No one asked for a global lockdown, but here we are. Working from home and practising social distancing has been a successful move to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and it's all been possible because we care about the health and wellbeing of others. We also, no doubt, care about the impact we have on the natural world — and though the negative impacts of being in lockdown may take months to recover, there've been some surprising upsides. The peaks of the Himalayas are visible in some parts of India for the first time in decades thanks to the drop in pollution and New York and Los Angeles have reported lower pollution levels linked to the lack of vehicle traffic. Though these upsides are likely to be temporary, you can make some small but effective changes to your routine to help minimise our collective contribution to the ongoing climate crisis. With support from our friends at Tripod Coffee — who make certified compostable, Nespresso-compatible pods filled with fair trade, cafe-quality coffee — we've come up with a list of ways you can make positive changes while you're living your best stay-at-home lives. Read on for inspiration. [caption id="attachment_767688" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske[/caption] DITCH SINGLE-USE PLASTIC IN THE KITCHEN Three years ago, KeepCup's co-founder Abigail Forsyth reported a 400 percent increase in sales of the brand's reusable coffee cups, showing that Australians are willing to adapt their daily habits for sake of the environment. Now that your reusable cup is stored away for a while, it's worth looking at your day-to-day cooking and food preparation habits to see if there's a simple swap you can make that's just as convenient but a lot less wasteful. Cling wrap is a good example. National Geographic reported that plastic wrap is difficult to recycle and made from potentially harmful materials "especially as they break down in the environment". A more environmentally friendly purchase is beeswax, which you can get online from Bee Wrappy and Eco Food Wrap — or you can learn to make it yourself. Then there are silicone covers from Byron Bay eco-store Seed & Sprout or Food Huggers, which are handy for half-used onions and citrus, and 100-percent organic cotton produce bags like these ones, which are best for containing loose veggies like green beans, carrots and brussels sprouts. Vegan dish washing blocks also claim to replace three plastic bottles' worth of washing up liquid. And, as you're eating more meals at home than ever before, investing in reusable and longer-lasting kitchen products can save you money in the long term. [caption id="attachment_767924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sippakorn Yamkasikorn[/caption] START A WORM FARM According to Foodbank Australia, the average Australian household sends almost five kilograms of food waste to landfill each week. That's a lot of veggie peel that could be feeding a clew of worms. Instead of chucking eggshells, banana skins and unused lettuce leaves into the bin, consider collecting organic scraps and adding them to a worm farm. You can create your own worm farm with a plastic storage bin or oversized food containers — or, if you prefer, you can buy worm habitats online. Order these worms born-and-bred in Australia, and, according to chef and writer Palisa Anderson, as long as you're not overfeeding, overheating, under-watering your worms you're probably doing it right. The main things to avoid are adding too much citrus, bones or meat, and to remember to add carbon, like newspaper and empty toilet rolls (cut into small pieces), to maintain a healthy carbon-nitrogen balance for your wriggly friends. Space is rarely an issue here, so you can start a worm farm even if all you have is a balcony, and the benefits include a rich vermicompost for your soil and worm juice that's a rich fertiliser for your house plants. Find handy maintenance tips from the War on Waste team here. [caption id="attachment_768047" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cornersmith[/caption] LEARN TO PICKLE AND PRESERVE Itching for a new hobby? Instead of buying your favourite brined veggies and preserved fruits on your supermarket dash, learn to do it yourself and you'll come out of lockdown with sweet life skills as well as that beaming glow of someone with enviable gut health. Cornersmith owner Alex Elliott-Howery is the queen of pickling and preservation; she hates to see food wasted and, no matter where you live, you can learn the art of Cornersmith's distinctively flavoured pickled veggies through its online preserving courses. You'll pick up tips for bottling briny cucumbers, pickling beets and creating a jar of sweet preserved pears. There's also courses in tomato preservation in which you'll master passata and additive-free ketchup. Not your first rodeo? Find refresher recipes from the ABC, Bon Appétit and Cornersmith. More of a live, hands-on learner? Book into this fermenting and pickling class via Zoom from wholefood educator Marcea Klein or this one from Sugar-Free Home Preserving author Valerie Pearson via Work-Shop. SWITCH TO COMPOSTABLE COFFEE PODS Reaching for the coffee machine between Zoom meetings? Those with a Nespresso machine at home might be looking for a more sustainable alternative to wasteful aluminium coffee pods that can't be recycled. Australian brand Tripod Coffee produces 100-percent certified compostable coffee pods, made from plant-based bio-polymers. It has a Pod-to-Plant returns program that means you can return your used pods to be converted into fertiliser for local farmers, or you can place the entire pod and paper lid in your green council bin, if they accept organic waste. Tripod's fair trade coffee beans are roasted and ground in Australia in an air-tight environment, which means the coffee is as flavourful as any freshly ground blend. Find out more about Tripod's subscriptions and returns program, here. [caption id="attachment_767670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske[/caption] GROW YOUR OWN HERBS Step away from the plastic-wrapped basil leaves and pick up a packet of seeds, or potted plant, instead. There's never been a better time to try not to kill house-bound babies, like a luscious row of basil, coriander and parsley. Bunnings, which is practising social distancing and cashless payments across its stores as well as offering a drive and collect service, recommends starting out with coriander, chives, mint and thyme as they're easy to maintain and don't require a lot of space. Basil and flat-leaf parsley grow prolifically, so make sure you have more space and plan to use the leaves regularly. Pick up a small pot and potting soil from your local gardening centre, or order a self-watering one from Mr Kitly, and find a place with lots of sunlight. The Little Veggie Patch has lots of educational resources if you want to track growth or need to order more seed bundles and planters. And once you're all set up, you can start planning pesto and mojito nights to make your evenings at home more fragrant and flavoursome, as well as financially and environmentally friendly. Tripod Coffee produces Australian certified-compostable coffee pods. Find out more about the range and delivery options, here.
Brisbane's busy market scene loves an occasion. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that Christmas markets are a massive thing around town, including at Redcliffe's regular excuse to get shopping by the sea. Indeed, only the Redcliffe Christmas Twilight Market will take you browsing and buying by the Redcliffe jetty. Fancy a merry theme and an ace waterside location? That's on offer from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 9. Also on the bill: a whole Christmas wonderland set up, complete with fireworks, festive-appropriate decorations all over the place, and music and live entertainment to fit the mood. And, a heap of food stalls serving up bites to eat, and drinks, also to suit the theme. Entry is free, but you'll want your wallet for all that browsing and buying — there's usually hundreds of stalls to peruse. And yes, dressing up is welcome for this wander along Redcliffe Parade till 9pm.
It won 11 Tony Awards. It's one of the Obamas' favourite musicals. A filmed version of its Broadway production was nominated for several Golden Globes. It's also proven a hit in Sydney and Melbourne — and, it's finally on its way to Brisbane. That'd be Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing Hamilton, of course, which makes its River City debut from the end of January 2023. Even better: if you're as keen to see the hottest thing in musical theatre as its namesake was about American politics in the 18th century, you just might be able to nab yourself a cheap ticket. As happened with Mary Poppins, a ticket lottery is being held for Hamilton's Brisbane run at QPAC. And, this one is cheap. Very cheap, in fact. Via TodayTix, you can sign up for your chance to score a ticket for just $10. Yes, that figure is accurate. Obviously, you won't want to throw away your shot to see the most talked-about musical of the decade for less than the price of a cocktail. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each Friday. The lottery will go live at 12.01am every Friday morning and close at 1pm the next Thursday, with winners drawn between 1–4pm on that Thursday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. The first lottery will open on Friday, January 13, covering performances for dates between Friday, January 27–Sunday, January 29. From then onwards, you'll be entering on a Friday, then hearing if you're successful on the following Thursday, all for performances that start the next week. And, if you need a reminder, you'll also be able to sign up for lottery alerts via TodayTix, too. The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. In addition to its swag of Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. After hitting Broadway in 2015, then West End in 2017, Australians have been finally getting their turn since 2021, with Brisbane the show's third stop. Usually, tickets start at $70, so the $10 lottery really is an absolute bargain. [caption id="attachment_817298" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton, Daniel Boud, Destination NSW.[/caption] This isn't Miranda's first musical to hit Australia, of course, with his take on the classic 2000s film Bring It On: The Musical hitting Melbourne in 2018 and quadruple Tony Award-winning In The Heights playing a short season at the Sydney Opera House in 2019. While you wait for your lottery shot, you can watch the filmed version of Hamilton with the original Broadway cast on Disney+ — yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard. Hamilton's Brisbane season kicks off on Friday, January 27 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre. Visit the musical's website for further details. To enter the TodayTix $10 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Hamilton images: Daniel Boud.
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. In Australia for a few years now, we also celebrate the intersection of canines and cinema — via our very own dog-themed movie showcase. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite film stars in a touring program of pooch-centric shorts. For more than two hours, dogs will leap across screens in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend. Over the last few years, the lineup has included films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Brisbane Powerhouse on Tuesday, July 26 as part of its 2022 run, and rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this event is certain to be popular. You'd be barking mad to miss it, obviously.
When most people graduate from high school they leave behind their days in the science lab, where they once learnt about the periodic table and played with magnets. However for those who keep a flame burning for Miss Frizz of the Magic School Bus, it can be very hard to find adult opportunities to satiate the need to conduct experiments, create hypotenuses and make rockets fly. Hearing your cries of desperation, South Bank’s The Edge has created The Science Fair – an experience to fulfil every desire your 9am-5pm job is lacking. The day is jam packed with a large and eclectic varieties of workshops and activities to inspire you to release the mad scientist within. Best of all, everything is free! So hunt around in the back of your cupboard for that white lab coat you know is in there, and keep next Saturday free.
