After the turbulent year that has been, summer is finally here and it's time to celebrate. One of the easiest ways to do that is with an epic (socially responsible) house party. House parties are the places where friendships are forged, dancefloors are formed and memories are made, and summer is the primo time to make use of your own house and host your friends for a knees-up. With fun in mind, we've joined forces with Hennessy for this foolproof guide to making sure your party has all the elements needed for success. Stay up to date with the developing COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney's northern beaches and current restrictions at NSW Health. FIRST, ORDER THIS HOUSE PARTY PACK No one likes to socialise when they're hangry, so sorting out food should be your first port of call. That's why Hennessy has partnered with three different restaurants to create a series of collaborative feasts. Each comes with a limited edition bottle of Hennessy, ginger ale and a fun snack pack. In Sydney, fried chicken purveyors Butter will supply you and three friends with chicken wings, corn on the cob, mash and ramen-broth gravy, slaw and rolls for $180. In Melbourne, Japanese hot spot Mr Miyagi will sort you and three mates out with pork belly bao, peking duck nori tacos, fried chicken and spiced tuna tartare crackers for $250. And in Brisbane, party people can get around a feast for ten of spring rolls, chicken karaage bao and spiced chicken wings with gochujang aioli from Mr Mista for $230. Each pack also includes party cups, balloons, a deck of cards and a disposable camera to capture all the good times you'll be having. MAKE SUPER-SIMPLE COCKTAILS FOR WELCOME DRINKS Some of the best cocktails are ones you don't even need a recipe for, and the ginger mule is exactly that. Simply pour 40ml of Hennessy into a highball glass and fill the glass with ice. Top up with around 100ml of ginger ale and garnish with a lime wedge or slices of fresh ginger. Voila! Drinks are sorted. You could also consider batching these cocktails in larger quantities for easy serving. Find this recipe and more on Hennessy's website. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CzIHMGk079iUL3947oYnr[/embed] OPT FOR A READYMADE PLAYLIST Instead of fussing about with aux cords or searching for artists, leave the party soundtrack responsibilities to Hennessy. Yep, the cognac brand also has a surprisingly good selection of packed-out playlists for four different moods. Head to the aptly titled House Party curated by music maestros Cool Accidents. It's filled with party-starting anthems from Hello, DMX, Missy Elliott and N.W.A. Or, try out the Beach Club, Sunset Sessions and Pre-Party Mix playlists, which will have you sorted with progressive mixes of slinky house, hip hop and R&B. [caption id="attachment_786101" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonbro[/caption] SET UP SOME PARTY-STARTING GAMES AND ICEBREAKERS Now you've got food, tunes and drinks sorted, it's time to set up some party-starting games and social icebreakers. Putting a little bit of thought into some easy-to-execute games can result in some serious fun. Whip out old-school Twister from the cupboard or try a few rounds of celebrity heads (which you can do with just pieces of paper and pens). Outdoor games are also simple to set-up — borrow a Finska set from a friend or set up some classic backyard cricket. CONSIDER HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR SPACE Now you've got all the essentials sorted, it's time to think through the flow of the space and decorations. You don't have to go all-out, but considering how people will move and groove through your house is a worthwhile exercise. Set up a designated dancefloor (the playlist will help out with this) and hire some disco lights or smoke machines. Make sure there's seating areas, too, and not placed in thoroughfares. Your guests will pick up what you're putting down and they'll move about the space as you've intended. Hennessy's House Party Packs are available takeaway now till stocks last. To order from Butter in Sydney, head here. To order from Mr Miyagi, head here. And to order from Mr Mista, head here. Top image: Inga Seliverstova
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. TOP GUN: MAVERICK As dripping with jingoism, machismo, militarism and sweat as cinema gets — and there really was oh-so-much sweat — 1986's Top Gun was a dream of a recruitment ad. The US Navy's aviation program couldn't have whipped up a stronger enlistment campaign in its wildest fantasies. Even if it had, getting Hollywood's gloss, a star who'd still be box-office catnip four decades later and Kenny Loggins' second-best movie tune (slipping in behind Footloose, of course) probably would've felt like a one-in-a-billion longshot. But all of the above, plus a lurid sheen and homoerotic gaze, didn't make Top Gun a good film. Loggins' 'Danger Zone' remains an earworm of a delight, but the feature it's synonymous with took a highway to the cheesy, cringey, puffed up, perpetually moist and aggressively toxic zone. The one exception: whenever Tony Scott's camera was focused on all that flying, rather than a smirking, reckless and arrogant Tom Cruise as a portrait of 80s bluster and vanity. Gliding into cinemas 36 years after its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is still at its best when its jets are soaring. The initial flick had the perfect song to describe exactly what these phenomenally well-executed and -choreographed action scenes feel like to view; yes, they'll take your breath away. Peppered throughout the movie, actually shot in real US Navy aircraft without a trace of digital effects, and as tense and spectacular as filmmaking can be in the feature's climactic sequences, they truly do make it seem as if you're watchin' in slow motion. Thankfully, this time that adrenaline kick is accompanied by a smarter and far more self-aware film, as directed by TRON: Legacy and Oblivion's Joseph Kosinski. Top Gun in the 80s was exactly what Top Gun in the 80s was always going to be — but Top Gun in the 2020s doesn't dare believe that nothing has changed, that Cruise's still-smug Maverick can't evolve, and that the world the movie releases into hasn't either. Early in the film — after Harold Faltermeyer's famous Top Gun anthem plays, text on-screen explains what the titular elite pilot training program is all about, a montage of fighter planes kicks in and then 'Danger Zone' sets an upbeat tone; that is, after the flick begins exactly as the first did — Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Cruise, Mission: Impossible — Fallout) is given a dressing-down. Still as rebellious as his call sign makes plain, he's just wantonly disobeyed orders, flown a ridiculously expensive hypersonic test plane when he's not supposed to and caused quite the fallout. "The future is coming and you're not in it," he's told, and Top Gun: Maverick doesn't shy away from that notion. As its opening moments show, along with a touch too many other nostalgia-steeped touches elsewhere this sequel hasn't wholly flown on from the past; however, it actively reckons with it as well. Still hardly the navy's favourite despite his swagger, megawatt smile, gleaming aviators and unfailing self-confidence — well, really despite his need for speed and exceptional dogfighting skills in the air — Maverick is given one last assignment. His destination: Fightertown USA, the California-based Top Gun program he strutted his way through all those years ago. There's an enemy nation with a secret weapons base that needs destroying, and his talents are crucial. But, to his dismay, Maverick is only asked to teach. Given a squad lorded over by the brash Hangman (Glen Powell, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood), and also including Coyote (Greg Tarzan Davis, Grey's Anatomy), Payback (Jay Ellis, Insecure), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Phoenix (Monica Barbaro, Stumptown), Bob (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range) and the frosty Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller, The Offer), he's tasked with training them to fly like he does, navigate a Star Wars-style impossible path that zips speedily at perilously low altitudes and, ideally, still survive the supremely dangerous mission. Read our full review. THE BOB'S BURGERS MOVIE Across its 12-season order to-date, the best episodes of Bob's Burgers have always resembled exactly what they should: a delicious serving of the meat-and-bread combination that shares the hit sitcom's name. There's a knack to a great burg — to a tastebud-thrilling, so-appetising-I-need-more-now example of this extremely accessible culinary art — and it's all about perfecting the absolute basics. No matter what else gets slotted in (and plenty of other ingredients can), every burger's staples should be the stars of the show. Indeed, a top-notch burg needn't be flashy. It definitely mustn't be overcomplicated, either. And, crucially, it should taste as comforting as wrapping your hands around its buns feels. On the small screen since 2011, Bob's Burgers has kept its version of that very recipe close to its animated, irreverent, gleefully offbeat heart. Unsurprisingly, the show's creators whip up the same kind of dish for The Bob's Burgers Movie, too. It's a winning formula, and creator Loren Bouchard knows not to mess with it while taking his beloved characters to the big screen. Co-helming with the series' frequent supervising director Bernard Derriman, and co-writing with long-running producer Nora Smith, he experiments here and there — in filmic form, Bob's Burgers is a tad darker, for instance — but he also knows what keeps his customers a-coming. That'd be the goofy but extremely relatable Belcher clan, their everyday joys and struggles, and the cosy little world that sprawls around their yellow-hued Ocean Avenue burger joint up the road from seaside fairground Wonder Wharf. Bouchard also knows that if you make something well enough time after time — be it a burger or a TV show that's spawned a movie; both fit — it'll be warmly, reliably and welcomingly familiar rather than just another helping of the same old nosh. As always, the action centres on the film's namesake — the diner where patriarch Bob (H Jon Benjamin, Archer) sizzles up punningly named burgs to both make a living and live out his dream. And, as the show has covered frequently, financial woes mean that Bob and his wife Linda (John Roberts, Gravity Falls) have more to worry about than cooking, serving customers, and their kids Tina (Dan Mintz, Veep), Gene (Eugene Mirman, Flight of the Conchords) and Louise (Kristen Schaal, What We Do in the Shadows). Their solution: a burger, of course. But their bank manager isn't munching when they try to use food to grease their pleas for an extension on their loan. That mortgage also involves their restaurant equipment, leaving them out of business if they can't pay up. As their seven-day time limit to stump up the cash ticks by, Bob sweats over the grill and Linda oozes her usual optimism — only for a sinkhole to form literally at their door. As trusty as Bob's Burgers gets, and still refreshingly committed to depicting the daily reality of its working-class characters, that above setup is the movie's buns. Layered inside are tomato, lettuce, cheese, pickle and beetroot, aka the narrative's well-balanced fillings. First comes a murder-mystery ensnaring the Belchers' eccentric landlord Calvin Fischoeder (Kevin Kline, Beauty and the Beast) and his brother Felix (Zach Galifianakis, Ron's Gone Wrong). Springing from there is Louise's determination to solve the crime to save the diner and prove she isn't a baby just because she wears a pink rabbit-eared hat. Then there's Tina's quest to make her crush Jimmy Jr (also voiced by Benjamin) her summer boyfriend; Gene's need to get The Itty Bitty Ditty Committee, the family band, a gig at Wonder Wharf's Octa-Wharfiversary celebrations; and Bob and Linda's attempt to sell burgs at the amusement park using a barbecue on wheels MacGyvered up by number-one customer Teddy (Larry Murphy, The Venture Bros). Read our full review. ABLAZE A documentary that's deeply personal for one of its directors, intensely powerful in surveying Australia's treatment of its First Peoples and crucial in celebrating perhaps the country's first-ever Aboriginal filmmaker, Ablaze makes for astonishing viewing. But while watching, two ideas jostle for attention. Both remain unspoken, yet each is unshakeable. Firstly, if the history of Australia had been different, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta