In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we hop aboard PS Emmylou on the Murray River. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? According to the PS Emmylou team, this is the world's only accommodated woodfire paddle steamer. You'll slowly float along the Murray River in this newly kitted-out boat, stopping off at small towns and natural sites to do some light exploring. It has to be one of the very best ways to see this part of Australia. THE ROOMS There are just eight luxe cabins on board the PS Emmylou — it's a proper small-group cruise. You can either opt for the twin cabins with two single beds or one of the double or queen cabins. Each of these is above deck and comes with its own ensuite bathroom, wifi, aircon and windows to let the fresh country air right into your room. There's also one larger suite (that you can book on the Concrete Playground Trips website) with double doors opening directly onto the verandah, where you can relax with a drink in hand and take in the ambience as you cruise the Murray River. This is for those wanting the full luxury experience. FOOD AND DRINK At the back of the paddle steamer, you'll find a covered deck that's set up for meals every day. Whenever you dine, stunning views will surround you. And there are stacks of great meals included. In the morning, you can fill up on a full English Breakfast or go continental — tucking into pastries, cereals and fresh fruit. Your caffeine fix is also sorted with barista-made coffee included. The onboard chef also makes a daily morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for all the guests, ensuring your belly won't grumble at any part of the trip. Then there are the special multi-course dinners celebrating local produce (with house wine and beers also included). And depending on the itinerary you choose, you can experience gourmet picnics and riverside barbeque dinners under the stars — with live entertainment. [caption id="attachment_894062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kayaking on the Murray River, Barmah National Park. DNSW.[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA There are two itinerary options available to those who jump aboard the PS Emmylou, taking you to the same parts of the Murray River region but spending more or less time at each. The three-day cruise starts at Echuca and stops off at Layfield Lane, Deep Creek Marina and Torrumbarry Weir. You'll be taken for tastings at Morrisons Riverside Winery and get a tour of the lush Pericoota Station gardens. Plenty of nature hikes are also available. There's also the seven-day cruise. This begins and ends at Torrumbarry Weir. It hits the same spots as the shorter cruise but takes more time to explore each part — that means you can go deeper into the remote areas on guided tours and hikes (and sneak in a few more cultural experiences and winery visits). THE EXTRAS This is an all-inclusive cruise. Return V/Line train fares to Echuca and local transfers to and from the boat are included as well as all your meals, coffee, alcohol and local guided tours. You'll also save about $500 when you book the three-day cruise through Concrete Playground Trips in the spacious Queen Suite. This deal gives you a pretty great reason to jump on board PS Emmylou and explore the mighty Murray River region in total comfort. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Images: DNSW
After introducing a container refund scheme and scrapping disposable plastic bags, Queensland is ramping up its war on waste once again. As first proposed in 2019, then floated by the community in 2020, the Sunshine State is implementing a ban on single-use plastics — with legislation passing Queensland Parliament on Wednesday, March 10. In the immediate crosshairs are plastic straws, cutlery, plates and stirrers, which will all be banned from September 1, 2021 under the Waste Reduction and Recycling (Plastic Items) Amendment Act 2020. Polystyrene foam food containers and cups will fall under the legislation as well, so you won't be using them when spring hits, either. Crucial to the ban is the existence of already-available alternatives, whether they're reusable (in the case of cutlery and plates) or 100-percent compostable (as seen with paper straws and stirrers). For people with disability, some alternative products to plastic — such as bamboo, paper and metal straws — aren't always a viable option. The legislation does include exemptions for people with disability, or with other relevant healthcare needs, who require access to one of the banned single-use plastic items. Announcing the legislation's passage, Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs Meaghan Scanlon advised that the move had widespread support across Queensland. "During our community consultation stage, from March last year, some 94 percent of the 20,000 respondents supported our proposal to ban these items. In addition, our latest online survey, which concluded on January 15, also supported the inclusion in the ban of expanded polystyrene products such as takeaway food containers and cups — with an overwhelming 98 percent of 6800 respondents in favour of removing them from our environment." During the consultation phase, a number of other single-use items were identified by respondents, which may be covered by the ban at a later date. They could include coffee cups, plastic cups and heavy-weight plastic shopping bags, which were all identified by the Qld Government as potential targets when it first announced that it was investigating a single-use plastic ban. "This legislation also makes provision for more single-use items to be banned through regulation in the future,"said Scanlon. "There were many suggestions for other items that could be prohibited which we will now consider. We will conduct extensive public consultation and give business and the community time to transition before any further bans are introduced". Similar laws just came into effect in South Australia, Victoria has set a 2023 deadline for implementing a single-use plastic ban as well and, as a nation, Australia has floated banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025. And, that's on top of smaller-scale initiatives, not only including bag bans and container schemes, but the phasing out of single-use plastics in various guises at the company level, with Coles, McDonald's, IKEA, Coca-Cola Amatil and Qantas among those making steps in the plastic-free direction. For more information about the Queensland Government's single-use plastics ban, head to the government's website.
Summer is all about long nights, lazy days, cold bevs and occasionally finding a fun competitive activity so intense it brings out your inner Lleyton Hewitt. Friendships have been broken, reformed and strengthened through the tried and true method of a tournament — and everyone's game faces are all the stronger when there are beers involved. This summer, it's not just about the beach. Challenge yourselves to playing something slightly unique (think trampoline dodgeball or Finska), and rediscover your inner competitive fiend. Grab your Hahn slab, nine of your best mates and give one of these competitive games a crack — time to blow into a conch shell and assemble your team. MINI GOLF Not necessarily groundbreaking, mini golf has been around for heaps of your childhood and teenage birthday parties. But it's gotten a whole lot more fun now that you can putt along, beer in hand. Gather some mates, head to Holey Moley and see who can stay on par — or go so over it's comical. A bit of putt-putt always makes you remember how playing tiny golf with tiny clubs is actually not that easy, but at Holey Moley you'll be distracted by beloved pop culture references — like The Simpsons' couch or an Iron Throne made of nine-irons. And when you're on your seventh hit over par, just remember it's the winner who should buy the next round of bevs. Where? Holey Moley Golf Club in Melbourne (CBD), Sydney (Newtown) or Brisbane (Fortitude Valley). [caption id="attachment_649153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Finska.[/caption] FINSKA For something a bit different, look to the Scandinavians. Finska is a game modelled on the ancient game kyykkä, which the Finns created and still take very seriously to this day (there are world championships). A lighter, less serious version, Finska can be easily purchased online so you'll be playing a casual game with your mates in no time. With the tagline, "defeat friend and enemies with strategy, skill and a lump of wood", the game has you basically throwing a cylinder of wood at other numbered wooden things. Trickier than it might seem in the description, though, a game can quickly turn into a riot, so you'll need a large area in which to Finska. Winning is an exact science (50 points only, if you go over you lose points) so you'll also probably need a few beers to keep you and your mates hydrated until that happens for someone. Where? Buy online from Australian Geographic and then find a large park, such as Princes Park in Carlton North, Melbourne; Centennial Park in Sydney; or Robelle Domain in Springfield, Brisbane. TRAMPOLINE DODGEBALL It does sound like a Ben Stiller movie, but it's actually an excellent time. Trampoline parks are already a prime throwback to your childhood days, but you can up the stakes further by incorporating a game of dodgeball. Basically, it's dodgeball with soft balls with the added benefit of feeling like you're flying — you're also getting a huge workout at the same time without even realising it. Take your mates out one by one and/or deal with your recent break up in a healthy way. Patch up your skinned knees afterwards and head out for some bridge-mending beers. Where? Trampoline parks are popping up all over the place. Try BounceInc in Essendon Fields, Melbourne or Sky Zone in Alexandria, Sydney and in Macgregor, Brisbane. CROQUET Not just for the lords and ladies of yonder years, croquet is having its moment in the sun as a low impact/high fun sport (another one that involves hitting stuff with wooden things). To play the noble game, all you need is the ability to wrangle a mallet in one hand while sipping a drink in the other — as well as some medium level of hand-eye coordination to get the balls through the hoops. It's generally a very relaxed afternoon spent in nice grassy surroundings (no golf swings over here, everything is below the knee), so head along on a lazy Sunday. Where? Try Elwood Croquet Club in Melbourne, Coogee Croquet Club in Sydney or Stephens Croquet Club in Yeronga, Brisbane QUIDDITCH Yeah, you heard us. There are leagues across the nation (and the world) that have arisen from J.K. Rowling's famed series about children who do magic and use owls as postmen. If you've always fantasised about your letter from Hogwarts, read up about the rules of Quidditch IRL, then find a big park, a bunch of mates who are in for a good (if silly) time, a broom and off you go. The general gist of the thing here is that you're obviously not flying, you're running around on the ground (so it's a pretty good workout) and the snitch is an actual person with a ball in a sock attached to their pants. It sounds ridiculous, but as far as tournaments go, it's one of the most fun — beers only increase the helpless laughter. Where? BYO broom and find a park, such as Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy, Melbourne; Sydney Park in Newtown, Sydney; or Roma Street Parkland in Brisbane's CBD. [caption id="attachment_649152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kan Jam.[/caption] KAN JAM Basically, a terrible name for a super fun time, Kan Jam (aka throwing Frisbees in garbage bins) is nothing if not a) utilitarian and b) cheap. All you need is a bin and a Frisbee and at least two people to play. The aim of the game is simply to throw a Frisbee and get it into the bin 50-feet (about 15 metres) away with the help of a 'deflector' teammate. Perfect for beaches, parks or any public space where the bins are mobile and clean enough, Kan Jam might just be your jam this summer. Where? Head to your favourite beach and either commandeer some of its bins or, if you want something a little more sanitised, buy the official Kan Jam online here. GIANT CHESS Much like physical tournaments, mental tournaments can intensify swiftly — especially when it's hot. Ever the game of strategy, chess can be less cerebral when there's an enormous chessboard and you can play as a team. Suddenly, the quiet, solo game becomes a rowdy whole crew activity. Wait for a warm day, find yourself a giant public chessboard and get pawning and rooking. You may want to save any bevs until after you've checkmated, though, so your strategic thinking skills remain on point. Where? Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney all have their own respective giant chessboards. Find chess in Melbourne at Swanston and Little Collins streets, in Sydney at Nagoya Gardens in Hyde Park and the Fortitude Valley Markets in Brisbane. Challenge your mates to a game of friendly competition and, no matter who wins, celebrate your successes with a round of Hahn.
Spring, the season when anything feels possible, has arrived. Flowers are blooming, temperatures are warming up and getaway vibes are buzzing — big get-out-of-the-house energy, too. So, your mind has probably turned to your next holiday. Of course, there's never a bad time to plan a vacation, but knowing that the cold is behind us for another year is mighty great motivation. Here's one way to proceed: making a date with anywhere from the Gold Coast up to Cairns, because this is a glorious time to be in the Sunshine State. Yes, Virgin Australia has just dropped a huge Queensland flight sale, teaming up with the Queensland Government on a big tourism push, and covering trips from October 2023–June 2024. Running now, from Monday, September 4 until 11.59AEST on Sunday, September 10 — or sold out, whichever arrives first — this is another of the airline's sales that's completely dedicated to hitting up everything north of Coolangatta. And, it's slinging a heap of fares: 300,000 of them, in fact. It might be focused on one part of the country, but you still have options in terms of departure points and destinations. Within Queensland, you can leave or arrive in Brisbane, Hamilton Island, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Mt Isa and Proserpine. And, around the rest of the nation, flights to and from Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney are all covered. One-way fares start at $49, which'll get you from Sydney to the Gold Coast and vice versa. Other sale flights include Sydney–Sunshine Coast from $55, Brisbane–Proserpine from $59, Newcastle–Brisbane and Canberra–Gold Coast from $65, and Melbourne–Gold Coast and Brisbane–Cairns from $69. Also, Hamilton Island fares start at $79 from Brisbane, $95 from Sydney and $99 from Melbourne. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel within that October–June period, the exact dates depend on the leg. Only select fares cover seat choice and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in 2021 that it now splits its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. Virgin's latest Queensland Is Calling sale runs from Monday, September 4–Sunday, September 10 (ending at 11.59AEST) — or until sold out. Top image: Internet2014 via Wikimedia Commons. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
It was the film that forced two beloved superheroes into a fight; however that's not the only battle Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has faced. Critics were far from impressed, and nor were the folks behind the Golden Raspberry Awards. After bestowing eight nominations upon the Zack Snyder-directed, Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill-starring flick, the gongs also known as the Razzies have backed that up with four trophies. At the 37th awards, BvS took out worst screenplay; worst screen combo for Sad Affleck and his "baddest foe forever"; worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel; and worst supporting actor for Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. Still, the movie's clashes are never over, it seems, with conservative political documentary Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party coming out on top — or is it bottom? — in the worst picture, worst actor and worst director fields (and, worst actress, though BvS didn't get a look in there). Kristen Wiig was among those adding an unwanted accolade to their resume, thanks to her work in Zoolander 2. The Razzies also recognise someone whose career has taken a turn in a better direction, with Mel Gibson this year's recipient of the Razzie Redeemer Award thanks to the success of Hacksaw Ridge. The Razzies are held the day before the Academy Awards, giving the industry a moment to consider the other side of the Hollywood filmmaking spectrum before showering the best and brightest of the year in statuettes. For anyone that's been living in a musical rather than in the real world, La La Land remains the Oscars favourite after nabbing a record-equalling 14 noms, but here's hoping there'll be plenty of love for eight-time-nominee Moonlight. Check out our helpful guide before the February 27 ceremony, Australian time. GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2017 WORST PICTURE Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Dirty Grandpa Gods of Egypt Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party Independence Day: Resurgence Zoolander 2 WORST ACTOR Ben Affleck, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Gerard Butler, Gods of Egypt and London Has Fallen Henry Cavill, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Robert De Niro, Dirty Grandpa Dinesh D'Souza [as Himself], Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party Ben Stiller, Zoolander 2 WORST ACTRESS Megan Fox, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Tyler Perry, Boo! A Madea Halloween Julia Roberts, Mother's Day Becky Turner [as Hillary Clinton], Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party Naomi Watts, Divergent Series: Allegiant and Shut-In Shailene Woodley, Divergent Series: Allegiant WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Julianne Hough, Dirty Grandpa Kate Hudson, Mother's Day Aubrey Plaza, Dirty Grandpa Jane Seymour, Fifty Shades of Black Sela Ward, Independence Day: Resurgence Kristen Wiig, Zoolander No. 2 WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR Nicolas Cage, Snowden Johnny Depp, Alice Through the Looking Glass Will Ferrell, Zoolander 2 Jesse Eisenberg, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Jared Leto, Suicide Squad Owen Wilson, Zoolander No. 2 WORST SCREEN COMBO Ben Affleck & His BFF (Baddest Foe Forever) Henry Cavill, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Any 2 Egyptian Gods or Mortals, Gods of Egypt Johnny Depp & His Vomitously Vibrant Costume, Alice Through the Looking Glass The Entire Cast of Once Respected Actors, Collateral Beauty Tyler Perry & That Same Old Worn Out Wig, Boo! A Madea Halloween Ben Stiller and His BFF (Barely Funny Friend) Owen Wilson, Zoolander 2 WORST DIRECTOR Dinesh D'Souza and Bruce Schooley, Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party Roland Emmerich, Independence Day: Resurgence Tyler Perry, Boo! A Madea Halloween Alex Proyas, Gods of Egypt Zack Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ben Stiller, Zoolander 2 WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL Alice Through the Looking Glass Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Dawn of Justice Fifty Shades of Black Independence Day: Resurgence Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Zoolander 2 WORST SCREENPLAY Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Dirty Grandpa Gods of Egypt Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party Independence Day: Resurgence Suicide Squad
