Break out the cake, candles, streamers, party hats and lolly bags, because someone's having a birthday. Well, not just someone, but somewhere. And not just anywhere, but one of Fortitude Valley's favourite hangouts. Yes, that slice of music heaven on Brunswick Street that is Black Bear Lodge has now been part of the inner-city scene for 11 years. If that's not cause for celebration between Friday, June 3—Saturday, June 4, then we don't know what is. Trust the BBL crew to throw its own shindig (and cry if it wants to) to mark the occasion. And trust it to rope in a whole lot of other folks to make the two evenings something extra special, too. On the lineup: Benny Chiu, David Versace, Doggie Heaven and Gratitude Cowgirl, as well as Great Sage, Jimmy Ellis, Paulie Marinos and Simi Lacroix — plus Square and Sugar Leaves, too. The party runs till late on both nights, and tickets for each evening cost $15 on the door.
Fancy a trip to Japan without heading to Japan? Well, Brisbanites, Maho Magic Bar has you covered. The dazzling show is courtesy of the creative folks at Broad Encounters, and is in residence in Northshore Hamilton's neon-lit pop-up entertainment precinct Twilight Electric until Sunday, September 18. The best bit? The magic happens tableside, with mind-bending magicians — straight from Japan's magic bars — roving the room as you sip. What else can you expect? Well, it's a bar, performance space and show all in one. Bright lights set the mood, cherry blossoms hover above and sake and shochu lead the drinks menu (though there's beer, wine and booze-free options, too). Designed to replicate a night out in Shinjuku, your experience will be one of hedonistic wonder. [caption id="attachment_854728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nathaniel Mason[/caption] The ace thing about the setup: whether you adore magic or don't think it's your thing, you're still in for a ripper night. The atmosphere (and the drinks and those lights) are a massive part of the allure, though prepare to have your mind swayed by the roll call of stand-out magicians. There's the gender stereotype-busting Kaori Kitazawa, daring close-up magician Sarito, the style-heavy talent Shirayuri and Santa Terakado, the quirky toy magician. And your host? Actor and Brisbane local Sho Eba. If you're ready to immerse yourself in the magic of Japan (literally), you'd better be quick to grab your tickets. Maho Magic Bar is on from Wednesday, July 27 till Sunday, September 18. For more information and to grab your tickets, head to the website. Top images: Kate Prendergast (first), Nathanial Mason
Treating yo'self to tastebud-tempting dishes is what winter is all about — and for one entire month, Salt Meats Cheese is serving up a rather appetising menu that'll do the trick. That'd be its Everyday We're Truffling — Truffle Month lineup, with truffles popping up in all kinds of dishes. Yes, that includes truffle cocktails. Usually, SMC only celebrates truffles for a week this year. But in 2022, to the delight of your stomach, it's expanding the deliciousness across all of July. Accordingly, from Friday, June 1–Sunday, July 31, the Italian chain will be adding truffles to pizza, polenta, gnocchi and pappardelle — so that's four of Italian staples covered. It'll also be whipping up baked truffle brie and deep-fried bocconcini with truffles, if you feel like getting extra cheesy with your truffles. And, still on that topic, you can add a jug of truffle cream cheese to any dish you like as well. You'll need something to wash it all down with, so truffle margaritas are also on offer. They'll be garnished with freshly shaved truffle, and also feature a truffle salted rim. Or, you could opt for a truffle sour, which even includes truffle oil. For dessert, there's truffle gelato — which is made with caramelised truffle honey popcorn, and is now your new favourite type of gelato. The Everyday We're Truffling menu is taking place at all SMC venues during its month-long period, which spans Newstead and Surfers Paradise in Queensland. And if you're wondering why the Italian chain has suddenly gone truffle crazy, it's to celebrate the Australian truffle season — which is as good a reason as any.
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. In Australia for a few years now, we also celebrate the intersection of canines and cinema — via our very own dog-themed movie showcase. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite film stars in a touring program of pooch-centric shorts. For more than two hours, dogs will leap across screens in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend. Over the last few years, the lineup has included films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Brisbane Powerhouse on Tuesday, July 26 as part of its 2022 run, and rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this event is certain to be popular. You'd be barking mad to miss it, obviously.
It doesn't snow in Brisbane. It doesn't usually get all that cold in winter, either, although 2022 has been putting that idea to the test. Still, for a few weeks this June and July, Brisbanites will be able to walk through snow, build a snowman, make snowballs and throw the latter at targets in an arcade — all by heading to Springfield. No, the weather won't be extra frosty just in the westside suburb. No, we're not living in a Hollywood disaster movie. Rather, Snow4Kids is returning for 2022. The idea is simple: this winter wonderland will bring a heap of real snow to the Orion Shopping Centre, then let anyone with a $25 ticket frolic through it, with the space open daily from 9.30am–4.30pm between Saturday, June 25–Sunday, July 10. This is a family-friendly event, as the name gives away. If you have littlies to bring along, that'll be welcome news. If you're an adult without any kids in tow, you're still able to head along — but the organisers ask that you be mindful of the fact that you'll have plenty of pint-sized company. Also: no snowball fights.
When November hits, Brisbane starts celebrating one of everyone's favourite 'ch' words, with festive cheer filling the city seemingly everywhere it can. Craft'd Grounds has a different idea, however. The Albion precinct is swapping seasonal merriment for that other adored term that starts with the same two letters: chocolate. From Friday, November 25–Sunday, November 27, if there's a way to work chocolate into something, this Chocolate Fiesta will manage it — which, if you're a chocoholic, makes for a supremely appetising prospect. Chocolate pastries, chocolate rum tastings, food trucks slinging chocolate treats, a screening of Chocolat: they're all on the menu at this first-ever choc fest at the venue. Arrive hungry from 5pm on the Friday, with everything on offer via a heap of meals-on-wheels purveyors all sporting a chocolate twist. Milton Rum Distillery will also be pouring tastings of its limited-edition chocolate tipple, which'll give your after-work drinks a decadent spin. On Saturday, the focus is on family-friendly dishes; think: chocolate milkshakes and chocolate croissants, plus a treasure hunt for kids. But Doughcraft is doing two chocolate specials from 7am daily all weekend: a choc honeycomb shoux filled with honeycomb ganache and topped with dark chocolate crémeux, plus a brownie tart made with with toasted hazelnuts, fresh raspberries and vanilla diplomat crème. And, on Sunday, as well as the aforementioned French film screening, there's a five-course festive lunch at French restaurant Herve's. Or, from 1pm, hit up The Black for live tunes and chocolate cocktails.
Brisbane might be a summery city, but when winter hits (or even approaches), we still make the most of it. While it mightn't get all that cold in the Sunshine State, we're all well-versed at pretending otherwise for the sake of our tastebuds — and tucking into hearty bites, plus stomach-warming drinks. The folks at Lennons Restaurant & Bar know this, and they're serving up a winter afternoon tea to match. It all starts with roast pumpkin and coconut soup, then includes everything from bite-sized warm Reubens on sourdough, buttermilk scones and other pastries created by pastry chef Regina Rabanal, through to three kinds of cake (chocolate and hazelnut, lemon with white chocolate frosting, and date with salted caramel sauce). The other big drawcard: no, not the coffee and tea (as essential as they are), but the mug of hot spiced cider that's included in the $55 price. Yes, hot booze really is what winter is all about. The afternoon tea is on offer from 2.30–4.30pm every Saturday and Sunday until the end of winter. Another hot perk? You can add a glass of champagne upon arrival if you like, too. Looking to warm up your winter arvos? Head to the website to book.
