countdown, which has been on the air since 1982. So, now that Letters and Numbers is coming back — which is obviously fantastic news — it's doing so with a twist that also takes inspiration from overseas. Get ready to spend your time watching Celebrity Letters and Numbers. Yes, the change of focus is right there in the title, with famous folks rather than everyday people battling it out — to make words out of nine randomly selected letters, to use six also randomly chosen numbers in equations to reach a set figure, and to rearrange a jumble of nine more letters into one lengthty word in the final round. There's a big emphasis on comedians this time around, too, so this is basically SBS's Aussie version of the great 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (which SBS also airs, so it clearly knows that it's ace). Celebrity Letters and Numbers will start airing from 7.30pm on Saturday, October 2, with its twelve-episode first season dropping new instalments weekly on both SBS on TV and via SBS On Demand. You'll be getting twice as much puzzling this time, with eps running for an hour. Also, the series will air at least two seasons, with the second set to land in 2022. There is one other significant change, too, with comedian Michael Hing taking over hosting duties from Richard Morecroft. That said, Lily Serna will return to flip numbers and show off her maths skills, and David Astle will again tell contestants whether they've found real words or just made them up, all with his trusty dictionary in hand. And, if you're wondering who'll be competing, guests include Hamish Blake, Matt Okine, Merrick Watts, Jennifer Wong, Aaron Chen and Susie Youssef. They'll each be vying for a single book per episode, which is being sourced from a vintage 80s encyclopaedia collection that's been gifted by Michael Hing's parents (after they cleaned out their garage). Check out the trailer below: Celebrity Letters and Numbers will start airing on SBS and SBS On Demand from Saturday, October 2, with new episodes dropping weekly.
If you didn't spend the bulk of 2020 decked out in activewear, then it's probably because you donned something just as comfortable while you were working from home. And if you did give the stretchier items in your wardrobe a big stay-at-home workout last year, you might be in the market for a few replacements — or, you could just be keen to drop into Nimble Activewear's new Brisbane shop for a browse. The sustainability-focused label has opened its Queensland flagship store on James Street in Fortitude Valley — joining its New South Wales and Victorian counterparts in Bondi Beach and Armadale, respectively. Step inside the just-launched shop, and you'll spy racks filled with the brand's fitness apparel. To complement the hues used in its clothing, you'll find white and pastel walls awaiting, too. Also part of the store fitout: a 'sustainability wall'. Featuring a multi-sensory installation, it showcases the label's Move Lite fabric, which is made using recycled plastic bottles. The material is created by breaking used drink containers down into flakes, then melting them into pellets, and finally spinning them into yarn. So far, the brand has saved more than one million bottles from landfill, and is working towards a complete zero-waste ethos across all of its wares. Nimble already has a fanbase in Queensland — "last year, they were the biggest buyers of our bike shorts," co-founder Katia Santilli notes — but this is the first time that it has had a standalone retail store in the state. The brand was started back in 2013 by Santilli and Vera Yan, with an aim to make activewear for women that makes exercising approachable, and also does its part for the planet. Find Nimble Activewear at 16/65 James Street, Fortitude Valley — open 9.30am–5pm Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm Saturday and 10am–4pm Sunday.
