Herbs are the accessories of the culinary world. Sure, you can make something perfectly fine without them, but they add that extra something. If your thumbs are more green than brown — or you're sick of buying supermarket bunches when you only need a few sprigs — South Bank has the answer. Nestled amidst the riverside parkland's many drawcards is the Epicurious Garden, complete with a thriving stock of growing edible greenery. If you drop by between 7am and 2pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, you can grab whatever you need from the on-site harvest cart — and for free. Getting in early is recommended, with each day's supply offered on a first-in, first-served basis. Everything planted and cultivated is organic, with produce rotated seasonally throughout the year. Volunteer gardeners are also on hand until 11.30am to answer any questions.
It might seem like another festival pops up every weekend, but you won’t hear us complaining. The more the merrier, especially when they combine local bands, gourmet bites and craft brews into one fun package — which is exactly what Brisbane’s newest event promises. The Bites and Brews Laneway Festival will take over the Shafston Hotel and its surrounding laneways from on February 28 for its first-ever outing, and what a treat it is shaping up to be. Live performances from Pocket Love, Noah Slee, Tiana Khasi, DJ Cutloose and Gavin Boyd will set a festive mood, but that’s only the beginning. Want a delicious meal? Of course you do — and food trucks such King of the Wings, The Bun Mobile, Chiptease and Char Baby have your tastebuds covered. Want to wash it all down with a refreshing drink? That’s where stalls from over 18 brewers come in, serving up Stone & Wood, Little Creatures, Green Beacon, White Rabbit and more.
Not that long ago, if you were talking about clouds, you were only referring to the type that float above our heads. Now, we're all uploading our lives to 'the cloud', because that's the term used for online data storage. And, while it's easy to save your photos and documents in accessible digital spots that you can connect to no matter which device you're using — more than that, it's common practice — this big shift has come with repercussions. Displaying at the UQ Art Museum until Saturday, January 22, Conflict in My Outlook — Don't Be Evil takes part of its moniker from Google's famous motto. If you're wondering why, that's because this exhibition ponders the labour, data, infrastructure, technology and all-round pervasiveness of our always-online world. A group of artists has ruminated over the topic, as well as the reality we're all living right now, and then created pieces that overtly reference and/or endeavour to bring to life not just the internet, but all it holds and stands for. You won't simply be peering at work by Zach Blas and Jemima Wyman, Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler, Simon Denny, Xanthe Dobbie, Sean Dockray, Forensic Architecture and Kate Geck — among others — but you'll also be interacting with installations, screen-based works, and both augmented reality and virtual reality. Entry is free — and unlike plenty of online services that promise the same, that doesn't involve letting the exhibition track your online movements in return. [caption id="attachment_823354" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Xanthe Dobbie. Cloud Copy, 2021. Installation view, Don't Be Evil, UQ Art Museum, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Louis Lim.[/caption] Top images: Kate Geck. rlx:tech – defrag🌸popup, 2021. Installation view, Don't Be Evil, UQ Art Museum, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Louis Lim.
Acclaimed New Zealand artist, Shane Cotton, is recognised as one of the most provocative and influential painters of his time. As a Maori artist who has been active on the art scene for over twenty years, Cotton's work has played a pivotal role in the debate about place and bicentennial belonging. Often combining Maori iconography and culture with European ideas and symbols, Cotton's paintings had long been based on sepia-toned landscapes, earthy influences and intricate inscriptions. However, in the mid 2000s, Cotton headed in a new and unpredicted direction, employing a more sombre palette of black and blue and focusing on vast, nocturnal skyscapes. Through such direction, Cotton has crafted his latest haunting collection, The Hanging Sky. The Hanging Sky brings together the highlights of Cotton's work, including these provocative and complex skyscapes, a spectacular suite of 'target' prints and a line-up of painted baseball bats. Venture into the unknown and bare witness to art that steers through an ambiguous territory between the familiar and unknown.
When the Ekka was cancelled for the second year in a row in 2021, no one got to throw a ball in a clown's mouth. Hopping on rides, seeing fireworks and browsing for showbags were all scrapped, too. That's obviously no fun at all; however, for the farmers who were due to exhibit at Brisbane's annual show, the impact cut far deeper. So, in response, an idea was born: the Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail. It first appeared twice in 2021, encouraging Brisbanites to head south, hop between properties and enjoy local wares. And, although the Ekka occurred in 2022, the trail returned then as well. In 2023, it's making another comeback, too — on Sunday, April 2 and Saturday, August 26. Fancy throwing a little love towards the Scenic Rim's primary producers? Keen on a day out of town? Farmers in the region will be rolling out the welcome mat from 9am–3pm on both days. Follow the itineraries and you'll be hitting up at least 25 spots — such as Towri Sheep Cheeses, complete with cuddles with lambs; Tommerup's Dairy Farm, with artisanal dairy products on offer; Scenic Rim Brewery, where there'll be tastings; and Elderflower Farm, possibly including picking flowers depending on the season. That's just a taste of the list of producers involved — and if you'd like to get up close to some camels and alpacas while you're in that part of southeast Queensland, that's usually on the cards, too. Most of the trail's stops are dog-friendly, and bringing your esky to fill with produce is highly recommended.
Because sometimes dessert should be the main deal, that's why. If you've left it too late for dinner or are still hungry once it's finished, head to one of these five fine establishments that cater to the sweet tooth. From ice-cream and brownies to brioche dumplings and something billed as 'Death Row', the concoctions you'll find here take dessert to the next level. 1. Freestyle Tout Freestyle Tout is the stalwart of the Brisbane dessert scene. At any given time, the Fortitude Valley and West End locations are packed with hordes of Brisbane's sugar-deprived. Lunch and dinner menus are available, but the sweets are Freestyle's calling card (and who wants to eat savouries anyway?). Everyone has their own Freestyle favourite, but common picks are the sticky date pudding with caramel sauce, the white chocolate raspberry brioche dumplings, and the Little Bit of Queensland (macadamia white chocolate slice with caramel sauce and icecream). Emporium, 50/1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley and Cnr Browning and Melbourne Streets, West End; www.freestyletout.com.au 2. Mud Dessert Bar Do you love tapas? How about dessert tapas? At Mud Dessert Bar in Bulimba, an eight-course dessert tapas sitting will only set you back $30, and possibly set you forward a few kilos. This is a serious dessert menu that ventures off the standard fare found at most restaurants. Classics like lemon tart and banana split sit next to banoffee and strawberry shortcake. Chocolate lovers, however, won't care about this; they'll be too busy burying themselves in the decadent and aptly named Death Row: chocolate mousse, ganache, sponge, bavarois, brulee, cheesecake, icecream and homemade chocolate tequila. Smile and say cavity! 1/190 Oxford Street, Bulimba; www.muddessert.com.au 3. ShliX One of Brisbane's best gelato joints, ShliX is the place to go for a slightly more casual dessert experience. Grab a basic cup or cone, or splurge on a banana split or a sundae if you're feeling a bit special. New and novelty flavours are often being added to rotation, but of the regular flavours the peanut butter is unbeatable. 364 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley; shlix.com.au 4. Dello Mano A recent addition to the Brisbane dessert race, Dello Mano are serious about their chocolate. Chocolate cake, chocolate fudge, chocolate souffle, chocolate truffles, chocolate tarts … you get the picture, right? Stealing the show, though, is the huge signature line of Belgian chocolate brownies, a batch of which were famously ordered by Ashton Kutcher for his birthday in 2011. They do brownie gift boxes as well, so while you're there, pick up something special for a loved one (or just for later). 29 Doggett Street, Teneriffe; www.dellomano.com.au 5. Alfred's Cafe and the Alfred & Constance Late Night Dessert Cafe Brisbane's favourite hipster superclub isn't content just sating the masses with its tropical tiki cocktails and endless tap beers; it also wants to feed your sweet tooth. Alfred's Cafe is a sugary Mecca during the day, and once the sun goes down, the Alfred & Constance's Late Night Dessert Cafe (open until midnight) wakes up as a part of the Vanguard Beer Garden. Confused? Us too. The point is, sweets are never too far away. Cnr Alfred and Constance Streets, Fortitude Valley; brisbane.concreteplayground.com.au/restaurants/92946/alfred-and-constance.htm View all Brisbane Restaurants.
Cairns has two incredible venues located in the CBD where you can catch a local production — JUTE Theatre Company and the state-of-the-art Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC). JUTE's upcoming production of Queenslander — a darkly funny political drama – will run from Friday, March 11 till Saturday, March 19 at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre. Nearby, CPAC will showcase a mix of local and international entertainment including the mesmerising production of The Wider Earth by Brisbane theatre company Dead Puppet Society.
It's not often that you are able to get an insider look at a living legend's life and career. Paul Kelly – Stories of Me is a film about the Australian icon himself, directed by Ian Darling. The much loved singer-songwriter has provided the soundtrack to many Australian's lives with classics such as 'To Her Door' and 'Before Too Long'. Now, he has opened the doors to his private life and speaks candidly about his music and interesting life. This feature length film is running for one night only. Make sure you catch this special event as, Paul Kelly – Stories of Me, features live performances, interviews and much more never-before-seen footage. As an added treat, the man himself and Darling will make a special appearance after the film is screened. Don't miss this opportunity to get up close and personal with one of Australia's music legends.
When you think of beer in Milton, it wouldn't be remiss of you to think of the iconic Castlemaine Brewery, which has been wafting the smell of yeast and hops over the residents of Paddington, Red Hill and Rosalie since 1878. And while this brewing behemoth can crank out XXXX tinnies by the truckload, there's going to be something a whole lot craftier taking place just around the corner. Opening on Milton's Railway Terrace (right near craft beer specialists Scratch Bar and perpendicular to Park Road) is Aether Brewing. This beer-lover's paradise is a passion project five years in the making from two ex-engineers, Dave Ward and Jimmy Young. "We were sitting down over a beer and came up with the idea to start a brewery and bar. Five years later, here we are," they offer. The gents say that their journey from engineers to full-time brewers and bar owners has been really rewarding — though not without its challenges. "Everything was a pretty big learning curve, but we got here," Jimmy declared. And when you've got a venue this impressive to show for it, a couple of hiccups is a small price to pay. Working in collaboration with Salvador Farrajota and Joshua Abel from Brissie design studio The Artificial, Aether Brewing is a venue to dazzle. A spacious, airy, ground floor bar is flanked on one side by a formidable row of stainless steel brewing tanks, and on the other side by a long bar. Brewing capacity is 5 hec — which translates in layman's to 500 litres of beer. Everything is brewed on site in six fermenters, with three bright beer tanks in-house as well. If choice is something you crave, you'll be in your element. The bar downstairs will play serve 12 beers at one time — nine of the Aether Brewing variety, plus three guest taps. When you head up the staircase to the first floor you can enjoy the second bar/function area, complete with custom furniture, or perhaps relax into the night over a leisurely meal in the sit-down dining area/bar. Day-to-day operation of the venue will be in the capable hands of their team of twelve, with the two lads taking on key roles as well. "Dave has been brewing with his dad ever since he was a kid," Jimmy says. So while Dave manages beer production Jimmy will be running the venue as manager. Find Aether Brewing on Railway Terrace, Milton, from November 25. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Imagine a world filled with songs inspired by The Terminator. Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger has motivated many to do more than say that they'll be back. In fact, he's stirred the singing desires of Alastair Tomkins and his small cast, and he's brought about an entire production based on just that. Okay, okay — it's not just Arnie's doing, given that the film series evolved from the efforts of Ridley Scott, James Cameron and even more famous movie names. But he's the figure everyone thinks of when it comes to that series, and who doesn't want to picture him belting out a tune? That may not be what Songs For Sarah Connor: A Love Story Terminated actually offers, but it does present a musical based on the franchise everyone knows and loves. The show uses existing songs from the Gershwin brothers to Patsy Cline and Radiohead to present a reimagining of the iconic characters made famous by over 30 years of Terminator films, TV shows and pop culture. Bring your own clothes, boots and motorcycle.