man William 'Bill' Onus would be a household name. If that was the case, not only his work behind the camera, but his activism for Indigenous Aussies at a time when voting and even being included in the census wasn't permitted — plus his devotion to ensuring that white Australians were aware of the nation's colonial violence — would be as well-known as Captain Cook. That said, if history had been better still, Bill wouldn't have needed to fight so vehemently, or at all. Alas, neither of those possibilities came to a fruition. Ablaze can't change the past, but it can and does document it with a hope to influencing how the world sees and appreciates Bill's part in it. Indeed, shining the spotlight on its subject, everything his life stood for, and all that he battled for and against is firmly and proudly the feature's aim. First-time filmmaker Tiriki Onus looks back on his own grandfather, narrating his story as well — and, as aided by co-helmer Alec Morgan (Hunt Angels, Lousy Little Sixpence), the result is a movie brimming with feeling, meaning and importance. While Aussie cinema keeps reckoning with the nation's history regarding race relations, as it should and absolutely must, Ablaze is as potent and essential as everything from Sweet Country, The Nightingale and The Australian Dream to The Furnace, High Ground and The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. As the last filmic ode to a key Indigenous figure within cinema also did, aka My Name Is Gulpilil, Ablaze has a clear source of inspiration beyond the person at its centre. Appearing on-screen, Tiriki begins with two discoveries that put him on the path to making the movie: finding a suitcase filled with Bill's belongings, which included photographs of Indigenous boys in traditional paint peering at a film camera; and learning that the National Film & Sound Archive was in possession of footage of unknown origin that it believed to be linked to Bill. Accordingly, Ablaze is as much a detective story as it is a tribute, with Tiriki puzzling together the pieces of his grandfather's tale. Structuring the film in such a way is a savvy decision; even viewers coming to Bill with zero prior knowledge will want to sleuth along to solve the feature's multiple mysteries. Connecting the dots starts easily, after Tiriki spies the boys in Bill's photos in the NFSA's nine-minute reel — footage from which it's an enormous treat to see in Ablaze. From there, though, the what and why behind the material takes longer to tease out. So too does exactly why Reg Saunders and Doug Nicholls — the first Aboriginal officer in the Australian Army and the famed Aussie rules footballer-turned-pastor, respectively — appear in Bill's silent footage. Also an opera singer, Tiriki guides Ablaze's viewers through the answers, while delivering a biographical documentary-style exploration of Bill's existence along the way — from being born in 1906 at the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, on the Murray River in New South Wales, through to his passing in 1968 following the successful 1967 referendum on counting Indigenous Australians as part of the population, for which he spearheaded the campaign. Read our full review. HATCHING If you had only ever watched five horror movies in your life, odds are that one would've covered being careful what you wish for, and another would've focused on not messing with nature. It's equally likely that growing up being hell, motherhood being even more nightmarish and grappling with the terrors of the human body would've popped up as well. These all rank among the genre's favourite concepts, alongside haunted houses, murderous forces, demonic influences and the undead — and, making her feature filmmaking debut with the savvily sinister-meets-satirical blend that is Hatching, Finnish writer/director Hanna Bergholm knows this. She's also innately aware that something unique, distinctive and unnerving can still spring from stitching together well-used notions and now-familiar parts, which, on- and off-screen, is her bold and memorable body-horror, twisted fairy tale and dark coming-of-age thriller in an eggshell. Hatching begins by unpacking a fallacy as fractured as Humpty Dumpty after the nursery-rhyme character's fall — and that still keeps being lapped up anyway. In suburban Finland, among homes so identical that the song 'Little Boxes' instantly pops into your head, 12-year-old gymnast Tinja (debutant Siiri Solalinna), her younger brother Matias (fellow first-timer Oiva Ollila), and their mother (Sophia Heikkilä, Dual) and father Jani Volanen, Dogs Don't Wear Pants) are living their best lives. More than that, as the soft lensing and music that helps open the movie establishes, they're also beaming that picture of pink, white and pastel-hued domestic perfection to the world. Tinja's unnamed mum is a vlogger, and these scenes are being captured for her cloyingly named blog Lovely Everyday Life. Naturally, showing that this family of four's daily existence is anything but enchanting is one of Bergholm's first aims. The initial crack comes from outside, crashing through the window to ruin a posed shot alight with fake smiles and, of course, being filmed with a selfie stick. Soon, broken glass, vases and lamps are strewn throughout a lounge room so immaculately arranged that it looks straight out of a supermarket-shelf home-and-garden magazine — and the crowning glory, the chandelier, has descended from a luminous pièce de résistance to a shattered mess. A garden-variety crow is the culprit, which Tinja carefully captures. She hands it to her mother, thinking that they'll then release it outside. But her mum, placid but seething that anything could disrupt her manufactured picture of bliss, ignores that idea with a cruel snap and instructions to dispose of the animal in the organic waste. Watching the source of her own life snuff out a bird's because it temporarily disturbed the faux, performative idyll is understandably a formative moment for Tinja, and one of several early splinters. The girl is clearly nowhere near as enthused about gymnastics as her mum is about having a star gymnast for a daughter, even before Tinja is forced to train until her palms are torn and bloody. She's also unsettled when she sees her mother kissing handyman Tero (Reino Nordin, Deadwind), then justifies having a "special friend" because he satisfies her in ways Tinja's dutiful dad doesn't. So when Tinja finds the crow's egg in a nest outside, she's quick to take it into her care — both because of and despite her mum. She nurtures it tenderly, placing it inside a teddy bear for safe keeping. She gains her own little universe to dote over. Then the egg keeps growing, and a human-sized chick emerges. Read our full review. INTERCEPTOR Four decades back, Interceptor would've happily sat on a crowded video-store shelf alongside a wealth of other mindless, machismo-fuelled action thrillers. It would've been the epitome of one of the genre's straight-to-VHS flicks, in fact. Don't just call it a throwback, though; instead of testosterone oozing from every actor within sight, except perhaps a token wife worrying at home, this nuclear attack movie from Australian author Matthew Reilly focuses on a woman making waves in a male-dominated world. That's firmly a 2022 move, reflecting today's gender politics. So too is the fact that said protagonist, US Army Captain JJ Collins (Elsa Pataky, Tidelands), has just been reassigned after putting in a sexual harassment complaint against one of her past superiors. Don't go thinking that Interceptor doesn't tick every other box its 80s counterparts did, however. It couldn't lean harder on all of the cliches that've ever been involved with world-in-peril, military-driven movies, and with action fare at its most inane in general. A global success for his airport novels, writer Reilly doesn't just turn screenwriter here — with assistance from Collateral, Tomorrow, When the War Began and Obi-Wan Kenobi's Stuart Beattie — but also jumps behind the lens for the first time. Alas, his directorial instincts prove as flat and by-the-numbers as Interceptor's wanly boilerplate plot, as well as its clunky-as-clunky dialogue. And, that storyline really couldn't be more formulaic. In her new post on a remote platform in the Pacific Ocean, Collins soon finds herself under attack by terrorists led by the grating Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey, Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan). Her sea-surrounded station is one of two sites, alongside Alaska's Fort Greely, that can intercept a nuclear warhead launch on the US. Naturally, Kessel and his men have already taken out the other one, and have also pilfered nukes from the Russians in their possession. Cue a run-of-the-mill single-setting good-versus-evil face-off — at best — that sees the cartoonishly sinister Kessel try to shoot, blast and fight his way into the platform's control room, while the devoted and dutiful Collins does everything she can to keep him out. Cue monotonous standoffs, frays and arguments that aren't enlivened for a second by the routine cinematography, and certainly not by Interceptor's oh-so-serious tone. It's only when Chris Hemsworth (Men in Black: International) shows up in an extended cameo that's given far too much attention that the film shows even the faintest traces of a sense of humour. That said, winking at and nudging the audience about Pataky's real-life husband is as far as any comedy or self-awareness goes; no, Interceptor isn't so bad and cheesy that it's entertaining, either. At the beginning of her English-language career, before her appearances in four Fast and Furious franchise flicks from Fast & Furious 5 onwards, Pataky featured in Snakes on a Plane. Terrorists on an Army Sea Platform isn't as catchy a title, and aping his star's earlier comedy definitely isn't the vibe that Reilly is going for — but when you're making something this derivative, that level of silliness would've been a better option. No one adds a highlight to their resumes with this bland affair, although Pataky shows that she deserves a better star vehicle. Around her, the Australian-shot film fills out its supporting cast with mostly local faces, including Aaron Glenane (Home and Away), Zoe Carides (Pieces of Her), Colin Friels (Total Control) and Rhys Muldoon (New Gold Mountain), none of whom manage to stand out for the right reasons. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24; and March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12 and May 19. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive, Studio 666, The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True and The Innocents.
The further you get from the city centre, the more exciting it becomes to find an excellent brunch spot. When we set out on a road trip to the D'Aguila National Park north of Brisbane, stopping by The Flying Nun Cafe in Samford proved to to be an unexpected highlight. Tucked off the main road, the cafe is set in an old church, renovated with a massive deck that winds between large trees where a cool breeze blows by. It's a hot day, and the first thing on the tempting specials board is a watermelon, apple and mint frappe — it hits just the spot. As does the caramel malt milkshake. You read right, we've found a place that still serves malt — a rarity indeed. When we open the menu, we find one of the best breakfast selections we've seen in a while. While they've got a whole page for eggs benny and big breakfasts, the main menu includes the likes of scallops with fennel and red wine sausage, and a mushroom bruschetta done two ways. Even the avo on toast is stacked so high, the green smash is taller than the fat sourdough toast itself. The potato and Persian feta hash cakes with poached eggs, a chorizo crumb and carrot puree sounded like a winner, and didn't disappoint. A wooden board arrived laden with three short, fat potato cakes and the eggs resting in a nest of chorizo crumb. Despite the cafe being a busy hive of activity on a Sunday morning, the staff still made the time to make us feel at home —cracking jokes, and running to the kitchen to get the hash cake order in before another waitress snagged the last one for someone else. We lucked it with timing and were able to grab a walk-in table, but we recommend booking on weekends. Samford is only a half hour drive from the city, but it feels like a lifetime away from the hustle and bustle. Next weekend, embark on your own mini road trip and make The Flying Nun your first port of call. At least try the incredible-looking homemade lemon meringue pie for us. We couldn't find the room.
