Good energy is meant to be shared — and this month, Teremana Tequila is taking that spirit on the road. Founded by Dwayne Johnson, the premium small-batch tequila, which is built on the belief that true mana comes from showing up with purpose, is bringing its feel-good ethos to two community pop-ups, celebrating the unsung heroes who make a difference every day. Head to Bluff Bar at the Alex Surf Club on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, October 11, or Felons Brewing Co at Howard Smith Wharves (pictured below) in Brisbane on Sunday, October 12, to find the Mana Mobile, a Teremana-branded food truck rolling into town with margaritas, live music and backyard-style games. It's also where you'll find the Mana Mailbox, inviting you to take a moment to express gratitude to someone who brings positivity into your life. You'll be encouraged to craft a handwritten postcard of thanks to an everyday hero who shows up, lifts others up and quietly keeps things running. Once complete, each message is sealed and placed in the Mana Mailbox before being mailed directly to its recipient. There'll be plenty of good vibes across both stops. You can nominate unsung heroes either on the night or online ahead of time via the Mana on the Road website, with all nominees going in the running to score one of 50 exclusive Teremana Añejo bottles tucked inside special gift bags, plus more surprises revealed throughout the evening. Pop in between 4–7pm on the Sunshine Coast or 3–9pm in Brisbane to be part of this moving celebration of gratitude. Good mana starts in the spaces we share — and good energy is best enjoyed together with good people and good tequila. Bring your mates, raise a glass and celebrate the everyday heroes who make a difference with Teremana.
Rohin Jones is a face you might find familiar, and with good reason. The singer/songwriter of ex-The Middle East fame is back on the radar since the band’s split back in 2011. Rohin describes himself as a “part-time bum”, drifting about like a great nomad, undetected yet fully emerged in the world around him. Since his solo adventures kicked off, Rohin has released a smattering of material, including a duet with Magic Dirt’s leading lady Adalita. Take up the opportunity to catch Rohin in the very intimate setting of Jet Black Cat Music, where he will be showcasing not only that unmistakable, soul-wrenching voice, but to see what is to come off his pending album, hot off production. A rare chance to see the workings of a very talented mind, an enigma that seems impossible to tie down. What’s more, this is a free event, open to all ages.
Shocking. Controversial. Bleurgh. These are just some words you will need to describe the films you'll watch during World Movies presentation of Films That Shocked The World. This week of outrageous cinema features five of the most contentious films of all time that have been banned globally, resulted in arrests or court cases, or caused an uproar defending morality (or all of the above). For five nights from Monday, 19 August, you can watch them from the sanctuary of your own home free from judgement thanks to World Movies, the only channel in Australia sanctioned to show R18+ films on national television. So if you've been warned against these films, it is time to take a bold step into the unknown and be amazed and horrified. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0piFZXT8Zxo The Human Centipede (2009) Tom Six's disturbing modern horror classic is a perfect film to commence this confronting week, somehow being both repulsive and beautiful. Despite the centipede technically being a few legs short, the film was claimed to be "100 percent medically accurate", which makes it considerably more terrifying given its scientific merits. The genre-redefining story of a demented German surgeon who kidnaps three tourists before joining their gastric systems to form a 'human centipede' more than deserves to be on this list — but be warned: it is not for the faint hearted and will cause countless viewers to watch from behind the safety of their fingers. Monday, 19 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=Myzec1dgSqc Kids (1995) It is no surprise that Larry Clark's first feature film was deemed shocking in 1995 given it details the unrestrained behaviour of adolescents towards sex and substances. Written by Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers), its controversial subject material is matched by its directing of teenage sex, explicit dialogue and physical and sexual violence that makes anyone watching feel at least uncomfortable. Be prepared for a confronting tale of modern immorality that was released without classification in the US. Tuesday, 20 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=cZ-Xp6VC7RQ Cannibal Holocaust (1980) Cannibal Holocaust would be shocking purely for its depiction of graphic murders and execution of live animals during filming. However, the added mystery of whether it was a snuff film in which the actors had been allegedly murdered on screen for authenticity caused the film to be almost immediately banned internationally and its director Ruggero Deodato to be arrested for murder — of which he was later acquitted after the actors were proved alive. This is controversial with a capital C. Wednesday, 21 August, 9.30pm Deep Throat (1972) Whilst the film gained notoriety for being one of the premier pornographic films featuring a (ridiculous) plot of obscenity and relatively high production values, its true shock value derives from the later claims of sexual abuse that linger over the film. Leading lady Linda Boreman (also known as Linda Lovelace) initially claimed the film was sexually liberating but later revealed her lack of consent to many of the sexual acts in the film, only being coerced into them by her abusive then-husband Chuck Traynor. If you decide to watch knowing this information, then apparently you can see the bruises on Boreman's body throughout the film. Thursday, 22 August, 9.30pm https://youtube.com/watch?v=hRubuJki4Mk Baise-moi (2000) Concluding the week of controversial cinema is perhaps the most shocking film of all, Baise-moi. The French favourite about two female prostitutes on a road trip towards retribution for their raping still cannot be shown here in its entirety today given the original features a close-up shot of penetration during rape and a scene showing a gun being pressed into a man's anus before being fired. However, World Movies will still be showing the R18+ cut, which is still many adjective levels above shocking that I would get fired for writing here. Friday, 23 August, 9.30pm
If you're a fan of musical theatre, then you know the name Jonathan Larson, the creator and composer behind smash-hit production Rent. And, you likely know his story, too, with the playwright and lyricist passing away at the age of 35 on the day that that now-huge show premiered its first off-Broadway preview performance, and never seeing the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning phenomenon that it would become. Before that, Larson also created another musical called tick, tick…BOOM!; however, it didn't chart the same path. Instead, the semi-autobiographical piece was performed as a solo work before his death, following a character called Jon who worried that he'd made the wrong decision by chasing his dream of becoming a composer. After Larson died, tick, tick…BOOM! was reimagined as a three-actor show, then made its way from off-Broadway to off-West End, as well as West End itself. And, in 2021, it took the leap to the screen, too, courtesy of Netflix — in a film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield, the latter turning in an Oscar-nominated performance as Larson. That's a whole lot of history behind the latest big musical announcement Down Under: that tick, tick…BOOM! will make its Australian mainstage debut in 2023. It'll run two seasons, kicking off at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from Wednesday, February 1–Sunday, February 5, 2023, then hitting Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse on Saturday, March 4–Sunday, March 5. If you're wondering about tick, tick…BOOM!'s narrative, the rock musical is set in 1990, with promising young composer Jon as its focus. He's almost 30, living in New York City, and life as an artist isn't turning out as he planned — so he has to decide what to do next. The production is an ode to theatre and a tribute to New York, too, and has kept proving popular since it premiered in its current format off-Broadway in 2001. While exactly who'll take to the stage in Australia is yet to be revealed, tick, tick…BOOM!'s upcoming Aussie seasons will be produced by Adrian Storey from StoreyBoard Entertainment (Chess the Musical, Barnum, Follies, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) and directed by Tyran Parke (Chess the Musical, Barnum, Follies, Sunday in the Park with George). The Australian production doesn't yet have any footage, either, but you can check out the trailer for the Netflix film below: tick, tick…BOOM! will play Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in February 2023, then Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse in March. For further details and tickets, head to the musical's Australian website. Top image: Macall Polay / Netflix.
Towards the end of Tokyo Vice's gripping eight-episode first-season run, its lanky American-in-Japan protagonist struts down an ordinary Tokyo street donning a suit and shades while smoking a cigarette. Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort, West Side Story) sports a post-coital glow, too, and looks as if he feels on top of the world. He also stands out awkwardly, no matter how cool he thinks he is, even before a high-school pal from home in Missouri spots him and bursts his bubble. This stride-of-pride scene sums up Tokyo Vice perfectly, because what's going on around Jake, and simply the complex city he's in, is always far more intriguing than he is. Don't go thinking that this HBO series doesn't know that, though. Available to stream in full in Australia via Paramount+ — and already renewed for a second season by HBO Max, the US network's streaming service — Tokyo Vice's first season uses an outsider as its entry point into the Japanese capital's neon-lit hustle, bustle and underworld. It uses two, in fact. Also making the city her base is fellow American expat Samantha Porter (Rachel Keller, Legion), a club hostess who spends her nights charming men who'll pay for her glamorous barside company, and also just generally being as far away from the USA as she can manage. But this series is about Tokyo happening around Jake and Sam, as it would regardless of whether they were there or not, as much as it's about the pair in Tokyo. It's a noir series about the bucket-list travel spot's shadows, and it knows that they'd linger no matter who was playing tourist. A smart and sleek crime-thriller? Tokyo Vice easily checks that box. A fish-out-of-water swim through yakuza territory? Yes, that one, too. A mostly after-dark trip through streets and spots that've largely been off limits to travellers for more than two years now? Naturally, the series ticks that one as well. It's also a 90s throwback, taking place in 1999 with Faithless and ATB bangers helping to rick gleaming nightclub dance floors, featuring references to The Matrix, and offering one of pop culture's great 'I Want It That Way' sing-alongs (and discussions about its true meaning). And, Tokyo Vice is the latest release from one of America's best directors, who is finally back behind the lens seven years after making his most recent movie. Indeed, this must-see series is many things — and the fact that it's Michael Mann project is among the reasons that it's essential. The filmmaker's last stint in the director's chair, the Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder)-starring 2015 film Blackhat, also followed a determined and ambitious American, and used every visual and audio trick it had to immerse its audiences in his mindset and his world. That's not the only parallel from the Thief, Heat, The Insider and Collateral helmer's resume that makes its presence known here, either. Mann only directs Tokyo Vice's pilot, but what a tone-setting debut episode it is — as stylish and gritty a piece of television as you're likely to stream any time soon, and one brimming with the filmmaker's usual look and mood. He also serves as the book-to-screen series' executive producer, which explains why its slice of Japanese-set thrills always feels like it bears his fingerprints. Of course, Tokyo Vice isn't shy about its links to Mann, who also executive produced the original 1980s TV series Miami Vice, and wrote and directed the 2006 big-screen remake. Attaching any other filmmaker's name would've simply felt incongruous. That said, the show's moniker actually stems from the IRL Jake Adelstein's memoir Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, about his years writing for Yomiuri Shimbun as a non-Japanese journalist. Adapted for the screen by playwright JT Rogers (Oslo), what a twisty, gritty, fast-paced narrative it spins, too. Still, everything about the HBO-backed program feels as if it was always fated to end up in Mann's hands. Adelstein was Yomiuri Shimbun's first foreign staff writer, with Tokyo Vice exploring his quest to cement himself inside the publication from the bottom up. Just like in that aforementioned stroll down the street, the on-screen version of Jake always sticks out, as does his dogged enthusiasm to chase the stories he's explicitly instructed to ignore. He aces the strict and gruelling Japanese-language test needed to even get his job. He makes history by earning his post. But murders don't happen in Japan, he's told. He's advised of plenty more, sometimes yelled at him insultingly by his boss Baku (Kosuke Toyohara, Deliver Us From Evil), sometimes offered as cautious words of wisdom by his immediate supervisor Emi Maruyama (Rinko Kikuchi, Pacific Rim: Uprising). The deaths he's witnessing on Tokyo's streets scream otherwise, though. So, Jake starts spending his own time investigating, befriending two Tokyo detectives for guidance and tips: the vice squad's Jin Miyamoto (Hideaki Itô, Memoirs of a Murderer), plus organised crime division veteran Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe, Godzilla: King of the Monsters). Both know that their new pal is desperate to make a name for himself, and that he's potentially playing a dangerous game; both are just as involved in charting the yakuza's actions, including the war between faction heads Hitoshi Ishida (Shun Sugata, Tomorrow's Dinner Table) and Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida, Killing for the Prosecution), in their own ways. Jake's pursuit of the truth also involves getting close to Sam, who knows the lay of the land and has dreams of starting her own club. And, it sees him cross paths with jaded yakuza enforcer Sato (Shô Kasamatsu, Love You as the World Ends), an underling to Ishida and Sam's best-paying customer. Noting that Elgort is the weakest part of the series isn't quite the criticism it would be in any other show. The Baby Driver and The Goldfinch actor is well cast for precisely that reason, because making Jake the least interesting aspect of Tokyo Vice wholeheartedly suits the overall narrative, its focus on the city's underworld, and its embrace of the layers of complication that thrive and thrum beneath its must-visit exterior. Also, everything around Elgort, especially the performances by Watanabe, Kasamatsu, Kikuchi and Itô, proves stellar — both demanding and deserving attention. Getting drawn into this supremely well-made turn-of-the-millennium-set jaunt through Tokyo's underbelly is easy; instantly wanting more, especially from its exceptional Japanese talent, is as well. Check out the trailer for Tokyo Vice below: Tokyo Vice is available to stream via Paramount+.