The silly season is for cooking, decorating and creating napkin swans for Aunt Julie, who insists on tradition even though it is 40 degrees outside and everyone is already in a punch coma. Yes, DIY Christmases are where it's at. Join those who actually know what they are doing (and buy some gifts with the same amount of love) at this year's QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market — which is sprawling over two days in 2021 for the first time ever. Find jewellery, ceramics, textiles and pre-loved fashions for some of your favourite humans (or perhaps as a self-gift, because you're worth it) among the more stalls. The annual market always compiles a bunch of well-known names in the creative gifts department — and taking the time to peruse the GOMA collection of books and art is always recommended, as is checking out the edible delights to keep you going. The QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market runs from 9am–4pm on Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5 on the GOMA forecourt. Merry shopping!
Green living and financial prosperity are often pitted against each other, but a little village in Bavaria, Germany has shown that the two can actually get along quite nicely. Wildpoldsried, a village with a population of just 2,600, has put itself on the map via its concerted efforts to become energy efficient. It currently has four biogas digesters, seven windmills, three small hydro plants, seven public builidngs and 190 private houses fitted with solar panels. Indeed, the village is now so energy efficient that it produces 321% more energy than it requires, which has enabled the village to sell energy back to the national grid thus providing the village with US$5.7 million dollars in annual revenue. As a result, the village has become a bastion for green businesses and green initiatives. It has also become a model for other councils, both nationally and internationally, who are looking to ensure a greener, yet financially viable future. Not content with their current success, the people and council of Wildpoldsried have bigger and greener plans for the future, including another biogas digester, two more windmills, installing LED street lights and to initiate Project Irene (Integration of Renewable Enery and Electric Vehicles). There is also plan to add a hotel to the cafe and community centre to house the politicians and eco-energy tourists that have flocked to the area. Sounds like a good place for our politicians to visit on the next jaunt around Bavaria.
Sometimes, you just wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Inevitable grumpiness ensues. "Where's my coffee," etc. Amelie and Friends, a sweet restaurant in West Sussex, England, has introduced branding to combat those early morning bad moods. "Wakey, wakey!" chirps the label wrapped around the coffee cup. "I'm all yours!" assures the brown paper packet housing your delicious morning muffin. The packaging was conceptualised by design boutique ilovedust and features feel good messages to complement the feel good pastries made fresh daily by this fine establishment. If only it were just a little closer to home. [Via Trend Hunter]
Australian puppetry dates back nearly two centuries, when Punch and Judy made its way to our shores. In the years since, it has become a beloved art form — in fact, a new homegrown take on the famous puppet show was recently announced, transferring it to film, and starring Mia Wasikowska as the wife of a puppeteer. If you'd like to know more about the country's love of playthings on strings, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre can help. Until January 27, they're dedicating their Tony Gould Gallery to a snapshot of locals bringing puppets to life courtesy of their new exhibition, Puppet People. Spanning the traditional, the avant-garde and everything in-between, this showcase features more than 50 puppets, as well as shining a light on the people behind them. A word of warning: if marionettes and the like creep you out, this isn't for you — but if they're your kind of fun, expect an illuminating and informative display, including Laser Beak Man puppets from the Dead Puppet Society's recent La Boite shows.
Consider yourself a gin lover? Well, we've got just the thing for your juniper-loving self — a luxe, gin-fuelled trip to Melbourne. After all, don't we all deserve a little getaway? Thanks to our friends at urban gin distillery Patient Wolf Distilling Co., you and a mate could be jetting off to Melbourne for two nights — with flights, accommodation and gin all on the house. Should you win this prize, you'll spend the weekend at the luxury W Melbourne hotel. You'll also learn about distillation and botanicals in a Patient Wolf gin masterclass — a must-do for all gin lovers — at its home in Southbank, just on the edge of Melbourne's CBD. During the masterclass, you'll hear all about the distillery's story; sample its three signature gins; and get to spend $200 at the bar or purchasing a couple of bottles to take home. You'll also score a $200 voucher to spend on a decadent dinner at W Melbourne's on-site restaurant, Lollo, after a hard day of gin sampling. The competition is open to people aged 18 years and over. See further details below to enter. [competition]814639[/competition]
Brisbane is already home to a mini-golf bar, multiple arcade bars, several axe-throwing bars and a digital ping pong bar — and soon it'll welcome a huge new two-storey darts hangout, too. Usually the domain of old-school pubs, the projectile-flinging sport will be the main attraction at Oche Brisbane, though, it'll get a thoroughly 21st-century update. With its OG location in Oslo, Norway, Oche (pronounced ockey) is set to open its first Australian digs in Fortitude Valley on Friday, December 6. It'll feature dart boards that look exactly how you remember — but they'll have an electronic component. Each board comes with dozens of games built in, so you can pick between the knockout-style Killer, high-scoring High Striker and points-accumulating 201, among other options. The boards also keep score, so there's no need for a pencil and paper (and no room for arguments). And, for unknown reasons, some of them will chat to you as well. Setting up shop within the brick walls of the 115-year-old Old Flour Mill Building on Constance Street, Oche's darts sessions run for 85 minutes, and are designed to get patrons to do something that's definitely not common these days: put down your phone. The idea is that you'll head along with your mates, get drinking, throw a heap of darts, and forget about your emails, Insta feed, DMs and the like. (You'll probably keep picking up your phone to take and post snaps, but hey, getting folks to switch off is a noble aim). [caption id="attachment_749136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oche Oslo[/caption] Inside the 700-square-metre, heritage-listed spot, Oche will also feature an outdoor terrace, plus two separate bars, with one dedicated to local beverages. It'll spotlight different local breweries, distillers and winemakers each month, starting with Green Beacon in December. Or, you can sip your way through the regular beer and wine list, or opt for cocktails that'll pay tribute to Brisbane. Food-wise, Ben Williamson (Gerard's Bar) is overseeing the menu — and, so you can hurl darts and eat simultaneously, everything will be designed to be eaten with one hand. In fact, Oche won't be stocking cutlery. The food lineup hasn't been revealed, but there is talk of cheesecake on a stick, and vegan and vegetarian options will also feature. Expect to have plenty of company while you're throwing darts at boards for bragging rights — Oche will be able to accommodate 360 people. Once Oche Brisbane is open, the company plans to expand to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. Find Oche Brisbane at 111 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley, from Friday, December 6.
As one of southeast Queensland's two go-to beach-filled holiday spots, the Sunshine Coast is known for its sun and sand. But as well as being perched right on the ocean, the region also boasts rainforests and farms in extremely close proximity. That places it among Australia's most unique food and drink regions, gives it an interesting culinary landscape and makes it a prime location for a festival that's all about eating and drinking. Bites, beverages, basking in everything that makes the Sunshine Coast ace: that's The Curated Plate's remit, and has been since it kicked off back in 2019. Returning for 2023, the festival now runs for ten days, spanning Friday, July 28–Sunday, August 6, to celebrate all of the culinary goodness that this coastal pocket has to offer. On the lineup: more than 100 events featuring 300-plus local producers and suppliers, as put together by 52 local businesses and event organisers. The festival's program takes place in venues across the region's hinterlands, rainforests and beaches, giving attendees the full Sunny Coast experience. Heading along means feasting your way from Caloundra to Coolum, Maleny to Mooloolaba and Buderim to Beerwah, including at bar crawls, overwater picnics and farm-to-fork experiences. 2023's highlights cover MooloolaBARS, which is exactly what it sounds like across one beer- and beverage-heavy day; picnics in the Maroochydore Wheel House on Bradman Avenue, with food and booze taken care of for you; and a day spent eating at Falls Farm and Mapleton Public House. Or, there's the return of the Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, a zero-waste garden-to-plate lunch, and Moffat Beach Brewing's beer and barbecue degustation dinner. The festival is also championing First Nations food experiences, such as at a series of bush tucker river cruises by Saltwater Eco Tours, and a four-course dinner featuring native Australian ingredients — hand-picked garnishes from the Sunshine Coast hinterland included. Also on the lineup: a kombucha workshop, classes on plant-based cooking and oyster shucking, and a session about combining whisky, tequila and chocolate. Or, there's a boozy brunch heroing locally grown oyster mushrooms, bottomless high teas, trawler-to-table cruises that obviously go heavy on seafood and farm open days. The Curated Plate runs from Friday, July 28–Sunday, August 6 around the Sunshine Coast — head to the festival website for further details.