Thanks to Brisbane's soggy May weather — and following on from the city's wet and wild end to summer as well — Paniyiri is no longer happening this month. Instead, the beloved food, booze and culture festival has been pushed back to October. But that doesn't mean you can't still treat your tastebuds to all things Greek across the weekend of Saturday, May 21–Sunday, May 22. Slotting into the rescheduled fest's dates, Greek Weekend is the party that the Greek Club is throwing when it's not taking part in the usual Paniyiri festivities. Expect two days of bites to eat, Greek wine and Greek music, and even a Greek dance party. Head to the venue's Nostimo restaurant and bar for a meze lunch or dinner over drinks, or sip Greek vino — and beers — on the terrace from midday on both days. Greek tunes will echo through the building across the two afternoons, while Saturday night will see its Olympus Room host a Greek taverna night — aiming to really make you feel like you've been transported to Europe — and Sunday evening is when DJs will hit the decks spinning Greek tracks, house and R&B.
There are plenty of ways to cut a rug — different styles, spots and reasons among them — but the best way is just to hit the dance floor and go for it. That hasn't always been possible over the past two years; however, that's not the only motivation to bust out your fanciest footwork at the The People's Dance Party. The number one reason to head along: because there's nothing like losing yourself to the music. Losing yourself to dance is firmly the main aim at this inclusive shindig hosted by Bring a Plate. Here, it doesn't matter how you dance — or why. Whichever shapes you choose to make, you'll be showing off your smoothest dance floor movies amid professionals and community performers, with this 75-minute party also including pop-up showcases that just might teach you a thing or two to try out yourself. It all takes place at Metro Arts' New Benner Theatre, with tickets costing $25 and two parties being held on Saturday, April 2. If your afternoon could use some cutting loose, make a dance floor date at 3.30pm — which'll be a relaxed show with reduced lighting and sound. Or, strut your stuff to start your night at the evening session at 8.30pm. Images: Janna Imperial.
No one likes Mondays; however, everyone loves a bargain. Combine the two — and throw in vegan and vegetarian eats as well — and you have BrewDog's regular special. On Vegan Mondays, anyone who's keen to tuck into the riverside brewery's meat-free menu will score two dishes for the price of one. Yes, that's just the kind of news both your stomach and your wallet need to start off the week — and it happens all day every single Monday. Four types of burgers are on offer, so you can pick between two made with chicken-style patties ($22.95) — including a vegan parmigiana option — plus a Korean fried cauliflower burger ($22.95) and a beef variety ($22.95). They all come served on a beetroot brioche bun, and you can opt for sweet potato fries and a range of vegan sauces. Other choices include three types of pizza ($21.95–24.95), cauliflower wings ($10.95–32.95), black bean tacos ($21.95), a Thai noodle salad ($21.95) and a veggie sharing stack ($31.95). You'll pay extra for your brews, of course — but the waterside view that comes with them won't cost a thing. Images: Pandora Photography.
If there's one thing that sells a culinary experience to us that has nothing to do with the actual food or drinks we'll be consuming, it's the location. And, if the location is outdoors, under the stars and near a body of water, consider us sold. At the Barrington Coast Long Table Dinner that's exactly what you'll get. On Saturday, March 26, hatted First Nations chef Clayton Donovan will be at the helm of this one-off experience, curating an incredible dinner that champions produce local to the Barrington Coast region. Donovan has said the menu will tell a story of the region — "the place where the leaves touch the waters from the mountains to the sea" — and you can expect native ingredients to be incorporated throughout. The Barrington Coast Long Table Dinner will all take place at Yalawanyi Ganya (the Mid Coast Council Building) in Taree from 6pm. Tickets are $150 and the exclusive event is capped at 80 people. For more information and to book, the website.
Secret Sounds, the organisation behind some of the country's most beloved festivals and memorable tours including Splendour in the Grass, has announced a huge tour of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales to raise money for flood-affected communities. The tour promoter hopes to raise $1 million over a one-month period, with those funds donated to organisations such as Lifeline, GIVIT, Koori Mail Bundjalung Community Flood Relief and Northern Rivers Community Foundation. The Flood Aid tour will take place over three separate gigs — including one in Brisbane. Come Saturday, on March 26, at Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Brisbanites will be treated to sets from Bernard Fanning, The Rubens, Cub Sport (doing a DJ set), Last Dinosaurs, Stevan and Hanni. Spend a night soaking in live tunes, help folks in need — that's what this gig is serving. If you can't make it along, another way you can get involved is by buying merch from Secret Sounds. A special line of tongue-in-cheek 'Where the Muddy Hell Are You?' t-shirts and hats has been created, and a flood aid auction is also in the works. [caption id="attachment_734388" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Charlton[/caption]
Before the pandemic hit, throwback tours were doing big Aussie business — nationwide shows that brought a heap of 90s and 00s musicians our way, let them belt out their biggest hits and doused everyone in as much nostalgia as possible, that is. And while life isn't quite back to normal yet, nature is healing in one key way, with Made in the 90s about to unleash an old-school lineup that'll get you chasing dreams. Responsible for one of the most iconic songs of the 90s, Coolio headlines this retro party, which hits Brisbane on Friday, April 1. Head along to Eatons Hill Hotel, prepare to feel like you've jumped back three decades and put that those memorised 'Gangsta's Paradise' lyrics to great use (because yes, if you were alive in the 90s, you know the words). Also on the bill are All-4-One ('I Swear', 'I Can Love You Like That'), Next ('Too Close', 'Wifey') and Renee Neufville, aka one half of Zhané ('Hey Mr. DJ', 'Groove Thang'). Been spendin' most of your life waiting for this? Of course you have.
Looking for an excuse to head north, up to the Sunshine Coast and into the hinterland? An afternoon of eating, drinking and wandering through a rainforest should do it. That's all on the agenda at the returning Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, which takes over Maleny's Spicers Tamarind Retreat on Saturday, March 19 with plenty of food, booze and leafy greenery. The plant life is the easiest part to take care of, because it surrounds the hotel anyway — and provides quite the backdrop for all the culinary fun. As for what you'll be snacking on, ready your appetite for a feast of Asian street food. Tteokbokki, aka spicy stir-fried Korean rice cakes, will be on offer alongside Japanese tuna rice bowls, roast pork banh mis and Malaysian barbecue chicken. Obviously, arrive hungry. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping wine from Brockenchack Winery, spirits and cocktails from Sunshine & Sons, and brews from Moffat Beach Brewing Co and Asahi. Your $125 ticket will nab you a dish at each of the five food stalls, two beverages, access to cooking demonstrations and live music. Bring blankets and cushions with you, too, for lazing around on the grass between bites.
Does scouring the city for secondhand threads get you out of bed in the morning? If so, come Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20, you'd best put on your comfiest shoes and make a beeline to Geebung. That's when you'll be hitting up Lifeline's Brisbane clothes warehouse for quite the sale — with every item of clothing up for grabs for just $2 a piece. There'll be thousands of threads on offer, spanning women's clothes, men's outfits and even kids' attire if you have some little ones in your life to browse and buy for. Summer garments, winter garb: that's all covered, too. Well-known brands, vintage gems: expect them as well. Yes, your stash of gold coins is about to come in handy (although EFTPOS is preferred). The bargain-filled weekend will kick off at 7am each day, and getting in early is recommended. On Saturday, you'll have till 4pm to head by, while it'll all wrap up at 2pm on Sunday. Entry is free, there'll be shopping trolleys available to stuff full of all those clothes you'll be buying, and you can bring more money to hit up the sausage sizzle, or grab a drink or coffee. And, there'll also be lucky door prizes on offer as well. And, the sale will also include electrical items, toys and manchester, if cheap clothes isn't enough.
