Beer halls aren't just for drinking brews, at least where Felons Brewing Co is involved. The Howard Smith Wharves mainstay regularly puts its barrel hall to a range of other uses, whether by hosting movies or markets — or the Seasonal Fruit music festival. On Friday, August 30 from 6pm, the latter is on the agenda for its spring 2024 edition, with this riverside fest curated by Jet Black Cat Music. Here's one way to get ready to start the new season: with a lineup of acts taking to the stage over one afternoon. On the bill this time: Gut Health, Clamm, Parsnip, Radium Dolls and Gimmy. And for the sips? Well, you will be in a brewery after all, with Felons' beers on offer. Tickets cost $36.50 for the gig and, as you say cheers to the end of winter, beginning of warmer weather, farewelling the working week and the arrival of the weekend, you'll pay for your beverages on top. Summer Fruit — Spring Edition Lineup: Tirzah Gut Health Clamm Parsnip Radium Dolls Gimmy Images: Darcy Goss Media.
Avocados: everyone loves them, not just Aussies accused of spending all their cash on smashed avo for brunch. In Amsterdam, one person loves them so much that he's opening up a restaurant dedicated to serving the green creamy fruit up in as many ways as possible. Yum. The aptly named The Avocado Show is due to open in February in Amsterdam's De Pijp district, and is calling itself "Europe's first and finest avocado bar". Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, late at night, any time in between: if you've got a hankering for avo on bread, avo between two pieces of bread (aka avocado sandwiches), burgers made with avocado buns and more, you'll find it here. Owner Ron Simpson told MUNCHIES that he found the inspiration for his new single-ingredient eatery in two obvious places, the internet and his own diet. "I looked at the internet and how people react to certain products like Nutella, Oreo, and peanut butter and figured I want to find a main mono ingredient that's adaptable to almost anything," he said. "People, including myself, throw avo on just about any dish and are making extremely creative dishes with it. So we decided to open a valhalla for anyone who loves avocado." As you've probably noticed, avocado isn't literally the only thing on the menu, although every item will include it in some shape or form. Just imagine the Instagram pics. Of course, this isn't the first time someone has had this idea, with a pop-up showering London with avo across four days in 2016, New York boasting a few avo-centric places, and plenty of Australian cafes only really a few non-avo dishes away from fitting the bill. Via MUNCHIES.
The folks at Moo Brew are launching a limited edition beer to celebrate some fairly limited edition humans. Available at select venues in Hobart for just a few days at the end of April, Moo Brew Wet Hop is the latest creation from the MONA's onsite brewery, and comes emblazoned with the image of a video store employee on the can, along with the slogan "a super rare beer for super rare people". The brewery has created just 70 kegs of the Moo Brew Wet Hop, so named because it was made within two days of the hops being harvested. Described as a "bright, hoppy and deliciously refreshing pilsner," it's expected to sell out within days of becoming available. To celebrate their latest baby, Moo Brew is hosting a launch party on the evening of April 26 at Video City, a VHS rental store in the Hobart suburb of Newtown. In addition to the store employees, other rare guests will reportedly include a fax machine repairman, a blacksmith, a chimney sweep and a full service servo attendant.
One, two, three, four: Sex Bob-Omb! are back, and everything Scott Pilgrim with them, thanks to upcoming Netflix animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. First announced earlier in 2023, the new take on a bass player fighting the object of his affection's seven evil exes is hitting the small screen as a streaming series, with the entire Scott Pilgrim vs the World cast returning to their roles. And if you're wondering what that all looks like, the show has just dropped its first teaser trailer. Obviously, a lot can happen in 13 years — and for the cast of 2010's page-to-screen favourite Scott Pilgrim vs the World, much has before Scott Pilgrim Takes Off reaches screens. Michael Cera kept returning to Arrested Development's George Michael, made a stunning appearance in the Twin Peaks revival and featured in Barbie. Mary Elizabeth Winstead added everything from Fargo and 10 Cloverfield Lane to Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) to her resume. Chris Evans became Captain America, Kieran Culkin killed it with insults in Succession and Anna Kendrick had the whole Pitch Perfect franchise. Brie Larson slipping into Captain Marvel's shoes, Aubrey Plaza's The White Lotus stint, Jason Schwartzman still showing up in Wes Anderson films aplenty — that's all occurred as well. Now, more Scott Pilgrim has come all of the above actors' way, too. The movie that started off as a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley, and also hit video games, will live on again from Friday, November 17. And, once more, Scott (Cera) will fall for Ramona Flowers (Winstead), and face off against her past loves. When a film becomes a streaming series, that doesn't always mean that the OG stars return with it — but it does in this case. As well as Cera and Winstead, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off boasts Culkin as Wallace Wells, Kendrick as Stacey Pilgrim, Larson as Envy Adams and Plaza as Julie Powers. And, yes, Evans, Schwartzman, Satya Bhabha (Sense8), Brandon Routh (The Flash) and Mae Whitman (Good Girls) are all back as Ramona's evil exes. The list doesn't stop there. Alison Pill (Hello Tomorrow!) as Kim Pine, Johnny Simmons (Girlboss) as young Neil, Mark Webber (SMILF) as Stephen Stills, Ellen Wong (Best Sellers) as Knives Chau are reprising their roles as well. While Scott Pilgrim Takes Off still sees its namesake swoon over Ramona, then tussle with her former paramours, this is more than just a do-over. "I knew that a live action sequel was unlikely, but I would usually defer by suggesting that perhaps an anime adaptation was an interesting way to go," the original film's director Edgar Wright told Netflix back when the series was first announced. "And then, lo and behold, one day Netflix got in touch to ask about this exact idea. But even better, our brilliant creator Bryan Lee O'Malley had an idea that was way more adventurous than just a straight adaptation of the original books," Wright continued — and he's back as an executive producer. Check out the first teaser trailer for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off below: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off will be available to stream via Neflix on Friday, November 17.
If it can happen in a pandemic, it can happen in any year. Yes, we're talking about Brisbane Festival. After 2020's event, which had to adjust to the new realities brought on by COVID-19, the annual celebration of arts and culture returns in 2021 — so mark Friday, September 3–Saturday, September 25 in your diary. Most of the 2021 program will be announced much closer to those September dates, as happens each time the festival rolls around. That said, you can expect everything from art, music and theatre to lights, lasers and interactive installations, plus whatever other weird, wonderful, unique and just brand new ideas and shows the fest's organisers and the talented artists they work with manage to come up with this year. If you'd like to get excited already, a few details have already been revealed — including the long-awaited world premiere of Boy Swallows Universe, which'll hit the Brisbane stage during Brisbane Festival. Also on the bill so far: Queensland's Finest, with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra showcasing top local talent; and Songs That Made Me, with singer-songwriter Jess Hitchcock crooning tunes. [caption id="attachment_793650" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Boy Swallows Universe, David Kelly[/caption] Top image: Brisbane Festival 2020, Atmosphere Photography.
Fresh from a superhero stint in Eternals in 2021, Kumail Nanjiani is heading in a different direction: true crime, and a wild example of the genre at that. When a story involves murder, money and a male strip-club empire that's known the world over, it's going to take some twists and turns. In your streaming queue come November, Welcome to Chippendales will spill the details. As both the initial teaser and the just-dropped full trailer for this new Disney+ miniseries shows, Nanjiani plays Somen 'Steve' Banerjee, who was born in India, moved to the US, bought a Los Angeles nightclub and founded the striptease troupe-turned-worldwide hit that shares Welcome to Chippendales' name. Banerjee's tale involves outrageous success, but also turns into sinister territory. That's putting it mildly; however, if you don't already know the details, you'll want to discover the rest while watching. Move over Magic Mike: we've found everyone's next stripper-fuelled obsession, and new true-crime addiction as well. On-screen, the rest of the star-studded cast includes recent The White Lotus Emmy-winner Murray Bartlett, Yellowjackets' Juliette Lewis and American Crime Story's Annaleigh Ashford, as well as Dan Stevens (I'm Your Man), Andrew Rannells (Girls5eva), Nicola Peltz Beckham (Holidate), Quentin Plair (The Good Lord Bird) and Robin de Jesús (Tick, Tick... Boom!). Behind the scenes, WandaVision's Matt Shakman is in the director's chair and, if you're fond of the era, expect the appropriate soundtrack (and vibe) when the show starts streaming from Tuesday, November 22. It'll drop two episodes first up, then new instalments weekly afterwards across the eight-episode limited series' run. If this seems like an odd fit for Disney+ — and certainly different from keeping huge pop-culture franchises on our screens or ensuring that everyone's childhood favourites never fade into memory (and sometimes doing both at the same time) — just remember that the service streamed the 90s-set Pam & Tommy as well. In fact, if watching the trailers for the Welcome to Chippendales gets you thinking about that series, there's another reason for that: writer/executive producer/creator Robert Siegel is behind both. In the US, the two shows were made by the Mouse House-owned US streaming platform Hulu, which happens to be mighty fond of scandals and ripped-from-the-headlines territory. But that platform doesn't operate Down Under, hence this tale about a massive stripping-empire saga, sordid deeds driven by money and murder because of the dance floor is ending up on Disney+. Check out the full Welcome to Chippendales trailer below: Welcome to Chippendales will be available to stream via Disney+ from November 22.
In his time playing Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe did many things. He didn't cut like a surgeon, get himself an egg and beat it, or lose on Jeopardy, though. And, he certainly didn't don the curliest of wigs, swan around in Hawaiian shirts with his chest hair flapping in the breeze or pick up an accordion, either — but something magical is making all of the above happen. Starring Radcliffe as the musician behind 'My Bologna', 'Another One Rides the Bus', 'Like a Surgeon', 'Eat It', 'Smells Like Nirvana' and 'Amish Paradise' — and parodies of pretty much every other big song of the past four-plus decades that you can think of — Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is exactly what it sounds like. It sounds wonderful, too, obviously. Radcliffe sports wire-framed glasses, those shirts, that hair and Yankovic's instantly recognisable moustache in the music biopic, which feels like it was cast by the internet. Made for the Roku Channel in the US — with no details yet dropping about where it'll air Down Under, or when, sadly — this is 100-percent an authorised bio. Yankovic is one of the screenwriters, in fact, alongside director Eric Appel (a TV sitcom veteran with Happy Endings, New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and top-notch cop-show parody NTSF:SD:SUV on this resume). If the man in the spotlight's career has taught us all anything apart from the wrong words to pop hits, however, it's that he doesn't take a single thing, including himself, seriously. In the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, everyone is clearly having fun — The Lost City and Guns Akimbo's Radcliffe most of all, naturally. He swigs booze onstage, dances around in scrubs while satirising Madonna, and asks a very important question: "anyone got an accordion?". Also set to feature: Yankovic's rise to fame, oh-so-many tracks, everything from "his torrid celebrity love affairs" to his "famously depraved lifestyle", and a story that follows his journey "from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time" — at least according to the original press release revealing the flick, which sports a healthy sense of humour. When the film was announced, Yankovic gave his input too, of course. "When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I'm very happy to say we're on schedule," he said. "And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for." Check out the trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story below: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are announced.