The music industry often takes itself too seriously. Funny photos of serious musicians are scarce, but hilarious. Take a took at these photos of (usually) serious musicians. We've got everything from Dallas Green (City and Colour, above) in underwear with an umbrella, Elvis Costello in a fedora hanging with Elmo, and the always intimidating post punk band Swans squatting awkwardly in a swimming pool. Even the deepest and darkest of musicians have a soft side (or at least a somewhat funny side). Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson Elvis Costello Ian Anderson John Cage Radiohead Elliott Smith Iron Maiden Jeremiah Greene and Jim Fairchild of Modest Mouse Swans Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Some cocktails feature both gin and whisky. Usually, though, if you're sipping one then you're not sipping the other. That means you're either enjoying the citrus and juniper taste that comes with gin, or indulging in the malty flavour that whisky is so well-known for. Or, you can now opt for Never Never Distilling Co and Sullivans Cove's newest release. The two Australian distilleries have teamed up on a tipple they've named Jennifer, and the South Australian gin outfit and Tasmanian whisky fiends really have combined the best of both worlds. This flavoursome spirit takes its cues from Dutch Genever, which is all about blending malt wine and botanical flavours. The aim here: to make a new concoction that nods to both gin and whisky, and works in cocktails that normally feature either. Taste-wise, you can expect notes of pine fresh coriander, spicy cinnamon scroll and pepperberry. You'll smell malt, toasted cereal and warm spice scents, too and also coriander and juniper. So, it's both rich and fruity — and it's part of Never Never's limited-edition Dark Series. Jennifer also marks the first time that two trophy winners from the World Gin Awards and World Whiskies Awards have joined forces to make to hybrid spirit style, and it's also quite the rare tipple. Only one batch has been made so far, and getting your hands on some will set you back RRP$92 for a 500-millilitre bottle. "We wanted to create something that was generous in flavour and luxurious in mouthfeel that will be appreciated by enthusiasts in both camps," said Never Never Head Distiller Tim Boast. "It was a perfect candidate for a Dark Series release, which are exciting experimentations in flavour that push the boundaries of the spirit category." "Our aim is to present, in the most delicious way possible, the most authentic expression of our ingredients and people," said Sullivans Cove Distillery Manager Heather Tillot. "An innovative mindset is vital for this, and centres around perspective, approach and detail." Jennifer will be available to purchase via the Never Never Distilling Co website from Wednesday, September 15, and from Never Never's McLaren Vale Distillery Door. Images: Meghan Coles.
Leah Shelton and Lisa Fa'alafi of Brisbane collective Polytoxic asked more than 100 Queensland artists to send them their memories of lockdown life, from apartment block isolation to endless Zoom calls. Polytoxic has then taken those reflections and weaved them into a full-scale visual tapestry that'll be projected onto the 20-metre-high walls of Brisbane Powerhouse. The 'time capsule' of what we're living through right now tells the stories of those within the arts industry — including musicians, writers, poets, dancers and artists. And the beautiful projection work and accompanying soundscape is experienced alongside live performances. It's free to watch, and each performance lasts for 30 minutes. Head to the Powerhouse before 6.30pm or 8.30pm, Thursday to Saturday nights.
Musical theatre fans just keep getting more reasons to celebrate Jonathan Larson. In the past few years, none other than Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda took one of the composer, lyricist and playwright's works and turned it into a movie. After tick, tick…BOOM! hit screens, a stage production toured Australia as well. Next, Aussie audiences can catch the show that made him an icon: Rent. In 2024, it too will do the rounds Down Under, kicking off in Brisbane. Larson created and composed the smash-hit production. Also, his Rent journey comes with quite the heartbreaking behind-the-scenes story. In the 90s, Larson passed away at the age of 35 on the day that that now-huge show premiered its first off-Broadway preview performance. So, he didn't get to see the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning phenomenon that it would become. Plenty of other people have — when it first hit Broadway, Rent ran for 12 years, making it one of the famed theatre district's longest-running shows. And among those prizes is the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer for Drama, all for a tale about seizing the moment, facing adversity and finding one's community. Loosely based on Puccini's La Boheme, and written to include real-life locations and events, the rock musical will bring tunes including 'Seasons of Love', 'Take Me or Leave Me' and 'La Vie Bohème' to the QPAC Playhouse from Saturday, January 27–Sunday, February 11. If you need a refresher on the story — or you're coming to Rent for the first time, having missed past performances and the 2005 film version — then prepare to step back to New York in 1991. Over the course of the year, as their neighbourhood is being gentrified and HIV/AIDS casts a shadow, a group of friends chase their dreams and strive for their place in the world. Images: Pia Johnson Photography.
Barbecue shapes. Fried chicken. Together in a crunchy combo at last. In terrible news for aspiring dieters everyone, Arnott's has teamed up with some of the best chicken joints in the country to create a taste combination of a very different feather. For the next three weeks, hungry residents of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can order fried foul coated in crushed Arnott's Barbecue Shapes. And before you ask, yes, they're using the original flavouring. Sydney's Juicy Lucy, Melbourne's Phat Chicks and Brisbane's Seoul Bistro have all gotten on board, with each restaurant offering their own unique take on the brief for $8–15. The whole thing is part of a promotion by Deliveroo, so you'll only be able to get the creations delivered. They'll be available via Deliveroo until Sunday October 7. No word on whether they're planning on doing a pizza shapes variant, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.
With the last three years taking her across the world, from Australia to Asia, the US and the UK, Kate Miller-Heidke is back on Australian soil, and back on our stage. Playing two nights at Brisbane’s The Hi-Fi the aussie songstress is celebrating the release of her highly anticipated third album with the ten-date Nightflight tour. Described as ‘pop music for clever people” and “clever, insightful and revealing” by Rave Magazine the album debuted at number two on the ARIA chart, competing even with 2008’s platinum offering, Curiouser, and sees the falsetto-driven beauty meditating an emotionally stark lyricism and sonic, panoramic lushness. Audiences will be treated to a playful spectacle, one that has been enthralling international audiences for several years, along with plenty of classic tracks and memorable moments. Support is provided by Adelaide’s The Beards, a folk rock band that exclusively perform songs about one subject only; beards.
In support of their new release, Chasing Ghosts, The Amity Affliction will burn a path across Australia with what is shaping up to be a blistering parade of infernal jams. After the success of their previous release, Youngbloods and some incredible shows at the Big Day Out festival earlier this year and a massive headline tours a few months after, the band are taking 2012 by storm. Performing with The Amity Affliction on all their dates will be a collection of international acts that revel in a similar style of chaotic music. California’s The Ghost Inside, Brighton’s Architects and local rockers Buried In Verona will all be on hand to rev the audience up.
Everyone needs a hobby — and if adding to your gin shrine is how you pass the time, Four Pillars has launched yet another tipple to boost your collection. After recent collaborations with Melbourne venue Arbory Afloat and the national QT Hotels chain, the award-winning distillery has teamed up with Qantas on a celebratory drop called QF100. The reason: last year, the Australian airline turned 100, so this new gin is designed to mark that hefty milestone. And, to reflect the carrier's ties to Longreach in Queensland — where it was born, and where the Qantas Founders Outback Museum is based — QF100 is made with botanicals sourced from the central western Queensland spot. Accordingly, when you say cheers to Qantas' centenary with you next cocktail, you'll be tasting lemongrass, macadamia and lemon myrtle. The botanicals were foraged in the area under the guidance of local Indigenous elder Suzanne Thompson — and lemongrass features heavily because it was growing in the region in abundance at the time. Like Four Pillars' other collabs, this one is a limited-edition affair — and, its 700-millilitre bottle bottles have already sold out via the distillery's online store. But, Qantas is still selling it online, and serving it in new signature centenary cocktails at its lounges. You can sip the 'Longreach Fizz' at its Qantas International first lounges in Sydney and Melbourne, the Brisbane International lounge and the brand's six domestic chairman's lounges. Four Pillars and Qantas' QF100 gin has sold out via Four Pillars' online store, but it's still available to buy via Qantas for $90 for a 700-millilitre bottle.
If you're the kind of bar patron who picks their next boozy go-to based on accolades, then this week is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only have four Australia bars earned places among the World's 50 Best Bars for 2021, but the Wineslinger Awards has announced its top picks for this year's Aussie wine-sipping spots — calling out another four spots. Wineslinger isn't about vino itself, or bars in general. As the name makes plain, it's about watering holes that focus on wine. Only four awards are handed out each year, covering the best Wineslinger, Best New Haunt, the Maverick prize for venues that push the limits and the People's Choice gong. While the first three awards are voted on by more than 150 industry experts, the latter stems from vino aficionados at home. Nabbing the big prize this year: Melbourne's Embla, which marks the second year in a row that the Victorian capital took out the Wineslinger award — and the second year it did so despite a hefty stint in lockdown. Announcing Embla's win, the Young Gun of Wine team — which runs Wineslinger — said that "Embla has become a Melbourne icon in quick time, a dogma-free temple to wine that is made from the ground up, by hand and with minimal tinkering, and all paired with Dave Verheul's breathtakingly simple fire-fuelled cooking." [caption id="attachment_836612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] P&V Merchants Paddington[/caption] In the other fields, Sydney's P&V Merchants in Paddington nabbed the Best New Haunt prize. Yes, that gong is rather self-explanatory. In the Maverick category, Perth's Si Paradiso emerged victorious for being "a venue that takes its wine as seriously as it does its quest for good times". And, the People's Choice went to Good Gilbert in Adelaide, meaning that all four winners hailed from different cities. The Wineslinger Awards were created in 2018 by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Where the latter prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, the former is all about excellent and innovative places where vino lovers can enjoy an ace drop. Wineslinger also releases a list of top places to drink wine across the country each year — and the 2021 list expanded from 50 to 100. It was revealed back in November, if you still need a few more places (or 96 more, because all of this year's prize-winners are on it) to add to your vino-drinking itinerary. For further details about this year's Wineslinger Award winners, visit the awards' website. Top image: Embla.