If your working week runs from Monday–Friday, then we know exactly what you look forward to while the 9–5 grind ticks by. Everyone loves Friday afternoons — that glorious time when you can stroll out of the office, stop thinking about everything that's filled up your brain for the week, and kick back and relax. Two days off awaits, after all. For many, even now that 2022 is well and truly underway, adjusting to life back in the office is still an ongoing process. So if that's left you extra eager to celebrate the weekend, that's understandable. Thankfully, Cloudland will help you do just that at its new Rosé and Champagne Garden Pop-Up, which runs from 5–7pm on select Fridays — on March 11, April 8 and June 3. Your $30 ticket gets you a flight of four splashes of sparkling of both the pink-hued and clear varieties (in 50-millilitre servings a pop). You'll also be able to eat your way through an antipasto plate, featuring your choice of woodfired bread with a trio of dips, cheese or Italian meats. While you're enjoying both the bubbles and the food, all you need to do is sit down with your mates and celebrate the weekend. Yes, that's something worth saying cheers to.
By now, every Brisbanite should've heard of the Urban Wine Walk, aka your excuse to mosey around town and drink vino at various bars across a mighty fine afternoon. It's coming back in May for this year's Dine BNE City — but it isn't alone. Meet the Urban Cocktail Trail, which is exactly what it sounds like. This time, from 1–5pm on Saturday, May 28, you'll make your way around the CBD to sip cocktails. John Mills Himself, Coppa Sputino, The Gresham, Red Hook and Dawn are some of the places involved, with the list topping out at 11 bars. They'll each be making their own special cocktail for the occasion, so you'll basically be venturing to them all and catching those different drinks like Pokémon. Tickets cost $75 and are on sale now, with places limited. You can choose where you kick off, and you'll get a glass of bubbles and something to eat at your initial port of call. After that, you'll be able to redeem six vouchers for six mini cocktails at whichever participating places you feel like visiting. Top image: The Gresham, Millie Tang.
What's better than one sprawling music festival taking over Fortitude Valley's streets? Two in the space of a month, obviously. Valley Fiesta will arrive at the end of October, delivering live tunes aplenty for three days — and then, come Sunday, November 28, it's Big Summer Block Party time. A new event from music industry development association Q Music, as well as the folks behind BIGSOUND — which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic — Big Summer Block Party is exactly what it sounds like. Sure, it's actually taking place a few days before summer officially starts; however, it'll see 21 different acts take over seven Valley venues, and shut down Warner Street for the occasion. BIGSOUND alumni such as Eves Karydas, First Beige, Jesswar, Sampology, Golden Vessel, Clea, Eliza & The Delusionals and LÂLKA lead the bill, and will take to the stage at Black Bear Lodge, Kickons, O'Skulligans, The Brightside, The Brightside — Outdoors, The Outpost and The Zoo. As for Warner Street, it'll shut down for the evening — with the party running from 4–9pm — to host tunes, food trucks and outdoor bars, as well as local DJs on the decks. And, in news that everyone's wallet will love, entry is free. BIG SUMMER BLOCK PARTY LINEUP: Eves Karydas LISI Jesswar Eliza & The Delusionals First Beige Sampology Golden Vessel Clea dameeeela Asha Jefferies Karl S Williams THE RIOT Hayley Marsten Moss LÂLKA Being Jane Lane Jelly Oshen Wildheart Beckah Amani Sachém Colie Images: Dave Kan.
Not quite certain what to get your loved ones for Christmas this year? Then you clearly haven't spent enough time at a festive market. It's virtually impossible to browse your way through hundreds of stalls and come up empty-handed — in fact, that'd take more effort than picking gifts for your nearest and dearest. Your next place to put the above theory to the test: the Nundah Christmas Twilight Markets, which take place from 4–10pm on Saturday, December 4. Yes, there really will be quite the lineup of places to grab handmade presents, including clothes, jewellery, art, homewares, soap, candles and all things edible. You'll find both gourmet foods and festive treats on offer as well (including bites to eat while you're there). For your $2 entry fee, you can enjoy a stint of shopping under the site's fairy lights at Nundah Markets' usual spot on Station Street. And, you can stop in at the North Pole-themed bar, too. Decorations will be decking the walls with more than boughs of holly, and live music is also on the agenda.
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or nine? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking another wander around Brisbane, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover needs — if you need an excuse, that is. From midday until 4pm on Saturday, November 20, you'll saunter around the CBD — and between the likes of La Valle, The Prince Consort, Savile Row, Bisou Bisou, Gerard's Bar and more — sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples at each of the nine spots, they'll be taken care of by a heap of top wineries such as Gerler Wines, Noisy Ritual, La Petite Mort and Clandestine Vineyards, so prepare to get sipping. Tickets cost $79.99, and are on sale now, with places limited. This moving cellar door will not only serve up around 27 wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for some food.
Pre-loved fashion is the gift that keeps on giving. One person's sartorial trash really is another's stylish treasure, after all. Hopefully, you'll find the latter at the 2021 Revive Festival — and plenty of other secondhand wares. Yes, it's an event dedicated to all things pre-loved. Yes, it's now in its fifth year, because celebrating all things old never gets old. The 2021 event is broadening its scope, however, with the October-long festival focusing on recycling, reusing, repairing and thrifting in both fashion and beyond. That means Brisbanites have multiple options when it comes to getting involved, including styling sessions that'll show you how to get the most out of secondhand threads, tours of the Salvos' sorting facility and hitting up the Sandgate Repair Cafe. If you're all about grabbing a bargain and garnering a heap of great outfit ideas all at once, you have several markets to choose from, too. Across the weekend of Saturday, October 16–Sunday, October 17, you can head to a Morningside thrifting event held by the folks behind the World's Biggest Garage Sale. And, on Sunday, October 17, the Love Me Again Market is popping up in Paddington. Or, there's also Zillmere's Fab Finds Market on Sunday, October 24 and Salisbury's Upcycle Market on Saturday, October 30. [caption id="attachment_783590" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Images: Brisbane City Council via Flickr.
Brisbane is already home to two mini-golf bars, multiple arcade bars, several axe-throwing bars and a digital ping pong bar — and it boasts a huge two-storey darts hangout, too. Usually the domain of old-school pubs, the projectile-flinging sport is the main attraction at Oche Brisbane, though it's had a thoroughly 21st-century update. Originally launching in Oslo in Norway, Oche (pronounced ockey) opened its first Australian digs in Fortitude Valley in 2019. Lining the walls are dart boards that look exactly how you remember — but they all have an electronic component. Each board comes with dozens of games built in, so you can pick between the knockout-style Killer, high-scoring High Striker and points-accumulating 201, among other options. The boards also keep score, so there's no need for a pencil and paper (and no room for arguments). And, for unknown reasons, some of them chat to you as well. Fancy having a throw, drinking brews, eating bratwurst hot dogs and mini pretzels, and celebrating this time of year? That's what the returning Ochetoberfest is all about. Running from Wednesday, October 13–Sunday, October 17, the five-day event features German beers on tap, German food and German tunes on Thursday, October 14 — combining boozy October shenanigans with an updated version of a favourite pub activity.