When you're going through the motions of your morning skincare routine — likely a little bleary-eyed as you've only just woken up and haven't had a coffee yet — it can be easy to forget how much work, passion and science have gone into that substance you're smearing all over your money-maker. Clarins is setting out to change that. The plant-based French beauty brand has designed an interactive virtual laboratory, which will be popping up on a screen near you from 5pm on Wednesday, May 4. The digital space offers visitors the chance to delve into the history of Clarins, learn all about the research that backs its products — including the pioneering Double Serum, which contains a whopping 21 plant extracts — and play games for the chance to win luxe skincare-centric prizes. Up for grabs is a year's worth of Clarins skincare (to keep you looking fresh and your skin glowy), a 75ml Double Serum for 30 winners as well as samples galore so you can quickly add a dose of plant-based science to your skin routine. With a prize pool worth over $110,000, it's the perfect chance to join the fun. Hurry along, the virtual laboratory's doors are only open for a limited time (that is, until the prizes run out or Tuesday, May 17). The Clarins virtual laboratory pop-up is free to visit and will be open from 5pm, Wednesday, May 4, until prizes run out or Tuesday, May 17. Happen to find yourself in Sydney? Head to the Clarins Herbarium on Pitt Street for an IRL beauty experience.
Whether through Lewis Carroll's words, via Disney's original animated movie or thanks to the recent, colourful live-action flicks, Alice in Wonderland has long earned a place in audiences' hearts and minds. At The Stamford Plaza's next themed event, the classic tale will also secure a place in fans' stomachs. A decadent Mad Hatter's High Tea will do that. Across two weeks of dates that no one will want to be late for, the CBD venue is putting on 18 wondrous sessions, taking place from 10.30am–12pm and 1.30–3pm between Monday, April 6–Thursday, April 9 and Tuesday, April 14–Friday, April 17 — plus morning sessions on Friday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. The appropriate decorations will transport attendees down the rabbit hole (aka into the hotel's River Room); however, given that the celebrated story is filled with snacks that scream 'eat me' and drinks adorned with 'drink me', the food and beverage spread is the main attraction. Each 90-minute sitting includes a jelly station, popping candy, a chocolate fountain, and an edible garden (and yes, the latter is of the dessert, not salad, variety). Also on the menu: sweet and savoury bites that include 'un-birthday' cake, Cheshire Cat-themed cookies, jam tarts, carrot pots, mac 'n' cheese, cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, and quiche. Drinks-wise, expect appropriately labelled beverages asking you to drink them — including bubbles — plus tea and coffee. Dietary requirements can be accommodated by notifying the Stamford when booking, with attendance costing $59. Given the theme, and the fact that this is open to all ages, it's best to make like the white rabbit when it comes to securing your spot, as this will sell out. If you need some more motivation to hop along, the trailer for the original animated Alice in Wonderland will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWspqy0hhqk Top image: Stamford Plaza Brisbane.
A resurrected Tupac stunned Coachella audiences at the conclusion of the music festival's first weekend. Holographically appearing on stage alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, the murdered rapper greeted fans with a "What up, Coachella?" before beginning his classic single 'Hail Mary'. Digitally generated, Tupac's holographic double is the brainchild of longtime friend Dr. Dre. Dre sought the permission of the late rapper's mother before pursuing his vision, which was brought to 'life' by San Diego-based AV Concepts and James Cameron's Oscar-winning digital production company Digital Domain. The project is estimated to have dipped deep into commissioners' pockets, and took around four months to create. The likeness was eerie, successfully replicating everything from the rapper's bared abs, to his Timberlands, to his tattoos. The hologram performed classics '2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted', 'Come With Me', and 'Gangsta Party' before slipping back into the otherworld. Audiences and fans received the performance with mixed emotions. Some were thrilled to witness Tupac 'live' after his 1996 murder, and others found the hologram morbid and exploitative. Twitter was ablaze with fans on either side of the issue, causing 'Tupac' to continue trending in Australia through this morning. Opinions aside, the digital stunt may mark the beginning of a new era for on-stage performance. AV Concepts has already dabbled in holographic concert performances; the company was behind the 2005 Grammys performance featuring Madonna and the holographic members of the Gorillaz, as well as digital apparitions used in concert by Celine Dion and the Black Eyed Peas. It was the dead that stole the show at the live music festival this weekend. No one can keep Tupac down. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pRLUAVs4sR4
You know the part in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy first enters the Land of Oz and everything transforms into glorious technicolour? That's what it feels like when summer hits the UK. Every single corner of the country pulls out all stops to make the most of the sunshine and clear skies which, let's face it, don't last long. Suddenly, everywhere from teeny country villages to the massive cities are abuzz with markets, festivals, live performances and general merriment. With so many festivities to choose from, it's hard to know where to start. To make sure you don't miss out, we've partnered with Contiki to scope out ten of the best things to see and do in the UK this (Northern Hemisphere) summer. We've covered everything from age-old classics, like wandering among the prehistoric mysteries of Stonehenge and seeing a play at Shakespeare's Globe in London, to rocking out to your favourite musicians at one of the country's biggest music festivals. We hope you know where your passport is — you're going to need it very soon. [caption id="attachment_719400" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew and Annemarie via Flickr.[/caption] CATCH 'MACBETH' AT SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE Opened in 1997 on the banks of the River Thames, Shakespeare's Globe is a replica of the original theatre, which was built just 250 metres away in 1599 (and then demolished in 1644). Each year, from April to October, the stage fills with larger-than-life actors, performing Shakespeare's works. There are 700 standing room ('groundling') tickets available to every show for just £5. So, even if you're travelling on a budget, you don't have to miss out. Afterwards, take a stroll along the river to visit the Tate Modern and South Bank — a hub of theatre, live music, talks and more. [caption id="attachment_719453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martie Swart via Flickr[/caption] DISCOVER A NEW ACT AT EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest arts event in the world. To give you an idea of the scale, 2018 saw 55,000 performances of 3548 shows across 317 venues over 25 days. Yep, it's absolutely huge. Whatever you're into — from cabaret and comedy to storytelling and live music — it's on the program. You can even put on a show of your own. Quite a few legends cut their teeth here — Rowan Atkinson, Billy Connolly and Tim Minchin, among them. If there's a show you need to see, book tickets in advance. But, if you're open-minded, it's just as fun to turn up and see what happens. As you wander down the street, burgeoning performers will hand out tickets to their shows for free. It's a great way to discover some up-and-coming talents — we know how everyone loves to proclaim "I saw them before they were famous". DANCE ALL NIGHT AT READING FESTIVAL Since the inaugural event in 1989, Reading Festival has become a major happening on the UK's musical calendar. Every August, it takes over Little John's Farm for three days of live music. Some of the musical heavyweights to have played there over the years include Nirvana, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys. Head along this year and you'll be grooving to the likes of Foo Fighters, The 1975, Post Malone, Billie Eilish and loads more. To make the most of this epic musical experience, hop on board Contiki Sounds. This ten-day (or seven-day) tour will be like a roaming musical education with visits to the country's best towns and cities (and their most historically important musical sites) and will finish with a VIP camping experience at Reading. [caption id="attachment_719456" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gary J. Wood via Flickr[/caption] GRAZE YOUR WAY THROUGH BOROUGH MARKET For more than 1000 years, farmers, fishers, bakers and cheesemakers have been gathering at Borough Market to peddle their wares. It's London's oldest market. You'll find it just south of London Bridge, which for hundreds of years, provided the only river crossing into the city. Grab a coffee from the ever-popular Monmouth Coffee Company, located just outside the market entrance, and spend a morning roaming through the stalls and filling up on samples. Prepare for a cornucopia of bread, baked goodies, fruit, veggies, olive oils, cheeses, meats and much more. There's a busy events program, too, covering workshops, talks and tours. The market is open Monday to Saturday — the best days to go are Wednesday to Saturday when it's in full operation. WANDER AROUND STONEHENGE One folk story goes that the devil bought the stones in Ireland, wrapped them up and carried them to their present position. Another says that Stonehenge was created by Merlin the wizard in the age of King Arthur. Many mysteries still surround the history of Stonehenge, but historians are now fairly convinced it was built 5000 years ago by thousands of hardworking Neolithic humans. This World Heritage-listed site lies around 140 kilometres west of London near the village of Amesbury. EAT FISH AND CHIPS BY THE SEA IN CORNWALL No summer in the UK is complete without at least one serving of fish and chips (with a liberal dousing of vinegar) by the sea. And one of the prettiest places to partake is Cornwall, England's most southwestern county. If you're in the north, head to the coastal village of Padstow for Rick Stein's Fish & Chips. For a longer feast, visit The Seafood Restaurant — Stein's flagship — which opened over 40 years ago. If you're in the south, go to Looe and eat at The Catch, a chippy run by celebrity chef James Tanner and his brother Chris, who serve only premium quality, sustainably fished seafood. [caption id="attachment_719446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shawn Spencer-Smith via Flickr[/caption] IMMERSE YOURSELF AT BRISTOL HARBOUR FESTIVAL This entirely free festival attracts 250,000 people to Bristol every July. Now heading into its 48th year, it's a cornucopia of live bands, dancers, circus acts, spoken word, street performers and food stalls, all backdropped by Bristol's sparkling harbour. In 2019, the party is slated for the weekend of July 19–21. While you're in town, be sure to explore the cobbled laneways of Bristol Old Town, walk over the Clifton Suspension Bridge — built in 1864 to span the dramatic Avon Gorge — and swing by 6 O'Clock Gin for an exceptional G&T. [caption id="attachment_719840" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image via The Fat Duck Restaurant[/caption] SPLURGE ON DINNER AT THE FAT DUCK Heston Blumenthal has cooked all over the world, but his adventures began in Bray, a village on the River Thames situated around 50 kilometres west of London. In 1995, he took over a 16th-century building formerly called The Bell Pub and transformed it into The Fat Duck restaurant. By 2004, it had earned three Michelin stars. Dinner here isn't so much a meal as a journey into the unexpected, so kick back, relax and let the chefs take over. Reservations aren't easy to get, especially in the height of summer, so be sure to book in advance. EAT YOUR WAY AROUND A HUGE FOOD FESTIVAL Foodies Festival was founded in Edinburgh in 2006 and has since grown into a nationwide celebration of good food. Between May and August, events take place in Brighton, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Tatton Park, Edinburgh and Oxford. So, wherever you are heading, there's bound to be a festival there at some point. Count on an array of food stalls, masterclasses, live music and a chefs theatre, where Michelin-starred chefs and MasterChef champions take to the stage. This year, Foodies Festival is teaming up with Musicians Against Homelessness, which will coordinate hundreds of performers across the country to raise money for UK charity Crisis. [caption id="attachment_719451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rozsagab via Flickr[/caption] DRINK A PINT IN A PROPER BRITISH PUB British pubs have been imitated all over the world, but there's quite like drinking a pint — or two — in an original. On a sunny day, seek out one on a river or canal, like The Angel on the Bridge in Henley-on-Thames or The Grain Barge in Bristol (yes, it used to be a barge). To mix history with your beverage, visit one of the UK's oldest pubs, like Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem — which is rather spectacularly set into a sandstone cliff in Nottingham and claims to have been established in 1189. Check out this list for more inspiration. Travel around the best spots in the UK with Contiki at Reading Festival. Unearth the UK's musical heritage, then experience an unforgettable party at one of the world's best and biggest music festivals. Contiki wants to take you there — all you have to do is choose from the 7- or 10-day trip. Plus, if you bring a mate, it'll give you both $200 off. Find out more here.
