You can take away Brisbane's annual show, and the midweek public holiday that usually goes with it. You can do so two years in a row, in fact. But, you can't erase the city's love for the Ekka, or for some of its staples — dagwood dogs, Bertie Beetle showbags and those iconic strawberry sundaes, naturally — so the event's organisers are giving the people what we want. Already, a delivery service that's been dubbed the Strawberry Sundae Taskforce has been announced. It's delivering 20-packs of strawberry sundaes in DIY kits for you to make at home, and it's a great excuse to stock up on the cult dessert for the days, weeks and/or months ahead. But, like in 2020, the Ekka is also hosting a couple of physical takeaway-only events: a drive-thru at Brisbane Showgrounds and a pop-up on King Street in Bowen Hills. These two events are being called Ekka Tastes, and they'll run from 10am–7pm between Saturday, August 14–Sunday, August 22. So, Brisbanites will have nine days to get their Ekka fix at both locations — and yes, this means that your August plans can still involve battered sausages on sticks, glossy plastic bags filled with beetle-shaped chocolates and Brisbane's most beloved form of ice cream. This year, there won't be any other fun around the food. Obviously, you won't be able to crash dodgems and throw a ball in a clown's mouth for a prize, and there won't be any fireworks either. Still, dagwood dogs, Bertie Beetle showbags and strawberry sundaes are always a winning combination. Ekka Tastes is popping up as a drive-thru at Brisbane Showgrounds (enter via Gate 4A on O'Connell Terrace, Bowen Hills) and as a pop-up on King Street (at 5/45 King Street, Bowen Hills) from 10am–7pm between Saturday, August 14–Sunday, August 22.
UPDATE: JULY 17, 2020 — All of the Hella Mega Tour dates for Australia and New Zealand have been cancelled due to COVID set backs. Tickets will be refunded but no new dates will be released. For more information, head to the event Instagram. We hope you'll have the time of your life with the latest retro tour announcement. We hope it makes you feel just like Buddy Holly, too. Bands who were big a couple of decades back just keep teaming up and heading to our shores for nostalgia-dripping gigs — and, in music to our greedy ears, Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy have revealed that they're all doing just that come November 2020. Hot on the heels of a similar announcement by The Offspring and Sum 41 just last week, the bands who gave us 'American Idiot', 'Undone — The Sweater Song' and 'This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race' will be hitting up Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, before heading over to NZ for shows in Auckland and Dunedin. It's the latest leg of the trio's Hella Mega Tour, which they first announced in September last year, and which sees them play across Europe, North America, and now Australia and New Zealand. Green Day, Weezer and and Fall Out Boy have all actually released new music lately, with Green Day's 13th album dropping today, February 7, and Weezer's 14th album expected in May. That means they'll all have new tunes to bust out as well. But, admit it — if you're excited about seeing this trio of American rock bands share a stage, then you're excited about hearing their respective back catalogues live. Given they've been doing their punk-styled thing since the late 80s, Green Day certainly have plenty of iconic tracks — whether you prefer early 90s hits 'Welcome to Paradise' and 'When I Come Around', the late 90s-era likes of 'Good Riddance' and 'Nice Guys Finish Last', or mid-00s songs like 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams'. Weezer's discography is just as hefty — and if they don't play 'Island in the Sun' while they're touring these islands in the sun, you're allowed to be upset. As for Fall Out Boy, the tour comes just after they dropped their second best-of album last November, so you know they'll treating audiences to everything from 'Dance, Dance' to 'Uma Thurman'. Local support for all shows comes from New Zealand power-rock four-piece The Beths. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erG5rgNYSdk THE HELLA MEGA 2020 AUSTRALIAN and NZ TOUR DATES Perth — Sunday, November 8, HBF Park Melbourne — Wednesday, November 11, Marvel Stadium Sydney — Saturday, November 14, Bankwest Stadium Brisbane — Tuesday, November 17, Suncorp Stadium Dunedin — Friday, November 20, Forsyth Barr Stadium Auckland — Sunday, November 22, Mt Smart Stadium Fan pre-sale tickets for The Hella Mega Tour go on sale at 10am local time on Monday, February 10. Then, there will be a Live Nation pre-sale — that starts at 10am local time on Tuesday, February 11 in Australia, and 10am local time on Thursday, February 13 in New Zealand. Finally, general tickets on sale at 11am local time on Friday, February 14. Visit the tour website to sign up for pre-sale and for further details.
Dog-sharing. Yep. Read it again. Dog-sharing. Services that allow pooch owners to connect with other pooch owners to help with everyday care, pupsit for holidays, do walks and so on. It's happening. Australian service Dogshare was initially launched for dog owners only, but it's now launched a pretty damn exciting feature — a 'borrowing' feature for dog loving people in the same neighbourhood. Yep, now Dogshare allows dogless humans to 'borrow' a pup. You can provide walks or day/night dog-sitting for time-poor dog owners in your local area. There's no money involved, just love (and trust dammit, take care of those pooches). Similar Aussie service BorrowMyPooch works on the same principle but has a subscription fee for owners and borrowers, while Pawshake is free to sign up as a sitter, but owners pay to host their pups. Dogshare founder Jessica Thomas, a busy working mum to two young children and Duke, an exuberant German Shorthaired Pointer, chose to add the free dog borrowing feature in response to a wave of emails she received from non-dog owners willing to offer non-reciprocal care at no charge. "I found that there are so many people out there who genuinely love dogs and have experience caring for them, but are unable to commit to owning one for a variety of reasons," says Thomas. "The borrower gets access to a dog and all the benefits that go with it, while the owner has someone to love and care for their pet when they can't." So, how does it work? Like an online dating service, 'borrowers' create a profile on Dogshare's website, list their previous experience with dogs and flag any services they're keen to volunteer for — there's dog walking, park playdates, overnight stays, vacation stays, taking pups to the vet and other appointments or even the tiniest task of checking on the pup while their owners are at work. Borrowers can then connect with Dogshare's dog owners, who can arrange a local park meet-up and see whether you're not a total weirdo or not. Want to give it a shot? Visit Dogshare's website to create a borrower profile and meet dem pups. Image: Veronika Homchis.
From a 140-year-old watering hole on Lutwyche Road to a spot to sip brews on Bribie Island — and including a Bald Hills mainstay, too — plenty of Brisbane pubs have been getting big makeovers over the past few years. Actually, be precise, a heap of Brissie pubs owned by Australian Venue Co have been undergoing facelifts, and the Salisbury Hotel in the city's south is one of them. This Toohey Road spot reopened in April 2022 after a hefty revamp to the tune of $1.6 million. The big change: a huge new beer garden, so you've now got somewhere leafy to sit while you're knocking back beverages. Filled with picnic-style tables topped with striped umbrellas, and sprawling out over a scenic stretch of grass, the beer garden caters to 108 people in two sections, with one for the bistro and the other for the sports bar. Accordingly, whether you're heading by just for a drink or for a meal, sunshine awaits — or, at night, hanging out beneath the strung-up fairy lights. Both the bistro and sports bar have also undergone a refresh, with the former offering up a family-friendly space for bites to eat and the latter decked out with big screens. Menu-wise, the bistro is going heavy on pub classics; think: parmigianas, schnitzels, burgers and pizza, plus pork belly, cob loaf, fried pickles and loaded wedges. Other highlights include prawn linguine, mushroom gnocchi and spiced pumpkin fritters, plus steaks from the grill, a Thai-inspired beef salad, and sticky date pudding, rocky road and baked cheesecake for dessert. If you're looking for a reason to drop in on a particular night, the Salisbury is dedicating Tuesdays to $16 parmigianas and schnitties, doing trivia nights on Wednesdays, and hosting live music on Fridays and Sundays. For those eager to spend the night, the Salisbury also does accommodation — and its 16 rooms, both internal and external, have been refurbished as well.
