Every couple of years, the team at Cuatro Group — aka Martin Lange, Wiebke Lange, Blake Ward and Belinda Ward — gives Brisbane a new place to while away a night or several over drinks. First came Death & Taxes, complete with a hefty focus on whisky. Next arrived Dr Gimlette, with table service in one of the River City's oldest buildings. The latest: Antico, this time riffing on Italian cocktail bars since August 2023. You'll be heading to familiar roadway to get sipping from 4pm daily — for walk-ins only, with no reservations taken — with Antico located in Burnett Lane, where Death & Taxes also sits. After Super Whatnot closed its doors earlier in 2023, Cuatro Group took over the space, opening the crew's most intimate venture yet. The team's third spot is a 50-seater that, like its other watering holes, is big on atmosphere. Think: moody lighting including candles and an eye-catching gold chandelier, leather booths and a black-and-gold marble bar top. After taking the stairs up from the lane, patrons will enter a venue that finds its inspiration in old-school Italian hotel lobby bars. That's where the black-and-white mosaic floor comes in, too, and the sunken seating area — with the aforementioned booths catering to small groups. The hotel lobby bar theme comes through in the menu as well — and, of course, the Italian influences. Antico pours classic cocktails, rotating through ten different varieties every two months. Whatever's on the drinks lineup, it'll always feature the bar's own twists on well-known concoctions using fresh ingredients sourced locally from across Brisbane. And, a signature negroni is a mainstay as well. Beyond cocktails, beer and wine are also on offer, as well as a curated range of high-end spirits — for going in the cocktails, obviously, and just for enjoying otherwise. Food-wise, Brisbanites can nibble their way through selection of Italian-inspired bar snacks, such as bruschetta and burrata.
If you've found yourself hankering for an Italian beef sandwich after watching The Bear or been inspired to devour a damn-fine slice cherry pie thanks to Twin Peaks, then you'll know that TV shows and movies can influence your culinary choices. You mightn't have expected Yellowjackets to be on that list, however. When a series follows a group of teenage girls stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash, then forced to get creative — and cannibalistic — to survive, then IRL menu options don't normally jump out. Trust Sydney's NEL to challenge that perception with its latest imaginative 11-course degustation. The Harbour City fine-diner has taken inspiration from pop culture before, including via its popular Disney-inspired feasts and its Moulin Rouge!-themed spread. Among the restaurant's other limited-time degustation menus as well — KFC-inspired dinners, Christmas meals, heroing native Australian ingredients and more — taking cues from Yellowjackets certainly stands out, though. On offer: dishes that dig into the wild and primal reality that the hit show's characters find themselves in. The fact that NEL has dubbed the four-day-only pop-up menu 'Eat Your Heart Out' says plenty. [caption id="attachment_991129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kailey Schwerman, Paramount+[/caption] "To be approached to create a Yellowjackets-inspired menu just felt like the perfect next venture for NEL Restaurant," said Chef Nelly Robinson about whipping up an inventive feast that aims to plunge diners' senses into Yellowjackets' world — not just via sights and sounds, but also via tastes. "For anyone that knows us, they understand we are about pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and getting to ask the questions of 'how do we make an ear appetising?' or 'how can we get someone to dig into a brain?' was a very exciting quest. The answer is obviously in the flavours, and while it might not be visually 'conventionally appetising', the flavours and aesthetics will most definitely leave you speechless." Across a three-hour experience that'll be on offer between Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025, think: digging for truffles, then tucking into the aptly named Salmon over River Misty (a moss- and salmon-heavy dish) and also seeing how NEL comes up with its own take on the show's darker survivalist scenario. Some dishes will nod to the diet consumed in the series, whether via heart-shaped servings, working in liver or plating up "something a little more ear-y". If you're feeling adventurous enough, you will need to try your luck not only in terms of testing your tastebuds, but to score a seat. Sittings are only available via entering for a chance to win on the NEL website between now and 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. So, attending is free — but only if your name is selected. If you're not located in Sydney, travelling there is at your own expense, but the Yellowjackets dinner at NEL will be on the house. For those who haven't dived into the series so far or need a refresher, Yellowjackets instantly proved one of the best new shows of 2021 when it debuted courtesy not just due to its killer setup — but it does tell a tale that fascinates from the outset. The thriller hops between the 90s and 25 years later. Across two seasons until now, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also No Return's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (I'm a Virgo's Juliette Lewis, plus Companion's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Law & Order's Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Wednesday's Christina Ricci, and also Atlas' Samantha Hanratty). The trailers for season three also put it this way: "once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness ... and they went completely nuts." The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private aircraft, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stuck in the forest — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. Season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025. Check out the trailer below: NEL's Eat Your Heart Out degustation will be available from Tuesday, March 4–Friday, March 7, 2025 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to go in the running for a seat — which is only available to competition winners, with entries open till 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 — head to the NEL website. Yellowjackets season three starts streaming in Australia via Paramount+ on Friday, February 14, 2025.
La Lune Wine Co. has cemented itself as one of Fish Lane's most reliable places to drink very well. Co-owned by restaurateur Paul McGivern — who was behind The Wolfe — and Bailee Dewes, the wine bar has evolved into a confident, wine-first venue that rewards curiosity and repeat visits. While the influence leans French, La Lune isn't interested in strict tradition. Instead, the focus is on breadth, balance and relationships, with a substantial wine list that moves easily between Australia, France and beyond. A rotating selection of premium wines is also available by the glass via Coravin, allowing guests to explore rarer and premium bottles without committing to a full bottle. The list changes constantly, shaped by collaborations and close connections with winemakers. Food is designed to sit comfortably alongside the wine rather than compete with it. Guests can choose between an à la carte menu or a structured tasting menu, both built with pairing in mind. Expect thoughtful dishes that feel generous and unfussy, alongside charcuterie and cheese. For those keen to go deeper, the tasting menu offers a more immersive way to experience how the kitchen and cellar work together. Recently, La Lune has expanded to include a small bottle shop, making it possible to take home favourite discoveries from the list. Regular winemaker dinners add another layer, regularly selling out thanks to the venue's strong producer relationships and loyal following. With reclaimed French oak, intimate tables and a relaxed atmosphere, La Lune Wine Co. is less about pretending you're in Paris and more about creating a place Brisbane genuinely wants to linger.
One of Australia’s most promising acts of the minute, The Rubens, are bringing their first headline tour to The Tivoli. Their largest tour to date will see them visit each capital city as well as regional centres nationwide. Along for the ride are Walk The Moon (USA) with their “swirly pop beats, infectious guitar riffs, and loud, sing-a-long choruses” (Nylon Magazine) as well as fellow national treasures Oh Mercy, who released their third studio album Deep Heat last year. The Rubens have been going from strength to strength, with their debut album beginning its chart run at #1 on iTunes and #3 on the ARIA Album chart. They were voted Unearthed Artist of the year by Triple J, have recently been signed to Warner Bros. Records and their stellar single “My Gun” hit Gold in Australia. This performance is the second of their Tivoli shows, so be sure to scoop up your share of the remaining tickets.
UPDATE: July 13, 2020: Animals is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. In the space between ignored dreams and shirked responsibilities, that's where Animals' Laura (Holliday Grainger) and Tyler (Alia Shawkat) largely live. Devoted friends to the point of codependency, and just as dedicated to their Dublin routine of drinking, debauchery and doing the bare minimum at their barista gigs, they've seen no reason to change their ways for the past decade. But, as Laura suddenly realises, they're not getting any younger. The pair's thirties are here. The book that Laura has supposedly been penning since the two first met remains little more than an idea. And, her younger sister (Amy Molloy) has traded partying for pregnancy on purpose. Tyler is near-aggressively happy with the status quo, however Laura's epiphany hits like the wine and MDMA the duo are so fond of — and leaves an unshakeable hangover. Directed by Australian filmmaker Sophie Hyde (52 Tuesdays), and scripted by British writer Emma Jane Unsworth based on her own book, Animals finds its joined-at-the-hip protagonists at a crossroads. Glued together by choice for so long, they're now coming unstuck. Forget romantic turmoil; this is a tale of platonic heartbreak and existential malaise spiralling into an inescapable whirlpool. Animals isn't the first film to understand that drifting away from a friend is just as painful as ending a love affair, but it joins a relatively sparse dramatic subgenre. Indeed, there's a refreshing forthrightness to the story, taking Laura and Tyler's pseudo-couple status as a given. While jokes are made about wives, marriages and separations, particularly once Laura starts seeing more of her new musician boyfriend Jim (Fra Fee) and spending less time with her increasingly petulant bestie, they're hardly necessary — just how crucial the pair have been to each other for a third of their lives is constantly written across their faces. Girl meets girl, sparks fly, they live wildly and become each other's ride-or-dies — that's not a scenario that often gets such thoughtful big-screen attention. The importance of depth and detail in this situation, especially in leapfrogging any and all female friendship cliches, really can't be underestimated. Whether or not Hyde and Unsworth have overtly drawn upon their own respective experiences, the end result resonates with a lived-in air. Authenticity isn't just something their characters are searching for; it seeps from the movie. Frolicking or fighting, embracing firmly or steadfastly ignoring each other, the dynamic between Laura and Tyler feels like it could've moseyed out of any shared flat filled with retro furniture, piles of clothes and too many empty bottles (and, thanks to stellar production design and costuming work, it looks that way too). That said, Animals does come with a caveat, or a strength that could initially be seen as a flaw. Played to perfection by the two leads, the movie's main characters seem as genuine as the circumstances they're navigating, as well as the relatable emotions they're displaying. Unsurprisingly, that means they're not always wholly pleasant to spend time with. They needn't be, of course. They shouldn't be, in fact. No mere mortal is bearable every second of every day. Again, this warts-and-all approach is refreshing, not to mention teeming with meaning. Shawkat's Tyler can come across as abrasive and performative, and Grainger's Laura as uncertain and unfocused, with the picture calling out, sifting through and challenging common millennial stereotypes through these traits. There's no judgement here, but rather a commitment to seeing things like they are — even if the film styles its frames in a somewhat dreamlike way at the same time. As steeped in truth as Animals proves, bleak, stark reality isn't the name of its game — visually, at least. When you're caught in the hustle and bustle of life, it can be surreal. When you're reflecting on past choices, agonising over future paths and wondering if your most important relationship to date will survive the present, the right answer rarely stares you plainly in the face. With all of that in mind, Hyde gives her movie a flavour of hectic exuberance, with ample assistance from editor and cinematographer Bryan Mason. That mood couldn't be more influential, including when Animals leans into its more obvious developments and sentiments. In the easy, hard, routine and thorny moments alike, questioning everything you know and navigating a quarter-life crisis should feel energetic, jittery and a little uncanny, after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FN_zr4rQzY
Fast food doesn't seem all that speedy when you're sat in your car, queued nine vehicles deep and trying to get through a drive-thru that's at a standstill. For folks who want their finger lickin' good fried chicken as soon as possible, with minimal waiting and hassle, KFC has a new solution — its first drive-thru-only store. Moving away from the usual one-lane drive-thru model, the chain has just opened a five-lane drive-thru-only concept in Newcastle. The first spot of its kind in the world, it features three lanes for the pick-up of online and app purchases, as well as two lanes for regular drive-thru transactions. Customers can order and pay in advance, then whiz through and pick up their food, or choose on the spot and and then collect their chicken. The idea reflects the growth on online ordering, and endeavours to respond to the rise of home delivery services such as Deliveroo and UberEats. It also nods to an obvious truth — for many folks, eating in at a suburban KFC doesn't often cross their minds. For Broadmeadow customers who choose to order by the KFC app or website, they'll receive a four-digit code with their transaction, which they'll then enter on a touchscreen when they drive up. Whichever way Newcastle residents decide to ask for their fried chook, they'll still need to wait for it to be cooked — but the whole concept is designed to speed up the time between asking for a two-piece feed and snatching those drumsticks through the drive-through window. Of course, if you need something to listen to in your car while you wait, KFC has that covered as well. Last year, it launched KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. You can find the drive-thru-only KFC at 80 Lambton Road, Broadmeadow. It's open from 10am–midnight daily.
Unfolding over 200 kilometres, the country's largest outdoor gallery will soon play host to the new Silo Art Hotel — a luxury, street art-themed pop-up getaway located in Sea Lake, near the northwest corner of the art trail's looped route. Announced today, Monday May 17, the Silo Art Hotel will give visitors an opportunity to spend the night just a short hop away from the trail's many spectacular visual offerings. Located beside the vivid pink waters of Lake Tyrrell, the hotel is crafted from three repurposed shipping containers, two of which have been transformed into luxe suites. The third has been reimagined as a heated open-air swimming pool, ideal for weary travellers after a long day spent exploring the region. It's all appearing for just one month, from June 11–July 12 this year. A joint effort from Visit Victoria and street art collective Juddy Roller, the Silo Art Hotel will offer some visual splendours of its own with the Matt Adnate Suite and Drapl & Zookeeper Suite each kitted out with never-before-seen artworks from their respective namesake artist. Adnate concepted and created the mural on the Sheep Hills silos in 2016, while Drapl & The Zookeeper are behind the collaboration that has graced the Sea Lake silos since 2019. A colourful mural by Rosebery silo artist Kaff-eine will adorn one side of the pop-up swimming pool. [caption id="attachment_812361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Sea Lake silos, featuring artwork by Drapl and The Zookeeper.[/caption] The Silo Art Hotel design is the work of Contained — the same crew behind The Wine Down pop-up winery hotels. The two self-contained hotel rooms boast high-end features including fancy Cultiver linen and robes, Australian-made toiletry products and a mini bar stocked with local goodies. Each room will also boast a private deck, ensuite bathroom and reverse cycle heating and cooling. The Silo Art Trail has been slowly and steadily expanding since its conception in 2016. It currently features 10 large-scale artworks, painted onto towering silos dotted across the state's Wimmera Mallee region. The Silo Art Hotel will pop up at Sea Lake from June 11–July 12. Rooms are $275 per night Sunday through to Thursday, and $375 per night from Friday to Saturday. Head to the website to book your stay.