Aunty Donna have been busy over the past few years. Since 2020, they've brought both Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun and Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe to the small screen. They've played corpses in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, and also dropped a $30 bottle of wine that's literally called $30 Bottle of Wine, too. The Australian comedy troupe embarked upon a world tour in 2023 as well, selling 90,000-plus tickets. If you're keen to see Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane live, your next chance in Brisbane happens in 2025. Aunty Donna are hitting the stage again — and in the River City, Fortitude Music Hall is their destination, playing nightly between Monday, August 25–Saturday, August 30. This time, audiences will enjoy the Drem experience, with Aunty Donna unveiling their brand-new live sketch show. Will everything be a drum again? Will morning brown get a tribute? How much room should you leave for Christmas pud? If you're instantly thinking about these questions, you're clearly already a fan. In the trailer for the tour, Bonanno, Kelly and Ruane are promising big things in their comedic usual way. "In 2025, Aunty Donna will be touring the greatest live comedy show ever seen by human beings," the trailer advises. "You have asked 'is it funny?'," it continues. "Leading experts in the field have made it perfectly clear that it is the best comedy show ever made."
You can take away Brisbane's annual show, and the midweek public holiday that usually goes with it. You can do so two years in a row, in fact. But, you can't erase the city's love for the Ekka, or for some of its staples — dagwood dogs, Bertie Beetle showbags and those iconic strawberry sundaes, naturally — so the event's organisers are giving the people what we want. Already, a delivery service that's been dubbed the Strawberry Sundae Taskforce has been announced. It's delivering 20-packs of strawberry sundaes in DIY kits for you to make at home, and it's a great excuse to stock up on the cult dessert for the days, weeks and/or months ahead. But, like in 2020, the Ekka is also hosting a couple of physical takeaway-only events: a drive-thru at Brisbane Showgrounds (with entry via Gate 4A on O'Connell Terrace) and a pop-up at 5/45 King Street in Bowen Hills. These two events are being called Ekka Tastes, and they'll run from 10am–7pm between Saturday, August 14–Sunday, August 22. So, Brisbanites will have nine days to get their Ekka fix at both locations — and yes, this means that your August plans can still involve battered sausages on sticks, glossy plastic bags filled with beetle-shaped chocolates and Brisbane's most beloved form of ice cream. This year, there won't be any other fun around the food. Obviously, you won't be able to crash dodgems and throw a ball in a clown's mouth for a prize, and there won't be any fireworks either. Still, dagwood dogs, Bertie Beetle showbags and strawberry sundaes are always a winning combination. [caption id="attachment_822434" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Rommel Carlos Photography[/caption]
A boat sails across the ceiling, down the wall and across the crisp white hotel bed, into the carpet. This is no projection, no Photoshop and no witchcraft, but the aquarium-like effect of acclaimed photographer Robyn Stacey's recent experiments with a 5th-century BC technology: camera obscura. During a residency at Melbourne's Sofitel on Collins Street and visits to hotels in other cities, Stacey photographed scenes of exterior cityscapes imposed onto hotel interiors using tools from opposite ends of the technological spectrum, a simple camera obscura and a high-tech Hasselblad DSLR. The result is Guest Relations, a new series on show now at Sydney's Stills Gallery. What can you expect to see? Mysterious people, supposedly guests of the hotel, caught in moments of contemplation while the city hangs suspended above their heads or washes over the walls around them in startlingly sharp definition, suggesting a collision of public and private life. During her residency, Stacey recognised that just a photo of the hotel's famous views would constitute nothing more than a postcard. So she turned to camera obscura to solve the creative problem. "I like layers in work," she says. "The room sort of reveals itself to you." Because of the technical constraints of camera obscura — sometimes there'd only be a 40-minute window to shoot a long exposure of a motionless, torch-lit human subject while the sun was in the right spot — surprises would emerge. For example, in one image, there's "the way the war memorial comes in, the angle it comes in, and how [the female subject] is lying under it. So there's all that thing about, what does a war memorial signify, and what about the fact that she's female? It's open then, for people to read into it how they might." Stacey likes the film-still sense of narrative in the tableaux, raising questions of "What's happened in that room, or why are [these people] there?" The beauty of camera obscura, which she's only been working with since February this year, is that "it's magical. Turn on the light and it’s not there. It only happens in the dark." While hers required a laser-cut hole and a diopter lens, she points out that anyone could make one with black cardboard and a pen to punch the hole through it. She hopes to progress to filming these interiorscapes. "What you get in the room that you don’t get in a still image is movement. Sometimes you get these fantastic cloudscapes. They’re just rolling toward you, and they go all over the bed and the floor. It's like you're in the clouds." Stacey's advice to aspiring artists? She cites the quote often attributed to Goethe: Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. "[There can be] too much thinking and not enough doing. But they have to come together. If you have an idea, don't wait, do it now. It might not come out how you wanted, but it will open into something else. The work will lead you, but you've gotta go into it. You can't stand back from it." Robyn Stacey's Guest Relations is on at the Stills Gallery in Sydney until November 9. See more of her photography in her online portfolio.
A television tie-in certain to leave a bad taste in people's mouths both popped up and vanished this week — an incredibly ill-advised range of Handmaid's Tale-themed wines. Unsurprisingly, the idea of drinking vino named after a dystopian series about oppression wasn't really what fans of the show, or anyone, was after. Similarly unsurprisingly, turning a program about women being forced into servitude and made to bear children for society's leaders isn't the kind of thing that makes you think 'yes, this persecuted character that's fighting for survival against institutionalised exploitation needs to have a wine named after her'. Unveiled and then cancelled in the same week, Lot 18's 'Handmaid's Tale Trio' was comprised of a pack of two reds wines and one white wine named after three of the show's main figures. "The bold characters of The Handmaid's Tale are celebrated in these three collectible wines, specially crafted to highlight the personalities of Offred, Ofglen and Serena Joy," states the wine's now-defunct online listing. Offred was badged as a "smooth, earthy, and similarly seductive" French Pinot Noir, Ofglen a Cabernet Sauvignon that supposedly offered "a daring testament to the heights that Oregon Cabs can reach" and Serena Joy a sophisticated, traditional and austere" Bordeaux Blanc. First reported by People Magazine, the wines were swiftly scrapped after being made public. Adapting Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel into a television series might make for compelling viewing — and might even make viewers keen for a few soothing drinks while watching the grimly gripping show — but using its female characters for merchandising purposes is a badly thought-out move to say the very least. And, unlike Sydney's forthcoming Gilead development, it was a marketing tactic undertaken with full knowledge of the show, its content and its themes. In the case of the masterplanned New South Wales community that shares its name with The Handmaid's Tale's dystopian society, the term Gilead springs from the bible and has been used in Sydney for two centuries — even if now trying to promote a site with that moniker is incredibly unfortunate.
How do you know when an event has well and truly become a part of a city's cultural landscape? When you can't remember a time before it graced the annual calendar, that's when. MELT, Brisbane Powerhouse's celebration of queer arts and culture, has only been doing its thing since 2015 — but based on the program on offer in the festival's third year, you wouldn't know it. Over the course of 12 days from January 25 to February 5, MELT will be living up to its name by melting hearts with its celebratory, inclusive and diverse lineup. Think LGBTI+ art, theatre, cabaret, comedy, music and ideas, all in one huge package. Yes, it's Brisbane's answer to Mardi Gras and Midsumma — and yes, you should snap up tickets as soon as you can.
So, you haven't been to River Quay — and you don't know where River Quay is. It's the pocket of South Bank that now houses a host of restaurants, plenty of grass and a great view of the river, and it's the place to be from January 26 t0 28. For four days, the eateries in the area — aka Aquitaine Brasserie, Cove Bar & Dining, Popolo and The Jetty — will showcase their wares, offering not only a sample of everything that makes them great, but a feast of Queensland ingredients as well. A lineup of live performances including Phil Jamieson and Dan Kelly provides just the right kind of mood music, and a fireworks display sets the mood on Australia Day. If Great Australian Bites sounds like the perfect way to while away an afternoon, that's because it is. Who doesn't love taster plates piled up, pop-ups, local artists and scenic sights, after all? No one, that's who.
When Green Beacon Brewing Co opened its doors back in 2013, few could've known the yeasty, tasty joy that would follow. Actually, that's not true. Predicting that a brewery in Newstead was going to be a hit — well, that can't have been all that difficult. Now, three years later, they're doing what every brewery is obliged to do on such an occasion, aka throwing a massive birthday bash. And because the Beacon doesn't do things by halves, they not just throwing a shindig — they're making the most of it over the course of a week-long celebration. It all kicks off with Big Thanks Thursday on January 21, with the help of How We Rolls and some IPA pork belly. Yep, booze and food is the ongoing theme, as also seen in Saturday's food truck and beer special event, Fiesta of the Froth. If you like four-course meals matched with mouthwatering tipples — and who doesn't? — then we recommend dropping by on Monday for the Statler & Waldorf pop-up. Finish up the fun with a good ol' fashioned Australia Day party; tis the day for it, and all that.
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival is back for 2017. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows Image: Andy Fraser.
Want to go dancing on Christmas night? Stick with us here. After spending the day with your family, feasting on more food than you really should've and likely baking in the Brisbane heat, you're probably going to be in desperate need of a lively evening. Just picture it: the lights are low, the floor is pumping, and while music is echoing throughout the room, no one is singing Christmas carols. If it sounds like your kind of bliss, you have Oh Hello! to thank for the event — aka the seasonal gift you didn't know you needed. Yes, the Fortitude Valley hotspot knows the perfect antidote to the usual holiday customs, which is why they're cooking up some festive fun of their own. And with a name like Keeping The Tradition Alive, it's primed to become your annual December 25th highlight. Now you really will need to have that after-lunch nap to keep your energy levels up.