The first sip of an oat flat white from your local cafe tells you everything you need to know. On a good day, it's smooth, balanced and creamy — on a bad day, it's flat, split or watery. So what makes the difference between a great (or not so great) dairy-free coffee? According to Anthony Douglas, World Barista Champion, long-time team member at Melbourne's Axil Coffee Roasters, and MILKLAB Global Brand Ambassador, it all comes down to the milk. Anthony knows a thing or two about making great coffee. And he's spent more hours than most perfecting the relationship between espresso and milk. "When I first touched a coffee machine I had no idea there were even competitions let alone that I would be up there myself on stage," he tells Concrete Playground, when asked how he became one of the world's best baristas. "About five years into my career, that was my first exposure to competition. I decided to give it a go, and realised how much I could learn and grow through competition. That's what kept me going until I finally won." Now, his approach is all about the fundamentals. In fact, he believes a great cup of coffee should be simple. "I've always found the best results by keeping the process simple, focusing on the basics and executing them well," he says. For Anthony, a good coffee using plant-based MILKLAB comes down to three things: temperature, texture and integration. "[It's about] being really present as you're steaming the milk and breaking down those bubbles. [Also] being conscious of how you're integrating the milk with the espresso so you preserve the flavour, while still ensuring it's integrated properly from top to bottom," he says. It's something most people have tried at home, but it seems easier said than done. That is, until you've got a few of Anthony's go-to techniques up your sleeve to help achieve the perfect jug of silky milk. "I think it's important to achieve an even whirlpool and really maximise the power of the steam wand," he recommends. "Tilting the wand to the side enough so it spins, but not too close to the side, and ensuring it's angled low enough to really break down any bubbles on top." If you really want to level up your milk game, he suggests introducing the air quickly so you have more time to texturise the bubbles into that delicious, creamy microfoam. And his final tip is temperature. "Too hot and the quality of the milk degrades, is more dilute (due to the extra time spent introducing steam). Too cool and the milk can overpower the flavour of the coffee due to the lack of dilution." "Drinking temperature also has a massive impact on the types of flavours we experience and is one of the first things most customers notice when drinking a milk-based coffee." [caption id="attachment_1014856" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony Douglas, World Barista Champion[/caption] When it comes to plant-based options, Anthony has a clear favourite — but rates them all. "Each milk does have its own unique flavour and texture based on the ingredient it's centred around," he says. "I think my favourite would be MILKLAB Oat as it is the most versatile and works well to showcase any coffee it's paired with. MILKLAB Almond has a beautiful natural sweetness from the almond and is quite easy drinking. MILKLAB Soy I find has a great rich sweetness and body. MILKLAB Macadamia has this beautiful lush texture. And MILKLAB coconut once again has an amazing texture and tropical flavour that really works well with coffee." It turns out, not every milk behaves the same way with every coffee and there's quite a bit of science behind making sure things go smoothly. "The key is understanding how they interact with different coffee. Coffee that is highly acidic, very fresh, or roasted darker often doesn't integrate as smoothly and can cause separation or curdling," he says. If you're running into this issue, Anthony has one simple trick. "[You can] add a small splash of cold plant-based milk to the espresso before steaming and pouring. Cold milk has a higher tolerance for acidity and heat, and this step can help neutralise the compounds in the coffee that might otherwise cause a negative reaction." So, there you have it. To get a plant-based coffee worthy of a world champion, go back to basics, perfect your steam wand technique and don't forget the power of temperature. With a little intention and the right milk, you can get cafe-level results at home. Discover the full barista-approved MILKLAB range on the website.
For the month of May, things are getting spooky, creepy, unnerving and unsettling at the Gallery of Modern Art's Australian Cinematheque. And downright old school, too. Between Friday, May 3 and Wednesday, May 29, one of the venue's big screens will be paying tribute to B movies of the kind they really don't make any more. First, a bit of history. Going to the cinema was usually a two-for-one affair between the 30s and 50s, with the main attraction paired with a second flick. And while the A movie could've been anything big, shiny and glossy, the B movie was typically some low-budget genre delight. As a result, when double features stopped being the norm, the term was still used to describe horror movies, sci-fi fare, creature features and the like. Instead of playing with other, higher-profile films, come the 60s they played at drive-ins and on TV late at night. All of the above should put you in the right frame of mind for GOMA's Beauty in the B Grade program, which is screening a heap of retro treasures. Among the notable names featured are icon Vincent Price, acting legend Steve McQueen, and filmmakers James Whale, Jacques Tourneur, William Castle and Roger Corman — with movies such as Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Blob, It Came From Beneath the Sea and Tarantula on the lineup, as well as House of Usher, Carnival of Souls and the original The Little Shop of Horrors. Films play on Wednesday and Friday nights, as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Even better — they're free, and some are showing on imported 35mm prints.
Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) comes across Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), lying broken and beaten in the street. She refuses an ambulance, so he takes her back to his house, where she tells him the story of lifelong obsession with sex. Nymphomaniac is, in many territories around the world, released in two separate parts. In Australia, we are getting the whole thing in one massive four-hour go, albeit with some of the more extreme material cut. Although it's hard to imagine they cut much, given what's left in. There's a good chance that Nymphomaniac will confirm your preconceived notions of director Lars von Trier. To his fans, it is a bold, funny, challenging film that dives headlong into a difficult subject. To his detractors, it is further evidence that von Trier's idea of provocative cinema is a rote combination of mental illnesses and genital close-ups. I should confess at this point that I am traditionally a von Trier detractor, but one who claimed his previous work, Melancholia, to be one of 2011's best films. Nymphomaniac, however, is a litany of his worst tendencies. He seems terrified of sincerity; every moment that comes dangerously close to a human emotion is immediately undercut with a cynical aside as we cut jarringly back to the 'present -day' story. What should be a clever framing device becomes a get-out-of-jail free card for von Trier. Joe and Seligman fall over themselves to acknowledge the extraordinary coincidences in Joe's story, as if von Trier thinks this makes up for lazy writing. Or is winking at us to show us the lazy writing is deliberate. Either way, he seems to believe a veil of self-aware cynicism insulates him against potential criticism. It does not. Now, it must be acknowledged that making fun of Shia LaBeouf these days is like shooting fish in a barrel, and must only be attempted when the situation absolutely calls for it. This is one such situation. Casting LaBeouf as one of the 'English' characters feels like von Trier's biggest prank, and LaBeouf enters each scene as if he was asked to try some sort of Britishy accent moments before 'action!' was called. I'm not saying it's bad; I'm saying nobody's allowed to make fun of Dick Van Dyke ever again. There's an adage in filmmaking that if you have a great ending, audiences will forgive any trespasses. And Nymphomaniac, I must confess, has a great ending. It went out on such an impressive note, it almost made me forget my problems with the proceeding four hours. Almost. Ardent fans of von Trier will find much to enjoy in this film, as he continues exploring the themes and styles of works such as Breaking the Waves, Dogville and Dancer in the Dark. If you do not count yourself as a fan, then I suggest you stay well away. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gdxzno5Xp2Y
Brisbane isn't a seaside city, but it knows how do seafood well. From fine-diners to neighbourhood fish 'n' chipperies, finding a top-notch serving of the ocean's finest isn't hard around town. Add New Farm Seafood to the list of eateries plating up fish, prawns, bugs, oysters, calamari, Japanese sea scallops, mussels and more — to dine in, for takeaway and also to cook at home from its market. Open six days a week, this new addition to Merthyr Village does double duty as a seafood-focused diner and a spot to pick up fresh catches. Whichever you choose, you'll be getting something sourced from Australian and New Zealand waters by owner Michael Hatzifotis. The eatery's fish is line-caught, while its market is stocked with wares fresh from the trawler. "Whether you're a fresh seafood enthusiast or love your takeaway fish and chips with family and friends, New Farm Seafood welcomes you to experience sustainable, quality produce served by an experienced and knowledgeable team," Hatzifotis advises. Both for eating on the premises while sitting in the venue's outdoor seating and taking cooked dishes home, options include oysters with rosemary and lemon granita, fish croquettes with saffron aioli, lemon pepper calamari, bug rolls, focaccia baked in-house with taramasalata, caviar and blinis, and fish burgers. The menu also spans a few meals that you can only enjoy if you're dining in, such as the aforementioned Japanese sea scallops (which come with cauliflower cream, macadamia and basil oil), one-kilogram servings of mussels (steamed, and paired with chilli, tomato, feta and garlic) and whole baked fish. Packs and platters are also on offer, such as takeaway-only family and one-person feasts, plus both cooked and fresh platters that come stacked with seafood. Opt for your choice of cod, snapper of flathead crumbed or battered in tempura, and it comes paired with fries. Go with grilled barramundi, ocean trout or blue-eye trevalla instead, and you'll get fennel puree and orange salad as sides. You can also select from non-seafood dishes, some of which reflect Hatzifotis' Greek heritage — which is where the one-kilogram Greek lamb shoulder, Greek beef hamburgers and traditional Greek salad comes in. Among the other choices: rib fillet steak on the bone with onion rings and salsa verde, and creme brûlée for dessert. And to drink? The beverage list features a small lineup of sparkling, rosé, red and white wines, plus beers. Feel like going all out? This is also the kind of place that pours Cristal for $490 a bottle if you're particularly flush with cash. Among the takeaway range, you'll also find heat-and-eat meals and items to stock your pantry, including marinades, sauces and stocks. Find New Farm Seafood at Merthyr Village, Shop 8, 85 Merthyr Road, New Farm — operating from 8am–9pm Tuesday–Sunday, with the kitchen open from 11am. Head to the venue's website for more details.
How often do you think about the Roman Empire? So asked the much-memed question of 2023, as no one could avoid. With Gladiator II reaching cinemas to give 2024 one of its big blockbusters for the year, another query, also Roman Empire-related, springs to mind: how often do you think about Ridley Scott's 2000 epic Gladiator — the film that won five Oscars, including Best Actor for Russell Crowe as general-turned-arena combatant Maximus — whenever you're thinking about the Roman Empire? The first Gladiator is that influential. For more than two decades since its release, the swords- and sandals-heavy movie has proven an enduring pop-culture touchstone when it comes to contemplating its specific chapter of history through a Hollywood lens, and just in epic cinema overall. Are we not entertained? Audiences the world over were at the turn of the century, so it has never been surprising that talk of a follow-up has been buzzing since 2001. How a second feature would play out has shifted, changed and evolved several times since — Nick Cave even wrote a script — but the film that's transporting viewers back to the Colosseum still boasts exactly what it always needed: the now-octogenarian Scott at the helm. Audiences should be thankful that the iconic Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise filmmaker has added another Gladiator flick to his resume, returning to one of his hits again as he last did with the Alien realm with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant (and that he's continuing to be prolific, helming his fourth film of the 2020s after The Last Duel , House of Gucci and Napoleon). Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers), Connie Nielsen (Origin) and Fred Hechinger (Thelma), three of Gladiator II's stars, aren't just grateful that Scott is behind the camera on the film; speaking with Concrete Playground when they were in Australia for the movie's premiere in Sydney, the trio couldn't have been more inspired by their time working with the director. "Basically I want to be like Ridley when I grow up. That's the root of it for me," Mescal shared with us. Nielsen described returning to one of Scott's sets, and stepping back into the Colosseum in particular, as feeling "like I was coming home". And Hechinger summed up the enthusiastic trio's communal sentiments about collaborating with the filmmaker, when asked what they had each learned from him at the end of our chat — which sparked eager answers. "I know this was your last question and you had a minute, but clearly if you asked this at the beginning of the interview, we could have talked the entire interview for five months about all the things that we learned from him." [caption id="attachment_979923" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures[/caption] As Lucius, Mescal is Gladiator II's focal point, with the Aftersun Oscar-nominee, plus The Lost Daughter, Carmen and Foe talent, leading his first Tinseltown blockbuster just four years after the Irish actor became a global obsession courtesy of Normal People. He slides into Crowe's (The Exorcism) shoes in terms of starring in a Gladiator picture, and also into Spencer Treat Clark's (Salem's Lot), who portrayed the same character as a boy in the first film. Lucius' path is familiar, too, taking him from military command to slavery and fighting for his life in front of Roman crowds. As Gladiator viewers know, his mother, aka Nielsen's Lucilla, has seen this situation occur before as well — but this time, it's Hechinger and Joseph Quinn (A Quiet Place: Day One) as sibling Emperors Caracalla and Geta who are lording over the empire, rather than Joaquin Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) as her brother Commodus. Scott's knack for casting remains exceptional with Gladiator II, which also boasts Pedro Pascal (Drive-Away Dolls) as Roman general Marcus Acacius and Denzel Washington as