Maybe you discovered omurice on a holiday to Japan. Perhaps you saw it in a Japanese film or TV show, instantly tempting your tastebuds. The dish's viral fame might've started your stomach rumbling. Whichever fits, the combination of omelette and rice is up there with sushi and ramen as a beloved Japanese staple — and Brisbane just keeps scoring new excuses to tuck in. Alongside conjuring up pavlova bao and air cheesecakes with a Mont Blanc spin, Harajuku Gyoza has been championing omurice in a big way in Brisbane. Already in 2024, it has hosted an omurice pop-up at its Albert Lane store and welcomed in chef Motokichi Yukimura from Kyoto's Kichi Kichi. The latter is also returning in July. So news that Harajuku Gyoza's South Bank store is next dedicating six weeks to omurice isn't at all surprising. It is delicious, though. Some dishes are as straightforward as they sound, and omurice — aka omelette rice — is one of them. It's an omelette made with fried rice, then typically topped with sauce. Yes, it's an easy concept to get around. From Saturday, July 27, Brisbanites will be treated to three versions from Osaka Omurice's Chef Tadamichi, who is coming to the Queensland capital to prepare and serve up the popular meal at diners' tables. Starting at his family's market stall, Tadamichi has been cooking up omurice since he was 14. In Brisbane, he'll be making the classic version, one with ketchup and an Osaka okonomiyaki-style take, his signature. It features okonomi sauce on top, as well as mayonnaise and katsuobushi flakes. Whichever you choose, you'll be paying $28 a dish from 4–8pm Wednesday–Thursday and from 5–8pm Friday–Sunday, as well as for lunch from 11.30am–3pm Friday–Sunday. The reason that Harajuku Gyoza is leaning into omurice so heavily, especially in 2024? Saving themselves the airfare to Japan or trying to make their own version at home, its customers can't stop eating it. With the upcoming Kichi Kichi tour, "even after adding capacity, the event sold out in less than 24 hours and there was clearly huge demand for omurice", explains Harajuku Gyoza General Manager Masahiro Endo. Harajuku Gyoza South Bank's omurice pop-up runs for six weeks from Saturday, July 27, 2024 — from 4–8pm Wednesday–Thursday and from 5–8pm Friday–Sunday, as well as for lunch from 11.30am–3pm Friday–Sunday. Head to 184 Grey Street, South Bank. For more information and bookings, check out the eatery's website.
Reward yourself for getting through the week with a set of free doughnuts this Saturday. DoorDash is celebrating its second anniversary by giving away 26,000 free doughnuts, delivered to your door. The food delivery service has teamed up with Krispy Kreme to ensure you're giving into your sweet tooth this weekend. In order to claim your free doughnuts, you just need to spend $10 or more at Krispy Kreme through DoorDash and you'll be rewarded with four free doughy treats. Delivery on all orders has been cut to $2 on Saturday, meaning you can nab a pair of coffees and four doughnuts for $12 or eight doughnuts for around $16. Of course, you could also just throw caution to the wind and order yourself a whole heap of Krispy Kreme knowing you'll be treated to a few extra doughnuts in your delivery bag. The deal is available until all 26,000 doughnuts are sold out so make sure you jump on the DoorDash app early on Saturday and get your order in.
British India are taking a break from writing material for their fifth album to play what's sure to be a knock-out set at The Zoo this weekend. This super hard-working group have been busy entertaining crowds at both city and regional shows throughout last year as they took their fourth album, Controller, on the road. British India have had an exciting past year with their hit single, 'I Can Make You Love Me', earning them their first ever gold record. They are no strangers to success as the band have had three ARIA Top 10 album debuts, five tracks voted into Triple J's Hottest 100 and played sell out shows across the country. Join the bevy of other fans of the rock pop group as they belt out singles such as 'I Said I'm Sorry' and 'Tie Up My Hands'. These school friends are masters of executing polished performances and have played at the likes of Big Day Out, Falls, Pyramid Rock, Southbound, Homebake and Splendour In The Grass.
During its decade-long tenure at the edge of Post Office Square, Rush has accumulated a steady stream of loyal regulars with its sophisticated yet relaxed style. On Fridays from 5pm you'll find the bar spilling out into the Post Office Square green, where you can kick back to live music as you wet your whistle. The restaurant menu features a range of salads, burgers, pizzas and mains that make great accompaniments to a Friday cocktail.
So your local music store is basically out of business, the chain stores are full of crappy pop on overpriced CDs, and op shops are clueing to the fact they can charge a lot more than $1 for that quality Ziggy Stardust LP — where are we supposed to snag our vinyl these days? The answer will surprise and sadden you (of course we don't yet have this store in Australia). Buzzfeed has today named Urban Outfitters as the biggest seller of vinyl in the world. A hip stockist of quirky homewares, ironic t-shirts and boyfriend jeans, Urban Outfitters is like a more affordable version of every designer concept store you window shop in. But music definitely doesn't seem like its beat. This is because, instead of stocking shelves with dusty records and turning into a modern-day Championshop Vinyl, they offer most of their catalogue online. For around US$20 you can order any of the latest indie releases and old classics, and delivery is free for orders over $50 (because who just buys one album at a time?). Unlike CDs and iTunes downloads — may they rest in peace — vinyl is experiencing a huge resurgence at the moment. Sales have increased by more than 40 per cent in the last year alone and are hitting the highest numbers seen since the early '90s. As online streaming options increase in the same way, our new listening practices are becoming more and more apparent. We want to listen to everything for free on Spotify and Pandora then treasure the albums we really like on vinyl. And why wouldn't we? With the rest of our kit from Urban Outfitters, these records make our lives just that little bit closer to a Wes Anderson film. Via Buzzfeed and Stereogum.
Next time you break out your best downward-facing dog, you could just have a posing pooch for company. As part of its latest animal-oriented exercise bonanza, Stretch Yoga will get you stretching while sharing the love with cute canine. Marking the studio's eighth birthday and raising money for the deserving cause that is Domestic Animal Rescue and Education (DARE), Puppy Yoga gives every dog-loving yoga aficionado their day. Yes, the class really will pair adorable pooches with beginner yoga poses. You'd be barking mad not to head along. The classes take place at 12pm and 1pm on Sunday, August 21 at Stretch Yoga's Holland Park studio. And, if you're looking for a four-legged friend to take home with you, all of the puppies will be up for adoption as well. Register early when bookings open on Monday, August 15 — the $50-a-ticket sessions sure to get snapped up faster than a dog munching on a treat. Images: Stretch Yoga.
Camel racing in Oman. Whale diving in the Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico. A sauna at 2800 meters high in the heart of Dolomites. Chances are, without the world's top tier traveling shutterbugs, we'd never get to see these weird and wonderful parts of our eclectic, beautiful world. Luckily, globally-acknowledged cornerstone of publicising places-you've-never-been National Geographic brings the world's best travel photographers together, all vying for the prestigious blue ribbon in the annual National Geographic Traveller Photo Contest. This year, Nat Geo's Photo Contest judges reviewed nearly 18,000 photographs — and these ten are the top of the crop. Photographers entered their works into four categories: Travel Portraits, Outdoor Scenes, Sense of Place, and Spontaneous Moments. Have a flick through, we're pretty sure you'll be making at least one of these your desktop wallpaper immediately. Images: National Geographic.
If you're of an age when you can remember burning your friend's So Fresh CD so you could stay up to date with the coolest songs of the season, congrats. You're old now. But also, congrats, because you will seriously enjoy this So Fresh shindig. The old-school get-together to end all old-school get-togethers is coming to The Foundry from 10pm on Saturday, October 20, and it'll be playing bangers that now almost qualify as vintage. You can expect a disturbing percentage of Channel 10 alums (Australian Idol winners/losers and ex-Neighbours actors) as well as way too much Nickelback for polite company. Also, just throwing this out there: we're desperately hoping for a timely comeback of the Duff sisters duet 'Our Lips Are Sealed'. Entry will set you back $10 on the door, and of course it's obviously 18 and over — because if you're under 18 you definitely don't know what So Fresh is. Or CDs, probably.
A few years ago, it would've been hard to imagine millions of people getting excited about watching someone sleeping in a box. But two weeks ago, we all did just that, as that most sculptural of humans, Tilda Swinton, set up in New York's Museum of Modern Art for some shut-eye under glass. The performative art work, titled The Maybe, had been exhibited previously in 1995, but this time it generated a huge level of interest — and Swinton's heightened celebrity wasn't the only driver. Performance art — these days often called live art, time-based art or just plain performance — is having a bit of a moment. Right now, thousands of Sydneysiders are queuing to experience 13 Rooms, an installation of, yes, 13 rooms, each containing a flight of performative fancy from one of 13 internationally renowned artists. Once in, they're swapping their personal belongings for those of others, negotiating a revolving door made of people and comprehending a live person floating on air. The art form is easy to make fun of (sometimes brilliantly, as in this Portlandia clip), but that's partly because it's fun and easy to engage with. So why have we entered the time of performance art? Here are a few of the factors behind the rise. 1. Art parties The last time performance art was at its heights was in the 1960s, when Andy Warhol's 'happenings' were a major way of doing cultural business. These were events at his famous Factory studio and one of history's main moments in which artists from all different disciplines were invited to mingle — along with people who just liked to party. There might be paintings on one wall, video projections on another, the Velvet Underground everywhere. "What's happening now is happenings — where music, dancing, movies, everything happens at once and assaults all the senses," wrote Newsweek in its Pop issue in 1966. Sound familiar? Minus some orgies and taboo breaking, it's not unlike the current mode for art parties like Jurassic Lounge, ARTBAR or Next Wave events. Performance art — based, as it usually is, on a strong central concept that can be communicated within minutes, if not seconds — is the sort of thing that can thrive in a hullabaloo. Even if it's a durational performance whose real meaning will only become known over days, you can still just engage for 30 seconds and move on to the next thing. It also helps that much like then, we're into interdisciplinarity at the moment — the Australia Council even has a separate funding body for it, the Inter-Arts office. More on that in point two. 2. A response to digital The internet is big, you guys. Photorealistic blending of oil paint is great, but how much can it tell us about our technologically precipitous times? Let's throw everything we have at that moral puzzle, is the thinking: film, video games, live art, big ideas. A blend of sculpture and theatre, performance is one of the quintessential interdisciplinary arts. There are two particular aspects of it that suit our ubiquitously digital times: interactivity and the idea of 'absolute presence'. Interacting with stuff is our modus operandi now, and we don't want to stop when we put down our devices. Although it doesn't usually put you on the spot in the dreaded 'public participation' way, performance art is essentially interactive. A performer and an observer (performer #2?) in one space cannot help but have an effect on each other. And then there's almost the converse quality: sometimes we just want to cut the digital tether and just be in one place, without distraction (like mindfulness. But arty). Seeing performance art is a way of having an experience that you know is personal, private, fleeting, immediate and real. It's kind of nice. 3. Marina Abramovic Marina Abramovic has been a presence in popular culture for a while now — she was on Sex and the City back in 2003, when Carrie dated an artist. But her 2010 MoMA show, The Artist Is Present, captured public attention as few art world things have. With the still-entertaining Tumblr Marina Abramovic Made Me Cry, she basically reached meme status through the act of sitting. Since then a documentary about the exhibition and her weird mutual obsession with that other interdisciplinary something, James Franco (she's apparently making a movie about him) have continued to endear and fascinate. (In the above clip, she has a surprise reunion with her ex-partner Ulay at The Artist Is Present — gah!) 4. Art gallery infiltration Sydney's MCA is about to launch a second season dedicated to performance art, this year dubbed Workout. Previously, the Dachshund UN held there was something of a live art coup. And the MCA is not alone; traditional galleries are increasingly finding space for the oft-puzzling art form that can't be hung on the wall or put behind glass (unless it's Tilda). Melbourne's ACCA will soon host Mikala Dwyer's performance project, and last year London's Tate Modern opened the Tanks, a cavern underground that plays host to a roster of performance as well as film, sound and, of course, happenings. As Laura Cumming wrote in her Guardian review, "For the moment, the Tanks are the coolest part of the whole Tate enterprise. They have an air of freedom about them, as if anything might happen, and that comes from the ever-changing relationship between the raw building, the art and its audience." With institutional support, this era of performance art could be a long one. Settle in.