When Longtime closed up its Ann Street restaurant, it left a hole in Fortitude Valley's dining scene — but, post-pandemic lockdowns, something new is sprouting in its old digs. That'd be Eterna, a fresh venture from Salt Meats Cheese's Stefano de Blasi. And yes, just like SMC's eateries in Newstead and South Bank, it'll have a big Italian focus. Fans of pasta and cocktails will find two big differences, however. Firstly, as its name suggests, Eterna will kick on well into the evening — so, for those hankering for a late-night dish over a few drinks, the kitchen will be open until 11pm. And, the Valley newcomer will also focus on bites and beverages inspired by Rome, while also trying to bring a bit of New York-style energy to the place. Think simple recipes, seasonal produce, house-made pasta and an after-hours vibe, which'll all be on offer when Eterna opens its doors on Thursday, July 30. On the menu: classic Roman dishes such as cacio e pepe and carbonara, as well as the likes of suppli (arancini, but street-food style), the chicken-heavy pollo alla romana and seasoned pork in the form of porchetta di ariccia. The latter two are designed for sharing and, if you're still hungry afterwards, a crostata ricotta e visciole (ricotta and sour cherry cheesecake) will feature on the dessert menu. Drinks-wise, expect to sip local and Italian wines, a range of spirits, and cocktails that include gin martinis and cardinales — aka a Roman-style negroni. Eterna will open for dinner and drinks from Tuesday–Saturday to begin with, and plans to add lunch service down the track. Find Eterna at 610 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, from Thursday, July 30 — open from 5pm–12am Tuesdays–Thursdays, and 5pm–2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Melbourne might be where Lune started its world-acclaimed croissant empire ten years back; however, Brisbane is where the Kate Reid-founded bakery has branched out with not just two pastry-slinging spots, but also a wine bar. That tipple-pouring venue: Butler, which started serving drinks in mid-2022, then started teaming up with its sibling for food-and-wine parties late in the year. Still rolling in 2023, Tarte Party is one such shindig. Sunday, February 26 marks just the second time that Lune and Butler have joined forces, and they'll be serving up Lune's tartes with ample vino. The pastries will be baked fresh by Lune, with a special menu for the day, while Cork and Co is on wine duty. Food-wise, there'll be three types of tarte: mushroom and blue cheese; 'nduja, tomato and soft herbs; and a dessert plum, vanilla and almond number. Cork and Co's Logan Moore will be onsite showcasing winemakers such as LATTA, Koerner, Jilly and Sven Joschke, complete with rare and unique drops from each's private cellars. Tarte Party is taking place over two sessions: from 2–4.30pm and 5–7.30pm. Your $30 ticket gets you two tartes, with extras available to purchase — and wine being sold by the glass.
In this day and age, writing – not the act of writing itself, but the pen to paper sort of writing – is becoming obsolete. Most people would scoff at the idea of penning a letter to a friend despite its sentimental qualities because they simply can't wait that long- 24 hours delivery is ages to wait for a bit of paper when they could just be emailed an amusing e-card right now! What we forget is that handwriting a letter is still a done thing and it is incredibly therapeutic as well as rewarding. For those of you who were lucky enough to have $500 sitting in your back pocket and got to attend Splendour in the Grass, or have seen the few Women of Letters shows that have been around our city, you will know how enjoyable and cathartic an experience it is. Women of Letters is a notion that plays on the idea that letter writing has been lost and we all need to sit down once in a while and write a letter to someone we hate, someone we love, or just someone we need to vent to. The chairwoman invites her lady friends to write and read out their letters on a topic and in the process invite attendees into their intimate thoughts. This time around though, Men of Letters has become its own event and takes on the same premise as its female counterpart. At The Zoo's early evening show you can expect an afternoon of literary prowess from the likes of our own Benjamin Law, Anthony Mullins, Daniel Evans and David Hinchcliffe. Prepare to laugh, cry and wince at the musings of these lads, but make sure to get your ticket ASAP, as these readings are very very popular.
Ever-changing COVID-19 rules and requirements were a part of ordinary life last year — and, in Brisbane, in 2021 so far too. But after a hectic January that saw the Greater Brisbane region go into lockdown for three days, then emerge to other restrictions including mandatory mask-wearing, life in the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas will return to the conditions that were in place in December 2020. This morning, on Thursday, January 21, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed that the current restrictions that have been in place since January 11 will end as planned at 1am on Friday, January 22. As the state's Chief Health Office Jeannette Young advised at the same press conference, Queensland has now reached 14 days since the last case linked to the most recent cluster, giving the authorities confidence that the present rules can be lifted. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1352029301105852417 The Premier called the announcement "absolutely tremendous news", and detailed exactly what'll be back on the cards. Because the state is reverting to December's status quo, it should all sound familiar — and yes, you'll be able to spend more time in more places with more people. Gatherings at home will go back up to 50 people, and to 100 people outdoors in public. And, weddings can have 200 attendees, as can funerals. Hospitality and entertainment venues including restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, bars, museums and galleries will be able to have one person per two square metres. You'll also be able to stand while you're eating and drinking, too. Indoor events can welcome in 500 attendees, and seated, ticketed venues such as cinemas and theatres can go back up to 100-percent capacity. Outdoor events can have 1500 folks head along, while openair outdoor stadiums can return to full capacity as well. Also, dancing indoors and outdoors will be back again, with the one person per two-square-metres rule in place there as well. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1352037124481011714 After more than two weeks of donning face coverings, Brisbanites will no longer have to wear masks in most situations, either — except in airports and on planes, as required by the Federal Government. That said, it's still recommended that folks wear masks if they can't social distance. The news comes as Queensland reported one new overseas-acquired case in the past 24, and zero new local cases. As always, the usual hygiene and social-distancing advice applies — including frequent hand-washing, maintaining a 1.5-metre distance from other people and getting tested if you have even the slightest of COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Atlanta Bell.
New Christmas, new spate of fresh festive flicks to add to your seasonal viewing: that's now an annual trend in these streaming platform-saturated times. A creative spin on A Christmas Carol, but as a musical starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, is one such newcomer vying for your eyeballs now that the merriest time of the year is upon us. And, dropping on Stan on Thursday, December 1, Australia's own Christmas Ransom is another. Everyone has their Christmas viewing rituals, whether you watch your way through every Home Alone movie each year (yes, even the recent one), pop on It's a Wonderful Life with the family after a big lunch or prefer saying yippee ki-yay to Die Hard. Until recently, however, it's likely that watching Aussie festive films wasn't high on your list, given this country of ours doesn't have all that much seasonal fare to its name. Back in 2020, streaming service Stan aimed to help change that with A Sunburnt Christmas, a festive caper about a criminal, some kids and end-of-year hijinks — aka Australia's answer to Home Alone and Bad Santa, in a way. In 2022, the platform is now adding Christmas Ransom to the list, starring Miranda Tapsell and Matt Okine. As first announced back in September — and as you can now see in the just-dropped trailer — Christmas Ransom stars Okine (The Other Guy) as every kid's second-favourite person during festive season: the owner of a toy store. Things aren't too merry for his character, however, when his shop is held up by thieves on Christmas Eve. And yes, as the name makes plain, he's held for ransom. These kinds of Christmas movies usually involve children, whether or not they turn them into Macaulay Culkin-level stars — so obviously a couple of kids get caught up in the heist. To save the day, they enlist the help of Tapsell (Top End Wedding), who plays a pregnant security officer. Stan notes that this new on-screen Christmas gift is inspired by Home Alone, Die Hard and Elf. If you've ever seen just one sesaonal flick for even just a few minutes, you will have spotted plenty that's predictable about the setup. Alongside Tapsell and Okine, Christmas Ransom stars Ed Oxenbould (Wildlife), Genevieve Lemon (The Tourist), Bridie McKim (Bump), Evan Stanhope (Thor: Love and Thunder), Tahlia Sturzaker (Ascendant) and Chai Hansen (The Newsreader) — and boasts Adele Vuko (Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am) in the director's chair. Add it to your festive viewing alongside this year's other new Aussie Christmas film, if it also surfaces in time: the upcoming movie based on Paul Christmas classic 'How to Make Gravy'. Otherwise, this newcomer will join the likes of A Sunburnt Christmas; Bush Christmas, both the 1947 and 1983 versions; the animated Around the World with Dot; and recent-ish horror movies Red Christmas and Better Watch Out — the latter also featuring Oxenbould. Check out the trailer for Christmas Ransom below: Christmas Ransom will be available to stream via Stan from Thursday, December 1.
In great news for anyone who'll be in the vicinity of the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie and Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie in May, all three sites are dedicating the month to rocky road, as they usually do at this time of year. In 2022, they're bringing back their rocky road fest in person, too; however, for those can't make it along in the flesh — including folks interstate — the at-home version is still running as well. Get ready for a virtual month-long sugar extravaganza dedicated to sweet, nutty, marshmallowy rocky road — and yes, giant boxes filled with 31 different flavours of rocky road are available to order. As in previous years, you have a few options. If you'd like to get the mammoth Ultimate Rocky Road Box delivered to your door, that'll set you back $110. Flavours this year include Golden Gaytime, espresso martini, mint, licorice, black forest, Biscoff, pineapple, pistachio praline and many, many more. Elsewhere on the shop's delivery menu, you'll find pick-and-mix packs and a create-your-own option — where you can choose your favourite types of chocolate, nuts, extra nuts, marshmallows, jellies, extras and toppings. The boxes can be delivered anywhere within Australia for a flat rate of $15.
