When November hits, Brisbane starts celebrating one of everyone's favourite 'ch' words, with festive cheer filling the city seemingly everywhere it can. Craft'd Grounds has a different idea, however. The Albion precinct is swapping seasonal merriment for that other adored term that starts with the same two letters: chocolate. From Friday, November 25–Sunday, November 27, if there's a way to work chocolate into something, this Chocolate Fiesta will manage it — which, if you're a chocoholic, makes for a supremely appetising prospect. Chocolate pastries, chocolate rum tastings, food trucks slinging chocolate treats, a screening of Chocolat: they're all on the menu at this first-ever choc fest at the venue. Arrive hungry from 5pm on the Friday, with everything on offer via a heap of meals-on-wheels purveyors all sporting a chocolate twist. Milton Rum Distillery will also be pouring tastings of its limited-edition chocolate tipple, which'll give your after-work drinks a decadent spin. On Saturday, the focus is on family-friendly dishes; think: chocolate milkshakes and chocolate croissants, plus a treasure hunt for kids. But Doughcraft is doing two chocolate specials from 7am daily all weekend: a choc honeycomb shoux filled with honeycomb ganache and topped with dark chocolate crémeux, plus a brownie tart made with with toasted hazelnuts, fresh raspberries and vanilla diplomat crème. And, on Sunday, as well as the aforementioned French film screening, there's a five-course festive lunch at French restaurant Herve's. Or, from 1pm, hit up The Black for live tunes and chocolate cocktails.
Thanks to Brisbane's soggy May weather — and following on from the city's wet and wild end to summer as well — Paniyiri is no longer happening this month. Instead, the beloved food, booze and culture festival has been pushed back to October. But that doesn't mean you can't still treat your tastebuds to all things Greek across the weekend of Saturday, May 21–Sunday, May 22. Slotting into the rescheduled fest's dates, Greek Weekend is the party that the Greek Club is throwing when it's not taking part in the usual Paniyiri festivities. Expect two days of bites to eat, Greek wine and Greek music, and even a Greek dance party. Head to the venue's Nostimo restaurant and bar for a meze lunch or dinner over drinks, or sip Greek vino — and beers — on the terrace from midday on both days. Greek tunes will echo through the building across the two afternoons, while Saturday night will see its Olympus Room host a Greek taverna night — aiming to really make you feel like you've been transported to Europe — and Sunday evening is when DJs will hit the decks spinning Greek tracks, house and R&B.
No one likes Mondays; however, everyone loves a bargain. Combine the two — and throw in vegan and vegetarian eats as well — and you have BrewDog's regular special. On Vegan Mondays, anyone who's keen to tuck into the riverside brewery's meat-free menu will score two dishes for the price of one. Yes, that's just the kind of news both your stomach and your wallet need to start off the week — and it happens all day every single Monday. Four types of burgers are on offer, so you can pick between two made with chicken-style patties ($22.95) — including a vegan parmigiana option — plus a Korean fried cauliflower burger ($22.95) and a beef variety ($22.95). They all come served on a beetroot brioche bun, and you can opt for sweet potato fries and a range of vegan sauces. Other choices include three types of pizza ($21.95–24.95), cauliflower wings ($10.95–32.95), black bean tacos ($21.95), a Thai noodle salad ($21.95) and a veggie sharing stack ($31.95). You'll pay extra for your brews, of course — but the waterside view that comes with them won't cost a thing. Images: Pandora Photography.
If there's one thing that sells a culinary experience to us that has nothing to do with the actual food or drinks we'll be consuming, it's the location. And, if the location is outdoors, under the stars and near a body of water, consider us sold. At the Barrington Coast Long Table Dinner that's exactly what you'll get. On Saturday, March 26, hatted First Nations chef Clayton Donovan will be at the helm of this one-off experience, curating an incredible dinner that champions produce local to the Barrington Coast region. Donovan has said the menu will tell a story of the region — "the place where the leaves touch the waters from the mountains to the sea" — and you can expect native ingredients to be incorporated throughout. The Barrington Coast Long Table Dinner will all take place at Yalawanyi Ganya (the Mid Coast Council Building) in Taree from 6pm. Tickets are $150 and the exclusive event is capped at 80 people. For more information and to book, the website.
Secret Sounds, the organisation behind some of the country's most beloved festivals and memorable tours including Splendour in the Grass, has announced a huge tour of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales to raise money for flood-affected communities. The tour promoter hopes to raise $1 million over a one-month period, with those funds donated to organisations such as Lifeline, GIVIT, Koori Mail Bundjalung Community Flood Relief and Northern Rivers Community Foundation. The Flood Aid tour will take place over three separate gigs — including one in Brisbane. Come Saturday, on March 26, at Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Brisbanites will be treated to sets from Bernard Fanning, The Rubens, Cub Sport (doing a DJ set), Last Dinosaurs, Stevan and Hanni. Spend a night soaking in live tunes, help folks in need — that's what this gig is serving. If you can't make it along, another way you can get involved is by buying merch from Secret Sounds. A special line of tongue-in-cheek 'Where the Muddy Hell Are You?' t-shirts and hats has been created, and a flood aid auction is also in the works. [caption id="attachment_734388" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Charlton[/caption]
Looking for an excuse to head north, up to the Sunshine Coast and into the hinterland? An afternoon of eating, drinking and wandering through a rainforest should do it. That's all on the agenda at the returning Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, which takes over Maleny's Spicers Tamarind Retreat on Saturday, March 19 with plenty of food, booze and leafy greenery. The plant life is the easiest part to take care of, because it surrounds the hotel anyway — and provides quite the backdrop for all the culinary fun. As for what you'll be snacking on, ready your appetite for a feast of Asian street food. Tteokbokki, aka spicy stir-fried Korean rice cakes, will be on offer alongside Japanese tuna rice bowls, roast pork banh mis and Malaysian barbecue chicken. Obviously, arrive hungry. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping wine from Brockenchack Winery, spirits and cocktails from Sunshine & Sons, and brews from Moffat Beach Brewing Co and Asahi. Your $125 ticket will nab you a dish at each of the five food stalls, two beverages, access to cooking demonstrations and live music. Bring blankets and cushions with you, too, for lazing around on the grass between bites.
What's better than one sprawling music festival taking over Fortitude Valley's streets? Two in the space of a month, obviously. Valley Fiesta will arrive at the end of October, delivering live tunes aplenty for three days — and then, come Sunday, November 28, it's Big Summer Block Party time. A new event from music industry development association Q Music, as well as the folks behind BIGSOUND — which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic — Big Summer Block Party is exactly what it sounds like. Sure, it's actually taking place a few days before summer officially starts; however, it'll see 21 different acts take over seven Valley venues, and shut down Warner Street for the occasion. BIGSOUND alumni such as Eves Karydas, First Beige, Jesswar, Sampology, Golden Vessel, Clea, Eliza & The Delusionals and LÂLKA lead the bill, and will take to the stage at Black Bear Lodge, Kickons, O'Skulligans, The Brightside, The Brightside — Outdoors, The Outpost and The Zoo. As for Warner Street, it'll shut down for the evening — with the party running from 4–9pm — to host tunes, food trucks and outdoor bars, as well as local DJs on the decks. And, in news that everyone's wallet will love, entry is free. BIG SUMMER BLOCK PARTY LINEUP: Eves Karydas LISI Jesswar Eliza & The Delusionals First Beige Sampology Golden Vessel Clea dameeeela Asha Jefferies Karl S Williams THE RIOT Hayley Marsten Moss LÂLKA Being Jane Lane Jelly Oshen Wildheart Beckah Amani Sachém Colie Images: Dave Kan.