There are many activities you can do in a two-hour time slot. You could watch all six episodes of the ABC's satirical beauty blog Sarah's Channel, cook 60 packets of 2 Minute Noodles or listen to Pink Floyd's 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' 4.6 times. But we think the tastiest way to pass 120 minutes is to spend it eating endless plates of tacos. And that's exactly what you can do during your chosen two-hour slot between 3–6pm on three specific Sundays — December 1, 8 and 15 — when El Camino Cantina Bowen Hills celebrates its first birthday with unlimited tacos for just $19 a pop. Rock up for a Fantastaco Sunday Session and you'll be able to dig into a bottomless feast of everyone's favourite Mexican dish. To redeem the offer, you will need to purchase a drink of sorts. You can choose from one of the restaurant's five frozen margaritas, a glass of sangria, a Dos Equis or, really, anything else on the extensive drinks menus. Margs will be $7.50, too, if that tempts your tastebuds Two hours of bottomless tacos are available at El Camino Cantina Bowen Hills. To book your spot, head to the El Camino Cantina website.
It wasn't so long ago that most Australians only knew Wendy's for its insanely viral social media posts. However, since 2022, the American chain has begun to establish a significant presence on our shores. First launching in Surfers Paradise (unless you're counting a series of stores closed in the 1980s), the brand aims to open over 200 locations around Australia by 2034. Well, they've ticked another off the list, with a flagship Wendy's Brisbane restaurant touching down in the heart of the CBD. Serving as a major milestone in the company's national rollout, delivered in partnership with Flynn Group, this two-level themed location provides an extra special nod to the restaurant's bold design, nicknamed Haus of Wendy. Featuring more than enough space for 130 diners, an openair ground floor leads into an expansive lower level, with both decked out in contrasting bright red and blue decor that resonates with fun-loving energy and personality. Going beyond just a splash of paint, red celebrates Wendy's sass and spice, with the in-store experience seeing hand-painted murals set against bespoke wall panelling inspired by Wendy's famed braids. Meanwhile, blue speaks to Wendy's iconic Frosty, with this level featuring a bow wall crafted by local artist Rachel Burke and made from upcycled materials. Here, you'll also encounter a Frosty-inspired lounge area, complete with a photo booth. "This flagship represents everything the Wendy's brand stands for — fresh food and bold personality," said Corina Black, Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy's ANZ. "Brisbane's vibrant energy is a natural fit for Wendy, and we're proud to contribute to the city's reputation as a destination for food, culture and creativity." With the spread of Wendy's across the country just getting underway, this brand-new location remains one of the few spots in Australia where you can dine on the brand's signature dishes. Think classic doubles, Baconmators and spicy chicken sandwiches alongside Wendy's Frosty in chocolate or vanilla. Plus, super crunchy double hand-breaded chicken tenders and sea-salted fries with loaded options hit the mark for an on-the-go snack. "Wendy's has built its reputation on doing things differently, and this flagship takes that spirit to a new level," said Lauren Leahy, Chief Transformation Officer, Flynn Group. "We've taken Wendy's much-loved global brand and reimagined it for Australia. The new store brings that to life in a way that's both unmistakably Wendy's and uniquely Australian." Wendy's Brisbane launches on Wednesday, October 29, at 245 Albert Street, Brisbane, open daily from 9am–10pm. Head to the website for more information.
At the beginning of 2012, when the world discovered that Channing Tatum was starring in a movie about male strippers — and that it was based on his own experiences working in the field — everyone was a little sceptical. Which was understandable. Magic Mike boasts a great director in Steven Soderbergh, and a cast that also includes Matthew Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, Riley Keough and peak McConnaissance-era Matthew McConaughey, but, on paper, it was hardly a sure thing. Of course, once the film hit the screens, it was a hit. More than that — it was a smart and sensitive look at men chasing the American Dream by taking off their clothes. Sequel Magic Mike XXL, which released in 2015, not only repeated the feat but added more depth, and Tatum successfully turned what could've been a forgettable chapter of his pre-fame life into a successful big-screen franchise. Actually, he's turned it into a stage and screen franchise. Yes, Magic Mike was always going to go back to where it all began. In Las Vegas and London (and soon Berlin), Magic Mike Live has been steaming up venues and letting real-life male dancers strip up a storm for eager audiences. Not to be confused with Magic Mike the Musical — because that's something that's also happening — the "immersive" dance show is coming to Australia in 2020. Hitting Birrarung Marr in Melbourne from Tuesday, May 26 — then heading to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth — Magic Mike Live will unleash its stuff in a 600-seat spiegeltent called The Arcadia. It's the world's largest spiegeltent, because clearly this kind of show has plenty of fans. This is the first time that the performance will be held in the pop-up two-storey spot, which comes with 360-degree views of the stage, a glass lobby, custom bars, a mini food hall, and a lounge area both inside and out. And while it's blazing a trail venue-wise, on the stage, the Aussie show will combine elements of the Magic Mike Live's three other international productions. While Tatum came up with the idea for Magic Mike Live and co-directs the show, the Step Up, 21 Jump Street, Logan Lucky and Kingsman: The Golden Circle star isn't actually one of the performers. Instead, a cast of 20 — including 15 male dancers — will showcase a combination of, dance, comedy and acrobatics. Continuing her role from the films, stage show co-director and choreographer Alison Faulk is behind the sultry moves, drawing upon a career spent working with Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Missy Elliott, P!NK, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. It probably goes without saying, but if you're already thinking about buying Magic Mike Live tickets, expect to have plenty of hens parties for company. [caption id="attachment_753643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jerry Metellus[/caption] MAGIC MIKE LIVE AUSTRALIAN TOUR Melbourne — Birrarung Mar, from Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Sydney — Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, from Thursday, November 19, 2020 Brisbane — TBC Perth — TBC Magic Mike Live tours Australia from Tuesday, May 26, 2020, when it kicks off its shows in Melbourne. For more information — or to buy tickets for the Melbourne and Sydney legs, or sign up for the Brisbane and Perth waitlists — visit the website.
Now, before you get us all wrong, this is a guide to hotels where you can swing back and forth on actual swings and hammocks. It's not for the other kind of swingers. These hotels have swings on the beach, by the pool, at the bar and in the rooms — on which you can gleefully rock back and forth and take in spectacular views in total comfort. Read on to find our favouriting swinging spots. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Australia SHINTA MANI, CAMBODIA You'll rethink your kitchen chairs after a stay at Shinta Mani, where the streetside Kroya restaurant boasts dreamy swings on a breezy terrace. The idea of swings and food might sound messy, but you'll soon get the hang of things in no time. Plus, these swings are huge — you really shouldn't be falling off them. The excellent Cambodian dining options available will also make practice a pleasure rather than a chore (perhaps only the steady-handed should order crab bouillabaisse). American architect and interiors whizz Bill Bensley styled the hotel and added in all the swinging details. NALADHU PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT, MALDIVES Why doesn't every hotel have beach hammocks and in-room swing chairs? Naladhu Private Island Resort, set between a lagoon and the sea, boasts both. That's not all it has, either: each of the 19 intimate beach houses comes with its own private pool and romantic semi-outdoor glass-sided bath and shower. With all this in your villa, don't be surprised if you never reach the main pool, flanked by inviting sun loungers and overlooking the lagoon. When you want to have both feet planted firmly on the ground, head to the Living Room, a thatched-roof restaurant with an openair hardwood deck, to feast on local seafood as the sun sets over the water. COQUI COQUI COBA, MEXICO This luxury Mexican resort is a swinger's paradise. Within the Coqui Coqui Coba suites and villas, you'll find hammocks hanging in the centre of rooms, wooden swings in the bathrooms and hammocks simply used as decorations on the walls. You can even head down to the pool located by the lagoon and surrounded by Mayan-inspired towers to swing about on one of the outdoor hammocks all day long. Order some food and cocktails from its restaurant and swing here while watching the sun set over the mountains. THE GRAY, ITALY The swinging scene at Milan's The Gray revolves around the lobby, where a giant fuchsia-upholstered swing with lipstick-red cords drops from the ceiling: a memorable first impression, regardless of whether you're bold enough to go and sit on it. If you take the swing as a promise of the unexpected, you won't be let down. The rooms have ivory-silk curtains that whoosh open at the touch of a button; there are Jacuzzis in bathrooms; the restaurant has black-velvet chairs, grass-topped tables and spoons and forks suspended from light fittings. It's all over the top and we love it. SAL SALIS, AUSTRALIA A little closer to home, this swingers accommodation is set right on the Ningaloo Reef, where the desert meets the sea — an extraordinary and unique part of Australia that should be on all travel bucket lists. The 16 off-grid wilderness tents are located right on the beach, surrounded by little else but untamed nature. Swing in your hammock all day long, gazing into your stupid-beautiful views with an ice-cold beer at hand, or get out on a sea kayak to explore the nearby reefs full of colourful sea life. Not only is this one of the best accommodations for swingers, it's also one of the best glamping spots in Australia. COMO COCOA ISLAND, MALDIVES COMO Cocoa Island is your quintessential luxury Maldives resort that's home to villas hovering on stilts above clear blue waters. It's the kind of place you see in honeymoon brochures and would expect to be the next location of The White Lotus. It is pure luxury. It's also where swingers can hop from beachside hammock to beachside hammock throughout a long sunny day. When you grow tired of your own private pool and the waters full of turtles and dolphins, you can hit up some of the swings dotted about the island. Bring a good book and a few beers with you and spend your holiday swinging by the sea. RUSCHMEYER'S, UNITED STATES This grown-up, summer camp-style boutique hotel in the Hamptons is home to 19 detached rooms surrounding a large swath of grass that provides a back-to-basics luxury — with swings, a tepee and lawn chairs aplenty. Swingers will even find hammocks in some of the Ruchmeyer's bedrooms. And come night-time, the lawns host summer parties and outdoor cinemas. This means you can swing here all day and all night long. GAYANA MARINE RESORT, MALAYSIA At Gayana Eco Resort, you can take swinging to whole new heights: this eco-luxe hideaway has jungle paths with a canopy walk and zip line, so you can whoosh through the trees like an over-caffeinated monkey. For calmer moments, there's also an excellent spa with horizon-view rooms and a selection of massages, scrubs, facials and beauty treatments. There's even an on-site marine research centre: a hub devoted to giant-clam breeding and coral restoration programmes, where guests can feed man-sized groupers in floating pens, plant coral, or scoop up starfish and squishy sea cucumbers in the touch tanks. WALDORF ASTORIA LOS CABOS This Los Cabos resort is huge and opulent. The 115 individually decorated guestrooms feature fireplaces, private plunge pools and balconies overlooking the private beach. Swingers won't find any swings in their rooms, but there are plenty dotted about the resort. On the beach, stacks of hammocks line the shores, while the beach bar has swapped out the stools, preferring guess to sip cocktails while sitting on wooden swings. These may get a little dangerous once you've had a few bevs, so you best head to the beachside hammocks or one of the four Waldorf Astoria restaurants soon after. THE KOROWAI, INDONESIA Each of Korowai's wood-framed rooms are carved into the limestone cliff overlooking Bali's famous Impossible Beach (known for surfing, not partying). Marvel at the ridiculous uninterrupted 180-degree views across the ocean from the privacy of your own little balcony adorned with traditional Balinese décor — including many hammocks and crochet nets. It's one of the most romantic places to stay in Bali. The glitz and glam of other Uluwatu resorts doesn't exist here. Instead, you and your partner will feel as if you've found your own hidden oasis. But, when or if you do want to get into town, the hospitable resort staff will rent you a scooter or organise a taxi ride. Plus, there are a few walkable restaurants nearby if you somehow get tired of dining at their restaurant overlooking the beach. Top images: Naladhu Private Island Resort Feeling inspired to book a swinging getaway? Book your next dream holiday with Concrete Playground Trips — with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations around the world.