In an effort to further reduce the spread of COVID-19 across Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that everyone arriving in the country from overseas will need to self-isolate for 14 days, effective from 12am on Monday, March 16. Announced at the first meeting of Australia's new coronavirus national cabinet, the mandatory self-isolation requirement applies to everyone — no matter where you're entering the country from, and regardless of whether you're an Aussie citizen or permanent resident coming home, or a tourist arriving for a holiday. "Its legal enforcement, that will be the change. If your mate has been to Bali and they come back and they turn up at work and they are sitting next to you, they will be committing an offence — so I think it's up to all of us that we are ensuring it is in place. Australians will exercise commonsense. This provides the backstop of a legal enforcement," said Morrison. The self-isolation requirement only applies to overseas arrivals. At this stage, domestic flights are not affected. The government will also ban international cruise ships from docking in Australia for 30 days, with that decision due to be reviewed on a rolling basis. Australians have also been advised to take social distancing measures, including refraining from shaking hands. The current moves come a day after New Zealand implemented the same measures, and two days after Morris announced an indefinite ban on non-essential organised gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday, March 16. He confirmed that ban in today's press conference, and advised that state and territory governments will legislate to officially put it into effect. As was the case on Friday, schools, universities and public transport will not be impacted by the mass gatherings ban at present, Morrison also confirmed — nor will shopping centres or airports themselves. [caption id="attachment_721751" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Vivid Sydney. Image: Yaya Stempler.[/caption] Since Friday, many large-scale Australian events have revealed their cancellations and postponements for 2020. The AFL, AFLW and NRL football leagues announced that they'll play in empty stadiums, with fans locked out. Big events such as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Vivid Sydney and World Science Festival Brisbane have all been scrapped for the year — and many more smaller events, too, including the Gold Coast Film Festival, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Ability Fest, Sweetstock, Wine Machine, Comedy Steps Up for Bushfire Relief and Cirque du Soleil's Melbourne season of Kurios. Australia's tactics are in line with global moves, too. Over the past days, weeks and months, large swathes of cinemas have shut across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and theme parks have been doing the same in Asia, Europe and the US as well. We've also seen the cancellation of Texan music and film festival South by Southwest and postponement of Coachella. And, before Friday's ban was announced, the Grand Prix in Melbourne, Tasmania's Dark Mofo and Brisbane's Paniyiri Greek Festival all announced their cancellations as well. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced early this week that COVID-19 is a pandemic. As at 3pm AEST on Sunday, March 15, Australia has 249 cases confirmed cases of COVID-19. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
In Europe, it's called the Night of Museums: an annual evening when leading cultural institutions across the continent stay open long after they'd normally shut their doors, welcoming in patrons for after-dark art activities. In Melbourne, a new event is taking that idea, running with it and rolling it out across the city — with everything from gigs and movies to immersive dome projections and after-hours exhibition access on offer. That's all on the just-dropped program for Art After Dark, which was initially announced back in March. Back then, Melburnians heard the basics — that the city would be scoring an after-hours extravaganza in May, with State Library Victoria, the NGV, Federation Square, Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI and Melbourne Museum all involved. That was all well and good and exciting, of course, but the actual lineup is even more dazzling. Set to run from 6pm–1am on both Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, Art After Dark will feature limited-time-only experiences — both free and ticketed — that span live music, visual and performing arts, and food and drink. The Social Crew is producing the inaugural event, which is presented by Visit Victoria. And the aim, unsurprisingly, is to get both locals and visitors to the city to play tourist at Melbourne's cultural venues. At State Library Victoria, things will be particularly bright, all thanks to Midnight at Pink Lake. It's a 360-degree immersive projection that'll light up the La Trobe Reading Room — so yes, looking up is well and truly in order. And, it'll be paired with a themed program called Dream State, which features mindful workshops, music, roving performers, giant chess, and food and drinks. Basically, the venue is going all out on a visual and aural experience, calling it "part guided meditation, part poem, part chant, part song". Next, at NGV Australia, Ron Mueck's Mass from the 2017 Triennial will return — giant skulls and all — accompanied by pop-up poetry readings, choirs and DJs. And, at NGV International, light projections will transform its bluestone exterior thanks to QUEER: Stories from the NGV Collection. Also on the bill: Hannah Brontë's video installation EYE HEAR U MAGIK 2020, as well as access to the whole venue itself, with everything free to access across all levels. Over at Fed Square, BRIGGS is headlining Fed Square Live on the Friday night, with Kee'ahn, Soju Gang and Izy in support. And, that's where you'll be able to peer up at Aussie-first art installation Constellations — which'll see artist Joanie Lemercier's monochrome, vector-based aesthetics paired with an electronic soundscape by producer Paul Jebanasam. Also, for something sweet, Fed Square will also be doing free takeaway hot chocolates, coffees, s'mores and glow-in-the-dark fairy floss. Arts Centre Melbourne is also hosting live performances, going nostalgic with Human Nature on the Saturday night. DJs will play from the balcony, food trucks will pop up and the Australian Music Vault will stay open, complete with curators and tour guides diving into the local music scene. At ACMI, drop-in showings of Soda Jerk's phenomenal Terror Nullius will be a big highlight, as will free Oskar Fischinger exhibition Raumlichtkunst — featuring one of the first multimedia projections ever made. The screen-focused museum is teaming up with Collingwood's beloved Bar SK, too, for a room of innovative and interactive entertainment that's all about Aussie game developers. And, it's collaborating with PHOTO 2022 International Festival of Photography on Gillian Wearing: Editing Life, with the British artist in focus. [caption id="attachment_852016" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Triceratops at Melbourne Muserum. Photo by Eugene Hyland[/caption] Last but by no means least, Melbourne Museum is letting folks see its triceratops after dark, and doing projections, hosting food trucks, setting up pop-up bars and inviting DJs to spin tunes. Or, over at IMAX, you'll be able to dive into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with late sessions of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Art After Dark is expected to see thousands of punters descend on the city for a late-night culture fix — a move that's sure to be welcomed by Melbourne's hard-hit creative industries as they continue through their post-COVID recovery phase. Art After Dark takes place at State Library Victoria, the NGV, Federation Square, Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI and Melbourne Museum from Friday, May 13–Saturday, May 14. Head to the event's website for further details and tickets. Top image: Performers sing with Mass by Ron Mueck, 2017 on display at NGV Triennial 2017 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Eugene Hyland.
A dinner party filled with AI versions of famous figures? Or a meal enhanced by virtual reality? Restrictive diets that focus on fasting over feasting? Eating dishes purely because they'll help you sleep? Over the next 12 months, all of the above might come to fruition. Also on the 2018 hit list: African cuisines, creative genetic modification in food and beer, and getting paid to have strangers over for dinner. At least, they're the trends that culinary artists Bompas & Parr are predicting for the year ahead, with Sam Bompas and Harry Parr releasing their first-ever foodie forecast. After ten years in the business, evolving from making jelly to catering to a food-focused experience design agency, their report draws upon their own experience, as well as the psychology behind human behaviour. If technologically enhancements pique your interest, Bompas & Barr expect bots based on celebrities to become the next dinning partners, and mixed reality dining to adorn diners with wearable technology to create a more immersive eating experience — including "embedded microelectronics in crockery and glassware, projection technologies, responsive sound environments and more broadly digital content that's coupled to the taste and aroma of the food and drink on the table". For those keen on making a buck from making dinner for folks you don't know, think Airbnb and Uber, but for the simple act of hosting a meal. That's how you share food in 2018's sharing economy. Elsewhere, watching what you eat might be taken to a fasting extreme, though its hardly new — and it comes with health repercussions. African cooking styles are expected to rise in popularity, exploring the cuisines of the continent's 54 countries. So is food that'll help you get a good night's rest (and no, a nightcap doesn't count), plus biological tinkering with edible substances. You can peruse the full report for further details, and if you're wondering why you should, Bompas & Parr's past culinary exploits should provide all the convincing you need. They've made bespoke cocktails catered to each drinker's DNA, hosted anatomical whisky tastings where spirits were sipped from actual people, served a beating pig's heart as a starter and made London diners kill their next meal. In addition, they've made edible fireworks, a molten lava barbecue and held a 200-course dinner party. Expect them to play with their seven outlined trends next, as part of their continued and creative interrogation of our eating and drinking habits. Via Dezeen. Image: Bompas & Parr.
In the same week that Aussie supermarket giant Woolworths finally banned single-use plastic bags, Melbourne's Crown Complex has also dished up some good news for the future of our planet, announcing it has started cutting down on single-use plastics. Coming from the largest casino complex in the Southern Hemisphere, that's no small feat. Crown Melbourne is kicking things off by joining the global Plastic Free July initiative, which sets out to raise awareness about the impact of pesky, single-use plastics and challenges people to do something about it. For the whole month, the entire Crown Casino Complex will crack down on disposable plastics, promising to remove all single-use plastic "where possible" and to "encourage consumers to change their attitudes and behaviours". Straws will only be available on request, plastic bags have been replaced with paper alternatives in all Crown outlets, and various biodegradable and compostable products are currently being tested, with the aim of phasing out plastic cutlery as well. A spokeswoman for Crown told Concrete Playground, "Crown recognises that the process to phase out single use plastics will take several years, and that we are at the start of our journey." The intention is to continue the plastic crack-down long after the month of July, as more testing's carried out and better alternative products are found.
In a glorious era where phones can be unlocked using facial recognition, what are we still doing slumming it with pesky plug-in chargers? Well, chaining your smartphone to a power point and fumbling with tangled cords could soon be a thing of the past, when San Francisco company Pi releases what it says is the world's first ever contactless, wireless charger. The brainchild of a pair of MIT alumni, this little guy does away with the cords, the charging pads and even the need for your phone or tablet to be touching anything at all. Instead, Pi harnesses groundbreaking electromagnetic charging technology developed by the founders, John MacDonald and Lixin Shi, over more than three years. That's a whole lotta math problems. The cone-shaped Pi can simultaneously charge four devices within around 30cm, at full speed. It can charge additional devices on top of that, albeit at a slower pace. Perhaps most enticing, you can use your phone and move it around while it's juicing up. Of course, this kind of modern day witchery doesn't come easy. As MacDonald explains, "creating this technology required solving one of the most difficult mathematical problems in electromagnetics, and that's why no one has done it before." It sounds like Pi will be available sometime next year, although you can reserve yours right away. MacDonald and Shi believe it will retail for under US$200. The first 314 people in the world to order will score a $50 discount.
If soaring down a snowy mountain is your idea of fun, then Switzerland's icy peaks have long been on your bucket list. And if you've always wanted to zip down the country's famous frosty alps but don't all have the coordination and dexterity to ski or snowboard — which is perfectly acceptable — then you can now enjoy the trip via train on one of the world's steepest railways. Opening in mid-December after a 14-year construction period — and 52 million Swiss francs (AU$68 million) in funds — the Stoos Bahn journeys from the town of Schwyz to the nearby village of Stoos, carrying 34 people at a time in less than five minutes. Replacing an older funicular railway, aka a cable-attached railway used near cliffs and on inclined surfaces, it not only spans a distance of 1738 metres, but a height difference of 744 metres. Overall, it boasts a maximum gradient of 110 percent. That makes the Stoos Bahn the steepest funicular railway in Europe, the steepest in the world that regularly ferries passengers and second on the planet overall. If you're wondering which other dizzy-inducing train track pips it for the top spot, that honour goes to an Australian tourist attraction. First created for mining purposes in 1878 and now operating as part of Katoomba Scenic World, the Katoomba Scenic Railway in the Blue Mountains holds the Guinness World Record for the steepest railway gradient, clocking in at 128 percent over its 310-metre expanse. Via Lonely Planet. Image: Stoos-Muotatal
Will Dune movies just keep getting better and better? Here's hoping that's as natural an outcome as spying sand as far as the eye can see across Arrakis. When Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) followed in David Lynch's footsteps with 2021's Dune, he made a new version of one of the most unfairly maligned sci-fi films ever crafted, and managed what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) — and a new science-fiction cinema classic arrived and stunned. Villeneuve's picture, which scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins, only told part of Dune's story. Cue Dune: Part Two to keep the tale going. War has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Bones and All) and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Zendaya's (Euphoria) Chani at his side. That's the tale teased in not one but two trailers for the Dune sequel, with the second just dropping and filled with swirling tension. "This world is beyond cruelty," says Paul in the latest sneak peek, surveying the grim status quo. But he has a plan: "he who can destroy a thing has the real control of it." The first film had Paul head to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then get caught up in a bitter battle with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani, plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two. Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues (again, Villeneuve helmed Blade Runner 2049), sandworms, the director's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) latest likely Oscar-winning score: they've all shown up in the new film's two glimpses so far. So have some of the franchise's new players, with Austin Butler ditching his Elvis locks as Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen. Christopher Walken (Severance) and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) also join the saga as Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter Princess Irulen. From the first film, Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) return, while Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) also joins the cast. Off-screen, Villeneuve has brought back not just Zimmer, but Oscar-winning Australian director of photography Greig Fraser (The Batman), Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermett (Vice), Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (The Unforgivable), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (First Man) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (Song to Song). Check out the latest Dune: Part Two trailer below: Dune: Part Two will release in cinemas Down Under on November 2, 2023.
Every kid dreamed about stepping inside their favourite TV show or movie, whether you were an 80s child who wanted to dance magic, dance through Labyrinth, a 90s teen saying "as if!" to life outside of Clueless — or keen to stake vampires with Buffy — or a 00s Gossip Girl wannabe. Now that we're all adults, those kinds of fantasies keep becoming a reality, in a way, thanks to the seemingly non-stop array of immersive pop culture-themed installations and experiences that love popping up around Australia. So if you've recently been wishing that you could step into the twisted superhero realm shared by Gen V and The Boys, for instance, you'll soon be able to. Prime Video is taking Sydneysiders and everyone who happens to be in the Harbour City for the first-ever SXSW Sydney into the franchise's world from Tuesday, October 17–Saturday, October 21. How? Via Primeville, a small town-themed activation that's taking over Fratelli Fresh Darling and taking its cues from some of the streaming platform's popular shows — and one documentary. Primeville's spin on the Vought Cinematic Universe will involve a trip to Godolkin University, where you'll be shrinking down — well, pretending to — for games of Supe Shot. You can stay your regular size to give the prize wheel a spin to score freebies. If you're more fond of Reacher, there'll be a diner inspired by the series. For The Summer I Turned Pretty devotees, expect ice creams at Cousins Beach. And if you just like bites to eat themed around television shows, there'll be a milk bar serving up exactly that. In the town square: celebrating all things The Wiggles in the lead up to Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles debuting as part of the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, before streaming via Prime Video from Tuesday, October 24. And yes, the Big Red Car will be in attendance, ready for plenty of snaps. If this all sounds a bit familiar, that's because Prime Video set up something similar at PAX Aus in Melbourne in 2022. In this case, the pop-ups aren't just open to SXSW Sydney badge holders, but to everyone. Entry is free, and you'll also score some Primeville dollars to go towards an ice cream, snack or drink. Primeville will pop up during SXSW Sydney at Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour, 2/14 Darling Drive, Sydney from Tuesday, October 17–Saturday, October 21 — open from 12–6pm on the Tuesday and Saturday, and 12–8pm Wednesday–Friday.