Pre-loved fashion is the gift that keeps on giving. One person's sartorial trash really is another's stylish treasure, after all. Hopefully, you'll find the latter at the 2021 Revive Festival — and plenty of other secondhand wares. Yes, it's an event dedicated to all things pre-loved. Yes, it's now in its fifth year, because celebrating all things old never gets old. The 2021 event is broadening its scope, however, with the October-long festival focusing on recycling, reusing, repairing and thrifting in both fashion and beyond. That means Brisbanites have multiple options when it comes to getting involved, including styling sessions that'll show you how to get the most out of secondhand threads, tours of the Salvos' sorting facility and hitting up the Sandgate Repair Cafe. If you're all about grabbing a bargain and garnering a heap of great outfit ideas all at once, you have several markets to choose from, too. Across the weekend of Saturday, October 16–Sunday, October 17, you can head to a Morningside thrifting event held by the folks behind the World's Biggest Garage Sale. And, on Sunday, October 17, the Love Me Again Market is popping up in Paddington. Or, there's also Zillmere's Fab Finds Market on Sunday, October 24 and Salisbury's Upcycle Market on Saturday, October 30. [caption id="attachment_783590" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Images: Brisbane City Council via Flickr.
Brisbane is already home to two mini-golf bars, multiple arcade bars, several axe-throwing bars and a digital ping pong bar — and it boasts a huge two-storey darts hangout, too. Usually the domain of old-school pubs, the projectile-flinging sport is the main attraction at Oche Brisbane, though it's had a thoroughly 21st-century update. Originally launching in Oslo in Norway, Oche (pronounced ockey) opened its first Australian digs in Fortitude Valley in 2019. Lining the walls are dart boards that look exactly how you remember — but they all have an electronic component. Each board comes with dozens of games built in, so you can pick between the knockout-style Killer, high-scoring High Striker and points-accumulating 201, among other options. The boards also keep score, so there's no need for a pencil and paper (and no room for arguments). And, for unknown reasons, some of them chat to you as well. Fancy having a throw, drinking brews, eating bratwurst hot dogs and mini pretzels, and celebrating this time of year? That's what the returning Ochetoberfest is all about. Running from Wednesday, October 13–Sunday, October 17, the five-day event features German beers on tap, German food and German tunes on Thursday, October 14 — combining boozy October shenanigans with an updated version of a favourite pub activity.
When November hits in Brisbane, the weather likes to leap into the future. It isn't officially summer yet, but try telling that to the temperature. So, at Brisbane Quarter, the CBD precinct is embracing that idea. It's still spring, but the venue is dedicating three Thursday nights in November — November 11, 18 and 25 — to a pop-up it's dubbed Summer Nights at BQ. The big drawcard: a gin bar serving up cocktails, supplying white rattan pod chairs for you to kick back in and also offering up DJ sets with a firmly summery vibe. Head by between 5.30–7pm and that's how you can shake off your work day. Afterwards, Brisbane Quarter's eateries will doing summer-themed dishes, including Persone, Tenya, Phat Boy and Phoenix — plus the Wet Deck, Living Room Bar and Three Blue Ducks at W Brisbane. Obviously, no matter what's on the pop-up's menu, mango pancakes at Phoenix are always a fine choice. Images: Claudia Baxter.
Everyone's favourite annual celebration of France didn't take place in 2021; however, Le Festival, aka the Brisbane French Festival, is still serving up all the fine food and busy market stalls that Francophiles have come to expect. And, it's doing so at the most festive time of year — all thanks to the event's first-ever French Christmas Market. Running across Saturday, November 20–Sunday, November 21, this two-day affair will get you eating, drinking, shopping and feeling Gallic at West End's West Village. Think of it as Le Festival but smaller — and filled with season's greetings. Red, white and blue lights will set the jolly tone, market stalls will sell all manner of French-inspired wares, and there'll be a French bar, too, because all that browsing and buying is thirsty work. Basically, it's the next best thing to heading to France for Christmas (all without the cost of an airfare). Images: Ange Costes
It's that time of year, Brisbanites — time to say goodbye to winter, cold weather and gloomy moods, and to offer up a big hello spring, sunshine and blossoming flowers. If the change of season has you feeling not only extra chipper, but also eager to get outside and make the most of it, Roma Street Parklands has just the event for you, too: its returning Blooms and Tunes event. For 2021, Blooms and Tunes is taking place from 1–5pm on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 — and combining live music, an immensely picnic-worthy spot and the Parklands' already impressive greenery. You'll sit, listen to music and have a bite to eat, and you'll also be able to check out the flowers blooming around the site's Celebration Lawn. Tunes-wise, the lineup includes Cigany Weaver, Mzaza and Jess Spina Quartet on Saturday, with CC the Cat, Steele Syndicate, and Birdman Randy and The Ivory St Preachers doing the honours on Sunday. You can bring your own snacks along, or order a $25–130 hamper from The Garden Room Cafe. [caption id="attachment_784308" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane Marketing[/caption]
Spring means different things to different people. Flowers, cleaning, spending more time outdoors, being pleased that winter is over for another year — they're all on the list. But, at both The Bavarian and Beerhaus on Thursday, September 9, the season also means tucking into $10 schnitzels. It's one of the tastiest ways to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, and to also save your pennies while doing so. The occasion, other than spring: National Schnitzel Day. Both chains are putting their entire schnitzel menus up for grabs for $10 a pop, so you have multiple options if you're feeling particularly peckish — or, if you'd like schnitzel for lunch and then more for dinner. In other words, this is some good schnitz, and it's on offer all day long for one day only. To get your fix, you can head to The Bavarian venues in Eagle Street Pier, Chermside, The Barracks, Robina, Broadbeach, Sunshine Plaza and Toowoomba, or Beerhaus at Bowen Hills.
When that slice of inner-city delights known as Teneriffe was officially named a suburb back in 2010, locals threw a party to celebrate. More than a decade on and the shindig is still going strong — you know it as the Teneriffe Festival. For its 2021 outing, the event will boast another wide-ranging lineup, aka the kind of bill previous attendees have come to expect. Taking place on Saturday, October 23, there'll be music, food, markets and more, all helping locals and visitors alike make the most of the bustling locale. Chilled riverside hangouts are just the beginning. Whether you're keen on feasting, shopping, drinking or tapping your toes, you'll find it here. More than 50,000 people have attended in previous years, so you'll also find plenty of company. Sample the area's bars and restaurants, find a feast of from a food truck, hit up one of the three pop-up beer gardens, then walk around more than 100 bespoke market stalls. A packed program of local tunes will take over two stages as well. And if you're wondering who'll be involved food- and drink-wise, the 2021 lineup includes Green Beacon Brewing Co, the Defiant Duck, The Triffid, Zero Fox, Dalgety Public House and Campos — and Brisbane Gin Distillery is even bringing its gin-slinging double-decker bus. Updated September 16.
Everyone loves a comedy festival, but sometimes being so spoiled for comic choice isn't just amusing — it's overwhelming. That's where comedy festival showcases come in. They add laughs to the lulls between annual fests, plus they offer a bite-sized sample of the up-and-coming comedians you might not have seen live yet. The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase certainly promises both, serving up the brightest and most buzz-worthy performers from the 2021 event. If it's highlights of hilarity you're after — from international and local folks alike — then this is the place to get it. This year, Dusty Rich, Jacques Barrett, Shayne Hunter, Angus Gordon, Kat Davidson, Ting Lim and Sandeep Totlani are all on the bill, ready to give your funny bone a tickle. Check them out now during one side-splitting show — and for just $39 — before putting their solo shows on your must-see list for the 2021 festival circuit.