It's a nice feeling to bring a little something into the world. Feeding it, taking good care of it. A plant is just like a pet, or even a child – just half the trouble. But if you live in an apartment, there's not always the room to undertake extensive horticultural projects. If your green thumb is itching to get gardening, IDEA award-winning Simple Garden will tickle your fancy. They've created a gardening 'starter kit' with everything you need to cultivate your own piece of earth. They even throw in the earth itself – just add water and the NutriRich soil brick will be just the stuff to raise your seedlings into healthy plants. Gadgets like the Lite Stick help provide enough natural light to indoor plants, while the colourful plastic pots are specially designed to improve air flow, water circulation and nutrient absorption. Sweet and self-contained, this is one hell of a city-living solution. [Via Cool Hunting]
Each year we anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and the arrival of Gelato Messina's annual Christmas cake. This year, the gelato chain is bringing back its version of the quintessential Australian dessert: the trifle. Yes, The Christmas Coma, which made its debut last year, is back. But this year it'll even more decadent. The epic ice cream creation will feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? Well, Messina has switched out the vanilla gelato for a rich chocolate number, and will be slathering it with its house-made dulce de leche mousse. Then it will be layered with — here we go — red velvet cake, vanilla Chantilly cream, chocolate-coated biscuit crumbs, meringue, sour cherry jelly and lime gel. Plus, it'll come with some chocolate-coated nuts and Messina brandy custard to douse all over the mess. The trifle, which serves 18–20 (or less if you really commit), costs $150 and can be ordered for pickup between December 20 and 6pm on Christmas Eve. In Sydney you can pick one up from Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Bondi, Miranda, Penrith, Tramsheds and Parramatta. If you're in Melbourne, you can get one from the Fitzroy or Windsor outposts — and the South Brisbane store will be making them too. Hopefully nan won't take it personally. The Christmas Coma will be available to order from Wednesday, November 14 — you can add your name to the waitlist here.
Sometimes, you just want to watch a couple of coins get tossed into the air, and then try to guess which way they'll land. Come ANZAC Day, if that's you, The Shaftson has your day planned. After wowing the city with their Tinnies and Two-Up combo last year, the East Brissie pub is giving their appropriately themed laneway party another spin. Expect food trucks, free-flowing beer and many a person throwing money about. Sure, that might sound like a normal Shaftston get-together — but this time, when you're splashing cash around for a one-day-a-year tradition, you'll be channeling the ANZAC spirit.
Brisbane's newest all-day eatery comes with some serious interstate credibility, with Sydney favourite Devon opening its doors at Mount Gravatt. Setting up shop at Garden City shopping centre, the cafe's new digs mark its first venture into Queensland — and first outside of Sydney, too, where its three locations have built up a devoted following. Visitors to Devon's 80-seater Brissie spot will soon find out why. While views of the shopping centre's water feature, a bleached timber and concrete fit-out, and communal tables and banquette seating all await in the city's south, it's Devon's menu that keeps attracting devotees much further down south. The cafe hasn't brought its multiple types of katsu with it; however, it is slinging plenty of other signature dishes that have proven a hit in Sydney. Among the highlights: the Croissant St Denis, an omelette with blue swimmer crab and salmon, bisque beurre blanc, caviar and finely chopped herbs, all served in a fresh croissant; plus Breakfast with the Sakumas, which features miso-marinated king salmon, an eel croquette, a 63-degree egg, kewpie mayo and furikake. Other daytime standouts include brioche French toast with mango and frosted corn flakes, a 'yakuza' burger with either a chargrilled beef patty or fried chicken, and baked eggs with yellow lentil dhal, broccolini, cauliflower, kale, curry leaves and grated haloumi. After a two-hour aperitivo selection each afternoon — think marinated olives, whipped roe and calamari with green nahm jim — the dinner range features the likes of crispy pork hocks with steamed bao, slow-roasted lamb neck on the bone, and squid ink angel hair pasta with mussels, crab and mentaiko cream sauce. Executive chef Zacharay Tan is also keen to incorporate Queensland seafood and produce, and to offer up Queensland-exclusive dishes, such as the grilled Hervey Bay scallops with kombu butter, potatoes and caviar. Drinks-wise, as well as getting caffeinated from Devon's house-blend coffee, customers can sip matcha lattes, iced teas, bubble teas with cheese foam, freshly squeezed juices and milkshakes. Or, with the venue slinging alcohol all day, to peruse the beer, wine and cocktail list. And as for dessert, the cafe's soft serve has quite the reputation, including for its sweet-and-savoury combo with hot chips. Find Devon Cafe at Westfield Garden City, 2049 Logan Road, Upper Mt Gravatt. Its's open Monday–Tuesday 7am–4pm, Wednesday–Saturday 8am–10pm and Sunday 8am–4pm.
It's the stuff beer lovers' dreams are made of. In fact, it's the kind of event that really does seem too good to be true — that is, ten whole days of celebrations dedicated to the amber liquid we all know and love. Stop pinching yourself: Brewsvegas is real. So real, in fact, that it'll be taking over the town from March 11 to 20 for a third year of grassroots, community-minded, beverage-based fun. Whatever your preferred beer is — and whoever your favourite brewer may be — you'll find them both here as part of the action. After a massive launch party gets the shenanigans started, it's time for everything from bar hops to river cruises, table tennis tournaments to pinball wizardry, and cocktail making comps and dessert drinks too. Working your way around the world in 18 beers, having a pint to raise money for animals in need, enjoying a live music Sunday sesh, and shining the spotlight on female brewers is also on the lineup, as well as our top five picks of the sudsy showcase. Yes, there's plenty on offer that you'll be saying cheers to.
Fall in love with movies Italian style, at the latest glamorous edition of the Lavazza Italian Film Festival. Hosted once again in Palace Cinemas around the country, this year's festival features more than 30 features and docos, plus a breathtaking restoration of one of Italy's all-time classics. The 2014 festival opens with Marina, a light biopic about singer, songwriter and world-famous accordion player Rocco Granata, produced by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne. Other exciting titles include impressionistic Cannes Jury Prize winner The Wonders and Asia Argento's semi-autobiographical new film Incompresa. But the best of the fest will be saved until last. This year's closing night film is none other Marriage Italian Style, beautifully restored in time for its 50th anniversary. Sophia Loren is dazzling as the mistress of a wealthy Italian businessman determined to lock down a marriage proposal. A quintessential comedy about the battle of the sexes, it puts most modern-day rom-coms to shame. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IeD7rBVAQQo
Haunting strains of bluegrass music flow through Belgium's tear-jerking entry to last year's Academy Awards. Such mournful melodies are a fitting accompaniment to the story, about two musicians whose marriage begins to crumble after their daughter succumbs to terminal cancer. Despite the miserable subject matter, writer-director Felix Van Groeningen eschews unchecked histrionics for honest, bittersweet emotion. Actors Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens have devastating chemistry as shell-shocked parents Didier and Elise. A banjo-playing cowboy and a music-loving tattoo-artist respectively, they're a free-spirited pair brought crashing down to earth by six-year-old Maybelle's unexpected diagnosis. The best moments in the movie are undoubtedly the songs; a mix of classics and original compositions performed in key scenes by Didier, Elise and their band. In these moments in particular, Van Groeningen finds his harmony between beauty, sorrow and joy. Read our full review here. The Broken Circle Breakdown is in cinemas on Thursday, May 15, and thanks to Entertainment One, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=raaHRyBtIEo
Australians haven't had many chances to attend a music festival or escape the mainland in the last twelve months. Festivals around the country have been few and far between, with even approved large-scale events being called off last-minute. And, as for travel, a lot of the nation's usual island getaways have been off limits due to domestic border closures. But, if you've been longing to sing along to your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and to take a trip to a secluded beachside resort, a newly announced festival has you covered. Dream Machine, the new venture from the team behind Wine Machine and Snow Machine, will see music lovers travel to The Whitsundays this October for a stacked lineup of local electronic talent. Heading up the party-forward lineup is the fan-favourite combo of Flight Facilities and Hayden James — and they'll be joined by the likes of former Triple J House Party presenter KLP, Touch Sensitive, CC:Disco!, Set Mo and Yolanda Be Cool. The Jungle Giants, Confidence Man and Cosmo's Midnight are also onboard, hitting the decks for DJ sets. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes on a tropical island isn't enough motivation for you, festival-goers will also be treated to an island-hopping adventure between Daydream Island, Paradise Cove and a surprise location. Your itinerary can also include kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails, and, if you stay at Daydream Island Resort, you'll have four restaurants, three bars, a pool and a spa to enjoy as well. Dream Machine will run from Wednesday, October 6–Sunday, October 10, with festival events running for three days within that five-day, four-night period. Unsurprisingly, it isn't cheap, with packages starting from $1899 per person for a yacht stay and $2099 for a stay in the resort. The extravagant price tag will get you accommodation, breakfast each morning, ferry transport to and from the airport, and tickets to the festival (of course). DREAM MACHINE 2021 LINEUP: Flight Facilities (DJ set) Hayden James CC:Disco! Cosmo's Midnight (DJ set) Confidence Man (DJ set) Dena Amy Fleetmac Wood Generik Happiness is Wealth Jimi the Kween KLP Kristina Jaman Made in Paris Mira Mira Owl Eyes (DJ set) Poof Doof DJs Set Mo Squeef The Jungle Giants (DJ set) Touch Sensitive Wax'o Paradiso Yolanda Be Cool Dream Machine takes place from Wednesday, October 6–Sunday, October 10 in The Whitsundays. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, April 7 — visit the festival's website to sign up for pre-sale access.