power broker Macrinus. Mescal ensures that Lucius is a determined, devoted and unflinching leader, whether he's literally guiding an army or battling as a gladiator — and also warm, vulnerable and open. Nielsen, who has featured in everything from the Wonder Woman films and Nymphomaniac to TV's Boss and The Following between stints as Lucilla, keeps unpacking how women, even those seen to have some influence and status, can sometimes only be permitted to inhabit a certain space in their worlds. And for The White Lotus, Fear Street and Pam & Tommy alum Hechinger, playing Caracalla means being hedonistic, ruthless, reckless, power-hungry and blood-thirsty opposite not only Quinn but also Caracalla's pet monkey Dundus. With Mescal, Nielsen and Hechinger, we also discussed the present-tense nature of Scott's sets, finding space for Lucilla's political instincts, stepping beyond Crowe's shadow and turning in unpredictable performances — alongside unpacking male psychology, Gladiator II's rallying against the control of the one percent and the devil-may-care abuse of power, and more. On What Nielsen Was Most Excited About in Returning to the World of Gladiator After More Than Two Decades Connie: "The fact that this is a mature woman of experience and of intellectual weight. You don't see many women like that in the theatre kind of ever. And so the way they wrote her, they really made her, yes, the heart and the big mother in the film, but they also made so much space for her political instinct and also for her dreams. You don't really see that much, and so it was very exciting to see and expand on a woman that I played as a young girl." On Mescal Always Being in the Moment Despite the Pressures and Responsibilities of Following in Russell Crowe's Footsteps Paul: "You feel a sense of pressure and responsibility with every single film that you ever make — this being different in the sense that Gladiator, the first Gladiator, is absolutely adored, as it should be. Russell is absolutely adored for that performance, as he should be. But the idea of legacy or pressure is a fundamental problem — it's directly in conflict with trying to carve out your own performance. You can't really lean into it all that much, because the words used to describe the first one and Russell are applied over time, and with the act of making the film — Gladiator II or any film — it has to be utterly present-tense. You have to go to work and build it beat by beat, block by block, day by day. And Ridley's sets are wonderfully, wonderfully present-tense. There's no time to breathe or think about the past or think about the future. You are carving out your own plot of land and desperately trying to protect it." On How Hechinger Crafted a Hedonistic, Ruthless, Reckless and Utterly Unpredictable Character Like Caracalla — and One of a Pair Fred: "I think you want a genuine feeling of danger and ..." Connie: "Unpredictability." Fred: "... Unpredictability. I guess it's a little bit of a conundrum. How do you craft unpredictability? But I think you have to put so many things in there that you can find how to get out of your own way, or at least you have enough tools and elements that you not only surprise others but yourself. What Paul is speaking to in terms of Ridley's set is a true gift in that regard. He's building an environment that is utterly convincing, and also hurtles forward whether you interact with it or not. So the urgency and the full-body need to be heard, and to carve some space, as Paul was telling you about, I think really mixes with my character and all the characters in the film. You have to reckon with the space and there's no shortcut for you. You realise on other sets how many shortcuts are built in, and sometimes the disservice to the work that that does. I think, in this case, there's a real challenge every day — and that as an actor is a gift, because if you're playing someone who's impulsive and dangerous, the environment matches that level of danger and sense of possibility." Connie: "And also Fred, you weren't getting any rehearsals, really." Fred: "Yeah, there is no rehearsal. I mean, Ridley doesn't do rehearsals." Connie: "So you guys basically had to make up a lot of choices prior to even coming to set." Fred: "Joe Quinn and I did work closely on certain aspects of their brotherhood. There's a quality to their relationship that is a double act — at least in public they are. And so some of those Colosseum days felt like we were preparing for the Colosseum. We were preparing for a public thing. We're thinking 'how do we as a duo speak to Rome today?'. And so that it mirrored the story in a lot of ways there. And then I would say that the private side of them, that dynamic was something that was less prepared and spoken about with Joe — but implicitly by not talking about it, we were sort of secretly preparing the opposite side of it, in terms of the public and the private of their relationship." Connie:" I think for the rest of us, who were sitting around and watching them start up this whatever dog-and-pony show you guys are doing that day, I was like 'that is so cool'. It was really cool for us to watch. You guys had really worked hard to get things ready and I just love that. It's so professional." Fred: "Thank you, it means a lot." On What It Feels Like to Step Into Scott's Colosseum — for the First Time and When You're Returning Connie: "For me, it was so strange. It really felt like I was coming home. I know this place — what is it called, the prodigal daughter, returning to daddy's home?" Fred: "I felt — I think I said this to you in person — I felt that Connie was such a leader to all of us. I do remember this first days when you were talking about the experience of returning to the Colosseum, what the Colosseum was like then versus now. It not only made us feel more comfortable as people on the set, it also was really intelligent in terms of continuing to build the world for us. I think it was really creatively generous and additive." Connie: "Well, also because the first Colosseum was kind of like golden and bronzey just very sort of sun-drenched and gorgeous. And this one had a lot of red and black, and a lot of soot, a lot of homeless people at the arches outside of it. There was just a completely different set this time. And so it was both home, but it was also very clear that Ridley had told the story that 18 years had passed since we last left the Colosseum in Gladiator. And that was just very impressive for me to watch how all of the tools that he as a master plays on. And no one tells you. You have to really look. And when you're looking, you realise 'oh my god, he's playing on that and that thing', and it's like he's this master weaver." Paul: "100 percent." Fred: "I really think it's the time. It's the end of an empire. It's where greed goes to die. My first conversation with Janty Yates, our costume designer, I said to her 'I want Caracella to feel like rotting gold'. And when you looked around ..." Paul: "It felt that way." Connie: "It was rot everywhere. Social rot." Fred: "Yeah." On Mescal's Determination to Unpack Male Psychology in His Roles — and to Find Warmth, Vulnerability and Openness While Playing a Gladiator Paul: "I think it's this whole conversation about actors being transformative, which I think is so important, but it's also like if you look at painters that you really admire or any other form of artist, there is a template in the form that we admire about, say, van Gogh or Vermeer or something like that. We're not asking them to change their style every time. Acting is slightly different if you're wanting to play different characters, but there is something that I'm drawn to in terms of the complexities of male psychology. Like, what is it about the way that we think is as young men in the world? That ultimately feels like, when I'm acting, that's my job to kind of allow an audience into to our psychology. And I think when you're playing somebody who is brutalised and uses violence as a weapon in order to survive, that's one thing, but I think that you would grow tired of that as an audience if that was two-and-a-half hours of somebody expressing their life through violence. And I'm glad that you referenced that there is vulnerability there, because all of that anger isn't a means of being — it's a symptom that is built from the hurt that he's experienced. And also it's a fun lens to get to play with. Like, how are you trying to let that version of the vulnerability creep through? So I think the kind of performance style that I'm interested in, both in doing and watching, is not when you hit an audience over the head — you're trying to slowly invite them in to be suspicious or curious about what's going on underneath the surface for every character I play, and it was no different with Lucius." On Whether Gladiator II's Class Clashes Make It Feel Like a Movie for the Moment Connie: "I think it's more subtle than that. I think I can understand why there is this experience of it, because we inevitably mirror ourselves in the stories that we watch. I also know that for sure this was part of what Ridley was playing on but. But as always with Ridley, it's very subtle. I think that this is universal. It doesn't just belong to this moment. It belongs throughout history, that we consistently have to work at achieving that balance. I think maybe when I was younger, when I was like 20, 30, even 40, I still believed that we were moving towards universal democracy. When Tiananmen happened, I thought …" Paul: "That's surely going to be a moment." Connie: "For sure, that's going to be freedom for so many people. And