As Sydney-based hip hop artist, DJ and singer-songwriter Joyride will tell you, creativity isn't always something you can switch on and off. "For me, there's no set routine to get my head into a certain space, but I think that's just because I'm always kind of there," he muses. "It's not like you make a decision and go, 'okay, I will now create'." "But that's not to say it's easy. It's still quite difficult, all the time," Joyride's quick to concede."You're always thinking about it, always thinking about ways to present things to other people to make it palatable and to get an idea across. You don't just stop doing that. You don't stop seeing inspiration in things." We sit down with the artist to talk creating for the opinions you respect, 'f---ing' with people's perceptions and wearing trusted clothing. On paper, this artist's own creative space sounds pretty near perfect — a comfy studio in Sydney's colourful, creatively charged inner west, sitting above a mate's pub. But for Joyride, the best creative stuff is less a product of time and physical space, than of the people in his life — both familiar friends and those imagined audiences. "A big part of my inspiration comes from who I intend the thing I'm making to be for," he explains. "I've found recently that if I tailor what I'm making to people whose opinions I respect, people that are close to me, people that I work with, then everything else kind of falls into place. It's kind of reverse engineering inspiration. And it has made making shit a lot easier." "People have different ideas about why we create, but at the end of the day it's a realistic look at having this as a profession, and your number one goal has to be to stir something in enough other people," he says. "I love entertaining, I love making things so that other people get something from it, you know?" It's a similar end-focused attitude that informs Joyride's sense of style and influences his wardrobe picks on the daily. "I consider fashion as a fun and interesting way to say who you are without saying a word," he says. "That's the purpose, right?" "If we're going to cover ourselves with something, why not do it with something that says who we are?" Joyride asks. "And why can't we then subvert that and play with it, so that we can f--- with people's perceptions of who we are? Have fun with it and control that a little bit." For this artist, denim's a wardrobe staple for its staying power. "I've got a few pairs of knock-about jeans and one pair goes back to 2011 — I've still got them and I still wear them," he admits. "I feel like jeans are the kind of garment that just sticks with you. In a world of planned obsolescence, denim is a stayer." "Those old mateys are my favourites," confesses Joyride. "You probably clean out your closets maybe once, twice a year, and these have made it through. They're for, like, when I'm spending time with trusted friends. I want to wear trusted clothing." Check out Joyride's work here, and find the denim that brings out the creative, innovator and gamechanger in you at The Iconic. Images: Letícia Almeida.
From Houseparty birthday bashes to Zoom weddings, celebrations have been looking a little different lately. But one thing is clear: not even a pandemic can stand between us and a good ol' party. And that includes marking World Whisky Day on May 16. We may not be able to head to a cosy bar and celebrate the legendary amber liquor in style, so Glenmorangie has partnered with Boozebud to bring the festivities to your living room via a virtual whisky masterclass. At 6pm on Boozebud's Facebook page, Glenmorangie's Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation and Whisky Stocks Dr Bill Lumsden will be guiding you through a tasting from the Scottish distillery's core range of single malts. You'll start with the classic Glenmorangie Original Aged 10 Years, then move through the Lasanta Sherry Cask Aged 12 Years, Quinta Ruban Port Cask Aged 12 Years and Nectar d'Or Sauternes Cask Aged 12 Years. The masterclass is free to stream but, to make the most of it, you'll want to snag one of the taster packs from Boozebud beforehand, which has the four smooth spirits in 100-millilitre measures — enough for you and a housemate to have a nip each. The pack costs $64.99 and first-time Boozebud customers will score 10-percent off and free shipping by using the code BESTBUD (terms and conditions apply). Purchase your Glenmorangie Scotch Whisky Taster Pack here, then head to Boozebud's Facebook page at 6pm on May 16 to take part in the virtual masterclass.
Great movies live on forever, garnering acclaim and accolades, earning eager rewatches and retrospective screenings, and getting discovered afresh by new audiences. Terrible flicks can also keep drawing in fans, becoming cult hits and having spoons thrown at them — and films don't get much worse-but-glorious than the one and only The Room. In the near future, Tommy Wiseau's disasterpiece won't be a one-off, however. Twenty years after it first hit screens, it's being remade. No, Wiseau isn't behind the do-over, although that does sound like a very Wiseau thing to do. Instead, the new The Room stars Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul favourite Bob Odenkirk. This is a greenscreen remake, which Slashfilm first reported — and then Odenkirk confirmed. "This is real. This is true. And let me tell you, I tried my best to SELL every line, as honestly as I could... and I had a BLAST," the actor tweeted. If this news is tearing you apart, that's understandable. This is real. This is true. And let me tell you, I tried my best to SELL every line, as honestly as I could...and I had a BLAST https://t.co/v261E1DKnG — Mr. Bob Odenkirk (@mrbobodenkirk) March 9, 2023 If you're wondering why — and you want more than the obvious answer: why not? — The Room 2.0 is coming to life for Acting for a Cause, which raises money for charity. And if you're wondering about The Room's storyline because you've missed this whole film phenomenon over the past two decades, it tells the tale of a banker, his adulterous fiancée, his conflicted best friend, a local teen caught up in a drug deal, a mother with cancer, a particularly tense party, a bunch of guys playing football in tuxedos and the worst apartment decorating scheme you've ever seen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by B̸R̸A̸N̸D̸O̸ ̸C̸R̸A̸W̸F̸O̸R̸D̸ (@professorbrando) The Room truly is the vampire of bad movies. It's been living on via event screenings, Greg Sestero's memoir The Disaster Artist, the the star-studded film that book spawned and Sestero's frequent tours. For a while, Wiseau even put it online for free in high-definition. There's no word yet as to when it'll be time to say "oh hi Bob", or where. There's also no sneak peek at the end result, either. But, to tide you over, you can check out the OG film's trailer below: The Bob Odenkirk-starring remake of The Room doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Slashfilm. Top image: Better Call Saul.
In the months since hell decided to casually freeze over and see Donald J. Trump installed on the Iron Throne, things have seemed bleak for the future of American tourism. And they probably are! Now to add insult to injury: Canada has been voted as this year's best travel destination by not only Lonely Planet, but NY Times and Conde Nast too. America's northern neighbour is finally getting the recognition it deserves for being, well, mostly stable while Canada's Pants goes off the rails. No seriously. Canada's comparable safety and stability have been cited as big contributing factors to why the maple syrup capital of the world has won the prestigious title. The Great White North really does have all the tasty stuff you may once have sought out in the US: vast, punishing wilderness, vibrant capital cities (from big ol' Toronto and Ottawa to film-loving Vancouver and French havens Montréal and Québec City), Grammy-winning artists and ridiculously decadent national cuisines (wassup, poutine) — with a relatively much less controversial leader. Colombia, Chile and Croatia all feature in the top lists too, as well as oft overlooked but bountiful Scandinavian countries Finland, Sweden and Norway. Look, if the US election outcome has given us anything (other than a golden era of SNL) it's the chance to temporarily give up on the American road trip dream for four years and set our holiday sights on neighbouring, Drake-raising destinations. Via AFR.
Get ready to unleash your inner Keanu Reeves or Kate Bosworth: the largest surf park in the southern hemisphere is on its way. Western Australia is already home to top-notch beaches, including the third-best beach in the world for 2023, Australia's best beach for 2022 and the best beach in the South Pacific for last year as well — plus all that coastline and plenty of beloved sandy spots, of course — but global surf park brand Aventuur has earmarked it for a massive site in Perth, too. And that site has just received official development approval. Going as big as possible with its $100-million WA venture — which will feature 25 different types of waves, and is forecast to welcome in a million visitors a year — Aventuur's plans were first announced in 2022. Now, however, Perth Surf Park has one round of go-aheads, thanks to the Metro Outer Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP). The project also received a decision by the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority that it didn't need EPA assessment because it won't have a significant impact on the environment. More regulatory approvals are needed, but the venue is now another step closer to starting construction in late 2023, working towards a late-2025 opening. "This is an incredibly exciting day for Western Australians, and for the Aventuur team," said Aventuur Chairman and Chief Development Officer Andrew Ross, announcing the development approval. "We've been working closely with the WA Government and the City of Cockburn to design an authentic, inclusive and sustainable surf park, and I couldn't be more stoked that we're one step closer to delivering a new community asset for Perth." Clearly, providing breaks and barrels that everyone can surf — no matter your skill level — is one of big aims of Aventuur's Perth Surf Park, which'll take over a 5.8-hectare site on Prinsep Road in Jandakot, adjacent to the Kwinana Freeway and the Cockburn Central train station. That'll include what it's calling a Wavegarden Cove, aka the huge 56-module surfing lagoon that'll be the key drawcard — and will constantly whip up perfect waves. Also set to feature: accommodation, which'll be handy for anyone making the trip west just for some manmade surf action; a beach club; and bars and restaurants. A wellness and recovery centre and a fitness studio will feature as well, and so will a co-working lounge and spaces for functions with waves as a backdrop. Plus, out-of-the-water facilities also include a skate park, pump track and gardens. Start looking forward to for personalised coaching, fitness and surf skate programs as well, and regular events such as outdoor surf movie nights and photography exhibitions. Yoga and meditation retreats will also make the most of the site, as will live music and cultural festivals — and, naturally, professional surfing competitions. Already an avid surfer? Know someone who might be the next Mick Fanning or Stephanie Gilmore? Then get excited about Perth Surf Park's high-performance surf academy. Whether you're a future superstar or just learning, there'll also be a hire store doing board, wetsuit and equipment rentals — so you won't have to bring your own gear with you. While surfers won't be able to live out their Point Break and Blue Crush dreams until the summer 2025, Aventuur signed a long-term ground lease with the Western Australian Planning Commission for its Perth Surf Park site in 2022. With approval now granted by the JDAP, it'll keep progressing towards starting work to transform the Cockburn Gateway precinct into a hub for tourism, sport and entertainment. The venue will also feature five-star Green Star-rated buildings, which'll help it notch up another achievement: being the first surf park in the world with that classification. Manmade waves have been having their moment Down Under of late. Urbnsurf opened Australia's first inland surf park near the Melbourne Airport in 2020, then revealed plans for Brisbane, Sydney and Perth sites. New South Wales' Hawkesbury region is also getting a giant wave pool and luxury resort, the Sunshine Coast is due to welcome Kelly Slater's second surf ranch, and the Gold Coast has been earmarked for an Endless Surf wave pool. And if you're wondering why surf parks keep popping up — especially in a country girt by sea, and therefore surrounded by so many glorious beaches — they're able to provide controlled and reliable conditions, including waves that aren't daunting for newcomers. Perth Surf Park will feature knee-high whitewater for beginners, for instance, as well as ideal waves for experienced surfers. Aventuur's Perth Surf Park is due to open on Prinsep Road in Jandakot, Perth, Western Australia, in 2025. For more information, head to the venue's website.