Gold Coast four piece Oceanics are proud to announce their most realized work to date, their new single ‘The City’, and celebrate it with a tour out on the East Coast. Oceanics are quite a success story. Thanks to the strength of their second EP, Bright People (released in March of this year, they’ve signed a deal with Alberts (AC/DC, Gotye), been championed by MSN and AOL, performed with Michi in Japan and landed syncs for Quiksilver and Fox. The band has one foot firmly in late Britpop. With big hollow guitars and a cacophony of discordant tones they force together fans and send them into an inescapable trance. ‘The City’ is laden with infectious pop rhythm’s and keen hooks. A real, likeable gem its epic vibe has the crowd just lapping up its indie pop goodness.
The Brisbane Powerhouse is playing host to a great night of vibrant musical entertainment. The Rhythm of Melanesia combines native, contemporary and westernised styles of Hip Hop and Dance as well as elements of Melanesian Reggae. Countries represented in Rhythm of Melanesia include Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, with performers from each country participating in the event. South Sea Island songstress Georgia Corowa is performing alongside Papua New Guinean artists Jagarizzar and Cathy Lee as well as some as of yet unnamed performers from Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Rhythm of Melanesia is a part of the Powerhouse’s world music and dance program, Planet, which is delivered in partnership with multicultural arts organisation BEMAC.
If you live in 11 Local Government Areas in southeast Queensland — in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim LGAs, to be exact — then it has been some time since you've been able to flash your smile at people outside of your own home. Since the end of June, in an effort to stop the region's recent COVID-19 cases from spreading, wearing masks has been compulsory across the region. And, with these areas in lockdown until at least 4pm on Sunday, August 8, that mask mandate will remain in place until then. This is familiar news, because the State Government has extended the mask requirement for these 11 LGAs not just once but multiple times now. That last extension was due to end at 6am on Friday, August 6; however, masks remain compulsory under lockdown conditions, so they're not going anywhere while stay-at-home rules are still active. If you need a refresher, the mask rules apply whenever you're spending time indoors somewhere other than your own home — and outdoors as well, which is a change from the mask mandate that was in place before lockdown. In all of these situations, you must wear a mask. Accordingly, you also always need to be carrying a mask with you. They must be worn at all times when you're not in your own house, unless five specific conditions apply. So, you don't have to mask up if you are alone in your car or with members of your household, if you're eating or drinking, and if you're at your usual workplace and can socially distance from others — unless you work in a hospitality venue or in transporting passengers, where you'll have to keep masking up regardless. You also don't have to cover your face if you are alone outdoors or with folks you live with, or if it is unsafe to do so. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1421984774277656576 Obviously, these rules cover — but aren't limited to — all indoor spaces other than your house, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, public transport, and in taxis and ride share vehicles. And, under lockdown, you can still only leave your home for four reasons: to get essential goods — for example, groceries and medications — but only within ten kilometres of your house; for essential work if you can't work from home, and for school or childcare; for exercise within ten kilometres of home, and only with one person who isn't in your household; and for healthcare, including to get a COVID-19 vaccination, or to provide help, care or support. Queensland currently has 66 active COVID-19 cases, with 13 locally acquired cases reported in the past 24 hours. As always, the usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms also still apply — as they have since March last year. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Brunch is the pinnacle of a good weekend — but hosting your own brunch party can feel like a huge effort. However, gathering your friends for a tasty start to the weekend is well worth it when you get to pick out the best pastries from your favourite local bakery, purchase top-shelf booze for fancy bloody marys and spin your favourite tunes. It'll impress even the most hungover of your besties. Here to help you deliver an elevated brunch party, we've partnered with premium French vodka Grey Goose to give you five simple tips that'll turn your weekend get-together into an elegant affair. [caption id="attachment_704266" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] SET UP AN INTERACTIVE BAR Let's be real, the most important part of brunch is not the food but the drinks, and anyone who tells you otherwise obviously hasn't experienced the healing powers of a good bloody mary before noon, and that's their loss. So getting the booze portion of the morning right is a must. To turn a slow party into one with a purpose, set up an interactive bar for people to experiment with their drinks and get creative. Ensure you've stocked the best liquor — and keep it simple. Purchase a bottle of Grey Goose vodka as a premium base for a mood-lifting spritz, and, of course, the humble bloody mary. Having a French themed do? Order the limited-edition Maison La Biche bottle for a chic upgrade. PAIR YOUR FOOD AND DRINK FOR PERFECT HARMONY The symphony of food and booze is all you need for a really great brunch, so it's worth thinking about what cocktails go with which breakfast foods. For what it's worth, we reckon the classic bacon and eggs fry up with a bloody mary is always a winner, but if you really want to win at brunch, try making a Morning Mule (Grey Goose vodka, orange juice, ginger beer) with buttermilk pancakes, or a Breakfast Martini (Grey Goose vodka, orange marmalade, cointreau and lemon juice) with freshly baked pastries. And for the health-conscious, opt for a Provence Spritz (Grey Goose vodka, French rose and pink grapefruit juice), always fantastic with an açaí bowl. Experiment a little! It'll elevate the whole party, plus you get to drink while doing 'research'. [caption id="attachment_752451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Creative Commons[/caption] OPT FOR AN EASY SELF-SERVE SET-UP Who amongst us isn't a little particular about our brekkie? Given it's often the first meal of the day, and one with the power to make-or-break your weekend, even the most relaxed guests can be fussy when it comes to breakfast food. So, in the spirit of diplomacy — and let's be honest, convenience — design a help-yourself table with grab plates and bowls and mountains of brunch staples (such as fresh fruit, yogurt, granola and juice) and plop them on the table. You're done with the serving part of the morning before it's even begun, plus it makes catering to dietary needs a breeze. [caption id="attachment_735735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria/Josie Withers[/caption] SPLURGE ON THE GOOD STUFF Don't be afraid to spend a little on the best produce you can afford. Good produce means less work for you, and brunch is the most decadent meal of the day so it's worth sourcing fruit and veggies from the farmers' markets, or forking out for some really fancy orange juice from the supermarket. Be comforted by the fact that a good artisan bakery haul can save any meal and you can top it off with premium spirits for those cocktails, it makes all the difference when you're catering at home. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1x0bE4Gh2POCIMIpzP4dot[/embed] DON'T FORGET THE TUNES A good soundtrack can elevate your brunch party from a casual affair to an all-out party for the ages. Spend a bit of time ahead of the event thinking about your playlist of laidback tunes and singalong anthems (nostalgia is a quick pick-me-up in any occasion). Hit play and, with a healthy serving of hangover-busting cocktails, your guests are sure to find themselves dancing around the living room. Special shoutout to the likes of Angus and Julia Stone for chilled vibes, Jack Johnson for a retro feel, Nina Simone if it's THAT kind of morning, San Cisco for some light-hearted fun or any of the peppy indie supergroups from the last ten years. Feeling uninspired? Check out the Brunch Playlist above. It's your party, so pick whatever you feel will turn your brunch into an arvo dance party. Upgrade your brunch by choosing premium vodka Grey Goose. Each bottle is distilled in France, and the high quality vodka has a 100-percent traceable production process, from crop to cork.
Chunky Monkey, Clusterfluff, New York Super Fudge Chunk. These are just some of the more popular flavours of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, a leading cause of happiness around the world since 1978. While doctors in the future will no doubt tell me otherwise, we can’t think of many things better than gorging a giant tub of sweet, sweet ice-cream on a warm spring day, except for maybe getting some friends together and going to the movies. Well, it turns out Ben & Jerry’s can help us there as well. Staring on September 28 and running until early November, Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema, erected on Rainforest Green, South Bank, will combine recent releases like Begin Again, Magic in the Moonlight and Guardians of the Galaxy with some more nostalgic picks, including Point Break,The Princess Bride and a sing-along screening of Grease. Festivities start daily at 5.30pm on school nights and 5pm on Friday and Saturday, with two screenings squeezed in most nights and plenty of time to suss out the bar and stock up on snacks. Best of all are the Sunday ‘Sundae’ Sessions, which kick off an hour earlier with additional music, games on the lawn and free Ben & Jerry’s for all. For session times and more information, check out the event website.. Image: Tyler Alberti.
To those in the know, Michael White has long been the epicentre of the London entertainment scene, spreading his producing talents across the stage and screen in everything from Oh! Calcutta! to Monty Python and the Holy Grail to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. To those outside his orbit, his name remains unfamiliar even as his impact is inescapable. Documenting the untold story of his life and legacy, The Last Impresario dwells in the space between both extremes. Australian actress and filmmaker Gracie Otto once fell into the latter category, until spotting White at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010. There he sat, surrounded by the who's who of the industry, and her curiosity was instantly piqued. They quickly made each other's acquaintance, formed a firm friendship, and the idea for the film was born. In keeping with her enigmatic introduction to the now elderly entrepreneur, it is not White that monopolises Otto's insider look at his influence, but the myth of the charming man and the many people and projects that came under its thrall. A septuagenarian with declining health, he has a limited ability to tell his own tale, but there is no shortage of famous faces — from John Waters to John Cleese, Kate Moss to Anna Wintour, and Australians Greta Scacchi, Naomi Watts, Lyndall Hobbs and Barry Humphries — able to regale viewers with amusing anecdotes. Of course, much of the fun comes in reliving his celebrity experiences with Jack Nicholson, David Bowie and the like, as meticulously photographed by avid snapper White and further catalogued in decades' worth of memorabilia. His life and the documentary that results is the ultimate act of star-spotting, filtered through a charismatic figure who should be better known than those he interacts with. Scacchi succinctly puts it best; he is "the most famous person you've never heard of". Making her first full-length effort after a series of award-winning shorts, Otto is a naturalistic documentarian afforded ample access undoubtedly aided by her own movie pedigree (in addition to forging her own career, she is the daughter of Bliss's Barry and the sister of The Lord of the Rings' Miranda), yet only occasionally does she overplay her hand. Her visuals are vibrant, her interviews probe, but it is her tone that best impresses, celebrating the feature's subject while never shying away from the underlying melancholy of his less-than-ordinary existence. Two areas skirted around — White's illness and finances — provoke unfulfilled intrigue; however, what does comprise the film paints a very interesting picture nonetheless. The feature's thesis, that they just don't make them like White anymore, is easily proven. In name and in nature, The Last Impresario colourfully charts the final remnants of dying breed. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mRbUZA161vc
You've probably heard about Brisbane in the '80s. Under the conservative Joh Bjelke-Petersen government, times were tough — particularly if you were an arts lover, creative practitioner, or just liked going out and having a good time. With dark days like that not that long ago in the city's past, it's little surprise that Brisbane's current hustle and bustle still inspires wonder from those who lived through it. It wasn't all bad news, though. Many artists left, but some persevered, hung out at One Flat, A Room, That Space, The Observatory, and John Mills National, and tried to make a go of it. ephemeral traces: Brisbane's Artist-run Scene in the 1980s documents the latter category: the progressive folks who dug in their heels, attempted to ply their trade and created an arts scene around those five key spaces. Through artworks, documentation and other bits and pieces, the exhibition delves into their artist-run activity and examines the projects, publications and places at the centre. Yes, getting all nostalgic about retro pop culture and art might be common, but this is a truly different kind of '80s flashback. Image: Jeanelle Hurst, Highrise Wallpaper, 1988. Documentation of the project 'InterFace 88: City as a work of art', Brisbane. Collection of Jeanelle Hurst.