Brisbanites, if your flight routine involves checking in, going through security, stocking up on snacks and then having a cheeky pre-flight drink, you now have a new place to do the latter. Newstead Brewing Co has just set up shop inside Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal, launching its new taphouse on the facility's second level — and giving you a new excuse to say cheers to your next trip. The airport venue marks Newstead Brewing's third site — after its original location in Newstead, obviously, and its second home in Milton. Originally due to open in 2020, but delayed due to the pandemic, the domestic terminal bar sprawls across 300 square metres near gate 38, and has room to welcome in 120 pre-departure beer-lovers. While you're sipping a brew from the 12 taps, you'll look out over the runway. That's what airport bars are all about, after all. Here, you'll be able to choose from Newstead Brewing's core range, or knock back pints of its exclusive airport beer — the fittingly named Tailwood Ale. The site will also pour the brewery's limited-release brews as they pop up. If you're feeling hungry before hopping onboard, the taphouse's pub-style food menu spans Moreton Bay Bug rolls, chicken parmigianas, burgers and pizzas, plus a range of vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan dishes. And, decor-wise, Newstead Brewing has stuck with the same industrial look as its other sites, bringing a touch of the brewery aesthetic to the new venue. Opened in partnership with Airport Retail Enterprises — who are also behind the onsite Coffee Royal, Graze Grill & Bar, Merlo Caffee, Mezze Za Za, Seeds by Bruno Loubet and New Farm Confectionery stores — the Newstead Brewing taphouse forms part of Brisbane Airport's $40 million revamp of the domestic terminal. Find Newstead Brewing Co's new taphouse on level two, near gate 38, at Brisbane Airport's domestic terminal.
Arts and culture fans already flock to Brisbane Powerhouse with frequency, gluing their eyes to the New Farm venue's walls and stages. In March 2023, then in October, then twice a year afterwards, food lovers will want to make the same trip. As part of the site's slate of additions and changes — which has already seen a new riverside events and performance space with bars and al fresco lounges pop up permanently — the beloved spot will now host culinary and arts event Night Feast. Back in June when Brisbane Powerhouse's ambitious plans were first announced, a night market was on the list, then called Hap Wah Night Market. Now rebadged Night Feast, it features all of the same highlights: an almost month-long program in autumn and spring annually, taking over the Powerhouse forecourt and surrounding parks in March and October, as well as Blade Runner-meets-Queensland theming with a dash of Cantonese culture. [caption id="attachment_776880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Immersive, dreamlike and serving up a multi-sensory experience, Night Feast will sprawl across its own temporary village, in fact, as curated by restaurant critic Lizzie Loel and Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Program Director Brad Spolding. As for the design of the site itself, that comes courtesy of Bruce McKinven (Dark Mofo). Thanks to Loel, Spolding and McKinven's handiwork, Brisbanites will find 20-plus gourmet food stalls, an open fire pit for roasting and a dedicated dessert bar, too, as well as art installations, DJs and live music. The debut edition will run from Wednesday, March 1–Sunday, March 26, 2023, followed by a second event from Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29 later that year — operating 4.30–9.30pm Wednesday–Sunday within those dates. While it's too early for Night Feast to announce stallholders for its premiere event, Longrain's Martin Boetz will be one of the headliners. Also, diners can expect Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Italian, Greek and modern Australian cuisine — and more. [caption id="attachment_882045" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Among the food and drink offerings, there'll be cocktails and wine as well, plus a big emphasis on communal feasting. Another key feature: getting the restaurants taking part in Night Feast to dish up the absolute top thing on their menus. "Night Feast gives visitors an opportunity to sample the best of Brisbane's gourmet food scene within an immersive outdoor neon-noir environment," explains Loel. "Our handpicked restaurants have been invited to showcase their signature dishes only, meaning you can experience the city's most exclusive gastronomic delights in one location." [caption id="attachment_824340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] "What's That?" Amanda Parer, Portside Wharf in Hamilton, Brisbane on Monday, August 31, 2021. Photo: Claudia Baxter[/caption] As for the art program, it'll also span roaming performances, plus work from visual and performance artists. Amanda Parer leads the bill so far, which likely means more glowing, towering, eye-catching pieces (see: her past Brisbane works Intrude, What's That, Lost and Fantastic Planet). Night Feast's premiere overlaps with Powerhouse's also-debuting "festival of other music" ΩHM, and is set to share Australian audiovisual artist Robin Fox on its lineup with that other newcomer. And, Swiss site-performance designer and fog artist Tom Mùller will also bust out his best for Night Feast. [caption id="attachment_880277" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robin Fox, Single Origin, Diego Figueroa[/caption] The evening market is the third of the Lamington Street spot's new initiatives to come to fruition, following Keith Courtney's 700-square-metre maze of mirrors Kaleidoscope, which only stopped by temporarily, as well as the November launch of the aforementioned Pleasuredome in its glow-in-the-dark Nordic-style tent. A permanent outdoor cinema was also announced back in June, initially to launch this past spring and run year-round, screening movies under the stars — and taking advantage of the fact that that's something you can do no matter the season in Brissie, even in winter. Exactly when that'll now arrive hasn't yet been revealed. Night Feast will take place at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, from Wednesday, March 1–Sunday, March 26, 2023, and again from Wednesday, October 4–Sunday, October 29 — and twice a year after that — operating 4.30–9.30pm Wednesday–Sunday. For more information about the venue, head to the Brisbane Powerhouse website. Top image: Wonderland Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse.
In self-portrait after self-portrait, Frida Kahlo was no stranger to giving the world a window into what made the artist tick. The Mexican painter didn't just create art — she bared her soul, especially in pieces where she stares back at audiences. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image has a similar intimate aim in mind, as aided by some of the icon's depictions of herself, as well as a treasure trove of her personal belongings. When it arrives Down Under in 2025, this will be Australia's latest celebration of Kahlo after the Art Gallery of South Australia's 150-work Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution showcase of Mexican modernism in 2023, and also Sydney Festival's multi-sensory Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon the same year. That's quite the spread of places around the country that've been dedicating walls and halls to the artist, with Bendigo now joining them. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at the Bendigo Art Gallery from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13. [caption id="attachment_966475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.[/caption] Many of the artworks and items that'll feature have never been seen in Australia before. In fact, some were sealed for 50 years in her family home when Diego Rivera ensured that the site would become a museum after Kahlo passed away in 1954, and that her most-personal items were stored in the bathrooms away from public eyes. Objects such as clothes and makeup will make the trip to regional Victoria, as will mementoes and photographs. Accordingly, attendees will be peering at traditional Mexican garments, including a headdress from the Oaxaca region, that were worn by Kahlo; Revlon cosmetics, such as lipstick, nail polish and an eyebrow pencil; and hand-painted medical corsets that she donned following spinal surgeries. Appearances Can Be Deceiving, a self-portrait drawing that provides a view through her clothing to her corset x-ray style, is also a highlight. [caption id="attachment_966474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] La Casa Azul. Photograph by Sebastián Monsalve. © Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera Archives. Bank of Mexico, Fiduciary in the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museum Trust.[/caption] Arriving direct from the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico, Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image is exclusive to the Bendigo institution, so you'll need to make the trip if you're keen to explore what the artist's belongings and style says about her art. "This remarkable collection rarely travels outside Mexico, and has never before been seen in Australia. Kahlo's much-loved home, Casa Azul, now the Museo Frida Kahlo, was the embodiment of her art, philosophies and design influences," explains Jessica Bridgfoot, Director of Bendigo Art Gallery. "Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will shed a light on Kahlo's carefully crafted appearance in the world, and how her vibrant clothing, poetic use of makeup and adornment constructed her captivating public image, and also addressed global political issues, cultural identity and how her physical disabilities both defied and defined her." [caption id="attachment_966476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cotton blouse embroidered with glass beads; satin skirt with chain stitch and floral motif embroidery; holán (ruffle) and guatemalan waist-sash. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] "Frida Kahlo: In her own image originates from the extensive investigation of Frida Kahlo's personal objects, found in trunks, wardrobes, drawers, bathrooms and cellars of the Casa Azul," adds Perla Labarthe Alvarez, Museo Frida Kahlo's Director. "The exhibition is a unique opportunity to learn about the Kahlo's life in a classical Mexican house which encompassed not only her personal world but so much of Mexican life and culture. These endearing objects help us understand the story of this complex artist with all her humanity, resilience and creative power." [caption id="attachment_966477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo, by Guillermo Kahlo, 1932 © Frida Kahlo Museum[/caption] [caption id="attachment_966478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Revlon compact and powderpuff with blusher in 'Clear Red'; Seal-fast nail varnish top coat; Lastron nail varnishes in 'Frosted Snow Pink' and 'Frosted Pink Lightening'; lipstick in 'Everything's Rosy'. Before 1954. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at Bendigo Art Gallery, 42 View Street, Bendigo from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13, 2025. Head to the gallery's website for further details. Top image: Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © NickolasMuray Photo Archives.
Jimmy Chin is no stranger to peering at the world from angles that most folks don't see. He's also familiar with hitting peaks. As a mountain athlete, scaling great heights has been his job; however, the above descriptions also apply to his work as a filmmaker. With his partner Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, he won the Best Documentary Feature Oscar for Free Solo. Before that, the pair took home an audience award at Sundance for the also climbing-focused Meru. The Rescue, their doco about the efforts to free 12 Thai schoolboys and their soccer coach from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system, earned them more acclaim — and both Annette Bening (Apples Never Fall) and Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country) scored Academy Award noms for starring in the duo's feature debut Nyad. Get Chin talking, then, and he'll clearly have much to discuss — about his work as a director and a mountaineer alike. On his first appearance in Australia, he'll be doing just that at Sydney Film Festival and Vivid Sydney. The two events are co-hosting Beyond the Summit with Jimmy Chin, where the Oscar-winner, National Geographic photographer and author will be behind the microphone for one night only. [caption id="attachment_706085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] National Geographic/Jimmy Chin[/caption] How does someone who clambers up mountains then become a celebrated documentarian? How did skills in the former help with the latter — not just when climbing is the focus on-screen, as was clearly the case with Meru, and also with Free Solo's chronicle of Alex Honnold's El Capitan ascent sans ropes, but in general? Why do extraordinary feats, including Diana Nyad's 110-mile ocean swim, appeal to Chin as a filmmaker? They're just some of the threads that this in-conversation session, which is taking place on Friday, June 13, 2025 at Sydney Town Hall, might cover. Chin will dig into shooting in extreme conditions, too, alongside how being a professional adventurer influences the way he sees the natural world on film. [caption id="attachment_833518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] National Geographic[/caption] "I'm excited to be a part of Vivid Sydney and the Sydney Film Festival this year. It's a great way to celebrate storytelling and creative risk-taking, which have both shaped my life in the mountains and behind the camera. To share my experiences in one of the world's most iconic cities is an incredible opportunity," said Chin about his upcoming trip Down Under. "Vivid Sydney's collaboration with Sydney Film Festival this year helps bolster the calibre of both festivals and this event is testament to that. Jimmy Chin is a captivating creative with an equally impressive resume, and this conversation promises to be one to remember," added Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. "Jimmy Chin's work sits at the intersection of art, athleticism and ambition. His films are as exhilarating as they are emotionally resonant, and we're honoured to welcome him to Sydney for this one-of-a-kind conversation," noted SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley. [caption id="attachment_945212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023[/caption] Sydney Film Festival and Vivid Sydney have a number of collaborations on their 2025 slates, including a screening of Justin Kurzel (The Narrow Road to the Deep North)-directed documentary Ellis Park, about iconic musician Warren Ellis establishing an animal sanctuary to protect endangered species in Sumatra, plus An Evening with Warren Ellis at City Recital Hall. At the first, at the State Theatre, audiences will obviously see the film. Afterwards, its subject — a Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator and Dirty Three founder, as well as a pivotal force in movie scores, including on The Proposition, The Road, Far From Men, Mustang, Hell or High Water, The Velvet Queen, The New Boy, Back to Black, Kid Snow and newly minted Oscar-winner I'm Still Here — will chat about the doco, and also put on a short musical performance. Then there's Planet City: Live. Courtesy of designer and director Liam Young, the speculative fiction experience takes attendees to a different future — one where humanity has responded to the environmental destruction of the planet in a decisive fashion. Young's film is set at a time where there's just one city, which is where everyone on earth resides, with the rest of the globe left to rewild. At SFF, Young will provide live narration for the film, while Forest Swords will play its score live as Planet City screens. All of the above are just a taste of Sydney Film Festival's program, which has unveiled a few other sneak peeks so far — a batch of other initial titles, a Jafar Panahi retrospective and Together as the opening-night flick, for starters — in advance of the full lineup releasing on Wednesday, May 7. Check out the trailers for Meru, Free Solo, The Rescue and Nyad below: Beyond the Summit with Jimmy Chin takes place on Friday, June 13, 2025 at Sydney Town Hall — head to the Sydney Film Festival website for tickets. Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Hit up the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back in with Concrete Playground on Wednesday, May 7 for the full lineup. Vivid Sydney 2025 runs from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information.