When you consider the ever-inflating costs associated with owning your own patch of urban paradise, it’s little wonder that people are turning to a more compact way of living. In response, quirky micro houses are appearing in cities around the globe, as architects and owners turn their attention to designing houses with simplicity and sustainability in mind. Many designers have been influenced by Japanese architects like Yasuhiro Yamashita, who has responded to the challenge posed by space constraints by creating small but comfortable and functional living quarters like his Lucky Drops house in Tokyo. As more and more attractive alternatives to traditional homes pop up each week, we take a look at some of our favourite not-so-grand designs. Small House in Tokyo, Japan Tunnel Vision in Manhattan, New York Small House Surry Hills, Sydney Steel Life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Lucky Drops in Tokyo, Japan
Rosebery's award-winning distillery Archie Rose is going experimental this month as it launches ArchieMite: a new 'buttered toast spirit' that uses Pepe Saya butter, a house-mix of 'mite' spreads and Sonoma sourdough toast in the distilling process. The umami-packed liqueur will launch at the Archie Rose Bar on Wednesday, May 8 — and we're not sure if we should be excited or not. ArchieMite certainly won't be everyone's favourite, as descriptors like salty, buttery and savoury are not normally attributed to alcohol. But fans of Vegemite (and other umami-rich yeast-extract spreads) will likely appreciate this unusual spirit. Apart from the 'mites', a whopping 25-kilograms of freshly churned Pepe Saya and 15-kilograms of Sonoma's toasted sourdough went into the ArchieMite making. If you want to taste the spirit in its best form, head along to Archie Rose Bar on the weekend for its themed Mitey Brunches — which will run noon–2pm every Saturday and Sunday from May 11–June 2. On the menu will be a list ArchieMite cocktails, so expect to drink the likes of a Mitey Bloody Mary, Espresso Mite-Ini, Mitey Colada and ArchieMite Pickleback. For food, there'll be build-your-own platters on offer, with the obvious options including Sonoma bread, Pepe Saya butter and breakfast spreads aplenty. Next door at Gelato Messina's Rosebery HQ, the team has created ArchieMite-infused gelato sandwiches, too — using Sonoma bread, Pepe Saya butter and breakfast 'mite' spreads, of course. These will be available at the Archie Rose Bar from Wednesday, May 8 until sold out. And the Australia Museum will stay open after-dark to host a ArchieMite makers night in July. The limited-edition run of 3000 bottles will also be available in bars, independent bottle shops and online for $79 per bottle. Come and get it. Archie Rose's ArchieMite is available to purchase online from 10.30am on Wednesday, May 8.
When 2025 began, starting off March with wet and windy weather thanks to a cyclone threatening to hit the River City wasn't on any Brisbanite's bingo card; however, that's been the reality due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. After a chaotic weekend that saw the city avoid the worst predictions regarding the cyclone's impact, but still endure damaging winds, intense rain and flooding, Brisbane remains in a soggy state. The wet conditions continue, and so does the flash-flooding risk. Nothing has returned to normal yet, then, including venturing out of the house via public transport. It's been a week since CityCat and ferry services were suspended as at the last service on Monday, March 3, with buses and trains in southeast Queensland following from the final service on Wednesday, March 5. As at Monday, March 10, Brisbane's public transport network is now slowly starting to resume, but the severe weather is still having a say. Indeed, buses initially resumed on Sunday, March 9, only to be suspended again. At the time of writing, Translink advises that "public transport is continuing to come back online after major impacts due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred", but "some services will remain offline while our crews can undertake critical repairs and clean-up work while there are ongoing impacts due to localised flooding, road closures and staff availability." Accordingly, although some bus, train, CityCat and ferry services are beginning again in and around Brisbane, you'll want to check Translink before heading out — and also be prepared for further changes as the weather keeps developing. [caption id="attachment_844368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ash Kyd via Flickr[/caption] Brisbane City Council bus services are still suspended "until further notice due to overnight weather impacts causing flooding and road closures", for instance, but some Logan, Redlands and Moreton Bay services are running. If you usually travel by rail, the Cleveland, Doomben, Gold Coast and Redcliffe Peninsula lines aren't back in action yet, but the others are, operating on Sunday timetables. There are no CityCat services on Monday, March 10, but some currently have timetables up for Tuesday, March 11. Translink advises that its online journey planner will be updated each day at 6pm, outlining services for the next day. [caption id="attachment_754201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] To keep up to date with the latest conditions, warnings, alerts and timetables, Brisbanites can head to the below services: The Bureau of Meteorology's Queensland warnings page, Queensland X and Facebook Brisbane City Council's emergency dashboard Queensland Government's disaster site Brisbane City Council's X and Facebook Translink's website, X, Facebook and Instagram Queensland Fire and Emergency Services's website, X, Facebook and Instagram Qld Traffic Stay safe and dry out there, Queenslanders. For the latest transport news, timetables and service changes, head to the Translink website. Brisbane City Council is continuing to update its emergency dashboard. The Bureau of Meteorology is continuing to update its warnings regularly — visit its website for further details.
Alicia Taylor is one of Melbourne's most promising young photographers — you've probably seen her work splashed across your social feeds already. She learned the tricks of her trade at RMIT, where she studied design and photography, and combined her love of both in the career we all dream of: international photographer. Still, she's a Melburnian through and through, and knows the city's art and design scene as few can ever hope to. In partnership with Pullman Hotels and Resorts, we're helping you explore more on your next holiday and make sure you get those experiences that the area's most switched-on residents wouldn't want their visitors to miss. In Melbourne, we've called in Alicia, whose favourite spots range from the city's weirdest commercial art gallery to a restaurant whose impressive interior design is finished off with a four-metre brass compass. A stay in one of Pullman's two locations in Melbourne — Albert Park or On the Park in East Melbourne — will not only put you in the thick of all this action, it will let you contemplate all you've seen in five-star luxury at the end of the day. Read on for Alicia's perspective on Melbourne's art and design hot spots, and check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. SOPHIE GANNON GALLERY The Sophie Gannon Gallery in Richmond is set away in an unassuming, single-level brick enclave, but housed within is the life's work of one of Australia's most ambitious art dealers, Sophie Gannon herself. Sophie came up from managing a handful of artists to handling some of Australia's finest — including my personal favourite, Emily Ferretti. Her gallery is also a showroom, as they so often are, and I love dropping by whenever I'm in the neighbourhood. There's no need to preplan; you can just trust that Sophie will have something beautiful adorning the walls. ACCA The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art is a great interactive contemporary art space located in Southbank. It's one of my favourite architectural spaces in Melbourne. You won't be able to miss it — in a sparse, industrial part of town, the ACCA building really draws attention to itself. It was completed in 1983 by Wood Marsh Architecture. The distinctive rusted steel facade of interpressed metal has since become a beloved architectural icon. The exhibitions presented at ACCA are often thought-provoking, innovative and bold, and the program of talks and symposiums that accompany them are some of Melbourne's finest. [caption id="attachment_644313" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brook Andrew at Tolarno Galleries Melbourne. Photo by Andrew Curtis[/caption] TOLARNO GALLERIES The Tolarno Galleries is one of the Melbourne's weirdest commercial contemporary art galleries, nestled in a spacious and well-appointed venue on Exhibition Street in the CBD. The director, Jan Minchin (formerly a curator at the National Gallery of Victoria), is known for creating the perfect blend of controversial and popular exhibitions with lawless artists (and some of my favourites) like Ben Quilty and Bill Henson. Remember Patricia Piccinini, blowing our minds over and over? Imagine that kind of work given free rein. The clean, white exhibition space is filled with soft, filtered light. I find it acts as a perfect oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city and an introspective atmosphere to take it all in. TARLO & GRAHAM You haven't truly experienced eclectic vintage until you've visited Tarlo and Graham on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. It's a cornucopia of eccentric pieces, and it's difficult for me to even try to predict what you might find on a visit. It could be anything. You might stumble across a rare lithograph from a beloved Australian artist, a dozen trombones or a family of ceramic clowns. It's all possible at Tarlo and Graham, which is why i love to while away an afternoon here. Goodies are piled high in every corner, but it's not always random. The warmth and humour of the proprietors shines through in their weird and wonderful displays and combinations. CHRISTOPHER BOOTS Lighting stores, with their dramatic and changeable lighting landscapes, are a world of their own, and the Christopher Boots showroom is, in my opinion, one of Melbourne's best. Located on Gore Street in Fitzroy, it's part art installation, part gallery and part lighting retailer. The intimate and artful showroom is ever-changing and also a delight to walk through. The CB team work in their open-plan office next to the displays. They might specialise in lighting, but the team's expertise in all things texture shines through in the beautiful warehouse and workspaces. JARDAN The Jardan store in Richmond (you'll find it nestled in furniture row, on Church Street) is a beautiful venue to spend a morning wandering around. The light-soaked space displays furniture and art pieces that will make you sigh and say 'One day'. Or, today could be your day! Pieces from some of Australia's best contemporary designers are housed here in a range of styled spaces. The store itself is a stroke of design genius, featuring a combination of a stark gold facade, eggshell whites, overflowing greenery and varied natural textures that showcase but don't overpower the pieces they surround. FENTON & FENTON Fenton & Fenton is a colourful cave of wonders in Prahan and a must-do for any design lover or interior decorator (amateur or otherwise). They sell an extensive collection of art and design on the premises, as well as bits and pieces you won't find anywhere else: jewellery, curios, furnishings and a diverse range of homewares and lifestyle products. Fenton & Fenton also have a team of lovely stylists on hand (or a phone call away) to guide you if you get stuck between cushions, and the shop itself is always so beautifully styled, I think it's an inspiration in its own right. HIGHER GROUND Higher Ground, conveniently found in the CBD, is an outstanding example of architectural retrofitting done right (they serve excellent food too — prepare to salivate). Nathan Toleman (the man behind Top Paddock and Kettle Black) and his partners — Sam Slattery, Ben Clark and Diamond Rozakeas — have created another dazzling cafe experience. Higher Ground started its life as an old power station and has been transformed into a spacious and lush eating space with gentle lighting. I've noticed the breakfast menu is earning a bit of a reputation, and I can't go past the colourful ricotta hotcake served with seeds, cream, seasonal fruit and flowers or the butter poached white asparagus, served with comté, tarragon, bronze fennel, poached eggs and rye toast. Their tea menu is also out of the ordinary. ATLAS DINING The design concept at Atlas Dining, located on Commercial Road in South Yarra, is truly exceptional. The contemporary, clean space — designed by Sydney-based architects Belinda Pajkovic and Tamara Frangelli — is defined by leather banquettes, soft lighting and white birch timber, topped off with a four-metre brass compass hanging from the ceiling. It blows my mind every time I visit. And the elegance continues through to the rotating menu, which is completely changed every three months (I never know what I'll get and that's fun). Chef Charlie Carrington's dishes are beautifully plated and balanced. They say Atlas will be a true adventure and they're right — it's a must-do Melbourne experience. ACNE STUDIOS Melbourne's Acne Studios store opened in 2014. It's already an iconic landmark on The Strand and has also raised the bar for retail design in the CBD. The fit-out was designed by Swedish firm Bozarthfornell Architects. They've been responsible for Acne Studios stores all over the world, but the Melbourne iteration is like no other, with stark, industrial dividers slicing up the space. It's both functional and brutal in perfect balance. If you're anything like me, a stroll through Acne Studios will have your senses pinging and your fingers itching to swipe your credit card. Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
No one needs an excuse to welcome in their Sunday with a boozy brunch, but Fiume Bar atop the Crystalbrook Vincent just came up with a new one anyway. Pairing your meal and drinks with a killer view is always reason enough to get up, and get eating and sipping — and the vantage from Howard Smith Wharves' resident rooftop bar sure is mighty spectacular. Wherever you find yourself at this inner-city precinct, you'll be staring at the Brisbane River. You may as well take a gander while you're enjoying a three-course Italian brunch, though, and knocking back cocktails, spritzes, beers and wine. That's what's on the menu at Fiume's La Dolce Vita Brunch, which run every Sunday through spring and summer from Sunday, September 12–Sunday, February 27. Your $115 ticket will nab you multiple choices when it comes to each course, so hazelnut and coffee castagnoles (aka mini Italian-style doughnuts), a pain au chocolate, chargrilled watermelon with parma ham, and a potato and thyme terrine topped with a poached egg could be in your future. Drinks-wise, you'll be saying cheers for two hours, including with mimosas, bloody marys, spritzes, prosecco, wine and Italian beers. And, you can choose between 10am–12pm or 12.30–2.30pm sessions (because yes, on weekends, brunch can start after midday if you want it to). Images: Markus Ravik. Updated November 16.