The only thing that's ever wrong with a delicious pasta meal is the fact that it ends. For two hours at Vici Italian three evenings a week, that's no longer a problem. The South Bank spot has added bottomless pasta nights to its menu, where you can feast on all the bolognese, pomodoro and carbonara that you can handle — for $25, plus a drink purchase. This special happens weekly, from Tuesday–Thursday to liven up your weeknights. Make a booking at 5pm or 7pm, then dig in. You can only choose between the three dishes, however, and everyone at your table has to partake. The bolognese features crushed beef in a tomato sugo that's been slow cooked, and comes topped with parmesan on your choice of fettuccine or gnocchi. With the pomodoro, you'll be enjoying a slow-cooked tomato sauce with mascarpone and parmesan, again on the same types of pasta. And the carbonara boasts bacon, wild mushrooms, mascarpone cream sauce and parmesan on spaghetti. Spend an extra $5 and you can opt for gluten-free pasta. And as for the drink that you need to buy to receive the deal, boozy options include raspberry negroni sours, yuzu spritzes, tiramisu martinis, pineapple daiquiris, Peroni on tap and a range of wines.
Food. Drinks. Tickets. Parking. Wherever you're heading after work or on a weekend, they're all essential inclusions in your budget — but no one likes forking out a fortune just for the convenience of leaving their car somewhere nearby for a few hours. If you think your money could be better spent elsewhere, and you're planning on spending time in the Brisbane CBD at night or on a weekend this August, then you might want to drive your vehicle to a Wilson Parking site. You'll need to book in advance online or via the app, and then you can nab an off-peak spot for a flat rate of just $5. The deal applies to more than 550 night and weekend car parking bays across 11 Brisbane CBD car park locations — including the Riverside Centre, Eagle Street Pier, Central Plaza 2 ad Brisbane Quarter, as well as sites at 42 and 123 Albert Street, 10 Eagle Street, 12 Creek Street, 340 and 363 Adelaide Street, and 119 Charlotte Street. Wilson Parking's $5 night and weekend deal is available until Monday, August 31.
The latest theatre production to hit Brisbane Powerhouse's stage, The Sublime is an exploration of sport, sex, violence and the media from award-winning screenwriter and actor Brendan Cowell. The performance will consist of three interwoven monologues of an NRL player, a brother who has defected to AFL and a teenage female athlete. Each character will tell their sides of the story, and in doing so. all have the opportunity to be seen as human beings, and even victims, underneath their athletic personas. When questionable events arise from a footy trip to Thailand between the NRL star Liam and young athlete Amber, older brother Dean desperately tries to clean up the mess. They are the only three who knows what actually happened, and the story is not as straightforward as what most sports news headlines often suggest. Cowell's play will also explore the clashes between NRL and AFL, and the ongoing rivalry between states.
You know what they say: when one door closes, another one opens. So, anyone mourning the loss of Caxton Street's short-lived, M*A*S*H-inspired Ginger's Diner best look on the bright side, because a new New Orleans-style cocktail and oyster bar is coming in its place. Called Seymour's Cocktails and Oysters, the new spot hails from the same folks behind Ginger's, but they're giving the space a different twist. It'll be a cafe by day, drinking spot by night, serving up the titular booze and seafood from a brass-topped bar. And, as Ginger's did before it, it'll benefit from not only sitting next door to the ever-popular Lefty's Old Time Music Hall, but also from belonging to the same stable of venues as its neighbour, the Hope and Anchor just up the road, and Sonny's House of Blues, Gordita, Peasant and Los Villanos as well. Are you thinking what we're thinking? Yep, you could go on a pretty tasty bar and restaurant crawl within that group of venues, with Seymour's shaping up to be the perfect finishing spot. Find Seymour's Cocktails and Oysters at 15 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace in the near future. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more information. Via The Courier-Mail.
If you're going to host a 40th anniversary screening of Saturday Night Fever, you have to do it in style. And we can overlook the fact that Kristian Fletcher's celebration is actually happening on a Friday thanks to one thing: an on-site, in-cinema disco. Before the flick starts rolling at 7.30pm — and before a tight attire-clad John Travolta demonstrates just how great the '70s were to his career — attendees can strut their own stuff on the dance floor. If you don't have 'Stayin' Alive' stuck in your head just thinking about it, well, we think you're probably not being honest with yourself. Dressing up is encouraged, as always, with prizes on offer for the best outfit. Singing along is also encouraged, particularly given that Brisbane has claimed The Bee Gees as our own. BYO white flares and pocket mirrorball.
In its first exhibition for 2015, The Hold Artspace presents a collaborative exhibition featuring six experimental, Brisbane-based artists - and six very different perspectives on the world we share. The artists in fully (un)formed present their awkward, chaotic and brave understandings of the soil we stand on, the air we breathe and everything that makes up planet earth. Hailey Atkins, Ree Hegh, Jack Mitchell, Fred Gooch, Creation Saffigna and Rhiannon Dionysius are the artists on show in fully (un)formed, and their work spans the spectrum in terms of their chosen media. Gooch is a marvel with a paint brush, while Hegh is an up-and-coming camera-wielder. They test the limits of the presupposed, question the expected and find comfort in the familiar through their individual practices. Fully (un)formed shows from the January 14-24, with opening night on Friday 16 from 6-9pm.
End-of-year markets are always excellent for those of us who tend to leave gift purchasing until the last minute — and, thankfully, Etsy is setting up their markets all over Australia in the last weekend of November. Etsy Made Local is a grassroots initiative that celebrates crafters, collectors and artisans in local communities, and provides them with the opportunity to sell their creations both online and in a physical space. So whether you're on the hunt for handmade wares or vintage goods, these guys have got you covered. The markets will be held in 11 places around Australia, including Brisbane, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Melbourne, Gippsland, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart. Because each market focuses on the best local talent, each market will be filled with different stallholders and unique creations. Supporting creative small businesses and scoring a killer Christmas gift is a win for everyone involved, so head to the Brisbane Showgrounds on November 24 and 25 and get your festive shopping done early, for once.
William Robinson is one of South East Queensland’s – nay, Australia’s – best-loved living artists and there is little doubt as to why. His massive, magical, multi-perspective landscape paintings suck their audiences into an ethereal and uniquely Australian world of rainforest canopies, twisted tree roots, shiny mountain springs, vast, swirling oceans, sculpted sand dunes, drifting clouds and graded light. In celebration of the artist, and coinciding with his 75th birthday, QUT is hosting a retrospective of Robinson’s work across two installation spaces – the QUT Art Museum and the William Robinson Gallery at Old Government House. The exhibition, entitled The Transfigured Landscape, will feature works from both public and private collections including Robinson’s famed landscape works as well as Archibald winning self-portraits, Equestrian self-portrait 1987 and Self-portrait with stunned mullet 1994. If you have never seen a William Robinson exhibition, you are in for a real treat; his works are not only paintings, but visual excursions that stick in your mind for years after they have been experienced.
The 90s may be long gone, but they'll never be forgotten, especially by Brisbanites. With plenty of bars and venues around town throwing plenty of retro-themed parties, it's easy to pretend we're still living in a time of big hats, babydoll dresses, and bangers by everyone from the Backstreet Boys to Aqua. If stepping back in time is your idea of an ace night, then you can welcome in this year's Ekka public holiday doing just that, all thanks to The Brightside's Clueless: 90s + Early 00s celebration. As if you wouldn't be there, paying tribute to one of the enduring teen movies of the era — and to all the music that not only came with it, but defined the decade around it. If it roared up the charts and got folks dancing in the 90s — and even in the early 00s — expect it to pump through ol' Brighty's stereo from 10pm on Tuesday, August 13. Spice Girls, Britney, Destiny's Child, TLC, Smashmouth, Hanson, No Doubt, Blink-182, Avril Lavigne and Linkin Park are all included, and, as always, the list goes on.
Home to brews, bands and giant-sized board games since 2014, Ann Street's Woolly Mammoth Alehouse is getting an in-house sibling venue: a tropical-themed watering hole called Ivory Tusk. Slated to open on Thursday, August 22, the new bar is taking over Woolly Mammoth's Mane Stage area and giving it a Palm Springs-inspired revamp, complete with plenty of pastels. As well as transforming the Fortitude Valley's site's existing garden terrace into a tequila-focused party space, Ivory Tusk will boast three bar areas, all serving up cocktails on tap. Expect eight different concoctions made from fresh ingredients and botanicals, plus a range of craft brews. Food-wise, the venue will champion Mexican cuisine, with the kitchen overseen by Executive Chef Graeme McKinnon (Covent Garden) and Head Chef Jack Thompson (The Line & Label, Port Lincoln). Think gazpacho tequila shooters, lamb barbacoa and roast pork, as well as vegan-friendly and gluten-free options. With the site also doubling as an events space — and catering for between 20-1000 people — set menus will be a feature. Visitors will also spy plenty of colour, new furnishings and a lighter, airier feel to suit the 'tropicali' vibe, thanks to renovations led by Luis Nheu of BSPN Architects. In the garden terrace, that means pendant lighting and a stencilled terrazzo floor. Back inside, Woolly Mammoth's band room has also been given a makeover. Ivory Tusk's entertainment lineup will span regular DJs, live bands and rockaoke — aka karaoke, but with a live band playing as you sing. And if you're fond of Woolly Mammoth in its current guise, its Mane Stage will still be hanging around — just smaller, and on the site's upper level. Find Ivory Tusk at 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley from Thursday, August 22.
Late last year, Taco Bell quietly opened a test store in Annerley, Brisbane. And today — fittingly, International Taco Day — the US Tex-Mex chain has announced plans to open 50 new stores across Australia in the next three years. While its expansion will begin in Queensland — with stores already confirmed for Robina, Cleveland and North Lakes — the chain has confirmed that it will also be expanding interstate. Taco Bell, whose parent company is Collins Foods — which also operates 28 Aussie KFC restaurants and the 13 remaining Sizzler venues — announced today that after receiving positive feedback from its test store, it would be rolling out 50 new Taco Bell outposts over the next three years. Managing Director Taco Bell Asia Pacific Ankush Tuli suggested locals have embraced the brand. "We have had an overwhelming response to the launch of Taco Bell in Brisbane," Tuli explained. This is, however, Taco Bell's third attempted foray into the Australian market. The chain tried to launch here in 1981 (and was then taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and again in 1997 — but both attempts were unsuccessful and the brand withdrew. It was speculated earlier this year that as part of the brand's expansion, Collins Foods would be rebranding its Sizzler restaurants as Taco Bells; however, this has not yet been confirmed. You can currently find Taco Bell at 594 Ipswich Road, Annerley, with the Robina store slated to open this year.