When a beaming face is described as "the worst smile I have ever seen in my life", it isn't quickly forgotten. The grins in Parker Finn's films aren't meant to be easily shaken. That line springs from the writer/director's debut feature, which wasn't his first to wonder what might happen if someone couldn't stop seeing the same Cheshire Cat-like expression everywhere to nerve-shredding effect. Before Smile became the highest-grossing horror movie of 2022 — and before the box-office smash spawned 2024 sequel Smile 2 — Finn played with the same concept in his 2020 short Laura Hasn't Slept. Australian actor Caitlin Stasey (Class of '07) plays the eponymous character, who can't get some shuteye as the film's title notes. As she explains to a therapist when the short begins, closing her eyes means having nightmares about a smiling face. When Smile then starts, Laura is in the frame again, still struggling with a grin that no one wants to see. The concept from there: that being taunted and haunted by the eerie smile that can appear everywhere and on anyone is both deeply unsettling and contagious. Smile's point of focus is psychiatrist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon, Mare of Easttown). In Smile 2, it's mega pop star Skye Riley's (Naomi Scott, Anatomy of a Scandal) turn. When the supernatural force at the centre of Finn's work so far is smiling, which is whenever it's on-screen no matter the face it has taken, the unlucky target's whole world feels anything but warm. Horrific, terrifying, distressing, tormenting: those terms all fit as well. So discovers Skye a year after a car accident ended her last tour, also leaving her both injured and grieving. She's on the comeback trail when Smile 2 kicks off, with a new album out and a fresh run of live gigs to come. Then a smiling malevolent evil won't leave her alone — and the spiralling that follows as she endeavours to understand what's happening, what's real and what isn't, and how to stop it, all plays out in the public gaze. These are flicks to see with an audience, even if Laura Hasn't Slept made the program at 2020's SXSW in Austin, which took place solely online due to the pandemic. It still won a Special Jury Award in the Midnight Short program, then clearly caught Hollywood's attention. Finn himself loves seeing viewers react to his movies. His latest chance to do just that came via Smile 2's Australian premiere. It was also his latest connection with SXSW, this time at SXSW Sydney 2024, where the film screened as one of the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival headliners. [caption id="attachment_976458" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Don Arnold/Getty Images for Paramount[/caption] "It's the best. I think that, especially as a writer/director, it's incredibly delayed gratification when you're trying to make a film. It takes years to do it. The whole reason that I make films is for audiences, and that moment when you finally are putting it out in the world, I love watching the film with audiences," Finn tells Concrete Playground following a screening that he advises was "fantastic, great crowd, really fun". He continues: "so to hear everybody screaming or laughing or gasping or going silent all at the same moment, it's the best". Also featuring Lukas Gage (Dead Boy Detectives), Rosemarie DeWitt (The Boys), Ray Nicholson (Licorice Pizza — and, yes, the son of Jack Nicholson), Dylan Gelula (Hacks), Peter Jacobson (Fly Me to the Moon) and Raúl Castillo (Cassandro), plus Smile's Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling) returning, Smile 2 skews bigger, bolder and gorier than its predecessors. It reinforces a clever connection at the heart of the franchise, too: that seeing people happy and smiling when you're having a tough time, with or without a supernatural force at work, can be hellish itself. We also chatted with Finn about what makes an unshakeably scary smile for him, the inspiration for the franchise, researching pop stars, casting an incredibly committed Scott as Skye, his hopes for the future of all things Smile and more. On What Makes a Perfectly Unnerving Smile That Creeps You to Your Bones "The smiles in the film are all human performance. We're not adding any VFX or CG to these. And for me, it's that uncanny sort of smile that feels like it should be friendly. But the way that we frame it, the way that we have the throughline of how the actors perform it — for me it's the disconnected eyes from the smile that don't break staring at you, it just creates so much tension and stress for me. I find it really creepy." On What Inspires a Maniacally Smiling Figure to Pop Into Your Mind When You're Dreaming up a Serial Killer-Like Supernatural Entity "I think that what's so great about, for me, the concept of Smile is that of course there's turning the warm, friendly gesture on its head, and turning it into something cruel and upsetting — but what I really love about it is this idea of how we employ smiles almost as a mask. And what we put out into the world, we're trying to say 'hey, everything's okay' and it's hiding what's really going on on the inside. In the world of Smile, I love that if you look on the other side of that coin, the smiling faces are also hiding something on the other side, belying what's really behind that smile, something quite evil. And for me, I love that dichotomy." On Making a Connection Between Skye Spiralling and How a Smile Can Feel Taunting If You're Struggling "The reason I want to tell these stories, I love all these big supernatural elements, but it's really about this character's story and really trying to put the audience in this character's shoes. Which was an interesting challenge for this film because Skye is a mega-famous pop star, which is not necessarily a relatable scenario for most people. But I wanted to go behind that velvet rope and tie them to this human being who's quite broken and dealing with really fraught emotions. And I wanted people to really be able to connect with her and relate with her as a human being, and to feel the stress and the anxiety and the walls closing in as she's spiralling out of control, trying to use all the techniques of filmmaking to make the audience feel what Skye feels." On the Research That Went Into the Pop Star Side of the Story, Including Diving Into Pressures, Expectations and Constant Public Scrutiny "I think we're at this peak parasocial relationship with celebrity, and nothing is bigger in celebrity or fame right now than pop. So some of these pop stars have been elevated to the status of a demigod. And I was so interested about what's going on behind the scenes, the real person behind that. How can you deal with that level of expectation? So I dove headfirst into research. I watched every documentary that I could. I read every essay, every article, every interview and just kind of immersed myself in that world of pop. And so much from that research directly wormed its way into the script and into the film. It really helped guide a lot of what I wanted to do." On Enlisting Naomi Scott to Play Skye — and Her Performance at the Pop Star's Best and Worst Moments "I think that Naomi was the perfect storm for this character. She inherently has this X-factor gravitas to her, where I believe this mega pop star, that she could really be this character. But at the same time, she's capable of these incredibly raw, human moments, as she's hitting rock bottom. And it happens to be that she's this incredibly talented singer, she can perform choreography, she can do all these amazing things. She's such a force of nature, and the role was incredibly demanding, and it was an absolute dream to get to work with her." On Creating an Unsettling Mood and Tone That Kicks in Immediately and Doesn't Subside "Mood and tone, and this creeping sense of dread, is something that is really important for me to build into these films. I wanted to make sure that in both films, we, from the opening frame, feel incredibly anxious — and that the movie, what we're exploring with some of the themes and motifs, I want to create that emotionality for the audience, to make them feel what the movie is doing to the characters. It's all about this precision use of filmmaking tools. Obviously performance, what we're doing with the camera, sound design, everything, to just build this stress that just keeps bubbling and boiling more and more and more — and it turns into this powderkeg that's ready to explode by the end." On Finn's Dream for the Concept When He Was Starting Out with Laura Hasn't Slept "The dream was that it got into SXSW. That was as far as I had gotten — as far as thinking 'hey, how is this film going to live and be presented to the world?'. I made that short to stand alone. But while I was in post on it, I had this idea that eventually became the first Smile. The short had really inspired that journey towards Smile. But I think that short and everything that happened after, that's a very rare example where reality way, way, way overshot any expectations I had. So it was like a pinch-me, dream-come-true moment." On Going Bigger in Scope, Scares, Tension, Intensity, Gore, Shocks and Boldness with Smile 2 "Of course I wanted to challenge myself. For me, I only want to make films that I'm terrified to make. I think that's how I'm going to get the best out of myself. But making that jump from the first Smile to Smile 2, it's a much bigger film and I bit off a lot more. But I always love to try to punch above my budget and above our schedule, and go maximalist with everything. So we have more resources, yes, but we also are doing so much more, this so much more movie to make — so it was still just about putting that one foot in front of the other and trying to create the best experience for the audience possible." On Where Finn Would Like to Take the Smile Franchise From Here "I think we'll have to see. I think there's a lot of really exciting directions that that Smile could go. Right now, I'm really excited to see how audiences react to Smile 2. If we're so lucky to have audiences connect with it, I love the idea that these movies could just keep getting more and more off the rails and insane, and really doing new, unexpected versions of what Smile is. That would be important to me, to keep it very fresh and exciting and unexpected." Smile 2 opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
It's a common peeve for many Melburnians: the fact that catching the train to another part of town often means hauling all the way into the CBD before you can switch routes and travel back out. Well, that headache could potentially be removed, if the Victorian Government's incredibly ambitious (and pre-election) plans for a huge underground suburban rail network come to fruition. In the latest (and biggest) of the government's policy promises ahead of the November state election, Premier Daniel Andrews this morning released a proposal for a brand new 90-kilometre Suburban Rail Loop, which would link all of the city's major rail lines, from the southeast in Cheltenham all the way to the west in Werribee. It's a huge undertaking, and one that's largely unfunded at the moment — The Age is reporting that the whole thing will cost around $50 billion, but the State Government has only committed 300 million to it so far. For comparison, the current Metro Tunnel project has been estimated at costing around $11 billion. Premier Daniel Andrews took to his Facebook page to announce the plans this morning, posting a video that details how and where the project will operate. The proposed new line would run a loop around Melbourne's outer suburbs, connecting the existing train lines at a point outside of the CBD. The current plans have it starting at Cheltenham on the Frankston line, connecting to the Cranbourne/Pakenham line at Clayton before running through Glen Waverley and to Box Hill on the Lilydale/Belgrave line. From there it will go underground to connect to Heidelberg on the Hurstbridge line, Reservoir on the South Morang, Fawkner on the Upfield and Broadmeadows on the Craigieburn before heading to the new Melbourne Airport station that we'll supposedly have by then. From there it will head down to Sunshine, which is on the Sunbury line, before finishing up at Werribee. All this work could include up to 12 new underground stations and would provide train services to suburbs that don't currently have them, like Monash, Burwood and Doncaster. If all goes as planned, the new network would carry 400,000 people a day, which the government hopes will reduce congestion on both roads and existing train lines. Of course, this is far from a done deal — it's the Andrews Government's flagship promise in the campaign to be re-elected in November. And, if his government does get re-elected, the project will then have to find funding and be passed by parliament to begin on the proposed start date of 2022. At the moment, the government has only committed 300 million towards a business case, design and pre-construction work, which means there is still a lot of work to go to prove that the project is viable (not to mention finding the extra $49,700,000,000). It's not something you want to hold your breath for. That said, the Andrews Government has been the administration to actually make the Metro Tunnel happen, remove multiple level crossings in the city's east and commit to an Airport Rail Link (although that one's not quite confirmed yet), so we'll wait to see what happens both at the election and in the next 18 months. We'll keep you updated.
Decking the halls with boughs of holly — or whatever other jolly decorations you like — is a standard way to celebrate Christmas. Enjoying a holiday in a caravan decked out like a seasonal dream? That isn't, but you can add it to your list this November. You will need to adore the merriest time of year, obviously. And you'll have to be keen to take an early festive getaway in New South Wales as well. Your Christmas tree-, fairy light- and festive ornament-filled home away from home? Tillie, aka the Christmas caravan, which is available to book via RV rental site Camplify. The service set up shop in Australia a few years back now, and has treated holidaymakers to gin-themed caravans before — but now it's time to take a getaway that's all about Christmas. A vintage caravan that leans into its retro vibe, Tillie sleeps four, and is available at your choice of three Reflections Holiday Parks in NSW: Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks. Whichever one you pick, you'll be paying $125 per night, and the van will be delivered to your chosen site — all decorated, of course — for you. Inside the van, expect those ornaments aplenty. Outside — where it's recommended that you kick back as the sun goes down — fairy lights and Christmas garlands will be wrapped around Tillie. And, you'll even find a wreath on the back of the van, too. No one will be saying "bah, humbug!" here, clearly. You do need to commit to a four-night stay at a minimum, so no need to rush your festive holiday. Also, there's an $80 service fee — and while delivering Tillie to Hawks Nest and Jimmys Beach is free, there's an extra $100 cost for Seal Rocks. All three sites sit along the coast, turning your time with Tillie into a beachy Christmas jaunt. At Hawks Nest, you'll find yourself between Bennett's Beach and the village of Hawks Nest, and also in the vicinity of Port Stephens and Nelson Bay. At Jimmys Beach, you'll be in NSW's Great Lakes region. And at Seal Rocks, a mid-north coast escape awaits. To book Tillie throughout November — with prices from $125 per day, and rentals available at Reflections Holiday Parks at Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks — visit the Camplify website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Wotif.com. You might know that Adelaide is the original home of the pie floater. But did you also know that it boasts more restaurants per head than any other city in Australia? For way too long, the South Australian capital has been Australia’s beleaguered middle child, struggling to get the attention of which it’s worthy, and defending itself against the nation’s collective jokes. But, earlier this year, things changed. When Lonely Planet published its 2014 Top 10 Cities of the World, the “city of churches, festivals and homicides” burst into the international spotlight at number nine. “Adelaide is effortlessly chic,” commented Lonely Planet media and communications manager Adam Bennett, “and like a perfectly cellared red, it’s ready to be uncorked and sampled.” And the especially good news? Wotif.com wants you to do the sampling. So, they’re giving away a holiday of epic proportions. One creative reader and their guest will score return economy flights to Adelaide from their nearest capital city, four days’ car hire and three nights’ accommodation. The first two will be spent in king-beds and deep baths at the luxurious Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, situated just 50 metres from the cultural epicentre of Rundle Street. On the third, the winners will find themselves at Mount Lofty House, a 160-year-old manor in the Adelaide Hills, where they’ll be treated to a five-course degustation with matching wines and wake up to a buffet breakfast. What’s more, to ensure a comprehensive experience of the food and wine adventures that so impressed Lonely Planet, there’s a Penfolds Magill Estate Tour, a Top Food and Wine Choco-latte Tour and an Adelaide Central Market Morning Tour thrown in. All you’ve got to do is give your creative fruit a squeeze and tell Wotif.com why they should send you to Adelaide, in 25 words or less. The video below might help you to get thinking left of centre.
ANZAC Day might be more than a month away, but it's still being affected by efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. With non-essential events with over 500 people now banned indefinitely, services around the country are being cancelled and reduced in size. The situation differs state by state, with each respective branch of the RSL making a call on their usual commemorations. Of paramount concern nationwide isn't just protecting the general public, but protecting veterans, especially those of an older age who are particularly at risk from the coronavirus. In New South Wales, that means scrapping all public services entirely. The same is the case in Queensland, although it'll look into options to mark the occasion "without placing veterans and the general public at risk". Western Australia and Tasmania are also completely scrapping their plans. [caption id="attachment_665411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shrine of Remembrance Flickr[/caption] In Victoria, events will go ahead — but the public won't be able to attend. There'll be a single dawn service at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance, which will be conducted "with a small number of official guests and modified to minimise COVID-19 risk"; however, the midday service at the same spot won't go ahead, and neither will the ANZAC Day march. RSL sub branches across Victoria will also be allowed to conduct one commemorative service only, but these will not be open to the public either. If the mass gatherings ban is still in place on April 25, it's likely another major part of ANZAC Day in Australia won't go ahead either: the annual games of two-up. ANZAC Day services will no longer go ahead on Saturday, April 25 in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. In Victoria, all services have been cancelled except a dawn service at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance, but it will not be open to the public. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: ANZAC Day at Dee Why RSL.
The perfect pit stop for city suits making the mad dash to work, either straight off the train or post gym sesh. Situated at the Queen Street Mall entrance of the Wintergarden complex and open seven days a week, Nutrition Station’s menu is designed by internationally recognized dietary nutritionist and resident 'diet doctor' at Men’s Health, Moodi Dennaoui. Expect to find a series of protein and supplement-packed shakes, super smoothies, froyo and nu bowls of acai and pitaya.
Over the past decade, streaming has become a firm part of every film and TV fan's life — providing more viewing choices, more places to find movies and television shows, and more excuses to while away hours and hours (and then a few more hours) on the couch. But, it has also sparked a familiar dilemma. Too often, thanks to all of the options available, it's easy to spend more time deciding what to check out next than actually watching something. Netflix has just released its intended solution to this problem, via a new feature called 'play something'. First revealed earlier in 2021, and now available globally across the platform, it's basically a shuffle function — and will automatically pick something for you to watch, rather than letting you keep scrolling and scrolling (and scrolling) while you're trying to make a decision. Here's how it works: when Netflix subscribers hit the 'play something' option — and therefore tell the service that they don't want to browse right now — they're instantly met with something new to view. It'll be either a series or film, and it could be something brand new, something you're already watching, a title that's on your list, or a show or movie you hadn't gotten around to finishing yet. Obviously, Netflix will be drawing upon its algorithm — as aided by your past viewing choices — to take your selections out of your hands. And, while it isn't called "I'm feeling lucky", that's the approach Netflix is basically asking subscribers to go with in terms of finding something to watch next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY2djp46FeY If you don't like the first choice that the new function thrusts in front of your eyeballs, you can click 'play something else'. What happens then is self-explanatory. And, if you're keen to tun the 'play something' function on, you'll find it underneath your profile name, on the tenth row on Netflix's homepage and in the navigation menu on the left side of the screen. The company has been testing this type of functionality in various forms over the past few years — and the concept is hardly new, as users of music streaming services know. In France at the end of 2020, Netflix also trialled a linear channel, which just played films and shows one after the other in the way that broadcast television does; however, there's no news yet as to whether the latter will become a permanent function worldwide. The idea behind these new features — whether they've been implemented or they're just being trialled — is to keep people watching and encourage more folks to join up as subscribers, of course. More and more new streaming services pop up all the time, all vying for your eyeballs, or so it feels at least. That's also the reason that Netflix introduced its Top Ten lists in 2020, if you've been wondering why the platform started telling you that everyone was watching Tiger King, The Queen's Gambit and The Midnight Sky. Netflix's new 'play something' feature is active on the platform now. For more information about, head to the streaming service's website.