When Taika Waititi received an Oscar in 2020 for Jojo Rabbit, he became the first person of Maori descent to achieve that feat, as well as the first Indigenous person to be both nominated in and win the Best Adapted Screenplay category. When Meyne Wyatt won the 2020 Archibald Packing Room Prize for his self-portrait, he became the first Indigenous Australian to win any Archibald award across the competition's 99 years. Both Waititi and Wyatt deserve the acclaim and awards that have come their respective ways. But the fact their recent wins made history — more than nine decades after both the Oscars and the Archibalds were first created, too — demonstrates the ongoing lack of diversity in the arts. So, when NITV and Sydney Theatre Company decided to team up to make a three-part series exploring the topic, as well as other Indigenous issues in creative fields, the two must've been at the top of the guest list. The resulting show is called The Whole Table, and its first episode is available to stream now via SBS On Demand. The following two episodes will air at 8.30pm on Wednesday, January 27 and Wednesday, February 3 on NITV, and then stream online afterwards — and Waititi and Wyatt are in great company. The Sapphires, Top End Wedding and Redfern Now's Shari Sebbens is on hosting duties, while Sydney Festival artistic director Wesley Enoch, Black Comedy's Nakkiah Lui and Sydney Opera House's head of First Nations programming Rhoda Roberts sit on the show's panel. Joining them at the table each week is a lineup of guests, not only including Waititi and Wyatt, but also The Dry's Miranda Tapsell and musician Adam Briggs — all chatting about their experiences. Expect to hear spirited discussions that not only touch upon the arts in Australia and New Zealand, but also explore Indigenous involvement and representation worldwide — in the past, now and the possible future. The series forms part of SBS and NITV's 'Always Ways, Always Will Be' programming leading up to January 26 — such as its Australian Made TV collection, curated by Enoch, that's streaming on SBS On Demand as well. Check out the very brief trailer for The Whole Table below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FabOIRhNC0 The first episode of The Whole Table is available to stream now via SBS On Demand, with future episodes airing on Wednesdays at 8.30pm — and streaming online afterwards.
The first of Harvest's headline shows has now been announced, following the festival's cancellation last week. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will tour in November, playing Billboard in Melbourne, The Hi-Fi in Brisbane and Sydney and the Metro Fremantle. After weeks of speculation, AJ Maddah announced the official cancellation of Harvest 2013 on September 16. "I am very sad to confirm that Harvest 2013 is cancelled. All tickets will be 100% refunded (incl. all charges) by Oztix in the next week," the promoter tweeted. Later he mentioned that his partner, Jo Ward, had had "a nervous breakdown" over it. The event was scheduled to happen in mid-November in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. With Massive Attack and Franz Ferdinand already established as headliners, the festival announced the addition of Volcano Choir just a fortnight ago. Maddah did manage to offer some relief to devastated ticket holders when he stated that most of the (now ex-) Harvest artists would perform their own headline shows. "Will be announcing headline shows by most of the Harvest artists in the next 10 days," he tweeted. "Those who have purchased Harvest tickets will be given priority access to these headline shows. Please stay tuned for details." According to theMusic.com.au, "industry sources have confirmed" that the outspoken promoter, who was named the most powerful person in the music industry earlier this year, has purchased Ken West's sizeable share of the Big Day Out (the rest of which is owned by US promoters C3 Presents). Watch this space for more news of Harvest artists' headline shows. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Wednesday, November 13 – Metro Fremantle, Perth Friday, November 15 – Billboard, Melbourne Saturday, November 16 – The Hi-Fi, Sydney Sunday, November 17 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane
Summer might be over, but that doesn't mean you should stop sipping spritzes and snacking on oysters by the water. Blackbird Bar & Grill is inclined to agree. To usher in autumn, the riverside venue has launched Bottomless Spritz and Seafood. Swing by on a Saturday or Sunday, between 11.30am–3.30pm, to give yourself one-and-a-half glorious hours of gazing at the water while drinking and eating as much as you like. [caption id="attachment_759153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blackbird Bar and Grill[/caption] Rolling up at your table will be endless share plates, loaded with freshly shucked oysters, crispy Australian bay lobster rolls, and cod croquettes with seaweed mayo. Look out, too, for seaweed crackers layered with tuna ceviche and finger lime, alongside octopus takoyaki with seaweed teriyaki and bonito mayo. The drinks list gives you loads of spritzes to choose from. If you're a limoncello fan, go for the classic or get more adventurous with a tropical twist. Other classics include the Hugo and the Venetian spritzes. Then, among the signatures, you'll find the Eastside Elderflower (Fiorente elderflower, Botanist gin, cucumber, lime, prosecco, soda), the Select Passion (Select aperitivo, passionfruit, moscato) and the Blackbird Spritz (Rhubi mistelle, Lark pinot noir gin, prosecco, grapefruit soda).
Thanks to our sunny, warm weather almost all year round, Brisbanites are always willing and ready for a pool party. The event happening at Musgrave Park swimming pool on Sunday, February 24 isn't any old splashfest, though. For the third year in a row, it's all about celebrating several good causes. Here's what's on the agenda at the Body Positive Pool Party: having a dip, having some fun, and reclaiming a space and a pastime in that have traditionally caused plenty of stress about beauty standards and gender norms. So, grab your togs and cannonball into action. On second thoughts, maybe scrap the last part. No one wants to be that person. There'll be swimming, obviously. There'll also be live music, food, thematically linked art and market stalls. As for where the other worthy causes come in, that's thanks to the beneficiaries of your entry fee — although neither the exact cost or the recipients of your funds have been announced just yet. 2018's event was a pay-what-you-can-afford affair, ranging between $5–25. And in past years, the likes of Sisters Inside, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, 4ZZZ and Right to the City Brisbane have received a helping hand.
It's no coincidence that everyone's dream occupation is astronaut. Astronauts get to travel into truly unchartered spaces; they are pioneers who feel and see things the rest of us humble earthlings could only dream of. Until now, I guess. Today NASA have launched the very first live HD broadcast of Earth thereby making all the wonders of the universe free and accessible to every slovenly astro-novice sitting at home on their couch. Basically, the internet is the greatest. Live HD Earth viewing from the space station! Sit back, watch & enjoy our home planet: http://t.co/3rUbOQEWpt #ISS pic.twitter.com/DfGBVB2FI9 — NASA (@NASA) May 8, 2014 This thing is so good it might just beat Pandacam. Maybe. Set from a vantage point on the International Space Station, NASA has positioned four cameras facing Earth. Housed in temperature specific casing these cameras have in fact been designed with the help of American high school students, and the High Definition Earth Viewing Experiment (HDEV) is only an experiment with which to test their durability. So far, it's safe to say the cameras are doing their job. The footage is surprisingly clear and the stream is relatively uninterrupted. A grey screen does however separate footage from each camera angle, and if you can only see darkness that's due to the ISS orbit. (Come on — I know you're not an astronaut, but you have a basic understanding of how planets work, right?) While watching the stream, users can also add comments and interact with other viewers via Facebook plugins and chat options. Already viewed over 7 million times, the footage is an incredibly humbling experience not only for its astronomical proportions, but for its communal nature. Even Garth from Wayne's World is on board. NASA is streaming HD video from space: When it flies over California you can just about see me waving...I'm tiny. RT http://t.co/3bfwyM3EWb — Dana Carvey (@danacarvey) May 7, 2014 Best of all, the broadcast footage comes in total eerie silence. "There is no audio on purpose," NASA state. "Add your own soundtrack." We recommend Pink Floyd or anything from The Beatles psychedelic phase. This is every stoner kid's dream come true. Live streaming video by Ustream Via BGR and Mashable.
Maybe it's the massive layout, which everyone traverses from the front door to the checkouts without taking any shortcuts. Perhaps it's all the display-room setups, turning almost every nook and cranny of a huge warehouse into dream homes. It could be the promise of those Swedish meatballs mid-shop, the coveted blue bags, or just knowing that your house will get a makeover when you return after browsing and buying oh-so-much. Whichever fits, a trip to IKEA isn't an ordinary shopping experience — although that'll prove true in a different way for 16 days between Friday, August 26–Saturday, September 10. That's when The IKEA Festival, aka your latest excuse to hit up the chain's closest store, will host a heap of free activities. Fancy hitting an IKEA disco, where you can probably expect ABBA to get a whirl? Of course you do. Also on offer across IKEA's Brisbane stores: plant workshops, cooking demonstrations, DJ sets, food tastings and Indigenous art. Can't make it along in-person? There's also an online live shopping event — and, of course, you can also hit up the brand's newly launched As-Is Online marketplace for discontinued, ex-display and pre-loved products.
Most travellers heading to Japan don't factor cars into their plans. Tokyo-bound visitors can explore everything by foot or subway, and those journeying elsewhere can hop on a high-speed bullet train (or, if you're flush with cash, a luxe carriage). Still, there's nothing quite like roaming around a new place from behind the wheel, going wherever the expressway takes you — and to make this easier for tourists, the country has just launched an unlimited road trip pass. With Japanese highways operating on a toll system, the Japan Express Pass will allow holders of foreign passports to venture as far and wide as they'd like, all for one set price. Well, almost; they do come with a 10,000 kilometre limit. Available in seven- and 14-day packages for between AU$228 and $400, they're designed to encourage more folks to venture beyond the Japan's cities and soak up its rural sights. If that's on your itinerary any time soon, the passes will become available from 275 car rental stores across the country from October 13. You will still need a driver's licence that's valid for use in Japan — which means an International Driver's Permit and a current Australian state driver's licence. That's what you'll need if you're keen to try your hand at Tokyo's MariCar, a real-life recreation of Mario Kart that lets you race through the streets of the city, so you probably want to make sure you have it anyway. Via The Japan Times. Image: Atif Johari.