It's easy to get swept up in generic Christmas hubbub. Department stores are playing 'Jingle Bells', stockings need to be stuffed, and sooner or later you find yourself buying a relative socks. No one needs anymore socks. Just stop. Now's your chance to break that pattern and become one of those oh-so-cool gift givers. The ones who remember the hints dropped over the past few months and give a gift so great it elicits forceful high-fives all through the festive season. Give a friend a box set of Breaking Bad. After five seasons, an impressive array of industry accolades, and an unquantifiable number of gasps from its captive global audience, it's safe to say that everyone loves Breaking Bad. The hysteria eventually got so bad that people were forced to develop anti-spoiler apps during its final season; it's now acceptable to work from a blue-meth themed cookbook for your next dinner party. Now, thanks to our friends at Universal and Sony, you can re-gift a friend all that magic for the super appealing price of free. We have 10 collector's edition DVD or Blu-Ray box sets of the entire Breaking Bad collection to give away. Who needs to wait for the Australian release of Netflix? Start your session of post-finale binge-watching right now. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
We can't all live in a world where a newspaper columnist pens one article about her love life a week, gets paid enough to wear Manolo Blahniks and spends most of her time drinking cocktails with her best mates — and coming up with amorous fodder for her next pithy essay. But, thanks to 1998–2004 series Sex and the City, we can all watch that fictional world, which is actually partly based on the experiences and New York Observer columns of writer Candace Bushnell. As everyone with even the slightest pop culture knowledge already knows, Sarah Jessica Parker plays fashion-loving writer Carrie Bradshaw, who has given plenty of viewers a sizeable case of wardrobe envy over the years. She's joined by Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, in a series that pushed the boundaries when it came to both sex and friendship. Just ignore the 2008 and 2010 movies
Have you ever watched a play a wondered what its supporting characters were doing while not on stage? Would they be talking about the actions of the main characters, or simply going about their normal business until fate (or the playwright) requires them to make another entrance? Tom Stoppard has certainly considered these notions in his play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. If you're a Shakespeare buff, those names may sound familiar; they are two courtiers who appear in Hamlet. Childhood friends of the prince of Denmark, they get drawn into the machinations of Hamlet’s intended execution, but instead meet their own untimely end. Stoppard focuses on the actions and conversations of these characters as they might exist in the unseen parts of the world of the play. They wax philosophical in this absurdist, existential tragicomedy, rambling on with nonsensical jargon, playing Questions, and reflecting on the nature of reality… while they are not ‘on stage’, of course. The show is being staged by the Brisbane Arts Theatre, and is directed by Natasha Kapper. The play originally debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966, and since then has become very popular. This piece of meta-theatre is waiting for you. Don't miss it!
From web searches and browsers to email and document storage, Google has its fingers in plenty of different online pies. Many of its services have become such a part of our daily lives that we no longer give them much thought, but every now and then the company has fun with one of its platforms. So far, it has brought Pac-Man, Mario Kart, Where's Waldo? and Snake to Google Maps, and Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? to Google Earth, for example. With Avengers: Endgame shaking up cinemas right now, it should come as no surprise that the company has the Marvel Cinematic Universe in its sights. Or, for that matter, that it's using a certain Josh Brolin-voiced supervillain and his famed gauntlet — aka the object that's been causing so much grief in the MCU in recent films. A word of warning: if you somehow haven't seen Avengers: Infinity War over the past year, Google's latest Easter egg is definitely a spoiler. If you have seen Infinity War but haven't seen Endgame, however, the company isn't giving away anything that you don't already know. All MCU fans need to do is type 'Thanos' into Google's search engine and look for his Infinity Stone-adorned gauntlet, which is currently appearing next to his name in the information box on the right-hand side of the screen. Click the image, and you'll find the giant purple figure's finger-snapping tricks wreaking havoc on Google's search results. In other words: prepare for a bit more space on the page. The Easter egg is a timely move, given how many people have been rushing to cinemas to see Endgame — and how many people are probably searching for every piece of MCU-related information that they can find online afterwards. In Australia, the film smashed the opening day box office record when it launched on Wednesday, April 24, making more than $10 million on its opening day. Top image: Marvel Studios.
He might hail from the UK, but internationally renowned artist Bruce Munro is leaving quite the impression Down Under. He's the creative mind behind Uluru's stunning Field of Light installation – which has pulled over 450,000 visitors and been extended three times since launching in mid-2016 – and, more recently, he illuminated Albany's tree-lined Avenue of Honour for ANZAC-inspired work Field of Light: Avenue of Honour. Now, the artist has taken on the Top End for Bruce Munro: Tropical Light, his third Australian installation and first-ever city-wide exhibition, which opened in Darwin last week. Free to visit and running until April 2020, the Northern Territory installation features eight large-scale illuminated sculptural works, inspired by Munro's own travels across the region. Peppered through the CBD and Darwin's waterfront precincts, they make up a self-guided 2.5-kilometre sculpture trail audiences can enjoy at their leisure. Bruce Munro, Pukul Lima Expect to find plenty of pieces referencing the Top End's vivid sunsets and native creatures, along with many an ode to Mother Nature, all showcasing Munro's strong affinity for light. There's Light Shower, Wave Lagoon Canopies, which features 3000 drops of light; the spherical Green Flash in the Old Town Hall Ruins; and Time and Again, Palm Tree Grove — a waterfront piece made up of 37 radiant, stainless steel lilies. Munro's sculpture trail is accompanied by works from five local artists, including acclaimed aerial photographer Paul Arnold and a series of solar jellyfish lights by Bev Garside. Bruce Munro: Tropical Light runs until April 30, 2020, across Darwin. It's illuminate from 7–10.30pm every night.
Every standout moment in life needs a soundtrack, and there's no reason that a boozy brunch session shouldn't be one of them. Starting imbibing early in the day might be celebration enough, not to mention that delicious combination of breakfast and lunch dishes that passes for brunch — but add some old-school R&B tunes and, yes, you've got a party going on. That's exactly what's on the menu at Botany Newstead's new R&B brunch sessions, which are kicking off on Saturday, March 19, then returning on the third Sunday of each month afterwards. For $50, you'll start your weekend with a margarita upon arrival, plus a food platter that includes pancakes, avocado on sourdough, bacon and eggs, and brie and crackers — and fresh fruit, potato gems, mushrooms, cheddar, pita bread and more, too. And, the kicker: the DJ-spun tracks that'll get your toes tapping. You will need to purchase your drinks as you go after that first marg, but there'll be a Patron cart doing the rounds to top up your glass — with classic, spicy, watermelon, and peach and jalapeno varieties available. And if you have a partner and/or some mates who love 90s and early 00s R&B as much as you do — everyone does — that's perfect, because heading along in groups of at least four is recommended.
For one week only, Bleeding Heart will play host to Die Empty, an interactive exhibition and art group organised by English artist Samantha Yallope with the purpose of shedding light on some of Brisbane’s best up-and-coming artists. On Friday, June 28, the opening night kicks off at 5pm, with live entertainment and a licensed bar (under 18s are asked to attend with a chaperone). Curious about the name? This is what Samantha had to say on the Die Empty website: “A friend of mine told me about a book he read that had a profound effect on him (The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry). The last two words of the entire book were ‘die empty’, as in ‘live full, die empty’. We had a chat about how we might die empty. He writes and I paint, so the conversation mostly revolved around release through creative self expression and it’s place in society.” In this sense, the works on display at Die Empty are the result of a cathartic release — emotions poured onto canvas, expressing the inner desires and distresses of each artist. Die Empty is by no means a title of ill omen, but rather the result of releasing bottled up emotions into art and the satisfaction afterwards of no longer holding onto inner turmoil. If this sounds interesting to you, do yourself a favour and head to Bleeding Heart Gallery this Friday. The followings artists will have work on display: Samantha Yallope Katie Lee Gretch Joy French Hendrix Travis Carla Benzie Rita Rose Steve Falco Jamie Yallope Jason Gorman Oliver Strauss
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 Coogee 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.
Tim Flach has captured wild animals in a way you may never have seen before. Studio-lit and beautiful, these animals create gorgeous subjects (although we're pretty sure they prefer their natural habitat to a black back drop and spotlight). Having spent years studying our bond with animals, Flach is known for his conceptual portraits of animals and the unique way in which he differs from a classic wildlife photographer. He has been awarded the Professional Photographer of the Year at the International Photography Awards and has published books, including Equus and Dogs Gods. He recently published More Than Human which features these photos and many more. His photographs challenge us to think of these animals and view them in ways in which we haven't before. He uses the defamiliarisation technique by placing familiar things, in this case animals, in an unfamiliar place to provoke questions and curiosity from the viewer. You can visit his website to view the entire More Than Human series.
Australian brothers Mike and Scott Norrie are onto a winner. While traveling through Africa, they were inspired to create a way to share music sustainably, and came up with Tembo Trunks. These silicone speakers integrate with your earphones, amplifying the sound to 80 decibels. Foldable, stackable, washable and virtually indestructible, they are the ultimate in sustainable speakers as they require no power, are made up of one material and are designed to last. The speakers are meant for use in a casual setting. "Don't expect to bust an eardrum or feel the ground shake when you're playing your music," say the Norrie brothers, "that's kinda the point." They're a great addition to any traveller's suitcase, and will soon be available in a range of bright colours. As a clever way of raising seed funding, the team allow you to pre-order a set of speakers by backing Tembo Trunks on Kickstarter. For a lazy ten grand you can even become the 'Chief of Colour' and the brothers will fly you to Sydney and cook you a beach-side BBQ. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IU2NVxN6zck [Via PSFK]
That age-old act of verbalising frustration, anger or in some instances passion, in the form of a swear word is generally seen as a crass act. But artist Theo Olesen has turned this everyday language into illustrations that prove even the most profane words can be beautified with good design. When Olesen was in kindergarten learning four-letter words, he recalls suggesting 'fuck' as a four-letter word beginning with 'F'. Since then, his fascination with profanity has evolved into finely illustrated graphics that he posts on his online blog, Beautiful Swear Words. Barely two months old, his blog has already attracted over 2,000 followers. Not bad for a 17-year-old who cites "fun" as his motivation for illustrating profanities. Olesen updates his blog daily with hand drawn illustrations of swear words ranging from 'boobs' to 'gonads' and has begun making his illustrations available for purchase on t-shirts. Why say it when you can wear it?