Trivia nights usually mean teaming up with your mates, enjoying a few beverages and trying to convert your respective stores of knowledge into glory. At this particular trivia night, you can do all that — just virtually, from your own (possibly orange) couch. And, you can do so while celebrating 90s TV series Friends, which is in the spotlight at this online battle of pop culture tidbits. If you think you know everything there is to know about the show that caused viewers to agonise over whether Ross and Rachel would get together, wish that Joey and Chandler lived next door, and get their hair cut like Jennifer Aniston, here's your chance to prove it. Play along from 7.30pm AEST on Friday, April 24, with a live host overseeing the live-streamed Friends Virtual Quiz — and tickets costing $10, There'll be prizes, and if you want to break out those 90s and early 00s fashions while joining the fun from home, absolutely no one will stop you. No one told you that watching endless television reruns could turn out this way — or binging on episodes on Stan, either, if you you want to boost your knowledge with a marathon in the lead up to the quiz. Images: Friends via Stan.
The New Look, Apple TV+'s ten-part series about Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, hasn't chosen its points of focus because they were frequently in each other's company; as depicted here, at least, they weren't. Instead, it's a portrait of rivals, but it isn't that concerned with why the two Parisians might be adversaries beyond their shared field. That said, they're tied by more than both being French fashion figures who were working at the same time, made pioneering haute couture choices and started labels that retain household recognition today. And, when the show opens in 1954, it does so with Chanel (Juliette Binoche, The Staircase) offering harsh words about Dior (Ben Mendelsohn, Secret Invasion) to the press as she's about to unveil her first post-war collection. Her chatter is crosscut with his at the Sorbonne, where he's being honoured — and asked by students why he kept working during the Second World War while Chanel closed her atelier. Dior's answer: that such a description of the two designers' actions during WWII is the truth, but that there's also more truth behind it. Unpicking the reality — and stitching together Dior and Chanel's plights at the same time — is the series' mission from Wednesday, February 14. The garments that its two couturiers make might be pristine in their stylishness, but neither's history can earn the same term. Creator Todd A Kessler (Damages, Bloodline) makes a drama about choices, then. Again, it isn't fuelled by the pair being in close physical proximity, which only happens twice in the show — or even acrimony between them — but by comparing and contrasting the moves that Dior and Chanel each made during Nazi-occupied Paris and immediately afterwards. Kessler takes the series' title from words uttered by Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow (Glenn Close, Heart of Stone) upon seeing Dior's debut collection in 1947. The New Look also takes its overarching perspective from the notion that haute couture's impact in assisting to revive French culture following the war was revolutionary and "helped humanity find beauty and the desire to live again" (to quote how Dior is introduced as he's being feted at his big retrospective). With Dior and Chanel's prowess treated as a given, the bulk of its frames, handsomely shot as they are — and filled intermittently with gorgeous gowns designed by Dior and his previous employer Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich, Billions) — hone in on the personal. (Atelier antics are weaved in and out, but never at the level of detail delivered by 2014 documentary Dior and I, about Raf Simons' first collection for the House of Christian Dior 65 years later.) The 1950s are pure framing for The New Look. The majority of its narrative charts Dior and Chanel from 1943–47, with the fact that he'll be so successful that he's celebrated mere years later and she'll eventually return to fashion instantly already established. Indeed, while the series charts their professional journeys over the period, work is rarely the source of its tension. Rather, Dior's difficult decision to leave Lelong to start his own fashion house, and the also tricky choices in getting established, help flesh out his character. For Chanel, so does her angling over the perfume side of her business, legal battles included. Everyone watching already knows the names Dior and Chanel, after all, and that both labels endure today, even if they've never donned clothing or scents bearing either's monikers. Dior keeps his needle in hand in Vichy France — for Lelong, as a nobody with no fame of his own, and under spirited protest if he ever gets wind of who'll be wearing his dresses. His justification, as he tells fellow designers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga (Nuno Lopes, Les derniers hommes) and Pierre Balmain (Thomas Poitevin, Encore vous?): that his paycheque helps support his younger sister Catherine (Maisie Williams, Pistol). She's fighting the occupation as part of the French Resistance. When Catherine is captured by the gestapo, tortured and sent to a work camp, Christian becomes a picture of guilt as he desperately endeavours to find her, or even just discover if she's still alive. The New Look's Dior is a man haunted, always, in a softer part for Mendelsohn and it suits him. The already-renowned Chanel has downed tools, but relies upon Nazi links to first secure the release of her captured nephew André (Joseph Olivennes, Deep Fear), a French soldier, and then help herself. The Hotel Ritz, where she lives, is a German base. Spy Hans Günther von Dincklage (Claes Bang, Bad Sisters) is soon in her bed. A dinner with Heinrich Himmler (Thure Lindhardt, Hammarskjöld), using antisemitic laws to her advantage and a stint of active collaboration — roping in her old friend Elsa Lombardi (Emily Mortimer, The Pursuit of Love) as well — all follow. Lombardi has been fictionalised, but the ins and outs of Chanel's choices haven't. The New Look doesn't even dream of sewing in a defence of Chanel. Where Mendelsohn plays vulnerable with potency and depth, Binoche's part is all calculated and self-serving opportunism. If their characters were dresses, his would sport elaborate lace and hers flashy sequins. Their performances are equally impressive, though. In what might be the least typically Mendo role of his recent career, the Australian Animal Kingdom, Starred Up, The Outsider and Cyrano actor is quietly masterful. In ensuring that Chanel's complications are on full display but also never excused, Binoche threads the needle expertly. Similarly superb: Game of Thrones' Williams, including in making the case that Catherine deserves to be more than a supporting player; Bang, again excelling at villainy; and Mortimer, who makes the show's most erratic character feel as real and lived-in as its protagonists. With Kessler himself, Station Eleven alums Jeremy Podeswa and Helen Shaver, and 2021 Palme d'Or-winner Julia Ducournau (Titane) in the director's chairs, there's no faulting The New Look's technical handiwork as it spins its fascinating, complex story. Opulence abounds visually, intricacy thematically. Learning more about the craft of haute couture isn't the show's remit, however — as glaringly apparently whether you're a fashion diehard or only know Dior and Chanel's names — but contemplating the decisions behind some of fashion's biggest labels, and the choices made when life is anything but cut to a pattern, is ready to wear. Check out the trailer for The New Look below: The New Look streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
If life's got you feeling a little stressed of late, your good mates at KFC are here to help you out — albeit in a pretty unexpected way. You can turf your mindfulness phone apps and ditch that meditation class, because the global fried chicken chain has created a new online offering, where you can unwind to the soothing sounds of chicken frying. Launched to coincide with Mindfulness Day on September 12, KFChill is the fried chicken empire's new website offering its own cheeky spin on mindfulness practices, with a series of 'pink noises' that take the listener on a journey through a KFC kitchen. Click through the trio of hour-long sound files to unwind to the noise of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. No word on how effective this actually is for your relaxation levels, though we can guarantee some mad cravings for fried chicken once you're done.
He's quick, he's nimble and he has what you need to get through lockdown. Jimmy Brings is a booze delivery service that'll bring wine, beer and spirits to your doorstep in an unbeatable 30 minutes or less — from that bottle of champagne for an unexpected iso engagement celebration to a Couch Cuddle Pack of shiraz and Toblerone to spice up iso movie nights. Old-mate Jimmy has been delivering the goods since long before COVID-19, starting out as a late-night service in Sydney in 2011, dropping off extra drinks, snacks and even ciggies for your out-of-hand house parties. Those were the days. Now Jimmy is all grown up, with not only a long-serving history in Sydney but also a suite of drivers in Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and further afield. He's still peddling alcohol on demand, but things have stepped up a notch and you can now add in a bottle of hand sanitiser, ice and a pack of Jonny Condoms for those wild nights at home. The booze offering is a small-but-mighty range that's taste-tested by the Jimmy Brings team, and wine descriptions will make you smile. Those after organic wines can find low-preservative, punchy wines from Speak No Evil, Il Villagio and Farm Hand. There's also whites, reds and sparkling from Jolly Trotter, Heritage House and Covielle. And if you're stocking up for the long haul, there are wine bundles starting from $49.99 for six — around $8 a bottle. On the spirits and mixers front, you can make things super easy with Cheeky G&Ts, Skinny Soda and Moscow Mule packages that scoop up all the necessary ingredients for you, including soda, ice and limes, so you can add to cart without having to think too much about the logistics. A Dirty Daiquiri starter pack is $49.99 and an Aperol Spritz pack, just $42.99. Your beer, wine and bubbles are delivered cold and, as always, you can order seven days a week until 11.59pm in Sydney, and until 11pm in Brisbane and Melbourne — orders must be placed 30 minutes before closing time. Though they can't leave alcohol unattended, Jimmy Brings drivers are operating low-contact deliveries during COVID-19 times, including leaving bags on the ground and sighting your ID without handling it directly, so everyone's kept safe and happy. Never used Jimmy Brings before? Download the Jimmy Brings app and use the code 'CONCRETE' to get $10 off your first go. That's two packets of Nobby's mixed salted nuts, right there. Lucky you. Check out what Jimmy Brings can offer in your suburb. Offer expires on July 30, 2020.