When November hits in Brisbane, the weather likes to leap into the future. It isn't officially summer yet, but try telling that to the temperature. So, at Brisbane Quarter, the CBD precinct is embracing that idea. It's still spring, but the venue is dedicating three Thursday nights in November — November 11, 18 and 25 — to a pop-up it's dubbed Summer Nights at BQ. The big drawcard: a gin bar serving up cocktails, supplying white rattan pod chairs for you to kick back in and also offering up DJ sets with a firmly summery vibe. Head by between 5.30–7pm and that's how you can shake off your work day. Afterwards, Brisbane Quarter's eateries will doing summer-themed dishes, including Persone, Tenya, Phat Boy and Phoenix — plus the Wet Deck, Living Room Bar and Three Blue Ducks at W Brisbane. Obviously, no matter what's on the pop-up's menu, mango pancakes at Phoenix are always a fine choice. Images: Claudia Baxter.
Call it the SNL effect: in two of their past three films, Julie Cohen and Betsy West have celebrated pioneering women who've been parodied on Saturday Night Live. They've referenced those famous skits in RBG and now Julia, in fact, including their subjects' reactions; Ruth Bader Ginsburg was seen howling with laughter when she first saw Kate McKinnon slip into her robes, and Julia Child reportedly played Dan Aykroyd's blood-soaked 1978 impersonation to friends at parties. Cohen and West clearly aren't basing their documentaries on their own sketch-comedy viewing, though. Instead, they've been eagerly unpacking exactly why a US Supreme Court Justice and a French cuisine-loving TV chef made such a strong impact, and not only in their own fields. Julia makes an exceptional companion piece with the Oscar-nominated RBG, unsurprisingly; call it a great doco double helping. Julia arrives nearly two decades after its namesake's passing, and 12 years since Meryl Streep earned an Oscar nomination for mimicking Julia in Julie & Julia. If you've seen the latter but still wondered why Julie Powell (played by The Woman in the Window's Amy Adams) was so determined to work her way through Julia's most famous cookbook — first published in 1961, Mastering the Art of French Cooking completely changed America's perception of printed recipe collections — let this easy-to-consume doco fill in the gaps when it comes to the culinary wiz's mastery and achievements. Let it spark two instinctual, inescapable and overwhelming reactions, too: hunger, due to all the clips of Julia cooking and other lingering shots of food; and inspiration, because wanting to whip up the same dishes afterwards is equally understandable. In their second film of 2021 — after My Name Is Pauli Murray, another portrait of a woman thoroughly deserving the spotlight — Cohen and West take a chronological approach to Julia's life. The two filmmakers like borrowing cues from their subjects, so here they go with a classic recipe that's been given slight tweaks, but always appreciates that magic can be made if you pair a tried-and-tested formula with outstanding technique. Julia's entire cooking career, including her leap to television in her 50s, stirred up the same idea. Her take on French dining was all about making delectable meals by sticking to the right steps, even while using supermarket-variety ingredients, after all. Julia boasts a delightful serving of archival footage, as well as lingering new food porn-esque sequences that double as how-tos (as deliciously lensed by cinematographer and fellow RBG alum Claudia Raschke), but it still embodies the same ethos. Born to a well-off Pasadena family in 1912, Julia's early relationship with food is painted as functional: the household's cooks prepared the meals, and wanting to step into the kitchen herself was hardly a dream. In pre-World War II America, the expectation was that she'd simply marry and become a housewife, however, but a hunger for more out of life first took her to the Office of Strategic Services — the US organisation that gave way to the CIA — and overseas postings. While stationed in the Far East, she met State Department official Paul Child. After a berth in China, he was sent to France, where the acclaimed Cordon Bleu culinary school eventually beckoned for Julia. From there, she started her own cooking classes in Paris, co-penned the book that made her famous, turned a TV interview into a pitch for her own show and became an icon. There's more to each ingredient in Julia, of course, and to the dish that is its towering central figure (alongside her two siblings, Julia measured over six feet tall, causing their mother to joke that she'd given birth to 18 feet of children). This is an affectionate film that's as light and fluffy in tone as a souffle, but it still packs its menu with the bio-doc equivalent of a full meal. The use of text from Julia and Paul's letters — both to and about each other — seasons its collage of photographs and cooking show snippets with personality. Weaving in sensual shots of cooking in action speaks to the depth of the Childs' marriage, too; in Paris, she'd fashion him up a lavish lunch followed by a sojourn to the bedroom, the movie informs. That said, many of Julia's highlights come from simply watching Julia on TV, including when things didn't always go as planned. Talking head interviews from colleagues, friends, relatives, and other big cooking names such as José Andrés, Ina Garten, and Marcus Samuelsson help flesh out all the necessary biographical minutiae, but viewing Julia in action is the film's version of a main course and dessert all in one. She's unflappable, earthy, humorous and informative, her distinctive voice booming away as she talks through making everything from boeuf bourguignon to roast chicken — and it's easy to glean why America warmed to her as much as the butter-fuelled French fare she taught them to make. Why she sparked an entire genre of cuisine-focused television is just as plain to see, as is her trailblazing status as a female in the industry and a harbinger of better American dinners. The leap from jell-o salads to French omelettes and bouillabaisse was sizeable — and necessary. Julia does come with one spot at the table that's missing a dish. When it trifles with thornier topics than its eponymous cook's career, upbringing, marriage and influence, such as her contentment with being a homemaker pre-TV stardom, her tricky relationship with feminism despite her pro-choice views, and her early homophobia before becoming an AIDS activist, it can feel like it's snacking quickly and moving on. The film savours the good, the great and the extraordinary, but these brief notes still leave a taste. In general, though, it's still the kind of appetising movie that'd have Julia herself exclaiming "bon appétit!". Top image: Photo by Fairchild Archive/Penske Media/Shutterstock (6906383b) Julia Child on the set of her cooking show, 'The French Chef Julia Child, Boston.
Everyone's favourite annual celebration of France didn't take place in 2021; however, Le Festival, aka the Brisbane French Festival, is still serving up all the fine food and busy market stalls that Francophiles have come to expect. And, it's doing so at the most festive time of year — all thanks to the event's first-ever French Christmas Market. Running across Saturday, November 20–Sunday, November 21, this two-day affair will get you eating, drinking, shopping and feeling Gallic at West End's West Village. Think of it as Le Festival but smaller — and filled with season's greetings. Red, white and blue lights will set the jolly tone, market stalls will sell all manner of French-inspired wares, and there'll be a French bar, too, because all that browsing and buying is thirsty work. Basically, it's the next best thing to heading to France for Christmas (all without the cost of an airfare). Images: Ange Costes
Earlier this year, Brisbane scored a new riverside market — and it wasn't a once-off. Yes, the Portside Local Markets are returning. Everyone likes shopping and hanging out by the water, after all, especially when festive season is approaching. If you really like browsing and buying, taking in the riverside air, and having a reason to stop for a bite and a drink, you'll want to head to Hamilton on Saturday, November 20. From 12–4pm, you can shop, stroll, sip and purchase gifts, which sounds like a mighty fine weekend itinerary. More than 35 stalls will be offering up everything from art and plants to ceramics and accessories — and more. If you've been to markets at the Gasworks, or in Fish Lane, Coorparoo and Gabba South City, you'll have a firm idea of what you're in for, because The Market Folk is behind all of the above and is running this Portside event as well. To give your shopping a soundtrack, live piano tunes will echo through the Hamilton precinct. And, if those hunger pangs strike — or you're just keen on having a drink — everywhere from Pineapple Express Cafe, Bamboo Basket, Burrito Bar and Ginga Sushi to Mr & Mrs Jones, Belvedere Bar 'n' Grill, Byblos Bar and Restaurant, Gusto da Gianni and Sono will be open. Images: Claudia Baxter.