What's better than celebrating pink-hued wine for an entire afternoon? Spreading the love across a whole month. To end September, Fish Lane is playing host to this year's Rosé Revolution; however, that's not the only vino-fuelled event that'll have you seeing pastel shades in South Brisbane this spring. From Sunday, September 26–Sunday, October 31, Fish Lane Rosé Month will be in full swing — and you can choose between set events and ongoing specials. Billykart West End is doing a $65 rosé brunch on Sunday, October 10, pairing two hours of drinks with breakfast items such as cheese soufflé and house-made crumpets with honeycomb butter. La Lune Wine Co is matching four lunch dishes with rosé for $150 on Sunday, October 31. And, in-between, a heap of other bars are also getting in on the action. At Kiki, rosé margaritas are on the menu all month long. Bar Brutus is doing rosé martinis, Hello Please has a rosé paired menu, and Billykart also has rosé flights and specials. You'll also find deals at Chu the Phat and Julius Pizzeria, too, because this month, we drink pink.
It's time to mark another food-based commemorative occasion. Yes, another one. By now, we all know that they're just excuses to eat more of a certain dish — and there are so many of them that you really could use them to plan your daily eating choices. But we keep celebrating dates like International Lobster Day because they're both tasty and fun. At Kangaroo Point, One Fish Two Fish is getting into the spirit of this lobster extravaganza in 2021 by, well, serving up the obvious. And it's doing so across a whole — from Saturday, September 25 (which is actual International Lobster Day) till Sunday, September 26. Make plans to dine in and you can tuck into a $59 two-course feasts that pairs lobster ceviche and prawn crackers with lobster Mornay with fries and zesty butter lettuce. Booking quickly is recommended, with only limited seats available. Or, if you'd like some lobster to take away, One Fish Two Fish is bringing back its lobster roll for $21 a pop. These beauties are popular, too, with the eatery selling 1500 of them in two days during Brisbane's last lockdown.
Every year, The Wickham hosts Little Gay Day. Despite the name, it's a sizeable party — and it doubles as a fundraising event for charities that serve the LGBTQIA+ community. And, in 2020, this sister shindig to the venue's Big Gay Day is returning for the third time. From 4pm on Sunday, October 3, the Fortitude Valley spot will throw a huge celebration, which includes live tunes, performances, games, raffles and lucky door prizes. And there'll be beverages, too, given the location, with Little Gay Day taking over all of the venue. Sahara Beck leads the lineup of musicians, drag queens and performers who'll be strutting their stuff, with the live tunes happening in The Wickham's beer garden. Entry is via gold coin donation, with funds going to Diverse Voices. A local LGBTQIA+ charity, it runs queer support hotline QLife, which takes calls for peer counselling on issues like gender identity and sexuality
Any weekend is a good weekend to shop for plants at the Brisbane Markets, the old faithful of the Brissie market scene. That said, Saturday, October 9 will be better than ever thanks to a returning event: Plantapalooza. It's the second time that the Rocklea spot has held a plant festival and, running from 6am–12pm, that's something to get excited about. You'll still find the venue's regular market array, but it'll be joined by thousands of extra indoor and outdoor plants, as well as plenty of flowers and succulents — and demonstrations on everything from composting and terrariums to growing herbs and arranging flowers to help you put your green thumb to work. Spring is well and truly in swing, so if you've been putting off getting into the garden, here's your motivation. Or, if you'd like to brighten up your house with a potted piece of nature, here's your chance as well. Remember: there's absolutely nothing wrong with giving a name to your favourite houseplant.
When the pandemic first hit, venues temporarily shut down and Brisbane's nightlife scene came to a standstill, the city's best talents behind the decks all had to rejig their usual plans. That's where Quivr came in, with the online platform streaming live sets from Fortitude Valley's Winn Lane — keeping Brissie DJs busy and the city's music fans entertained at home. Throughout October, the streaming site is making the leap IRL. Its destination: Ann Street bar Savile Row. Every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the month, a heap of Brisbane DJs will start spinning at 9pm and midnight, setting quite the mood and delivering quite the array of tunes for your night out. The lineup changes each evening, but you'll be treated to a pumping soundtrack from the likes of Quincy Raw, Mumgenes, Natural Selection, Twin Sisters, 1TSPN and more. Drinks-wise, Savile Row has 900-plus varieties of the hard stuff on its shelves, if you're keen to say cheers to the music, cocktails with your mates or whatever else takes your fancy. And on Saturday, October 9, Quivr will be streaming both sets live if you can't make it but still want to watch along. Top image: Millie Tang.
Is your step lacking its spring? Have you had a long week? Could your day use a little buzz? Friday, October 1 is International Coffee Day, and there are many ways to celebrate it — including the boozy option, aka sipping espresso martinis. That's how The Inchcolm Bar is choosing to mark not just the day, but a whole week from Thursday, September 30–Wednesday, October 6. On the menu at the Spring Hill spot is a special espresso martini lineup, including the classic everyone knows and loves, a double-hit version with tequila and a creamy Baileys variety. There's also one with Disaronno Velvet Cream liqueur, and another made with Kraken Dark & Spicy rum — and they're all made on Mr Black Coffee liqueur. Can't choose just one? As part of the espresso martini merriment, the venue is also doing $26 flights. So, you can pick three and work your way through them. Just don't plan on going to bed early afterwards, obviously.
Four decades ago, the nephew of a famous film director took his first big-screen acting gig playing a character so minor, he didn't even get a name. Six years later, the star in question nabbed a Golden Globe nomination. Before the century was out, he won an Oscar. These days, he also has eight Razzie nominations, too. But if ever an actor has straddled the vast chasm between the ridiculous and sublime, it's the one and only, always-inimitable, ceaselessly fascinating Nicolas Cage. Cage has crooned Elvis songs for David Lynch, married Elvis's daughter in real life and acted opposite himself in Adaptation. He took to the skies with criminals in Con Air, named one of his sons after Superman, and starred into two of the worst Marvel-affiliated movies ever thanks to Ghost Rider and its sequel. The list goes on — and in his 40 years in the business, Nicolas Cage has amassed 100-plus screen credits. Sometimes, he's hunting down the person who stole his pet pig, and also turning in one of his best-ever performances. At other times, he's wordlessly fighting demonic animatronics. In his latest flick, he simply plays himself. We could continue, but everyone knows that talking about Nicolas Cage isn't anywhere near as great as watching Nicolas Cage, although both are mighty fun. Also, for some reason, it just feels better to use his entire name. Don't just take our word for it about any of the above, however — take Palace Cinemas', which is celebrating all things Cage across a 13-week retro season. Starting on Thursday, April 14, then running at 6.30pm every Friday from April 22–July 8, the chain's Palace Barracks venue is going all in on Nicolas Cage mania. As part of the Palace Encore program, this Cagefest has been dubbed the Calendar of Cage, and has amassed quite the showcase of Nicolas Cage's work. But, let's be honest — they really could've picked any of his flicks and it'd be amazing. Still, this is one peach of a lineup, all ready for fans to eat up for days. Attendees will get into the mood with the long-locked glory of newbie The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, then watch Cage think he's a bloodsucker in Vampire's Kiss, swoon over Cher in Moonstruck, get his Coen brothers on in madcap comedy Raising Arizona and go on the run with Laura Dern in Wild at Heart. Also included: jailbreak drama The Rock, unhinged thriller Mandy, and the sublime Martin Scorsese-helmed Bringing Out the Dead, plus the aforementioned Adaptation, Pig and Willy's Wonderland as well. Tickets cost $15 per film (and $10 for members) for all sessions except on Thursday, April 14 — which is when The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent screens as a sneak peek with a beer on arrival, and costs $24/$18 for members. Obviously, the memories you'll have seared into your brain forever will be priceless. And a word of warning: spending this long staring at Nicolas Cage's various crazy grins won't be easy to shake.