The lineup for everyone's favourite New Year's Eve party has just landed, and it's a doozy. Way back in 1993, a tiny one-day concert was held in Lorne, a beautiful coastal town on Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Over 10,000 people showed up, far more than were expected, and a great Australian tradition was borne. In 2003 the festival (now known as Falls) celebrated hitting the big 1-0 by spreading its wings and setting up across the Bass Strait in Marion Bay; and now, to celebrate their 20th instalment, the Falls team are bringing the New Year party to Byron Bay for the first time. And they will be celebrating in style with the greatest house band in the world, The Roots, who haven't played in Australia since the Great Escape festival (RIP) in Sydney in 2007. They always bring the party, and we should thank Jimmy Fallon for lending them to us even if just for the weekend. The other headliners include festival favourites The Wombats, the always-interesting Grizzly Bear, 2013 Album of the Year contenders Vampire Weekend, R&B star Solange and The Violent Femmes. And there's an excellent contingent of local acts, too, including Hermitude, Pond, Chet Faker and Big Scary. Tickets will be allocated via a ballot, which is currently open via the Falls website. Registrations close on midday, August 26. Ballot-winners will be able to purchase up to four tickets from August 29, 9am. There will also be an allocation of tickets set aside for general sales starting on September 4, 9am. Prices will be released soon. Falls Festival first announce line-up: !! (Chk Chk Chk)AstaBig ScaryBombinoBonoboThe Cat EmpireChet FakerCrystal FightersCyril HahnFlight FacilitiesGosslingGrizzly BearHanni El KhatibHermitudeJames Vincent McmorrowLondon GrammarMGMTNeil FinnPondThe Preatures The RootsRüfüsSolangeTom Odell Vampire WeekendViolent FemmesWhite DenimThe Wombats Event dates: Lorne, Victoria (18-plus): December 28–January 1Marion Bay, TAS (all-ages): December 29-January 1Byron Bay, NSW (18-plus): December 31–Jan 3
Laura Davis is the kind of comedian that, after watching her share tales of life, love, fears and fragility for 60 minutes, you feel like you've just become BFFs with. And yes, the fact that she takes to the stage wearing a ghost costume definitely has something to do with it. We're not saying that's why her latest show, Ghost Machine, won the Golden Gibbo Award at the 2015 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the best comedy gong at the 2015 Melbourne Fringe. But, we're not saying that her warts-and-all onstage confessions don't feel more personal and poignant than your average stand-up routine, either. Laura Davis is one of our top ten picks to see at the Brisbane Comedy Festival.
After being cancelled just days out from its usual Easter slot, then postponed to October, Bluesfest has announced its new 2021 lineup. The festival's first event in more than two years will once again take over Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) just outside Byron Bay. And, on- and off-stage, it won't be lacking in company. Leading the bill between Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4: Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Tash Sultana and Jimmy Barnes. They'll each headline a different night of the now four-day fest, and will be joined by a lengthy list of familiar homegrown names. Ocean Alley and Ziggy Alberts will also be taking to the stage, as will everyone from Xavier Rudd, Kate Ceberano and The Church to Barnes' Cold Chisel bandmate Ian Moss, Briggs and Kate Miller-Heidke. A number of the newly announced acts were initially due to play at the festival in April, until a COVID-19 outbreak saw NSW Health sign a public health order to cancel the event. This is the second year that Bluesfest has been forced to adapt its plans, after its 2020 fest was completely scrapped due to the pandemic. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bluesfest Byron Bay (@bluesfestbyronbay) Season tickets to the rescheduled 2021 festival will go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 20, with one- and three-day passes set to follow at a yet-to-be-announced date. Folks with tickets for the April festival will be contacted by Moshtix with all the necessary information about the new dates, rolling your existing tickets over and getting a refund if you can no longer attend. BLUESFEST OCTOBER 2021 LINEUP: Midnight Oil Paul Kelly Tash Sultana Jimmy Barnes Ocean Alley Ziggy Alberts John Butler Xavier Rudd The Cat Empire Pete Murray Mark Seymour & The Undertow Kate Ceberano Kasey Chambers The Waifs The Church Jon Stevens Ian Moss The Living End The Angels Ross Wilson And The Peaceniks Russell Morris Troy Cassar-Daley Briggs Tex Perkins The Man In Black Hiatus Kaiyote Kate Miller-Heidke Weddings Parties Anything The Black Sorrows The Bamboos Chain Backsliders Ash Grunwald Melbourne Ska Orchestra Vika & Linda Jeff Lang Nathan Cavaleri Mick Thomas' Roving Commission Kim Churchill Henry Wagons JK-47 Garrett Kato Mama Kin Spender Dami Im Pierce Brothers Emily Wurramara The Buckleys Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers Ray Beadle Pacey, King & Doley All Our Exes Live in Texas Hussy Hicks Roshani Declan Kelly Daniel Champagne Little Georgia Lambros. Round Mountain Girls The Regime Electric Lemonade Palm Valley Byron Busking Competition Bluesfest 2021 will now run from Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Season passes will go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 20, with one- and three-day passes set to follow at a yet-to-be-announced date. For further information, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Andy Fraser
If you're missing travel as much as we are, you're probably spending your days dreaming of faraway destinations — and binge watching every single travel show on Netflix. But, Australian intrastate borders are beginning to open, which means it's time to start planning a local getaway. And we found a way to do this that won't cost you a cent. Surf fashion brand Roxy is giving two Aussies the chance to win a free trip to absolutely any beach in the country. Maybe you could head to New South Wales' Cabarita Beach — Tourism Australia's best beach for 2020 — or The Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach, which has been named one of the best beaches in the world (multiple times). Whether you're after white sands and sparkling blue waters, secluded spots hidden away from the hustle and bustle or legendary stretches of surf, Australia has it. You just need to choose the beach you want to visit. [caption id="attachment_785976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach in The Whitsundays[/caption] To enter, head over to the competition website and describe, in 25 words or less, your all-time favourite Aussie beach, and what makes it so bloody great. You'll also have to subscribe to the Roxy mailing list, but we reckon that's a small price to pay. If you win, Roxy will organise the flights, accommodation and hire car to your chosen destination — and you'll get a $500 gift card to spend on some new beachy threads. And don't worry about COVID-19 restrictions when choosing your beach — Roxy will honour the prize until it's fully safe to travel anywhere in Australia. The competition closes on Saturday, October 31, though, so best get on it. Roxy's Request a Beach competition run until Saturday, October 31. 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.