Here at Concrete Playground we know what it can be like trying to organise dinner with a group of friends. Everyone has an opinion, some are poor, some are rich, some have allergies and some are just fussy. When you’re trying to please everyone, often your best option is to go for the easiest and most fail-safe option: a reliably tasty, affordably priced BYO restaurant. To make your next dinner outing with friends a breeze, Concrete Playground offers you five of our favourite cheap and cheerful BYOs. All of these restaurants are very popular so we recommend booking ahead. Trang Vietnamese Down the city end of Hardgrave Road, Trang will often be found jam-packed, with a line-up of people waiting to get in. Another indicator of Trang’s authentic and tasty food is the amount of Vietnamese people eating there – usually a pretty good indicator that the cuisine is legit. Family-owned and run, you will always see the same familiar faces greeting you at the door. Accustomed to their popularity, the lines don’t last too long and the friendly wait staff manage to shuffle you through without too long a wait – and you can prevent this by booking ahead. With a Vietnamese-Chinese menu you and your friends will have the option of fresh and healthy Vietnamese dishes, or some of the more sinful Chinese dishes like deep-fried duck with plum sauce. A Concrete Playground favourite are the rice paper wraps with grilled pork balls (roll your own). They have all of the sauces you will need right on your table so you can add all of the kecap manis and chilli sauce that you need. If you are fighting a winter cold we recommend the clear noodle soup with fried chicken. 2/59 Hardgrave Road, West End; 07 3255 1610 Lefka’s Taverna Up the other end of Hardgrave Road we have Lefka’s. Greeted by your smiling host you have the option to sit in or outdoors. With an extensive menu of Greek favourites like spanakopita, moussaka and souvlaki, there are plenty of options. If you want a bit of everything we highly recommend the share platters. Start off with a meze plate, which has a variety of octopus, olives, fetta and tzatiki and taramosalata to dip your fresh and warm pita into. For mains, the combination platter for two (which can probably be shared by about four…girls, that is) gives you a selection of meat and seafood all full of those delicious Greek garlic and lemon flavours. A final recommendation is the Paithakia (lamb cutlets with lemon potatoes and Greek salad). The lamb is off the chain. We promise, everyone will be happy. 170 Hardgrave Road, West End; 07 3844 1163; www.lefkas.com.au Super Bowl Located in Fortitude Valley, Super Bowl is about as cheerful as it gets. The restaurant is always packed, often with people celebrating birthdays (or fake birthdays). With delicious meals and owner Jimmy’s tendency to turn a blind eye to rowdy behaviour, Super Bowl is the perfect place to begin a boozy night out. Super Bowl’s signature, other than delicious salt and pepper quail and a mean pork belly, is their enthusiastic birthday celebrations. For each guest celebrating another year of life, they will turn the lights down and play a happy birthday song ‘to my dear friend’ while waiters bring out a sparkler adorned bowl of deep-fried ice cream and sing to the lucky guy or gal. The whole restaurant tends to join in and clap and sing along and it is generally a very happy communal experience. 185 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3257 2188 The Vietnamese One difficult thing about going out to dinner with a group of friends is trying to decide what to order, whether it’s ‘every man for themselves’ or a shared situation. The Vietnamese is the perfect place for a laidback group who are happy to have only one choice – which banquet to choose. Their banquet options are very reasonably priced and offer a wide selection off the menu, of fresh and hot dishes. The Vietnamese also has amusing waitstaff equipped with classic responses like ‘everything here is special’ with a wink, when asked what the special is. With a large upstairs room you can fit in a large group of friends and will have a bit of privacy to celebrate a special occasion with speeches… or to protect other diners from socially unacceptable behaviour. 194 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3252 4112 Sings Asian Kitchen Located in Rosalie on the west side (or Coorparoo on the east side), Sings is your suburban BYO option. Perhaps more suitable for a quiet night, the food at Sings is exceptional. They offer an Asian-fusion menu with Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese influenced dishes. Made with very fresh ingredients, the meals at Sings rarely disappoint. Whether you are after something warm and hearty like a red duck curry, something fishy like saw leave coconut fish or something fresh like the sugar cane prawn salad, Sings nails it all. 5 Nash Street, Rosalie Village; 07 3511 6511; www.singsasiankitchen.com.au View all Brisbane Restaurants.
Following up on his contribution to the Venice Biennale earlier this year, internationally renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has crafted a visually immersive structure made entirely of bicycles. The unveiling of the impressive centrepiece, titled Forever Bicycles for this year's Scotiabank Nuit Blanche has been met with widespread enthusiasm, quickly becoming a crowd favourite. The Toronto initiative, otherwise known as the 'Sleepless Night' festival, is a celebration of contemporary art in public places. Installed at Nathan Phillip Square, the spectacular installation consists of 3144 interconnected stainless steel bicycles. The visual effect of the artwork is mesmerising — it's as if it were designed for slow exposure photography, especially when bathed in pink and blue lights during the evening. The multitude of different viewing positions also means that the work is constantly changing. In this way, it evokes a sense of the fast-paced social transformation that China is currently undergoing. Viewers will be able to walk through the colossal labyrinth-like structure until it is dismantled in late October. Ai Weiwei has been known for his innovative and architectural use of everyday objects. His practice also frequently blurs the boundaries between art and politics, notably speaking out against China's social policies, human rights record and strict censorship laws. Via My Modern Met.
Taking over the northern stretch of the river, the CBD's new Brisbane Quarter is making its presence known. First it became home to the luxe W Hotel, complete with the first Brisbane outpost for Sydney's Three Blue Ducks — and now Heritij has joined the precinct. Initially announced in March, the Indian restaurant hails from top chef Manjunath Mural, Malt Dining's Nick Pinn and Sridhar Penumechu from Gold Coast restaurant Saffron. Mural was the first Indian executive chef to receive a Michelin star for an Indian restaurant in southeast Asia, for Singapore's Song of India. In his Brisbane venture, he's turning his applauded talents towards an inventive take on both Indian and Asian cuisine. "My dream is to share my style in presenting Indian cuisine in a way which is relevant to diners across the world, and that haute Indian cuisine will one day be as accepted as haute French dining," explains Mural. With that in mind, his menu features hearty, spicy and creative dishes that you won't find at your local Indian takeaway joint. The flambé leg of lamb is the restaurant's signature option, flambéed right there at the table before diners dig in, and served with roast accompaniments such as heirloom carrots, beetroot and mint sauce. Or, patrons can tuck into sambal barramundi with charred silverbeet and caviar, a plate of pomegranate prawns, or papdi chaat, which is described as Indian street nachos. Also on the lengthy list: the delicious-sounding masala fondue. It's all served up within Heritij's nearly 800-square-metre space, which features a 400-square-metre terrace, four private dining rooms and a bar. Unsurprisingly, the latter is where Pinn's influence can be felt, courtesy of a cocktail lineup blends new house styles with old favourites. Think dirty chai martinis with rum, chai syrup, Kahlua and espresso, or the flavoursome Saffronside with gin, mint, saffron syrup and lemon — plus Singapore slings, mai tais and Pimms cups. Heritij also places a particular focus on whisky, highlighting both American and international blends. And, if you'd rather drop by for a tipple and a snack while you look out over the river, the bar boasts a street food grazing menu as well. Find Heritij at Brisbane Quarter, 300 Queen Street, Brisbane from 11.30am–11.45pm Monday to Saturday. Images: Mark Buckley.
High tea and gooey cheese. Whatever time of year it happens to be, one of these two things is usually on offer at W Brisbane. The CBD venue's resident bar tends to rotate between the two, because your tastebuds like variety — and, now that spring is in full swing, it has unveiled its latest range of tiny bites to eat, cups of tea and optional cocktails. This Living Room Bar spread comes with an art theme, too, so it definitely isn't your ordinary high tea. Because design is a crucial part of the hotel, you can even paint your own panna cotta — and then eat it, obviously. Other menu items include cherry chocolate profiteroles, chocolate mousse tarts, mousse and lemon myrtle scones, as well as savoury options such as warm confit duck pie, lobster tarts, creamy truffle eggs, vegan scallops, and wagyu beef with pumpernickel and cream avocado. That'll set you back $65 per person, with the Eat Your Art Out high tea on offer from 10am–4pm every Friday–Sunday. And if you fancy getting boozy, you add a welcome champagne or cocktail — including the Oh My Goma, a vodka concoction that comes with an edible art print.
Since 1888, a pub has stood on the stretch of Fortitude Valley's Wickham Street approaching Brunswick Street, albeit under different names over the years. As announced last month, that space is now home to The Prince Consort — an eight-venue collective that has just opened, and is serving up both drinks and bites to eat. As every Brisbanite who has visited the Valley in the past few years will know, The Prince Consort has taken over the heritage-listed hotel most recently known as The Elephant. In the process, it has reinstated the site's 132-year-old original moniker, too — so it's a case of the old combining with the new. Sparking the change is the pub's new owners, Tilley & Wills Hotels, which already boasts Sydney's Greenwood Hotel and Oxford Art Factory among its venues. It has given the premises a thorough revamp, including the creation of different new spaces with varying themes and focuses. As manager Jason Hirt explains, the result allows Brisbanites "to choose between a heritage-style classic English pub, a luxe supper club, a Los Cabos-inspired taco and tequila adventure, a music-driven underground edge, a chilled garden bar and more". [caption id="attachment_783851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] JLL[/caption] As live music venue The Foundry announced in September, it is no longer part of the space, moving to a yet-to-be-revealed new Valley location by November instead. But The Prince Consort remains home to Greaser, which was already part of The Elephant, as well as newcomers La La Land, The Garden Bar, 400 Rabbits Cantina, The Bowie Rooms, The Yorke Suites and The Naughty Corner. The Prince Consort itself resides on the ground floor, in the parlour, and operates as a gastropub. La La Land, which is located upstairs, gives venue a luxurious supper club-style bar with booth seating, VIP private rooms, a tapas-heavy menu and the ability to live-stream events from around the world — plus a dance floor beneath a crystal chandelier. Downstairs, The Garden Bar claims the site's openair space, this time with plants, pastel hues and a stadium screen. As the name suggests, 400 Rabbits Cantina is all about food, especially tacos, while The Bowie Rooms live up to their theme and The Yorke Suites are designed for musicians and creatives. And, as for The Naughty Corner, you'll need to head by to see what it's about — but, among all of these venues-within-a-venue, fans of The Elephant's woodfired pizzas can rest assured that they're still on offer. In the kitchen, head chef Jack Powlay (ex-Gerard's Bistro) is overseeing the menu. Drinks-wise, folks can sip their way through 89 beers on tap across the site, as well as sizeable cocktail list. And if you're wondering how the revamped space look, the aim is to take The Prince Consort back to its roots, while also giving it a new feel. Brisbanites keen to stop by might want to make a date with the venue's Halloween celebrations, which are taking over three floors. Ticketed burlesque performances are on offer at La La Land, while Greaser is pairing live tunes with themed food and drinks — and The Garden Bar is getting into the spooky spirit on both Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. Find The Prince Consort at 230 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley — open 11am–late seven days a week.
Nicolas Cage is sorely missed in Five Nights at Freddy's, not that he was ever on the film's cast list. He starred in 2021's Willy's Wonderland, however, which clearly took its cues from the video-game franchise that this attempt to start a corresponding movie series now officially adapts. Willy's Wonderland wasn't great, but a near-silent Cage battling demonic animatronics was always going to be worth seeing. Unsurprisingly, he's mesmerising. In comparison, the actual Five Nights at Freddy's feature stars Josh Hutcherson deep in his older brother phase, bringing weary charm to a by-the-numbers horror flick that's as routine as they come no matter whether you've ever mashed buttons along with its inspiration — which first dropped in 2014 and now spans nine main games, a tenth on the way and five spinoffs — or seen everyone's favourite Renfield, Pig and Color Out of Space actor give an unlicensed take a go. Writer/director Emma Tammi (The Wind), the game's creator Scott Cawthon (Scooby Doo, Where Are You? In... SPRINGTRAPPED!) and co-screenwriter Seth Cuddeback's (Mateo) movie iteration of Five Nights at Freddy's doesn't just arrive after a Cage film got there first; it hits after season 16 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia wreaked havoc on a comparable setting already in 2023. If you're looking for a pitch-black comedic skewering of eateries in the style of Chuck E Cheese, the IRL pizzeria-meets-arcade chain that Freddy Fazbear's Pizza is patently based on, that's the best of the year. So, the Five Nights at Freddy film lingers in multiple shadows. There's symmetry on- and off-screen as result: shining a torchlight around in the movie uncovers sights that its characters would rather not see, and peering even just slightly through recent pop culture shows that this picture isn't alone, either. The concept in Five Nights at Freddy's whether you've got a controller in your hand or you're watching a flick: at the once-popular Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, which was big with families in the 80s, working the night shift at the restaurant's long-shuttered base has killer consequences. That's when the life-sized singing-and-dancing furry robots that performed shows for kids when the place was operational now go menacingly a-wandering, and also make their lack of fondness for visitors brutally known, causing a high staff turnover. Five Nights at Freddy's does explain why, but everything from what's going on to the reason behind it is horror movie 101. The film may take place in an eatery rather than a home — a creepy one, of course — but it's basically a haunted house affair, and happily ticks all of the most standard of genre boxes. Taking the gig from career counsellor Steve Raglan (Matthew Lillard, Scream) reluctantly, Mike Schmidt (Hutcherson, Futureman) doesn't want to be anywhere but his own abode come dark, let alone in a dilapidated old funhouse restaurant with anthropomorphic animal figures as one of its main attractions. But he's in need of work after being fired from his mall security job because he wrongly thought that a dad scolding his son was a man kidnapping a child, and reacted violently — and he has his ten-year-old sister Abby (Piper Rubio, Unstable) to look after. They're all that each other have left since the death of their parents and the abduction of their brother Garrett (Lucas Grant, The Patient) years before that, which Mike feels responsible for, other than the overbearing aunt (Mary Stuart Masterson, Blindspot) who is maliciously suing for custody. Mike normally spends his evenings attempting to find out what happened to Garrett via his dreams, a task he continues at Freddy's, with his preoccupation elsewhere giving the animatronics free rein. The place is inherently eerie in a dusty, overlooked, caught-out-of-time way — and also if you just think that giant teddy bears like Freddy can be ominous anyway — but Five Nights at Freddy's lead hasn't noticed until local cop Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail, You) drops by one night while patrolling her beat. Fuelled by his tragic past and ignoring the key 'don't fall asleep' rule of his overnight gig, he's too busy yawning his way to some shuteye to put dream theory to work to unlock his memories of the incident that shattered his family forever. Constructing a film around an oft-snoozing protagonist can be a double-edged sword, and cuts the wrong way here, reminding viewers that they might prefer to be slumbering as well. All that's endeavouring to keep most of the audience awake is predictable circuitry, from horror's current obsession with examining trauma's impact (and the genre's undying love of overusing any trend in flicks great, average and terrible) to overt nods in Stephen King and Scooby Doo's directions. That Scooby Doo vibe is telling, though: rather than just trying to evoke nostalgia in viewers who can remember their days as kids in arcades, family-themed restaurants or combos of both, Five Nights at Freddy's is as much aimed at adolescents now. Accordingly, Tammi hasn't taken a Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey approach — not that that's a worthy example of blending cuddly critters with horror at all — with her film focusing on mood, anticipation, suggestion and jump scares over anything gory or terrifying. Younger audiences still deserve better than a movie this generic. Everyone deserves something other than a film where more time is expended on the build-up and backstory than with Freddy Fazbear, Foxy, Chica, Cupcake and Bonnie. Created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the mechanised mascots look the part, but are both under-deployed and then stuck going through the murderous motions. Winking casting that gives away too much is also part of the Five Nights at Freddy's film experience. So is the pointless aunt subplot, which couldn't be more cartoonish. Scenes that do nothing but gush exposition — and ensure that there's zero mystery around who knows more than they're letting on — similarly bog down the movie. Hutcherson and Rubio nonetheless do well enough with pixel-thin characters, especially in a feature that frequently seems as if it has spliced an unrelated flick about sibling trauma into the Five Nights at Freddy's premise. A picture based on the gaming series was always bound to happen, and Blumhouse adding another established well-known horror name to a stable that also includes Black Christmas, Fantasy Island, The Invisible Man, The Craft's sequel, three Halloween movies, Firestarter and the latest The Exorcist entry was just as likely, but it shouldn't play like everything within it and about it is dully inevitable.