When it comes to spotting the show's '80s movie references, watching an episode of Stranger Things is like taking a quiz. Which poster will we spy on someone's wall? Which films will get a nod? Which flicks will you feel a need to watch immediately afterwards? How much do the Duffer brothers, aka the folks behind the series, love Steven Spielberg and Stephen King? As well as proving a rather fun viewing experience for movie buffs, all of Stranger Things' nodding and winking also serves another purpose. If you've been paying close attention while you binged and re-binged on the first season, you probably know the program back-to-front. And, as a result, you're ready to enter the upside down of the trivia world — aka Man vs Bear's latest evening dedicated to the show. Head to Black Bear Lodge in Fortitude Valley from 7pm on December 29 to slay the demogorgons — i.e. your fellow competitors — with your knowledge of Hawkins' geography, the recipe for Eggos and #justiceforbarb. Given the festive timing, we think you should be allowed to answer each question using Christmas lights. Or via walkie talkie.
Camping on a tropical island might seem like it's reserved for films and fantasies. But, in Tropical North Queensland, you can make it your reality at Dunk Island in the Family Islands National Park. Drive two hours south of Cairns to the idyllic coastal town of Mission Beach. Then, take a ten-minute ride across the glittering Coral Sea in the Water Taxi to Dunk Island where you can pitch a tent at one of only eight sites on the island. The campground comes with all the essentials — picnic tables, barbecue facilities, hot showers, drinking water and a loo — but, you'll need to take everything else with you. Pack snorkelling gear to catch the marine life in action at Muggy Muggy Beach, a good pair of walking shoes to complete the 11-kilometre Island Circuit hike, and plenty of food to refuel and enjoy on the sands of this tropical paradise.
Got a pooch who loves a bit of socialisation? Don't have a pooch but just the mere sight of a dog puts a swing in your step? A visit to the dog park is exactly what you need. Wembley Dog Park is located on the eastern side of Wembley Park and is a fenced-off area to give your furry friends sweet, off-leash freedom. Let the pups play, wrestle and roll around while you have a sit and chat — or roll around with them. The grassed, shady area has water taps, benches and even a ramp for you to test out your dog's skills and smarts.
Next time you're jetting abroad, you might want to add a visit to Singapore's Changi Airport to your trip. After hosting a short-term Harry Potter-themed world over the Christmas period and opening the world's largest indoor waterfall in April, the airport has now added a massive new Canopy Park into the mix. It features a mirror and hedge maze, suspended sky nets and a slide-filled sculptural playground, to name a just few of its attractions. Located on the top level of the airport, the indoor park spans over 14,000 square metres and houses over 1400 trees. It's home to seven different attractions, including the aforementioned maze, which comes in at a whopping 500 square metres (we suggest you don't enter here — and get lost — just before your flight). Travellers can also catch views of it from above on one of several elevated platforms. Other sky-high features include a 23-metre-high bridge with a glass floor offering views of the Shiseido forest valley and Rain Vortex waterfall below. You'll also be able to bounce or walk along a 250-metre span of sky nets, which are suspended five storeys in the air. Or spend your time wandering through a slide-filled sculptural playground, a petal garden, a topiary walk filled with animal-shaped shrubs and a fog-covered, cloud-like play area to boot. A virtual reality lounge, dubbed Changi Experience Studio, has also just opened on level four. The 90-minute experience includes interactive games, projection storytelling, immersive shows and gallery exhibitions. An onsite IMAX theatre, the YOTELAIR Hotel and over 280 retailers and eateries (including Nike, Marks & Spencer, Muji, Zara and Uniqlo stores) can now be found within the airport as well. It's all part of the 137,000-square-metre Jewel Changi entertainment and retail complex, designed by famed architect Moshe Safdie. The ten-storey building, set under a glass-and-steel dome, is jam-packed with shops, dining options, greenery and activities — and is connected to the all-important airport, of course. Forget just killing time on a layover, searching for a phone charger or suffering in uncomfortable chairs while you're waiting for your flight home. Here, you might have to remind yourself that you're actually at an airport. For further details, visit the Jewel Changi Airport website. Entrance to the Canopy Park is set at the $5 SGD (around $5.30 AUD, $5.60 NZD), with selected attractions costing between $8—22.
Whether you're keen for a meal with one of the best views in Brisbane, or to sip your way through a dedicated martini menu with stunning vistas to peer at as you imbibe, Aloria is now serving up both. When Sky Deck, the soaring platform at the $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf precinct, was first announced, it came with the promise of multiple venues to grab a bite and a drink at while looking out over the River City. Openair bar Cicada Blu and all-day dining haven Babblers arrived first. Late in October, the third part of Sky Deck's trio followed. Queen's Wharf launched at the end of August 2024. Sky Deck opened with it — sitting 100 metres above the CBD; featuring a 250-metre rooftop runway with a glass-floor viewing platform; and boasting a 360-degree vantage out over the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane River, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay. Each of Cicada Blu, Babblers and Aloria has its own remit, with the latter Sky Deck's signature restaurant. Located on the platform's western end, and operating for lunch and dinner five days a week, it heroes dry-aged steak and seafood among its specialties. European and Australian influences flavouring the cuisine. Australian ingredients are in the spotlight, too. The open kitchen pumps out woodfired and grilled dishes. Standout menu options include dry-aged beef bistecca as a main, or roast coral trout with almond cream if you'd prefer the ocean's finest. Go with seafood to start and you'll also be picking between kingfish crudo with pickled rhubarb and buttermilk, plus Fraser Island spanner crab crumpet with finger lime and brown butter — or caviar. Wood-roasted oysters pop up among the snacks selection as well, while roasted tiger prawns with fermented chilli butter and woodfired lamb belly are entree choices, and miso-roasted cauliflower and slow-cooked wagyu rump are other mains picks. For dessert, opt between strawberries and cream, grilled blackberry parfait with rosemary and lavender streusel, and a cocoa-crumbed roasted white chocolate and miso dish. A condensed menu greets patrons at lunch — and if you want the decisions made for you at dinner, the banquet menu for four or more features 15 options to share. Another highlight: a dedicated martini menu with both classics and inventive variations (think the marguerite, martine, martigny, martina, martineau and the Bradford à la martini). One more reason to grab a glass: a hefty range of wine, with a list curated by Aloria Head Sommelier Damian Danaher that spans 12 pages — which is why it has been dubbed a 'cellar in the sky' — and vintages from Château Lafite Rothschild among the sips. Returning to Brisbane, Michelin-trained Chef Shayne Mansfield oversees all three venues, with Aloria favouring simplicity and elegance in its dishes — as well as sustainability and a minimal-waste ethos. "Aloria's smoked carrot tartare involves smoking the body of the carrot to create the tartare filling, followed by the sauce from the carrot skin. The green tops are then cooked to form a cracker, with the dish completed by cooking red capsicums over charcoal to produce a sauce. The whole dish is prepared without any food waste, which is something we are immensely proud of," advises Mansfield. "The Aloria experience isn't just about the food, though. From our considered arrival via an exclusive entrance to unparalleled views from the mountains to the bay and extensive beverage pairings, Aloria offers an elevated and unique dining experience." Find Aloria on the Queen's Wharf Sky Deck at Level 23, 33 William Street, Brisbane — open from 12pm–3pm and 5.30pm–late Wednesday–Sunday. Head to the Queen's Wharf website for more details.
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.
Already boasting Yellowface author Rebecca F Kuang and Roman Empire scholar Mary Beard on its program, and tapping into two huge facets of 2023 in the process — one of the most-talked-about books of the year and one of TikTok's biggest memes — the 2024 All About Women festival has dropped its characteristically packed full lineup. Now in its 12th year, the Sydney Opera House event will span 24 sessions with 40-plus artists, and will again make its chats and panels available both in-person and online. All About Women explores gender, justice and equality, doing so as a concise one-day event on Sunday, March 10 after expanding to two days in 2022 and to three in 2023. Kuang heads to Sydney to chat about her satirical novel, which dives into cancel culture, cultural appropriation and diversity in the world of publishing — and Beard is coming to the Harbour City fresh off the release of her latest book The Emperor of Rome to explore misogyny, power, murder and gossip. From there, held as the week of International Women's Day wraps up, All About Women will see Grace Tame join a discussion about who controls women's bodies, which will also feature Indigenous social activist Tanya Hosch, tattoo artist Madison Griffiths and documentarian Tara Rae Moss. Miles Franklin-winning author Anna Funder will unpack the patriarchy, Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier's Marisa Meltzer will step through the beauty industry's changes, and Consent Laid Bare's Chanel Contos has porn and consent on the agenda. A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing scribe Jessie Tu is part of a panel about "sad girl" novels, The Wren, The Wren's Anne Enright will talk about her latest book, and stylist Aja Barber will examine fast fashion. Or, there's Barkaa and Steph Tisdell unfurling who gets to be an anti-hero in pop culture, plus Osher Günsberg in a discussion about parenting gender roles. [caption id="attachment_936209" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Currie-Richardson[/caption] Plus, life behind bars, influencer culture, storytelling as a way of creating social change, mothering on the margins and the role of gossip all feature in their own sessions. Among the workshops for folks attending physically: mindful journalling, candle-making, femininity through dance and supporting someone dealing with gender-based violence. Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas's Chip Rolley has put together the 2024 program alongside Clementine Ford, Nakkiah Lui and Bri Lee, each of whom have co-curated specific sessions. [caption id="attachment_929572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Packman[/caption] All About Women 2024 takes place on Sunday, March 10 at the Sydney Opera House, and also stream online. Tickets for the full program go on sale at 9am on Thursday, January 18 with pre sales from 8am on Wednesday, January 17 — head to the event website for more details. All About Women images: Jaimi Joy / Cassandra Hannagan.
Pappa Flock has been on a flyer since landing on the scene in 2023, most recently launching its first Queensland venue (and tenth overall) at Westfield Chermside. With over 450 locals turning out to celebrate the opening, expect a similarly large crowd as the crew reveals its new Mt Gravatt location at 12pm on Thursday, October 2. In fact, the fanfare might be even greater than ever before, with Pappa Flock giving away $100 gift cards to the first 100 customers in the queue. Naturally, the lucky winners will have more than enough to cover a massive serving of the eatery's American-style crispy, crunchy chicken tenders for themselves and all their friends. "The response at Chermside blew us away! Hundreds of people lining up for hours to get their hands on our crispy chicken from Sydney was a proud moment for the crew and team," said Rachel Korbel, Chief Marketing Officer at Pappa Flock. "Mt Gravatt feels like the perfect next step and we can't wait to welcome even more Queensland Flockers into the family." Tucked into the outdoor dining precinct at Westfield Mt Gravatt, the new store will be the chain's largest to date. Featuring plenty of space for 80 diners, relishing signature Flock Boxes and crunchy goodness feels just right in an extensive openair seating area or diner complete with an air hockey table — perfect for challenging your pals before or after a feast.