Since Australia started easing out of COVID-19 lockdown, the country's internal border restrictions have earned plenty of attention. With tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus implemented at a state-by-state level, each Aussie state has navigated the situation in its own way when it comes to letting non-residents visit. Queensland's decision to keep closed to date has become a particularly frequent political talking point, for example, although every other state apart from New South Wales and Victoria also shut their borders. Slowly, however, they're beginning to open back up — with South Australia the latest to unveil its reopening plans. In a press conference held today, Friday, June 12, Premier Steven Marshall revealed that SA will allow travellers from interstate back in from Monday, July 20. "South Australia has been doing particularly well," Premier Marshall noted, not only announcing the end of border restrictions, but that the state will move into its third stage of eased COVID-19 measures earlier than expected. That phase will now kick off from Monday, June 29. That means that, when folks from other parts of the country do head to SA for a holiday from the latter half of July, they'll enter a state with some of the most relaxed coronavirus measures in the nation (based on announcements at the time of writing). Premier Marshall also advised that stage three will no longer require a specific 100-person cap on the number of people in public places, but will revert to the overall rule of one person per four square metres. [caption id="attachment_679115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Africola by SATC[/caption] That's a move that has been given the national stamp of approval, as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also revealed today. From July, Australia will allow socially distanced mass gatherings to return and won't require the previously proposed 100-person patron limit — with SA the first state to announce when that will come into effect following the day's national cabinet meeting. While receiving the tick at federal level, all states will need to implement the change separately. Regarding current quarantine requirements in SA, with anyone given permission to enter state at present required to self-isolate for 14 days, Premier Marshall said that further details are still being finalised. "We will be looking at some of the state borders with individual state borders who are doing particularly well," he noted. "We don't want to unnecessarily detain people for two weeks of isolation if they don't pose a health risk for us in South Australia." If you're now eager to start planning an SA getaway, we have suggestions — whether you're eager to hit up Adelaide, or sip and sightsee your way around the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Limestone Coast or the Clare Valley. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in South Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. 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: d'Arenberg Cube
If you're craving to know what the world's best supper tastes like, you’d best book yourself a flight to Denmark. Restaurant magazine has announced the World’s Best 50 Restaurants for the year and Copenhagen’s Noma has reclaimed the Number One position. Having topped the list in 2010, 2011 and 2012, it fell to second in 2013. Meanwhile, second place went to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain and third to Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. So, how did we fare? The only Australian restaurant to have made the Top 50 is Melbourne’s Attica, which fell from 21 but still came in at 32; also named the Best Restaurant in Australia for the second year in a row. The judges laud head chef Ben Shewry’s "earthly flavours and foraged ingredients", describing the Attica dining experience as "simultaneously sophisticated and deeply grounded". They’re also impressed with Shewry’s commitment to "his principles of sustainability, to his family and to the cooking craft". Meanwhile, Sydney’s Quay, headed by chef Peter Gilmore, slipped from 48 to 60. (Despite the awards being titled ‘World’s Best 50’, the top 100 are named as well). Even though just two of our homegrown restaurants made the list, Aussies chefing abroad have been making an impact. Newcastle’s Brett Graham, who heads The Ledbury, London was pleased to secure tenth place. “It’s a huge surprise,” he said. “We’ve got a great young team, actually half-full of bloody Australians as well, from all over the country.” At the same time, David Thompson’s Bangkok-based Nahm ranked 13th. He expressed that it’s not easy for Aussie restaurants. "One of the difficult things for Australian restaurants is that it’s so distant – or so far away from the circuit of judges," he said. "It’s a matter of luck in the awards ceremony; it really is." Finally, Sydney chef Tetsuya Wakuda came in at 50th with his Singapore-based restaurant Waku Ghin, improving on last year's 68th ranking. Image credit: Ben Hutchison
When it comes to costumes, there are a few simple rules. Have fun. Be creative. Don't act like a twit. Unfortunately, some people still have trouble with that last one, with Native American headdresses and other culturally inappropriate garments still an all too common sight at festivals and dress-up parties alike. Thankfully, the team at Sydney's Secret Garden is here to clear up the confusion. Ahead of next weekend's festivities, they've released a short, helpful video about their costume policy, which you can check out below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ9Bhv1iJAk "Our happy place is in some elaborate costume, with a face full of glitter," festival director Clare Downes told Concrete Playground. "There are a ridiculous amount of costume ideas out there. We just want to make sure everyone feels welcome." Secret Garden takes place February 24-25, but bad luck if you don't have tickets because they're sold out.
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, you don't need to alter your plans in 2020. While heading to the shops looks a bit different in these COVID-19 times — and going out for a meal is on hold indefinitely — Betty's Burgers is serving up plenty of prawns for the occasion. Combining four juicy fried prawns, the chain's special garlic mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, Betty's new prawn roll is available for takeaway from its restaurants spotted across Australia. If your stomach is already rumbling, you can tuck into one for $15 — or order a meal for you and your housemate and get two rolls and two serves of fries for $35. You'll need to get in quickly, though, with the prawn roll only available for a week from Thursday, April 9–Thursday, April 16. And, if it's anything like the chain's lobster roll, expect it to sell-out — fast. Known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes), Betty's foray into prawns is also a celebration of its beachy roots. While you can now grab a Betty's burger at over 20 locations across Australia, including six Sydney outlets, four Melbourne spots, four Brisbane outposts, one Toowoomba eatery and one location in Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. Over the Easter long weekend, Betty's Burgers stores are open from 11.30am–9pm daily, with the following stores temporarily closed: Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street in Victoria. The rest of the chain's stores are open for takeaway and most of them offer delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo. To check what options your local has, head to the Betty's Burgers' website or download the app for iOS or Google Play. Betty's Burgers' prawn roll is available at all Australian stores — except Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street — for takeaway for a limited time. To order, download the Betty's Burgers app for iOS or Google Play. If you choose to pick up these burgers, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
We've seen plenty of iPhone camera extensions before but this one takes the cake. Don't go wild just yet – it's still only in concept stage – but with the optical zoom of a Leica lens combined with the functionality of the Apple iPhone, the Leica i9 is sure to take iPhoneography to new heights. This week Black Design Associates announced the Leica i9 concept, which lets you slip your iPhone 4 into a Leica camera casing. The result? A point and shoot camera with internal flash memory, a 12.1 megapixel sensor and 8x optical zoom. In developing the concept, BDA asked the question: "How do you combine a great smart phone with a great digital camera when your brands may speak to very different categories?" BDA approached the brief with the strategy of compliment without compromise, allowing the strengths of both Apple and Leica products to shine through in tandem. Sweet features of the Leica i9 include: Camera/iPhone Toggle: turns on your camera with an instant start-up time of 0.3 seconds, while simultaneously loading the Leica app on your iPhone 4 Flash and Light Meter: offers higher quality photos and videos in low-light conditions Camera Back Dock: harks back to traditional 35mm film, the back swinging open like a traditional film door to reveal the standard Apple 30-pin connector dock [Via Engadget]
A couple of years back, a ramen joint in Sydney served up $400 bowls of brothy, noodle-filled goodness, complete with a full lobster and a golden head as a garnish. If you wanted to give it a try, you clearly needed deep pockets. But it now looks positively cheap and affordable compared to Australia's new $15,000 gold-infused cocktail. Yes, you read that amount correctly. Yes, that's a ridiculous sum of money for a drink. No, we didn't add an extra zero, or two or three — because $150 or $1500 cocktails would still elicit the same reaction. The bank balance-crushing tipple — called the Woodford Gold Fashioned — will clearly be the most pricey old fashioned you ever come across, and has unsurprisingly been dubbed Australia's most expensive cocktail. It's also only on offer for a limited time at two Australian bars for Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week. That celebration, as the name makes plain, hails from booze brand Woodford Reserve and is all about showcasing one specific type of boozy concoction. The fest itself is popping up at 200-plus bars Australia-wide, running from Saturday, November 5–Monday, November 14. Only Sydney's Dean and Nancy on 22 and Melbourne's Sky Bar will be serving up the $15,000 versions, though. What do you get for that hefty cost? An old fashioned made with Woodford's XO cognac-finished Baccarat Edition, as paired with a gold-infused Chateau d'Yquem reduction, plus handmade saffron and vanilla bitters. Even the ice that's popped in it is fancy — it'll be specially engraved — and the whole sip is poured into a hand-cut French crystal Baccarat tumbler. If you're wondering, the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo has a Diamonds Are Forever martini that costs US$19,000, so a more expensive drink does exist. The Woodford Gold Fashioned one comes in after that, making it the second-most expensive cocktail worldwide. Somehow manage to stump up the cash for a Woodford Gold Fashioned and you'll also get an at-home cocktail kit, which includes a pair of the same Baccarat tumblers and a bottle of Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition. If you're paying $15,000 for a cocktail, it really does need to come with freebies to enjoy afterwards. The Woodford Gold Fashioned will be available from Saturday, November 5–Monday, November 14 at Sydney's Dean and Nancy on 22 and Melbourne's Sky Bar for Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week.
As part of the month long Queensland Festival of Photography, The Hold Artspace is hosting some amazing artists and their photography works. Alana Hampton, Mari Hirata, Mandana Mapar and Kathy Mackey are the featured artists of this exhibition, which explores some of the practices in photography, whether traditional or experimental. The exhibition utilises video, audio, sculpture and installation practices to force audiences to reconsider the relationship between an image at moment of capture, and its relation to its subsequent form on display in a gallery setting. Four Performative Acts of Photography will be at the Montague Road gallery, The Hold Artspace until the 12th of April. Also be sure to see what will be taking place during the Queensland Festival of Photography by checking out their website.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, because Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2019 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will hit Townsville on Sunday, May 5. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning up-and-comers like Jack River, G Flip and Haiku Hands right through to recent Hottest 100 top tenner Billie Eilish, Aussie favourites Nick Murphy and Thelma Plum, Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods and rockers Regurgitator. International talent like Coolio — who'll you'll most likely recognise from his hit track 'Gangsta's Paradise' — Danish pop singer MØ and American rapper A$AP Twelvyy will make their way to the Moo, too. Groovin the Moo is also moving its ACT festival to Exhibition Park for the first time as it conducts its second pill testing trial. Pill testing is still a much-debated topic around the country with five people recently dying from suspected overdoses in as many months and the NSW Government remaining staunchly opposed to the idea of pill-testing, despite international research and the success of last year's pill-testing venture at the Canberra fest. Here's the full lineup. GROOVIN THE MOO 2019 LINEUP A$AP Twelvyy (USA) Angie McMahon Aurora (Nor) Billie Eilish Carmouflage Rose Coolio (USA) Crooked Colours DMA's Duckwrth Fisher Flosstradamus (USA) G Flip Haiku Hands Hermitude Hilltop Hoods Holy Holy Jack River Just a Gent MØ (Dnk) Nick Murphy Nicole Millar Regurgitator Rejjie Snow (Irl) Sofi Tukker Spinderella Thelma Plum TOKiMONSTA (USA) Trophy Eyes Images: Jack Toohey.
If you are thinking about planning a really big trip in the next couple of years, the sky may no longer be your limit. Space tourism has long been touted as the new frontier for the seriously adventurous traveller, and it looks like it may become more commonplace in the not-so-distant future. Orbital Technologies, Sierra Nevada Corporation and NASA have collaborated to develop the Dreamchaser Vehicle, a multi-purpose commercial space craft which will primarily be dedicated to scientific research and tourism. The Dreamchaser, which will also act as an emergency station for passing space craft, will include a space hotel with four hotel cabins to accommodate seven guests. And while guests will not be able to expect all the conveniences of home (internet access may prove a bit tricky), they will have access to zippered sleeping bags, waterless flushing loos, shower facitlities and gourmet meals —a little more luxury than your average astronaut is afforded. And, no doubt, the views from the hotel portholes will be entirely out of this world. Five nights in the space hotel will set you back about $165,000, and the transfer to and from your hotel another $826,000 - a pretty penny for an experience that gives a whole new meaning to sleeping under the stars.