Another winter has come and gone, and summer is fast approaching. And if you're looking for an excuse to soak up the sun right now, look no further than these top-notch venues serving up the classic drink of the summer: Aperol Spritz. Can't decide where to go for that first sunshine sip? Here are some of our favourite openair spots around Brisbane and the Gold Coast. BREAKFAST CREEK HOTEL, ALBION The legendary Breakfast Creek Hotel has a fine selection of bars to choose from to get your Aperol Spritz fix. The Spanish Garden and Beer Garden restaurants serve up fresh oysters for starters and delicious cuts of steak for mains, which you can devour before or right after your glass of Aperol Spritz from the Staghorn Bar. Whether you're a guest at the hotel or just paying a visit, extend your night by hitting the Private Bar to soak up the atmosphere of the veranda to catch up with your mates. JUSTIN LANE, BURLEIGH HEADS Chasing big summer energy? Head to Burleigh Heads' Justin Lane. This sun-drenched, Mediterranean-inspired oasis features spritz and summer-ready cocktails aplenty, as well as live music and delicious Italian fare to pair with your spritz. CALI BEACH, SURFERS PARADISE Spend your Friday evening at Cali Beach sipping on ice-cold cocktails by the pool or the sun lounges. Offering free admission, this Surfers Paradise venue boasts stunning views of the city skyline and ocean. Every week, the expansive entertainment precinct, which features everything from pools and cabanas to restaurants and volleyball courts, hosts seasoned DJs to keep the vibes high — the rotating lineup has featured names like Hot Dub Time Machine, Sneaky Sound System, Bag Raiders and more. The regular Cali After Dark parties require a reservation, but it's worth the extra effort to make sure you have access to one of the two restaurants or your very own VIP poolside area, daybed or cabana. RIVERLAND, CBD Treat your tastebuds to a variety of brews with Riverland's selection of 16 tap beers and ciders. Whether you're here for date night or celebrating a special occasion, this bustling spot on the banks of The Brown Snake also provides a smart list of local and international wines as well as innovative cocktails, both single and sharing-sized serves. Whatever your poison, you can pair your pour with a bite from one of the rotating lineup of international street food vendors dotted around the space. LINA ROOFTOP, SOUTH BRISBANE Simply put, Lina Rooftop is an absolute vibe — trust us when we say that you won't run out of Instagram content during your time here. The 1500-square-metre space is comprised of an openair terrace, restaurant and a 30-metre infinity pool. The menu is appropriately beachy, featuring spritzes, slushie cocktails and ice-cold beers. Don't forget to take a dip in the pool and soak up the gorgeous view of the city. CIELO ROOFTOP, FORTITUDE VALLEY Situated high above the streets of Fortitude Valley, Cielo Rooftop is a collaboration between the minds behind Salt Meats Cheese Group and the award-winning Sydney bar Maybe Sammy. As you'd expect with this pedigree, both the food and drinks programs are very considered — sip on modern cocktails or one of the three types of spritz, and soak it up with a Mooloolaba prawn cocktail or house-made pizzette. There's also a dedicated cocktail tree menu, perfect if you're heading up with a crew. OOH LA LA, WOOLLOONGABBA Designed by Brisbane architecture studio JDA Co., Ooh La La, a contemporary French-inspired rooftop bar situated above Woolloongabba's C'est Bon, is an impressive terrace space open for sundowners serves from Friday to Sunday. The considered food menu features elevated bar bites like lobster éclairs, angus tartare and two types of caviar, while the tight wine list features exclusively French and Australian drops, with each selection sold both by the bottle and by the glass. For more ways to elevate your summer with Aperol, head to the website.
There is a hearty debate in the food world over the true origin of the beloved hamburger, with both Germany and the USA jostling to claim it as their own. Historical origins aside, we can do nothing but pay tribute to the reckless genius who decided to throw a beef patty between two slices of bread and call it a proper meal. Without this, we would never known the true joy of ordering a juicy burger after a wretched day (even when you're just at home). Wondering where to pick up Brisbane's elite burgers? Even better — wondering how you can get them brought to your door? We've put together a list of epic choices, with our favourite sides thrown in for good measure. We've also included some very worthy vegan and vegetarian options, if you are keen to shake up your usual order or want to up the number of plants in your diet. Just remember, no matter what you choose, fries are absolutely essential.
If you like beer and you live in Brisbane, then you've probably noticed a trend in recent years. In fact, you've probably been making the most of it. That's to be expected when a certain patch of turf starts welcoming new drinking spots with frequency. Thanks to Ballistic Beer Co and Hiker Brewing Concern in Salisbury, as well as Helios Brewing Company and Slipstream Brewing Company in Yeerongpilly, there's no shortage of breweries to have a beer at on the southside. And, while you've likely been hopping between them all anyway, Beermuda gives the area's boozy crawl an official spin. Head to any of the quartet between 1–7pm on Saturday, May 20, get sipping, then catch a courtesy bus to the other three — and drink more frothy ales at each, obviously. Entry is free, and there'll also be food and live music at each brewery. Plus, you'll be able to just generally soak in the boozy Salisbury and Yeerongpilly vibes. If you remember the event from previous years, you'll know that it was originally called Beermuda Triangle — taking inspiration from the Bermuda Triangle, of course — but with Hiker Brewing Concern a new addition for 2023, there's no longer just three venues on the route.
If you're a fan of Nutella, then you likely live by one rule: when it comes to the chocolate-hazelnut spread, you can never have enough. Of course, just how you interpret that idea is up to you. Maybe you slather your bread with it every morning for breakfast. Perhaps you always opt for whichever Nutella dessert is on any given menu. Or, you could head up the highway for a dedicated Nutella Festival. The Sunshine Coast's Nightquarter is throwing the latter from 4–10pm on Saturday, July 10. We recommend arriving hungry. Entry costs $5, and you'll need to pay for whatever Nutella creations you'd like to eat or drink — but this fest is rather devoted to combining its favourite ingredient with, well, everything. The food menu hasn't been announced, but last time Nightquarter hosted this kind of event back in its old Gold Coast digs, there were Nutella doughnuts, gelato, ice cream cookie sandwiches, churros, mousse and fudge — plys Nutella pizza, toasties, calzone and sliders, and Nutella milkshakes, shots and cocktails. Basically, if you're wondering what could possibly be on offer, just think of a dish and imagine adding Nutella to it.
Today, one month after the unmitigated frenzy that was the iPhone 6, Apple have unveiled their latest tech offerings to the world. Without quite as much fanfare, they've gifted us with the new iMac, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3. Unlike the latest iPhone, there isn't a huge list of new features to jump up and down about. But there is this one thing — the screens of both the iPad Air and iMac are thinner than a freakin' pencil. Gone are the days of the bulky and obnoxiously colourful iMacs that we knew and loved from the mid-2000s. The screen on the latest iMac measures in at a mere 5mm and the iPad Air isn't much larger on 6.1mm. This is a size reduction of around 18 per cent from the last models (which was 20 per cent thinner than the ones before that). We know live in a time when technology has beaten the cliche of being "pencil thin". Aside from putting everything on a serious diet, Apple has given the new iPads faster processors and better cameras. The iPad Air now has all the latest updates we've seen in the iPhone 6 including an 8 megapixel camera. It will also have less glare with a new coating reportedly reducing reflections by 56 per cent, and the same TouchID fingerprint sensor that enables you to use the nifty (and only slightly scary) Apple Pay. Speaking of things which sound somewhat daunting, Apple has given the latest iMacs "5K retina display". While it sounds a lot like something to do with 5,000 lasers shooting into your eyeballs, it actually just means a really, really good image quality. Over 14 million pixels will now be shimmering around your desktop's 27-inch screen finally giving crystal-clear definition to all your Youtube cat videos. All in all, there's nothing to be too excited about unless you've been trying to jam your iPad into inconceivably small cases all year. People just love to kick up a fuss about Apple because they makes us feel like we're living in the future. If tiny, tiny technologies are really your thing, you can pre-oder these new gadgets from tomorrow. The new iPad Air will cost you between $619-1,019 depending on how tricked out you want it to be; the iPad Mini will be $499-899; and the iMac will fluctuate wildly between $2,999-5,279. Just wait and see how expensive it is once they perfect a design the same thickness as a piece of paper. And no, in case you wanted to keep your new iPad in your pocket, Apple aren't afraid of them bending. Via Wired and SMH.
Put on your thinking cap and start sleuthing through all of the internet. Converse are hosting a series of amazing A-list gigs in Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand, and they're hiding tickets where you'll least expect them. So far we know that The Vines — who are all about the freebies lately — and Bloods are playing a free show somewhere in Melbourne on Wednesday, October 22; Remi and Collarbones are hitting up Sydney the following night; and a fresh lineup is heading over to New Zealand soon after. Oh, and we have your first clue. Converse sneakily posted an ad on Seek this morning for a casual "fist pumper". "This temporary, one night only, position is open for a front row fist pumper at a free gig," the ad read. "The successful applicant will show a willingness to party in the front row of the mosh pit ... [They also must] appreciate the epic sounds of bands, The Vines and Bloods". In case you haven't worked it out already, this is your ticket. If you're from Melbourne and maintain any of the above characteristics, we highly recommend applying for this job. They're currently taking "applications" for the position at hey@converse.com.au, but maybe trade in a full cover letter for a few photos of you in the mosh. This is possibly the only time making a resume link to your Facebook photos is a good thing. If you're hanging out for news about Sydney and New Zealand, we can't help you quite yet. When the campaign was launched last month in Europe and the UK there was a big focus placed on spontaneity, so you'll have to be pretty alert. Make your plans soft and let your friends think you're flaky; it'll be worth dropping everything when you're front and centre of a free show rubbing it in their faces.