UPDATE: APRIL 14, 2020 — This SoCal-style spot is doing daily meal packs with build-your-own tacos and sides for takeaway and delivery. To check out the latest menus and order, check out Baja Brisbane's Instagram. Mexican cuisine, Southern Californian vibes, Japanese influences and Queensland fresh produce — that's what's on offer at Baja Brisbane. A newcomer to Fortitude Valley's growing FV precinct on the corner of Brunswick and Alfred Streets, it's the latest venture from Milk Box Tuckshop's Daniel Quinn. And while tacos, guacamole, mezcal and tequila all feature on the menu, this isn't the kind of restaurant that's filled with sombreros. Instead, Baja Brisbane serves up its SoCal-style Mexican dishes in a laidback, minimalistic space — think neutral tones, hints of pink and green, terracotta tables and a window cactus garden. Overseen by Quinn's partner Sarah Vize, the fit-out is designed to not only to exude a relaxing vibe, but to direct everyone's focus onto the food and drink lineup. Arriving in Brisbane via Berlin after a stint working in Oaxaca, head chef Valerie Frei whipped up her menu when she was still in Mexico, opting for a simple, fresh and authentic spread. As well as tacos with a choice of grilled flank steak, mushrooms and mozzarella, slow-cooked pork neck or beer-battered kingfish (between $12–23), highlights include the Mexican fruit stand ($9), which combines watermelon, melon, cucumber and carrot with a mint and a citrus chilli vinaigrette, plus the twice-cooked octopus tentacles, which comes with citrus, chilli oil and a squid ink-infused burnt jalapeño soy sauce ($22). Or, you can tuck into the spiced chocolate mousse with house-made passionfruit yoghurt, passionfruit curd and burnt brownie pieces ($12) for dessert. Beverage-wise, the wine list spans more than 35 white, red, sparkling and rosé tipples, while both pale ale and lager are available on tap. That said, cocktails are definitely the main attraction. Opt for a Snarky Mexican Kiss (with tequila, cointreau, lemon, sugar, watermelon and a sichimi salt rim, for $18), an Epic Devil Mezcal and Tonic (with mezcal, zucca, peach, cold brew coffee with bitters and tonic, for $17) or the supremely boozy Day of the Dead (with two tequilas, one mezcal, pineapple, grenadine and lime, for $20). If you're driving, the Baja mocktail ($14) blends citrus, orange blossom water, fresh orange juice and lemonade.
Déjà vu might strike when 2024 arrives, at least when it comes to one of your first TV shows of the year. Jamie Dornan (A Haunting in Venice), Danielle Macdonald (French Exit), amnesia, a past coming back to haunt, an early-January release: the first incredibly easy-to-binge season of The Tourist back in 2022 ticked all of those boxes, and now so will the second next year. When the series first arrived, it was swiftly renewed for another go-around — and, although plenty is clearly remaining the same, that follow-up does involve one big shakeup. While the initial season of The Tourist was set in Australia with Dornan as the titular figure, the season takes place in Ireland. This time, it's Macdonald's Aussie cop Helen who is travelling abroad. As the show's just-released first trailer for season two illustrates, however, not being able to recall anything remains part of Dornan's remit as Elliot. The character's lack of memory ties into a plot that bring secrets from his past into play, as well as a family feud. Audiences will be able to see the end result from Tuesday, January 2 via Stan in Australia and Monday, January 1 via TVNZ+ in New Zealand, with The Tourist season two spanning another six episodes. Screenwriters Harry and Jack Williams (Baptiste, The Missing, Liar) return as well, but Dornan and Macdonald will have Conor MacNeill, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Olwen Fouéré (The Northman), Diarmaid Murtagh (Outlander), Nessa Matthews (Inspektor Jury: Der Tod des Harlekins), Mark McKenna (The Miracle Club) and Francis Magee (Then You Run) for new on-screen company. If you missed The Tourist's first season, Dornan's Elliot was caught up in a mystery, which unfurled its specifics in cliffhanger-heavy instalments. The show also had fun with its premise — and its onslaught of twists and turns. It knew that zigzagging thrillers that work from a clearcut roadmap should make their familiar pieces feel anything but, and should take their audience along for a wild ride. And, it was well aware that that should all be the case even when largely driving down a recognisable road. An Irish traveller in Australia, Elliot was run off the street by a steamrolling long-haul truck, sparking his fogginess about his own moniker and everything else about his past. Macdonald's Local Constable Helen Chalmers took a shine to him anyway, but piecing together his history was far from straightforward. His other immediate questions in season one: why is he in the middle of Australia, why does a bomb go off in his vicinity and why is he getting calls from a man trapped in an underground barrel? Check out the trailer for second season of The Tourist below: The Tourist season two will start streaming from Tuesday, January 2 via Stan in Australia and Monday, January 1 via TVNZ+ in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one.
Remember the feeling of being pushed on a playground swing and getting so much air you thought you could do a 360 over the top? We indulged in that feeling when we rounded up the best swings ever, but now China have taken things to a whole new level. Not only are they building the "longest and highest" glass bridge in the world, but they're also tacking on three (three!) swings for the ultimate rush of adrenaline and sense of mortality. Game on. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge is located above the — you guessed it — Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in middle China's Hunan province. Designed by Haim Dotan Architects, the bridge was set to open this month, but has been delayed to include a few cheeky extras. Joe Chen, vice general manager at the Zhangjiajie Canyon Tourism Management Co., told Inhabitat that the bridge will include not one, but three swings. Because one swing is never enough. Obviously. "It's true that we will have a swing on the bridge and it's not a swing but three swings, including one giant swing which has a total length of about 150 meters to 170 meters," Chen told Inhabitat. According to this very dramatic video, the new structure will be the largest glass bridge in the world (note emphasis on 'glass'), standing at 430 metres long and 300 metres off the canyon floor. The video also says the bridge holds ten world records, although it's not actually clear what those records are (especially as it hasn't even been finished yet). The bridge doesn't have a firm opening date, but it could be as early as June or July. Until then, we suggest you start building your swinging technique and nerves of steel. Via Inhabitat. Image: Haim Dotan Architects.
Laure Calamy doesn't star in everything that's hitting screens big and small from France right now, but from Call My Agent! and Only the Animals to Full Time and The Origin of Evil, audiences can be forgiven for feeling otherwise. Calamy isn't new to acting, either, with a resume dating back to 2001; however, her in-demand status at present keeps showering viewers with stellar performances. Indeed, The Origin of Evil is a magnificent Calamy masterclass. She's playing a part while playing a part, and she makes both look effortless. The Antoinette in the Cévennes César Best Actress-winner is also a picture of unnerving determination and yearning, and resourcefulness and anxiety, too, as a seafood-factory worker usually tinning anchovies, then packing herself into a mix of Knives Out, Succession, The Talented Mr Ripley and Triangle of Sadness. Unleashing in-fighting upon a wealthy family residing on Côte d'Azur island Porquerolles, this instantly twisty and gripping thriller from Faultless and School's Out writer/director Sébastien Marnier (who collaborates on the screenplay with Amore mio scribe Fanny Burdino) takes a setting that'd do The White Lotus proud as well, then wreaks havoc. On the agenda in such lavish and scenic surroundings, which come filled with an unsettling menagerie of taxidermied animals: witnessing savage squabbling over who'll inherit a business empire, bathing in the kind of bitterness that only the bonds of blood among the affluent and entitled can bring, more than one person wishing that patriarch Serge Dumontet (Jacques Weber, The World of Yesterday) would shuffle off this mortal coil and, just as crucially, not everything being what it seems. First, The Origin of Evil sees the mundanity of Stéphane's (Calamy) life on the mainland, as she works the tinning assembly line, is stood up during a visit to her incarcerated girlfriend (Suzanne Clément, STAT) and gets kicked out when her landlady decides to reconcile with her estranged daughter. It's after the latter news that she picks up the phone, makes a call and locks in a date for her own reunion. Soon, Stéphane and Serge are getting acquainted — but when the restaurateur takes his long-lost daughter from a fling decades ago back home to his palatial abode, the welcome is hardly warm. His shopaholic wife Louise (Dominique Blanc, Syndrome E) is largely obliging enough, but his daughter George (Doria Tillier, Smoking Causes Coughing) couldn't be icier, her daughter Jeanne (Céleste Brunnquell, Fifi) can't understand why anyone would want in on a clan she can't wait to get out of and light-fingered maid Agnès (Véronique Ruggia, Loving Memories) is also far from friendly. Stéphane isn't the only reason that affection among the Dumontets is as dead as the stuffed critters filling their airy, stately but jam-packed abode. His health may be ailing, but Serge still has a bite regarding work, ruling the roost and being threatened as the head of the family. George says that she's been running the company since her father's stroke, and is taking him to court to gain full control — which he'll do anything to stop. Accordingly, the joy that Serge splashes around over Stéphane's sudden appearance and the misgivings that are directed her way by George are both saddled with ample history. Whether she's claiming to own the fish factory, advising that all she wants is to get to know the dad that she's grown up without, or ignoring George's cold demand that she go away and never come back, Stéphane's time with this battling brood also has its own knotty backstory. With his School's Out cinematographer Romain Carcanade, Marnier makes The Origin of Evil a visually exacting and foreboding film, even as its vibe is laced with black comedy. Nudging viewers to spot firearms and knives isn't by accident. Ramping up the tension by having the audience primed for a body count isn't as well. Playfully clever use of split screens when everyone in front of the lens is in the same room helps reinforce the Dumontets' divisions, with and without Stéphane — and stresses her outsider status among them, alongside a heavy everyone's-a-future-suspect air. In its imagery, The Origin of Evil is as busy as the central villa that Louise has stacked with everything that she can possibly collect (one notable instance: a wall of VHS tapes of recorded TV shows). The switch of hues from grim to bright whenever Porquerolles beckons is telling, too. Watching along is like playing detective, then, scouring the sights, scenes and details for tell-tale tidbits. It might sport a title that could grace an entry in the Evil Dead, The Conjuring or IT franchises (most scary-movie sagas, really), but The Origin of Evil isn't a horror movie — traditionally, at least. As told via savvily suspenseful scripting, where constantly waiting for new revelations doesn't mean being ready for everything that spills, it's scathing about the ghastliness of money, privilege and expectation, and also misogyny. Snaky doesn't only sum up the plot, though. Where allegiances and sympathies land at any given moment is equally as zigzagging. And, as the story keeps spinning, Calamy's bobbing and weaving efforts as Stéphane are nothing short of phenomenal. Marnier and Carcanade regularly catch reactions from the newcomer in the Dumontets' midst that her hosts cannot see, each one adding new layers to this star performance. As riveting as she proves at every moment, Calamy also has excellent company, including the rest of the female-heavy cast. Blanc, Tillier, Brunnquell and Ruggia's characters mightn't receive as much time on-screen to demonstrate as much depth, but the quartet still ensures that they each make a sharp impression. Blanc is a barbed yet smiling gem, in particular. Together, around Weber segueing from affable to monstrous, the four women unpack the many imperfections of a life that glitters only on the surface — aka the flaws in the gleaming prize that Stéphane is so eagerly chasing. Again, however, Calamy is The Origin of Evil's jewel. If France's film and TV output wants to keep pushing her to the fore again and again, its movies and television shows will only be better for it.