If a mid-year holiday is on your upcoming agenda, you might want to make a date with one of the regions of Australia that usually depend heavily on overseas tourists. To encourage Aussies to enjoy a getaway at home, and to support areas of the country that have taken a huge tourism hit while the nation's international border is closed, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today, Thursday, March 11, announced that the Federal Government is halving the cost of 800,000 flights to 13 spots over the next few months as part of a $1.2 billion package. Australians will be able to nab discounted fares to a range of scenic places. In Queensland, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, the Whitsundays and Cairns are all on the list; in the Northern Territory, the package focuses on the Lasseter region which includes Uluru, and Alice Springs; and in Tasmania, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie all feature. You can also head off to Broome in Western Australia, Avalon in Victoria, Merimbula in southern New South Wales and Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Exactly which routes will be included is still being decided, as is the number of tickets on each, but they'll be available from Thursday, April 1 through until July. It's expected that around 46,000 half-price flights will be on offer each week during that period, and that you'll be travelling with Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar. The tickets will go on sale via the respective airline websites and, if the demand is there, the Federal Government may add to the scheme later in the year — in terms of locations and routes. "I think we'll see more opportunities for this program," said the Prime Minister in today's press conference, when asked about future plans. As well as helping support the tourism industry in regions that usually rely upon international visitors — not just by getting folks there at a discounted price, but by leaving them more money in their budgets to spend on tours, attractions, venues, places to stay and hospitality, too — the plan will also provide an incentivised excuse for Aussies to take a local getaway while international travel is still off the cards. The cut in price will be delivered via a subsidy to the participating airlines, which'll receive government funds to cover the difference in fare. That's just one part of the overall package, with funding to keep 8600 of Qantas and Virgin's international flight employees in their jobs, extended financial support for zoos and aquariums, and loans for small- and medium-sized businesses also included. The 800,000 half-price flights will be available in weekly batches from Thursday, April 1. For further details, keep an eye on the Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar websites.
Put together in only nine days and watched by more than 1.4 million Australians, 2020's Music From the Home Front was the nationally televised music event created by late Australian music industry icon Michael Gudinski. Last year, the ANZAC Day home concert came about to bring live music into viewers' homes during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. Now, with Australians once again able to converge on concert venues together to watch music in-person, Music From the Home Front is not only returning to screens, but will also be happening live. Going down on Saturday, April 24, the live event will take place at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl and be broadcast via Channel 9 and YouTube. Folks that physically head along will be treated to performances from some of the country's biggest talents including Amy Shark, Vance Joy, Tash Sultana and Lime Cordiale, plus Bliss n Eso performing with Kasey Chambers. All these performances will be broadcast live across the country, with home viewers also being treated to additional pre-recorded streamed performances from the likes of Tina Arena, You Am I, Gordi, The Kid Laroi, and both Jimmy and Mahalia Barnes. Gudinski had been planning the live concert until his tragic passing on Tuesday, March 2. Newly appointed Mushroom Music Group Chief Executive Officer Matt Gudinski — who is also Michael Gudinski's son — said his father was working on the event right up until his last day. "That we can bring to life a broadcast concert version from his hometown of Melbourne, supporting the industry he loved, in a city he long promoted as the leading music capital of Australia, resonates deeply with all of us at Mushroom." Tickets for the Sidney Myer Music Bowl concert start at $69 and will go on sale from Friday, April 16, with pre-sales from Wednesday, April 14. More acts are set to be announced, but you can find the full lineup for both the live and streamed events at present — as well as ticket details — on the event's website. [caption id="attachment_806979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lime Cordiale[/caption] MUSIC FROM THE HOME FRONT LINEUP Performing live at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl: Amy Shark Bliss n Eso with Kasey Chambers Budjerah Jerome Farah Lime Cordiale Mia Wray Tash Sultana Royal Melbourne Hospital Scrub Choir The Rubens Vance Joy Streamed performances: Ben Lee Dean Lewis Gordi Hayley Mary Jess Hitchcock Jimmy Barnes Mahalia Barnes Sam Fischer The Kid Laroi Tina Arena You Am I Music From The Home Front 2021 will take place at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and will be broadcast on Channel 9 and YouTube on Saturday, April 24. For further details and ticket information — and to buy tickets from Friday, April 16, with pre-sales from Wednesday, April 14 — head to the event's website. Top image: Wade Malligan.
The team behind The Legend of Tarzan has done something very interesting with their film. Rather than simply giving us another version of the boy becomes man, man becomes hero, hero becomes legend tale, the film plays out much more like the final instalment of a trilogy, in which its hero's days of daring and valour are already all but behind him. Not unlike the bearded and beleaguered Bruce Wayne of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) is, at the start of this story, Tarzan no more. Seated opposite the British Prime Minister in his most fashionable three-piece, the iconic jungle man now lives a secluded life in his remote castle and goes by his rightful birth name and title: John Clayton, Viscount of Greystoke, Member of the House of Lords. That introduction alone gives The Legend of Tarzan a more complex and compelling platform from which to launch its story than many of its superhero contemporaries, whose protagonists consistently flounder and fall for lack of any clear-cut motivation other than generally being super. In this instance, it's the suspicion of slave trading in the Congo that compels Tarzan to resume his moniker and return to his beloved Africa, along with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie) and the real-life American Civil War hero turned politician and lawyer George Washington Williams (Samuel L Jackson). This undercurrent of slavery, along with allusions to ivory trading and ethnic cleansing, all serve to ground The Legend of Tarzan in something more than unadulterated comic book fun. The result is a superhero movie with a social conscience that continually flits in and out of getting the balance right. In the titular role, Skarsgård looks every bit the part. With his flowing blond locks and unreasonably buff physique, you could comfortably sell just about any cologne or luxury watch simply by placing its logo on top of him and gently whispering its name. For a role so ridiculous (and truly, a man raised by gorillas who commutes via jungle vine is about as ridiculous as it gets), Skarsgård does an extraordinary job of keeping the audience's disbelief at bay. His dialogue is sensibly sparse, opting instead to speak through impressively expressive eyes and CGI-heavy action that's not nearly as awful as the early trailers made out. Opposite him in the role of the villain, Christopher Waltz (Inglorious Bastards) again offers up his signature cocktail of eloquent menace paired with a spine-chilling grin. In truth it's a more nuanced and credible performance than his turn as Bond's arch-nemesis in last year's Spectre. Robbie, too, puts in a charming turn as Tarzan's wife Jane, yet despite every effort to establish her character's strength, courage and independence, she still ends up very much on the sidelines; an underutilized spectator to the action rather than an active participant. In all, critics have been quick to condemn The Legend of Tarzan for both its hobbled story and themes, asking what place such an antiquated tale has in the modern world. Well the answer is 'fun', which the film most definitely is. Yes, the action is scattershot and often feels hurried, which is why its strongest scenes are also its most subtle ones – be they fireside singalongs, candlelit dinners or silent interactions with the jungle's magnificent creatures. The Legend of Tarzan could very easily have ended up another Lone Ranger-style disaster. Instead, director David Yates has managed to orchestrate an old-school adventure with an unshrinking social conscience. It's far from perfect, but it's darned good fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj7ty6sViiU
The full bloom of television should come as no surprise to pop culture junkies. TV isn't the new film. It's just TV — a mature medium capable of developing its own conventions and arcs. Just like film, the quality of the 2013 offering inevitably ranged from abysmal (Two Broke Girls) and 'meh' (Sex Box) to polarising (Girls) and breathtaking (Top of the Lake). But where the major movie studios indulged in a catalogue of cinematic idiocy in the form of sequels, threequels and movie-park adaptations, home viewers were part of the beautifully conceived conclusion of Breaking Bad and the continued excellence of Mad Men, Enlightened, Rake, Puberty Blues and Boardwalk Empire. After all, when were stories ever wholly defined by the medium of their communication — they're all just stories, and they're beamed via digital transit onto small screens as well as projected into cinemas. David Lynch and Michael Frost knew that a whole two decades ago, as did those who grieved for Laura Palmer and loved all the freaks of Twin Peaks. The existential angst of Travis Bickle lives on in Don Draper, the maudlin chaos of Woody Allen in Michael Bluth, and the bleak search for optimism of Lester Burnham in Louie. Hopefully we can start looking forward to full-blooded, cinematically conceptualised feature films that merely debut on TV, with the respect and glory of Steven Soderbergh's HBO work Behind the Candelabra, which scarcely fits the old-school notion of a 'telemovie'. It's 2014, and everything's up for grabs. Here's what looks good in 2014 from the vantage point of January. Gracepoint Although the human race is already surely inundated with gratuitous US remakes, the fact that original lead actor David Tennant is also starring in the American version is a good sign of what's to come. The British original, Broadchurch, has received cultish worship and critical adoration for its exploration of a beachside community in the aftermath of a boy's mysterious murder. How and Why Film's transportation to the medium of television may be well and truly complete with Charlie Kaufman's new FX comedy series. Starring Michael Cera (perfect!), and telling the "story of a man who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works, but is clueless about life", the longform series could be the peak vehicle for the funny, deadpan, melancholic musings we know from Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. https://youtube.com/watch?v=dunRvRJIm18 Believe Mexican super-director Alfonso Cuaron and The Forgotten's Mark Friedman are writing and steering this sci-fi mystery, executive producing with Lost's J.J. Abrams. The ingredients for profound awesomeness are all there: behind-the-scenes talent, obligatory supernatural child character, potential alien subplots, a solid trailer. In the wake of Gravity's impact on Earth, let's hope Believe will showcase the same science-fiction combo of smart visual effects and big ideas (what are we doing here?!). Jonah Takalua This is a controversial one, given the division in opinion around this year's relentless Ja'mie: Private School Girl. But Jonah was always Chris Lilley's most rounded and interesting character — a disadvantaged, endearing ratbag with a foul mouth and a lost-boy need for affection (from his violent father and Gumnut Cottage remedial teacher, Jan Palmer). Jonah let Lilley flesh out the best and the worst aspects of high school: the boredom, the institution's carelessness, the ill-equipped teachers' frustration, the kids' inflamed sense of injustice and their diehard devotion to their friends. Lilley clearly hasn't forgotten that young people's problems (their social cliques, family, love affairs) are just as real and important to them as adults' problems (rent, career, social cliques, family, love affairs) are to adults. Jonah will be vital viewing. Sense8 More film heavyweights defect to television — in fact, internet television (Netflix)! Matrix directors Andy and Lana Wachowski's ability to create complex longform narratives, engaging characters, surprising cinematic visual worlds and innovative special effects (remember when 'bullet time' didn't even exist?) will be stretched by their ten-episode science-fiction drama, Sense8. A mass of ostensibly disparate characters are linked by a shared and violent vision (of the past, future, or another world?). After the confusing and disappointing narrative experimentation of the duo's last feature, Cloud Atlas, perhaps television will afford them the slow-unfolding freedom they need to realise their filmic aspirations. Also on our radar Better Call Saul (A Breaking Bad spinoff centring on Walter White's crooked lawyer Saul Goodman); the animated and clearly shambolic BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett with Aaron Paul aka Jesse Pinkman of Breaking Bad); The Secret River, an ABC adaptation of the landmark Australian novel and play; Utopia, a satire from the guys from Frontline that "explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide"; and two (two!) untitled Tina Fey Projects to air on Fox and NBC and quench the hollowness in our post-30 Rock lives.