The future is here and all our problems are solved. Or, more accurately, one specific problem that bugs us a bit. Three engineering students from the US have created a device that harnesses energy from your everyday activities to charge your phone on the go. No more crouching next to power points or annoyingly asking bartenders to pop your phone behind the bar. With this, you can genuinely re-charge your battery by dancing. This kind of technology has been around for a while now, but never in such a convenient form. Fitting in the palm of your hand, Ampy is a little power pack that can easily be strapped to your arm or popped in your pocket. Each of your movements are then used to power the lithium ion battery inside and that in turn is used to charge your phone when hooked up via a USB cord. Though you don't need to use the energy right away, a 30-minute run supposedly keeps your phone on for three hours. Understandably, people are already crazy excited for this thing. A Kickstarter campaign was launched to get production underway, and it reached its $100,000 target within three days. By the end of the 30 day funding period, it will have basically taken over the world. Of course, there are a number of reasons why this thing is great. Yes, it offers convenient power for when you're out and about, but it also encourages you to get off your butt and move. Prompting you to take the stairs instead of the elevator or ride your bike into the city, this tricky device may be the best health initiative we've ever seen. It also has the added benefit of using 100 per cent renewable energy. Forget coal mining and big electricity bills; pop on some Beyonce and dance yourself into some power. Either that, or cheat and clip it to your dog. Ampy won't be available in stores until June 2015, but you can grab yourself a discounted product from the first shipment by backing their Kickstarter now. A US$75 pledge (plus $15 delivery fee) will get you the device itself, or you can grab a full accessory pack as well for US$95. Via Buzzfeed and Forbes.
Yarra Valley wine country is set to score a bold new addition, with Levantine Hill Estate unveiling plans for a $20-million onsite hotel designed by acclaimed architecture firm — and Mona designers — Fender Katsalidis. Having just scored council approval, the award-winning winery's 33-room boutique accommodation is slated for completion in early 2024. Conceptualised to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, the new hotel will be set across two levels, decked out in natural materials and raw finishes to complement the property's existing spaces. That includes the cellar door, restaurant and winemaking facilities, which are also the work of Fender Katsalidis founder Karl Fender. Guest rooms are set to feature sprawling spa baths and fully stocked wine fridges, with the 2900-square-metre hotel boasting sheltered openair hallways, a lush collection of foliage and a solar farm atop the roof. Expect lots of polished concrete, rich leather and untreated silvertop ash used throughout. Catering to the wedding crowd, there'll also be a sumptuous bridal suite complete with its own cellar, bar and dressing room. And if you fancy arriving in style, the hotel will be located just a quick stroll from the estate's helicopter landing area. The luxe accommodation isn't the only grand thing in the works for Levantine Hill, either, with plans for an additional 47-room hotel currently being finalised. That project will also be brought to life by Fender Katsalidis. Levantine Hill's accommodation plans come six months after Cedar Mill Group announced it's set to open an outdoor concert venue and 300-room hotel, also on the Maroondah Highway, at some point in 2024. Levantine Hill Estate's new hotel is set to open in early 2024, at 882 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream, Victoria. Images: Fender Katsalidis Architects.
If heading to the tuckshop was your favourite part of the school day, then Woolloongabba's newest cafe might inspire a few twinges of nostalgia. A kiosk-style spot at South City Square on Logan Road, Tuckshop Time is all about schoolyard-style snacks. That said, we're guessing that you didn't feast on Nutella mousse brownies, peanut butter waffles or stacked roast chicken baguettes when the bell rang back in the day. They're just some of the eatery's offerings, with vegetable-filled bowls, pizza rounders and cauliflower mac 'n' cheese also on the menu, plus vegan and gluten-friendly wares as well. Drinks-wise, patrons can sip on 'fruit cup' smoothies, fresh juice (not in popper form, though), beetroot and turmeric lattes, and coffees. The latest venture from Greg Mclean and Caity Jones, the forces behind Decisions Cafe on the Sunshine Coast eatery, Tuckshop Time also keeps school-like hours — it's open from 6am–6pm seven days a week, for both dining in and taking away. And, while you're harking back to recesses gone by, you'll do so on a vibrant patch of greenery, complete with chairs, garden views and cushions along the deck. There's also undercover seating for when the Brisbane heavens open, and dogs are welcome.
In news that everyone already knew, no one will be dancing in North Byron Parklands this winter, with Splendour in the Grass moving to November this year instead. Thanks to New South Wales' current COVID-19 outbreak, the lockdown to prevent its spread and the growing number of cases in other Australian states, no one will be making shapes in Sydney this July, either. That's when the fest was planning to host Splendour in the City, a nine-day Sydney pop-up slated for SITG's usual midwinter spot — but organisers have announced that the event has now been cancelled. In a statement on Monday, June 28, the festival's team pulled the plug on the mini fest, which was set to take place at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal from Saturday, July 10–Sunday, July 18. "With Greater Sydney currently in lockdown until 9 July and COVID-19 outbreaks now evolving in other states, it has become impossible to progress with plans to move artists and staff around the country, and also to build the event in Sydney," the Splendour crew noted. "Organisers also acknowledge the health and safety of staff, volunteers and ticketholders is the foremost consideration in line with the health advice from authorities." Splendour in the City has been completely cancelled, rather than rescheduled, too — a decision made due to "uncertainty around venue and artist availability in coming months, and IRL Splendour in the Grass scheduled for November." Ticketholders will start receiving refunds automatically via Moshtix from today, Tuesday, June 29. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Splendour in the Grass (@splendourinthegrass) Splendour's virtual festival Splendour XR will still run online across the weekend of Saturday, July 24–Sunday, July 25 — and, at this stage, Splendour in the Grass itself is slated for Friday, November 19–Sunday, November 21. It's been a rough year or so for the music and events industry, for festivals in New South Wales and for Splendour. 2020's SITG was postponed from July until October, then completely scrapped. Also, plans to proceed in July 2021 as usual were pushed back, leading to the current November date. Splendour in the City was planning to host an array of beloved Australian artists such as SITG mainstays like Violent Soho, Illy, Vera Blue, Dune Rats and Tash Sultana, as well as two stacked nights of stand-up comedy and a whole heap of extras — all aiming to recreate as much of the OG Splendour experience as possible. If the full-sized Byron Bay edition of SITG goes ahead in November, it's set to do so with headliners Tyler, The Creator, The Strokes and Gorillaz; however, that's obviously all reliant upon COVID-19 restrictions allowing the event to take place. Splendour in the City will no longer run from Saturday, July 10–Sunday, July 18 at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal. Ticketholders will start receiving refunds automatically via Moshtix from Tuesday, June 29.
Since Dark MOFO first introduced House of Mirrors back in 2016, the installation has sat at the top of everyone's must-do list. Created by Australian installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney, it's exactly what it sounds like: a walkthrough space filled with reflective surfaces that will not only strands you in a maze of your own image, but turns your likeness into a kaleidoscope. Is it fun, creepy or both? You be the judge. And if you missed out last time it came to town, don't worry. Eager Brisbanites will soon get another chance to wander through the disorienting, perception-altering, panic-inducing, optical illusion-based labyrinth for themselves. Trust Brisbane Festival to bring the attraction back to Queensland as part of its 2018 program. From September 8–29, the installation will take over part of the fest's Brisbane Arcadia space at the South Bank Cultural Forecourt for weeks of reflective roaming pleasure. The modern, minimalist twist on the fairground classic features 40 tonnes of steel and 15 tonnes of mirrors — with no added gimmicks, no special effects, no special lighting, no soundtrack or soundscape. Just imagine what all those shiny panes will look like in the brilliant Queensland sun. Our tip: wear sunglasses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roRK5Ca12qo
We love wine and we know you do too, and the quality and variety of wine being produced locally in Australia has, arguably, never been at a higher level. Now there's a new way to get your hands on delicious, drinkable, interesting drops made in our myriad wine regions — and you'll be buying direct from the source. iHeartWine is a new first-of-its-kind marketplace that connects winemakers and grape growers directly with the wine-loving public, which means you can shop bottles from Australia's best independent and boutique wineries without the markup you pay from a retailer, while putting the lion share of every sale directly back into the producer. Win-win. This idea for iHeartWine, which exists as an app, was conceived by wine writer and aficionado, Marc Malouf, as a way to support winemakers amid the knock-on effects of COVID and the tourism industry essentially bottoming out. Marc explains: "Hard working wineries who would usually be thriving from tourism, are struggling. Less people are able to visit, taste and buy wines from family-run wine producers … 2021 is set to be an abundant year for grape production and smaller winemakers need a channel to get their wine out there." The curation of the producers and winemakers included in iHeartWine's shop is very much informed by quality stuff that you can't just pluck off the shelves of your local bottle-o. "Every winery on iHeartWine makes wines from a place of truth, passion and obsession," says Marc Malouf. "These are the wineries and winemakers we should be paying attention to and celebrating... but they often suffer from the same fundamental flaw — they are somewhat invisible to wine drinkers. Unless you stumble across a wine on a restaurant list, or take a wrong turn on a trip through a wine region, chances are you will never come across these hidden gems and I think it's time we changed this." And as you load up your cart, you can feel good knowing that most of what you spend is going straight back to the producers. All wine sold on iHeartWine comes directly from the wineries themselves, which means the winery earns 90% from every bottle. We'll drink to that. The iHeartWine app is available for download here.
Perhaps nourished by the torrential rain Sydney has been experiencing, a Lego forest recently sprouted in Martin Place. Featuring big-kid versions of the tiny plastic trees and flower sets we played with as kids, the installation marks the first activity of this year's Lego Festival of Play. 15 of the large-scale tree and flower models dotted the concrete, creating bright splashes of color in our currently dreary grey city. Onlookers didn't let the weather get them down, grabbing umbrellas and rain boots to take a stroll through this whimsical forest. After all, you're never too old, and it's never too rainy, to get out there and play. The Lego forest will soon be on the move, to other to-be-disclosed locations throughout Australia.