Peruse the Tim Tam section of an Australian supermarket and more than just the classic version of the chocolate biscuits await. Arnott's has even done Gelato Messina-inspired Tim Tams in the past. So, adding a new flavour to sit alongside current specials like coconut cream, Murray River salted caramel, and butterscotch and cream isn't a surprise — but turning an April Fool's joke into a real bikkie is a first. It was back in 2023, on the day that no news can be trusted, that Arnott's revealed a Jatz-inspired Tim Tam for when you can't choose between crackers and chocolate biscuits. It was a prank then, but the brand's customers didn't want to to remain just a gag. So, Tim Tam inspired by Jatz will hit Coles around Australia from late April. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tim Tam (@timtam) "Following the overwhelming number of comments and requests, we knew we had to bring Tim Tam inspired by Jatz to the shelf and make it available for every Aussie to enjoy," said Tim Tam Marketing Manager Rebecca Chan. One important caveat, though: Tim Tam inspired by Jatz don't actually include any Jatz, but feature their salty taste — and have "cracker notes", Arnott's advises. A packet will set you back $5 when they reach the shelves. Also, more surprising flavours might be in store across the year, with Tim Tams turning 60 in 2024. In the future, you might want to pay attention to Arnott's April Fool's Day jokes to come, too, in case they actually sound like something you'd like — and become a reality a year later. Tim Tam inspired by Jatz will hit Coles supermarkets around Australia from late April 2024. Head to the Arnott's website for more details.
Dispelling the old thought that art and science cannot mix, The Creators Project showcases the talent of those who have simultaneously mastered both fields. The Creators Project is a product of a partnership between Intel and Vice, and has been held in various locations throughout the United States, as well as in the UK, France, China, South Korea, and Brazil. Held in San Francisco, California last weekend, the event featured both established and new artists who use technology to create their art. “The countries we travel to in our global event series are all comprised of innovative communities at the forefront of the marriage of art and technology," said David Haroldsen, Intel's Creative Director for the project. “Many of our creators are based out of these countries which has in turn helped us further expand, enabling us to form relationships with more and more forthcoming artists in the art and tech communities.” According to Haroldsen, the goal of the The Creators Project is to find the world's most innovative tech artists and provide them with the resources necessary to give their work exposure. Hosi Simon, GM of Vice, said: "We discuss the artists’ dreams and ambitions in great detail, and find ways of how The Creators Project can help them reach their goals. We want to create long-term partnerships and collaborations." The event featured an incredible range of unique pieces. One installation piece titled 'Six Forty by Four Eighty', by Zigelbaum + Coelho2, allowed event goers to interact with giant pixels. The pixels could be controlled via remote, or cloned by holding a hand over a particular pixel and then tapping another. 'The Treachery of Sanctuary' by Chris Milk similarly allowed for interaction by using Kinect sensors to transform participating people into birds on the projection screen. Other works included a giant, LED-lit cube which featured a light show, a giant wall of Instagram photos shared by attendees, and more. [via Mashable]
Brisbane has already welcomed in 2025, but that's not the only new year that demands celebrating. Before January is out, Lunar New Year will hit, kicking off the Year of the Snake. Fancy marking the occasion with street food in South Brisbane's Fish Lane, a rooftop party in Sunnybank, watching the Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens light up, listening to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, dancing to K-pop, giggling to stand-up comedy or enjoying a DJ-spun soundtrack? At BrisAsia Festival, you can. For 13 years now, the River City has commemorated Lunar New Year with a citywide fest, and that isn't changing in 2025. This year's lineup includes 25 events around town, all designed to get you in celebration mode. The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art forms part of 2025's program, if you need another excuse to head to Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art to check it out between now and April, but the bulk of the BrisAsia fun takes place across ten days from Friday, January 31–Sunday, February 9. After debuting in 2024, Asian street festival Lush is back again this year, with Southside Restaurant, Hello Please, Chu the Phat and Bird's Nest set to serve up bites to eat. That's just one of BrisAsia 2025's fests within the broader fest. While the Hội chợ Tết (TET Festival) is taking place in advance, on Friday, January 24, the Vietnamese festivities in Richlands are still included on the lineup. And, Southside by Night is back, once more combining street food with a car meet in Willawong. The Sunnybank Lunar New Year Rooftop Party is always a highlight, showcasing Sunnybank Plaza's eateries, busting out lion and dragon dance performances, and capping the night off with fireworks. Consider it the perfect way to help close out BrisAsia 2025, with the shindig happening on Saturday, February 8. New in 2025 is Lunar New Year in the Gardens at Mt Coot-tha, complete with sitar tunes, martial-arts displays, street food and K-pop. For more of the latter, the Thomas Dixon Centre is hosting a showcase. Other events for your calendar include BrisAsia Stands Up, enlisting Brisbane's Asian Australian comedians; a special presentation at Brisbane Planetarium; Longwang featuring Korean dishes across a Seoul-themed weekend; and Warehouse 25's BEAT STREET party in Milton. Or, albeit just after the fest's official dates — on Sunday, February 16 — you can catch the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at QPAC.
Thanks to the soothing tones of waves lapping against the shore, a trip to Burleigh Heads always comes a soundtrack. From May, if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine, it'll also feature slurping noises aplenty. That's when RaRa Ramen is set to open its doors, with the Sydney-based chain making its first trip north — adding a Gold Coast site as a sibling venue to its four NSW stores. On the menu: tonkotsu ramen, which has proven quite the hit at RaRa Redfern, RaRa Randwick and RaRa Chan in Eveleigh. Taking its cues from the chain's vegan offshoot Lonely Mouth, RaRa Burleigh Heads will be doing meat-free bowls as well. Chicken karaage, cauliflower karaage and corn tempura will also be on offer, covering snack options for both carnivorous and plant-focused diners alike. While a great bowl of broth and noodles is always a drawcard, RaRa Burleigh Heads will boast another thanks to its neon-lit cocktail bar. Glowing hues are a feature of the company's other sites, too; however, in this case, the vivid lights will be nodding to the area's history. When on the Gold Coast and all that. Drinks-wise, sours will be a highlight, alongside a lineup of beers that'll include Japanese brews. And, the venue's decor will reflect its beachy setting in other ways, including in the curved lines featured in the fitout. RaRa is expected to open in Burleigh Heads before the middle of May, at the back of an arcade on James Street. If you're wondering why owners Scott Gault and Katie Shortland have decided to make the leap, Gault is originally from Brisbane — and, on a trip this way to see family after navigating border closures and restrictions during the peak of the pandemic, the pair spotted the property. "We let it percolate in our heads, and thought it could be a good opportunity to bring RaRa to the Gold Coast," Gault tells Concrete Playground. "Initially, we didn't have any plans to expand interstate, or to open a new store at the time." Like most Brisbanites, Gault has fond childhood memories of spending ample time on the coast, and identified Burleigh as an exciting food hub. Also a factor in the decision: the Gold Coast's existing culinary range. Gault notes that the city has boasted "great options for Japanese food over the years, which have informed everyone's palate." RaRa Ramen will open before mid-May at 21A/50 James Street, Burleigh Heads. Images: RaRa Ramen Randwick, Kitti Gould.
To swim at the beach is to enjoy pure, natural beauty, but swimming at the pool allows for something else: the appreciation of nature and the human-made together. Whether driven by landlocked location, the presence of healing hot springs, or just a fear of waves, people have built stunning public swimming pools all over the world. These are ten of the best. Gellert Baths - Budapest, Hungary One hundred and eighteen thermal springs produce 70 million litres of warm water in Budapest every day. It's little wonder that the Hungarian capital is otherwise known as the 'Spa City'. Of the many pools found there, the Gellert Baths are the most visited. Built during the First World War, they are famous for their majestic, art nouveau architecture and the healing powers of their springs, acknowledged since medieval times. Badeschiff - Berlin, Germany As part of a 2004 public art project, Berlin based artist Susanne Lorenz transformed the hull of a 32m-long ship into a swimming pool and set it afloat it on the River Spree. Known as the Badeschiff, meaning 'bathing ship' in English, it is now one of Berlin’s primary summer attractions and includes table tennis tables and DJs for year-round fun. Montjuic Municipal Pool - Barcelona, Spain If you're a Kylie Minogue fan, you might recognise this view. She and a crowd of rather statuesque divers spend her video clip 'Slow' rolling around on beach towels next to the Montjuic Municipal Pool. Located on a hill high above Barcelona, this one offers spectacular scenery and Olympic diving boards. The Blue Lagoon - Reykjavik, Iceland The silica- and sulphur-rich waters of the Blue Lagoon are believed to possess powerful medicinal qualities. Whether or not you're one of the faithful, you're bound to be seduced by the mystical surroundings and the year-round 37-39°C water temperatures, especially if you're visiting during one of Reykjavik's icy winters. Having appeared in The Amazing Race 6, Hostel: Part II, and Britain's Next Top Model, the Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland's star tourist attractions. Yrjonkatu Swimming Hall - Helsinki, Finland This one is a must for skinny dipping enthusiasts. Up until 2001, you weren't even allowed in the Yrjonkatu with your clothes on. These days, nudity is still popular, but not obligatory, and men and women must visit at separate times. Established in June 1928, Yrjönkatu is Scandinavia’s oldest indoor public swimming pool. Its stunning classical-style architecture conjures up an atmosphere reminiscent of the ancient Roman baths. Barton Springs Pool - Austin, Texas For thousands of years, the Tonkawa Native American tribe used the springs that feed into Barton Pool during sacred rituals. Acquired by settlers in the 19th century and then by the City of Austin during the 1920s, the springs have been transformed into a public pool, which now lies inside Zilker Metropolitan Park. The water temperature is never much lower than 20°C and rarely exceeds 22°C, so you can take the plunge in comfort at any time of year. Pocas do Gomes - Madeira, Portugal The Pocas do Gomes lie on the idyllic southern edge of Madeira, a Portugese archipelago located 400km north of the Canary Islands. Naturally formed from volcanic rock, these pools enable expansive views over the Atlantic Ocean. A nearby restaurant offers fresh seafood and Portugese-style culinary delights. Piscine Molitor - Paris, France The Piscine Molitor, after which Yann Martel's increasingly famous fictional hero is named, may not be considered one of the world’s most beautiful pools right now. Built in 1929, but having closed in 1989, it became a favourite haunt for hoodlums and graffiti artists throughout the 1990s. However, a 2014 reopening promises the reconstruction of the pool in all its art deco glory. If Ang Lee's imaginative depictions are anything to go by, the Piscine Molitor will soon be vying for top of the list. Krapfenbaldwad - Vienna, Austria Situated just outside of Vienna and surrounded by vineyards, Krapfenbaldwad affords sweeping views. Given that Austria is landlocked, this pool provides some welcome cool relief for both locals and visitors and is often packed during the summer months. The old-fashioned changing rooms add an olde worlde charm to the bathing experience. Bondi Icebergs Baths - Sydney, Australia Finally, we'd be doing ourselves a disservice were we to forget that some of the most beautiful scenery on Earth is on our doorstep. The Waverley Council recognised this back in the 1880s, when they built the Bondi Baths at the southern end of Australia's most popular beach. Since 1929, the Baths have been home to the famous Icebergs, the only licensed Winter Swimming Club in the world. To be a member, you must be willing to swim at least one length of the 50m pool on three Sundays out of every month, all winter long. Any attempts at an excuse will only see your membership relinquished. If that’s not quite your style, take a dip at your leisure for $5.50 (adults) / $3.50 (children/Seniors).
Fresh from hosting the Foo Fighters at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium, Victoria's new statewide contemporary music celebration Always Live has just added two new gigs to its lineup: the first stops in the Australian leg of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' Carnage tour. Mark Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26 in your diaries and prepare to head to the Macedon Ranges, because the two Aussie music legends and their must-attend 2022 shows are heading to Hanging Rock. The pair are hitting the stage to support the 2021 album that shares the tour's name, which actually marks Cave and Ellis' first studio album as a duo. Bandmates across several projects since the 90s — including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Grinderman — Cave and Ellis are Aussie icons, with careers spanning back decades. Together, they also boast more than a few phenomenal film scores to their names as well, including for The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Road, West of Memphis, Far From Men, Hell or High Water and Wind River. Cave and Ellis will head home after an American Carnage tour, and following Cave's subsequent tour with the Bad Seeds in Europe. Yes, this is some news to come sail your ships around — although, given that Cave announced that the tour was in the works back in early February via his The Red Hand Files email list, you might've already started getting excited last month. [caption id="attachment_845538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Laurine Payet[/caption] The Hanging Rock shows will have a limited capacity, with getting in quickly when tickets go on sale — at 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, March 15, with general sales available from 12pm local time on Thursday, March 17 — highly recommended. Courtney Barnett will join the duo for the two gigs — and details of shows in other cities around the country is expected soon, so keep watching this space. Fans of the pair have something else to look forward to, too: film This Much I Know to Be True, directed by Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Killing Them Softly filmmaker Andrew Dominik, about Cave and Ellis' creative relationship. Dominik also made 2016 Cave doco One More Time with Feeling, and his latest flick will hit Aussie cinemas on Wednesday, May 11. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' Australian Carnage tour will kick off at Hanging Rock in the Macedon Ranges on Friday, November 25 and Saturday, November 26, then continue throughout November and December 2022 — with other cities, dates and venues still to be announced. Pre-sale tickets for the Hanging Rock shows go on sale at 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, March 15, with general sales available from 12pm local time on Thursday, March 17. For more information or to register for pre-sales, head to the tour website. Top images: Laurine Payet, Palma Sabina.
For Australian TV viewers, your familiarity with various US cable networks will depend upon which of their television shows you happen to watch. HBO has become a household name thanks to everything from The Sopranos and The Wire to Game of Thrones and Succession, for instance — and if you're a fan of Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and The Walking Dead, you'll have noticed AMC's moniker more than once or twice. Get ready to watch more of AMC's shows, actually, as the American network has just brought its AMC+ streaming bundle to Australia. Rather than existing as a separate platform, it's an add-on that's available via the Apple TV channels on the Apple TV app and, also for Prime members thanks to its Prime Video channels. You'll need to pay extra to access it — to the tune of $8.99 per month — but that'll add both new and classic AMC shows to your streaming queue. So, you'll be able to watch six-part series The Beast Must Die, which stars Chernobyl's Jared Harris and follows the aftermath of a hit and run; Swedish series The Restaurant, which kicks off with a kiss amid end-of-WWII celebrations; and Dutch miniseries The Swell, about the most powerful storm in history heading towards The Netherlands and Belgium. There's also stop-motion comedy Ultra City Smiths, which uses animated baby dolls to stand in for a grown-up cast of characters — and a heap of true-crime titles, including docuseries Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders, about the chilling killings that Truman Capote turned into the acclaimed book In Cold Blood. In terms of new arrivals, the South Australian-shot Firebite might just be the most exciting show on AMC+'s lineup. It won't start dropping episodes until Thursday, December 16; however, it's created by Aussie Samson and Delilah, Sweet Country and The Beach filmmaker Warwick Thornton. Following two Indigenous Australian hunters who battle the last colony of vampires in the middle of the SA desert, it stars Rob Collins (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and newcomer Shantae Barnes-Cowan (Total Control), as well as Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black) and Callan Mulvey (Shadow in the Cloud). Also set to hit in the coming weeks: dystopian drama series Anna, about a world plagued by a virus which kills adults but spares children; the first three seasons of documentary mockumentary series Documentary Now!; and sketch comedy Sherman's Showcase. Subscribers to AMC+ also get access to the network's two other forays into local streaming, horror platform Shudder and the British TV-focused Acorn TV — all at no extra cost. Plus, the streaming bundle will gain a heap of AMC's high-profile existing shows throughout November, such as Mad Men, Riviera, Portlandia, Comedy Bang! Bang! and Eli Roth's History of Horror, as well as of a number of indie movies from IFC Films and horror flicks from Shudder. If you're keen — and your streaming queue has a few gaps in it — AMC+ is doing seven-day free trials for Prime members, too. The AMC+ streaming bundle is now available via the Apple TV channels on the Apple TV app and, also for Prime members thanks to its Prime Video channels. For more information, head to the AMC+ Facebook page. Top image: Ian Routledge/AMC+.