What's more ludicrous in Venom: Let There Be Carnage: an alien invasion of one man's body that turns into a parasite-host odd-couple show, or a prologue that thinks Woody Harrelson could've been a 90s teen? Kudos to this sequel to 2018's Venom for starting how it means to go on, at least. With its opening, set in 1996 in a home for unwanted children, the film doubles down on silliness, overblown theatrics and packaging itself as a cartoonish lark. The goofiness of the original box-office hit was among its best traits, and worked because that ridiculousness rattled against the movie's gritty superhero setup. Venom adopted all the stylistic markers that've become the serious-minded caped-crusader formula, then let Tom Hardy bounce around like he was in a comedy. But this time, everyone's gone more than a little vaudeville, as has the movie — and the outcome is right there in the title. Carnage isn't just an apt term to describe the film, which has actor-turned-director Andy Serkis (Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle) behind the lens; it's also the name of its second symbiote, aka a flesh-munching extra-terrestrial who inhabits a bag of bones, then brings out its basest urges. Mercifully, Let There Be Carnage isn't big on rehashing the mechanics established in the initial flick, but Venom fits the bill, too, after the creature took up residence inside San Francisco journalist Eddie Brock (Hardy, Capone), then unleashed the franchise's one-body, two-personality double act. Carnage, the red-hued parasite, is the spawn of Venom, albeit bursting forth from condemned serial killer Cletus Kasady (Harrelson, Zombieland: Double Tap) after a scuffle with Brock. And yes, this is the kind of feature that has the scenery-chewing Harrelson proclaim its subtitle with glee. He bellows "let there be carnage!" with winking jokiness, but resembles a ringmaster announcing the next act in a big top. Scripted by returning scribe Kelly Marcel, who also mined Fifty Shades of Grey for all the humour she could — and using a story co-credited to Hardy, who clearly has an attachment to his Marvel-but-not-Marvel Cinematic Universe character — Let There Be Carnage isn't burdened with much plot. After getting murderous following his separation from girlfriend Frances Barrison (Naomie Harris, No Time to Die) in their youth, Kasady will only tell his tale to Brock before he's executed. The latter goes awry due to Carnage's arrival, and a deal. The new symbiote will reunite Kasady with Barrison, whose ability to manipulate sound has seen her locked in an asylum, if the sadistic criminal assists his havoc-wreaking passenger to dispense with Brock and Venom. Cue the obvious — yes, carnage — and an inevitable showdown. Harrelson wasn't an adolescent in the 90s, but his performance nods to that decade, back when his resume spanned White Men Can't Jump, Natural Born Killers, The People vs Larry Flynt, EDtv and the like. That isn't a compliment; he's simply summoning-slash-parodying that heyday, and he's in a film that wishes it released then. Indeed, Let There Be Carnage could've been the hit of 1993, 1999 or any other year before Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy reshaped the genre, the MCU turned it into one of the predominant forms of big-screen entertainment (and now small screen, too), and superhero flicks began arriving every few weeks. Really, Harrelson's work here feels like a chaotic distraction rather than a throwback nudge, because there's only one great thing about Let There Be Carnage: Tom Hardy arguing with himself. One of everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood web-slinger's antagonists on the page, Venom might've first hit cinemas in the misfire that was Spider-Man 3, but the strongest aspect of his recent films is that self-banter. Plenty can be read into the back-and-forth, all voiced with gusto by Hardy: Venom is the literal growling voice inside Brock's head; a fight with conflicting impulses; the side of our identities we aren't comfortable revealing; and, here, the friend we need to be to ourselves in the name of self-care. In fact, Let There Be Carnage is a bromance as Brock and Venom try to live in harmony. That their disputes mimic domestic feuds isn't accidental. That said, endeavouring to layer in queer subtext — including comments about Venom coming out of Eddie's closet — falls flat. So do mentions of stopping cruelty to aliens, with the film merely paying lip service to deeper ideas, rather than even pretending to give them substance. There's always more CGI mayhem to come, after all, and more Brock-symbiote fights about eating chickens and chocolate instead of brains. Hardy makes all that bickering the most entertaining element of the film, though, almost purely through his sheer physical — and vocal —commitment. In 2013's Locke, he proved he could make talking the most riveting thing in the world, a notion the Venom franchise happily attempts to steal. Hardy is having the same great time he did in the initial flick, and trying to have even more. But, while often amusing to watch, it isn't infectious. Let There Be Carnage is nowhere near as fun as witnessing Hardy quarrel with himself should be, and gets routine and repetitive fast. Understandably, that doesn't bode well for the film's other performances; hopefully Michelle Williams (After the Wedding) was paid handsomely to reprise her thankless role as Brock's ex-fiancée Anne Weying, and the similarly underused Harris as Barrison/Shriek as well. It's knowingly absurd, boasts a self-aware lead and moves quickly — when the climax hits, it feels like everything before it breezed by — but Let There Be Carnage remains a slog. Most of its gags land with a thud, and Serkis mistakes pace for personality while going for a monotonous same-is-same approach that largely takes Venom's successes, spreads them over the entire movie, dials up the anarchic vibe and uses messiness as a visual template. Although it falls within Sony's Spider-Man Universe, which differs to the MCU but also includes the same version of the web-slinger, this symbiote sequel has pilfered one of Marvel's worst tendencies, too. Spider-Man: No Way Home reaches cinemas in weeks, the Jared Leto-starring Morbius follows the next month and, as the obligatory post-credits sting teases, Let There Be Carnage mainly exists to keep stitching this on-screen universe together and lay foundations for more to come in yet another sprawling comic book-inspired movie realm. Try as he visibly and energetically does, Hardy shouting at himself can't fix that either.
What begins with a look behind the glossy facade of Italy's superstar footballers, ends with a wide-ranging homage to one of its biggest-ever stars, and also features everything from sordid political tales to striking crime dramas? This year's Lavazza Italian Film Festival, which tours Palace Cinemas' sites around the country from September 17. For over a month, it'll showcase Italy's latest and greatest flicks — and a few old favourites — to Australian cinephiles. In the fest's 20th anniversary event, 26 new hits and classic gems will light up the big screen. Whether you're keen for a hearty laugh at a comedic delight, or can't wait to pay tribute to an Italian filmmaker like no other, they're on this year's festival bill. For all that and more, here are our top six picks. THE VICE OF HOPE Whenever a film peers at everyday existence, exploring the reality of life among average, working-class and/or struggling folks, it owes a debt to Italy. As the Second World War came to an end almost eight decades ago, the country's filmmakers turned their attention to the plight of ordinary people, sparking the birth of Italian neorealism. Set in Caserta, north of Naples, and using dialogue largely in the dialect of the region, Edoardo De Angelis' crime drama The Vice of Hope carries on social realist traditions as it tells the tale of a woman (Pina Turco) caught up in the child trafficking trade. And, after De Angelis' 2017 Lavazza Italian Film Festival hit Indivisible, it continues the writer and director's spate of sensitive but powerful features. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXLo5bUvw18 I'M NOT A KILLER Across his two-decade career, Ricardo Scamarcio hasn't just become one of Italy's biggest cinema stars. He has also popped up in Netflix's Master of None — in its Italy-set scenes, naturally — and dallied with none other than John Wick in Rome-set sequel John Wick: Chapter 2. Now, he dabbles with a murder mystery, all thanks to the Lavazza Italian Film Festival's I'm Not a Killer. Scamarcio plays Deputy Police Superintendent Francesco Prencipe, whose best friend (Alessio Boni) is found dead the morning after the pair reunite for the first time in nearly two years. There's no prizes for guessing just where fingers start pointing. However, ranging beyond the obvious and questioning clues that seem to point in a clear-cut direction is what a good thriller is all about. I'm Not a Killer also marks the second stint behind the camera for Andrea Zaccariello, who switches genres after his 2013 comedy Ci vediamo domani. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STdwYovczVg DON'T STOP ME NOW Mid-life malaise meets the spy game in Don't Stop Me Now, an Italian comedy that promises something different within two well-worn genres. Films about folks wondering if this is all there is to life are as common as big-screen espionage escapades — that is, very — but director Riccardo Milani and actor Paola Cortellesi offer a new twist as the real-life couple bring the two together for their latest collaboration. Cortellesi plays Giovanna, an accountant and mother who seems stuck in a rut. At their reunion, her high-school best friends all seem caught in similar situations as well. But, despite her mild-mannered appearance, Giovanna is actually a secret agent, which means she knows how to bring a little spice (and disguises, country-hopping and all kinds of anarchic antics) to her pals' routine existence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6zPO_jpIJI THE CONFORMIST Catching a classic film on the big screen is hardly a rare treat these days, but it's not every day that you get the chance to see Bernado Bertolucci's The Conformist in a cinema. First released in 1971, set in the 1930s and based on Alberto Moravia's 1950 neo-realist novel, the political drama follows the cowardly Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant) as he navigates life in Italy under the spread of fascism. When Clerici is tasked by the government with killing a political refugee, he agrees to the deadly deed, even though the target is his former college professor. In a movie that's equally smart, unsettling and expressive — and rightfully called a masterpiece — Bertolucci ponders just what kind of person blindly conforms to such a cruel regime, with ample assistance from his superb star Trintignant, as well as from acclaimed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s69O1G1ZRAM BANGLA When Bangla premiered at this year's Rotterdam International Film Festival, it earned comparisons to huge 2017 crowd-pleaser The Big Sick, and it's easy to see why. Phaim Bhuiyan, a 23-year-old first-time feature filmmaker, not only writes, directs and stars in this cross-cultural rom-com, but has drawn its honest and perceptive story from his own experiences as an Italian-born Muslim from a Bangladeshi family. When his on-screen character, who is also called Phaim, meets Asia (Carlotta Antonelli), their attraction is both instant and mutual. But his background — and, specifically, Islam's strict decree against sex before marriage — throws more than a few obstacles in the path of romance. The result is a keenly observed tale of multi-cultural life in Italy today, as told by someone who hasn't just been there and done that, but is still living through it. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival tours Australia from September 17, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema from September 17–October 16; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from September 19–October 16; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from September 25–October 16; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso and Luna on SX from October 2–23. For more information, visit the festival website.