Feel like scoring a dose of da funk on a Thursday evening, losing yourself to dance and getting lucky? Of course you do. You'll be burnin' up the floor, getting derezzed and giving life back to music in no time at La La Land from 8pm on Thursday, April 14, in fact — and if you do so harder, better, faster and stronger, you'll be doin' it right indeed. If you haven't guessed just who is in the spotlight at Discovery: Daft Punk Tribute, then you probably need to take your helmet off and prepare to give some of the best albums of the past two decades a spin one more time. There'll be robot rock, plenty of digital love and you might even think you've been around the world while you're throwing shapes. Yep, indulging your instant crush on the electronic duo best known as Daft Punk is easy as this gig works its way through the French headpiece fans' discography. The dance music-fuelled party will help you work through your feelings about the duo calling it quits just last year, too — because that news still takes some getting used to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmi60Bd4jSs
Farewells are important. When something you love is coming to an end, you want to say goodbye in as fitting a way as possible. That's clearly the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art's plan with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, which finishes its season on Monday, April 25 — after the two-day APT10 Festival takes over both South Bank sites first. Since early December, Brisbanites have been able to head to QAG and GOMA to see 69 artworks from more than 150 Asia-Pacific creatives, covering more than 30 countries. That remains the case right through until the exhibition's closing day, of course. But make a date with the exhibition across the weekend Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24 and a huge (and free) art party featuring more than 140 artists and performers across 40-plus events is also on the agenda. Highlights include pop-up performances by APT10 artist Brian Fuata and the Brisbane Pride Choir, as well as art-making workshops that've been designed by Phuong Ngo, Shannon Novak and Vipoo Srivilasa — all of which have pieces on display in the exhibition, too — as well as the Brisbane Tongan Community. Or, there's a story garden with Gordon Hookey, writers Nadine Chemali and Sandhya Parappukkaran, and members of The Pacific Climate Warriors, which'll let you hear tales about the Asia-Pacific region as told by local storytellers. Former Masterchef contestant and chef Emily Yeoh will be teaming up with the aforementioned Srivilasa for a cooking demonstration that'll highlight the importance of food in celebrating culture, too. Still on all things culinary, there'll be food trucks serving up international cuisine — and pop-up bars quenching your thirst. Plus, the onsite GOMA Bistro, GOMA Restaurant and QAG Cafe will be doing what they normally do, naturally. If you're eager to see a show, gig, both or several, make plans for 2–5pm on the Sunday afternoon. That's when drag performers Shivannah (Fez Faanana) and Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) will also host the Performance Extravaganza, which'll showcase Queensland dance troupes and musicians. On the bill: Digi Youth Arts doing a clap stick flash mob, Dance Masala breaking out some Bollywood moves, local Pasifika performers Conscious Mic, and sitar sounds from Sudha Manian and YATRA. Or, there's Japanese drumming team Kizuna Taiko, Filipino-Australian folk dancers Hiraya Performing Artists, the House of Alexander's ballroom performances and the five-piece Shanasheel Arabic Music Ensemble. Also on the lineup: a series of talks with titles such as 'So…where are you from?', 'Art Futures', 'Wit: A Weapon of Mass Disruption' and 'I'm Not Racist But…' to get everyone thinking. The whole event is free — other than whatever you feel like eating and drinking — and much of it will be outdoors. Or, if you can't make it along to say goodbye to APT10 in-person, everything hosted on the Maiwar Green outside GOMA will be live-streamed. [caption id="attachment_849401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shivannah (Fez Faanana) & Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) / Image courtesy: Fez Faanana & Thomas Fonua[/caption] Top image: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). 04 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Gallery 4, installation view, C Callistemon. Vipoo Srivilasa, Thailand/Australia b.1969. Shrine of Life / Benjapakee Shrine 2021 Mixed-media installation with five ceramic deities / Installed dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from the Contemporary Patrons through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane.
Any venue can serve up a brunch that goes on for hours, or so it seems given the sheer number of such mid-morning sessions across Brisbane. Cloudland's Brunch with Bite fits that mould, offering plenty of food as well as bottomless booze — but it also adds something a little different to the menu. Fancy getting a bit of camp drag comedy with your meal? Watching an uproarious game show? Belting out a tune while brunch rolls on? They're all on the bill at this banquet, with the lineup changing weekly. Food-wise, you'll tuck into an Italian-inspired spread and nab a drink on arrival, all as part of your $79.90 ticket. The event kicks off at 11am, with two hours of bottomless spritzes, mimosas, bloody marys, select beers and sangria on offer between 11.15am–1.15pm. And, if you're going booze-free, you can opt for mocktails instead. Back for 2022, Brunch with Bite also does occasional Saturday sessions as well, if you're keen on a raucous brunch to start your weekend rather than help wrap it up.
Trying new wines can be a stressful pursuit. There are just so many vinos to choose from, hailing from such a wide array of wineries, that it's hard to know where to start. Fresh Blood simplifies that process for you — by doing the choosing for you. That means that you can sit back, take whichever glass comes your way and get sipping. It's no wonder that the concept was a hit in London, or that it made its Australian debut in 2021. Returning to Brisbane on Saturday, May 7, Fresh Blood's latest Aussie event will focus on ten emerging South Australian winemakers — and also show some love to a few producers from New Zealand and France as well. Wondering what you'll be knocking back? From SA, Moorak, Evans Evans, Parley and State of Nature are among the labels. From further afield, ultra-rare natural drops from A Thousand Gods, Bryterlater, Bonnet-Ponson and Fumey Châtelain are on the bill. With the event taking place at Rita's, Siffredi's and Zero Fox, you'll snack on stand-up snacks from the three restaurants as well. You've gotta line that stomach, after all. Tickets cost $65 per day, which covers entry at either 12pm or 5pm, a take-home tasting glass, wines to sip and one snack. And yes, while originally meant to go ahead on Saturday, January 22, Fresh Blood is now taking place in May in response to the current COVID-19 situation.
Feel like you've experienced every date option that Brisbane has to offer? Run out of new ways to spend an ace night with your mates? If glitz, glamour, drinks, dinner and feeling like you're in a speakeasy several decades ago sound like your idea of a good time, then make a beeline to Cloudland's Big Band Cabaret dinner and show. Taking place in the Valley venue's Rose Room, the decadent shindig will have you and your loved one tapping your toes to live tunes, and lapping up burlesque performances. And, you'll do all of the above while eating your way through a three-course meal and enjoying a three-hour package of beer, wine and sparkling. The event has been such a hit over the last couple of years, it's no wonder that Cloudland keeps bringing it back. The next dinner-and-show combos happen from 6.30pm on Friday, February 4 and Friday, March 4 — with Lulu Lemans and Swing Central on the bill. Tickets are limited, in line with current COVID-19 restrictions. They aren't cheap either, at $119 per person. Still, this party is certain to liven up your Friday night with something more than a little different. Top image: Cloudland.
If Tuesday night tacos are regularly on your agenda, then you don't need any convincing about the merits of filling tortillas with tasty toppings. Washing them down with tequila and playing a round of trivia mightn't be on your at-home menu, however, but that's what Bloodhound Bar is now serving up every single week. The Fortitude Valley venue has dubbed its taco-fuelled shenanigans Triple T Tuesdays, and exactly what's on offer really is all there in the name. You'll pair the Mexican staple with a margarita, then bust out all that general knowledge you've spent a lifetime collecting in your head. The taco deal starts from midday, with three on offer for $10 — and you can mix-and-match between beef, curry chicken and vegetarian. Add a marg on top for another $10, and then stay to play trivia from 6.30pm And yes, there are prizes up for grabs if you emerge victorious. Images: Hennessy Trill.