There's no shortage of markets happening around Brisbane — pick a day, pick a spot, and you'll likely find a bunch of stalls selling a range of wares, especially as Christmas creeps closer. One thing that you won't usually come across, however, is a market dedicated to authentic First Nations' arts, crafts and experiences, which is what the one-day-only Meeanjin Markets is offering. After first popping up in 2018, returning in 2019 and going digital in 2020, the city's first all-Indigenous market is back — and just in time for the gift-giving part of the year. Taking place at Reddacliff Place, the markets will highlight the work of local Queensland creators, while also celebrating the sights, sounds, creativity and flavours of the Australian bush. That means there'll be dancing, music and cooking demonstrations, too — as well as plenty to buy from 41 First Nations' businesses, 32 of which are run by Indigenous women. Drop by between 9am–9pm on Friday, November 19.
It's that time of year, Brisbanites — time to say goodbye to winter, cold weather and gloomy moods, and to offer up a big hello spring, sunshine and blossoming flowers. If the change of season has you feeling not only extra chipper, but also eager to get outside and make the most of it, Roma Street Parklands has just the event for you, too: its returning Blooms and Tunes event. For 2021, Blooms and Tunes is taking place from 1–5pm on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 — and combining live music, an immensely picnic-worthy spot and the Parklands' already impressive greenery. You'll sit, listen to music and have a bite to eat, and you'll also be able to check out the flowers blooming around the site's Celebration Lawn. Tunes-wise, the lineup includes Cigany Weaver, Mzaza and Jess Spina Quartet on Saturday, with CC the Cat, Steele Syndicate, and Birdman Randy and The Ivory St Preachers doing the honours on Sunday. You can bring your own snacks along, or order a $25–130 hamper from The Garden Room Cafe. [caption id="attachment_784308" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane Marketing[/caption]
Spring means different things to different people. Flowers, cleaning, spending more time outdoors, being pleased that winter is over for another year — they're all on the list. But, at both The Bavarian and Beerhaus on Thursday, September 9, the season also means tucking into $10 schnitzels. It's one of the tastiest ways to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, and to also save your pennies while doing so. The occasion, other than spring: National Schnitzel Day. Both chains are putting their entire schnitzel menus up for grabs for $10 a pop, so you have multiple options if you're feeling particularly peckish — or, if you'd like schnitzel for lunch and then more for dinner. In other words, this is some good schnitz, and it's on offer all day long for one day only. To get your fix, you can head to The Bavarian venues in Eagle Street Pier, Chermside, The Barracks, Robina, Broadbeach, Sunshine Plaza and Toowoomba, or Beerhaus at Bowen Hills.
When that slice of inner-city delights known as Teneriffe was officially named a suburb back in 2010, locals threw a party to celebrate. More than a decade on and the shindig is still going strong — you know it as the Teneriffe Festival. For its 2021 outing, the event will boast another wide-ranging lineup, aka the kind of bill previous attendees have come to expect. Taking place on Saturday, October 23, there'll be music, food, markets and more, all helping locals and visitors alike make the most of the bustling locale. Chilled riverside hangouts are just the beginning. Whether you're keen on feasting, shopping, drinking or tapping your toes, you'll find it here. More than 50,000 people have attended in previous years, so you'll also find plenty of company. Sample the area's bars and restaurants, find a feast of from a food truck, hit up one of the three pop-up beer gardens, then walk around more than 100 bespoke market stalls. A packed program of local tunes will take over two stages as well. And if you're wondering who'll be involved food- and drink-wise, the 2021 lineup includes Green Beacon Brewing Co, the Defiant Duck, The Triffid, Zero Fox, Dalgety Public House and Campos — and Brisbane Gin Distillery is even bringing its gin-slinging double-decker bus. Updated September 16.
Everyone loves a comedy festival, but sometimes being so spoiled for comic choice isn't just amusing — it's overwhelming. That's where comedy festival showcases come in. They add laughs to the lulls between annual fests, plus they offer a bite-sized sample of the up-and-coming comedians you might not have seen live yet. The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase certainly promises both, serving up the brightest and most buzz-worthy performers from the 2021 event. If it's highlights of hilarity you're after — from international and local folks alike — then this is the place to get it. This year, Dusty Rich, Jacques Barrett, Shayne Hunter, Angus Gordon, Kat Davidson, Ting Lim and Sandeep Totlani are all on the bill, ready to give your funny bone a tickle. Check them out now during one side-splitting show — and for just $39 — before putting their solo shows on your must-see list for the 2021 festival circuit.
What's better than celebrating pink-hued wine for an entire afternoon? Spreading the love across a whole month. To end September, Fish Lane is playing host to this year's Rosé Revolution; however, that's not the only vino-fuelled event that'll have you seeing pastel shades in South Brisbane this spring. From Sunday, September 26–Sunday, October 31, Fish Lane Rosé Month will be in full swing — and you can choose between set events and ongoing specials. Billykart West End is doing a $65 rosé brunch on Sunday, October 10, pairing two hours of drinks with breakfast items such as cheese soufflé and house-made crumpets with honeycomb butter. La Lune Wine Co is matching four lunch dishes with rosé for $150 on Sunday, October 31. And, in-between, a heap of other bars are also getting in on the action. At Kiki, rosé margaritas are on the menu all month long. Bar Brutus is doing rosé martinis, Hello Please has a rosé paired menu, and Billykart also has rosé flights and specials. You'll also find deals at Chu the Phat and Julius Pizzeria, too, because this month, we drink pink.
It's time to mark another food-based commemorative occasion. Yes, another one. By now, we all know that they're just excuses to eat more of a certain dish — and there are so many of them that you really could use them to plan your daily eating choices. But we keep celebrating dates like International Lobster Day because they're both tasty and fun. At Kangaroo Point, One Fish Two Fish is getting into the spirit of this lobster extravaganza in 2021 by, well, serving up the obvious. And it's doing so across a whole — from Saturday, September 25 (which is actual International Lobster Day) till Sunday, September 26. Make plans to dine in and you can tuck into a $59 two-course feasts that pairs lobster ceviche and prawn crackers with lobster Mornay with fries and zesty butter lettuce. Booking quickly is recommended, with only limited seats available. Or, if you'd like some lobster to take away, One Fish Two Fish is bringing back its lobster roll for $21 a pop. These beauties are popular, too, with the eatery selling 1500 of them in two days during Brisbane's last lockdown.
Every year, The Wickham hosts Little Gay Day. Despite the name, it's a sizeable party — and it doubles as a fundraising event for charities that serve the LGBTQIA+ community. And, in 2020, this sister shindig to the venue's Big Gay Day is returning for the third time. From 4pm on Sunday, October 3, the Fortitude Valley spot will throw a huge celebration, which includes live tunes, performances, games, raffles and lucky door prizes. And there'll be beverages, too, given the location, with Little Gay Day taking over all of the venue. Sahara Beck leads the lineup of musicians, drag queens and performers who'll be strutting their stuff, with the live tunes happening in The Wickham's beer garden. Entry is via gold coin donation, with funds going to Diverse Voices. A local LGBTQIA+ charity, it runs queer support hotline QLife, which takes calls for peer counselling on issues like gender identity and sexuality
Humans didn't love 2020, and with good reason. But we're guessing that our four-legged friends felt differently about the whole experience. While we were all in lockdown, we were spending more time at home with our tail-wagging canines — and you know that they just loved the extra attention. Two-legged Brisbane residents have all been heading out and about much more in 2021 — but don't forget to take your pup with you when you can. No one needs an excuse to treat their pooch to some time out of the house; however, given that Paws Under the Stars is all about doggos under the night sky, it really is their time to frolic — and to do some dog yoga. Bending and stretching with your pupper, treating your canine to dog ice cream, teaching them a few tricks: that's all on the agenda from 5–9pm on Friday, October 8 at the Gasworks in Newstead. This pooch-centric twilight market will also feature dog grooming, fundraising for the RSPCA, live music and obviously stalls aplenty. Entry is free, and dogs of all sizes are welcome.