Perched up in Highgate Hill, Lucky Duck have rolled the dice and are going quacky with the theme. Upon first glance, Lucky Duck could be like many other bar/cafes – lots of wood, bench seating, mason jars for light fittings and plants hanging from ceiling – but the closer you look, the more ducks start to appear. From the knick-knacks here, there and everywhere, to the collection of street art lining the walls, Lucky Duck fits the bill. Okay, enough of the bird puns. With a custom-made box shelving system running the length of one wall, seating out the front and a massive decked area out the back, the deceptively small space has plenty of room to make yourself at home. The small space has been utilised well where attention is in the detail, and fortunately the same could be said about its food. Food at Lucky Duck is of the Brown Dog and Hoo Ha Bar variety in that what they do, they do well by taking quality ingredients, keeping it simple and letting the flavours shine. For the punter the price is right too. The Kings ($12.50) is, as the name suggests, fit for royalty. Two thick-cut slices of Leavain organic sourdough are stacked high with the best flavours breakfast has on offer. The first slice has a generous slathering of avocado, a few thick slices of haloumi and finally a fried egg. The second is topped with a bruschetta-style tomato topping, house-made tomato relish and topped with plenty of bacon. A few basil leaves on top and this is a feast to be had. With no food priced over $15, Lucky Duck are doing an honest trade offering more eats along these lines as well as wraps filled with slow-cooked meats and sweet waffles. As far as the cafe part goes, drinks-wise Lucky Duck do all the usual culprits plus their own fresh iced teas, the Canadian Bomb milkshake, and a couple of smoothies. As for the bar, Lucky Duck have The Hills Cider Co on tap along with a range of craft beer. If you pop by during happy hour, pick up a jug for just $12. Lucky Duck is a semi-suburban gem with all the charm of an inner-city cafe and bar, with none of the pretentiousness or parking issues.
The entrance to Brew is anything but conspicuous. In fact it is downright unassuming. Chances are you've walked past it one hundred times and never even noticed it was there. Located at the end of Lower Burnett Lane (the alleyway between Rocking Horse Records and Pie Face), it finds itself well hidden from the passing foot traffic through Queen Street Mall. But don't let this innocuous position fool you. Brew is well known and for good reason. When something is quality, word spreads, and for this reason on any given day you'll find an eclectic mix of office workers, shoppers and youngsters drinking and dining at one of the cities' more intriguing establishments. Brew was one of the first on the scene when former premier Anna Bligh announced that council wanted to 'Melbournise' Brisbane's unused laneways. Unlike many of its peers, Brew has weathered a fickle marketplace and now finds itself thriving due largely to its unique character. Situated in what appears to have been an old storage warehouse, a coffee bar and café greets those who enter. A quick walk past this is where the magic happens. Once inside the main building a large yet intimate space appears, docked with rustic furniture, leather couches, a fully equipped cocktail bar, baristas and a kitchen creating some wonderful culinary delights. The menu is seasonal and serves dishes appropriate to the climate and time of day. Separate menus exist for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whilst the menus are compact (due in part to the focus primarily being more on coffee and alcoholic beverages), there will no doubt be something in them to tickle the tastebuds. The pick of the breakfast menu would have to be the truffled mushrooms with herb gremolata, mozzarella di buffalo on organic ciabatta. For the lunchtime crowd check out the Spanish meatballs in housemade tomato sauce with sour cream and lemon accompanied by a toasted tortilla, and finally, for dinner goers, try the chorizo and chickpea stew. If Brew has a flaw, and it is hard to find one, it would be that during peak periods service can be a little bit slow. Having said that, at any other time of day you'll find yourself with a coffee and food almost instantly, and be served by very welcoming and friendly staff. So next time you find yourself in the mall, go on a mission, venture down the once foreboding alleyway and step into what it has now become – a gem amongst the strip of fast food franchises and American coffee shops.
Not someday, but in July next year, The Strokes will head to Australia to play Splendour in the Grass' long-delayed 20th-anniversary festival. And in news that'll have you partying like it's the 00s again, the New York rockers have also just announced two sideshows: at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion and Melbourne's John Cain Arena. Hitting up Melbourne first on Tuesday, July 26, before heading to Sydney on Thursday, July 28, the gigs will mark the band's first Australian headline shows in a decade. Clearly, The Strokes will have plenty to play — 2021 marks 20 years since their seminal debut album Is This It was released, and since everything from the title track and 'Hard to Explain' to the extremely catchy duo that is 'Last Nite' and 'New York City Cops' first got stuck in the world's heads. Since then, the Julian Casablancas-led group have put out five other studio albums, including The New Abnormal, their latest, in 2020 — which nabbed them the Best Rock Album Grammy Award earlier in 2021. When it comes to seeing one of the most influential bands of the past two decades, don't go making bad decisions, missing out, and realising that you only live once — and putting your heart in a cage. If you want to start drinking juiceboxes in preparation, that's up to you. The Strokes will be supported by The Chats and The Lazy Eyes on their solo shows, after headlining Splendour in the Grass on Saturday, July 23. THE STROKES 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES Melbourne — Tuesday, July 26, John Cain Arena Sydney — Thursday, July 28, Hordern Pavilion The Strokes will tour Australia in July 2022. Pre-sale tickets go on sale at 12pm AEDT on Monday, November 8, with general tickets on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 9. For further details, head to the tour website. Top image: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons.
Last year, Barbara proclaimed that Jazz Is Dead — and then, in a weekly experimental evening, set about proving that that statement wasn't really true. Now the Valley bar has a new regular jazzfest, filling its small confines with more sweet, sweet music from 6pm every Sunday. Still enthusiastic about exploring new sounds, The Jazz House mixes its live offerings with complementary tunes. When you're not listening to jazzy performances between 6–9pm, your toes will tap to house and world music afterwards, as spun by some of the city's up-and-coming DJs. A fixture of Barbara's calendar until the end of May, the event also comes with a liquid sweetener: drinks specials. Everyone knows that getting all up in some smooth jazz goes down extra well with your favourite tipple in hand. That's why jazz nights at bars are always such a hit, after all.
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And now, at last, they're available Down Under. Yep, Seattle-born chain Cinnabon has landed in Australia, with a Brisbane outpost now serving up delicious baked goods. The launch was first announced in January this year, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. But, now, it's more than just news. Brisbanites eager to get their fix can head to Toombul Shopping Centre in the city's north, and grab a scroll seven days a week — well, once the opening queues die down. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But this is the first time that we're able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. The new Brisbane store slings a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. Toombul Shopping Centre recently opened a new neon-lit upstairs dining precinct, but Cinnabon isn't a part of that. Instead, it's located on the ground floor near Coles. And if you're not in Brisbane, it probably won't be too long until Cinnabon makes its way down south. The Toombul store is set to be the first of many. A second Brisbane store in Mt Gravatt is due to open in January 2020 and, going off plans announced earlier in the year, Cinnabon is looking to launch in Sydney and beyond in 2021. Cinnabon is now open on the ground level of Toombul Shopping Centre, 1015 Sandgate Road, Toombul.
If you haven't yet made the trip to Agnes in Fortitude Valley for dinner or a drink, Brisbane's current lockdown obviously isn't the time to start. You can't anyway, as the city's restaurants are only presently allowed to open for takeaway and delivery orders. But, if you'd like to load up on baked goods — and you live within ten kilometres of the venue — you are still able to hit up the restaurant's pop-up bakery. A lockdown favourite, after making appearances during previous stay-at-home stints, the eatery's bakery is back up and running between Wednesday, August 4–Sunday, August 8. You'll need to head along to 22 Agnes Street from 7am, and you'll likely want to get in early, as its tasty pastries — including danishes — are only available until stocks last each day. Social distancing is in effect for those queuing up, so prepare to stand two metres apart from your fellow baked goods fans. Whether the pop-up will continue if Brisbane's lockdown is extended again is yet to be revealed. In the near future, Brisbanites won't have to keep their eyes peeled for these lockdown pop-ups, with Agnes spinning out its bakery to its own site on the corner of James and Harcourt streets in Fortitude Valley. An opening date hasn't yet been announced; however, you'll be able to add it to your list of favourite — and permanent — bakeries sooner rather than later. [caption id="attachment_801126" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Chatfield[/caption] From the outside, 22 Agnes Street mightn't particularly stand out, but this old brick warehouse is run by the crew behind Same Same, Honto and Bianca, and boasts the talents of acclaimed chef Ben Williamson (ex-Gerard's Bistro, The Apo). The three-level venue includes the main dining room, a downstairs wine bar and a rooftop space — and, during this lockdown, the bakery pop-up. Agnes' bakery pop-up is running from 7am until sold out every day from Wednesday, August 4–Sunday, August 8 at 22 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley.
Do you guys ever think about watching the biggest movie of 2023 in the comfort of your own home? Barbie is a pink-hued dream on the big screen, where everyone should see it once — and it'll beam just as brightly via streaming from Tuesday, September 12. That's when the highest-grossing box-office hit of the year will hit digital, arriving on premium video on demand to rent and buy in Australia and New Zealand. By now, thanks to the pandemic, we all know the fast-tracked drill: these days, films make their way to home entertainment far faster than they used to before 2020. In Barbie's case, like everything from Dune, The Matrix Resurrections and Everything Everywhere All At Once to Elvis, Nope and Don't Worry Darling before it, it'll be both screening in cinemas and shining Kenergy onto your TV at the same time. You'll find Barbie available to stream via all the usual platforms — think: Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV, Prime Video, Fetch, Foxtel Store, Microsoft and Telstra TV Box Office — in Australia and New Zealand. And, of course, you'll find a Greta Gerwig-helmed, Margot-Robbie-starring smash that sports rosy colours, does indeed bring the popular doll to screens, but couldn't be more smart and meaningful about it. Marking actor-turned-director Gerwig's third solo stint behind the camera after Lady Bird and Little Women, Barbie gets its namesake (Robbie, Babylon) struggling with life's big questions — and, when the film's key Barbie and Ken (Ryan Gosling, The Gray Man) drive through Barbie Land's gates to discover what's on the other side, struggling with Los Angeles as well. Splashing as much humour as pastel tones throughout its frames, Barbie is scripted by Gerwig and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach — her helmer on Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise, and real-life partner — and boasts a cast that's a gleaming toy chest of talent. All those on-screen stars help fill the feature with Barbies, including Issa Rae (Insecure) as president Barbie, Dua Lipa (making her movie debut) as a mermaid Barbie, Emma Mackey (Emily) as a Nobel Prize-winning physicist Barbie, Alexandra Schipp (tick, tick... BOOM!) as an author Barbie and Ana Cruz Kayne (Jerry and Marge Go Large) as a supreme court justice Barbie — plus Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as diplomat Barbie, Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) as a Barbie who is always doing the splits, Hari Nef (Meet Cute) as doctor Barbie, Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy) as a Pulitzer-winning Barbie and Sharon Rooney (Jerk) as lawyer Barbie. There's also a whole heap of Kens, including Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Ncuti Gatwa (the incoming Doctor Who) and Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie). And, Michael Cera (Arrested Development) plays Alan, Emerald Fennell (The Crown) plays Midge, Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) is the narrator, America Ferrera (Superstore) and Ariana Greenblatt (65) are humans, Jamie Demetriou (Catherine Called Birdy) is a suit, Will Ferrell (Spirited) wears a suit as Mattel's CEO and Connor Swindells (also Sex Education) is an intern. We expect that you know all of the above already given how well Barbie has been doing in cinemas, where it has also cracked the top 15 of all time — and become the first movie by a solo female director to make $1 billion at the global box office. And yes, we expect that you'll now get 'I'm Just Ken' stuck in your head again (and again and again). Check out the Barbie trailer below: Barbie will be available to stream from Tuesday, September 12 via platforms such as Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV, Prime Video, Fetch, Foxtel Store, Microsoft and Telstra TV Box Office in Australia and New Zealand. It's also still showing in cinemas Down Under. Read our review.