UPDATE, Thursday, March 13, 2025: This event has been postponed from Sunday, March 16 to Sunday, March 23 . Fish Lane restaurant Southside is going all in on margaritas to kick off autumn in a big way, including with a fest inside a broader fest. The bigger event: March Into Margarita, the surrounding precinct's month-long celebration of 'ritas. And the shindig within the broader shindig: Margs-a-Million. Southside is pouring creative marg flavours from Saturday, March 1–Monday, March 31, including classic paloma, pina and butterfly lovers' margs — which is great news if you're all about just popping in whenever suits your diary. But you'll need to head by on Sunday, March 23 if you want to hit up the venue's marg party. Taking place on across two ticketed sessions — at 12pm and 2pm — Margs-a-Million will see Southside serve up margaritas — ten types this year — and host a mezcal and tequila tasting station. Also, the folks from Baja are joining in to take care of the snacks, and mariachi music will set the mood. Tickets cost $49, which gets you entry, plus two drinks. Images: Pixel Punk.
What do Blade Runner, a computer being named Time magazine's person of the year, the first-ever loaf of ciabatta bread, Pam & Tommy star Sebastian Stan and Brisbane's main inner-city shopping strip all have in common? They all date back to 1982. And, that means that they all share a birthday this year — so you can consider the Queen Street Mall's big shindig a celebration of all of the above if you like. Of course, this day-long party is really a huge way to mark the fact that people have been hitting up Queen Street to shop, eat, drink and hang out for four decades. Yes, all of that is on the agenda. Come Friday, August 26, the mall is hosting a hefty street party complete with live tunes, a pop-up champagne bar, fashion workshops, colourful shopfront installations and a night market. Standing around outside Hungry Jack's isn't officially on the program, but you know you'll do that anyway. The music lineup hasn't been revealed, but a free concert will take over a stage outside the Wintergarden from 5.30pm — just in time to stop by on your way home from work. And, from 10am, the mall will host style masterclasses with retailers such as Sass & Bide, Cue and Sheike, too, with runway shows popping up at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. For bubbles to sip throughout the day, you'll want to head to Jimmy's On The Mall's pop-up bar, which is running right through until Sunday, August 28. Plus, those night markets will sprawl across Reddacliff Place from 4–9pm. The previously announced Colour in the City, a walking trail of brightly hued (and supremely photogenic) installations, will start on Friday, August 26 as well. The mall's official birthday was on August 9, but it's the shop-lined precinct's party and it can throw it whenever it wants to. The Wintergarden also opened in 1982, in October. As for the Myer Centre, it followed a few years later, and won't actually hit the big 4-0 until 2028. Fancy a bigger blast from the past? Check out a few photos of the mall and surrounding areas over the years, including Jo-Jo's and the old Greater Union cinema on Albert Street, below: The Queen Street Mall's 40th Birthday Street Party is taking place on Friday, August 26. For further information, head to the event's website.
Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest. Indeed, when the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl kicked off in 2016, it did so in straightforward but great style. Recognising that the key to many a good night out is a multi-venue itinerary, it made hopping between Fortitude Valley's finest hangouts a streamlined, well-organised yet still laidback experience — with brews aplenty and an ace live soundtrack. Come 2023, the sprawling music and beer festival will still be going strong, and it has another packed day of tunes and brews in store. That date: Saturday, February 11, when attendees can jump between eight Valley spots to see a huge heap of bands take over nine different stages. Also pivotal: entry is free yet again, meaning that you'll only need your wallet for brews. [caption id="attachment_878320" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darcy Goss[/caption] On the bill: The Terrys, The Buoys and VOIID, headlining a roster of top-notch Aussie acts, plus Aaron Gocs as the festival's host. Among the other artists hitting the stage, Moon Saloon will serve up melodies aplenty, A.D.K.O.B is bringing its indie-rock sounds to town, Horror My Friend will deliver a dose of shoegaze and LOUNGE is all about power pop. The simultaneous sonic fun takes place at Black Bear Lodge, The Brightside indoors, The Brightside outdoors, Greaser (where there'll be two stages), O'Skulligans, Ric's Backyard, The Zoo and Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar. As always, the agenda includes running between each to sip frosty beverages and catch crackin' sets, with the entertainment once again sponsored by a brewery. The whole shindig kicks off at 6pm, so the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace evening of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. Well, that and check out the full impressive 41-act lineup below: [caption id="attachment_833903" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jared Hinz Photography[/caption] MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL 2023 LINEUP: ACTS: The Terrys The Buoys VOIID Bakers Eddy Bella Amor Dopamine Big Wett Carla Wehbe Horror My Friend Kitschen Boy Secret Act Sputnik Sweetheart Suzi ZHR 90IVY A.D.K.O.B Dizzy Days Dog God Doggie Heaven Dust Dusty Enclave Jem Cassar-Daley Joe Mungovan LOUNGE Miranda vs Arizona Moon Saloon Mozza Oil! Placement Rutherford Jazz Trio S.A.B Safety Club Stage Presence Supathick The Dandys The Love Inn The Pb's Twine Walta Wissalea & the Walnuts Hosted by Aaron Gocs [caption id="attachment_789891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] katexjean[/caption] VENUES: Black Bear Lodge The Brightside The Brightside — Outdoors Greaser (two stages) O'Skulligans Ric's Backyard Suzie Wongs The Zoo The 2023 Mountain Goat Valley Crawl takes place from 6pm on Saturday, February 11. Entry is free, but you'll need to RSVP for free tickets online. Top image: Nick Mick
In 2020, before Monsoon made cinema audiences swoon en masse, it screened at the Brisbane Queer Film Festival first. The same applies to Aussie teen rom-com Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), too. So, if you're eager to see some of 2021's queer movie highlights well before they reach general release, then you'd best make a date with this year's BQFF. Running from Thursday, March 11–Sunday, March 21, BQFF will unleash a jam-packed 11-day program at New Farm Cinemas, all to celebrate the fest's 22nd year. Expect star-studded gems, the latest works from top directors, bold debuts from first-timers and everything in-between, all as part of a lineup that spans 20 features and three different shorts sessions. From that lengthy selection, standouts include the The World to Come, a frontier romance featuring Katherine Waterston (The Third Day) and Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman); German drama No Hard Feelings, which explores queer immigrant life; British thriller Make Up, as set in a seaside caravan park; and Sublet, the new film from acclaimed Israeli filmmaker Eytan Fox. There's also opening night's I Carry You With Me, which unfurls a romance throughout Mexico across several decades — and the Australian-made The Greenhouse, which ponders a time-travel scenario. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6opB0rcvTY&feature=emb_logo
Going out to a nice breakfast on the weekend is one of the many pleasures Brisbane has to offer, but sometimes the same old eggs benny can get a bit tired. Not to mention the waiting times that are part and parcel of a Saturday morning visit to almost any inner suburban eatery. The people of Annerley are a lucky bunch, having a few good alternatives in their neck of the woods, including the bright and bubbly Cafe O-Mai. Their Vietnamese and Vietnamese-inspired dishes are a breath of fresh air to jaded (or perhaps just spoilt) Brisbane breakfast enthusiasts. Cafe O-Mai is also open for lunch, when you can get favourites like rice paper rolls and vermicelli noodle salad, but we think breakfast is where the action is. The baby pho (starting at $7) is the ideal morning meal: warm, restorative, laden with wholesome ingredients and starchy carbohydrates. It can also come with a bit of a chilli kick if you like it like that — and who here doesn't? The soup base is allowed to develop for two days, resulting in a very aromatic and flavoursome broth. Added extras include beef, chicken, beef balls, brisket, tripe, tendon and Asian greens. The banh mi is excellent, Cafe O-Mai having been a shameful omission from our recent Best Banh Mi in Brisbane list — an oversight that has now been corrected. Like the pho, the banh mi is quite customisable, with Cafe O-Mai offering possibly more variety than any other banh mi place in town. As well as the classic pork roll (with homemade chicken pate), you can choose from a dizzying lineup of fillings, including pork meatball and quail eggs. The baguettes (from Patisseries Bakery & De Francs in Sunnybank Hills) are chewy and satisfying, especially when chased with a cà phê phin (Vietnamese iced coffee). If you're the type who always goes for baked eggs, try Aunty Five's claypot baked eggs with Vietnamese lemongrass and chilli pork sausage, spring onion and tamarind sauce with sourdough ($15). The homemade sauce is tangy, sweet and sticky, and combines luxuriously with the soft egg yolks. You really shouldn't need more convincing to add Cafe O-Mai to your weekly breakfast rotation.
UPDATE, November 02, 2020: Your Name is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Most mornings, when her younger sister comes to wake her up, Mitsuha (voiced by Mone Kamishiraishi) is fondling her own chest. It becomes an ongoing joke between the siblings, but there's more than awkward teenage self-exploration at play. Most mornings, you see, her body is actually inhabited by someone else. Mitsuha is a high school student from the quiet town of Itomori, and when she asks the universe for a more exciting life, that's actually what she gets. Swapping bodies with the city-dwelling Taki (Ryunosuke Kamiki), she's soon working his shifts in an Italian restaurant, while he's fumbling through her classes and forgetting to make breakfast. It's a premise straight out of a body-swap movie — think Freaky Friday, Dating the Enemy and The Change-Up, to name a few. Mitsuha and Taki change bodies on alternating days, but they can't remember each other's names. To navigate the chaos of suddenly becoming someone else, they communicate via notes left in their phones, gradually settling into a routine. Alas, just as they start to feel comfortable switching into each other's skin, learning from their escapades and forming a growing connection, fate once again intervenes. In his fifth feature Makoto Shinkai (The Garden of Words, Children Who Chase Lost Voices) dives head-first into the offbeat yet insightful adventure that comes with literally putting his protagonists in someone else's place. However, taking inspiration from the traditional Japanese tale Torikaebaya Monogatari, Your Name proves more than just a quirky comedy. Starting with a meteor shower accompanied by narration about "that day when the stars came falling, like a dream…a shared dream," Shinkai flirts with everything from star-crossed romance to impending disaster, as well as notions of identity, gender, the ever-changing reality of life, and the difficulty of reconciling many everyday contrasts. It's telling that Shinkai highlights the dream-like nature of the material from the outset. An ethereal air infiltrates each scene, while the gorgeous, glistening animation makes every moment feel both hyper-realistic and like a fond memory. Indeed, the script's numerous charms are matched by endless visual delights. Full of montages and catchy pop songs, the film plays out in a recognisable world – particularly for anyone who has ever visited Tokyo. Yet it feels just as magical as it would were Mitsuha and Taki being spirited away to another realm. That's one of the reasons that the M word keeps being thrown around: 'Miyazaki', that is. Thanks to the film's phenomenal popularity in Japan, Shinkai has been dubbed the spiritual successor to the Studio Ghibli great — and while that's high praise, it also fails to capture just what makes the film such a treat. Part teen rom-com, part sci-fi contemplation of weighty concepts, the anarchy and confusion of life has rarely felt so vivid, honest or enchanting.