Any weekend is a good weekend to shop for plants at the Brisbane Markets, the old faithful of the Brissie market scene. That said, Saturday, October 9 will be better than ever thanks to a returning event: Plantapalooza. It's the second time that the Rocklea spot has held a plant festival and, running from 6am–12pm, that's something to get excited about. You'll still find the venue's regular market array, but it'll be joined by thousands of extra indoor and outdoor plants, as well as plenty of flowers and succulents — and demonstrations on everything from composting and terrariums to growing herbs and arranging flowers to help you put your green thumb to work. Spring is well and truly in swing, so if you've been putting off getting into the garden, here's your motivation. Or, if you'd like to brighten up your house with a potted piece of nature, here's your chance as well. Remember: there's absolutely nothing wrong with giving a name to your favourite houseplant.
When the pandemic first hit, venues temporarily shut down and Brisbane's nightlife scene came to a standstill, the city's best talents behind the decks all had to rejig their usual plans. That's where Quivr came in, with the online platform streaming live sets from Fortitude Valley's Winn Lane — keeping Brissie DJs busy and the city's music fans entertained at home. Throughout October, the streaming site is making the leap IRL. Its destination: Ann Street bar Savile Row. Every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the month, a heap of Brisbane DJs will start spinning at 9pm and midnight, setting quite the mood and delivering quite the array of tunes for your night out. The lineup changes each evening, but you'll be treated to a pumping soundtrack from the likes of Quincy Raw, Mumgenes, Natural Selection, Twin Sisters, 1TSPN and more. Drinks-wise, Savile Row has 900-plus varieties of the hard stuff on its shelves, if you're keen to say cheers to the music, cocktails with your mates or whatever else takes your fancy. And on Saturday, October 9, Quivr will be streaming both sets live if you can't make it but still want to watch along. Top image: Millie Tang.
Is your step lacking its spring? Have you had a long week? Could your day use a little buzz? Friday, October 1 is International Coffee Day, and there are many ways to celebrate it — including the boozy option, aka sipping espresso martinis. That's how The Inchcolm Bar is choosing to mark not just the day, but a whole week from Thursday, September 30–Wednesday, October 6. On the menu at the Spring Hill spot is a special espresso martini lineup, including the classic everyone knows and loves, a double-hit version with tequila and a creamy Baileys variety. There's also one with Disaronno Velvet Cream liqueur, and another made with Kraken Dark & Spicy rum — and they're all made on Mr Black Coffee liqueur. Can't choose just one? As part of the espresso martini merriment, the venue is also doing $26 flights. So, you can pick three and work your way through them. Just don't plan on going to bed early afterwards, obviously.
Four decades ago, the nephew of a famous film director took his first big-screen acting gig playing a character so minor, he didn't even get a name. Six years later, the star in question nabbed a Golden Globe nomination. Before the century was out, he won an Oscar. These days, he also has eight Razzie nominations, too. But if ever an actor has straddled the vast chasm between the ridiculous and sublime, it's the one and only, always-inimitable, ceaselessly fascinating Nicolas Cage. Cage has crooned Elvis songs for David Lynch, married Elvis's daughter in real life and acted opposite himself in Adaptation. He took to the skies with criminals in Con Air, named one of his sons after Superman, and starred into two of the worst Marvel-affiliated movies ever thanks to Ghost Rider and its sequel. The list goes on — and in his 40 years in the business, Nicolas Cage has amassed 100-plus screen credits. Sometimes, he's hunting down the person who stole his pet pig, and also turning in one of his best-ever performances. At other times, he's wordlessly fighting demonic animatronics. In his latest flick, he simply plays himself. We could continue, but everyone knows that talking about Nicolas Cage isn't anywhere near as great as watching Nicolas Cage, although both are mighty fun. Also, for some reason, it just feels better to use his entire name. Don't just take our word for it about any of the above, however — take Palace Cinemas', which is celebrating all things Cage across a 13-week retro season. Starting on Thursday, April 14, then running at 6.30pm every Friday from April 22–July 8, the chain's Palace Barracks venue is going all in on Nicolas Cage mania. As part of the Palace Encore program, this Cagefest has been dubbed the Calendar of Cage, and has amassed quite the showcase of Nicolas Cage's work. But, let's be honest — they really could've picked any of his flicks and it'd be amazing. Still, this is one peach of a lineup, all ready for fans to eat up for days. Attendees will get into the mood with the long-locked glory of newbie The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, then watch Cage think he's a bloodsucker in Vampire's Kiss, swoon over Cher in Moonstruck, get his Coen brothers on in madcap comedy Raising Arizona and go on the run with Laura Dern in Wild at Heart. Also included: jailbreak drama The Rock, unhinged thriller Mandy, and the sublime Martin Scorsese-helmed Bringing Out the Dead, plus the aforementioned Adaptation, Pig and Willy's Wonderland as well. Tickets cost $15 per film (and $10 for members) for all sessions except on Thursday, April 14 — which is when The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent screens as a sneak peek with a beer on arrival, and costs $24/$18 for members. Obviously, the memories you'll have seared into your brain forever will be priceless. And a word of warning: spending this long staring at Nicolas Cage's various crazy grins won't be easy to shake.