Art of either great or dubious origins. Airport facilities where items can be stored — art masterpieces included — without their owners abiding by taxation rules. Both played parts in Christopher Nolan's Tenet; however, it's no longer the only recent thriller to include the two. The Lost Leonardo doesn't feature a phenomenal heist of a disputed piece from a freeport, but it is as tense and suspenseful as its 2020 predecessor. It also tells a 100-percent true tale about the artwork dubbed the 'male Mona Lisa'. Exploring the story of the Salvator Mundi, a painting of Jesus that may hail from Leonardo da Vinci, this documentary is filled with developments far wilder and stranger than fiction (sorry not sorry Dan Brown). And while there's little that's astonishing about the film's talking heads-meets-recreations approach, it still couldn't be more riveting. Although the Salvator Mundi itself is thought to date to the 15th century, The Lost Leonardo only jumps back as far as 2005. That's when the High Renaissance-era piece was sold for US$1175, and when Alexander Parrish and Robert Simon, art dealers eager to dig up sleepers — works from renowned masters that've been mislabelled or misattributed — suspected there might be more to it. The pair tasked restorer Dianne Modestini with tending to the heavily overpainted and damaged work, which revealed otherwise unseen details in the process. Cue a now-prevailing theory: that the Salvator Mundi sprung from da Vinci's hands. That's a shattering revelation given that, despite the prominence that the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper enjoy, the list of surviving works attributed to da Vinci barely hits 20 — and that's with questions lingering over his involvement in quite a few. Uncovering one of his previously unknown paintings was always going to be huge as a result; locating it in such a way, and for so cheap, only bolsters the extraordinary tale. Debates over the painting's provenance have continued for the past 16 years, although that's not the only reason that The Lost Leonardo exists. The piece has increased in fame over the last decade thanks to two factors, including the Salvator Mundi's inclusion in a 2011–12 da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, London, placing it alongside the author's accepted works — and its sale for US$75 million in 2013, then for US$127.5 million, and finally again in 2017 for a whopping US$450.3 million. Its unglamorous discovery, the ongoing argument over authenticity, the legitimacy gained by exhibiting in one of the world's most influential galleries, that it's now the most expensive painting ever sold: these details are unpacked and analysed by writer/director Andreas Koefoed (At Home in the World) via his array of interviewees — and so is the fact that, when that mind-blowing sale occurred, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the secretive buyer. It's little wonder that the filmmaker has chosen to unfurl the ins and outs of these remarkable events as if he's joining the dots and puzzling together the pieces right in front of viewers' eyes, making The Lost Leonardo a detective story of a doco. It isn't a new approach, let alone a unique or unusual one, but it savvily relies upon the combined force of a ripping yarn and rollicking storytelling. Within all those twists and turns also sits a vital examination of art, money and power. That works by artists such as da Vinci can end up lost at all is a marker of art's links to wealth and class, and of pieces being controlled by the rich behind closed doors to the detriment of the artistic greater good and public access. The same notions play out in the jaw-dropping Christie's auction, as bids rise to more than double the expected amount (which still would've made it the most expensive painting ever sold) and it becomes evident that the Salvator Mundi won't be purchased by a gallery for public display. The frenzied atmosphere, which the auction house stages like a piece of theatre, is all about control and status. Letting the world see a masterpiece isn't even an afterthought. An entire documentary could be made about that auction alone, and the techniques deployed to turn it into such a production. Case in point: a Christie's promotion that showed the emotional reactions of art lovers peering at the piece — ordinary folks all visibly moved, and also Leonardo DiCaprio. The reality that art is a business couldn't be painted on a larger canvas. That art is about prestige, too. In getting these points across, Koefoed's choices aren't always subtle — Sveinung Nygaard's (Huss) score would suit a heist film, there's a slow-drip pace to the documentary's early sections to ramp up the intrigue, and sparking a future fictionalised feature based on The Lost Leonardo feels like a clear aim — but everything about the film is always entertaining and effective. Here's hoping that certain-to-arise dramatisation turns out more like American Animals than The Goldfinch; the former was based on a true story, the latter on a Pulitzer Prize-winner for fiction, but the details here are so juicy, gripping, layered and important that they deserve to be told with the greatest care. As one interviewee puts it, it's the tale of finding a spaceship with unicorns on one's lawn. As the whole cast of talking heads explains — dealers, academics, restorers, art critics and buyers alike, vocal naysayers included — it's the story of commerce usurping creativity and history, regardless of the mystery behind the potential da Vinci work. Perhaps there'll even be a sequel: an NFT of Salvator Mundi now exists, because of course it does.
Listening to music, grabbing a bite and enjoying a refreshing sip: when it comes to life's simple pleasures, that's right up there. One way that Brisbanites can make it better? Knocking back gin and vodka while catching live tunes and eating from food trucks at a distillery named after the city itself. That spirits-slinging spot is Brisbane Distillery in West End, and it's serving up a weekend program that'll keep your ears and tastebuds tempted alongside your fondness for a stiff drink. On Fridays, the music will start between 5–6.30pm depending on the week, with Wood Fired Pizza, My Latino Fusion, Sate House, Bimm's BBQ Chargrill and Kraut N About among the meals-on-wheels joints dishing up something to eat from 5pm, too. On Saturdays, the tunes kick in from 6.30pm — and on Sundays, the food trucks will be back, starting from between 12.30–1.30pm and running through until 6pm. Given that the lineup varies weekly, you can also expect to tuck into feeds from Sorella, Black Sheep Brew & Chew, The Tasty Pocket, Dumpling Master, The Bun Mobile and One World Food Truck. And, on the music bill, performers across the ongoing program include Jason McGregor, Hannah May, Jack Bratt and Chris Palmer.
Escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life can sometimes be as easy as escaping into a vibrant art installation — in Brisbane over the past few years, at least. In recent times, the River City has played host to multi-sensory Van Gogh exhibitions, recreations of the Sistine Chapel, giant kaleidoscopes you can walk through, inflatable spaces and more, all aiming to take you out of your routine and into a place most wonderful and dazzling. The latest event to join them: pop-up mindfulness installation DayDream, which is taking the luminous part of these kinds of activities firmly to heart. Located on the bottom level of the Wintergarden shopping centre in the Queen Street Mall until Sunday, October 30, it's filled with more than 20,000 lights, which beam along to an ambient soundscape. An array of colours also flicker through the installation, with four different experiences on offer during the pop-up's run. Until Tuesday, October 18, it's going with 'Into the Wild' and 'Over the Rainbow' themes, while the rest of the dates will opt for 'Summer Solstice' and 'Deep Space'. Whenever you drop by, you'll be soaking up the space's calming vibes in 90-second bursts — including on bean bags — and endeavouring to drift far away from your everyday ebbs and flows. The one caveat: to enter, you do need to spend $10 at the Wintergarden first, then show your receipt to walk through DayDream's darkened archway. That's as good an excuse as any to go shopping, of course. Also, if you're photosensitive or respond to strobing lights, DayDream features flashing LEDs — so take that into consideration before heading along.