then now we're in the position that you don't feel like we're consistently moving towards that universal freedom. And I would even say that international rule of law has really taken a step back over the last five, six years, seven years. And so I think that it's understandable that people read into it. But I do think it's subtle and I also don't think it's the main cause of the film." Paul: "I agree." On What Mescal, Nielsen and Hechinger Learned From Working with Ridley Scott Paul: "The thing that always strikes me about Ridley is if Ridley decided to never make a film again, he will go down as one of the greatest. But the thing that has struck me on a daily basis is that he could be so entitled as a man and a director, and he's one of the least-entitled people I know. His appetite for work ..." Connie: "Is total." Paul: "... is total. And I think as much as I have enjoyed everybody else that I've worked with, it's something that myself and everybody else included would probably say — that everybody else's work ethic pales in comparison to what he brings just innately as a human being. So to get to watch that from somebody in their 80s is exactly what I would dream of having when I'm — basically I want to be like Ridley when I grow up. That's the root of it for me." Connie: "For me, I look at him as a teacher at all times. I remember on the first film, I came on set in England, we were shooting the Germania battle, and I walk on set and I'm seeing 3000 soldiers on this giant open field that has literally been created by cutting and burning trees. Of course, completely sustainably. And I asked him 'but how are you going to make sure that the audience understands that Russell is coming from behind the enemy lines? How are you going to make sure they understand that?'. And then he was just like 'alright, let me show you'. And he just showed me how all of the battle cameras were turning from left towards right. And then he said 'with all of these cameras where I am filming Russell galloping behind the lines, I am sending that camera from right to left. Intrinsically people will understand that this is what's happening'. He also just drew up a diagram in three seconds and described exactly what it would look like from cut to cut to cut, like that, off the bat. When we were on stage at a screening in London just a few days ago, he started describing how he was building, for example, an action sequence that involved baboons. And the way in which he described his choices, going from 'oh, I once met that one little baboon and that baboon had alopecia' — and the creativity of his brain, and then followed by his ability to then create a way of doing it, which literally did not exist probably technically before. But he's leaning on the amazing people that he hires, and who are able to read into what he's trying to create. Then he is able to describe probably better than anyone what it is that he wants. He's able to say to me 'say that line' and I say it. And he's like 'no, not like that. Give me another line'. I'll come up with another line, and he's like 'no, too much description. Go there. Say it this way'. I'll come up with a line where, I'll go for that third time or fourth time, it'll be the right line. 'Okay, keep that line'. You just are willing to bend over backwards for him and come up with 20 different lines. I'll have written out literally 20 different versions of what I'm trying to say, and he will tell me which one that will work, and he will then, with the greatest respect, incorporate it." Fred: "His work ethic is an expression of his infinite love of cinema and the collaborative act of movie-making. I just think seeing Ridley on a film set is like is like seeing the most-perfect combination of the two." Connie: "He's like a conductor." Fred: "He shares his love in the most-infectious way. And it's funny because I know this was your last question and you had a minute, but clearly if you asked this at the beginning of the interview, we could have talked the entire interview ..." Connie: "Yep." Paul: "Just like that." Fred: "... for five months about all the things that we learned from him. He teaches a million things every day and the things that he teaches you, sometimes he doesn't even need to tell you. They're just happening. He lives through action." Connie: "But also he's amazing at actually directing without judging, which is a unique difference. He's not judging what you're doing." Fred: "Yeah." Connie: "He's directing from this open space." Fred: "Conducting." Gladiator II opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Images: © 2024 Paramount Pictures.
'Tis the season to be jolly, or at the very least, the season is coming up very soon. As a rule proved year on year, there's no shortage of summer celebrations — so the human struggle is deciding how and where you want to spend your fun-filled time. In news that will bless the ears of aspiring partygoers, Hyatt Regency Brisbane has the entirety of the festive season covered with a month of Christmas feasting and an all-out New Year's Eve party. Traditionally, Christmas equals big portions, so why not feast from a bougie buffet? From Monday, November 28, Lennons Restaurant & Bar will be hosting a Festive Buffet from Monday to Friday (plus a cheeky Saturday for Christmas Eve). You can expect a hearty spread of mains like honey mustard roast ham, seared salmon and wild mushroom gnocchi, salads (like the much-loved potato salad and the fan fave that sees watermelon meet mint and feta), a carving station (for all carnivorous needs) and a dessert station (it'd be rude not to). It's an ideal place to plate up a meal worthy of Santa Claus. It doesn't stop there either. Should you be in need of a feed on the big day itself, you can make the most of the celebration with a bountiful food and drinks package. You'll dine till you're done (but no rush, you have three hours) with a flavour-laden buffet and drinks package, while you're serenaded by live musos. Also, we hear Santa himself may be making an appearance at some point... Once Christmas farewells for another year, New Year's Eve is hurtling in at full speed, and Sail Away NYE Party is taking over the Hibiscus Room. Expect a sparkling spritz bar, four hours of flowing drinks, canapés doing the rounds and a fully stocked food station to fuel you through an evening of live entertainment. Lineup for the photo booth early if you want to snap your entry to 2023 — which you will toast to with a glass of Taittinger champagne. The Hyatt Regency Brisbane's Festive Buffet is on from Monday, November 28 till Saturday, December 24; Christmas Lunch on Sunday, December 25; and Sail Away NYE Party on Saturday, December 31. For more information, head to the website.
First it was the smartphone game no one could've guessed they'd get addicted to. Now it's a film that spins a story around a flightless flock of feathered friends, their unhappy attitude, and a posse of porky interlopers. We're talking, of course, about Angry Birds, an animated effort that not only brings the must-have app of 2009 to the big screen, but also comes up with an origin tale to explain its feuding characters. When we first meet Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), he's certainly far from chirpy, preferring to live on the outskirts of his island community. Despite working as a clown, he's more likely to incite rage than inspire laughs — and after doing just that at a hatch-day party, he's sent to anger management. There, alongside the speedy Chuck (Josh Gad) and explosive Bomb (Danny McBride), he's taught to control his temper, or at least try to. But then a ship bearing green pigs arrives, with their leader Leonard (Bill Hader) attempting to charm the birds with parties and presents. Instantly suspicious, Red soon discovers that his anger has other uses. Although there's certainly a message about accepting the good with the bad bundled into The Angry Birds Movie, if you're looking for a nuanced look at the emotional spectrum, you'd be better off sticking with Inside Out. This is a bright and busy effort that sticks to the usual all-ages recipe: slap together a breezy narrative, throw in a wealth of pop culture references to everything from The Shining to 50 Shades of Grey, add a soundtrack that's designed to appeal to ironic Rick Astley lovers as much as pre-teen Demi Lovato fans, and keep things moving as fast as humanly possible. Indeed, as questionable as making a movie out of Angry Birds may seem, its source of inspiration isn't the feature's main problem. A lack of energy and enthusiasm is — though given that the film remains bouncy and bubbly from start to finish, it might not initially appear that way. Alas, as The LEGO Movie proved, there's a difference between shoehorning in the required brand elements and demonstrating a true understanding of why people like the original product. Directors Fergal Reilly and Clay Kaytis don't concern themselves with that; they're content to plaster on the movie equivalent of a fake smile, and try not to make too much of a flap. That leaves the eye-popping visuals, along with a voice cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Maya Rudolph and Sean Penn, to do too much heavy lifting — and while everything looks and sounds the part, it also feels quite hollow. Perhaps two of writer Jon Vitti's past credits sum up the feature's fortunes best, with the scribe's background including episodes of The Simpsons along with a couple of the Alvin and the Chipmunks films. Sadly, The Angry Birds Movie has much more in common with the lazy cheesiness of the latter than the clever comedy of the former.