Feel like scoring a dose of da funk on a Thursday evening, losing yourself to dance and getting lucky? Of course you do. You'll be burnin' up the floor, getting derezzed and giving life back to music in no time at La La Land from 8pm on Thursday, April 14, in fact — and if you do so harder, better, faster and stronger, you'll be doin' it right indeed. If you haven't guessed just who is in the spotlight at Discovery: Daft Punk Tribute, then you probably need to take your helmet off and prepare to give some of the best albums of the past two decades a spin one more time. There'll be robot rock, plenty of digital love and you might even think you've been around the world while you're throwing shapes. Yep, indulging your instant crush on the electronic duo best known as Daft Punk is easy as this gig works its way through the French headpiece fans' discography. The dance music-fuelled party will help you work through your feelings about the duo calling it quits just last year, too — because that news still takes some getting used to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmi60Bd4jSs
Farewells are important. When something you love is coming to an end, you want to say goodbye in as fitting a way as possible. That's clearly the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art's plan with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, which finishes its season on Monday, April 25 — after the two-day APT10 Festival takes over both South Bank sites first. Since early December, Brisbanites have been able to head to QAG and GOMA to see 69 artworks from more than 150 Asia-Pacific creatives, covering more than 30 countries. That remains the case right through until the exhibition's closing day, of course. But make a date with the exhibition across the weekend Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24 and a huge (and free) art party featuring more than 140 artists and performers across 40-plus events is also on the agenda. Highlights include pop-up performances by APT10 artist Brian Fuata and the Brisbane Pride Choir, as well as art-making workshops that've been designed by Phuong Ngo, Shannon Novak and Vipoo Srivilasa — all of which have pieces on display in the exhibition, too — as well as the Brisbane Tongan Community. Or, there's a story garden with Gordon Hookey, writers Nadine Chemali and Sandhya Parappukkaran, and members of The Pacific Climate Warriors, which'll let you hear tales about the Asia-Pacific region as told by local storytellers. Former Masterchef contestant and chef Emily Yeoh will be teaming up with the aforementioned Srivilasa for a cooking demonstration that'll highlight the importance of food in celebrating culture, too. Still on all things culinary, there'll be food trucks serving up international cuisine — and pop-up bars quenching your thirst. Plus, the onsite GOMA Bistro, GOMA Restaurant and QAG Cafe will be doing what they normally do, naturally. If you're eager to see a show, gig, both or several, make plans for 2–5pm on the Sunday afternoon. That's when drag performers Shivannah (Fez Faanana) and Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) will also host the Performance Extravaganza, which'll showcase Queensland dance troupes and musicians. On the bill: Digi Youth Arts doing a clap stick flash mob, Dance Masala breaking out some Bollywood moves, local Pasifika performers Conscious Mic, and sitar sounds from Sudha Manian and YATRA. Or, there's Japanese drumming team Kizuna Taiko, Filipino-Australian folk dancers Hiraya Performing Artists, the House of Alexander's ballroom performances and the five-piece Shanasheel Arabic Music Ensemble. Also on the lineup: a series of talks with titles such as 'So…where are you from?', 'Art Futures', 'Wit: A Weapon of Mass Disruption' and 'I'm Not Racist But…' to get everyone thinking. The whole event is free — other than whatever you feel like eating and drinking — and much of it will be outdoors. Or, if you can't make it along to say goodbye to APT10 in-person, everything hosted on the Maiwar Green outside GOMA will be live-streamed. [caption id="attachment_849401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shivannah (Fez Faanana) & Kween Kong (Thomas Fonua) / Image courtesy: Fez Faanana & Thomas Fonua[/caption] Top image: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). 04 Dec 2021 – 25 Apr 2022. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Gallery 4, installation view, C Callistemon. Vipoo Srivilasa, Thailand/Australia b.1969. Shrine of Life / Benjapakee Shrine 2021 Mixed-media installation with five ceramic deities / Installed dimensions variable / Commissioned for APT10 / Purchased 2021 with funds from the Contemporary Patrons through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane.
Any venue can serve up a brunch that goes on for hours, or so it seems given the sheer number of such mid-morning sessions across Brisbane. Cloudland's Brunch with Bite fits that mould, offering plenty of food as well as bottomless booze — but it also adds something a little different to the menu. Fancy getting a bit of camp drag comedy with your meal? Watching an uproarious game show? Belting out a tune while brunch rolls on? They're all on the bill at this banquet, with the lineup changing weekly. Food-wise, you'll tuck into an Italian-inspired spread and nab a drink on arrival, all as part of your $79.90 ticket. The event kicks off at 11am, with two hours of bottomless spritzes, mimosas, bloody marys, select beers and sangria on offer between 11.15am–1.15pm. And, if you're going booze-free, you can opt for mocktails instead. Back for 2022, Brunch with Bite also does occasional Saturday sessions as well, if you're keen on a raucous brunch to start your weekend rather than help wrap it up.
Trying new wines can be a stressful pursuit. There are just so many vinos to choose from, hailing from such a wide array of wineries, that it's hard to know where to start. Fresh Blood simplifies that process for you — by doing the choosing for you. That means that you can sit back, take whichever glass comes your way and get sipping. It's no wonder that the concept was a hit in London, or that it made its Australian debut in 2021. Returning to Brisbane on Saturday, May 7, Fresh Blood's latest Aussie event will focus on ten emerging South Australian winemakers — and also show some love to a few producers from New Zealand and France as well. Wondering what you'll be knocking back? From SA, Moorak, Evans Evans, Parley and State of Nature are among the labels. From further afield, ultra-rare natural drops from A Thousand Gods, Bryterlater, Bonnet-Ponson and Fumey Châtelain are on the bill. With the event taking place at Rita's, Siffredi's and Zero Fox, you'll snack on stand-up snacks from the three restaurants as well. You've gotta line that stomach, after all. Tickets cost $65 per day, which covers entry at either 12pm or 5pm, a take-home tasting glass, wines to sip and one snack. And yes, while originally meant to go ahead on Saturday, January 22, Fresh Blood is now taking place in May in response to the current COVID-19 situation.
Feel like you've experienced every date option that Brisbane has to offer? Run out of new ways to spend an ace night with your mates? If glitz, glamour, drinks, dinner and feeling like you're in a speakeasy several decades ago sound like your idea of a good time, then make a beeline to Cloudland's Big Band Cabaret dinner and show. Taking place in the Valley venue's Rose Room, the decadent shindig will have you and your loved one tapping your toes to live tunes, and lapping up burlesque performances. And, you'll do all of the above while eating your way through a three-course meal and enjoying a three-hour package of beer, wine and sparkling. The event has been such a hit over the last couple of years, it's no wonder that Cloudland keeps bringing it back. The next dinner-and-show combos happen from 6.30pm on Friday, February 4 and Friday, March 4 — with Lulu Lemans and Swing Central on the bill. Tickets are limited, in line with current COVID-19 restrictions. They aren't cheap either, at $119 per person. Still, this party is certain to liven up your Friday night with something more than a little different. Top image: Cloudland.
If Tuesday night tacos are regularly on your agenda, then you don't need any convincing about the merits of filling tortillas with tasty toppings. Washing them down with tequila and playing a round of trivia mightn't be on your at-home menu, however, but that's what Bloodhound Bar is now serving up every single week. The Fortitude Valley venue has dubbed its taco-fuelled shenanigans Triple T Tuesdays, and exactly what's on offer really is all there in the name. You'll pair the Mexican staple with a margarita, then bust out all that general knowledge you've spent a lifetime collecting in your head. The taco deal starts from midday, with three on offer for $10 — and you can mix-and-match between beef, curry chicken and vegetarian. Add a marg on top for another $10, and then stay to play trivia from 6.30pm And yes, there are prizes up for grabs if you emerge victorious. Images: Hennessy Trill.
If you've caught more than one or two shows at South Bank's Queensland Performing Arts Centre in your time, as every Brisbanite has, then you've likely watched a thing or two at its Cremorne Theatre. But you've probably never seen the space like it will be at The Kaye Hole, the new performance by cabaret star Reuben Kaye — which is turning the venue into a cocktail-slinging speakeasy. Those libations will pair well with the show's blend of circus, comedy, burlesque and drag — and cabaret, of course — which is firmly an adults-only affair. While sipping, you can say cheers to a performer who's nabbed the Best Cabaret Awards at Fringe World Perth and Adelaide Fringe Festival 2021, and also earned a nomination for the most outstanding show at last year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Kaye will unleash his cabaret variety act with a little help from his friends, which include fellow cabaret star Tina Del Twist, dance and fire artist Jacqueline Furey, aerialist and contortionist Ashleigh Roper, pole dancer Charlie Love, beat box artist Hope One, performance artist Leah Shelton and the THICC shake crew's drag artists and dancers. You can check out their delights from Thursday–Sunday until Saturday, February 12, with 8pm shows every night except Sunday and 4pm gigs each weekend as well. Images: Joel Devereaux.