UPDATE: June 24, 2020: Mid90s is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. The skate movie is having a moment and it's doing so in perfect style, gliding into cinemas one leisurely film at a time. After the all-girl antics of Skate Kitchen and the insightful small-town musings of Oscar-nominated documentary Minding the Gap, Mid90s is the latest picture to profess its love for the board — and to roll along casually while making a big impact. All three kickflip-filled flicks are hangout movies, spending their time with friends who are both shooting and riding the breeze. They're also coming-of-age films, following kids navigating the reality of watching their childhoods slip by. Crucially, they're all slice-of-life pictures too, because nothing conveys the sensation of ollying in and out of adolescence like feeling as though you're right there with them. Thirteen-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) wants nothing more than to join the local skateboarding crew. It's not just the thrill of idling down Los Angeles roads that appeals to the quiet teen, but having somewhere to belong. Ray (Na-Kel Smith), Fuckshit (Olan Prenatt), Fourth Grade (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia) are all older, however they instantly become family — the family Stevie can escape to when his elder brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) is giving him grief and his single mum Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is sharing her stress. When the quintet aren't tearing up the streets, they're partying as if there's no tomorrow, although you can't skate through life without more than a few stumbles. As summer ticks by, Stevie and his pals bide their time at the resident Motor Avenue skate shop, cruise around empty schools and test their luck with neighbourhood girls. They mouth off to security guards, stay out past Stevie's curfew, generally avoid going home and get in scraps amongst themselves. While they're getting into trouble, they attempt to forget their troubles — and it's this to-and-fro that makes Mid90s bubble along. Watching rebellious kids trying to fix their worries by falling into other woes isn't new or novel, but it keeps popping up on screen because that's how childhood works. Making his directorial debut as well as picking up his first scriptwriting credit, Jonah Hill understands this. In his hands, Mid90s is both an affectionate teenage dream and a devastatingly real reflection of youth struggles, tussles and hardships. As a filmmaker, Hill has two tricks up his sleeve: nostalgia and naturalism. They mightn't seem to be the most obvious combination, but the pair fit together like wheels sliding onto a set of skateboard trucks. Hill mightn't have strictly lived the same existence as Stevie and the gang, but he directs this blast from the past like someone who's been there, seen it all and knows exactly how every second of his film really feels. With his square-shaped frames, he serves up images so vivid that they could be memories. With his clear-eyed view, he doesn't shy away from the grit and grease that lingers behind even the happiest moments. Hill isn't just looking back fondly at his younger days. Rather, he's trying to capture the feeling of being a shy kid entering a new world and learning what getting older actually means. To do so, he needs the painstaking detail — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sheets, Super Nintendo consoles, and the sounds of 'Kiss From a Rose', 'Pony' and 'Wave of Mutilation' — as well as the picture's stripped-bare performances. Hedges and Waterston might be Mid90s' biggest names, other than its director, but this movie is all about Suljic (The House with a Clock in Its Walls) and his first-timer co-stars. When Hill lets the camera sit and watch Stevie try trick after trick (and endure fall after fall) on his driveway, determination and desperation written across Suljic's face, that's Mid90s' heart. When the film roves around with the group, peering on as they do little more than skate away the hours with unbridled authenticity, that's Mid90s' oh-so-relatable soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoPYppF_e5c
Watching I Hate Suzie Too isn't easy. Watching I Hate Suzie, the show's first season, wasn't either back in 2020. A warts-and-all dance through the chaotic life, emotions and mind of a celebrity, both instalments of this compelling British series have spun as far away from the glitz and glamour of being famous as possible. Capturing carefully constructed social-media content to sell the fiction of stardom's perfection is part of the story, as it has to be three decades into the 21st century; however, consider this Stan- and Neon-streaming show from Succession writer Lucy Prebble and actor/singer/co-creator Billie Piper, and its blood pressure-raising tension and stress, the anti-Instagram. I Hate Suzie's unfiltered focus: teen pop sensation-turned-actor Suzie Pickles, as played with a canny sense of knowing by Piper given that the 'Honey to the Bee' and Penny Dreadful talent has charted the same course. That said, the show's IRL star hasn't been the subject of a traumatic phone hack that exposed sensitive photos from an extramarital affair to the public, turning her existence and career upside down, as Suzie was in season one. In episodes named after emotions — shock, denial, fear, shame, bargaining, guilt, anger and acceptance — the eight-part initial go-around stepped through the fallout, as unsurprisingly frenzied as it was. Suzie's professor husband Cob (Daniel Ings, Sex Education) reacted with fury and selfishness; their young son Frank (debutant Matthew Jordan-Caws), who is deaf, got swept up in the tumult; and manager and lifelong friend Naomi (Leila Farzad, Avenue 5) endeavoured to save Suzie's career. As I Hate Suzie's name makes plain, sentiment didn't often flow Suzie's way — from Cob, the media, everyone pulling the strings behind her professional opportunities, and also the world at large. In I Hate Suzie Too, she has a new manager Sian (Anastasia Hille, A Spy Among Friends) and a new chance to win back fans, returning to reality TV after it helped thrust her into the spotlight as a child star to begin with. Dance Crazee Xmas is exactly what it sounds like, and sees Suzie compete against soccer heroes, musicians and more. But when I Hate Suzie Too kicks off with a ferocious, clearly cathartic solo dance in sad-clown getup, the viewers aren't charmed. In fact, instantly damaging her already fragile self-esteem, Suzie is the first celebrity voted off. Although arriving a couple of years later, season two takes place six months after the first, which ended with Suzie all over the papers — again — and facing another life-changing development. Spanning three episodes, I Hate Suzie Too is a chronicle of a comeback that isn't quite allowed to be, because that's the relentlessness of being in the public eye when you're a woman who's deemed to have erred. Suzie herself simply wants to work to be able to share custody of Frank, the fight over which is cruel and demanding at the hands of the still-vicious Cob. She wants to dance, too, because that was always her first love. What she gets is the unceasing pressure to be flawless, as dictated by everyone else around her, but with zero interest in what'd truly make her content, safe, secure and fulfilled. Fearless, audacious, honest, dripping with anxiety, staggering in its intensity, absolutely heart-wrenching, always unflinching: with Prebble and Piper reteaming not just after season one, but also 2007–11 series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, all of these terms fit. This is a head-in-your-hands dark dramedy, a reaction incited by everything that comes Suzie's way as well as the choices she makes in response. The demands and decisions don't stop. Everyone always needs something, and needs Suzie to make a call. In this season, that still includes her mother (Lorraine Ashbourne, Bridgerton), father (Phil Daniels, House of the Dragon) and younger sister (Elle Piper), who are now joined by Suzie's first ex-husband Bailey Quinn (Douglas Hodge, The Great), plus former footballer-turned-streamer Danny Carno (Blake Harrison, The Inbetweeners) — both fellow Dance Crazee Xmas contestants, and reasons that the press' attention hones in again and again. With its claustrophobic cinematography constantly staring Piper's way — and, more than that, usually getting closer than anyone would feel comfortable with — I Hate Suzie Too apes what Suzie's fans and detractors are always doing: surveilling intently. No one performs well under such meticulous examination, with the series pondering the exacting standards placed upon well-known figures and the hypocritical reactions when they don't handle the scrutiny faultlessly. Steely eyed but empathetic, it's an exploration of mental health as well, and the fraying space that takes over when the world's wants take precedence over your own. "The team are choosing between you looking needy and you looking miserable,' Suzie is told about Dance Crazee Xmas' behind-the-scenes footage, to which she replies "well, those are my two states". I Hate Suzie Too shows how untrue that comment is, and how deeply it has been internalised. When she starred in a 2016 UK stage production of Yerma, Piper won six Best Actress awards for her performance — all six that she could — but, on-screen, she's never been better than she is in I Hate Suzie's two seasons. All that up-close peering at Suzie's face is revelatory, conveying every twitch of thought and emotion as she navigates the persistent onslaught of everything everywhere all at once, and attempts to package and repackage herself to be all things to all people. The focus and adaptability required on Piper's part is stunning, especially given I Hate Suzie Too's fondness for long, unbroken shots onstage and careening through backstage corridors. She's equally phenomenal whenever Suzie does snatch a quiet moment to herself, usually brimming with uncertainty, and she's heartbreaking when she's just trying to be a mum to her son. Like Suzie, Piper benefits from her own popstar background in I Hate Suzie Too, with Dance Crazee Xmas' dance numbers — for an audience and in rehearsals alike — proving the powerhouse centre of the series' latest run. Spectacularly choreographed and performed, and incisively paired to Suzie's inner state like a musical, they almost tell this season's tale without anything else needed around them. And, they help emphasise that this story isn't Suzie's alone. Too many women in the spotlight, and in general, have been held to unrealistic ideals, then pilloried for not meeting them. Much lingers when I Hate Suzie Too comes to an end in a whirlwind of distress, that fact included. Check out the trailer for I Hate Suzie Too below: I Hate Suzie Too streams via Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand.
If ever there was a genre that demands to be seen in a cinema, it's the western. Wide-open plains that stretch as far as the eye can see, weary journeyers navigating harsh terrain, splashes of lush greenery that offer glimpses of hope: these are images made for the big screen. They're also the kind of visuals Slow West makes its own, from dense scrubland to dusky wooden huts, and from golden fields to inky nighttime scenes. There's no wondering why writer/director John Maclean chose to relay the bulk of his debut feature through its sights, rather than through dialogue. There's no wondering why the film won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival, either. Slow West describes both the pace and the direction that Jay (Kodi Smit-McPhee) favours, the 16-year-old Scotsman ambling along upon his arrival in America. The time is 1870, the place is Colorado and his mission is to find his childhood love, Rose (Caren Pistorius), who fled their homeland with her father (Rory McCann) after an unfortunate incident. Jay is driven by emotion and lacking in Wild West wiles, as made clear when lone rider Silas (Michael Fassbender) saves him from certain death at the hands of some unfriendly fellows. It's in his best interests to pay the sharpshooter to remain as his guide — and it's in both of their best interests to avoid the bounty hunter (Ben Mendelsohn) and his posse on their trail. This is Maclean's first stint directing a movie, and what a striking debut it is. As a former musician with the Beta Band, he demonstrates a delicate sense of rhythm, which is quite a feat in a film that's slow by name and by nature. Or, perhaps patient better fits, with the feature never in a rush to reveal its details. Instead, it takes its time to build drama. It lets the interrupting outbursts of both violence and comedy feel like just that. And it allows ample opportunity to enjoy its scenic views, too. Such surges of action include a spectacular general store altercation early on, and the inevitable — but never plodding or routine — big finale. Maclean isn't only talented with his imagery and timing, but with balancing a mood of contemplation with explosive yet artistic displays of gunfire. He shows a similar knack for casting, the small but substantial lineup of actors always impressive. Fassbender's stoic antihero and Smit-McPhee's lovesick teen might not be fleshed out in the script, but they never feel flimsy, thanks to their performances. The same can be said for Mendelsohn, clearly enjoying his recent surge of playing assholes. Yes, the trio fall into the usual western roles — the innocent needing help, the conflicted veteran and the dastardly villain — however, nothing about Slow West could really be described as usual. It's not just its visuals that make the film a stunning example of cinema, or of its genre, though they're always a treat to look at. A wandering western, this is a movie that both embraces and reinvents the expected, as all movies should.
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company Fitzroy are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
Whether we're putting stickers on everything because Yayoi Kusama told us to, or drawing on the walls because that's not just allowed but encouraged, everyone loves an interactive art exhibition. It's the reason that installation-based pop-ups filled with ball pits and supremely photogenic backdrops are such a hit, too. So, Museum of Brisbane is taking that idea and running with it at its latest showcase — and while sprinting through the City Hall gallery still isn't recommended, dancing, feeling and otherwise putting your hands on the art definitely is. Running from Saturday, December 10–Sunday, April 16, and free to attend, Play Moves is the CBD museum's largest participatory exhibition to-date, in fact, and it's all about the thing we've each been doing since we were born. Play isn't something anyone grows out of, after all, as the popularity of boozy mini-golf bars and challenge room hotels shows. While this exhibition is family-friendly — and doesn't involve drinks — it shares the same underlying idea that you're never too much of an adult to get creative and have fun. Six major projects comprise Play Moves, each one immersive, interactive and designed for audiences to be a key part in making them what they are. Sure, a giant loom catches the eye just by existing, and so does a fur-lined bathtub. But when you weave on the former and relax into the latter, they're not just objects to view but items to engage with. That loom comes via Slow Art Collective, while Sai Karlen's addition to the exhibition focuses on digital motion tracking. Or, thanks to Counterpilot, a party with dancing pot plants takes over an 80s-style office. Tara Patterden has art lovers focusing on a sound interactive environment, and Michelle Vine has contributed soft cocooned sculptures. Fancy a technicolour party as well? That comes via UnitePlayPerform. You'll discover — and play with — all of the above as you move through the museum's rooms, with the six pieces bringing together six national artists and collectives. Keep an eye out for the venue's events lineup as well, with after-hours sessions and pop-up performances planned for Friday nights. "Play Moves places you at the heart of creative expression and cultural exchange by transforming you from spectator to contributor, inviting you to connect and learn from those around you," said MoB Director/CEO Renai Grace. "It's a dynamic space that can be visited multiple times to watch the exhibition change and grow over time." Play Moves runs from Saturday, December 10–Sunday, April 16 at the Museum of Brisbane, Level 3, City Hall, Brisbane — open from 10am–5pm daily. Images: Katie Bennett.
Cities are living beasts. Swelling and humming and brimming with life, these places we live are subject to change at any moment. These changes can be slow, like that giant apartment complex they've been building forever by your house. Or they can be fast, like the way the skyline comes to life with lights after 8pm. New York photographer Richard Silver has taken it upon himself to explore the latter changes, and the results are pretty beautiful. With his camera pointed towards iconic skylines and landmarks from around the world, Silver has catalogued an entire day in each image. Different from regular timelapse photography that creates a fluid sense of movement, Silver's images are staccato and ornate. Like a collage, each photograph is composed of shots from 36 different times throughout the day. Looking from left to right, you get a glimpse into a full day, from dawn to dusk. Enamoured with the nature of time, Silver appropriately named the series Time Slice. "[It] started in New York when I would go out at sunset to photograph iconic NY buildings," the artist told The Huffington Post. "I can take a photograph a mere few seconds apart and the change in of blue in the sky at sunset just fascinates me." It seems that people around the world are fascinated by this idea as well. In the last week alone, hits to his website have increased from roughly 1,000 per day to upwards of 190,000. Digital sightseers have descended upon the series to view his take on Easter Island, Shanghai, Venice, Milan, London and the Colosseum among others. No longer do tourists have to bicker about whether it's better to see a landmark during the day or at night! Just stay at home and drink in the whole thing. See more of Richard Silver's work at his website. Via Huffington Post. Photos via Richard Silver.
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.