Bond and big-name festival hits. Everyone from Paul Mescal and Lily James and to Olivia Colman and Colin Farrell. Established and up-and-coming filmmakers from across the UK. That's the British Film Festival's 2022 lineup, which'll hit Brisbane's Palace James Street and Palace Centro from Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16. Get ready to catch Mescal's latest post-Normal People role, Aftersun, then check out a rom-com starring James (Pam & Tommy) with Shazad Latif (Toast of Tinseltown), before seeing the Australian premiere of Colman's (Mothering Sunday) newest movie Joyride. As always, it's a star-studded affair, including opening with Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, as set in the world of French fashion, with Oscar-nominated Phantom Thread actor Lesley Manville in the titular role. At the other end, that aforementioned rom-com What's Love Got to Do With It? will wrap things up, with James and Latif joined on-screen by Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Other standouts include The Banshees of Inisherin, which reunites In Bruges writer/director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and his stars Farrell (After Yang) and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth); plus the Bill Nighy (The Man Who Fell to Earth)-starring Living, about a terminally ill man in the 1950s. Also on the complete bill, and a huge inclusion: Empire of Light, the new film from 1917, Skyfall and Spectre's Sam Mendes. Skyfall will also play as part of the Bond retrospective, but the director's latest has been called a love letter to cinema — because charting a romance in an old picture palace in the 1980s was always going to earn that description. An Emily Brontë biopic, aptly named Emily, and directed by Australia actor-turned-filmmaker Frances O'Connor (The End), also sits on the lineup — as do more sea shanties in song-filled sequel Fisherman's Friends 2: One and All. Or, there's Rogue Agent, which dramatises conman (and fake undercover MI5 agent) Robert Freegard's IRL story; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and Aisha, focusing on a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland. As for that shaken-not-stirred contingent, it celebrates six decades since Dr No, the first movie in the 007 franchise, initially graced cinemas — and includes 14 films, with tickets $13 for each. The title that started it all is well and truly on the lineup, as are the fellow Connery-led You Only Live Twice, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball; Roger Moore-era titles Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun; On Your Majesty's Secret Service with Australia's Bond George Lazenby; Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill; Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough with Pierce Brosnan; and Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and Skyfall.
It has been eight years now since Nodo Donuts first gave Brisbanites the gluten-free doughnuts they were craving. That's eight years of baked-not-fried pastries served at a growing range of stores — including, from Friday, September 16, at West End's West Village. Obviously, this is an occasion worth celebrating, so Nodo is doing just that in the tastiest possible way: with free doughnuts. Head to the Mollison Street shop throughout the day — the earlier the better — and you'll score a free doughnut as long as you buy a coffee. That's probably the combo you were going to buy anyway, but now you'll just be paying for the caffeine hit, not the pastry. The deal is only available at West Village, for this one day from 7am, and only while stocks last — and it's a one-per-person special. Need some more motivation? Nodo's range including raspberry white chocolate, blueberry lemon cheesecake, pumpkin maple, strawberry Oreo and banana cake doughnuts. If you make a breakfast date of it, you're hankering for a bite to eat beyond the doughnut and you're willing to pay, the brand's ninth Brissie location will also serve up brekkie dishes such as egg toast, pumpkin loaf and bowls, plus cold-pressed juices and shakes. Images: Kate House.
Come on Barbie, let's go party — at Brisbane's one-night-only Barbie-themed shindig. Add this to the pile of events that never want you to grow up; if you've been to a boozy Lego night, enjoyed Disney-themed shenanigans or gotten nostalgic with some So Fresh-soundtracked revelry, you'll know the feeling. Here, life in plastic, it's fantastic. So is pink as far as the eye can see. Also on the bill at Kickons from 9pm–3am on Friday, September 9: 'Barbie Girl' sing-alongs every hour, because what else is going to pump through the speakers? Actually, you can expect pop tunes aplenty, with the party taking over two dance floors on two levels. Amid the shape-making, attendees can also hop in a ball pit, enjoy pink confetti explosions and add some sparkle at the free pink glitter station. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping Barbie-themed cocktails — think: 'Barbie juice', 'Ken's punch' and 'doll drank'. Free Chupa Chups and fairy floss are on the menu as well. Dressing up in Barbie-style attire, or pink at least, is clearly a must — and yes, you'll get plenty of chances to take snaps as part of your $21.75 ticket. And if you're wondering why this event even exists, the Barbie Party is getting in early to celebrate the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie. So, channelling your inner Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is on the agenda, too.
Wandering Cooks has already tempted Brisbanites' tastebuds plenty of times. From Saturday, August 22, the South Brisbane foodie hub is going to shake up your Saturday morning shopping routine, too. For the first time, the venue is launching an urban produce market — and it'll be running from 7am–1pm weekly. That means that you'll be able to start each and every weekend with artisanal pastries from the Tweed Valley's beloved The Bread Social and a coffee by Small Batch Roasting, then fill your basket with fruit and vegetables. Thai Hoa Grocer, Neighbourhood Farm, The Falls Farm, Little Acre Mushrooms and Spring Lakes Farm are just some of the names that'll be slinging their wares, ready to help fill your fridge. You'll also be able to pick up some zero-waste preserves and and ferments, which have been made using market produce leftovers, as well as excess backyard and farmer offerings. And, if buying food instantly makes you hungry, save some post-pastry room for a bite to eat onsite — potato hash with slow-roasted hogget, mint jelly, carrot relish and dressed greens is just one of the dishes that'll be available. In line with current safety requirements, inly 100 shoppers will be allowed in at a time — so arriving early is recommended. The Wandering Cooks Urban Produce Market takes place from 7am–1pm every Saturday from August 22.
Calling all architecture fans, folks keen to explore another side of Brisbane and just anyone who likes to peek behind closed doors. While Open House Brisbane isn't taking place physically in its usual guise in 2020, it is launching a new year-round tour and cultural experience program called Brisbane Open. That means that, even when Open House can't take Brisbanites through 100-plus buildings around town in the condensed space of one weekend, it can still showcase the city's buildings and structures, let you peer beyond their facades, and welcome you into nooks and crannies that aren't usually open to the public — and on an ongoing basis, too. These are paid activities, but they'll obviously still help you wander around and discover more about this fine city of ours. Fancy a walking tour of Paddington? That's on the agenda, and will showcase the area's cultural and architecture highlights. Prefer a jaunt over to Straddie to take a squiz at some island properties? Yes, you can do that as well. Also on offer across various dates (and at various prices per event): a mosey down Ann Street and a look inside the Masonic United Grand Lodge, a stint searching for old signs in Burnett Lane, climbing up to the CBD's forgotten rooftops, learning all there is to know about the history of Fortitude Valley and exploring Woolloongabba. [caption id="attachment_779613" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Malcolm Middleton[/caption] Brisbane Open currently has events scheduled from Sunday, August 23–Saturday, October 17 — with more to be added as part of its year-round program. Head to its website for details and bookings. Top image: Christopher Fredrick Jones.
Roll up, roll up — but not to the place that's usually filled with carnival-themed antics at this time of year. We all know that the Ekka isn't happening as normal in 2020 but, over at Kangaroo Point, Sea Legs Brewing Co is getting in on the show-themed action. Head there, and you can also sip dry-hopped strawberry sour that goes by the name 'Sideshow Alley'. Also on offer at the inner-city brewery's three-day festivities: a heap of food, such as dagwood dogs, loaded fries, churros, burger and wings; and, unsurprisingly, fewer people than you'd usually find at the showgrounds in a normal year. If that sounds like your ideal way to get into the spirit of show season — even without the show — drop by from midday daily between Friday, August 14–Sunday, August 16. That includes the Ekka public holiday, should you be in need of a watering hole to while away your day off. Sea Legs Brewing Co's Ekka-ish Long Weekend celebrations run from Friday, August 14–Sunday, August 16.
If you live your life a quarter-mile at a time, then you'll want to travel a few of them for Dendy Coorparoo's latest movie festival. In the kind of film frenzy we could all use right now, the eastside picture palace will be screening seven flicks from the Fast & Furious franchise over four days. From Thursday, August 20–Sunday, August 23, prepare to rev up your excitement — with the movie that started it all, plus the high-octane cinema spectacle's fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth instalments, and its recent spinoff as well. If you've mixed up the franchise's many titles featuring the words 'fast' and/or 'furious', here's what you're in for: 2001's The Fast and the Furious (aka Point Break with vehicles), 2009's Fast & Furious (now with more heists and spying), 2011's Fast Five (the one where The Rock joins the fun), 2013's Fast & Furious 6 (featuring a back-from-the-dead favourite), 2015's Furious 7 (otherwise known as "hey, let's throw Jason Statham into the mix as well"), 2017's The Fate of the Furious (with added Charlize Theron) and 2019's Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (aka the movie that was always going to eventuate). Bringing your family, whether they're related by blood or they're the friends you consider as close as kin, seems like a fitting thing to do. You'll have to buy your tickets separately per film, though — so it's up to you whether you strap in for just a movie or two, or ride out the whole thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeKBMdYaM3U Dendy Coorparoo's Fast & Furious Fest runs from Thursday, August 20–Sunday, August 23.