New year, new set of holiday plans? If that's how you celebrate December flipping over to January every 12 months, then you're probably already scoping out where to head when 2023 becomes 2024. Here's some inspiration: Hamilton Island, Bali, Fiji and Tokyo, aka places that Virgin is slinging cheap fares to in its latest sale. This new batch of discounted flights spans more than 500,000 fares for both domestic and international legs. Prices start low, at $45, which once again gets you from Sydney to Byron Bay — the normal cheapest fare in any flight sale — and vice versa. From there, the domestic side of the sale covers everywhere from the Sunshine Coast and Hobart to Canberra and Broome. Fancy a trip to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Launceston, Alice Springs or Darwin instead? They're also on the list. This excuse to book a getaway runs until midnight AEST on Monday, October 23 — unless sold out earlier, with fares to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also covered. That means paying $59 one-way from Melbourne to Launceston, $69 from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and $109 from Brisbane to Hamilton Island. Also among the local fares: Sydney to Hobart from $85, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $109, Sydney to Adelaide from $125, Brisbane to Melbourne from $129 and Perth to Broome from $189. Internationally, you'll need to go via Cairns if you're keen to head to Tokyo, starting at $699 return. Among the other global return options: Bali (from $449 from Adelaide or the Gold Coast, $559 from Brisbane, and $629 from Melbourne or Sydney), Fiji ($509 from Brisbane, $529 from Sydney and $579 from Melbourne), Vanuatu ($569 from Brisbane) and Samoa ($579 from Brisbane). And, Queenstown is also on the agenda, with both one-way and return legs. One-way from Sydney starts at $259 and return from $445, Melbourne at $265 and $425, and Brisbane $295 and $515. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover select periods between Tuesday, January 16–Thursday, August 29, 2024, with all dates varying per route. Inclusions also differ depending on your ticket and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick if you're keen to spend some, part or all of next year anywhere but home. Virgin's latest sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, October 23 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The Good Place wrapped up its existential laughs in 2020. The Office and Parks and Recreation have both been off screen for a few years now, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine will soon be coming to an end, too. So, you might be wondering where you're going to get your 20-minute servings of warmhearted comedy from in the future (other than from rewatching all of the above shows again and again, of course). Enter: Rutherford Falls. Each of these sitcoms, including the newcomer that you've never heard of until now, have one thing in common: they involve writer and producer Michael Schur. He held both roles on The Office, co-created Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and created The Good Place. Yes, he has a distinctive brand of humour — and it's a delight. With Rutherford Falls, the man behind a hefty amount of the past two decades' best comedies is reteaming with one of his past stars — and co-stars. Schur also actually appeared in The Office, playing Mose Schrute, cousin to Dwight. Here, he's working with Ed Helms again, who leads the new series as a descendant of the man his town was named after. Helms' Nathan Rutherford runs tours informing the public of his family's history, and his ancestor's founding of Rutherford Falls 400 years ago. He's also proud of the statue, nicknamed 'Big Larry', that sits in a prominent place. But when it is suggested that the sculpture should be moved, he isn't happy — all in a town that borders a Native American reservation and has hardly been respectful of that aspect of its heritage. As well as Helms, in his first ongoing TV part since The Office, the new comedy stars Jana Schmieding (Blast), Michael Greyeyes (I Know This Much Is True), Jesse Leigh (Heathers) and Dustin Milligan (Schitt's Creek). And, you'll be able to see if it lives up to its Schur-penned predecessors when it hits Stan on Friday, April 23, with its entire first season available to binge that day. Check out the trailer for Rutherford Falls below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmSK3XliTk4 Rutherford Falls will be available to watch via Stan from Friday, April 23.
On Saturday, August 24, First Nations artists are firmly in the spotlight at one of Brisbane's must-attend returning gigs. It was back in 2022 that Blak Social debuted Blak Day Out, which has popped up each year since. 2024's run is different, however — it's now called Last Night: Blak Day Out, it's free, it's taking place on King Street instead of at The Tivoli, and it's turning into a Bowen Hills street party. The focus at the all-ages festival remains the same — and also essential — with Blak Day Out celebrating Indigenous sovereignty, music and community, complete with a stellar lineup. Taking to the stage: Emma Donovan, 3% (aka Nooky, Dallas Wood and Angus Field) and Sue Ray, as well as BADASSMUTHA and The Ancient Bloods. DJ Kritty will be on the decks at the silent disco, while The First Creatives will be breaking out dance moves and live murals will also be painted during the event. Falling into 2024's Open Season series of performances focused around The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre — and postponed from June, when it was meant to launch the season — Last Night: Blak Day Out kicks off at 3.30pm, running till 9.30pm. Alongside tunes to listen to, you'll also have Indigenous retailers to shop, pop-up bars quenching your thirst and street food stalls tempting your tastebuds. [caption id="attachment_957834" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lewis Bin Doraho[/caption] Top image: Lewis Bin Doraho. Updated Friday, August 16, 2024.
The Sydney Opera House invited Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard to sing inside the structure of its iconic sails and the result is stunning. Standing on a metal platform and surrounded by the strikingly brutal concrete ribs of the sails, Hansard sings a beautifully raw version of his acoustic song 'Stay the Road'. Written just across the harbour in the Rocks, 'Stay the Road' is the last track on Hansard's 2015 album Didn't He Ramble, which he's in Sydney at the moment to tour. He's playing – this time inside, rather than above, the Concert Hall – on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 October. The video is part of a series called Nooks and Crannies produced with Intel Australia to showcase the inside of the Opera House. Image: Teresa Tan.
We Steal Secrets is the story of Wikileaks, and from the outset it fast becomes apparent how little you know of an organisation dedicated to transparency and the sharing of information. Directed by Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), the documentary mirrors the real-world by focusing on two key individuals: Wikileaks' Australian founder Julian Assange and Bradley Manning, the US soldier whose disclosure of classified documents thrust Assange onto the world stage. The stories of the two men are told with surprising sensitivity, particularly in the case of Manning, who — on account of his ongoing incarceration — is represented exclusively by typed words on a screen. Sent over the course of his deployment in Iraq, the catalogue of Manning's brief online exchanges with various hackers reveals an extraordinarily lonely soul unable to reconcile serious questions about both his own identity and what he perceived to be the ongoing cover-up of atrocities by the US Government. "I want people to see the truth," he wrote, just before leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Assange. "It affects everyone on earth." In all, We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks achieves a fine balance in its depiction of two men whose lives became inextricably linked and, thereafter, changed almost certainly for the worse. We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks is in cinemas on July 4. Thanks to Universal Pictures, we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Read our full review of We Steal Secrets here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SdezJrNaL70
We've seen some pretty amazing accommodation locations in our time (caves, catacombs and ski jumps included), but none quite take the cake like atop one of the world's most recognisable and romanticised landmarks: the Eiffel Tower. Yep, the Eiffel Tower. This new accommodation option (way better than the Montmartre apartment you rented in 2014, sorry) comes from holiday rental website, HomeAway. They've created a casual luxury apartment up there that can fit you, five of your closest friends and only the one of the best views in the goddamn world. Airbnb, you've been one-upped. Of course, you can't actually book this on the site — you'll have to win your way in. In what promises to be the most epic of all Paris holidays, the winner and five friends will receive airfares from their nearest city to Paris and one night (as well as dinner and brekkie) in the luxury Eiffel Tower digs. They'll also chuck in another three nights accommodation in another HomeAway apartment so you don't have to fly to Paris just for one night — but, let's be honest, it's only going to be a letdown after your Tower stay. The trip must be taken from July 2-6, but unfortunately it's only open for US residents. Boo. The promotion follows a slew of similar competitions from Airbnb, the latest of which gave punters a chance to spend a night in a Parisian shark tank. So for our next holiday, accommodation booking companies, we'd like to request a bed in the Statue of Liberty's torch.
Eight venues, eight stages, 40 bands, zero cost to get in. That's the maths behind the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, which has been gracing Fortitude Valley's finest hangouts since 2016. Since that first-ever festival, the event has also celebrated another equation: brews aplenty plus an ace live soundtrack and free entry equals a mighty fine way to spend a day bar-hopping in Brisbane. For its 2024 edition, the sprawling music and beer festival has another packed day of tunes and drinks in store on Saturday, February 10, when attendees can jump between eight Valley spots to see a huge heap of bands. Think of it as good night out with the multi-venue itinerary already taken care of for you. Also pivotal: the fact that walking in eight doors won't cost you a cent, meaning that you'll only need your wallet for brews. [caption id="attachment_878321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Mick[/caption] This is the type of fest where the experience is as important as the lineup. That doesn't mean that the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl skimps on its roster of talent, though. 2024's just-announced bill is headlined by These New South Whales, Mia Wray and Peach Fur, with Asha Jefferies, Chutney, Flamingo Blonde, Friends of Friends and Jet City Sports Club also set to take to the stage. Joining them: Oscar the Wild, Platonic Sex, RAAVE TAPES, Sesame Girl, Tentendo and more. This time, the simultaneous sonic fun takes place at Black Bear Lodge, The Brightside, The Brightside — Outdoors, Greaser, Stranded, The Zoo, Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar and Valley Loft. As always, the agenda includes running between each to sip frosty beverages and catch crackin' sets, with the entertainment once again sponsored by a brewery. The whole shindig kicks off at 5pm, so the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace evening of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL 2023 LINEUP: ACTS: These New South Whales Mia Wray Peach Fur Asha Jefferies Chutney Flamingo Blonde Friends of Friends Jet City Sports Club Oscar the Wild Platonic Sex RAAVE TAPES Sesame Girl Tentendo (DJ set) 01 Thurman Bean Magazine Blue Diner Coldwave Dancingwater Eleea FELONY. Fenrir Gemini Talk Ghost Mutt King Ivy Lottie McLeod Mt Nadir Naaki Soul Neish SAIK Salarymen SAMMM. Seeing Violet Selve Socket SPACE&AGES Sunder The Silver Spurs The Sweaty Bettys Tomorrow's Forecast Yawdoesitall VENUES: Black Bear Lodge The Brightside The Brightside — Outdoors Greaser Stranded The Zoo Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar Valley Loft The 2024 Mountain Goat Valley Crawl takes place on Saturday, February 10, 2024 in Fortitude Valley. Entry is free, but you'll need to RSVP for free tickets online. Top image: Nick Mick
There's no such thing as an ordinary coat of paint at Brisbane Street Art Festival. Here, every brushstroke, spray and roll contributes to a new work of art. There's also no such thing as an average Brissie roadway or public space at this annual fest. Everywhere in the River City becomes a canvas when it's BSAF time — so, in 2024, from Saturday, May 4–Sunday, May 19. For nine years now, this autumn event has celebrated splashing outdoor art around far and wide across Brisbane. This year's festival will welcome more than 20 featured artists to literally paint the town red — and plenty of other colours — amid a program that doesn't just showcase celebrated talents showing off their skills, but also helps impart the tricks of the trade to everyone who wants to follow in their footsteps. [caption id="attachment_894226" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Macami[/caption] The big drawcard: live murals, as artists take to various patches of Brisbane across the two weeks to create new pieces while you watch. Superordinary at Northshore Brisbane, which also acts as a base for the fest, will gain three live murals. Other sites to head to: Howard Smith Wharves, where five new pieces will be brought to life — and also QUT Gardens Point, The Tivoli, Portside Wharf, Constance Street in Fortitude Valley, RNA Showgrounds, Garden City and The Barracks. Doing the painting is a who's who of the local, national and international street art scenes, including Guirao, who hails from Spain but is now based in Melbourne; the Japan-born Spectator Jonze; Damien Mitchell, who spent ten years in New York; and Brisbane icon Sofles, who boasts more than 20 years in the industry. The likes of Davis Lee Pereira, The Brightsiders, Emily Devers, Kaho and Lisa Dot are also on the lineup, while Brissie's own Sethius Art will add a bin chicken sculpture to Superordinary. [caption id="attachment_894223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fintan Magee by @mellumae[/caption] "Since the beginning of the Brisbane Street Art Festival in 2016, Brisbane has worked its way into becoming one of the world's most significant street art cities. This is only growing with the diverse lineup of artists we have for the festival in 2024," said BSAF Festival Director Lincoln Savage. His latest program kicks off with the traditional launch party, also at Superordinary, then spans street art cycling tours, panels on gender bias and the use of art in shared spaces, an exhibition dedicated to First Nations talents, plus workshops on everything from aerosols, calligraphy, collages and tufting to brushwork, graffiti writing, lettering and sticker art. And to cap it all off, Felons Brewing Co will host the closing party, as it also usually does. [caption id="attachment_715977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Drapl and Treazy, Aimee Catt[/caption] [caption id="attachment_894227" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Macami[/caption] [caption id="attachment_659368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] tuyuloveme[/caption] [caption id="attachment_894229" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Macami[/caption] [caption id="attachment_715976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aimee Catt[/caption] [caption id="attachment_894228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Macami[/caption] The 2024 Brisbane Street Art Festival runs from Saturday, May 4–Sunday, May 19. For more information, head to the event's website. Top image: Macami.