Keen on all things innovative when it comes to technology and culture? Suffer from pangs of envy when SXSW kicks off on the other side of the planet each March? Jetting around the world to get your fix mightn't be realistic; however, thanks to Brisbane's newest festival, it's no longer necessary. Say hello to Myriad. Coming to Brisbane Powerhouse from March 29 to 31, Myriad might be in its first year, but that hasn't stopped the fest from going big. More than 100 speakers from over 20 different countries will ponder the future of culture, health, money, cities, and work and play — aka the event's five key themes — with more than 2000 people expected to head along to listen. Still playing the numbers game, more than 100 startups and 75 investors will be represented at the kind of gathering that aims to bring technology's best and brightest together in the one place. As for what everyone will be chatting about, topics include the intersection of fashion, robotics and technology; future business trends such as shaking hands with robots (yes, expect to hear robots come up quite often); tech advancements everywhere from Estonia to Chile; 3D-printed body organs; things that you can learn from Spotify and Tinder; drones; and the future of sex (you know that robots will get a mention here too). In addition to the discussion component of the program, Myriad also features a variety of interactive experiences, such as an art exhibition that explores sexual violence and women's rights through augmented reality, an exclusive V8 racing installation, and a series of collaborations with fellow Brissie fest BIGSOUND. That might sound like a massive amount of interesting pieces all jammed into two and a half bustling days; however consider organisers and Myriad cofounders Murray Galbraith and Martin Talvari up to the task. Galbraith was behind Melbourne's Pause Fest in 2015, while Talvari was formerly one of the guiding hands at Slush, the Helsinki startup event with more than 17,500 attendees. Myriad takes place at Brisbane Powerhouse from March 29 to 31, 2017. For more information, visit the festival website.
September might as well be called Bristember, because it is the best month of the year to be living in Brisbane. Spring has arrived - people are heading outdoors again – and there is that feeling of optimism about the months ahead; blue skies, beach trips and everything nice that Spring and Summer bring. Alongside events like the Brisbane Fringe Festival, the Brisbane Writers Festival and BIGSOUND; the Brisbane Festival (arguably the biggest of the bunch) hypes everything that is great about Brisbane, and injects a healthy dose of outsider culture into the mix to create a program of events that has something for everyone. Without further ado, here are our picks of what to see at the Brisbane Festival, this year. Beach Fossils This indie-fuzz, buzz band are responsible for several sun-drenched jams that are perfect for the change of season. Emotive and affecting despite the lo-fidelity production, Beach Fossils are capable of creating dreamy sound scapes and reverb drenched drivers. Likened to fellow emotive groovers, Real Estate, Wild Nothing and DIIV, Beach Fossils bring their own flavour to guitar pop; catch their show – it is reportedly an amazing dance party experience. Dick Diver Dick Diver have managed to carve out a nice home for themselves amidst the increasingly popular 'genre' of jangly-guitar pop. Adored by fans across Australia, Dick Diver have established themselves as a band with longevity ever since their second album, Calendar Days was released earlier this year. Their sound has been hailed as quintessentially Australian and their demeanour, charming. This is their first Brisbane show since 2011, catch them live in case they aren't back for another few years. A Western This has been described as in your face, ramshackle-y rambunctious remake of the classic Western. A Western is the brainchild of Gemma Paintin and James Stenhouse, two UK-based artists who make up the production company, Action Hero. You wont see Clint Eastwood in this production, but you will see an interesting spin on the archetypes and tropes commonly found in cult western cinema. 30 Cecil Street A heart wrenching tribute to memories lost and good times ending; 30 Cecil Street is an original piece of dance-theatre that acts as a funeral song for a long ruined theatre, after which this production is named. Created by UK artist, Dan Canham, 30 Cecil Street is a haunting affair, thoughtfully crafted and beautifully displayed. A must see for those pining for days past. Hello My Name Is This performance requires a degree of audience participation, but don't worry, it's all in a non-threatening, casual way. If you are in the mood to connect with strangers (nothing suss), then be a part of this award winning piece of participatory theatre. Hello My Name Is is original theatre at its best, a show that "reminds us how to engage with, and celebrate, the act of living (and conga lines)". Fight the Landlord Fight the Landlord gives a look at how Generation Y lives in China. Described as Chinese absurdism at its best, this is some quick thinking theatre, full to the brim with wry humour and thoughtful social commentary. Don't ask me about the Panda suits, I have no idea either. Just watch the show and find out. Psycho Beach Party Psychi Beach Party is all about Chicklet, a Gidgetesque nerd with a dream to surf. If that premise isn't enough to pique your interest, don't worry; I barely scratched the surface. This production has sold out across Australia thanks to the gender-bending cast, the sixties surf soundtrack, the hilarious take on inadvertent homo-erotic cinema, golden age Hollywood glitz and perverse tendencies of its characters. Of all the must-see productions, this one is must-see times 10. Doku Rai Doku Rai is a world first. A production between Australian and Timor-Leste artists, about a tale of two brothers, dealing with issues relating to colonialism, religion and violence – backed by visual and musical aides; Doku Rai is the most unique piece of performance art on the Brisbane Festival Program. Not only is it a powerful example of cross-culture collaboration and an emotive piece of theatre, it's also just an incredibly fun ride. Honorable Mentions The musical stylings of The Basics, Fear of a Brown Planet and the Stormie Mills Project. WIN TICKETS TO BRISBANE FESTIVAL Concrete Playground readers have the chance to win a special night out thanks to Brisbane Festival. One lucky reader will win two tickets to see URBAN on Saturday, September 14 at 9.30pm and two $30 Festival Flavours vouchers to use at 5ifth Element for a pre-show feast. Here after sell-out seasons from Columbia to Paris, URBAN is a high-energy circus show that tells a story of the streets. Through dance, music and acrobatics, Circolumbia reveal the real joys and violence the young artists grew up around. Brisbane Festival has paired up with 19 great restaurants to offer some mighty fine wine and dine deals for the duration of the festival. Audiences can tuck into a Festival Flavours dish and a beverage for just $30 from September 7 to 28. For your chance to win, be subscribed to the Brisbane Concrete Playground newsletter and email your name, address and phone number to daniela@concreteplayground.com.au with 'Brisbane Festival' in the headline by Tuesday, September 10. Winner will be drawn at random.
Sydneysiders who have been to Fairfield Council in the city's west will no longer be able to enter Queensland, with the Sunshine State declaring the region a NSW COVID–19 hotspot. Fairfield joins the neighbouring councils of Liverpool and Campbelltown, which were announced as hotspots back on Tuesday, July 14. On July 10, Queensland opened its borders to visitors from all states and territories — except Victoria, which is also declared a hotspot — but from 1am on Monday, July 27, visitors from Fairfield will be turned away at the border. Returning Queensland residents or those entering for a range of essential reasons will be required to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days. The move comes as a cluster of 46 positive COVID-19 cases are linked to the Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park, which is part of Fairfield. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1286184350870982657 The NSW Government sent out a health alert directing anyone who visited the restaurant between Thursday, July 9 and Sunday, July 12, or on Tuesday, July 14, to get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. While NSW recorded 19 new cases in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm on Wednesday, July 22, Queensland recorded zero and has just three active cases. When asked what classifies a hotspot, Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has previously said, "It's when there's clearly a growing numbers of cases and there's community acquisition of cases — so we've seen that here." From 1am on Monday, July 27, anyone who has visited Fairfield City in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Queensland unless they are a returning resident or are entering for one a few essential reasons. Those who have visited Sydney councils Campbelltown and Liverpool, as well as Victoria, are also subject to the same rules. For more information, head to the Queensland Government website. Image: The Queensland-NSW Border at Tweed Heads via WikiCommons.
The already staggeringly-large BIGSOUND lineup just got slightly more colossal. Adding another 40 or so artists to the already 80-strong list, Brisbane's answer to SXSW announced this afternoon that the likes of Seekae, Voyager, Nicholas Albrook, The Funkoars, Pierce Brothers, Hayden James, Art of Sleeping and Canada’s July will be joining the September festivities. The new batch join the existing cohort of already announced names like Gold Fields, DMA’s, Holy Holy, BAD//DREEMS, Client Liaison, KINGSWOOD and REMI. "It's no exaggeration to say that over two nights we'll be showcasing some of the most exciting rock, hip hop, punk, metal, dance, pop, folk, roots and country music in the world, said executive programmer Nick O'Byrne. "We reckon the quality of music and the incredible festival environment will firmly establish BIGSOUND as one of the most dynamic tastemaking events in the international calendar. What makes it even more exciting is the unprecedented influx of music industry leaders who can't wait to see and hear what we have to offer." BIGSOUND attendees will have to change up their highlighter colours to self-schedule the three-day conference program, with the recent announcement of speakers causing a significant amount of squealidge — think Neil Finn, the church, Bluesfest's Peter Noble, James Minor from SXSW, Tom Windish from The Windish Agency, Ben Marshall from the Sydney Opera House, and Jerome Borazio and Danny Rogers from St Jerome's Laneway Festival, all divulging all their long-lived industry secrets. Running September 10 - 11, BIGSOUND brings panels, keynotes, showcases and live gigs to Fortitude Valley for another year. This local love-in will run over 12 locations including Brissy staples like The Zoo, Ric's and Alhambra new sites such as The Underdog, The New Globe, The Elephant, Crowbar, and a new outdoor venue by Brightside and Magic City. You'll have your work cut out for you to see everything, but luckily you can start planning now. Tickets are on sale via Oztix with a two-day pass only setting you back $69+bf. BIGSOUND Live 2014 newly announced artists: the church Seekae Voyager Nicholas Albrook The Funkoars Pierce Brothers July Talk (CAN) Hayden James Art Of Sleeping SAFIA Life Pilot Meniscus Toehider THIEF Felicity Groom Jeremy Neale Harmony James DARKC3LL Mr. Hill & Rahjconkers A Million Dead Birds Laughing Kathryn Rollins Mammals Daily Meds Like Thieves Marlon Williams KU?KA Mise en Scene (CAN) Coin Banks Eden Mulholland Males (NZ) Mosman Alder Jesse Sheehan (NZ) REPTILES Bound For Ruin Mathas My Friend The Betrayer All Our Exes Live In Texas Usurper Of Modern Medicine Dozzi Peter Bibby Rolls Bayce Shellfin Sparkspitter Check out the BIGSOUND website for more info. Words by Shannon Connellan and Meg Watson.