One of Sydney's favourite Italian eateries has arrived in Brisbane, and it's giving everyone a pizza-filled treat. Now trading on Skyring Terrace, the long-awaited Salt Meats Cheese Gasworks isn't just serving up gelato cocktails — it's holding $20 all-you-can-eat pizza nights every Monday from 5pm. "Does this look like someone who's had all they can eat?" isn't something you'll be saying when you devour as many slices as your stomach can handle, so calm your inner Homer Simpson. The only catch is that you'll have to buy a drink as well, but you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. If you go for the former and order a bellini, Espresso Freddo or Kaffirinha, you'll find peach sorbet, Baileys gelato and kaffir lime sorbet among the ingredients, as supplied by La Macelleria in Teneriffe. As for the 'za lineup, the venue's pizza bar boasts eight tomato- and six white-based varieties, plus two calzones. Don't have an afternoon snack beforehand, obviously.
Whatever your plans are on Thursday, April 20, 2023, it won't just be an ordinary day. No matter where you are across Australia, a solar eclipse will be making its presence known in the sky. Just like the song that you probably have stuck in your head, there'll be a total eclipse in one part of the country, in the Ningaloo region in Western Australia — and also a partial eclipse elsewhere. This eclipse isn't any ordinary eclipse, not that the moon passing between the sun and the earth, casting its shadow on the planet we call home and blocking out our source of natural light ever is. This one is a hybrid solar eclipse, which means that it switches between a ring-shaped or annual eclipse and a total solar eclipse according to Space.com — and the last time that happened was in 2013. After this, it won't occur again until 2031 and then 2164. Wondering what else you need to know? When it'll be happening, where and what to do? We've run through all the details below. WHAT IS IT? As we noted above, a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, casting its shadow on the latter and blocking out the former. When it's a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sun. During a partial eclipse, that only partly occurs, as the term suggests. During a total eclipse, there's a period of totality, which is the amount of time that the sun is completely obscured. It can only last for up to seven minutes — and it only happens on the path that the moon's shadow takes as the planet's natural satellite moves over the earth's surface. That's known as the path of totality. There's also two types of shadows: the umbra, which is the dark space in the centre; and the penumbra, which is partially illuminated. WHAT KIND OF SOLAR ECLIPSE IS THIS? This is both a total and a partial eclipse, depending on where you're located in Australia. If you're in the Ningaloo region, including in Exmouth, you'll witness a total eclipse, with the path of totality passing over. According to the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA), that will last will last around a minute, and the eclipsed sun will be 54 degrees above the horizon. For the rest of the country, it's a partial eclipse. As also explained above, this is a hybrid solar eclipse, too. So, it switches between a ring-shaped or annual eclipse and a total solar eclipse — which will only happen one more time this century. WHEN IS IT HAPPENING? In Exmouth, totality will start at 11.29am AWST — 50 seconds past that exact minute, to be exact — and will last about one minute, according to the ASA. Still in WA, in Perth, the partial eclipse will start at 10am, peak at 11.20am and finish at 12.47pm. Sydney's times for all of the above are 1.37pm AEST, 2.29pm and 3.19pm. In Melbourne, it's 1.15pm, 2.09pm and 3.01pm. For Brisbane, take note of 1.44pm, 2.45pm and 3.42pm. And in Adelaide, it's 12.24pm, 1.30pm and 2.35pm. WHERE IS IT HAPPENING? The short answer: everywhere across Australia. That said, do not look directly at the solar eclipse — see more details below. So, you might want to hit the livestream, which Perth Observatory will be doing with TimeAndDate.com. Hop online from 11.30am AEST. CAN I LOOK UP AT THE SOLAR ECLIPSE? Again, the short answer: not directly. We repeat: do not look directly at the solar eclipse. As the ASA advises, "it is never safe to look directly at a partial solar eclipse or the partial phases of a total solar eclipse without the proper equipment and techniques". Dr Hessom Razavi of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) and the Lions Eye Institute explains: "never look directly at the sun. It can cause serious and permanent eye damage, and that's true even during a solar eclipse." So, the ASA notes that best ways to observe an eclipse are by using eclipse glasses, which are special-purpose spectacles for the occasion and meet the ISO 12312 2 standard; hand-held solar viewers that have solar filters up to the international standard; and pinhole projection using a large card with a two-millimetre hole in the middle, which then projects an image of the sun onto a different surface around a metre away. Accordingly, definitely do not just look up with your naked eyes, or even just while wearing your normal glasses of sunglasses. The ASA has more details on its website. If you're wondering why you can't peer directly at a solar eclipse, that's because exposing your retinas to intense light will damage the eye's rod and cone cells, which are extremely light-sensitive. In fact, RANZCO says that even the special eclipse glasses come with some risks, and advises that "the only way to guarantee the prevention of solar retinopathy is to avoid all forms of direct sun viewing". It has also put together further details. WHEN WILL A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OCCUR IN AUSTRALIA AGAIN? Australia is about to become a haven for total solar eclipses, with five taking place in our skies in a 15-year period. The first is this one on Thursday, April 20, but then more will follow in 2028, 2030, 2037 and 2038. On July 22, 2028, it'll cross the Kimberley in Western Australia, as well as the Northern Territory, southwest Queensland and New South Wales, including passing over Sydney. Then, on November 25, 2030, it'll cross South Australia, northwest NSW and southern Queensland — and end at sunset in southeast Queensland. Come July 13, 2037, the eclipse will pass over southern WA, southern NT and western Queensland, including over Brisbane and the Gold Coast. And, on Boxing Day in 2038, it'll go over central WA, SA, and also along the NSW/Victorian border. The solar eclipse will take place on Thursday, April 20, 2023. For further information, head to the Astronomical Society of Australia website. Images: Terry Cuttle.