When a film bears the name American Sniper – and the memoir it adapts includes The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History in its title – certain things are unsurprising. To judge a movie by its moniker and a book by its cover, patriotism is expected, as are ample scenes seen through the crosshairs of a riflescope. Clint Eastwood’s latest feature delivers both. The true tale inspiring jingoistic fervour is that of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Texan rodeo cowboy turned Navy SEAL. In four tours of Iraq post-9/11, he was credited with 160 confirmed kills. His fellow soldiers anointed him with the nickname 'Legend', continually proffering their thanks and idolatry. With each deployment, the worries of his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), grew, as did the distance in their marriage. As the man who played Dirty Harry, Eastwood is no stranger to portrayals of men steeped in violence, or to positioning their deeds as those of necessity. Symbolism torn from many a western and war movie included, he takes to the story with passion and without subtlety. With his protagonist pledging allegiance to “God, country and family”, in that order, he paints Kyle as a hero, and shapes the feature as a tribute. Treading the fine line between condoning certain actions and representing reality is a tricky task, and one Eastwood’s feature does show signs of struggling with. Only slivers are glimpsed of a more complex and conflicted train of thought than the feature’s primary narrative. Shadows of martial discontent flicker over supporting characters, but the enemy is not within, in American Sniper's case, as an insurgent enemy sniper threatens the unit. It's a dramatic tension that's technically well-executed but thematically questionable. Similarly, Kyle’s difficulties on the home front are tinged with the weight his work bears on his conscience, explained as regret over the lives he couldn’t save, rather than any troubles with what he did and saw. And then there's the Iraqi problem. Whenever the viewpoint of the other side threatens to interject, such as with the plight of a local family forced to inform against a villain, empathy is absent. American Sniper presents one perspective only, so the occupied people of Iraq remain strangers. While Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers did the same, here there’s no Letters from Iwo Jima to offer balance. Performance-wise, the duty-bound feature isn’t helped by Cooper’s lead turn, even if an Academy Award nomination seems to indicate otherwise. He looks the part, complete with a hulking swagger and an aversion to his usual charm, but his rendering of Kyle is as one-note as the bulk of the storyline. Similarly, Miller plays the stereotypical neglected wife in a paint-by-numbers performance. Of course, countless films – war and otherwise – spin one-sided yarns of good-versus-evil and even do so well; however, American Sniper is never anything less than uneasy. The sand-swept action that clouds the frame, the unwavering conviction and the sentiment of the ending are predictably blatant and sometimes brutal – and so is the accompanying discomfort.
Sunday afternoons, The Triffid and a Sarah Howells-selected roots lineup go hand-in-hand — or they have since the Newstead hangout started asking the ABC radio host to help curate their end-of-weekend acoustic gigs back in November 2014. So, it was only a matter of time until the venue decided to turn their regular shindigs into a festival. Meet the Newstead Roots Festival, aka a beefed-up version of the events everyone already knows and loves. With Bullhorn, Dubmarine, Cheap Fakes, Bobby Alu, Bearfoot, Leanne Tennant, Black Rabbit George and Claire-Anne Taylor on the bill, playing on both the main stage and out in the beer garden, it's the ultimate Sunday roots session — and even better if you don't have to go to work on Monday.
It's never too late to learn something new, and we're not just talking about the ins and outs of superannuation. Rather, turning your brain to studying — and possibly launching yourself into a new career — has never been so easy. Open Universities Australia (OUA) helps you find a degree to fit your goals and study it online. So, no matter your physical proximity to the university running the course, or your life commitments, you can make it happen. Whether you're a first-time student, an aiming-to-finisher, or just looking to extend your career options by adding another notch to your belt, we know that half the battle can be figuring out what you actually want to study. Rather than spending hours trying to nut it out, why not use the time you've already dedicated to your favourite television show? Chances are, your favourite genre might give you a pretty good clue as to what you're into. Read on to discover eight possible careers based on a small-screen hit, then go tell your mum that you weren't wasting time after all. YOU LOVE: THE HANDMAID'S TALE Consider studying: Bachelor of Psychological Science and Sociology with University of South Australia (UniSA), Bachelor of Behavioural Studies with Swinburne University or Master of Public Policy and Management with Flinders University. Well, things are pretty bleak at the moment in Gilead. And they have been for June (Elisabeth Moss) since the show — an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name — began. An oft-bleak reflection of parts of our world in the modern day, The Handmaid's Tale isn't a happy watch, but it is an important one — and from it arises a wider commentary on policy, oppression and herd mentality. If you really want to unpack everything that's happening to June, or if the eerily familiar (and frustrating) circumstances have lit a fire in your belly, consider studying a degree in policy, social studies or psychology, available online through OUA. YOU LOVE: BROOKLYN NINE-NINE Consider studying: Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice with Griffith University or a Master of Criminology with Macquarie University. You only need to spend a little time on social media to know that Brooklyn Nine-Nine has become a cult TV offering — there are memes everywhere. The comedy has a surprising amount of heart behind Detective Jake Peralta's (Andy Samberg) antics and the joke-a-minute vibe (if you didn't laugh at that Backstreet Boys cold open, then you don't have a sense of humour). Although it's cloaked in fictional comedy, this show covers some seriously diverse crimes. This, plus the backlog of true crime documentaries on your to-watch list, prove that there are seriously interesting stories out there and some wild stuff that happens in the world. If you want to hustle your case-cracking prowess into a career, explore a degree in criminology with Griffith University. Or, if you've already got a bachelor's degree and notched up some work experience in the field of security, you can jump into a masters with Macquarie University. YOU LOVE: GAME OF THRONES Consider studying: Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) with Curtin University, Master of Writing with Swinburne University or Master of Arts (TESOL) at Bond University. Just because it's over doesn't mean it's really over — the characters of Westeros and Jon Snow's immense sadness can live on in your heart long after the final episode. And we've found a way for you to continue your obsession with the epic fantasy series based on George R.R. Martin's books. You can learn to appreciate the intricacies of the world he created or, even better, create your own Westeros (maybe one where slightly less characters die) by taking on a creative writing course online through OUA. You can start from the very beginning with Curtin University's bachelor degree, which allows you to explore different styles including poetry, short fiction and screenwriting. Or, you can hone your already established craft with a masters with Swinburne University of Technology or Bond University. The latter explores the principles of the English language and will grant you a teaching qualification, too. YOU LOVE: CHERNOBYL Consider studying: Diploma in Science with University of New England or Associate Degree in Engineering at University of South Australia. It's the one everyone has been talking about, and it recently rated the best TV show of all time on IMDb. Chernobyl, which explores the catastrophic incident at a Ukrainian power plant in 1986, breaks down a particularly harrowing chapter of history. The disaster had far and long-reaching consequences and the show gets you thinking about what happens when science and human error combine to fail us. If your brain is ticking over with nuclear reactor designs or chemical equations, it might be time to hit up OUA to embark on a new career in science or engineering. YOU LOVE: SEX EDUCATION Consider studying: Bachelor of International Public Health with University of NSW or Master of Public Health with Curtin University. Netflix's very funny, very sweet British show has basically everything you need for a weekend binge show: good writing, a great cast and a storyline tackling critical gender and sexuality issues among young people. Oh, and Gillian Anderson. Sex Education tells the story of Otis (Asa Butterfield) trying to making it through high school while contending with his mother (Anderson), who is a sex therapist working from home. A show that anyone, young or old, can find something to relate to in, Sex Education is a worthy reminder that health and sexual education should be taught comprehensively to young people. If you think you could fill those very important shoes, considering studying a public health degree with a leading uni online through OUA, which could open you up to career opportunities in government agencies, research or community health programs. YOU LOVE: RICK AND MORTY Consider studying: Bachelor of Arts (Animation and Game Design) with Curtin University or Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) in Games Design and Development with Murdoch University. Yeah, we know — it's a silly one. But it's pretty damn funny. Rick and Morty was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, of Adventure Time and Community respectively, and it's not for the underage (or faint-hearted). Following mad scientist Rick and his grandson Morty as they go on interdimensional adventures, the show is wacky, original, and a little gross. But, it may also get you thinking about the rising popularity of adult cartoons, and the animation teams behind their increased profile. So, if you've always had an artistic streak that you'd like to nurture into a full-blown career, have a search through the online options through OUA for animation and game development. YOU LOVE: THE GOOD PLACE Consider studying: Bachelor of Education (Primary, Secondary or Early Childhood) with Curtin University. One of the most clever shows in recent years has to be Michael Schur's The Good Place. From the man who brought us Parks & Recreation and The Office comes a comedy starring Kristen Bell as Eleanor — an unremarkable person during her life on earth who wakes up in The Good Place, or a heaven-like utopia, being shown around by Michael (Ted Danson). Three seasons of moral questions, philosophical quandaries and people just being human ensue. While a lot of it is silly fun, The Good Place does provide a solid vessel for the discussion of ethics, via creative uses, and exploration of belief. It also hammers home, while we watch Chidi attempt to teach Eleanor moral philosophy, that the world needs more good teachers. Live your dream and explore your own moral questions by becoming one. YOU LOVE: SUITS Consider studying: Bachelor of Laws with University of New England and Juris Doctor with Flinders University. Pre-prince days for Meghan Markle brought us Suits, an Aaron Korsh-created legal drama focusing on Mike Ross and Harvey Specter, lawyers working at a large firm in New York City. While Mike (Patrick J. Adams) goes in entirely untrained and manages to pull off working large cases without a sweat, we don't encourage that — in fact, we'd strongly urge you to look into a law degree, which you can study online through OUA. Combine your interests in watching endless episodes of Suits (there are nine seasons), besting someone in a verbal argument and, if you like Mike, helping the underdog by getting a law degree. The two-piece suits await. Explore hundreds of degrees from leading Australian universities available online through Open Universities Australia. You could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW has taken its weekly after-hours session online — and the next two editions are all about NAIDOC Week, a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and achievements. On Wednesday, November 11, you can join a discussion between author and presenter Yumi Stynes, Aboriginal rights activist and proud Bundjalung woman Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, and four-time Archibald Prize finalist Blak Douglas (aka Adam Douglas Hill). Douglas' 2020 portrait of Dujuan Hoosan, star of the documentary In My Blood It Runs, is on show at the AGNSW until Sunday, January 2021, alongside Vincent Namatjira's award-winning depiction of sporting star Adam Goodes — the first-ever portrait by an Indigenous artist to take out the top gong in Archibald Prize history. The following week, on Wednesday, November 18, curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art Coby Edgar will chat with artist and Arrernte woman Marlene Rubuntja, whose stunning sculptures feature in the gallery's new exhibition entitled Joy. Both sessions will be streamed on the AGNSW's Facebook page and Youtube channel. If you're in Sydney and can make it to the gallery, you can also head along to a free Indigenous-led guided tour of the Yiribana Gallery. [caption id="attachment_789035" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blak Douglas, 'Writing in the sand' (2020). Copyright the artist. Photo by Felicity Jenkins, AGNSW.[/caption]