Painting a plaster figurine isn't just for kids. Sure, Carina's Plaster Fun House usually caters for bright and creative young minds — but, from 5.30–9pm on Saturday, August 8, it's hosting an Adult Plaster Painting Night. On the agenda: an evening where you and your mates can get crafty, make something you can treasure and likely feel mighty nostaligic. Pick from over 100 pieces on offer, get into the arty spirit and see what you can whip up. You'll have your own multi-coloured animal, cartoon character or motivational plaque in no time. When else will you get to paint a plaster figurine with glitter? Or possibly win a lucky door prize, too? You'll also tuck into snacks, dinner, dessert and a drink — all of which are included in your $20 ticket. [caption id="attachment_648988" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Plaster Fun House in Belmont Brisbane[/caption] Plaster Fun House Brisbane East's Adult Plaster Painting Night takes place from 5.30–9pm on Saturday, August 8.
Gone are the days when a Sizzler seemingly sat in every second suburb, tempting Brisbanites with its all-you-can-eat buffet — and, let's admit it, with the real drawcard that is the chain's delicious cheese toast. Over the past few years, the company has downsized in a big way. But, at the few local stores that still exist, that favourite dish is still on the menu. On Saturday, August 1, it's the star of the show, in fact. Sizzler knows how much everyone loves its pecorino-slathered grilled bread, and it's eager to help support local community groups, so it is combining the two at Cheese Toast for a Cause. Head on in between 11am–3pm and you'll score yourself some free cheese toast without needing to buy a meal or take a trip to the salad bar — which means you might have some spare gold coins to donate to worthy organisations. If you're wondering where you can find a Sizzler these days, you'll need to head down to Loganholme or up to Caboolture. For those further afield on Saturday, stores also still exist at Mermaid Beach, Maroochydore and Toowoomba. Cheese Toast for a Cause takes place from 11am–3pm on Saturday, August 1 at all Sizzler stores in Queensland. Images: Sizzler.
There are two major joys to a good whodunnit: the puzzle and the journey. Whichever intriguing narrative is being thrust their way, audiences want to sleuth along with the characters, piecing clues together in their heads. They want to enjoy each and every one of the story's many ins, outs, twists and turns as all the details unravel, too. The greats of the genre, both on the page and the screen, understand this. It's what made Agatha Christie the queen of suspense, and what kept viewers glued to the screen during 2019's stellar mystery flick Knives Out. The makers of The Translators get this concept as well, and embrace it heartily. In fact, writer/director Régis Roinsard (Populaire) and his co-scribes Romain Compingt and Daniel Presley go a little heavy on convoluted minutiae and attempts to keep everyone guessing, but still mostly serve up an entertaining thriller. The Translators' premise is killer — in a film that doesn't shy away from a body count, but is actually more concerned with stolen pages from the yet-to-be-released last book in the bestselling The Man Who Did Not Want to Die series. The latest novel has only been seen by its secretive author, who refuses to reveal his identity to the world; arrogant French publisher Eric Angstrom (Lambert Wilson, The Odyssey), who made his entire fortune by releasing the first two hit instalments; and the nine translators the latter has assembled to prepare the text in multiple languages for a simultaneous worldwide debut. The enlisted team of experts are only being given 20 pages at a time, however, and they're all living and working in a lavish, highly secure, internet-free and heavily guarded underground bunker beneath a remote chateau for the duration of their two-month contract. Accordingly, when Angstrom receives an email threatening to leak the new book unless a huge ransom is paid, he's both perplexed and angry. Fleshing out its main players isn't high among The Translators' priorities, with Angstrom a cookie-cutter publishing sleaze and his sequestered translators all fitting clearcut types. The Lisbeth Salander-esque Portuguese twenty-something Telma (Maria Leite) arouses immediate suspicion, for example, while Italian Dario (Riccardo Scarmarcio, John Wick: Chapter 2) is dashing and enigmatic, German Ingrid (Anna-Maria Sturm) is a stickler for procedure and Chinese employee Chen (Frédéric Chau) always takes a practical approach. The film attempts to be a tad more furtive about Katerina (Olga Kurylenko, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote), a Russian who purposely dresses to resemble the fated heroine in the book the group is working on, and Englishman Alex (Alex Lawther, The End of the F***ing World), who is noticeably young — but casting choices, with the two ranking among the film's most recognisable faces, already tell the audience that these characters will stand out. Including beleaguered mother Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen, In Fabric), stuttering Spaniard Javier (Edouardo Noriega) and cynical Greek Konstantinos (Manolis Mavromatakis), The Translators treats everyone on-screen like pawns, all in service of its twisty mystery. That's standard for the genre, though — if you're going to quickly strip a group of suspects down to their underlying motives in intriguingly heightened circumstances, it often helps if there's not too much padding on top. And while that whole tactic is glaringly apparent here, The Translators endeavours to keep proceedings humming along by zipping between new developments at a frantic pace. The movie takes time to establish its concept, naturally, and to explain everything that's relevant about the locked-in situation its titular figures find themselves in (complete with tours of gleaming subterranean pools and bowling alleys). After the groundwork has been laid, it then hurtles forward like someone furiously thumbing through an airport novel. At times, it gets a little too carried away with the exaggerated drip-fed clues, surprise reveals and reversals, but this is still a slick, swift-moving affair that ticks all the whodunnit basics. Sometimes, and usually entertainingly so, it navigates through plenty of heist flick staples as well. As a result, The Translators is understandably a story and style-driven film rather than an actor showpiece; however Roinsard has amassed a considerable group of talent. Ensuring that a mystery's characters demand the audience's attention, even if they're little more than archetypes, is another crucial aspect of the genre — and, thanks to the convincingly slimy Wilson, the slippery Lawther and the melodramatic Kurylenko especially, that's achieved. Also generally hitting the spot while remaining as overt as possible: the movie's contemplation of art versus commerce, and of literary fandom. Nothing new is spouted or revealed, particularly given the obsessiveness that some books garner in real life, but tussling with these ideas gives the feature a bit of extra bite nonetheless. That doesn't make The Translators an overly memorable whodunnit, but that's the thing with page-turners and their filmic equivalent — if you enjoy the game and the ride enough once, it doesn't matter if you won't be clamouring for a second helping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THXebxAFCzY
If you're dedicated to avoiding meat and animal products, then you probably became an instant regular at Brisbane Vegan Markets when they first popped up a couple of years back. And, now that Brisbane's COVID-19 lockdowns are easing, we're guessing you've remade your acquaintance. Mark every second and fourth Sunday of the month in your diary, which is when Brisbane Vegan Markets unleashes its regular gathering dedicated to animal-free wares. Celebrating ethical eating choices is the name of the game, and in the best way that anyone can: bringing together all of the stalls selling all of the vegan products. Whatever type of cruelty-free food you're after, there's a very good chance you'll find it here — from 9am–3pm, with the next market taking place on Sunday, October 25. Stallholders always change each time, but attendees can expect guilt-free grab bites from a rotating range of top spots. Based on past markets, expect guilt-free grab bites and wares from a rotating range that has previously included I Should Coco, Grassfed, Tibetan Momo, Kings Indian Fusion, Fire & Dough, Tapioca Traders, Organic Frog Doughnuts, Chai Cart, Vegan Van, Vurger, Green Street Foods, Flour of Life and Popcorn Downunder — and they're just some of the Brissy traders known to sell their animal-free goods. [caption id="attachment_755499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane Vegan Markets[/caption] Brisbane Vegan Markets take place on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 9am. Top image: Grassfed. Updated October 16.