It's official: we Australians really love our coffee. None of that Starbucks swill for us; we know the real thing when we taste it and we aren't willing to settle for anything less. In even better news, coffee snobbery is no longer a Melbourne-centric thing. Brisbane's caffeine scene has spent the past few years growing up, and we reckon our humble city now boasts some of the best coffee in the business. Check out our top 10 picks and see if you agree. Ltd Espresso In less than two years, Ltd Espresso has reached lofty heights in Brisbane's coffee scene. A humble A-frame located outside Ltd's front door has gained near cult status for its daily jokes, puns and pearls of wisdom (which are also broadcast over social media) and the smooth Cleanskin coffee blend keeps customers coming back. Grab a bottle of cold press coffee to keep in the fridge for later. 362 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley Death Before Decaf This new coffee hub offers something that sets it apart from all other entries on this list: 24 hour caffeination. That's right; whether your cravings hit at 3pm or 3am, you'll find an open door and a hot coffee at Death Before Decaf. You can take your Bellissimo coffee with you or take five in the comfy leather sofa or milk crates out front. Shift workers, musicians and other creatures of the night have never been so awake. 3/760 Brunswick St, New Farm Dandelion & Driftwood Husband and wife team Peter and Penny Wolff have created a coffee-lover's dream at this Hendra cafe. Peter is a roaster with over 30 years experience, while Penny has judged at the Australian International Coffee Awards, and these credentials shine through with the two signature blends (aptly named 'Dandelion' and 'Driftwood'), tasting notes, rotating single origin options, and a 'Brew Bar' of opportunity. Shop 1, 45 Gehler Rd, Hendra Reverend's Fine Coffee When the owner of your coffee local is a former pastor, you come to expect a divine brew, and cappuccinos topped with real grated chocolate sure do fit the bill. The house blend is as appealing as the rustic interior, and a cafe menu is also available for those who don't want to caffeinate on an empty stomach. 372 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley Elixir Coffee Taking superb coffee further into the Northern Suburbs is Elixir, a hugely popular café and roastery in Stafford where you can watch coffee beans being roasted as you enjoy breakfast and a cuppa. Owners Jason and David Narciso practically have coffee running through their veins, such is the quality of their caffeine pedigree, and they have recently inked a deal with Paleo Cafe that will see award-winning Elixir coffee served up in Paleo Cafes around Australia. 10-12 Hayward St, Stafford Bunker Coffee Talk about hole-in-the-wall…Bunker Coffee is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it coffee hub (located in an real WWII bunker!) serving up espresso, filter coffee, iced coffees and authentic hot chocolate. Open from Monday to Friday and located a hop, skip and a jump from Milton Train Station, Bunker is a hit with weekday commuters. Bunker’s brother, John Mills Himself, has also recently opened in Brisbane’s CBD. 21 Railway Terrace, Milton Gramercy Espresso This semi-hidden cafe oasis is located just inside the Edward St entrance to the Wintergarden. The coffee is sourced from Sydney’s Reuben Hills roasters, and is a delight whether hot or cold. And bonus points, the folks at Gramercy make their own almond milk. A mouth-watering selection of cakes and pastries are also on offer, so don’t leave your sweet tooth at home. Wintergarden, 219 Queen St, Brisbane Blackstar Coffee Hailed as kings of the cold-press, Blackstar don’t take short cuts when it comes to providing their rich and earthy blend. In a story that has become a Brisbane legend, the Blackstar boys returned from a coffee-excursion in New Zealand, and with little more than flavour memory tried to replicate the finely crafted coffee they left overseas. Needless to say, success ensued and these days you can you can grab a brew from Blackstar in West End, Contessa in the City, or at the Queen Street markets. 44 Thomas St, West End Fonzie Abbott Espresso The Fonzie Abbott crew are serious about their beans, roasting their own blend at the Fox Street Factory in Albion. You’ll taste Fonzie’s brew if you order a coffee at establishments including Bitter Suite, Papa Jack’s, Noosa Chocolate Factory and Primal Pantry, as well as at the Fonzie Abbott café in Hamilton. While you’re there, grab a fresh croissant or a slice of banana bread to enjoy while you soak up the rustic surroundings and the goings on of Racecourse Rd. 1/30 Racecourse Rd, Hamilton Spring Hill Deli Spring Hill Deli is another fine establishment that has realised that using real chocolate on top of cappuccinos makes them approximately 1000% better. We probably don’t need to say much more, but if you still need convincing, the beans come from celebrated locals Cup Coffee Roasters and the moreish food menu is the perfect accompaniment. 537 Boundary St, Spring Hill View all Brisbane Cafes.
Over a decade into its story, Eat Street Northshore has risen to become one of Brisbane's choice food and entertainment destinations, featuring a huge variety of eclectic bites and drinks from amongst its jumble of colourful shipping containers. Now this bustling waterfront precinct is ready to reveal its latest summer event series, headlined by a Tivo summer spritz pop-up bar. Taking over The Trawler Deck — the venue's outdoor dining area, complete with a 30-tonne vintage prawn trawler — guests are invited to score an exclusive sneak peek. Featuring standout Mojo Tivo citrus spritzes and a seafood feast from local gourmet fish and chips purveyors, The Salty Sailor, this supremely bright and fresh combo will go down a treat alongside the sun-soaked vistas. Keen to head along? Eat Street Northshore is hosting a special launch party giveaway, with a lucky winner scoring two VIP tickets, a bottle of Tivo Lemon Spritz and a premium seafood platter for two from The Salty Sailor. With the winner announced at 12pm on Thursday, January 15, there's still time to enter. For those who don't score the prize, there's no need to stress. You're still welcome to check out the Tivo pop-up, open from Saturday, January 17–Sunday, January 18, and from Friday, January 23–Sunday, January 25. With the wider Eat Street Northshore experience home to live music across four stages and 60 culinary vendors, schedule in a sun-drenched session with friends or plan that overdue date night.
Sydney's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has sparked many a trip to the Harbour City. In recent years, it has also inspired themed flights to the New South Wales capital from New Zealand, Brisbane and Melbourne to enjoy the festivities. Partying in the sky on a pride flight on the way to Sydney's biggest pride party? That's a must for the diary. In 2023, however, all those mid-air shenanigans are levelling up. Next year, Sydney will host WorldPride, marking the huge LGBTQIA+ celebration's first-ever stint in the Southern Hemisphere. The plans for the event are massive — Kylie Minogue headlining the opening concert-level massive. And both Virgin and Qantas want to fly you there to enjoy everything from rainbows aplenty all around the city to a closing gig led by MUNA and G Flip. For Virgin, the pride flights will run for the third year, after first kicking off from Brisbane in 2021, then expanding to Melbourne in 2022. And, they'll add new departure points, letting folks from Adelaide and Perth also hop onboard — and running the airline's first-ever pride flight from the US to Australia, as flown by United Airlines, leaving from San Francisco. Tickets for Virgin's one-way pride trips are on sale now, and will include more than 1000 seats across five flights. From Australia, the flights depart on Friday, February 24, while the US service will leave on Wednesday, February 22 but touch down Down Under on Friday, February 24. The Aussie services will be hosted by RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under stars Coco Jumbo, Karen From Finance, Kween Kong and Maxi Shield, as well as top Australian drag talent like Barbie Q, Penny Tration, Philmah Bocks, Sexy Galexy and Tora Hymen. And, they'll include a pre-flight departure party featuring entertainment by local LGBTQIA+ venues (such as Fluffy, Sircuit, Mary's Poppin' and Connections Nightclub), alongside those mid-air drag performances, DJs and dancing — and bottomless beverages — while you're cruising at 30,000-plus feet There's also a pride flight landing party, too, taking place from 4.30–8.30pm on the Friday at The Beresford. It includes complimentary drinks and entertainment, and is covered by the pride flight tickets. And, $30 from the sale of each ticket will be donated to Australian charity Minus18, which works to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth. For Qantas, you'll be soaring in from Los Angeles, because that's where the airline's first-ever pride flight is departing from. The Qantas WorldPride Flight will also take off on Wednesday, February 22, and will feature Joel Creasey as host. On this US–Australia trip, there'll be live inflight entertainment, food by chef Neil Perry (who is also Qantas' Director of Food, Beverage and Service), and free limited-edition 'rainbow roo' Qantas pyjamas that've been designed specifically for the flight. And, your Qantas ticket will also include general admission to the Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert, where none other than Ms Minogue will take to the stage — a gig that's virtually sold-out otherwise. The one caveat on all of the above: passengers will have to organise their own far less glitter-filled flight home following the weekend's celebrations. Tickets for Virgin's past flights have always been snapped up quickly, so it's likely this batch from both airlines will do the same. And if you're a Sydneysider wanting to experience the one-way flights, you can always head to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, San Francisco or LA prior if that suits your plans, then use the pride services to return home. Virgin Australia's pride flights will fly from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide to Sydney on Friday, February 24, while its San Francisco–Sydney flight will depart on Wednesday, February 22. Tickets are on sale now from the Virgin Australia website. Qantas' pride flight will take off on Wednesday, February 22, flying from Los Angeles to Sydney. Tickets are also on sale now via the Qantas website. Sydney WorldPride will run from February 17–March 5, 2023. For more information, head to the event's website. Thinking about attending Sydney WorldPride? Check out Concrete Playground Trips' Sydney WorldPride package. It includes tickets to the Domain Dance Party and Live and Proud: Opening Concert, plus three nights at the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour Sydney.