UPDATE, Thursday, March 28, 2o24: Oppenheimer is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Cast Cillian Murphy and a filmmaker falls in love. Danny Boyle did with 28 Days Later and Sunshine, then Christopher Nolan followed with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Dunkirk. There's an arresting, haunting, seeps-under-your-skin soulfulness about the Irish actor, never more so than when he was wandering solo through the empty zombie-ravaged streets in his big-screen big break, then hurtling towards the sun in an underrated sci-fi gem, both for Boyle, and now playing "the father of atomic bomb" in Nolan's epic biopic Oppenheimer. Flirting with the end of the world, or just one person's end, clearly suits Murphy. Here he is in a mind-blower as the destroyer of worlds — almost, perhaps actually — and so much of this can't-look-away three-hour stunner dwells in his expressive eyes. As J Robert Oppenheimer, those peepers see purpose and possibility. They spot quantum mechanics' promise, and the whole universe lurking within that branch of physics. They ultimately spy the consequences, too, of bringing the Manhattan Project successfully to fruition during World War II. Dr Strangelove's full title could never apply to Oppenheimer, nor to its eponymous figure; neither learn to stop worrying and love the bomb. The theoretical physicist responsible for the creation of nuclear weapons did enjoy building it in Nolan's account, Murphy's telltale eyes gleaming as Oppy watches research become reality — but then darkening as he gleans what that reality means. Directing, writing and adapting the 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, Nolan charts the before and after. He probes the fission and fusion of the situation in intercut parts, the first in colour, the second in black and white. In the former, all paths lead to the history-changing Trinity test on July 16, 1945 in the New Mexico desert. In the latter, a mushroom cloud balloons through Oppenheimer's life as he perceives what the gadget, as it's called in its development stages, has unleashed. Pre-Los Alamos Oppenheimer is all nervy spark, whether he's excited about a Cambridge lecture by Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh, Death on the Nile), meeting other great minds in his field around Europe, taking his learnings home from to start the US' first quantum mechanics class, or cultivating what'll later be disparaged by a security clearance-decreeing Atomic Energy Commission panel as a far leftwing mindset. He's electric when an animated ideological chat with Communist Party member Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh, The Wonder) leads to slipping between the sheets for a tumultuous affair. When he meets botanist and biologist Kitty (Emily Blunt, The English) in the smoothest of sexual tension-dripping conversations, his inertia gets her answering "not very" when he asks if she's married. Determination mingles in, too, when Lieutenant General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon, Air) thunders into his classroom on a recruitment mission for top-secret work in a race to beat the Nazis. And, it lingers as the ball is put in motion, then keeps rolling, to construct the most fateful ball of them all. Post-Hiroshima and Nagasaki Oppenheimer is solidified in his certainty that his big bang, then the others that America's military detonated swiftly in Japan once they knew it worked, is on the wrong side of history. He's fragmented, though, by the response to his horror — including the McCarthy-esque committee mercilessly scrutinising him, his colleagues and others closet to him, while deciding whether they'll still give him access. Amid the political fallout for Oppenheimer's advocacy for scaling back afterwards, AEC commissioner Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr, Dolittle) is weaved in, also answering dissecting questions. Oppenheimer is a talky film, sound and fury echoing as heatedly in its words as when blazing light fills the screen. Both the discussions-slash-interrogations and the incendiary moment that forever altered all incendiary moments are impeccably, immaculately, thrillingly and viscerally staged. Nolan identifies chain reactions, and creates them. As he slams the movie's two parts together with his Tenet editor Jennifer Lane's exacting splicing — also letting the contrasting segments lensed so meticulously by Oscar-nominated Dunkirk cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema fling closer and bounce apart, and linking everything with Black Panther Oscar-winner Ludwig Göransson's evocative and relentless score — he crafts his most complex and complicated film yet. His subject demands it. Oppenheimer follows, digs into memory and can't sleep with what's happened. It notices what grows in darkness, shifts reality, reaches for the cosmic and hops through time, too, all in its own ways. It plays like a culmination of Nolan's work as a result — it's certainly made like exactly that — as its namesake tries "not to set the sky on fire", as Groves tells him, then attempts to kill the terrible threat of burning skies as a power-boosting military tactic. If someone told Nolan not to set the screen alight and aglow with his 12th feature in 25 years, and his second about World War II in six, he didn't listen — be it with his resonant ideas, his execution or his stars. He paints a fiery portrait of America, especially in monochrome. He unpacks the lengths that humanity will go to to gain control and garner recognition, and the grave costs. He fires moments at the screen that just keep expanding in impact, and combining like Dunkirk's onslaught from land, air and sea. An early gripping scene involving Oppenheimer as a student, an apple and cyanide is one. So is the immediate expectation to lead the cheering after the Trinity test, just as the full meaning of what's occurred dawns, in a sequence that uses dissonant sound to immersive and galvanising effect. And, piercing too is the rat-tat-tat of the interrogation dialogue. Murphy is spectacular, and has never been better as Nolan stares so intimately and contemplatively at his revealing face. How joyous it is to see Downey Jr, also never better, actually act again — his astounding, awards-destined performance is meaty, mesmerising, and something that's been sorely missed. Oppenheimer's is an explosive cast, also spanning Blunt at her steeliest; pivotal contributions by Josh Hartnett (Black Mirror), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon) and David Krumholtz (White House Plumbers) as fellow scientists; and the influential Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Macon Blair (Reservation Dogs), Dane DeHaan (The Staircase) and Alden Ehrenreich (Cocaine Bear) among the lawyers, military and political aides. Present, too, each in small but significant parts: three consecutive 2017–19 Best Actor Academy Award-winners in Manchester by the Sea's Casey Affleck, Darkest Hour's Gary Oldman and Bohemian Rhapsody's Rami Malek. Nolan deploys them all in a film that bellows, billows and blasts. Watching, and plunging into Oppenheimer's mind, isn't a passive experience.
When pink guards approach, little that's good happens. In the first teaser trailer for Squid Game season three, that proves true again. The just-dropped sneak peek at the Netflix hit's third and final season starts with its red-adorned figures carrying a black box — the type used as coffins for players who haven't made it in this life-or-death game. Naturally, everyone decked out in a green tracksuit is curious, as well as apprehensive. It's time to play one last time — or it will be come Friday, June 27, 2025. Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte) is back in the game. A huge gumball machine is part of the next round, complete with red and blue balls. The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven) also makes a return. Expect to hear a baby crying as well. That the deadly contest at the heart of Squid Game just keeps going, continuing to pit new batches of 456 players against each other in a battle to the death to win 45.6 billion won, sits at the heart of the award-winning Netflix series — but will that remain the case now that the show itself is wrapping up? What happens next in Gi-hun's quest to bring down those responsible for the killer competition? If you've watched season two, which dropped on Boxing Day 2024, then these are probably some of your questions already. Fans will also know that Player 456 went back in the game with new fellow competitors for company, then found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. However his efforts pan out this time around, the show's last run will feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. In Squid Game's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returned as the man in the suit, aka the person who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place — and so did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho. That said, a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount, so new faces were always going to be essential. That's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Check out the first trailer for Squid Game season three below: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
When the annual World's 50 Best Restaurants announced its picks in 2023, Australia was completely absent, missing out on spots in both the top 50 itself and the 51–100 longlist. Which eateries have made the cut in 2024 is only just starting to be unveiled, beginning with the tail end of the choices — and trust Josh and Julie Niland to help get Aussie hospitality back among the rankings. Saint Peter has taken out 98th place on the 2024 51–100 longlist, and it's the only Australian restaurant named so far. The top 50 itself will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 5, so there's still hope that some more love will be sent Down Under. The last time that there was an Aussie showing in the full 100 was in 2022, when Andrew McConnell's Melbourne diner Gimlet at Cavendish House came in at 84 for its World's 50 Best debut. [caption id="attachment_952313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Named ahead of its move in July into The Grand National Hotel, Saint Peter is similarly a new entry, earning praise for the Nilands' famed nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. That ethos has already seen Josh's applauded The Whole Fish Cookbook win him the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian to ever take out the prize. In 2022, he was the only Australian chef to feature in The Best Chefs Awards for 2022 — aka the list of the top 100 best globally — too. The same year, both Josh and Julie picked up the Game Changer Award from France's La Liste. "Not every restaurant can legitimately claim to be spearheading a movement. Yet this cool concept from Josh Niland takes the great Australian seafood tradition to previously unexplored heights," said the team behind 2024's World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list in this year's rankings. "Known as 'the fish butcher', Niland favours techniques typically associated with meat. With a gill-to-fin approach, he utilises as much of the fish as possible, from eyes to organs, bones to scales – and everything in between. The innovative menu changes daily to reflect that morning's catch," the shoutout went on. [caption id="attachment_952314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Australia's hospitality scene hasn't ever dominated the World's 50 Best Restaurants gongs, but not placing at all for 2023 didn't escape attention. Just two Aussie restaurants claimed spots in 2021's awards, both of them Victorian, with Dan Hunter's Brae placing 57th and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica coming in at number 97. There were no awards in 2020, but Brae and Attica also placed in the longlist in 2019. In 2018, Attica came in 20th and Brae 58th. Australia has had up to four restaurants in the top 50 before, including three when the awards debuted in 2002. The World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. In 2023, Central in Lima, Peru acme in first. The year's other picks included Disfrutar in Barcelona in second, Diverxo in Madrid in third, Atxondo's Asador Etxebarri in fourth and Copenhagen's Alchemist in fifth. Next came Maido in Lima, Lido 84 in the Gardone Riviera, Atomix in New York, Quintonil in Mexico City and Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris to round out the top ten. Wondering about the best places to eat Down Under, regardless of what the World's 50 Best Restaurants chooses? Check out our picks for the best Sydney and best Melbourne restaurants. [caption id="attachment_811440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] To check out the World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list, head to the awards' website. The top 50 will be announced on Wednesday, June 5 — and we'll update you then. Top image: Christopher Pearce.
There aren't many ways to improve a trip to a bathhouse, but when Gold Coast-born chain Soak opens up its first Brisbane location, it'll dial things up a level. Set to launch sometime in the first half of 2022, the new West Village spot will move your blissful spa days upwards literally, in fact; opening on a rooftop will do that. Get ready for dips, steams and massages with a sweeping view of the city, and for hanging out on sky-high sundecks as well. West End's first rooftop bathhouse, it'll boast seven spas, as well as infrared saunas, mineral pools and relaxation gardens. And, the range of other services will expand to LED facials. Those pools are meant to be shared, so you'll be able to book in for a soak with your mates and use the occasion to treat yo'selves over a catch up. The whole vibe at Soak Bathhouse West Village is about being social, after owners Alexis Dyson and Niki Dean realised that the industry isn't currently big on wellness sessions that double as group hangouts. "A lot of social activities rely on going out for food and drinks, so we wanted to present an offering that focused on wellness and relaxation while still being a social experience to be enjoyed with friends," explains Dyson. "This is also how Soak sets itself apart from other spas, as many only cater to pairs by offering couple massages and treatments." Based on its Gold Coast setup, Soak does both casual pricing and memberships, and it'll start selling the latter for its West Village outpost at the beginning of 2022, prior to opening. While gathering the gang and soaking in everything the bathhouse has to offer will be part of the new West End spot's daily offerings, you'll also be able to book in for special occasions — which is great to keep in mind if you have some milestones to celebrate next year, or just feel like a relaxing birthday shindig. Soak Bathhouse will open its first Brisbane outpost at West Village, 45 Mollison Street, West End, sometime in the first half of 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Images: Soak Bathhouse Mermaid Beach.
It's been more than a century since the first combination of gin, vermouth rosso and Campari was apparently mixed up in Florence, as dreamed up by Pascal-Olivier de Negroni. Cocktail lovers everywhere have been thankful ever since, and there's even an entire week — Negroni Week, obviously — to celebrate. In South Brisbane and West End, the bars and eateries of Fish Lane Arts Precinct are marking the occasion again in 2024 — in the only appropriate way, of course. From Monday, September 16–Sunday, September 22, the precinct's establishments are devoting the entire week to creative negronis, as well as negroni-worshipping events. Gelato Messina is even getting in on the action, too, with a negroni-inspired dessert flavour. Stop by Fish Lane on whichever day you like and you'll find classic negronis on the menu at Bar Brutus, Chu The Phat, La Lune Wine Co and Midtown. Fancy a Negroni Week special instead? At the likes of Hello Please, Julius Pizzeria, El Planta, Maeve Wine Bar, Kiki Kiosk, Southside and Next Episode, options include a strawberry negroni, smoked negroni, and martini and negroni hybrid. Or, try the Lecho de Muerte, the chilli-, orange- and davidson plum-heavy tipple that riffs on the Deathbed negroni. There's also the Umegroni, giving the negroni a Japanese twist. In addition to the negronis — oh-so-many negronis, as per above — three events are on the agenda throughout the week. On Wednesday, September 18 at Midtown Bar's $95-per-person Negroni Week dinner, Calabrian toast, pumpkin and parmesan arancini, a crispy prosciutto cup and a negroni tart will be paired with, what else?, negronis. And on the $85-a-head Fish Lane art and negroni trail on Saturday, September 21, you'll peer at public art while, yes, drinking negronis (although other cocktails will be available). Plus, from Friday, September 2o–Saturday, September 21, Bar Brutus is setting up a pop-up bar in Fish Lane's town square from 5pm daily.