You've seen the TV series, following an incredibly relatable tale of trying to balance work, life, love and the like. Now, see the play that inspired the show. Before Fleabag was winning TV awards all over the UK, including a BAFTA for best female performance in a comedy for writer/creator/star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, it was a similarly applauded one-woman stage piece. And it's heading to small screens across the country. From Friday, April 10 till Sunday, May 31, you can watch Phoebe Waller-Bridge stepping through the story of Fleabag's titular character online via Soho Theatre's on-demand streaming site. Recorded at London's Wyndham's Theatre and broadcast as part of National Theatre Live in 2019, the show will cost £4 (about $8 AUD and $8.30 NZD) to stream, with all proceeds going to charities supporting those affected by COVID-19. Funds will be split across the National Emergency Trust, NHS Charities Together, Acting for Others and the Fleabag Support Fund, which provides grants to out-of-work freelancers in the theatre industry, If you're unfamiliar with the theatre or TV show, Fleabag's existence is perhaps best described as chaotic. Friends, family, job interviews, keeping a guinea pig-themed café afloat...they're just the beginning. The idea behind it came at one of Waller-Bridge's pal's storytelling nights, as a challenge to create a character for a ten-minute slot. If you're a fan, you'll want to see where it all began. If you've just heard everyone talking about Fleabag, and haven't watched it yet, here's your chance to jump on board. Top image: Fleabag at National Theatre Live by Matt Humphrey Updated May 11.
We all love to be spoilt, right? Well, these five fabulous characters take indulgence to a whole new level. The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts is hosting a cheeky play written and performed by Liz Skitch, the creator of Skitch Tease. Spoilt puts on stage the lives of five pampered women whose worlds begin to unravel when their paths cross. The main characters include a reality TV star, a personal trainer to celebs, one botox-loving celebrant, a PR consultant and small-dog enthusiast and a bridezilla from hell. Spoilt is sure to tickle your funny bone as it pokes fun at the self-indulgent. It is more than a light-hearted comedy, however, as it explores the nasty side of narcissism yet has a positive outlook on personal growth. Spoilt returns to Brisbane still riding high on its Melbourne International Comedy Festival successes. It first wowed audiences at La Mama as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2013.
Set out on a catamaran from Cairns with the award-winning Passions of Paradise and take a tour with a team that is dedicated to eco-friendly explorations. The snorkelling gear is included, so you can get up close to turtles, fish and all the coral-dwelling creatures of the reef with ease before relaxing on board with a buffet lunch. The best bit? Passions of Paradise work with researchers to help grow coral through the Coral Nurturing Program and offset carbon emissions by planting trees in the Daintree. If you're visiting the reef from Port Douglas, consider a trip with Sailaway. The full-day tour with a qualified marine biologist is a top-tier way to appreciate the wonders beneath the shimmering blue waves. The company donates $20 from every passenger's ticket to its reforestation and carbon offsetting project, too.
In showbusiness, nepotism is as inescapable as movies about movies. Both are accounted for in The Souvenir: Part II. But when talents as transcendent as Honor Swinton Byrne, her mother Tilda Swinton and writer/director Joanna Hogg are involved — with the latter working with the elder Swinton since her first short, her graduation piece Caprice, back in 1986 before Honor was even born — neither family ties nor filmmaking navel-gazing feel like something routine. Why this isn't a surprise with this trio is right there in the movie's name, after the initial The Souvenir proved such a devastatingly astute gem in 2019. It was also simply devastating, following an aspiring director's romance with a charismatic older man through to its traumatic end. Both in its masterful narrative and its profound impact, Part II firmly picks up where its predecessor left off. In just her third film role — first working with her mum in 2009's I Am Love before The Souvenir and now this — Swinton Byrne again plays 80s-era filmmaking student Julie Harte. But there's now a numbness to the wannabe helmer after her boyfriend Anthony's (Tom Burke, Mank) death, plus soul-wearying shock after discovering the double life he'd been living that her comfortable and cosy worldview hadn't conditioned her to ever expect. Decamping to the Norfolk countryside, to her family home and to the warm but entirely upper-middle-class, stiff-upper-lip embrace of her well-to-do parents Rosalind (Swinton, The French Dispatch) and William (James Spencer Ashworth) is only a short-term solution, however. Julie's thesis film still needs to be made — yearns to pour onto celluloid, in fact — but that's hardly a straightforward task. As the initial movie was, The Souvenir: Part II is another semi-autobiographical affair from Hogg, with Swinton Byrne slipping back into her on-screen shoes. This time, the director doesn't just dive into her formative years four decades back, but also excavates what it means to mine your own life for cinematic inspiration — aka the very thing she's been doing with this superb duo of features. That's what Julie does as well as she works on the film's film-within-a-film, sections of which play out during The Souvenir: Part II's running time and are basically The Souvenir. Accordingly, viewers have now spent two pictures watching Hogg's protagonist lives the experiences she'll then find a way to face through her art, all while Hogg moulds her two exceptional — and exceptionally intimate and thoughtful — movies out of that exact process. Julie's graduation project is also an escape, given it's patently obvious that the kindly, well-meaning but somehow both doting and reserved Rosalind and William have been pushed out of their comfort zone by her current crisis. Helping their daughter cope with her heroin-addicted lover's passing isn't something either would've considered might occur, so they natter away about Rosalind's new penchant for crafting Etruscan-style pottery instead — using small talk to connect without addressing the obvious, as all families lean on at some point or another. They provide financing for Julie's film, too, in what proves the easiest part of her concerted efforts to hop back behind the lens and lose herself in her work. Elsewhere, an array of doubt and questions spring from her all-male film-school professors, and the assistance she receives from her classmates is quickly steeped in rivalries, envy and second-guessing. More than once, queries arise about why Julie makes particular choices — and seeing how Swinton Byrne responds under Hogg's meticulous direction is one of the key reasons that The Souvenir: Part II is as powerful and compelling as it is. Like everything in the film, it's a revelation in layers, which unpeel far deeper than merely asking Swinton Byrne to be her director's on-screen surrogate. An introvert, Julie is visibly unaccustomed to the scrutiny that comes with her ambitious project, and with needing to handle her inner hurt under a spotlight. Swinton Byrne makes that plain quietly but repeatedly, all while conveying how Julie's self-hesitation slowly dissipates the longer she goes on, the more she struggles with, and the more mistakes she makes and solves. How this process echoes through her work, shaping both it and Julie herself, ripples through to a disarmingly intense degree — and with crucial aid from cinematographer David Raedeker (Swimming with Men) and production designer Stéphane Collonge (God's Own Country). There's no shaking the grief of it all, of course. As a musing on mourning, plus a perceptive glimpse at how the bereaved are expected to soldier on despite placating words offered otherwise, The Souvenir: Part II is shattering. Amid movie-within-movie sequences that'd owe thanks to David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman if they weren't so clearly diffused through Hogg's own lens — and after the other glimpse at the industry that comes via Richard Ayoade's (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) returning Patrick, now successful, pompous AF, helming a huge movie musical and an enormous scene-stealer — the all-encompassing chaos that loss begets is laid bare. It's what drives Julie into bed with one of Patrick's stars (Charlie Heaton, Stranger Things), and sees her place perhaps too much on her own film's leading man (Harris Dickinson, The King's Man). In another of the feature's standout moments, it's also what causes her to misunderstand the sympathies of her editor (Joe Alwyn, Mary Queen of Scots) when support becomes hard to find. The Souvenir was a fated romantic tragedy. It was a vehicle for its director to work through her memories, too, and immortalise what she's now decided to keep; yes, that title is oh-so-telling. The Souvenir: Part II is a meditation upon loss, heartbreak and life's worst existential and inevitable woes, and also a way for Hogg to sift through her memories about all those memories, not to mention the new ones she conjured up when she first turned them into a movie a few years back. It's as smart, sensitive and stacked as an immensely personal piece of cinema can be, and it's also thrillingly savvy about how subjective everything it shows and interrogates needs to be by necessity. Cinema isn't short on memoirs, many of them wonderful — recent Oscar-winners Roma and Belfast, for example — but The Souvenir and its just-as-phenomenal sequel are in a bold and brilliant realm all of their own.