Everyone discovers inner harmony in their own way. For instance, some people head to the nearest body of water, while others meditate with ocean waves playing in their headphones. Now it's possible to combine these restful exercises, as the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa offers a new floating wellbeing experience. Delivered by Aqua Sculpt, a floating wellness studio, the five-star resort transforms its saltwater lagoon into a restorative sound bath experience. Held across three 60-minute sessions — on Friday, July 25; Friday, August 22; and Friday, September 19 — guests can start their day from 7–8am with a tranquil encounter filled with harmonic vibrations. With eyes covered, you'll float on inflatable boards or nestle into a cabana or lounge as a serene live soundtrack of therapeutic tunes eases you into a state of pure relaxation, bringing balance to your nervous system and creating space for mindful presence. Think crystal singing bowls, equilibrium chimes and grounded meditative guidance. With only 28 spots per session, this introspective experience might just help you feel a little more at one with yourself. The location won't hurt either, as the Marriott's saltwater lagoon has routinely been named one of Australia's best pools, making it the ideal setting for this unique wellness activity.
There's nothing shameful about texting back "nah can't, busy" when it's basically three degrees outside and you can't feel your toes. There's also nothing shameful, we say, in embracing the part of you that yearns for cosy nights in. That part that is more than happy to spend weekends wrapped in a blanket, comfort food in hand — or better yet, a nip of something stronger to help keep you warm. Spend this winter with Jimmy. No, not that Hinge dude you went on a date with last year, but Jimmy Brings, the alcohol delivery service/a cold winter night's best friend. Not only will the service deliver your prefered drops to your door, but this season, it's also running a doppelganger competition till Thursday, August 8. If you or a mate happen to look like Jimmy himself, enter the competition via Instagram, and you might find your face plastered on the service's vans. And with such fame, you and a friend of your choice will both get a six-month supply of Jimmy Brings ($150 per month). Start checking out your friends with glasses and scruff, stat, and in the meantime, here's how to have a good time this winter without leaving your home. CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY + THE PARTY STARTER BUNDLE Possibly the greatest party game (and often most incendiary right after Monopoly), Cards Against Humanity isn't for the faint-hearted, your nan or anyone who isn't prepared to have their dating life, political beliefs and general being thrown under the bus. But as long as you know that nobody you're playing with is a flat-earther or anything, Cards Against Humanity might be just the ticket to kicking off a fun night of hibernating (a hibernight, if you will). Pair it with Jimmy Brings' party starter bundle to really get your creative juices flowing. Complete with one chardonnay, one pinot noir, a six-pack of Coronas, two bottles of coke, chips and nuts, the pack will have you carding 'til the wee hours (or until the first person storms out). [caption id="attachment_609970" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fonda by Brook James.[/caption] MEXICAN FOOD + THE SPARKLING JIMMARITA BUNDLE Forget about your numb lil toes and rewarm your hands by getting them around some spicy Mexican eats. Order yourself some tacos from Fonda in Melbourne or Sydney or the chilli con carne from Pepe's Mexican, all available on UberEats for maximum hibernation points (boss level unlocked by getting your housemate to answer the door instead of you). Pair your muy bien feast with Jimmy's Jimmarita bundle: one bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila, one bottle of prosecco and two limes, which can also be used to dress your tacos a little more. [caption id="attachment_716662" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colleen Hayes.[/caption] WINE COUNTRY ON NETFLIX + THE CRISP WHITE BUNDLE Netflix, aka Our Winter Lord and Saviour, is currently streaming Wine Country, the new film from Amy Poehler. The Parks & Rec funny lady brings her mates along for the ride, too, with Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch and even Tina Fey showing up to help her guzzle wine at a weekend getaway she throws for her friend's 40th birthday. There's a lot of day drinking and scheduled fun — and women living their best lives — and you can join 'em from the comfort of your own home. Order in Jimmy's Crisp Whites bundle, featuring four greatest hits of sauvignon blanc and pinot gris, and invite over four of your galpals (or boypals). [caption id="attachment_729110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The National: 'I Am Easy to Find' cover art.[/caption] THE NATIONAL'S LATEST ALBUM + A PINOT NOIR American rockers The National are high in moodiness and low in fi, making them the perfect band to spend a cold night in with — so why not let Jimmy join you? Maximise the broody, rainy vibes with a bottle of medium-bodied South Island pinot noir from Central Otago, with "sagacious tannins"; let Matt Berninger's resonating vocals wash over you by listening to the band's new album, I Am Easy To Find. Nothing like doing some solid introspection by getting yourself lost in the flood of A. red wine, B. the rain outside and C. emotions from the very emotion-inducing indie rock band. (Every person has at least one break-up song from the back catalogue, surely). Feeling things can be living your best life, too; here's to solo bedroom therapy. [caption id="attachment_729109" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shetland still.[/caption] BINGE WATCH SHETLAND + A DRAM OF GLENLIVET WHISKY Atmospheric TV show Shetland is set in the wild Scottish Isles and follows a detective inspector investigating murders on the island of Shetland. Set off the longing in your heart to retire to an obscure island by binging the first three seasons (they're all on Netflix, with season four currently showing on ABC iview) and resolutely ignoring the "are you still watching?" question the streaming giant will ask you when you get elbow deep in murder mystery. Pair your binge with a neat Glenlivet — Jimmy will bring you an entire bottle for sipping as you try to figure out whodunnit. If you're hibernating this winter, do it right with good entertainment, your mates and Jimmy Brings. Download the Jimmy Brings app to get started, and keep your eyes peeled for that Jimmy doppelganger. It could land you and a mate a six-month supply of Jimmy Brings. To enter the competition, follow @jimmybrings on Instagram and tag your doppelganger photo with #jimmybrings before Thursday, August 8, 2019.
Twin Peaks: you either love it or you love it, right? Don't just take our word for it — take Janey-E's, with her reaction expressing every Peaks-loving TV fan's as well. Indeed, both 25 years ago and now, there's just absolutely nothing like David Lynch's most wonderful and strange television series. And, thanks to the music stylings of Angelo Badalamenti, there's nothing like its score and soundtrack either. In fact, the composer won a Grammy for the Twin Peaks theme, and since 1990 many a muso has tried to follow in his footsteps. Xiu Xiu have toured a stunning rendition of the show's tunes, and now it's time for a bunch of Brisbanites to try their hand at The Junk Bar's Fire Walk With Us: The Music Of Twin Peaks, again. As with last year's series of intimate and immersive sets, Mia Goodwin, Lucinda Shaw, SS.Sebastian and Tylea will take on vocal duties, and they'll be joined by James Lees, Sam Maguire, Rohan Seekers and Andrew Saragossi, who'll pick up their instruments. Together, they'll be belting out new renditions of Twin Peaks' minimalist, atmospheric tracks, channelling their inner Julee Cruise, and clearly imagining they're making like "the Nine Inch Nails" and taking to The Roadhouse's stage. Booking now for the two June 23 shows — at 7pm and 9pm — is recommended, because last time they sold out quicker than damn fine cherry pie.
There aren't a whole bunch of things that can beat a day in the sun with a drink in your hand. Recognising the need to slake that thirst, Canadian Club is bringing their Racquet Club back for the summer, dosing out refreshing Canadian Club, dry and lime by the water with a screen showing the tennis. The Racquet Club celebrates Australia's biggest annual summer sporting fixture, the Australian Open. After keeping punters hydrated in Melbourne last year, the pop-up will this year extend to Sydney and Brisbane as well. The club will set up at Brisbane's Sandstone Point Hotel by the water for a whole month, from December 27 to January 30. The pop-up bar will carry Canadian Club on tap and a whole slew of Canadian Club cocktails (the grapefruit Summer Spritz is our favourite), and will be decked out in all the tennis memorabilia that they can find. Plus, when the Open starts on January 16, there'll be a big screen showing every game, loud and live. Sports, beach and Canadian Club? See you there.
Long before cozzie livs entered Australia's vocabulary, the Sunnybank Food Trail was serving up bargains. The one-day culinary event previously included a $2 price in its moniker, because that's how much everything that you could eat cost per plate. That gold-coin amount isn't stuck to as firmly these days, but it's still a cheap feast, including when the self-guided foodie adventure returns in 2024. This year marks the tenth iteration of this beloved excuse to hit up its namesake Brisbane suburb's shopping hubs, then delight in dining in quite the affordable fashion. Pre-pandemic, around 22,000 people showed up annually to satisfy their tastebuds, so expect to have plenty of cost-of-living-conscious company from 2–8pm on Saturday, July 13. [caption id="attachment_962394" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zennieshia[/caption] While 2023 saw the Sunnybank Food Trail was make its long-awaited return, hosting its first event since 2019 following a break for COVID-19 reasons, 2024's run will be all about celebrating turning ten with discounted bites. Some of this year's dishes will still cost $2, while others will set you back $3 or $5. Either way, that's a whole heap of your change being put to excellent (and tasty) use. As in previous years, both Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park will play host to the trail. How does it work? Attendees walk between a heap of local cafes and restaurants, all at their own pace. The range of eateries taking part is usually hefty — in 2018, more than 45 places served up dishes. [caption id="attachment_962390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zennieshia[/caption] Covering everything from deep-fried dumplings, noodles and curries to hot cakes, cream buns and bubble tea, every participating joint will feature a range of authentic Asian cuisines. You'll feast on Chinese, Japanese, Hong Kong-style, Vietnamese, Korean, Malaysian and Taiwanese food — and, with such an array of steaming soups and sizzling stir-fries on offer, we don't recommend eating lunch or dinner first. In fact, you'd best arrive feeling as hungry as possible. Snacking on signature dishes is the main course — or several — but there's also plenty of non-edible appetisers, too. Enjoy live music, watch traditional lion dancers, and and check out the roaming entertainment as you feast and wander, adding the perfect garnish to every meal by setting the mood. [caption id="attachment_962391" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zennieshia[/caption] [caption id="attachment_962392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zennieshia[/caption] [caption id="attachment_962393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Zennieshia[/caption] Sunnybank Food Trail will pop up at Sunnybank Plaza and Sunny Park from 12–8pm on Saturday, July 13 — head to the Experience Sunnybank website for further details. Top image: Zennieshia.
Sydney's newest hotel is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that, when it opens next month, it will let guests select their own rooms. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", Camperdown's soon-to-open Collectionist Hotel wants to push that concept of individualised guest experiences to a whole new level, letting them pick a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. It's slated to open next month in a former warehouse space, where a team of seven designers and 13 artists have been kept busy creating 39 unique rooms. But instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay over a welcome drink — a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art. No two two rooms are the same, apparently, as each will boast its own unique colours, textures and style. A great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel will open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown in May 2018. You can't book a room yet, but you can check the website for updates.