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. In Tasmania, that has meant some strict quarantine requirements — which, for non-Tassie residents who weren't classified as essential travellers, entailed spending 14 days in government-designated accommodation. But, for most of the country, quarantine is no more. From Monday, October 26, travellers from Queensland, the ACT, SA, WA, the NT and New Zealand, which are deemed low-risk areas, are allowed to hop on a plane and head across the Strait. After you've filled out a Tas e-Travel form, of course. [caption id="attachment_784489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Flaming Lips, Mona, Hobart, Mona Foma 2016. Photo Credit: MONA/Rémi Chauvin. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Some good new for Sydneysiders: this will be an option for you, too, come Friday, November 6. On this date, Tasmania is set open its borders and airports to NSW travellers, pending further public health advice. In other words, if there's an outbreak before then, it might reverse the decision — but if NSW continues its stretch of relatively low levels of community transmission (there have been just three new cases in the past four days) we'll be good to go. "What we want to see in a jurisdiction that we open up to is less than five cases of unknown transmission in the last 28 days," Premier Peter Gutwein said in a press conference. "New South Wales over the last 28 days has had six only in a population of nearly eight million people, so they are on top of this." If you're in Melbourne, sadly the changes won't apply to you just yet. Premier Gutwein noted that the state still hopes to open up to Victorians from December 1, but that they're pleased to "see them driving their numbers so low" and will "be responsive to the evolving situation there". Kiwis legally must complete at least 14 days of managed isolation or quarantine when returning to New Zealand. Travellers will also be tested for COVID-19 during the two-week stay. The New Zealand Government has raised its travel advice to "do not travel" — the highest level — regardless of destination. Keen to start planning an adventure south? Mona Foma has announced it'll return to Launceston and Hobart in January — and we've pulled together this list of exciting food and drink spots in the state's northeast. Visitors from low-risk areas (currently Queensland, the ACT, SA, WA, the NT and NZ) are allowed to visit Tasmania without quarantining. You must fill out a Tas e-Travel form a maximum of three days before you arrive. The state is set to open to NSW from Friday, November 6. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Tasmania and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: Bay of Fires via Lia Kuilenburg for Tourism Tasmania.
Not one, but three, designers have put their two-wheeling brains together to come up with tokyobike's latest offering: the company's first ever Designer Series. It's a trio of bikes that will make you seriously want to shell out (and at this price, you'd be skipping more than a few meals). The first, a schmick golden number, is the work of Everything Elevated, who are based in New York and Oslo. It's a single speed with dropped handle bars that gets its inspiration from early minimalist track racing bikes. The second you'll want with you next time you're in Paris. Calico Wallpaper, a Brooklyn-based company run by couple Nick and Rachel Cope, based their concept on the bikes you see in 1930s French films. It's so comfy you can ride all day. The dreamy blue, white and burnt orange paint job reflects the transition from dawn to dusk. Not good at making decisions? The third in the series is your pick. It's white on one side and grey on the other. Joe Doucet, award-winning Brooklyn-based designer, is behind this third bike, with half-canvas, half-rubber handles, which are handmade in Italy. This kind of design doesn't come cheap. Each limited edition bike will set you back $2,500 a pop. Orders are available online. Images: Tokyobike.
It's now been 25 years since a certain modern-day retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew had us all swooning over Heath Ledger and wishing that we were Julia Stiles. Yes, that'll make you feel old. And if you're one of the scores of Aussie teens who devoured smash-hit flick 10 Things I Hate About You when it first came out — and then about a million times on VHS since — you've probably taken up every occasion there is to celebrate the 1999 movie. Your next chance: Yatala Drive-In's Valentine's screenings — aka an excuse to hop in the car, head down the highway and revisit the timeless high school-set tale. Yatala's movies-on-wheels site is hosting two nights of special throwback showings, which is perfect for you and your 90s-worshipping significant other or a car full of pals (because you'll pay $40 for a carload of up to six people anyway). Head along on from 7pm on the date itself, Wednesday, February 14 — or from the same time on Saturday, February 17. Prepare to revisit all those late-90s feels as you catch those classic movie moments — from the cheer-worthy smashing of Joey Donner's car to that pre-formal pregnancy suit. You can pack your own food for the session (Ms Perky would definitely recommend bratwurst), but BYO booze obviously isn't allowed. Otherwise, you can make the most of Yatala's 50s-style diner.
Tasmania may sit forgotten and ridiculed on the outskirts of our borders, but every January it truly shines. Attracting tens of thousands of visitors from all over the country, MONA's annual Festival of Music and Art is a cultural icon. Now, in its seventh year, it's still bringing in the goods. The just-released 2015 lineup will include legendary post-punk outfit Swans, Dan Deacon, Amanda Palmer, Paul Kelly and — because why not — author Neil Gaiman. And that's not even mentioning the art. Curated by Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes, the musical program is incredibly eclectic — a tasting plate of genres for those not quite so fascinated with predictable summer festivals like Laneway or Future. In 2015 you can relax whileNeil Gaiman reads you a story accompanied by the ambient sounds of Jherek Bischoff, go local with Paul Kelly's Soul Sessions featuring Dan Sultan and Kira Puru, or melt your brain with some Dan Deacon goodness. MOFO caters to all. The art on display will be just as strange. UK group Architects of Air will be bringing their giant inflatable sculpture — read: artsy bouncy castle — EXXOPOLIS down south from the Brisbane Festival. Melbourne artist Atticus J. Bastow is acting as maestro to an orchestra of iPhones. Johannes S. Sistermanns will be wrapping thing (and possible people) in cling wrap to create terrifying sound art. Then, Alvin Curran will combine both art and music while mobilising rafts and dinghies to make music on the Derwent River. "We are thrilled that the audience for MOFO has developed to the point where we can present this dazzling array of creativity and know the people are ready, willing and able to come along for the ride," said Ritchie. "It’s a party with brains, heart and soul." For a little look at what you're missing, check out our write-up from last year's Dark Mofo. January's festivities are bound to be about the same with 100 per cent more sunshine. What's not to love? MONA FOMA will run from January 15-18, 2015 in Hobart. Tickets are on sale now via the festival website. Full lineup: Alvin Curran Allan Halyk And Adam Wojcinski Amanda Palmer & The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Amir Farid Anna Von Hausswolff Architects Of Air Ava Mendoza Atticus J. Bastow Ben Frost Brendan Walls Chordwainers Dan Deacon David Francey Trio Debashish Bhattacharya Emma Dean And The Hungry Truth Faux Mo Francesca De Valence Gabriella Smart Genevieve Lacey Jim Moginie Johannes S. Sistermanns Li Binyuan Marduk Martine Corompt And Philip Brophy Melisandre Michael Kieran Harvey MOFI Eastern Sho MOMA (mona Market) Neil Gaiman Omar Souleyman Paul Kelly Presents The Merri Soul Sessions – Featuring Dan Sultan, Clairy Browne, Kira Puru & Vika And Linda Bull Phillip Johnston Rektango Robyn Hitchcock Ruth Roshan And Tango Noir Senyawa & Lucas Abela Shonen Knife Speak Percussion Swans The Clean Tim Hecker Xylouris White Young Wagilak Group & Australian Art Orchestra Zammuto
Play music, make calls, take photos, open doors and share your location – all with the flick of a single switch. That's the idea behind Flic, a new wireless, portable button developed by a group of Swedish entrepreneurs that can be programmed to work with just about any smart device that you please. The 28mm diametre button works in conjunction with a smartphone app that allows you to assign it a particular function – such as snoozing your alarm, dialing pre-set phone numbers or switching on the lights in your smart home. Each button can be programmed with up to three different functions (single click, double click and hold) and has a reusable adhesive back so it can be fastened wherever is convenient. The creators of the device offer up a few more potential applications in the promotional video, below. Be warned though: the cheese factor is pretty high. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDsjBh2xOgQ While we're still not entirely convinced that getting your phone out of your pocket is really all that strenuous, this little button does look pretty cool. According to the specs listed on their website, the button's silicon overmould means that it is able to withstand weather and dust, and can be used both indoors and out. It also comes in a number of different colours, and operates on a replaceable coin battery that lasts up to five years. You can currently preorder a Flic button for US$34 plus $5 shipping. You can also get discounts if you order more than one – just in case you were planning on decking out your house like the inside of a spaceship.
Bluesfest has lifted the lid on its first artist announcement for 2019, the festival's 30th anniversary, and heading the stampede are famed American singers Jack Johnson and Ben Harper, who will play with his band The Innocent Criminals. Both artists will be performing exclusively at Bluesfest, with Johnson making his third appearance at the festival after first appearing in 2001 and again in 2014. Speaking of the noughties, both artists are sure to bring hefty dose of nostalgia along with them — expect both 'Diamonds on the Inside' and 'Banana Pancakes' to make an appearance. Other acts taking to the stage at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm over the weekend include Aussies Kasey Chambers and Richard Clapton, six-piece soul band St. Paul and The Broken Bones and Grammy Award-winning jazz and funk collective Snarky Puppy. American singer and record producer George Clinton will perform one of his last live shows ever, before retiring in May, alongside his funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic. Anyway, here's the full lineup (so far). Better start making Easter plans because tickets are already on sale. BLUESFEST 2019 LINEUP Jack Johnson Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals Ray Lamontagne George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic Snarky Puppy Kasey Chambers St Paul and The Broken Bones Nahko and Medicine for the People Tommy Emmanuel Colin Hay Arlo Guthrie Keb' Mo' Tex Perkins Allen Stone Richard Clapton Russell Morris Kurt Vile and The Violators Vintage Trouble The Black Sorrows The California Honeydrops Trevor Hall I'm With Her Larkin Poe Irish Mythen Elephant Sessions Greensky Blugrass Rockwiz Live + more to be announced. Bluesfest 2017 will run April 18 to April 22 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. More details and ticket info here. Image: Gavin Conaty and Andy Fraser.