Autumn means many things for Brisbanites, including pouring rain, cooler nights and, most importantly for some, the beginning of football season. Whether your code is league, union or soccer, you'll be heading to Suncorp Stadium to support your beloved team (sorry Lions lovers, we'll cover the Gabba soon). And since you're in the area, you may as well make a night of it, either heading to dinner beforehand, or partying on to celebrate your team's victory. Here, we narrow down our top ten places to go before or after a game at Suncorp Stadium. Libertine Libertine is the perfect place to dine in a group for a refined night out before heading down the road to watch some ball sports. With a menu designed to share, you and your friends can get jolly on their delicious French-Vietnamese influenced cocktails and menu. The pork spring rolls with green chilli sauce are a must. On the heartier end of the scale, the wagyu, pork belly and duck are all mouth-wateringly good. No. 5 The Barracks, 61 Petrie Terrace, Paddington; 07 3367 3353; www.libertine.net.au Peasant Enjoy the brand new menu at Peasant, which features some incredible tapas and wines to match. The boisterous atmosphere will certainly start your night off with excitement and a bit of the European cultural flair. Peasant is great for groups to celebrate their favourite sporting event, particularly if it falls on a Sunday where they can enjoy paella in the garden. 61 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane; 07 3367 8066; www.peasant.com.au FAB If you’re just after a quick bite to eat before the game then FAB (Fish and Burgers) at the Barracks will do the trick. With an extensive range of burgers on their menu including vego and gluten-free options, everyone will be satisfied and have their stomachs sensibly lined before potential fieldside boozing. They also do a mean fish and chips. The Barracks, Petrie Terrace, Paddington; 07 3367 8088; www.fabfishandburger.com Paddo Tavern The Paddo is another Brisbane institution known for its cowboy hat-wearing bar staff, saddle chairs and footpath frontage, perfect for people watching. The quintessential pub, the Paddo caters for all desires including a hearty pub meal, a game of pool, a round on the pokies, live music, plasma screens showing sports and an expansive outdoor seating area. With a very laid back vibe, the Paddo is an easy place to meet with friends for a casual night out. 186 Given Terrace, Paddington; 07 3369 0044; thepaddo.com.au Gambaro For a lavish night out with friends or clients you should start out in true style with a seafood feast at Gambaro. Known for its incredible seafood, including amazing platters, you can eat like royalty here. They have beautiful options for both entrees and mains but your real focus should be on the seafood-heavy options such as the live rock lobster prepared your way, BBQ Moreton Bay bugs, or one of the famous chilled seafood platters. 33 Caxton Street, Paddington; 07 3369 9500; www.gambaros.com.au Caxton Hotel The Caxton Hotel is one of Brisbane’s best known and longstanding pubs and is the most obvious choice for post-match debauchery. With their space extended, the Caxton can literally squeeze thousands of people in. Known for playing classic music - think 'Jesse’s Girl' to 'Eagle Rock' (upon which you will see hundreds of men with their pants around their ankles) - plus a mix of modern hits as well, the Caxton Dance floor is one of the most hilarious, gross and wonderful experiences all rolled in to one. Girls, be prepared to be the prey of drunk men. Boys, be prepared to be the prey of drunk women. 38 Caxton Street, Paddington; 07 3369 5544; www.caxton.com.au The Scratch For those after a low-key start to the night, head to The Scratch for amazing craft beer on tap. With four taps and one hand pump, the guys at The Scratch change their selections on a daily basis, keeping everyone on their toes. Aware that not everybody is a beer-spert, they welcome newbies into their home with open arms, eager to explain what's on tap, where it's from and how it has been made. It is a totally relaxed vibe and a perfect way to ease into the afternoon. 8/1 Park Road, Milton; 07 3107 9910; www.scratchbar.com Iceworks The Iceworks is a great place to go both before and after the game. Located diagonally opposite the stadium, it is in prime position. The food menu is very modern but fairly inexpensive and includes menu items like duck foie gras parfait, mud crab and clam linguini, and tea-smoked ocean trout. The bar is long and well-staffed meaning that despite the inevitable crowd, you will not have to wait too long for a drink. Location is key here though; if you head out right on the buzzer you can make it back to the bar within two minutes. Corner of Given Tce and Dowse Street, Paddington; 07 3367 9800; www.iceworks.com.au Casablanca Casablanca is a hybrid of latin dance, karaoke, food and debauchery. It is the place where generally intoxicated, and also very talented, people go to get up on stage and sing in front of a crowd of strangers. You know you've had a big night when your night ends up at karaoke. You'll be able to tell from a raspy voice, a couple of bruises, and some unused song selection pieces of paper in your hand. Casablanca fills up with those chasing the musical dream right before 3am where they sing to their hearts' content until they saunter down the road to Dirty Harry's for some chicken chippies. 52 Petrie Terrace, Paddington; 07 3369 6969; www.casablanca.com.au Arrivederci Pizzeria Park Road in Milton is abundant with soccer fandom and a wide selection of Italian food. Arrivederci is celebrated for their pizzas - both the flavour and size. Pizzas at Arrivederci are ordered by length coming in one metre, 50cm or 25cm. Because of this, it is the perfect place to gather with a large group of friends and smash metres of pizza before you cheer on the Brisbane Roar. Alternatively, if you can't get tickets to a game, or want to watch your favourite European team play, then it's guaranteed that the major sport fans of Arrivederci will be playing the game which you can enjoy in the comfort of a highly atmospheric Italian restaurant. 1/1 Park Road, Milton; 07 3369 8500; www.arrivedercipizza.com.au
For nearly six decades, Robert Redford has sparkled on the silver screen, dripping charm across the original The Great Gatsby, solo seafaring drama All Is Lost and everything in between. His resume is as sizeable as his charisma, but as his acting career reportedly comes to an end, the 82-year-old's allure couldn't shine brighter. The primarily 1980s-set The Old Man and the Gun is the story of two men: a real-life thief and the detective on his trail. It's also a tale that's intricately attuned to its leading man. Seeing Redford rob banks and stage heists once more feels like the perfect swansong for a talent who became a star thanks to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. Likewise, that the movie is all about doing what you love couldn't feel more fitting for his final on-screen role. After stating that The Old Man and the Gun would be his last performance, Redford somewhat walked back those comments with a 'never say never' attitude. If this does turn out to be the four-time Oscar nominee's final hurrah in front of the camera, he's leaving viewers with a treasure of a filmic goodbye that keeps its scale small and intimate, but boasts a big heart as it ponders big existential matters. A loving tribute and a wistful take on a true story combined, The Old Man and the Gun recognises that pursuing a passion is what life is all about and, if you're able to do just that, it changes everything. Much to cinema's great benefit, Redford has chased his dream through acting since 1960. The man he's playing here did the same by walking into banks and demanding their money. Dressed respectably, hat, jacket, tie and all, Forrest Tucker's (Redford) modus operandi is always the same. He steps into a financial institution, steps up to a member of staff and courteously asks for their cash. He gestures gently towards the gun under his arm, all while conducting his stick-up politely, smoothly and with a smile. Afterwards, once he's waltzed out with the loot without customers noticing, bank employees routinely tell the police how nice he is. In his 70s and out of jail again after one of his many stints inside, Tucker is still doing what he does best, usually with long-term pals Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (Tom Waits). Sparking up a romance with widow Jewel (Sissy Spacek) doesn't change Tucker's love for his chosen profession, and neither does the sleuthing of determined Texas cop John Hunt (Casey Affleck). Drawn from a 2003 New Yorker article with the same evocative name, Hunt's, er, hunt for Tucker helps shade in some of the latter's backstory. But this isn't about documenting all of the details, with getting a sense of the eponymous old man more important than working through his biography. That's what Jewel does, as their relationship progresses even after Tucker is upfront about his line of work. The film follows her cues, offering a casual stroll through the twilight years of its likeable and kindly criminal. Shot in warm tones on 16mm stock, and given the nostalgic sheen of someone reflecting on fond memories, it may be a bank robber drama, a detective quest and a romance all in one — but it's first and foremost an affectionate yarn about its engaging protagonist and his dedication to remaining true to his outlaw self. In other words, The Old Man and the Gun fits snuggly into the oeuvre of writer-director David Lowery, who has amassed an impressive resume with his four movies to date. Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story might seem worlds away from the filmmaker's latest effort, and from each other, but the yearning need to remain true to oneself sits at the centre of each. Lowery also excels at splashing emotion across the screen subtly but powerfully. It's there when he lingers on the twinkle in Redford's eye, and when he documents Tucker's many prison escapes by using footage from across the actor's career. And, it's evident in the film's other standout performance. Harking back to her breakout role in Badlands, Spacek once again falls for someone who's committed to doing wrong, and once again gleams, this time like her character's name. That makes The Old Man and the Gun a gorgeous and entertaining ode to not just one cinema legend, but two. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWybz4vdaFs
Melbourne's seen its fair share of dockless bike share systems rolled out (and often axed) over the years. But things are shifting up a gear this year when the city's first ever long-term dockless share scheme for electric bikes launches this week. The City of Melbourne, the City of Yarra and the City of Port Phillip have announced they're starting a one-year trial with Uber's much-hyped e-bike service, Jump. Jump has already been embraced by cities across the US and Europe, and is en route to our neighbours in Auckland, but this will be its Australian launch. When they lands in Melbourne tomorrow at 6am, Wednesday, 4, the bright red pedal-assisted bikes will be available to hire through your regular Uber app. You'll just need to switch to bike mode, where you'll be able to see available bikes and use the app to unlock one and ride away. For now, 400 bikes will located in the CBD, with more bikes set to roll out across the City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip over the coming months. They'll be available to use in the three council areas, only, which cover the CBD and Docklands, West Melbourne (and over to Flemington), the inner north (Carlton, North Melbourne, Fitzroy and Richmond) and down to the bay (Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, Albert Park, St Kilda and Elwood). If you ride a Jump bike outside of these areas, you may receive a penalty charge to your Uber account. In another effort to avoid the woes of past bike share networks, the councils have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the rules and regulations Jump will need to stick to in order to keep operating in Melbourne past the 12-month trial. The company using geo-fencing technologies and remote monitoring to keep track of its fleet. Hopefully that'll help curb the number of bikes ditched in trees, creeks and other questionable spots around the city, as was mostly the downfall of previous players like oBike. As well as laying down requirements for parking and maintenance, it stipulates firm resolution timeframes for damaged or discarded e-bikes. Taking care of service and maintenance will be the crew from Good Cycles, a Melbourne-based social enterprise that trains and employees disadvantaged youth. Riders will, of course, have to don a helmet and play by the usual road rules when cruising around on a Jump bike, with the bikes costing $1 to unlock and 30 cents a minute to ride. When you've finished using the bike, you'll also need to park and lock the bike in one of the e-bike zones shown on the app's map. Uber hasn't announced any plans to launch Jump in any other Australian cities yet, but if the trial goes well, we'd expect that it will in the near future. The Jump bike option will be available in your Uber app from Wednesday, March 4. You can find more info on the Jump bikes here.
It happened. Change has swept into the highest office in the United States. With it, crowds both in America and around the globe have come out in force — against newly inaugurated President Donald Trump and his highly publicised comments against women, and for equality in general. There's no shortage of reasons driving the protests, thanks to the new POTUS and his administration's stance on race, class, gender, healthcare, civil rights, queer rights, reproductive rights, immigration, education, conflicts of interest... the list goes on. There's also no shortage of folks heading out to voice their concern. The Women's March started as an event planned for January 21 in Washington, D.C. the day after Trump's swearing-in ceremony in the US capital, then quickly swelled to become a massive movement drawing hundreds thousands of people worldwide. Marches have taken place everywhere from London to Nairobi, Toronto to Tel Aviv, and Oslo to Antarctica, plus Park City, Utah, where the Sundance Film Festival is currently underway. In Sydney, a crowd of approximately 5000 people took to the streets to march in solidarity, continuing unfazed when skywriting emblazoned the US President's name above them. With such a massive outcry comes a massive onslaught of passion and creativity, including a sea of placards getting the point across in an engaging fashion. Don't just take our word for it — the array of pictures snapped around the world do all of the talking. https://twitter.com/callirachel/status/822694126588047360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/mradamscott/status/822969795985416192 https://www.instagram.com/p/BPh6cP5DEuu/?taken-by=womensmarch https://twitter.com/corinnepurtill/status/822923128221249536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/myquirky_corner/status/822931521241640960 https://twitter.com/jgitchell/status/822846113246048256 https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/822938477989769217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/lindazunas/status/822877872587231232 For more information about the Women's March, visit their website.