Melbourne is home to one of the best places in the world to have a drink in 2023, and the Victorian capital's Byrdi is back among the top 100 watering holes around the globe. Each year, The World's 50 Best Bars does exactly what its name says, picking the standout 50 bars on the planet — and 2023's top 50 will be announced on Tuesday, October 17 in Singapore. But this ranking doesn't stop at 50, which is where its annual The World's 50 Best Bars extended 51–100 longlist comes in. It's announced first, throwing some love at the next 50 venues worth checking out, and Byrdi is Australia's sole entry. [caption id="attachment_921791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jana Langhorst[/caption] There's a touch of déjà vu about this news, because this exact thing also happened in 2021. So, once again, the La Trobe Street bar has scored some worldwide recognition and become the only Aussie joint to make this year's extended list ahead of the top 50 reveal. In 2022, Byrdi didn't feature in either the longlist or the top 50, with Melbourne's Caretaker's Cottage and Sydney's Re featured in the former, and the Harbour City's Maybe Sammy and Cantina OK! in the latter. This year, Byrdi ranked 61st, down from its 56th placing in 2021. In 2020, it came in at 80th, after only opening in 2019. In its 2023 ranking, Luke Whearty's famed local cocktail haunt was applauded for being "seriously cool, coming complete with its own lab for creating bold new ingredients" and serving up "a damn good time". Its Jungle Byrd cocktail, which is made with Carolina Reaper chilli, bitters, lacto-fermented pineapple and Davidson plum, also earned a specific shoutout. [caption id="attachment_748361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Byrdi was launched in 2019 by Whearty and co-founder Aki Nishikura, who were also behind Singapore's multi award-winning — and World's 50 Best Bars regular — Operation Dagger. You'll find the Melbourne favourite nestled within the CBD's Ella precinct, whipping up some truly exceptional, innovative drinks. It sits on 2023's The World's 50 Best Bars extended 51–100 longlist alongside watering holes from 33 other cities, including six from the US, plus five from both the UK and Singapore. Fourteen of this year's picks have made the list for the first time, such as the debut entries from Tulum, Guadalajara and Tirana. When the full list drops, here's hoping that Australia is well-represented. In addition to placing in the top 50 in 2022, Maybe Sammy took out 22nd place in 2021 and Cantina OK! came in at number 23. Melbourne's Above Board earned a spot at number 44 and the aforementioned Re placed, too. Watch this space — we'll run through the winners of the World's 50 Best Bars 2022 list when they're announced. [caption id="attachment_748365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] For the full 51–100 list of the World's 50 Best Bars for 2023 (and past years' lists), see the website. The top 50 rankings will be revealed at 5.20pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 17 via Facebook and YouTube. Top image: Byrdi, Haydn Cattach.
Just months after one Melbourne proposal claimed to be constructing the country's tallest building, another towering skyscraper has popped up to snatch its lofty crown. The latest super-tall contender is the $2 billion Green Spine, with UN Studio and Cox Architecture emerging victorious in the international competition to design the new addition to Southbank, all for developer Beulah International. Winning out over five other shortlisted proposals, the 356.2-metre-high Green Spine is actually two cantilevered towers that sport a noticeable twist — that is, the structures both physically twist in their geometric design. Terracing and glass also feature prominently, as does greenery. Indeed, as well as plant-filled public spaces along the ground and stepped lower levels, the building will include a 'future botanic garden' at its peak, which will basically be a garden in the sky that's accessible to everyone. Before you start looking up, however, The Age reports that a building application hasn't yet been submitted for the mixed-use development, which plans to feature apartments, offices, a hotel, retail spaces, an entertainment centre, restaurants, bars, a BMW showroom, a school and even a cinema. If it does come to fruition, Green Spine could possibly eclipse the previously announced Magic, also in Melbourne, which will span between 330 and 362 metres. The city's current tallest building is the 297.3-metre tall Eureka Tower, however the 319-metre Australia 108 residential tower at Southbank is in progress, and the 323-metre-tall One Queensbridge tower is also slated for the Crown precinct. Around the rest of the country, the Gold Coast's Q1 presently reaches 332.5 metres, with the new 328m Orion Towers in Surfers Paradise in development.
Bringing together skilled orchestral musicians from across Australia, Alternative Symphony takes the same approach as Britain's acclaimed orchestral group No Strings Attached. And, for its next big shows, the troupe is set to perform the work of hip hop greats with a classical slant. At The Valley Drive In from 7pm on Saturday, December 19, the Alternative Symphony will give the hits of Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac the orchestral treatment, all while guest vocalists step in to reimagine verses. The rappers, considered two of the most significant and influential emcees of all time, were famously the focal points of the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry — which spawned an endless supply of antagonistic diss tracks. At this one-off orchestral experience expect to hear hits like 'California Love', 'What's Beef?', 'Changes', 'Mo Money Mo Problems' and 'Thugz Mansion' played on violins and saxophones. The Alternative Symphony has previously tackled the songbooks of Dr. Dre and Daft Punk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wBTdfAkqGU An Orchestral Rendition of Biggie and 2Pac takes place from 7pm on Saturday, December 19 at The Valley Drive In — with tickets on sale now.
Back in 1999 and 2000, Baz Luhrmann's beloved movie musical Moulin Rouge! was filmed in Australia. Since 2021, the Tony-winning stage version of that hit feature has been doing the rounds of the country, too. And, in spectacular (spectacular) news, it's finally heading to Brisbane, marking the show's fourth Australian stop following its Aussie-premiere season in Melbourne, current Sydney run and upcoming Perth stint. This time, Brisbane's QPAC will stand in for the Montmartre Quarter of Paris — the backdrop for a heady romance between lovestruck young bohemian Christian and performer Satine, star of the legendary titular cabaret. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will spin that story in the Lyric Theatre from sometime in May 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced. And yes, it's set to be a huge year in the River City, and at the South Brisbane venue, giving both their next blockbuster production after Hamilton arrives just a few months earlier. When it was first announced back in 2016 that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical, fans around the world thought the same thing in unison: the show must go on. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and finally made its way Down Under in 2021. But if you're a Brisbanite, you've probably been wondering when it would bring its excitement our way — as well as its dazzling on-stage thrills, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the first-ever Aussie-produced show to win the Tony for Best Musical. As Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie — which celebrates its 21st anniversary this year — did before it, the stage musical is heavy not just on star-crossed romance, but with a loaded soundtrack that celebrates iconic tunes from across the past five decades. Indeed, Moulin Rouge! The Musical backs up those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. The musical comes to Brisbane in the hands of production company Global Creatures. CEO and producer Carmen Pavlovic said that the organisation is "so proud to bring this spectacular show with an all-Australian cast to Brisbane in May 2023". "Brisbane audiences are always so wonderfully engaged, and we can't wait to see their reaction to this big, bold production that has been adored by audiences in Melbourne and Sydney. We look forward to seeing QPAC ready to rouge when the production arrives next year." Directed by Alex Timbers, the Australian production stars Alinta Chidzey as Satine, Des Flanagan as Christian, Simon Burke as club impresario Harold Zidler and Andrew Cook as The Duke — plus Tim Omaji as Toulouse-Lautrec and Ryan Gonzalez as Santiago, Montmartre's resident artistes; and Samantha Dodemaide as Nini, Olivia Vásquez as Arabia, Ruva Ngwenya as La Chocolat, and Christopher J Scalzo as Babydoll, aka the 'Lady M's'. Pre-sale tickets for the Brisbane season will be available from Monday, November 14, with general sales kicking off on Thursday, November 17. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will take over the Lyric Theatre after Hamilton, meaning that the latter definitely has to finish by May, even if its current March end date is extended — so don't throw away your shot to see that, either. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will hit QPAC, Grey Street, South Brisbane, from May 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced . For further details or to join the waitlist for tickets — with pre-sales from Monday, November 14 and general sales from Thursday, November 17 — head to the QPAC website. Images: Michelle Grace Hunder / Matthew Murphy.
They just don't make circus shows like they used to. When it comes to internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company Pirates of the Carabina, their latest production FLOWN, and a tale that jumps behind the scenes of circus life, however, that proves to be a good thing. Indeed, this feat of comedic theatre — and of acrobats, aerialists, musicians and stuntmen, of course — is more than just eye-popping tricks, although there's plenty of those to wonder at. Come for the spinning, dangling and other chaos, stay for the ups and downs of the absurdity of an unparalleled physical art form.
Flipping through a newspaper, feeling the flimsy paper in your hands and finding your fingerprints smudged with ink might by a dying ritual; however The Wall Street Journal is hoping that people still want to take the time to sit, peruse and consume the news at a leisurely pace. Instead of hanging out at a cafe rifling through physical pages, readers can now enter an architect-designed virtual New York apartment to get their news fix thanks to the publication's just-launched VR news app. WSJ VR is the newspaper's new virtual reality app for Google's Daydream platform, ushering news junkies into a different kind of reading experience. Now available to download via Google Play, it allows users to view a wall filled with a live feed of breaking news, watch interactive 360-degree videos and see a visualisation of real-time market data, all in swanky digs designed by architecture firm Michaelis Boyd. Interactive storytelling is the WSJ's main focus, particularly allowing "the Journal's reporters and editors to take readers and viewers of our journalism anywhere in the world," said Andy Regal, WSJ's Global Head of Video, in a statement. Whether that's something anyone actually wants is yet to be seen, but it's certainly quite different to scrolling through newsfeeds on a smartphone screen. Users can do more than read, watch and see the news while they're using the app; they can also engage with the space — which is based on a mix of the firm's real-life residential projects — on a 360-degree axis. Accordingly, even if you're not keen on staying up-to-date on global events and financial developments in the most immersive way possible, the app also offers views of the New York City skyline — and it's cheaper than a plane ticket. Via Dezeen.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, overcoming the language barrier isn't as difficult as it used to be. Forget phrasebooks — if you've got a smartphone, these days you're usually covered. Not all translation apps are created equal, however. In fact, only one promises real-time translation of both words and voice in 90 different languages. The free piece of software destined to find a home on every traveller's device of choice is DoTalk, an Australian-made invention aiming to make the process of making friends overseas even easier. And asking for directions, ordering a drink, trying to work out the local public transport system, asking for directions again (we all get lost while venturing far and wide, admit it) — plus all of the other routine holiday situations that involve human interaction. Available now for both iOS and Android, DoTalk offers users two options: translating via text, which is great if you're emailing or trying to read a sign; and translating live voice conversations, which is ace in plenty of other scenarios. For a fee, it can also handle group chats with up to 10 participants, even in multiple languages. As for just where it'll come in handy, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, French and Indonesian currently rank among the app's most popular languages; however you'll also find everything from Albanian to Zulu on offer."Our goal with DoTalk was to create a free, fun and easy-to-use app which provides an open forum for people to easily connect and communicate, regardless of language barriers or location and without delay," says founder Reno Nicastro. For more information about DoTalk, visit their website.
Indonesian cuisine fans (and Chinese, Hakkanese and Timorese, too), there's a new go-to place in town. Setting up shop on Clayfield's Sandgate Road, Mamaku Kitchen likes its meals traditional and multicultural. Oh, and delicious, of course. There's a reason that the hole-in-the-wall BYO eatery and takeaway joint takes its name from the phrase 'my mother', with home-style cooking inspired by owner and chef Mie Mie's family heritage on offer in abundance. Sure, you've probably had rendang ayam, mie goreng, nasi goreng and laksa before. But, we're betting that you haven't had them this jam-packed with the kind of flavour that can only come from a certain clichéd secret ingredient. Yes, we're talking about love — and given that everything is made on-site and in-house, Mamaku clearly oozes affection. As you sit within its bright, white walls and consume its spicy, slow-cooked dishes, that's the same emotion the restaurant is bound to inspire. Well that, and making Indonesian-style fare one of your new favourite foods. Images: Hennessytrill