Australia's hospitality scene continues to kick big goals when it comes to wining and dining; but of course, it's about much more than the food and the drink. Those venues have to look the part, too — and thanks to some talented local designers, stunning bars, eateries and hotels keep popping up on the regular. In fact, the cream of that crop has just been highlighted once again at the 2022 Eat Drink Design Awards. This year's pick of Australia's most stylish haunts were announced at a ceremony in North Melbourne, identifying a cast of beautiful spaces located right across the country. That said, Victoria reigned supreme among the list of finalists, with the state home to five out of the eight main award-winners. [caption id="attachment_877798" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Music Room by Earl Carter[/caption] Melbourne's latest certified stunners include Di Stasio's new Carlton outpost — a slick laneway venue by Hassell, which took out the title of Best Restaurant Design for its "flawless" fusion of the old and the new. Meanwhile, Dion Hall's vision for Music Room, located within HER, won the intimate space the award for Best Bar Design, applauded for its interactivity and considered detailing. Also in Melbourne, the work of Congrats Agency nabbed Rocco's Bologna Discoteca the title of Best Identity Design, while Baker Bleu Hawksburn (IF Architecture) and Pronto by Via Porta (Studio Esteta) shared the award for Best Retail Design. And, with 68 years under its belt, the legendary Pellegrini's — designed by Smith, Tracey, Lyon and Brock — was inducted into the Eat Drink Design Awards Hall of Fame. [caption id="attachment_854324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ace Hotel[/caption] Best Cafe Design went to Brisbane Airport newcomer The Common, for its genre-bending Sullivan Skinner fitout; while Sydney's impressive new Ace Hotel — the first southern hemisphere outpost for the brand — was named Best Hotel Design courtesy of Flack Studio's minimalist yet warm interiors. Further afield, CO-AP's Adelaide Festival Pavilion commission The Summerhouse scored the title of Best Installation Design. The judging panel determining this year's awards was made up of some very familiar names in the hospitality and design space, including chef-restaurateur Shannon Bennett, March Studio Director Rodney Eggleston, Masterchef Australia's Melissa Leong, Fiona Lynch (founder of design studio Fiona Lynch Office) and Artichoke editor Cassie Hansen. [caption id="attachment_877794" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Common by David Chatfield[/caption] 2022 EAT DRINK DESIGN AWARD WINNERS: Best Bar Design: Music Room by Dion Hall (Melbourne, VIC) Best Restaurant Design: Di Stasio Carlton by Hassell (Carlton, VIC) Best Cafe Design: The Common by Sullivan Skinner (Brisbane Airport, QLD) Best Hotel Design: Ace Hotel Sydney by Flack Studio (Sydney, NSW) Best Installation Design: Adelaide Festival Pavilion — The Summerhouse by CO-AP (Adelaide, SA) Best Retail Design: Baker Bleu Hawksburn by IF Architecture (Prahran, VIC) and Pronto by Via Porta by Studio Esteta (Kew, VIC) Best Identity Design: Rocco's Bologna Discoteca by Congrats Agency (Fitzroy, VIC) Hall of Fame: Pellegrini's Espresso Bar (1954) by Smith, Tracey, Lyon and Brock (Melbourne VIC) [caption id="attachment_877801" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baker Bleu by Sharyn Cairns[/caption] For the full list of winners and commendations at the 2022 Eat Drink Design Awards, head to the Eat Drink Design website. Top image: Di Stasio Carlton by Peter Bennetts.
Already in 2024, South Brisbane has scored a British pub, a boozy mini-golf hangout, a new burger joint and a poke spot. Next up: Calida, the latest eatery to join South Bank's Little Stanley Street precinct. Giving this part of the inner city a new Argentinian steakhouse, it hails from Alemré Hospitality Group, which is expanding a portfolio that includes Olé Restaurant, Mucho Mexicano, Vici Italian and Downtown Istanbul. Announced in early June, open since the middle of the same month and seating 180, Calida naturally has plenty of meat on its menu. Think: empanadas to start with; dishes such bistec tartar, marinated lamb rump skewers, pressed beef short ribs, chorizo pork sausages and slow-cooked whole lamb shoulder; and an array of different cuts of steak from the grill, all served with chimichurri sauce and Australian red gum smoked salt. Even the bread comes with a beef jus. If it's sizzling steak that tempts your tastebuds, the options under Alemré Executive Group Chef Adam Starr's guidance all use S.Kidman beef — whether you're eager for a 220-gram eye fillet, 300-gram sirloin or 400-gram wagyu rump. And if you're keen to sample several choices without having to make too many decisions, you have two ways to go about it: a $120 mixed-grill platter for two or a $63 banquet with a minimum of two diners, with the latter also covering a dulce de leche sandwich cookie for dessert. Those keen for seafood instead can pick between span oysters with vinegar and chives, grilled octopus with potato salad, salmon ceviche and grilled barramundi. There's also a number of cheese-heavy dishes for vegetarians, including ricotta and mozzarella empanadas, smoked baked cheese and roasted portobello mushrooms with manchego cheese. And for sweets beyond the dulce de leche sandwich cookie, Calida offers dulce de leche lava cake with vanilla ice cream; guava and passionfruit mousse with flourless white-chocolate sponge; and the traditional Argentinian torta rogel made from layers of crisp pastry and vanilla meringue, plus, yes, dulce de leche. Whatever satisfies your stomach, you can wash it down with wine from both Argentina and Europe, Quilmes beer and Latin-inspired cocktails such as the Fernet con coca — aka Fernet-Branca and Coke. If you order a Margarita de Roca, one of the restaurant's signature sips, you'll be enjoying tequila, dragonfruit, and jalapeño. With the Mermalada, bourbon and marmalade combine. And for something that catches the eye as well, the ¡Viva la Argentina! layers gin, blue curaçao and citrus flavours. Going for a warm vibe to match its food, Calida's design aesthetic favours raw brick and stonework, moody lighting and Argentinian textiles — and, if you're sitting in the booths, look out for the ficus. The fitout backdrops not just everyday meals, but also events focused on the country in the eatery's spotlight, Latin celebrations more generally, and beef and wine dinners. In other words, you have a heap of reasons to head by more than once. Find Calida at 164c Grey Street, South Brisbane — open 11.30am–9pm Sunday–Thursday and 11.30am–10pm Friday–Saturday. Head to the venue's website for further details.
Even if you think that spoken word isn’t your thing, Scott Wings’ latest offering, Icarus Falling, just might prove otherwise. A one-man aural assault, his raw and personal hour of performance poetry rumbles like rap but resonates like only the best, blistering stories can, delivered with poignancy and stunning physicality. As the clearly title intimates, the famed ancient Grecian myth provides his starting point, and is intertwined with an account of the impact of mental illness through the contemplation of flight. Humour and lyricism combine in a mesmerising effort that comes back to Brisbane for the first time after proving a standout of the Edinburgh Fringe. Icarus Falling is part of Wonderland at the Powerhouse. Check out our top five picks of the festival.
Here's a fun cheese fact: scientists recently discovered that eating fistfuls of your favourite fromage can induce a euphoric effect, similar to that produced by taking morphine. And far be it from us to argue with the smart guys in white coats — we've been cheese addicts since day dot. That's why we're giddy with excitement over this tasty morsel of news: Cheese to Please, Newstead House's dedicated cheese festival, is returning on Sunday, September 30. From 10am to 5pm, attendees can enjoy an eye-watering selection of cheese, charcuterie and condiments at the stunning, heritage-listed property. If cheese isn't your steeze (or if you need something to wash it down with), then there will also be beer and wine masterclasses with which to while the afternoon away. Plus, there's a lineup of live music and entertainment to help keep you out of that (inevitable) cheese coma. Entry is free, with all of the above edibles available to purchase on the day.