Food. Drinks. Music. Doggos. It's a recipe for a great Friday evening, and it's what's on offer at The Sunset Social. Every fortnight, West End's Davies Park welcomes stalls, street food, live performers, beverages and some fun for the family. That means that littlies can have fun on the jumping castle, at the animal farm, or playing giant Jenga and Connect 4 — and the adults with them, of course. Running again every second and fourth Friday of the monh in 2019, the event is fully licensed and completely pet-friendly, with the likes of The Roaming Pig, Gelato-a-Go-Go, Flavours of Eataly, Shanks' A Lot and Wild Rissole usually found among the vendors. Drop by from 5–9pm for a relaxing end to the working week. Plus, entry is free, which means you'll have more cash for everything else. Updated April 11.
Keen to live the hotel life without taking a trip? Can't even spare some time in your hectic schedule for a staycation? You can still spend a Sunday hanging out poolside without leaving Brisbane — and splashing and sipping as well. Hyatt Regency Brisbane's Hibiscus Bar & Terrace is throwing weekly pool parties all throughout summer, kicking off on Sunday, December 10 and running through till Sunday, February 25. Your destination: the CBD spot's fourth level, which means views over the inner city as well. The shindigs take place from 12–6pm weekly, with advance bookings required. You'll pay $20 per person to get in, which includes access to the infinity pool and facilities, your choice of a wine or beer upon arrival, and tunes to soundtrack your afternoon. After that first boozy beverage, it's a pay-as-you-drink setup, with the venue heroing cocktails made with Never Never Gin all summer. Gin and tonic or mango daiquiri, anyone? Hibiscus Bar images: Mitch Lowe.
Remember when eating healthily and indulging your sweet tooth were mutually exclusive activities? Thankfully, that doesn't always have to be the case — or ever again, if Brisbane's newest vegan bakehouse has anything to do with it. Set to open in Everton Park in the coming weeks, Veganyumm is the answer to every nutrition-focused foodie's prayers (because even the most disciplined crave a delicious treat every now and then). And, as the moniker suggests, those who don't consume meat or animal products should be particularly excited. The new eatery won't just be dedicated to whipping up cakes, pastries and other tasty bites — it'll be Brisbane's first 100 percent vegan establishment of its type. If the name sounds somewhat familiar, that's probably because you've come across Cinnayumm at Charlie's Fruit Market. After making a big impression with her egg- and dairy-free artisan cinnamon buns, owner, recipe creator and head chef Shairie Bhim has decided to keep the collaboration going. The two will now dive head-first into all things vegan — as well as free from sugar and gluten — and add everything from decadent red velvet cupcakes to cookies to their repertoire. There's a reason that the word 'yum' is part of the new venture's title. Waffles, pancakes and more will also feature, with doughnuts on the list as well — because no Brisbane-based food business can overlook the city's doughy obsession. Drinks-wise, expect organic roasted coffees and mylkshakes (that's the vegan spelling of milkshakes) too. If you're not vegan already, Veganyumm's menu just might change that. Veganyumm is set to open at the end of April or beginning of May in Everton Park. Keep an eye on their Instagram for more information — and to start drooling in anticipation.
Anything Jamie Dornan can do, Zac Efron can, too? That's the situation that'll play out on streaming service Stan this January. First, Dornan will get stranded in the outback in TV thriller The Tourist, and then Efron will do the same in Gold — aka the movie he shot when he decamped from Hollywood to Australia during the pandemic and seemed to be the only thing other than COVID-19 that was making headlines. Gold will also play in some cinemas, if you'd like to watch Efron try to survive the Aussie landscape on the big screen — with the film receiving a theatrical release on January 13, then streaming via Stan on January 26. Wherever you choose to watch it, you'll see the High School Musical, The Greatest Showman and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile actor get a serious case of gold fever after stumbling upon the biggest gold nugget ever found. Efron's character, known only as Man One, discovers the huge chunk of gold with the movie's writer/director/co-star Anthony Hayes (Total Control) — who, yes, plays a figure known as Man Two. The pair of drifters then come up with a plan to excavate the precious metal, but it involves Man One staying behind to guard it while Man Two goes to nab the necessary equipment. As the just-dropped first trailer for Gold shows, that doesn't look too promising for Man One. Gold also features Wentworth and Cargo's Susie Porter as a stranger who crosses Man One's path — and obviously features oh-so-many lingering looks at the outback backdrop that filmmakers have loved ever since 70s greats such as Wake in Fright and Walkabout. Plonking big-name stars against Australia's striking terrain is only a small genre, but it's still a growing one — with Gold joining everything from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Australia to The Rover and The Dressmaker. Check out the trailer for Gold below: Gold will screen in selected cinemas from January 13, and stream via Stan from January 26.
It's blast from the past time, again — and time to spend a couple of nights journeying back a few decades just by hitting the dance floor. Whether you lived through the 90s rave scene, spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s or just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes, Ministry of Sound will take you there when its huge Testament parties return for 2024. Ministry of Sound itself was around through both eras, so you couldn't be in better hands to get retro via old-school 90s and 00s bangers. The Testament events last toured Australia in 2023, and will return for this year from the end of August through to early September — for two nights each in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, plus one-day-only stops on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Each evening is devoted to either the 90s or the 00s, so you'll need to attend both if you want to make shapes to tunes from both decades. But it's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, so fans of late 20th-century beats can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks if that's all that you're keen on, while lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. More than 80 DJs will be on the decks between Saturday, August 31–Sunday, September 8, with Danny Rampling, Judge Jules and Seb Fontaine joined by Mousse T, Laidback Luke and X-Press 2 on headlining duties. The first three, all from the UK, are all about the 90s — and the second three are no strangers to getting dance floors pumping with 00s tunes. Australia's own John Course, Mark Dynamix and Dirty South are also on the lineup, alongside over 70 other names across the tour. And if you went to 2023's events, you'll be making a date with different venues in some cities. In Sydney, the newly reopened White Bay Power Station will host a music party of this type for the first time. In Brisbane, Felons Barrel Hall awaits for letting loose by the river. Ministry of Sound: Testament 2024 Dates: Sydney: Saturday, August 31 — 00s session at White Bay Power Station Saturday, September 7 — 90s session at White Bay Power Station Melbourne: Saturday, August 31 — 90s session at The Timber Yard Saturday, September 7 — 00s session at The Timber Yard Brisbane: Sunday, September 1 — 00s session at Felons Barrel Hall Friday, September 6 — 90s session at Felons Barrel Hall Gold Coast: Sunday, September 1 — 90s session at Miami Marketta Sunshine Coast: Sunday, September 8 — 00s session at The Station Perth: Friday, August 30 — 00s session at Metro City Sunday, September 8 — 90s session at The Court Ministry of Sound: Testament 2024 Lineup: Danny Rampling Judge Jules Laidback Luke Mousse T Seb Fontaine X-Press 2 Dirty South John Course Mark Dynamix Minx Alex Taylor Andy Murphy Ange Annabelle Gasper Barking Boy Ben Korbel B2B Declan Lee Boogs Casey Leaver Cassette Chantal Chiari Chris Wilson Craig Obey Darren Briais Diamond D Ember Franky D Gavin Campbell General Lee Goodwill Greg Sara Hutcho Ian Spicer Illya Jackness Jade James A Jen E JJ John Ferris Jumping Jack Kate Monroe Kevin Matt Kitshon Matt Nugent Menis Micah Miggy Mike Dotch Mind Electric Ming D Miss Doodes Mr Sparkles Pete McNamara pH Pussymittens Rachel Harvey Rob Sharp Robbie Lowe Robin Knight RobKAY Rudy Sam Hill Sardi Sgt Slick Shamus & Gabby Sheen Spacey Space Stephen Ferris Sunshine Sweet Chilli DJ's T-Rek Tim McGee Tonez Trent Anthony Ministry of Sound: Testament 2024 will tour Australia in August and September. For further details, and to buy tickets — with pre-sale registrations until 11.59pm on Tuesday, May 21, then pre-sales from 12pm on Wednesday, May 22 and general sales from 12pm on Thursday, May 23 — head to the event's website. Images: Rachel Rachel / Ashlea Caygill.
On most weekends, somewhere in Brisbane is hosting a beer festival. They might not happen every single weekend, but they definitely pop up with frequency. Only one is called the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular, however, and dedicates itself to weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties that are made exclusively for the booze-fuelled party. And that very fest is back for 2023. If you're a newcomer to GABS, as the festival is known, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then, it started spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. Now, its 2023 plans will see it return for its Brisbane event on Saturday, June 10 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Attendees can look forward to an event that's considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region. And, you can grab tickets from the GABS website from 3pm on Friday, March 3. One big reason: it'll pour at least 1200 kegs — which in past years have been inspired by breakfast foods, savoury snacks, desserts, cocktails and more — from 240 taps. In 2022, peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum and sour gummy bears all got a whirl. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, plus folks from the US and UK, with more than 120 set to be pouring their wares this year. Also on the bill: other types of tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. In fact, Archie Rose, Monkey Shoulder Whisky and Yellow Tail Wines will all be making their GABS debuts. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which'll span a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders in 2023, as well as local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. Yes, that includes the Mountain Goat air guitar championship, the Balter tins of glory, the Atomic wheel of pourtune and the Black Flag skate ramp. Updated March 3.
Steak and frites is a very straightforward pairing, but a great one. Some of the best combinations keep things simple, after all. It's also on the menu once a week at Emporium Hotel's Belle Époque — and the French joint has something particularly special on offer. Head by on a Thursday night between 5–9pm, and you'll be able to tuck into a 200-gram black angus sirloin as topped with Cafe de Paris butter. You'll also get frites — and they're bottomless. We all know the feeling of munching through your fries, wanting more and being disappointed, so with this deal, you can eat as many as you want. Also included is a glass of vin de table — aka red wine — with the whole dinner costing $32 per person. If you're dining with someone who doesn't fancy steak, Belle Époque's is also serving up soup of the day, oysters, charcuterie and cheese, plus house-made pies, crispy skin confit duck leg, mussels and cauliflower gratin. And, unsurprisingly, bookings are essential by contacting the venue. Updated February 1, 2021.