Any great gelateria lives and thrives by its scoops. When the best ice cream is being piled high onto cones and in cups, the dessert joint serving it can be anywhere. Still, there's something particularly special about being able to lick your way through a sweet treat in a scenic spot, like strolling along by the river — and it's that experience that Rosé Gelateria has covered at its new Brisbane outpost at Portside Wharf. Rosé Gelateria debuts in the River City after setting up stores in Sanctuary Cove and Main Beach. This ice cream spot is located next to Dendy Cinemas, handily, and spans across 56 square metres of indoor seating space, as well as an al fresco seating area. Known for its rose gelato made with rosewater and topped with rose petals — hence the name — Rosé Gelateria also does Biscoff gelato using the biscuit spread, and also caramel among its 20-flavour signature lineup. The Portside shop features vegan and dairy-free options, too, and will rotate through four limited-edition flavours each month. If you have a pet that likes frosty treats, and always tries to get a lick of yours, Rosé Gelateria is doing pet-friendly gelato as well. That said, Rosé Gelateria doesn't just keep things cold and creamy. It also serves up macarons and cookies, plus juices and milkshakes. And, joining forces with Paradox Coffee Roasters, it'll brews a specialty coffee blend called Picasso Baby, too — and expect to taste dark chocolate and blackberry with your caffeine hit.
You mightn't think this is a destination worthy of a food review but we are here to inform you that the Booroodabin Bowls Club (fondly nicknamed The Boo) has stepped up its game when it comes to feeding the hungry hoards of barefoot bowlers on Friday nights and weekends. Firstly, let's start with their chicken schnitty. Golden crumbs coat a succulent, juicy chicken breast that comes served with crunchy, perfectly seasoned chips and a side salad as well as your pick of sauce. Our recommendation? Mushroom, hands down. Next you have their generously proportioned burgers, which rival the likes of Grilled. Opt for something traditional like their handmade beef pattie with tomato chutney, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and horseradish aioli, or go upmarket with seared pork belly, pickled cabbage, onion marmalade, harissa mayo and sesame seeds. Regardless of the burger you choose, expect it to come on a light, pillowy bun with flavoursome thick-cut chips. Just make sure you ask for an extra side serve of sauce for dipping. If you're looking for something more refined, the Boo's caramelised onion polenta salad with oven-dried cherry tomatoes and pickled cucumber is surprisingly tasty, as is the Smoked Trout and Baby Beetroot Salad. Alternatively, enjoy the za'atar spiced pork cutlet with cauliflower three ways, the fresh fish of the day or a succulent sirloin with carrot and caraway puree. Extra bonus points go to the Boo's well-priced and nicely varied drinks list, stocking a number of local brews. It's the perfect post-work destination to welcome the weekend or is great for a lazy lunch on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon playing bowls in between. Yes, it might be pub grub, but it's a little bit fancy.
They say your body is a temple, but it can be hard to find your inner sanctuary without being in an actual sanctuary. A trip to Port Douglas could fix this, with the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa giving you all the calm and relaxation time you need, with a generous serve of beautiful Port Douglas surroundings thrown in. This far-north Queensland holiday spot is right on the doorstep of two of Australia's biggest natural attractions — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing and seaplane tours regularly set off from here out onto the reef, and while most people explore the Daintree on foot through its hikes, you can get a different view via 4WD, horseback or zipline. Don't discount the pleasure of spending time in Port Douglas itself, either; the holiday town has an upmarket feel, with restaurants serving high-level contemporary cuisine and a local microbrewery, Hemingway's, producing pilsener from the freshwater of nearby Mossman Gorge. With one of the biggest lagoon pools (3000-square-metre) this side of the earth, the 5-star Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa resort is situated smack bang on Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas' trump card when it comes to sand and sea. Guests can stay in studio spas, swim-out apartments, or go all out and stay in apartments that feature their very own plunge pool. On-site restaurant AQUA has you covered for contemporary food made from fresh local produce, and the resort also has a day spa, Vie Spa, with eight treatment rooms – which means there's a whole lot of pampering to be had. When you're all pampered out, head on over to the adjacent 18-hole golf course, or venture out a little further to explore Mossman Gorge and the Daintree Rainforest – or add a tick to your bucket list and hop on that boat to the Great Barrier Reef. Most people come here during the Australian winter, avoiding the rain and humidity that is at its worst from January to March.
September is here and if you're an NRL fan, that can only mean one thing: it's finals season. This year, Queensland footy fans are in for a treat as every single match-up in the battle for the Telstra Premiership trophy will be contested on home turf. From Cowboys country in Townsville to the stadiums throughout south-east Queensland, the best eight teams of the 2021 NRL season will be vying for the Provan-Summons Trophy all across the Sunshine State this year. The first round of finals action kicks off on Friday, September 10 at Sunshine Coast Stadium when another chapter will be added to the fierce rivalry between the Melbourne Storm, this year's minor premiers and the defending title holders, and the Manly Sea Eagles. The next day there'll be back-to-back games at Townsville's Queensland Country Stadium. First up, the Sydney Roosters challenge the Gold Coast Titans in a sudden-death playoff. That evening, the Penrith Panthers will take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The finals action will continue over the next three weeks, when the league's best teams will fight for a spot in the Grand Final at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, October 3. Love your footy? There's nothing like seeing all the nail-biting action up close. For more information and to book your tickets to the finals, visit the website.
If December approaches and a new festive film isn't hitting cinemas, is it really Christmas? In 2020, as in pretty much every year before it, we won't find out the answer to that question. Heading to the big screen just in time for the merriest portion of this year's calendar is rom-com Happiest Season — the newest addition to the hefty lineup of holiday-themed movies competing for your eyeballs whenever the tinsel, trees and twinkling lights come out. Following in the footsteps of 2019's Last Christmas, 2018's The Grinch, 2017's A Bad Moms Christmas and 2016's Bad Santa 2 and Office Christmas Party — just to name a few recent festive flicks — Happiest Season plunges viewers into one couple's seasonal experience when they decide to meet the parents over the holidays. Abby (Kristen Stewart) heads home with Harper (Mackenzie Davis, Irresistible) to meet the latter's mother (Mary Steenburgen, The Book Club), father (Victor Garber, Dark Waters) and other relatives. The catch: Harper's folks don't know that she's gay, or about her relationship with Abby. Also, Abby was actually planning to propose at Christmas dinner. While Happiest Season is heading to streaming in the US, it'll hit cinemas in Down Under on Thursday, November 26. That's when audiences are in for some heartfelt and amusing holiday antics as Harper and Abby try to navigate their tricky situation — if the film's just-dropped trailer is any indication, that is. Happiest Season's star-studded cast also includes GLOW's Alison Brie, Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza, Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Burl Moseley. It's directed and co-written by a familiar face, too: actor-turned-filmmaker Clea DuVall, who has appeared on-screen in everything from The Faculty and Girl, Interrupted to Veep and The Handmaid's Tale. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_jjELPpKkk&feature=youtu.be Happiest Season opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 26.
Sometimes you want a date night to last longer than the time it takes to scoff down a meal at your local. The most romantic nights are often spent lapping up each other's company, trying a new drink or dish, and creating an atmosphere that makes it feel like you and your partner are the only people in the world. One way to turn an average date night into a romantic weekend to remember is by booking a city staycation. At The Star Brisbane, you can turn an evening out into an all-in-one romantic escape. From sky deck views, set menu dinners, and a hotel that'll make you feel like you're nowhere near home, here's how to add some spark and rejuvenation to your Brisbane date weekend. [caption id="attachment_1023299" align="alignleft" width="1920"] The Star Brisbane[/caption] Stay the night Why cut the night short after activities conclude? The Star Grand hotel offers an elevated staycation option for Brisbanites. The five-star hotel features a slate of luxurious rooms where you can turn a single evening into a getaway for the ages. Enjoy views of the Brisbane River and South Bank, swimming pools, gym and a 24-hour reception. You'll leave with your romance cup filled. Movies under the stars Whether you decide to stay the night or not, the Skyline Cinema at The Star Brisbane offers openair screenings every Wednesday evening. Tickets for the variety of classic movies start at $5 per person, and you can book your own bean bags for maximum comfort. Otherwise, bring along a picnic blanket and buy some snacks for a low-key, cosy date night. [caption id="attachment_1021006" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Cicada Blu[/caption] Wow factor Cicada Blu is The Star Brisbane's bar that's perfect for pre- or post-dinner drinks. Featuring panoramic views of the Brisbane River and a unique cocktail menu, Cicada Blu will give your date night the 'wow' factor to impress. Enjoy the Golden Hour Fizz cocktail 100 metres above the CBD and cheers to a romantic date night. [caption id="attachment_1023301" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Cucina Regina[/caption] Italian romance Looking for a relaxed, romantic date night pick? Cucina Regina is The Star Brisbane's destination for elevated Italian comfort food. During the Brisbane Festival period, Cucina Regina is offering three share plates and two Aperol Spritz for $49, making it a budget-friendly choice as well. From hand-stretched pizzas and homemade pasta to tableside tiramisu and cocktails, Cucina Regina adds a helping of warm Italian hospitality to any date night. [caption id="attachment_1023307" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Aloria[/caption] Something elevated Aloria is for couples looking to take their relationship to the next level. Literally. Situated on The Star Brisbane's Sky Deck, the rooftop restaurant offers wines handpicked to pair with each course, a European-Australian menu, and sunset cocktails. The restaurant is currently offering a romantic deal. It includes a three-course menu paired with champagne on arrival, for $300 per couple. Executive Chef Shayne Mansfield has curated an indulgent menu that highlights seasonal flavours and culinary artistry. As an extra special touch, couples will receive a keepsake photo to remind them of their romantic evening. [caption id="attachment_1023306" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Sokyo[/caption] A touch of boldness Sokyo is where the date night takes a bolder turn. The Japanese-Australian fusion restaurant is for couples seeking bold flavours and a sensory-driven dining experience. Between theatrical dish presentation, unexpected flavour combinations and moody lighting, Sokyo feels effortlessly stylish. With dishes including sashimi and spicy tuna on a bed of crispy rice, you and your date will be competing over who gets the last bite all night long. Sokyo is the dining choice for those who like a little drama over their dinner. From an array of dining options to plush beds and openair cinemas, The Star Brisbane makes it easy to dial up the romance—staycation or otherwise. Want to discover more venues at The Star Brisbane? Check out the website here. Over 18's only. Drink responsibly. BET WITH YOUR HEAD, NOT OVER IT. Lead image: The Star Brisbane
What's the best thing for a rock star to do when celebrating sold-out shows on tour? For Yungblud, that depends. In Sydney, he visited a photography gallery and drew crowds big enough to attract police dispersal — but this weekend in Brisbane, he capped off two sold-out shows at Riverstage by pouring drinks at Crowbar. Getting to work pouring drinks, the Doncaster-born rocker was interacting with fans with every serve, with photos captured by his regular photography collaborator Tom Pallant (the same behind that aforementioned gallery). See them below. [caption id="attachment_1064924" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tom Pallant[/caption] Yungblud will round out his Australian tour this Tuesday in Perth. While down under, he took time to appear on the latest episode of the Rolling Stone Uncut podcast. "When people say 'to fit in rock,' that is the most un-rock and roll thing ever," Yungblud said in the chat. "Rock music isn't supposed to be a gate-kept boys club. And it became that. That's why it was being suffocated and boring and so adherent to the past. We have to allow young people to pioneer something, or at least try to give this thing a heartbeat. The worst thing that happened to rock was that you were getting ridiculed for the reference point. From 2005 onwards, Oasis sounded like the Beatles, and they fucking loved that. They wore that as a badge of honour. Kurt Cobain loved John Lennon. It's a beautiful fucking thing, and people ridicule it for it, and it just sucks… "My biggest fear is that they get deterred from pursuing a career in it by some old, bitter cunt on the internet." [caption id="attachment_1064926" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tom Pallant[/caption] Rolling Stone AU/NZ attended Yungblud's Sydney show and gave it a four-star rating, calling it "a lesson in audience stewardship". "Yungblud moved fluidly between scale and closeness, repeatedly entering the crowd, locking eyes and urging fans to take care of one another (not to mention letting one Wollongong fan play guitar left-handed on stage!)," the review reads. [caption id="attachment_1064925" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tom Pallant[/caption] "Yungblud's newfound level of artistic maturity crystallised on stage as he embodied a rockstar conscious of the space he occupies, aware that leadership, vulnerability and playfulness can coexist without cancelling each other out." This article first appeared on 'Rolling Stone AU/NZ'. Lead image: Tom Pallant
The spirit of cabaret is alive and well in Brisbane, with one of the world's most celebrated chanteuses lighting up The Princess Theatre for 2023's Open Season. Her particular mix of debauchery, dark humour and biting social commentary make this one of the festival's must-see shows. German kabarett superstar Bernie Dieter — described as "an electrifying cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Futer in sequins" — will bring her infamous gin-soaked haus band and her troupe of bombastic bohemians to the River City for four nights this winter, from Wednesday, July 19–Saturday, July 22. Gather your fellow deviants for this one. [caption id="attachment_841679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Johannes Reinhart[/caption] The show encapsulates the spirit of the notorious kabarett clubs of Weimar Germany, and features a vibrant lineup of international talent. The billing includes the dangerous art of hair hanging (we're getting split ends just from the mere mention of this one), flame breathers, gender bending aerial performances and plenty of strip teasing and pole dancing. The colourful show celebrates freedom and diversity in all its forms — Dieter herself describes it as "the ultimate party at the end of the world".