It's time to mark another food-based commemorative occasion. Yes, another one. By now, we all know that they're just excuses to eat more of a certain dish — and there's so many of them that you really could use them to plan your daily eating choices. But we keep celebrating dates like International Lobster Day because they're both tasty and fun. At Kangaroo Point, One Fish Two Fish is getting into the spirit of this lobster extravaganza in 2020 by, well, serving up the obvious. And it's doing so across three days — from Wednesday, September 23–Friday, September 25 (which is actual International Lobster Day). Make plans for dinner from 5pm on the Wednesday or Thursday or lunch from 12pm on the Friday, with $79 three-course feasts on offer. You'll eat your way through a bisque paired with a pastry disc, then tuck into a brioche roll with scampi caviar and sriracha mayo, and finish with grilled western rock lobster on tagliatelle with tarragon butter. Booking quickly is recommended, with only limited seats available. One Fish Two Fish's International Lobster Day menu is on offer from Wednesday, September 23–Friday, September 25.
If there's ever been a dish that's tailor-made for winter, it's fondue. Sure, it instantly conjures up visions of the 60s and 70s, but dipping bread, fruit, marshmallows and more into hot, melted cheese or chocolate is as timeless as it is delicious. It's also the centrepiece of Living Room's returning winter menu, with W Brisbane's resident bar getting gooey in a big way. Make a date and get plunging from Friday–Sunday each week between Friday, July 17–Sunday, September 20. Designed for at least two people, there are two options available. Feeling like something sweet? Then stick strawberries, mini waffles, honeycomb, raspberry muffins, marshmallows, or pancake and croissant pieces into a tub of Valrhona chocolate. Fancy something savoury? Do the same with apricots, figs, dates, charcoal breadsticks, dehydrated banana pieces, seasonal mushrooms, and Woombye washrind and triple cream brie. Your fondue feast will set you back $49 for you and one other person, and you can get the rest of your gang in on the action for an extra $24.50 each — up to six people in total. You can also spike your chocolate fondue for an extra $20, with espresso martini, brandy alexander, whisky and Kahlua on offer I'm Fondue of You is available at W Brisbane's Living Room bar from Friday–Sunday each week between Friday, July 17–Sunday, September 20. For bookings, contact the venue.
If you're of an age when you can remember burning your friend's So Fresh CD so you could stay up to date with the coolest songs of the season, congrats. You're old now. But also, congrats, because you will seriously enjoy this So Fresh shindig. Returning for yet another year — and returning post COVID-19 lockdowns, too — the old-school get-together to end all old-school get-togethers is coming to Eaton's Hill Hotel on Saturday, December 12, and it'll be playing bangers strictly of the 2000s vintage. You can expect a disturbing percentage of Channel 10 alums (Australian Idol winners/losers and ex-Neighbours actors) as well as way too much Nickelback for polite company. Also, just throwing this out there: we're desperately hoping for a timely comeback of the Duff sisters duet 'Our Lips Are Sealed'. This time around, the retro tunes will come with plenty of party fun, with a ball pit, jumping castle, silent disco and face-painting, plus free fairy floss and lollipops. Tickets are on sale now, and of course it's obviously 18 and over — because if you're under 18 you definitely don't know what So Fresh is. Or CDs, probably. And if you need some motivation, let the Duff sisters take care of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRfvBPkIQ9M
Low Leaf and Nai Palm, by themselves they are some of the most dynamic, multi-talented artists in sound, together their reputations combine to make an unforgettable evening of contemporary soul. Los Angeles-born Low Leaf has performed with some of the biggest names in popular soul, including Jose Gonzalez and Robert Glasper, making her indelible mark for trendy meets tradition. She is a one-woman wonder, wowing audiences with the unusual stylings of the electric harp, keys, bass and vocals, with effects and samples striking through the classic sounds. Nai Palm, of Melbourne-based band Hiatus Kaiyote, a Grammy Award-nominated band who were awarded with Best Breakthrough Artist at Peterson’s Worldwide Awards in London. This fervent songstress has one of the most revered voice in the business, with talents for songwriting envied by Flying Lotus and The Roots, to name a few. Head to Depo, the lush open bar in West End, for smooth sounds and you’ll be in good company.
Imagine if Blinky Bill could do a triple back flip! Don’t imagine, just head along to Beyond – The Powerhouse’s newest circus extravaganza. With dazzling acrobatics, a sometimes strange, mostly surreal atmosphere, and a healthy dose of animal fun – Humphrey B. Bear, not Gentle Ben style – Beyond is, well, beyond amazing. Created and curated by Circa – the hit Brisbane based circus troupe fresh from a smash season in Berlin, this will be Beyond’s debut in Australia. Audiences will find themselves up close, and getting rather personal with the performers – with cabaret tables dotted around the Powerhouse Theatre, and a stage filled with performers exploring their animal instincts and human foibles. Grab a group of friends, set aside a couple of bucks for a couple of drinks, and prepare to be blown away by a circus troupe that has become synonymous with dropped jaws and gaping eyes.
Shady Palms are known for their unique brand of hospitality, which is just what you’ll get at their first birthday party. Help celebrate SP’s existence during our last leg around the sun by indulging in twelve months’ worth of food, festivities and flowing cocktails in one sitting. That’s right. A 40kg pig will be roasting by smouldering spit, or, for the more adventurous party-goer, chilli will be served by whatever quantity you can handle in the second Shady Chilli eating competition. Wet your whistle out in the beer garden, where the beverages will be ice cold, or lay claim to the best spot at the bar to make your way down the spirited menu. Shady Palms are known as the place to go for a shindig like no other; when the celebrations are for their own marvellous continuance, you know this is an event not to be missed (or likely remembered).
From one of America’s greatest playwrights comes La Boite’s newest and most anticipated stage shows — 4000 Miles, not to be confused with anything Vanessa Carlton related. The story follows Leo — a 21-year-old ball of angst — and Vera, his 91-year-old Jewish grandmother, who won’t have a moment of it. When Leo rocks up to her Manhattan apartment unannounced, broken hearted and in a real sook, Vera takes him in, but prickly, stubborn and sharp as a tack, she isn’t going to let him stay no strings attached. 4000 Miles takes a compassionate and unsentimental look into generational divides, potholes and meshes, through compelling drama and doses of comedy. It has a brilliant starkness and candour about it — through which Vera and Leo’s secrets are slowly traced and exposed. If you’re a grandmother who doesn’t know the different between electronic and prescription tablets, you should see 4000 Miles. If you don’t know what a VHS is, you need to see 4000 Miles. And if you generally like Kelvin Grove and the quality theatre hub at La Boite, then you really ought to see 4000 Miles. This production by MopHead & Catnip Productions premiered at Sydney's ATYP Studios. Read our full review here.
As the old adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Now, this thought can be put to the test, as artists of visual media combine with wordsmiths, each to inform and inspire the other. Words and Colour is an exhibition that showcases the work of eight artists, who share a piece of writing that has acted as a stimulus between them. Each assigned a chapter, the artist has to interpret the words, give them a subjective twist while representing the piece through the eyes of the author, either creating a battle of flair or a unison of inspiration. The selected artists come from a variety of concentrations, including illustration, sketch artists, painters and aerosol aficionados, and some being writers themselves, from all corners of Australia. The exhibition is supported by Lost Movements, a hub of artist promotion and creativity. Support them in their cause with a small entry fee to attend the celebration of the combined works, and by visiting the exhibition throughout it’s week-long duration. Perspective, language, vision and a merging of the three is an art in itself that you won’t want to miss out on experiencing.