Art of either great or dubious origins. Airport facilities where items can be stored — art masterpieces included — without their owners abiding by taxation rules. Both played parts in Christopher Nolan's Tenet; however, it's no longer the only recent thriller to include the two. The Lost Leonardo doesn't feature a phenomenal heist of a disputed piece from a freeport, but it is as tense and suspenseful as its 2020 predecessor. It also tells a 100-percent true tale about the artwork dubbed the 'male Mona Lisa'. Exploring the story of the Salvator Mundi, a painting of Jesus that may hail from Leonardo da Vinci, this documentary is filled with developments far wilder and stranger than fiction (sorry not sorry Dan Brown). And while there's little that's astonishing about the film's talking heads-meets-recreations approach, it still couldn't be more riveting. Although the Salvator Mundi itself is thought to date to the 15th century, The Lost Leonardo only jumps back as far as 2005. That's when the High Renaissance-era piece was sold for US$1175, and when Alexander Parrish and Robert Simon, art dealers eager to dig up sleepers — works from renowned masters that've been mislabelled or misattributed — suspected there might be more to it. The pair tasked restorer Dianne Modestini with tending to the heavily overpainted and damaged work, which revealed otherwise unseen details in the process. Cue a now-prevailing theory: that the Salvator Mundi sprung from da Vinci's hands. That's a shattering revelation given that, despite the prominence that the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper enjoy, the list of surviving works attributed to da Vinci barely hits 20 — and that's with questions lingering over his involvement in quite a few. Uncovering one of his previously unknown paintings was always going to be huge as a result; locating it in such a way, and for so cheap, only bolsters the extraordinary tale. Debates over the painting's provenance have continued for the past 16 years, although that's not the only reason that The Lost Leonardo exists. The piece has increased in fame over the last decade thanks to two factors, including the Salvator Mundi's inclusion in a 2011–12 da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, London, placing it alongside the author's accepted works — and its sale for US$75 million in 2013, then for US$127.5 million, and finally again in 2017 for a whopping US$450.3 million. Its unglamorous discovery, the ongoing argument over authenticity, the legitimacy gained by exhibiting in one of the world's most influential galleries, that it's now the most expensive painting ever sold: these details are unpacked and analysed by writer/director Andreas Koefoed (At Home in the World) via his array of interviewees — and so is the fact that, when that mind-blowing sale occurred, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the secretive buyer. It's little wonder that the filmmaker has chosen to unfurl the ins and outs of these remarkable events as if he's joining the dots and puzzling together the pieces right in front of viewers' eyes, making The Lost Leonardo a detective story of a doco. It isn't a new approach, let alone a unique or unusual one, but it savvily relies upon the combined force of a ripping yarn and rollicking storytelling. Within all those twists and turns also sits a vital examination of art, money and power. That works by artists such as da Vinci can end up lost at all is a marker of art's links to wealth and class, and of pieces being controlled by the rich behind closed doors to the detriment of the artistic greater good and public access. The same notions play out in the jaw-dropping Christie's auction, as bids rise to more than double the expected amount (which still would've made it the most expensive painting ever sold) and it becomes evident that the Salvator Mundi won't be purchased by a gallery for public display. The frenzied atmosphere, which the auction house stages like a piece of theatre, is all about control and status. Letting the world see a masterpiece isn't even an afterthought. An entire documentary could be made about that auction alone, and the techniques deployed to turn it into such a production. Case in point: a Christie's promotion that showed the emotional reactions of art lovers peering at the piece — ordinary folks all visibly moved, and also Leonardo DiCaprio. The reality that art is a business couldn't be painted on a larger canvas. That art is about prestige, too. In getting these points across, Koefoed's choices aren't always subtle — Sveinung Nygaard's (Huss) score would suit a heist film, there's a slow-drip pace to the documentary's early sections to ramp up the intrigue, and sparking a future fictionalised feature based on The Lost Leonardo feels like a clear aim — but everything about the film is always entertaining and effective. Here's hoping that certain-to-arise dramatisation turns out more like American Animals than The Goldfinch; the former was based on a true story, the latter on a Pulitzer Prize-winner for fiction, but the details here are so juicy, gripping, layered and important that they deserve to be told with the greatest care. As one interviewee puts it, it's the tale of finding a spaceship with unicorns on one's lawn. As the whole cast of talking heads explains — dealers, academics, restorers, art critics and buyers alike, vocal naysayers included — it's the story of commerce usurping creativity and history, regardless of the mystery behind the potential da Vinci work. Perhaps there'll even be a sequel: an NFT of Salvator Mundi now exists, because of course it does.
By now, we're all well and truly in the festive mood. The big day is inching closer by the moment, too, and trying to get ready early is no longer an option. That said, even the most organised among us always have a few last-minute things to pick up. It really wouldn't be Christmas otherwise. While the Milton Markets has already hosted its usual festive shindig, it isn't done helping you out with your festive shopping just yet. On Thursday, December 23 from 7am–12pm, it's hosting a last pop-up pre-Christmas morning market. Mark your calendars accordingly. Gourmet food, artisanal wares, farm-fresh produce, gift ideas — they'll all be available. It isn't just your final chance to get market goodies before Christmas, but one of your last opportunities to avoid shopping centres, their crowds, and their rush and chaos. As always with markets, arriving early is recommended.
Some events feel like they've always been part of Brisbane's cultural scene, and Stones Corner Festival is one of them — even though it'll only host its seventh fest when it returns in 2022. That's the sign of something special, with this street party swiftly becoming one of the city's must-attend festivals. It's been sorely missed during the pandemic, too. Come Sunday, May 1, Stones Corner Festival will once again unleash a day of food and music on the inner east when it finally makes a comeback after a two-year hiatus. And when that happens, the event is going big. On the lineup: Sneaky Sound System, The Porkers and Quentin & The Tarantino's, as well as Good Will Remedy, Jollee, Full Power Happy Hour, Sofia Isella & Cheap Date. That's who you'll be listening to — or dancing in the street to, to be more accurate — however, the music bill is only part of the Stones Corner Festival fun. You can also expect more than 20 craft breweries pouring beers, including Little Creatures, 4 Pines, Slipstream, Balter, Eumundi, Brookvale Union, Mountain Goat and Green Beacon. Four Pillars Gin, Your Mates Brewing Co, Heads of Noosa and Better Beer will be on hand as well, so you'll have sipping options. Eating-wise, a heap of food trucks will pop up to keep your stomach lined — including with burgers, paella, tacos and pizza. And as for what else awaits on the corner of Logan and Old Cleveland roads — and during the Labour Day long weekend, handily — there'll also be market stalls via The Market Folks. If you're planning a big one, that public holiday the next day is oh so convenient. Also, entry remains free, but giving a gold coin donation to the MND and Me Foundation is recommended.
Start the lunar new year as you intend to continue it: with a bottomless feast of dim sum and cocktails. Throw in non-stop Tsingtao beers and non-alcoholic beverages as well, and you'll be welcoming the year of the tiger in style. That's something we all want every time any calendar resets, and it's also something we could all do with after everything the past 12 months has thrown the world's way. Those drinks and dumplings are on the menu for two hours at Emporium's sky-high The Terrace, as part of the South Bank venue's Lunar New Year party. While you're eating and drinking, you'll be on the 21st level, scoring a mighty fine view over the city — and being entertained by a lion dance performance. The food menu includes pork buns, siu mei, dumplings and gyoza, while the cocktail list spans the lychee-heavy The Spring Bloom and the Cai Shen Dao!, which is made with sugarcane spirit, rosé vermouth, grapefruit and lemon myrtle. It all happens across multiple sessions from 6pm on Tuesday, February 1, with tickets on sale for $80. Emporium's lunar new year shenanigans are usually popular, so nabbing a ticket quick smart is recommended.