With the temperature in Brisbane having plummeted to cardigan-appropriate in the last few weeks, it is nice to see bar and cafe Artie & Mai embrace the cold change with their new evening menu. The British-influenced fare (attributable to head chef Anthony Gordon's stint in the UK), is comprised of dishes simply prepared, and flavours left to speak and fend for themselves. To enjoy the full effect, choose a selection of small share plates (all hover around the $11 mark) like the rabbit and pork terrine with piccalilli; mushroom arancini with truffle oil and gorgonzola fondue; scotched hen's egg; and fried duck egg with chicken liver, wild mushrooms and soldiers. Large plates include a 500g wing rib of beef, bone marrow and duck fat kipflers ($38). Let the rich, earthy flavours continue with cereal milk panna cotta, served with caramelised cornflakes and crunchy peanut chocolate, or opt for the cinnamon doughnuts with chef's filling (which on past occasions has included banana and rum, and apple and cinnamon). A bright star of Albion's budding food quarter, Artie & Mai certainly strives to serve the varied needs of those who live and work nearby. Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday, they also open their doors seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. Their coffee is Belaroma, the selection of wines and (especially) beers is considered, and their cocktails aren't to be scoffed at. Banquet-style private dining is available, as is a breakfast feast for groups. Wednesday (from 3pm onwards) spells $20 pizza and beer night, and if you want takeaway, the menu includes slow roast lamb shoulder roll with tzatziki and rustic chips ($12). Though the takeaway options do sound very appetising, dining in means you can escape the Brisbane chill and enjoy the fit-out. Taking up the fire engine red building on Sandgate Road vacated by Stockholm Syndrome, Artie & Mai have retained many of the design features of their predecessor. Apart from the eye-catching exterior, the stripped brick walls and the penchant for old wood furnishings remain.
Alba Bar and Deli can be found tucked down on Burnett Lane, offering a unique blend of Spanish-inspired cuisine and innovative cocktails in a relaxed, laneway atmosphere. The intimate diner is brought to you by owner Jamie Fleming (ex-Lobo Plantation), who brings a wealth of experience to his debut venue: a fusion of old-world Spanish charm and the energy of 90s New York. Open for lunch, aperitivo and dinner, the food menu constantly evolves with the season, and each dish promises a celebration of local cuisine with a Spanish element, from Tin Can Bay king prawns served with chargrilled and pickled peppers to classic Iberico ham served with crunchy asparagus and buttered-up barley. Alba's drinks menu is as diverse as its culinary offerings, featuring lashings of vermouth, amaro, carefully curated wines ranging from Spanish imports (think albariño and mataro single varietals and blends) and Australian natural wines. The cocktail list also changes with the seasons and includes twists on classics and unique creations.
What has happened to that once glorious Hollywood staple, the romantic comedy? Even at its most saccharine, it was a dependable genre, the type that left you in a kind of terrible movie heaven of enjoyably unlikely plot premises, clueslessly fated lovers, and fairytale endings. Trashy, sure, but reliably trashy — carefree and frothy and silly. Beautiful people, overcoming mindlessly familiar cinematic hurdles and falling in love — it's comforting stuff for hopeless romantics like myself who get most of their life philosophies from Michel Gondry films. But a genre that focuses more on seduction and courtship and the happily-ever-after, bridal magazine moments eventually leaves viewers craving something a little more substantial. After all, anyone who lives in the real world knows that the real work in relationships begins at the point where rom coms usually end: the kiss, the wedding, the honeymoon period, the beginning. The reality and ridiculousness and complexity of relationships and sex and romance — surely this is the kind of thing that mainstream film should finally start getting right. That's why I Give It a Year should work. British director Dan Mazer has styled it as a renovated, thinking-person's rom com, one that starts at the wedding and explores the difficulty of staying in love. It's a worthwhile project, and one that The Simpsons creative director James L. Brooks has made into a career. Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, and even the cruelly critically maligned How Do You Know? all subtly inverted the rom com rules by showing more realistic characters with more realistic relationships. And they were funnier for their closer collision with real life. Mazer has his work cut out for him by Brooks. Rose Byrnes' highly strung Nat and Rafe Spall's man-boy Josh are not meant to be — they marry too quickly and are obviously more suited to the two supporting characters, played by Simon Baker (on charismatic autopilot) and Anna Faris (on tedious autopilot. Why is she a thing?). But ultimately the film refuses to bust out of the conventional rom com template. Its plot remains face-punchingly implausible, its characters straitjacketed by stereotype, and its humour terminally planted in Mazer's familiar ground of extreme awkwardness and feeble frat-boy crassness. This is, after all, the man who produced Borat and Sacha Baron Cohen's other cinematic mis/adventures. Oddly enough for a love story, I Give It a Year fails to get to any kind of genuine emotional core for the characters or their relationships. Perhaps the highlight of the film is Rose Byrnes' wardrobe, a procession of pastel cashmere sweaters and tailored designer clothing this reviewer will never, ever be able to afford. Yes, Byrnes and Baker are lovely to watch, but it is frankly demoralising to see them wasting their presence on such an eye-rollingly unfunny project. The Office's Stephen Merchant is particularly misused given his considerable comedic talents. Despite its admirable aims, I Give It A Year is a 102-minute exercise in endurance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3UgPWKPDlvA
I could summarise Paranoia's plot. But to do so would be to compile a stock-standard litany of signposts of the corporate espionage genre: Dastardly capitalists who'll stop at nothing to retain their market share! An ambitious upstart from a working-class family who is recruited to steal secrets and quickly realises he's out of his depth! A hot love interest who our hero must lie to in order to retain his compromised position spying in the belly of the beast! Sinister henchmen who appear in little more than silhouette! Hard-edged, Matrix-style, millennial typefaces for the opening credits! The film equivalent of Getty stock images of New York's time-lapsed skyline at night! And finally, a mediocre title bluntly aimed at edginess: 'Sniper'? 'Hunted'? 'Suspect'? No, it's Paranoia! Here, the wide-eyed protagonist is Our Liam (Hemsworth), direct from Summer Bay via The Hunger Games, and our scheming tech billionaires are autopiloted by Gary Oldman (with an inexplicable Cockney accent) and Harrison Ford, who appears to be possessed by a necromancer. All of these actors are totally interchangeable — Hemsworth could be traded for Chris Pine or Ryan Reynolds, and Oldman or Ford could be any old guy with credibility for hire. Who's swindling who?! Have the tables turned? Fear not, each 'twist' is signalled from a pantomime-long distance. And remember, we're in a pro-Facebook, post-GFC era now, so we'll need just enough references to 'cutbacks' and 'socially networked devices' to make some token social commentary. But beyond the name dropping, terms like 'insider trading' are merely fuel for the generic, white-collar thriller fire. Paranoia really is so cliched and tiresome, it could be a minor work of cinemasochistic genius by Australian, Legally Blonde director Robert Luketic. No, the best thing for this sort of exercise in filmic pollution is to stealthily organise your cinema trip around a genre-based drinking game with a group of friends. Gratuitous Apple Mac product placement? Drink! Garden variety corporate-speak ("Competition breeds innovation!" "We need more R&D!")? Drink! Hey, maybe this movie's not so bad after all. Maybe the filmmakers were playing us for dupes and intend Paranoia to have a long and healthy DVD afterlife in the 'so bad it's good' category of home viewing. The tables have turned! Or have they? https://youtube.com/watch?v=kiwTRLwmm4w
When your first year featured Nelly, Ne-Yo, Ja Rule, Bow Wow and Xzibit, and your second had T-Pain, Ashanti, The Game and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, what comes next? For Juicy Festival, it's now time for Ludacris, Keyshia Cole, SWV and Blackstreet. The nostalgic R&B and hip hop fest has locked in its return Down Under in January 2025, again starting in New Zealand with gigs in Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland. After that, it'll head across the ditch for its Australian shows in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland. And, as always, it hasn't skimped on the lineup. After making an appearance at Usher's 2024 Super Bowl halftime show — and spending two decades as part of the Fast and Furious franchise — Ludacris leads the Juicy Festival bill. Expect to hear everything from 'What's Your Fantasy' and 'Area Codes' to 'Runaway Love' and 'Rollout'. Keyshia Cole's 'Love', girl group SWV's 'Right Here' and Blackstreet's 'No Diggity' are all set to be fest highlights, on a lineup that'll also see Akon, Tyga, Omarion, Fat Joe and Jacquees take to the stage. "This year's lineup is packed with artists responsible for some of R&B and hip hop's biggest hits of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, and we're excited to see the crowd respond to the high energy of our artists," said festival promoter Matthew Spratt. "Every year we are excited to bring another line-up to Australia, and we believe we've come up with a high-calibre group of artists that people will be excited to see," added his colleague Glenn Meikle. "We've locked in some of the biggest names in R&B and hip hop from the 1990s and 2000s era, and they're just as excited about coming to Australia as we are to be hosting them," finished Spratt. When Juicy Fest debuted in January 2023, it attracted more than 100,000 attendees. The event hasn't announced 2025 venues so far, or exactly where in Queensland it'll be heading to, but tickets go on sale from Thursday, May 2. Juicy Fest 2025 Dates: Wednesday, January 8 — Christchurch, venue TBC Friday, January 10 — Wellington, venue TBC Saturday, January 11 — Auckland, venue TBC Sunday, January 12 — Tauranga, venue TBC Wednesday, January 15 – Perth, venue TBC Friday, January 17 – Melbourne, venue TBC Saturday, January 18 – Sydney, venue TBC Sunday, January 19 - Queensland, venue TBC Juicy Fest 2025 Lineup: Ludacris Akon Tyga Keyshia Cole Omarion Fat Joe SWV Blackstreet Jacquees Juicy Fest will tour Australia and New Zealand in January 2025, with tickets pre-registrations available from 6pm local time on Wednesday, May 1 — and tickets on sale from 6pm local time on Thursday, May 2. Head to the festival's website to register for pre-sale access.
To call Enough Said a romantic comedy seems wrongly restrictive. Essentially, it's just that, but really, it's much more. A quirky divorcee starts falling for a slobby, overweight but very loveable dude, then realises it's her friend's despised ex-husband. Antics ensue. The title and the poster are something of an undersell — 'Enough Said' sounds like any other moronically make-believe candyfloss crap in which an unlikely yet star-crossed couple with Hollywood cheekbones and poreless skin battle for 90 minutes and get together — forever, of course — in the final scene. The title is oddly generic; try slipping 'About Time', 'Here's the Thing' or 'Wouldn't You Know?' in its place. Here's the difference: Nicole Holofcener is one of the smartest, wryest female American directors around. Friends with Money established her as a someone who makes real films with real characters for real grown-ups. She then joined the television glory days, directing episodes of HBO's Enlightened — two short seasons of confronting and hilarious viewing. Laura Dern and Mike White's amazing creation, the deluded yet totally empathisable Amy Jellicoe, could make you question if your own deepest-held longings are just impossible and impossibly vivid self-deceptions. With Enough Said, Holofcener makes a pitch for the mainstream, moving in on the edge of the territory staked out by James L. Brooks: rom-coms that are actually, miraculously both romantic and comedic. I can't help but wonder if it's because her last film, Please Give, was a well-intentioned but dour project that somehow missed its mark, as well as the wide audience that this super cluey director deserves. In Enough Said, she's cast Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the usual Catherine Keener role. Where on earth has Louis-Dreyfus been for the last decade and a half? She is a flat-out great leading actress. Here, she perfects what she revealed on Seinfeld in the 1990s: a character's failed attempts at carefree casualness. With wide-eyed, sideways glances and upturned intonation, she relays cluelessness and hopefulness, her yearning earnestness betraying her surface breeziness. (A side note: Claudia Karvan does this best in Australia.) The whole cast is spot-on, and James Gandolfini is especially endearing in his last, quite slight role — though I couldn't help wonder what complexity Louis CK could have brought to the character. There's something extraordinary about seeing quite ordinary women on film. In Gravity, Sandra Bullock's astronaut-taut face barely moved from the effects of what one hoped was zero gravity but was more likely astronomical proportions of filler and muscle relaxant. By contrast, Keener and Louis-Dreyfus aren't great beauties, but they are uncommonly lovely and a delight to watch — animated, bright, baffled and trying and trying and trying their fallible human best to succeed in love. Despite the unambitious nature of this easy Friday night film, Holofcener is a freakishly perceptive observer of our time's obsessions and longings. There aren't nearly enough films about the relationship between your different relationships and love after love. I laughed at the film's sticky, recognisable truths for the whole hour and a half. She's succeeded in making something for the masses without resorting to lowest-common-denominator bullshit. And that's really something. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nEEJaIjF_Lo
In 2022, scam culture was here to stay, as drawn-from-reality hits such as Inventing Anna and The Dropout repeatedly promised. In 2023, playing fast and loose with the truth sits at the heart of Apple TV+'s new Hello Tomorrow!, too, which tells a fictional tale about the deceptions people spin to chase their dreams. The show's beaming face: travelling salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup, The Morning Show), the regional manager for BrightSide Lunar Residences, and a passionate pusher of timeshares on the moon. He's this intriguing dramedy's version of Don Draper, but with Mad Men's 60s surroundings swapped for The Jetsons-style robot help and hovering vehicles. Streaming from Friday, February 17, the look of Hello Tomorrow! is retro-futuristic, steeped in 50s-era visions of what might come. The time and place is an alternative version of that decade, in a suburban enclave called Vistaville, where one of Jack's biggest fibs has its origins. He's summoned back with his crew of hawkers — the gambling-addicted Eddie (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons), promotion-coveting Herb (Dewshane Williams, In the Dark) and resident righthand-woman Shirley (Haneefah Wood, Truth Be Told) — by his mother Barbara (Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom) after his wife Marie (Annie McNamara, Severance) is injured by a self-driving delivery van. His son Joey (Nicholas Podany, Archive 81) is struggling to cope, a task made all the more difficult by Jack's absence from his family's lives for decades. He's skilled at sharing stories about his domestic bliss on the moon to customers, but being a happy head of a lunar household is merely one of his go-to falsehoods. One such spiel opens Hello Tomorrow's ten-part first season — an attention-grabber of a launchpad with a universe's worth of details about Jack, BrightSide, how both operate and what each trades in from the get-go. In a diner that's the picture of nostalgic Americana except for the android server behind the counter, Jack gets comfortable beside a fellow patron, then gets selling, selling, selling. In his line of work, Jack can pinpoint people's wishes. There's no preternatural talent involved — this isn't Poker Face, another 2023 newcomer — but he knows how to lock in what his potential customers yearn for. So, he packages up an underdome home on the earth's only natural satellite as a way of repairing a fractured father-daughter relationship. Throwing in faux tidbits about his own wife and kids to close the deal, a sale swiftly follows. When Jack is seen spruiking back in Vistaville, after decamping with his team to the Vista Motor Lodge, his inspirational rhetoric wavers. Rather, amid a mass presentation that features celebrity spokesman Buck Manzell (Frankie Faison, Till), TV's Space Sheriff, calling in from up above, his talk turns dark and the room's excitement plateaus. Joey is in the audience, however, and the earnest twenty-something is quickly sold. He also can't remember anything about his father, so doesn't spot the connection. Jack's solution: stopping his boy's purchase and giving him a job instead, still without revealing the bonds of blood. Of course, Joey joins the BrightSide fold just as aggrieved customer Myrtle Mayburn (Alison Pill, Star Trek: Picard) starts kicking up a fuss, her complaints falling on rule-touting bureaucrat Lester Costopoulos' (Matthew Maher, Our Flag Means Death) listening ears. There's a The Twilight Zone-meets-Leave It to Beaver feel to Hello Tomorrow! as its characters seek the same thing we all do: a better life. Creators Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen (both Bloodline alumni), also co-writers and showrunners with You're the Worst's Stephen Falk, zoom in further, focusing on the reasons anyone holds onto to hope their lot will improve. Jack hit the road to discover something more when he farewelled Marie and Joey all those years ago, but it's clear amid the poise, polish and patter that he hasn't found it. Still, he hasn't stopped striving, either. Eddie needs a big payday because he's bought into the BrightSide promise, aiming to turn his romance with the married Shirley into a new lunar existence — and escape his mounting gambling debts. And Herb's wife Betty (Susan Heyward, Orange Is the New Black) is expecting twins, hence his persistent push for advancement. Amid constantly whirling dialogue and a playful score by Mark Mothersbaugh (What We Do in the Shadows), selling the American dream — and buying into it — literally means shooting for the moon. As Hello Tomorrow! speedily establishes, both are frequently out of reach. Questing after something that never eventuates is one of the oldest stories under the sun, after all, and imagining a brighter future to make today's doldrums go down smoother is an ancient fact of life on this very earth. None of these notions are revelations in Hello Tomorrow!, but they are thoughtfully and stylishly unpacked. Take the show's pitch-perfect aesthetics, for instance; they're as shiny as can be, for the series' characters to interact with and its viewers to watch, but that gloss is never the be all and end all. Hello Tomorrow!'s colourful, curved, tailfin-heavy production design (by Maya Sigel, I Am Not Okay with This), art direction (Katie Citti, The Peripheral), costume design (Anna Terrazas, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths) and set decoration (George DeTitta Jr, Succession) are equally sublime and stunning — instantly transporting as well — but they wouldn't gleam as blazingly if its story and themes didn't hit home. The lies keep building, then being exposed, as Jack is forced to confront the fallout of vowing to deliver everyone their best lives. Crudup won an Emmy for his last Apple TV+ role and is in stellar form again, all intuition, optimism and persuasion on the outside, and regrets and loneliness within. "What's life without a dream to make it go down easy?" Jack opines, with Crudup saying it like every character in Hello Tomorrow! believes it. That sentiment also oozes from the fantastic Azaria as Eddie, the most forceful of the show's figures personality-wise and its most devoted to lusting after the BrightSide life. He makes an excellent duo with Wood as the canny Shirley, who puts her faith in people over easy promises — and both help sell a dramedy that's glorious in its world-building, with mobile phones absent but residing in the Sea of Serenity a normal possibility. Apple TV+ knows this high-concept, highly stylised, deeply engaging and resonant space, of course. With 2022's Severance, it traversed similar terrain in a wholly different way. Here's another dream that Hello Tomorrow! peddles, plus embodies: that our idylls borrow from everything we've seen and experienced, but we always make them our own. Check out the trailer for Hello Tomorrow! below: Hello Tomorrow! streams via Apple TV+.