The mercury is dropping, days are getting shorter and actually wearing long sleeves in Brisbane is about to become a reality. Also on the way: not just winter, but the longest night of the year, with West End's Solstice Market returning to celebrate. The inner-city suburb is no stranger to markets in general, of course, but this one will give the West End Markets a one-night-only spin on Friday, June 20. On the menu is all the food, drinks and stalls you'd expect — 150-plus stalls, in fact — plus live music and bonfires lighting up the night at Davies Park as well. When you're not shopping for artisanal wares and grabbing a bite to eat — from spots including Little Caracas, Tibetan Dumpling and Choco Bliss — you can hit up the Swiss Alps-themed pop-up bar and sip glühwein. Entry is free, as is parking, and the event runs from 4–10pm.
If you've been following the Aussie strawberry scandal and want to do your part to help the farmers impacted by it, then there's a beer with your name on it. Following Ekka's strawberry sundae fundraiser, the folks behind Spring Hill's Archer Brewing are launching a Strawberry Ale and giving the proceeds back to the fruit growers. The launch will happen at Fortitude Valley's Bloodhound Bar on Friday, October 5, from 5pm, where Archer is providing a karma keg of its seasonal Patch Strawberry Ale — Patch is one of the brewery's sister brands that specialises in fruit beers and cider using only fresh, local ingredients. At the party, patrons will pay what they wish for a pint (while considering it's for charity, not a cheap booze handout) and all proceeds from the keg will go to the strawberry growers that made the beer possible. In this case, it's the Sunshine Coast's Piñata Farms. The team drove to the farm just this week to nab some seriously fresh picks for brewer Gavin Croft to throw into the batch. Also available on the night will be some of Patch's other seasonal releases, like the Pine Lime, Pomegranate and Mandarin Ales, along with a few from Archer's core range (a lager, pilsner, pale ale and IPA). Keep on eye on the Facebook event where the complete tap list will soon be revealed. When the event is over, you'll be able buy Patch's Strawberry Ale at local bars and at Archer's Bunker. This commitment to Aussie produce is not new from Archer Brewing and its sibling brands Patch and Croft, which make brews from all-Australian ingredients and with a focus on seasonal, small batch releases. All three breweries are also 100-percent independently owned and operated, too. The Strawberry Ale launch is taking place at Bloodhound Bar from 5pm–midnight on Friday, October 5.
For the past five years, Eleven Rooftop Bar has welcomed Brisbanites eager for a drink with a view, pairing a 270-degree vantage across the city with cocktails and tapas. Come mid-July, however, the Fortitude Valley venue is undergoing a significant makeover — temporarily saying goodbye to its current setup to welcome new pop-up Maya Mexican. The revamped bar will serve up mezcal cocktails, tequila, margaritas and bites to eat inspired by the country that gives the pop-up its name — as well food influenced by the Pacific Coast, Yucatan and Sonoran regions. While the menu hasn't yet been released, you can expect dishes such as spicy tuna tostadas, snapper tacos and wagyu steak asado, as well as a late-night range. Open grill and flame-grilled cooking will feature heavily. Also prominent: decor to suit the site's short-term change of focus, with Maya Mexican launching after the eleventh-floor Ann Street spot undergoes a refurbishment. That will include plenty of stone, marble and timber, a hefty use of white and a scattering of plants, including desert cacti. The venue will also benefit from a bigger seating area and a renovated courtyard, plus booth and lounge seating. Casual in vibe, the pop-up will open from 5pm on weekdays and from midday from Friday–Sunday for openair beverages with quite the backdrop — with DJs spinning tunes also part of the setup. And if you're wondering about the venue's old guise, owner Jason Coats says that it will come back down the track. "It's taken a lot of guts to transform Eleven Rooftop Bar, however all we can say, is it's definitely not goodbye forever," he notes. Find Maya Mexican at 757 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley from a yet-to-be-revealed date in mid-July — we'll update you with exact opening details when they're announced. Images: Eleven Rooftop Bar
Six days. More than 30 gigs. A whole heap of local and Australian talent taking over 16 venues in Fortitude Valley, the CBD and Brisbane's suburbs. That's what's on the agenda this August, with Brissie set to welcome a brand-new six-day music festival called Brisbane Winter Sessions. Announced today, Monday, June 21, Brisbane Winter Sessions is all about warming up the city via a jam-packed lineup of live tunes — and getting Brisbanites out and into venues such as The Zoo, Fortitude Music Hall, Ric's, The Triffid and The Brightside. You can also expect to spend time at Felons Barrell Hall at Howards Smith Wharves, La La Land, Woolly Mammoth, Press Club, Greaser, Brooklyn Standard, Suzie Wongs, Can You Keep A Secret? and The Bearded Lady, checking out a lengthy list of acts including No Money Enterprise, Thy Art Is Murder, Ian Haug, Ben Ely, Last Dinosaurs and Nina Las Vegas. Some shows will be free and others will be ticketed, but they'll all give you an excuse to support the city's live music scene — which needs the love after the past 15 months or so. The fest will kick off on Thursday, August 5, then run through until Wednesday, August 11. And if you're wondering why it ends midweek, that's because that's when this year's Ekka public holiday falls. Among the highlights: the setup at the Fortitude Music Hall, which'll use a 360-stage and welcome in 1000 festival-goers; The Zoo's drag night; and the return of the Brisbane Burger Fest, which'll take place on Stratton Street. The full lineup is lengthy, though, so don't go saying you don't have anything to do this August. BRISBANE WINTER SESSIONS 2021 LINEUP: Felons Barrell Hall: Miiesha Felivand Hallie Sofia Isella Sweater Curse RVG A. Swayze and The Ghosts Dopamine Girl and Girl Slowrip The Fortitude Music Hall: Thy Art is Murder Skin On Skin & Friends Nina Las Vegas No Money Enterprise JamesJamesJames Creed Tha Kid Zheani DJ Homoc1d3 The Triffid: Trophy Eyes The Dreggs Hayley Mary (The Jezabels) Cheap Fakes Meg Ripps McDermott & North Hazel Mei The Brightside: Last Dinosaurs Egoism Flamingo Blonde Staples Press Club: The Dead Love Being Jane Lane BLUSSH King George Life Admin The Brightside / O'Skulligans: RAT!Hammock Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers The Lazy Eyes Melaleuca WALKEN The Minor Threats Olivia's World Garage Sale Minor Premiers Pipin Mouse GRMLN The Zoo: Ben Ely Bad//Dreems La La Land: Ian Haug (ex-Powderfinger) Tyrone Noonan Nik Phillips First Beige Dream Coast Woolly Mammoth: Jess B Greaser: Pablum Concrete Palms Plateau Velociraptor Oscar Borschmann Tolal Pace Tejavu Platonic Sex Eratas Slow Rip Girl and Girl Rattus Great Sage Square Samm Mozza Pelican Moon Radium Dolls Gabe Fressh Ric's Bar: Sinkin' Schooners Sky Valley Ban Solo Brooklyn Standard: The Buzz Colt Seavers Band Ramjet Dave Wesbter Solo Imessa Suzie Wongs: The Skandolosos LR March The Lazy Leis Dan Lewis La Boum Can You Keep A Secret?: Life on Earth The Bearded Lady: Refedex The Cassowarys Eloelo Brisbane Winter Sessions will take place between Thursday, August 5–Wednesday, August 11 across 16 venues in Fortitude Valley, the CBD and Brisbane's suburbs. For further details and to grab tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Vincent Shaw.
If comedy is all about timing, then Aunty Donna have it — not just onstage. In 2020, Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun was the hysterical sketch-comedy series that the world needed, with the six-episode show satirising sharehouse living dropping at the ideal moment. While the Australian jokesters' Netflix hit wasn't just hilarious because it arrived when everyone had been spending more time than anyone dreamed at home thanks to the early days of the pandemic, the ridiculousness it found in domesticity was as inspired as it was sidesplittingly absurd. Three years later, heading out is well and truly back, as are Aunty Donna on-screen. Their target in Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe, which streams in full on ABC iView from Wednesday, April 12 and airs weekly on ABC TV: cafe culture. When we were all staring at our own four walls for months, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane helped us to laugh about it — talking dishwashers, tea parties with the Queen of England, silly wi-fi names, Weird Al Yankovic and 'Morning Brown' sing-alongs included. Now, with stay-at-home orders relegated to the past, they've returned to make fun of one of the simplest reasons to go out that there is. During lockdowns and restrictions, how folks were allowed to patronise their local cafe, or not, was a frequent topic of conversation. It was also a bellwether for how strict the rules were at any given junction. Grabbing a cuppa is such an ordinary and everyday task, so much so that it was taken for granted until it was no longer an easy part of our routines. Unsurprisingly, now that caffeine fixes are back and brewing, Aunty Donna finds much to parody. With fellow group members Sam Lingham (a co-writer here), Max Miller (the show's director) and Tom Zahariou (its composer), Aunty Donna's well-known trio of faces set their new six-parter in the most obvious place they can: a Melbourne cafe called Morning Brown. The track itself doesn't get a spin, however, and neither does fellow fan favourite 'Everything's a Drum'. Indeed, the show's central piece of naming is its most expected move. As demonstrated in episodes that turn the cafe into a courtroom, ponder whether Broden might still be a child and riff on Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt's 1967 disappearance, nothing else about Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe earns that description. Pinballing in any and every direction possible has always been one of the Aussie comedy troupe's biggest talents, with their latest series deeply steeped — riotously, eclectically and entertainingly, too — in that approach. Anything can happen in this Mark-, Broden- and Zach-owned coffee house, and does, just as everything could and did when they were sharing a home on-screen. Of course, anything can occur when Aunty Donna are involved anyway — they recently played corpses revived from the dead in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, and also released Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine and the Always Room for Christmas Pud picture book, after all. So, although Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe embraces its its sitcom packaging more heartily than Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun did, its main setting remains a backdrop and a launchpad for as many random skits as they can dish up. When that court takes over, for instance, Richard Roxburgh (Elvis) plays Rake, even though that's not his Rake character's name. In another episode, stanning Gardening Australia and skewering unreliable streaming services get ample attention, complete with jokes at ABC iView's expense. Elsewhere, bucks parties earn their own lampoon. So does the Is It Cake? trend, working in hospitality, shoddy landlords — a particularly timely topic during a cost-of-living crisis — and the nightmare that is dealing with real estate agents when you're a tenant. Gaming bars, kidulting, food reviews, restaurant theming: they're all thrown in as well. If it stems from the culinary and hospo world, Aunty Donna have likely touched upon it. In fact, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe's debut episode begins with a pitch-perfect summary of cafe trends of late. The show's overall setup sees Mark, Broden and Zach desperate to make their laneway haunt a success, and determined not to let their lack of skills and experience get in the way. So, they survey all the current gimmicks, including axe-throwing, hurling abuse, selling vinyl and only serving cereal. They learn of spaces that devote their menus to popcorn and show a movie while it's consumed, and of spots to nab free books as you sip (and yes, the fact that these are just cinemas and libraries is the point). Playing fictionalised and heightened versions of themselves, Mark, Broden and Zach have a teenage employee, Stephanie (Gaby Seow, Young Rock), who is interviewed in the first instalment — which gives Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe's plenty of material about outlandish bosses. Sally-Anne (Sally-Anne Upton, Neighbours) is the resident chaotic landlord, while Michelle (Michelle Brasier, Why Are You Like This) is the kind of devoted customer that Morning Brown wants more of. With its key cast established, this is a workplace comedy, like everything from The Office, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock to Party Down, Scrubs and Cheers before it. Swapping slinging beer and spirits for lattes and blueberry muffins, and keeping things on the lighter side of anarchic — although a recess skit gets dark, fast — Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe resembles an Australian spin on long-running absurdist great It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, too. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has aired 15 seasons now, becoming the longest-running American TV comedy, and also has at least three more to come. That's a feat achieved in no small part thanks to its ability to keep pouring out the most out-there, OTT, nonsense situations it can, and boasting the gamest of casts. Across their television slate, Aunty Donna share the same traits. They might be notching up their screentime across different shows, but they're having just as wild, uproarious, farcical and astute a time. So is the company that Mark, Broden and Zach keep here, spanning not only a committed Roxburgh, but also Miranda Tapsell (Christmas Ransom), Looking for Alibrandi's Pia Miranda making tomato day jokes, and everyone from Shaun Micallef and Tony Martin to Melanie Bracewell, Nazeem Hussain, Steven Oliver and Sam Pang. When Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun became one of 2020's best new shows, no one watched it a mere once. Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe demands the same response, with its gags flying so thick and fast that laughing at one joke or bit of banter usually means drowning out the next with your own chuckles. In any skit-heavy series, it's impossible to ensure that every single moment lands, but Aunty Donna's shows come I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson-level close. Maybe don't watch it on your phone in your local cafe, though — no matter how trendy it is, if it's in a laneway, whether it's open till 5pm, if there's a criminal trial going on inside or ghosts are haunting the place. Check out the trailer for Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe below: Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe streams via ABC iView, and also screens weekly on the ABC at 9pm from Wednesday, April 12. Images: Richard Lowe / Jackson Flinter / ABC.