For the past five years, festival-loving Brisbanites have descended upon a secret Sunshine Coast location for the Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival, which combined a laidback atmosphere, a campground surrounded by luscious greenery, plenty of stellar tunes and performances, and the chance to go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. Alas, it's no longer happening; however Yonder Festival has sprung up in its place. A three-day celebration of creativity, Yonder takes Jungle Love's vibe, runs with it and shapes it into something new. Running between Thursday, November 28 and Saturday, November 30 in a yet-to-be-revealed spot in the Mary Valley, the new fest boasts everything from a stacked music lineup across four stages; to a feast of roving, theatrical and visual artists; to a heap of workshops and panels on wellbeing. It also places a huge focus on Indigenous producers, artists and communities, as well as local creatives. It's the kind of event where you can dance to Asha Jefferies, Buttercats, FeelsClub, Felivand, Jaguar Jonze, Requin, Sycco and The Jensens, then check out Ruckus Slam's poetry, watch large-scale puppetry, and browse the boutique food and market stalls. Pick up a cocktail from the bar, then explore installations by the Brisbane Street Art Festival crew, get caught up in a scavenger hunt, take part in water aerobics and enjoy a stint of laughter yoga. Camping and glamping are also part of the fun, whether you choose to bring your own tent or campervan, or prefer to book a glamping spot. Tickets are on sale now — and check out the full music lineup below: A Love Supreme Alex Intas Alinta McGrady APEman Asha Jefferies Avaxa Belt Ullrich Boom Boom Bean Selecta Buttercats C O L T S Captain Dreamboat Carlo Xavier Chakra Efendi CHURCH Cigany Weaver Cloe Terare Cool Sounds Dear Doonan Desmond Cheese Dream Coast DRMNGNOW Fascinator Feelsclub Felivand Fight Ibis Full Flower Moon Band Glasshead Great Sage Gypsy Cats Hannah D Harmon Hazards of Swimming Naked Herbal Infusers Imbi the Girl Jaguar Jonze Jono Ma & Cosmo Ritmo DJs Kallidad Kaylah Truth Kenta Hayashi Luminescence Lying Down Mantashade Middle Name Dance Band Mufaro Mumbles Omegachild Party Dozen Penelope Two Five Pocketlove Pocketmoth Requin Selecta Savage Simon Bird Strange Seed Sycco The Ancient Bloods The Dead Maggies The Deltafish (JPN) The Jensens The Oogars The Stragglers Tijuana Cartel Viscous Image: Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival, Aimee Catt.
The glowing Apple emblem on the cover of your Macbook has far surpassed 'icon' status. But in a sea of identical Apple laptops, how will yours stand out? With our list of 10 quirky Macbook decals, we can guarantee that your laptop will no longer remain anonymous in the coffee shop or library. 1. Banksy-esque An ode to the king of street art. 2. The Last Supper Perhaps a little irreverent, but hilarious nonetheless. 3. Moustache Parade Disguise your Apple logo in an array of dapper 'taches. 4. Typewriter Bring it back with a vintage-vibe typewriter. And then be thankful you can write that essay on your Mac. 5. Harry Potter 'Dark Mark' Join the dark side, Potterheads, with the Macbook mark of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. 6. Apple Bottom Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur. Everyone was looking at...your Macbook. 7. Marilyn Monroe Carry a little of Marilyn's effortless sex appeal in your briefcase. 8. The Giving Tree Recall the tear-jerking children's book with this too-cute-to-handle decal. 9. Bullet Simplistic, and a little cheeky, this decal will make everyone look twice. 10. Lego Man For all the little Lego men that your mum stepped on or vacuumed up.
"Damn fine," is what a certain Twin Peaks' FBI agent would no doubt say about Coffee Supreme's Woolloongabba flagship. Yes, that means you'll get a cup of caffeinated goodness. And yes, it also means that locally baked treats are on offer. With the cafe, formerly called Day Made, the Brisbane base for Coffee Supreme, you'd expect the former in abundance — and you won't be disappointed. Here, you'll find a rotating lineup of single origins and the brand's famed Naughty Milk: cold brew served with a splash of sweetened condensed milk. Alphabet Cafe supplies the sweets; however, prepare to pair them with a tasty array of toasts topped with the likes of cinnamon sugar, crunchy peanut butter, aged cheddar and pickles or avocado, labneh and chives. Good beverages, good food, good vibes: that's what the international coffee brand's Gibbon Street store is all about. And you can take those positive vibes home with you, too, in the form of Coffee Supreme beans, peanut butter and bright red merch.