Four years after adding a new celebration of cinema to Brisbane's annual calendar, Queensland Film Festival returns with perhaps its most ambitious event yet — and its most topical. Running from July 19 to 29, the 2018 festival will not only span high-profile new titles, multiple cinephile-friendly retrospectives and QFF's first gallery installation, but will also boast an overwhelmingly strong contingent of female filmmakers. From opening night's Australian duo of Terror Nullius and Strange Colours (with filmmakers Soda_Jerk and Alena Lodkina in attendance), to festival circuit favourites You Were Never Really Here and The Rider, to a restored print of under-appreciated local coming-of-age horror gem Celia, more than 80 percent of QFF's lineup of 59 features and shorts is either directed or co-directed by women. That includes the fest's showcase on French filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, with the pair coming to Brisbane for QFF ahead of their appearance at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Renowned for lurid genre films that toy with everything from horror to crime to spaghetti westerns, Cattet and Forzani's three full-length efforts to date — the psychosexual, psychedelic Amer; follow-up The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears (which actually initially screened at the first QFF back in 2015); and their latest effort Let the Corpses Tan — all feature in the program. From the rest of QFF's 2018 bill, other highlights include Lucrecia Martel's Zama, which marks the long-waited next effort from the acclaimed Argentinian filmmaker; as well as the gorgeously otherworldly The Wolf House by Cristóbal León and Joaquin Cociña — an astonishing piece of stop-motion animation that turns a meticulous and creative art installation into an entrancing movie. And, among the fest's other retrospectives, the festival will celebrate the work of avant-garde Czech director Věra Chytilová, whose subversive comedy Daisies is considered one of the landmark films of the 60s. Anthropologists and documentarians Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel are also in QFF's spotlight, thanks to a program focusing on their observational and immersive explorations of both the natural and man-made world. As part of the latter, GOMA will screen a free, ongoing installation of the duo's work for the duration of festival. Elsewhere, the fest will feature German horror Hagazussa, about women deemed witches during the Dark Ages; An Elephant Sitting Still, the bleak but moving first and last film by Chinese filmmaker Hu Bo; and creative 3D effort Prototype, which ponders both the deadliest natural disaster in US history strikes and the history and future of cinema. Then, closing out the fest is a pair of movies that combine film and sport: documentary John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection and fictional effort Diamantino, about a soccer star coping with everything from neo-fascism to the refugee crisis to genetic modification. Queensland Film Festival runs from July 19 to 29 at New Farm Cinemas, Elizabeth Picture Theatre, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Institute of Modern Art. To view the full program or buy tickets, head to the festival website.
Little Peach Co. is a letterpress printing and design studio situated in downtown Woolloongabba. Its old-fashioned 1965 Heidelberg Platen 'Bertha' is at the heart every business card, invite or custom-designed stationery piece. The small business pours love into creating beautiful hand-made goods to suit your business or special occasion. If you're heading on in, we suggest you call ahead.
As technology and art continue to collide in all sorts of weird and wonderful ways, a new smartphone app called Smartify is out to make sharing and discovering art a whole lot easier. Working similarly to how Shazam identifies music, Smartify can be used to identify art — simply hold the app up in front of an artwork to discover its name, tap into a wealth of extra information about the piece and even access audio commentary. With this in your hand, there'll be no more battling the gallery crowds for a peek at that tiny wall plaque. Users can also save favourite artworks to their Smartify profile, creating a mini art gallery within their smartphone. The app was founded by a group of four UK friends who were keen to add another dimension to the art experience beyond simply looking at pictures on a gallery wall. To bring this to life while still protecting artist copyright, they've teamed up with museum and gallery partners around the world, who help generate and direct Smartify's content. The app's currently live at famed destinations like The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, London's National Portrait Gallery and the Museo San Donato in Italy, with lots more to come. Venues are encouraged to get on board here — let's hope some local additions are just around the corner.
Ah, gluten. Scourge of coeliacs, this humble wheat protein has been making life difficult for as long as we've been eating sliced bread. But fortunately for all the folks out there with gluten intolerances, VEND Marketplace in Virginia will be a gluten-free zone for a day. At the Gluten-Free Pop-Up Market from 10am–3pm on Saturday, October 19, 2024, mobile food vendors will set up their stalls and roll in their trucks to sling tasty treats without a single bit of wheat, rye or barley in sight. At earlier events, SoCal Tacos, The Dagwood Dog Guy, King of the Wings and Big J Woodfired Pizza were among the eateries making an appearance, alongside OMG Donuts, Roll It Ice Cream, Golden Churros and Mama Mac's Macarons — and others. There'll also be a number of stalls selling a variety of gluten-free products to take home, so you can stock your pantry as well. The dog-friendly event will let you take advantage of VEND's usual 130-plus small businesses, too, for a stint of shopping with your gluten-free eats. The October timing? Yes, that's perfect for getting your Christmas shopping done early.
It's the Fortitude Valley venue with the name that describes its antics: mammoth. And when Woolly Mammoth get into the tequila game, you can only expect that the results will be pretty hefty. Pop-up tequila bars and tequila cocktails on tap are both on the menu from 9pm on Thursday, August 30, all as part of the Ann Street spot's Neanderthal Tequila Fiesta. It in turn forms part of this year's Valley Fiesta, so consider it a party within a party. A live Mariachi band will unleash their festive sounds between 9.30–11.30pm, with DJs keeping the beats going afterwards — and, to ensure that all of the tequila isn't too harsh on everyone's stomachs, there'll be nacho specials. Actually, because the whole thing falls on a Thursday night, there'll also be free wings with every drink between 9–11pm. To add to all of the above, general entry is free as well.
Bacon and bourbon have been lifelong drinking buddies, dredging up wild west frontier images in their smoky, smoky team-up. But the porch-lovin' pair usually remain on plate and glass, woefully separated from realising their true fusion potential. However, things are changing for bacon and bourbon romances, as well as their steadfast fans. While US company Old Major have already teamed the two in their own infused spirit, we're looking for something a little closer to home. From the Speakeasy team behind Eau De Vie and The Roosevelt Bar and Diner, brand new Australian spirit venture The Experimental Spirits Co. is launching their own smoked bacon bourbon. Coinciding with the latest unofficial hashtag on the Australian calendar, Australian Bacon Week, the smoky, smoky spirit marks the first endeavour for the brand new company — plus, they're crowdfunding it. "I had an idea to create a unique boutique spirits company some time ago, when I ran my own consultancy outfit (Behind Bars), but due to various conflicts of interests I was unable to do so," owner, founder and renowned spirit guru Sven Almenning says. "Having now untangled myself from that, I am very excited to be launching the Experimental Spirits Co. We developed this great little whisky when we were working on our Eau De Vie Small Batch Cocktails — currently available through Vintage Cellars — and we thought it was too good not to share with the world in a more familiar format." So how do you actually infuse bourbon with bacon? The key to the whole shebang is what's known as a 'fat washing' process, allowing the smoked bacon flavour to be soaked into the whiskey. Then it's filtering time (ten times over) before the alchemy is bottled and wax sealed. It's a handmade labour of love for the Experimental Spirits Co. "It’s quite a laborious process," admits Almenning. "But that’s the nature of the products we want to produce." While you'll only initially be able to enjoy the Smoked Bacon Bourbon in the Speakeasy Group venues (both Eau De Vie venues in Sydney and Melbourne, Sydney's recently opened Eau De Vie Apothecary plus The Roosevelt Bar & Diner) plus a handful of specially-picked bars, the team are making their infused bourbon a special edition crowdfunding perk of its own — $80 donations will get you a bottle of the bourbon to swill at your own leisure. So with $25,000 as the target, where's the money going? "Primarily the funds will go towards purchasing whiskey and the down payments on all the equipment that is required for creating the product," say the team. "We hope that this campaign will assist us in covering some of the costs for new production equipment such as more high-volume filtration systems as well as the rental of a small ‘lab’ where we can base our work and the new business." With the smoked bacon bourbon up and running, the Experimental Spirit Co. intend to launch a salted coconut spiced rum and a 'new-age' gin with a twist later in the year. For now, its all about bringing home the crowdfunded bacon. Throw your sweet cashola at it over here.
When Percy Fawcett gazes upon the Amazon in The Lost City of Z, he does so with wonder blazing in his eyes. A real-life geographer, soldier and explorer played here by Charlie Hunnam, Fawcett is dispatched from Britain to South America to survey the border between Bolivia and Brazil, only to become beguiled by his new rainforest surroundings. Many movies would explain his reaction through dialogue alone, but James Gray's latest effort works in more than just words. The filmmaker behind The Immigrant and We Own The Night, Gray is known for crafting precise, painterly visuals. It's little wonder that his excursion through tropical greenery shares Fawcett's fondness in each and every frame. To watch The Lost City of Z is to stare deep into the splendour of untamed nature, and to appreciate the mystery and allure that comes simply from looking. The colour and movement; the locals and the wildlife; the sense of how different it is to early 20th century England — it's all there, in cinematographer Darius Khondji's striking images. It's an essential touch, given that examining the mindset that inspired Fawcett's repeated treks into the jungle is one of the movie's main aims. If there were ever any doubts that Gray would be able to jump from his urban-set back catalogue to the grandness of the Amazonian wilds, they're quickly dispelled. When we first meet Fawcett, he's a young army officer hunting stag for sport. He's considered talented, yet a shadow hangs over his family name thanks to his drunken father. Asked to do the Royal Geographic Society's bidding on the other side of the world, he soon leaves his wife Nina (Sienna Miller) and infant son for trampling through luscious growth, with Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson) and on-site guides for company. If he hadn't fallen for the Amazon's magnetism, as well as a story about a lost city teeming with gold, his jaunt might've ended with a happy return home. But Fawcett is haunted by his desire to find the fabled locale — and prove that advanced civilisation exists beyond western society — even if it costs him his life. As the film's existential adventures continue, Pattinson gets grimy, Tom Holland pops up, as does Italian acting legend Franco Nero. Ultimately though, The Lost City of Z belongs to Hunnam, who wipes King Arthur from our memory. Poised, passionate and persistent, with ample charm thrown in, he plays his protagonist as an imperfect but still decent man driven by a multitude of motivators. The character is also surprisingly progressive, breaking from the racist, sexist, classist, jingoistic and colonialist attitudes of his peers. In short, he's the sort of person you'd be willing to follow through dense foliage. Just as seeing is believing when it comes to Gray's mesmerising sights, Hunnam ensures viewers feel the calling coursing through Fawcett's veins. Accordingly, The Lost City of Z becomes more than just a dazzling account of a real-life trek through uncharted terrain. That's not to say that it doesn't impress as an intimate adventure flick, an exploration of fevered obsession, or as a textured and thoughtful biopic — in fact, it succeeds as all three. But what lingers most of all is an understanding of why people chase even the most challenging and unlikely of dreams, what they hope to find, and how such mysteries leave their mark on history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2RYbGgBQeM