Madonna Staunton is one of Queensland’s greatest living artists. Her creations are eloquent, filled with weighty insights and present a level of commitment that is seldom seen today in figurative painting. It’s no surprise then that QAGOMA has nabbed her work for the exhibition Out of Clear Blue Sky, an exploration of Staunton's art from the 1960s to now. Alike to her creations, Staunton as an artist is rarely static – she’s known for her remarkable capacity to change and adapt, reintroduce and renew. Her use of unconventional materials, and the practice of collage makes her two and three dimensional assemblages a tactile means of reflection. The old, faded and battered discards Staunton uses for her pieces are so carefully and strikingly put together they give remarkable, and somewhat stark new life to the once castoffs. Out of a Clear Blue Sky will be at QAGOMA until March next year, with a poetry reading by Staunton’s close friend Nathan Shepherdson taking place at the exhibition on September 7 as part of the Brisbane Writers Festival.
Springtime in the wine world is when we start looking forward to the upcoming vintage. Wineries start releasing some of the fresher styles of white wine, bright and lighter reds and rosés ahead of new wines to be made in the beginning of 2018. Others dust off their retail shelves and push full-bodied reds to the back, making room for all the new release rieslings and other aromatic whites coming into the store, ready for the warmer months. But if don't know where to start drinking with all these new springtime releases, fear not — we've done the heavy lifting for you by combing through the Vinomofo cellars to find the best drops, regardless of the occasion, time of day or springtime locale you might find yourself in. And what's more, if you're looking to start stocking up your home cellar in preparation for the party season (yes, it's less than three months till Christmas) you can use any extra American Express reward points you have floating around to buy some vino. Here are the drops we think you should be looking to first. RIESLING In the words of Miranda Priestly, "Florals? For spring? Ground-breaking". It may not be new, but a delicious floral riesling and springtime are a classic pairing for a reason. For example, it's Friday night, you've had a long week at work and got hit with one of those days where you thought the weather was going to be mild (but ended up being a scorcher), and you wore too many layers. You're exhausted, and all you want to do is peel off your sweaty clothes and eat takeaway in front of the TV. Enter, refreshing and soul-reviving riesling. The wine style naturally hangs on to its acidity while its balanced with white florals, ripe citrus, tropical fruit (and sometimes) melon notes, so it's always going to have this lovely, invigorating quality to it. That's what makes it so perfect for food. Indian, Thai, Chinese and anything with spice, oil or fat (you know, all the necessary food groups). Always keep one in the fridge, nice and cold, like the 2017 Penna Lane Lot 5 Riesling from the Clare Valley in South Australia. It's pretty much the wine version of a first aid kit. ALBARIÑO Albariño has seen its way through a funny turn of events in the history of Australian wine. In 2009, after the CSIRO did DNA studies on winery vines, it was discovered that the vineyards in Australia that thought they had planted albariño were in fact planted with savagnin. Native to Spain, the white grape is perfect in any warm climate (not only to grow but also to drink in abundance) because of albariño's light style and bright acidity and freshness. For a perfect thirst quencher after an afternoon springtime dip in the ocean (when the water is still crisp and refreshing), splash some of the 2014 Paco Y Lola 'Lolo' Albariño in your glass and sip on the Spanish version wondering what could have been if we had it planted on our great shores. ROSÉ Picture this: a warm spring day in the park, sitting on a picnic blanket with a little Bonobo playing out of your Bluetooth speakers. What's missing? A glass of dry rosé in your hand. Rosé typically has fresh acidity alongside a natural meatiness and density in the mid-palate. This is usually paired in the wine with bright red fruits that are stereotypical of the varietal along with a dry finish to refresh the palate after each bite of food. Want to up your rosé game with something a little left of centre? Try a sparkling rosé like the NV Royal Marine Sparkling Rosé Brut. It has classic characters of raspberries, redcurrant, rose petal and gooseberries, not to mention that pretty, pale pink aesthetic that makes it a wonderful pair with a sailboat around Sydney Harbour, springtime breeze on your skin included. MALBEC There's nothing that pairs better with quintessential springtime Aussie barbecue than malbec. There's a reason why it's heralded as Argentina's 'national grape' (have you seen how much meat is piled on your plate at an Argentinian steakhouse?). Opt for one of the more fruit driven styles like the 2014 Chevalier du Lagrezette from the south of France, with a bit of spice weaving its way through the palate, and go for some huge hunks of chargrilled steak to counteract the fruitiness of the wine. Then, crank The Strokes or LCD Soundsystem in the background, and you'll be food and wine matching like a rockstar (and a crowd favourite at any springtime housewarming). TAWNY PORT What about those of you with a sweet tooth? Or those still holding onto the last dregs of winter by craving full-bodied reds? Enter fortified wines, or, specifically, tawny port. Australian vintage ports tend to be richer in style than their Portuguese ancestors. Tawny ports are blended ports (a combination of older wines mixed in with the new wine and then aged in oak barrels and casks from five to up to 100 years. Tawny ports are ready to drink when bottled as most of the maturation has already taken place in the five to 100-year period. They're perfect for romantic balcony hangs, paired with an assortment of cheeses and golden light from the setting sun. Try the Lou Miranda Estate Dark Angel Grand Tawny. It's smooth and sweet, showcasing toasted nut, toffee, spice and raisin notes. It's also full-bodied, just like the rest of your evening if all goes well. Treat yourself this spring. More and more places welcome American Express — like Vinomofo — and you can even use your reward points to pay off your purchases, so you'll feel like you're winning at life as you use all those points you've collected over winter. Images supplied by Vinomofo.
Nature's stunning sights never fail to impress in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, but all that greenery shines a little brighter when Botanica: Contemporary Art Outside hits town. For ten nights each year, this free luminous festival adds dazzling lights to the CBD spot's leafy inhabitants. From Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 21 in 2023, that means everything from glowing trees, spectacular structures, giant lilies and mini Queenslanders to a woven pavilion, a kaleidoscope of butterflies, porcelain leaves and hovering hills. For newcomers to this annual after-dark art and light festival, it turns the inner-city patch of grass by the river into a radiant outdoor art gallery — and yes, taking full advantage of the night hours is one of its key elements. Running from 5–10pm daily, Botanica's fifth run will see the gardens will come alive with ten artworks, installations and projections responding to the theme "tread softly", including pieces from local, national and international artists livening up the already-scenic inner-city spot. On the talent lineup: Phoebe Paradise, Theatre of Thunder and Keemon Williams, plus Slow Art Collective, Christian Reitano, Lyn Nagayama, Shelby Lee, Soma Lumia, Adriaan de Man, Mel Robson, Ellis Hutch, Lyn Haddon, Dan Luo and Weixin Huang, Together, they're all helping to give everything from the gardens' plant life to its furniture and buildings quite the vibrant makeover. Also, with Noa Haim on the bill, Botanica features its first-ever international artist, in its latest step to cement itself as one of Brisbane's and Australia's top cultural events. Among the highlights, Paradise's Foundation takes over the lower lagoon with a tribute to Brisbane's once-standard style of housing. With flickering lights, the artist imagines a vision of suburban Brisbane where extreme weather events have become mundane because they're so common. Art collective Soma Lumia has contributed Vestigia Arborum, a light-based installation taking over a tree and responding to its visitors. The more people that view it, the more it will change, all while offering a reminder of how humanity impacts the planet. Slow Art Collective's Slow Botanica Pavillion is another eye-catching piece, using weaving to build layers of colour via strings that attendees can knot, bind and connect to create patterns. And, there's also Haddon's Blue Butterfly Effect, which is where those robotic insects come in — resting on heritage-listed fig trees and glowing blue (and fluttering their wings) when people approach. As for Haim, the Dutch architectural designer's addition to Botanica 2023 arrives in collaboration with fellow designer Adriaan de Man: Light Lilies, which takes its cues from the water lilies in gardens' lagoons. It also has an interactive element, with the work able to be deconstructed and rearranged, fashioning it into new guises. All these shimmering sights — and more — are paired with twilight walks, performances, and a discovery trail for children. Visitors can also hit up food trucks and an outdoor bar nightly. Of course, the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens has always been more than just that patch of grass and trees at the edge of the CBD thanks to its gorgeous greenery, ponds filled with cute turtles, free exercise classes and more — but it's never more alluring than during this fest. Botanica: Contemporary Art Outside 2023 displays at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens from Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 21. For more information, head to the Brisbane City Council website. Images: Bec Taylor.
Melbourne is the world's most liveable city, as well as Australia's fastest growing capital. Sydney is the nation's most expensive city. But when it comes to the country's most 'hipster' spot, they've got nothing on one Queensland destination. According to The Hipster Index, a study by international relocation website MoveHub, the Gold Coast claims that title — because sun, surf, sand, theme parks, schoolies, the Commonwealth Games and hipsters apparently go hand-in-hand. The index's criteria actually helps explain the Goldie's top placing, with the study scoring cities based on five data points. The more vegan eateries, coffee shops, tattoo studios, vintage boutiques and record stores a city has, the higher they're ranked — and the tourist destination sure does boast a hefty number of meat-free cafes, spots to grab some caffeine and places to get inked. Queensland seems to be hipster central in general, too. Cairns comes in second, the Sunshine Coast makes sixth position, and the state nabs more places on the list than any other — with Brisbane at 11th and Townsville at 13th. Down south, Geelong ranks fourth and Melbourne fifth, while Newcastle sits at ninth followed by Sydney at tenth and Wollongong at 12th. With the study only ranking cities with populations over 150,000, Hobart, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth also earned a spot. Internationally, however, the Goldie only places 70th, with the index ranking 446 cities across 20 countries. Top honours didn't go to the location you're probably thinking about, aka the city so filled with hipsters, there's literally a television show satirising it. No, Portland actually came in second, with Britain's Brighton and Hove earning hipster bragging rights. Salt Lake City, Seattle and Lisbon round out the top five. Image: Marcus Bichel Lindegaard via Flickr.
The celebrated sculptor and perpetual made-you-look artist has revealed his latest installation as part of the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India. Set in a gallery floor at the Aspinwall House in Fort Kochi, Anish Kapoor's Descension sees a caged vortex of black water furiously frothing and swirling, slowly receding into an bottomless abyss. Looks like Kapoor hopped out of the bath one day, pulled the plug and got well freaked out. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is India's first biennale for contemporary art held in Kochi — with Kapoor's work one of the major drawcards for both local and international visitors. Created especially for the Kerala capital by the artist who gave Chicago Cloud Gate in Millennium Park, Descension is located in a seaside corner room of the Aspinwall gallery, looking out to the harbour and freaking out gallery visitors looking for a peaceful stroll through Nice Art. I mean, look at this GIF: Terrfiying. Check out Kapoor talking to the Biennale team about the work here. Via Designboom and Colossal.
Holly Ryan is unveiling her new jewellery line, Zephyr, just in time for the mid-year style change that we all inevitably go through. Maybe more importantly, Holly has shown some incredible foresight by launching this line of incredibly jewellery around tax time, or rather, the time where the government (hopefully) gives us some money back. After launching her first line of jewellery to much acclaim last year, Holly is again releasing a bunch of high-quality pieces, handmade in Brisbane using ethically-sound production techniques to create unique and mindful keepsakes for both sexes. The Zephyr line draws upon inspirations based on the concept of duality, connecting seemingly opposing aesthetics and redefining boundaries through a collision of separate ideas. Holly is launching Zephyr and ultra-stylish Valley boutique, Blonde Venus, so if you think you will receive a little bit of cash back from the government this year, maybe this could be the exact thing to treat yourself to.