Sometimes, getting out of your car to purchase food is just too much effort. For those occasions, humanity invented the drive-thru. It's a fast food staple, and the concept has been getting quite the workout during the pandemic — so obviously a drive-thru dedicated to lasagne and wine was bound to happen. The Lasagne Drive-Thru is the latest venture from Jerome Dalton, owner of Dalton Catering and — since last July – of CJ's Pasta as well. The latter no longer operates as a bricks-and-mortar business, instead focusing on selling pasta to restaurants and wholesalers. But for folks at home who love a bit of layered pasta with bechamel sauce, CJ's Pasta is now letting you roll up to Fortitude Valley's Prospect Street in your car each Friday, remain seated, and take home one of four different lasagnes and multiple varieties of wine. The idea first came about in response to Brisbane's most recent lockdown at the end of March, with the Lasagne Drive-Thru kicking into action while everyone was staying at home for three days. Unsurprisingly, it proved popular, so Dalton is bringing it back every Friday from now on. Brisbanites can choose from beef lasagne in 1.2-kilogram and three-kilogram servings, a three-kilogram sand crab lasagne and a three-kilogram vegetarian lasagne, all of which come with a cheesy garlic focaccia. The small-sized beef costs $50 and serves two or three people, while the larger size costs $100 for beef and vegetarian and $120 for crab, and will keep six stomachs satisfied. Salumi boxes filled with mortadella, salami, bread and pickles are also available ($50, to serve two or three people). On the wine front, prices range from $39–80, with prosecco, champagne, pinot grigio and chianti among the varieties on offer. If you're keen come Friday, you'll need to order in advance via phone, then motor on over to pick up your ready-to-eat meal and vino. You can still try your luck on the day without preordering, but you'll be getting a chilled lasagne that you'll need to heat up at home.
Were Picasso's Cubist portraits of women true to life? It would suggest there were a lot of chicks with displaced eye sockets hanging round Paris in the 1900s. Now a Spanish fashion photographer, Eugenio Recuenco, has reimagined Picasso's Cubist muses as live beings, styling his models in the same surrealist manner that Picasso painted them. Recuenco's portraits are weird, emotional and lovely in their own right. His women subjects mirror the poses of the originals, with elegant silhouettes, painted skin and outlandish costumery all projecting a moody atmosphere. Post-production by Recuenco gave the photographs the same feel as the paintings via color manipulation, while the mysterious spaces he used amp up the dreamlike quality. Recuenco has a large dossier of equally stylised art and fashion projects. Beside this project, which was published in the Spanish weekly SMODA, his website shows fairytale scenes and tableaux vivants that suggest their own narrative worlds channelling the work of artists Goya, El Greco and Zurbaran. Check out a selection of the Picasso-inspired portraits below. Via Flavorwire.
Most superheroes don't boast the same skills; however, in making the leap from comics to the screen and beyond, they can follow similar paths. Yes, the fact that great power means great responsibility should apply to all caped crusaders. Yes, many often segue from ordinary folks to suddenly super-powered saviours. And yes, in Black Panther and now the Spider-Man franchise's cases, one of their best are returning to cinemas a couple of years later as a spectacular movie-and-music event. Film fans can see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in cinemas right now, and should. It's exceptional, and already one of the best flicks of 2023. Keen to revisit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the title that started everyone's favourite friendly neighbourhood webslinger's current animated movie series? That's coming to Australia via Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert. Five years after Into the Spider-Verse debuted on the silver screen, it's swinging back onto one, this time at The Plenary at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, October 21. Making its Australian premiere as a concert, the animated masterpiece will be accompanied by a 32-piece orchestra, plus DJ Total Eclipse from The X-Ecutioners on the turntables. Everything from The Lion King to Star Wars and Harry Potter, plus The Princess Bride, Home Alone and Toy Story as well, have scored or are about to score the orchestral treatment — but that approach alone wouldn't suit Into the Spider-Verse and its Brooklyn-based Spidey Miles Morales (Shameik Moore, Wu-Tang: An American Saga). Hence the fusion with DJ-spun tracks, to truly do not only Daniel Pemberton's (an Oscar-nominee for The Trial of the Chicago 7) score justice, but also the soundtrack featuring Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith and Nicki Minaj, too. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of my favourite scores I've ever written. Utilising a full orchestra, crazy electronics and unbelievable turntable scratching techniques amongst a million other things, it is so technically complex I never thought we'd ever be able to actually reproduce it in a live concert, but somehow, we have," said Pemberton about the project. The concert version heads Down Under after premiering in New York in March 2023, and with fellow stops around the US currently taking place, as well as shows in the UK planned after its Australian run. Fingers crossed that this dazzling mix of sound and vision will do whatever the Spider-Verse can in other Australian cities, although only a Melbourne date has been announced so far. Check out the trailers for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in Concert and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse itself below: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert is playing The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne on Saturday, October 21, with tickets on sale via Ticketmaster from Friday, July 28. Images: Adela Loconte.
In normal circumstances, Brisbane is home to a bustling nightlife scene every evening of the week. You can fill your calendar with a hefty array of fun activities — see a gig one night, party to retro tunes the next and get kidulting over a few brews the evening afterwards. That isn't the case at present, though, with the city still slowing awakening from Queensland's COVID-19 lockdown. But, fingers crossed, this town of ours will be thriving after dark once again — and hopefully soon. If you've spent much of your time at home dreaming of all the things you'd rather be doing, don't stress — we know the feeling. So, we've teamed up with Miller Genuine Draft, as part of this year's Miller Design Lab, to plan an itinerary for when life starts to resemble its former self. Miller Design Lab is the home of creativity and self-expression built by Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion. Together, we're celebrating what our nightlife was — and will be again — and its impact on culture. Here are five businesses to put on your must-visit list to visit and support as normality returns. [caption id="attachment_734386" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vincent Shaw[/caption] GOING TO GIGS AT THE FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL It's been less than a year since Brisbane's newest music venue opened its doors, and it has played host to a sizeable lineup of talent in that time. Sat smack-bang in the middle of Brunswick Street Mall, the Fortitude Music Hall also instantly became one of the nicest places in the city to see a gig, because making shapes on a dance floor beneath glittering chandeliers will have that effect. The venue's 3300-person capacity means that it's unlikely to reopen at full steam anytime soon, but when it does, you'll want to nab tickets. If it wasn't the case already, the idea of having a communal experience with that many fellow music lovers — when it's safe to do so again, of course — definitely sounds like bliss. ATTENDING POOL PARTIES AT W HOTEL'S WET DECK You don't need to book yourself a staycation to splash around at W Hotel in the CBD. But you could if you feel like really treating yourself (and you're sick of the sight of your own four walls). If you'd be happy with a dip, some drinks and hanging out on a scenic deck — and taking in views across the city, too — you can simply look forward to one of the venue's Wet Deck pool parties instead. They happen regularly, and combine beverages, tasty bites to eat and a zebra-striped body of water that screams decadence. Sip cocktails, dance to DJs and pretend you're on holiday, which is a feeling we could definitely all use after this hectic year so far. DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY AT THE ELEPHANT'S 90s AND 00s PARTIES Sorry, 70s disco track 'Love Is in the Air'; in 2020, nostalgia is in the air instead. That Aussie hit actually made a comeback in the 90s thanks to Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom — and if getting retro to tunes from three decades ago is your idea of a good night out, then you might find yourself dancing to it at The Elephant's regular No Scrubs 90s and early-00s parties. The concept is self-explanatory, really. You'll cut a rug to songs you grew up with, whether you're fond of boy bands, thumping beats or pop divas. The shindig itself takes care of the old-school music. However, you have an important task, too. Sure, you don't have to dress up in era-appropriate outfits, but it's so much more fun if you do. FEELING LIKE YOU'RE IN 'THE GREAT GATSBY' AT CLOUDLAND Every Brisbanite remembers the first time they walked into Cloudland. It's a space that makes a statement, and that keeps your eyes busy — because, when you're not checking out the thousands of plants and the waterfall, you're peering up at the shimmering light fixtures. And, it sports an old-meets-new kind of vibe, which is probably why the Fortitude Valley spot frequently hosts luxe cabaret dinners complete with plenty of beverages and a big band show. It's your excuse to channel your inner flapper, dress up like it's a century ago and enjoy a mighty fine (and mighty luxe) night. You'll also eat your way through a three-course meal, and be entertained by burlesque performers as well. HAVING A LITTLE KIDULT FUN AT SEMI-PRO BREWING Don't let anyone tell you that Lego is just for kids. If you can remember needing your parents' help with a particularly tricky kit way back in the day — and can remember that they enjoyed it, too — you'll know that those beloved plastic building blocks really do deliver fun for all ages. At East Brisbane's Semi-Pro Brewing, they're also the focus of a monthly 'bricks and beer' night, where the brews flow, everyone gets creative and a good nostalgic time is had by all. It's free to attend, each session is themed and there are prizes. You're also playing with toys in an inner-city brewery, which is the type of activity your younger self probably didn't even know that they wanted. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way.
With 1654 stores to its name worldwide, Five Guys' burger joints have become a common sight across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia — and soon, they'll also be opening in Australia and New Zealand. That news was announced in 2020, but 2021 brings further details, including the fact that it'll be launching its first eatery Down Under this year. Once the middle of 2021 rolls around, Five Guys will be serving up burgers, fries and shakes in Penrith — making Sydney the first Aussie city to taste the chain's wares. Originally, the debut store Down Under was slated for Sydney's CBD, but those plans changed due to COVID-19. An exact mid-year opening date hasn't been revealed; however, Sydneysiders will find restaurant next to Krispy Kreme and the Panthers League Club on Mulgoa Road in the western Sydney suburb when it launches. Construction on the store is due to start in the coming weeks. The cult-favourite chain is making the leap to Australia and New Zealand as part of a master franchise agreement with Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, aka the folks behind The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, 6 Head, Ribs & Burgers, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and the Farmer. Around 20 stores are due to launch in Australia alone, plus more in NZ — although exactly where else and when Five Guys will be popping up is yet to be revealed. In Sydney, additional sites are currently under consideration, including in the CBD around Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Broadway. Overseas, Five Guys has amassed quite the reputation — and, even given the number of big-name US burger chains with hefty followings, such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, it stands out. Its made-to-order burgers skew in the classic rather than oversized, jam-packed direction. They come with two hand-formed patties on toasted buns with your choice of toppings (including pickles, grilled mushrooms and jalapeños), plus bacon cheeseburgers that add two strips of bacon and two slices of Kraft American cheese as well. Five Guys also serves up hotdogs, sandwiches, hand-cut fries (with or without Cajun spices) and vanilla milkshakes. Don't go thinking the latter are boring, though — you can add bacon, bananas, peanut butter, salted caramel and even Oreo pieces to your design-your-own beverage. The chain started back in 1986 in the Washington, DC area and, as anyone with allergies should note, only cooks its fries in peanut oil. Five Guys will launch its first Australian store on Mulgoa Road in Penrith sometime in the middle of 2021, with stores in other Australian states — and in New Zealand — to follow. No exact opening dates have been revealed as yet — we'll update you when more information comes to hand.