Ever since Freddie Mercury teamed up with Brian May and company back in the 70s, Queen has never been out of fashion. Thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody, however, the band roared up the charts again over the past few years. You could call it a kind of magic. You could say that their songs must go on. Either way, if you're happy to let the British group keep rocking you, then head along to The Brightside on Friday, October 9. Been feeling a crazy little thing called love for Freddie and his bandmates? Then you'll be in the right spot. And if your approach to the group's music is "I want it all!", that's what you'll hear at Mamma Mia — Let Me Bingo and Sing-Along. And some ABBA songs, too, because why not? The one-night event will break free across two sessions, at 6.30pm and 9pm. This is a COVID-safe, seated version of the popular shindig — which is why bingo and sing-alongs are on offer, and dressing up as well. You won't be able to unleash your inner dancing queen, but you will still be able to thank everyone for the music. Yes, here we go again, just in a different format. If you're wondering how much money, money, money it'll set you back, tickets cost $29.13 — and buying in advance is recommended, because it's likely to sell out. Because it's a hard life, DJs will spin both band's tunes, and you and your fellow champions and super troupers will take a chance on singing along. You'll be able to say 'gimme, gimme, gimme' to other tracks from huge artists of the 70s and 80s, plus plenty of festive hits as well. Basically, prepare to step back in time — and if you miss out, you'll feel a little under pressure. Mamma Mia — Let Me Bingo and Sing-Along takes place on Friday, October 9, with sessions at 6.30pm and 9pm.
In 2019's Skint Estate, Cash Carraway told all; A memoir of poverty, motherhood and survival completes the book's full title. Penned about working-class Britain from within working-class Britain, Carraway's written jaunt through her own life steps through the reality of being a single mum without a permanent place to live, of struggling to get by at every second, and of being around the system since she was a teenager. It examines alcoholism, loneliness, mental illness and domestic violence, too, plus refuges, working at peep shows, getting groceries from food banks and hopping between whatever temporary accommodation is available. It's unfettered and unflinching, especially about how difficult it is to merely exist in London if you're not wealthy — and it's in that same spirit that Rain Dogs follows. An eight-part dramedy hailing from HBO and the BBC, and streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, Rain Dogs isn't a direct adaptation of Carraway's text. It doesn't purport to bring her experiences to the screen exactly as they happened, or with slavish fidelity to the specific details. "It isn't autobiographical, but it definitely has firm roots in the chip on my shoulder!", the author advises about the series that she also created and wrote. This addition to 2023's new HBO highlights alongside The Last of Us remains not only raw, rich, honest and authentic but lived in as it tells the same basic story charted in Skint Estate's pages with candour, humour, warmth and poignancy. Slipping into Carraway's fictionalised shoes is Daisy May Cooper — and she's outstanding. Her on-screen resume includes Avenue 5 and Am I Being Unreasonable?, as well as being a team captain on the latest iteration of Britain's Spicks and Specks-inspiring Never Mind the Buzzcocks, but she's a force to be reckoned with as aspiring writer, recovering alcoholic, child-abuse survivor and mum (to Iris, played by debutant Fleur Tashjian) Costello Jones. When Rain Dogs begins, it's with an eviction. Cooper lives and breathes determination as Costello then scrambles to find somewhere for her and Iris to stay next. That's a constant battle, in fact, with the pair laying down their heads everywhere from cars and closets to palatial country houses and women's refuges in the search for somewhere to feel safe, settle in and truly belong. Costello knows that her heart resides in London; keeping it there is another matter. Working full-time isn't enough, and neither is taking odd jobs whenever she can — such as cleaning the apartment of artist Lenny (The Young Ones legend Adrian Edmondson) while he watches on and pleasures himself — to supplement her income. But she's adamant about attempting to do her utmost for Iris as she tries to pen her own memoir ("basically Oliver Twist but with big tits"). Among Rain Dogs' many unblinking truths, how tricky it is to make it in creative fields when you don't have the fiscal luxury of interning, working for exposure and accepting wages impossible to survive on even without a cost-of-living crisis — and if you also lack a well-to-do network of contacts to help get your foot in the door — echoes strongly. This isn't just Costello and Iris' tale, as devastatingly well-written and -performed as both characters are. This isn't just a story of a mother and daughter doing it tough, either, and facing more tragedies and heartbreaks than hard-earned joys. Rain Dogs is those things, but it's also an exploration of the complicated and imperfect support systems that spring beyond the bonds of blood. Enter Florian Selby (Jack Farthing, Spencer), alongside the aforementioned Lenny and Costello's best friend Gloria (Ronke Adekoluejo, Alex Rider). Each is as flawed and chaotic as Costello — Gloria is first met waking up in a phone booth with last night's party outfit on and no memory of how she got there, for instance — because Rain Dogs directs the clearest of eyes towards everyone. In episode one, when Costello's phone rings, "SELBY — DON'T ANSWER" gleams across her screen. They'll be chatting before episode two arrives, with Selby an inescapable part of Costello and Iris' existence, but the reason for her caution makes itself known quickly. A companion since Costello's university days and the closest thing to a father that Iris has, he completes their unconventional and dysfunctional family. That said, the self-described "classical homosexual" is as privileged as he is self-destructive, tussles with his mental health, and re-enters Costello and Iris' life after a year in prison for assault. He's devoted to them, relishing helping financially when he can — and he usually can — but, while he's Costello's platonic other half, toxic doesn't even begin to describe their relationship at its worst. Carraway has dubbed Rain Dogs as "an off-beat rom-com between Costello and Selby" and "a love story told from the gutter". On-screen, she poses the pair as soulmates caught in a storm of striving (to be better, and to give Iris they best they can), self-sabotaging and stark realities. One particularly excellent episode sees the trio live out a moneyed fantasy, yet it's tainted from the outset. They're not leaving London voluntarily. Rather, they're decamping because Selby's mother (Anna Chancellor, Pennyworth) has cut him off and banished him to their holiday home. Iris has never enjoyed such luxury, and Costello can't remember such stability — but, as months pass, Selby and Costello also can't stop their usual dynamic from flaring up. HBO isn't shy about confronting the vast economic inequality that's an infuriating fact of life today, usually in satirical portraits of the one-percent such as Succession and The White Lotus. Indeed, the US network is exceptional at making such shows smart and savvy must-see viewing. In Rain Dogs, it spends more time among the have nots than the haves — and it spies how everyday human nature is considered damning when you're poor but eccentric when you're rich. With a firm sense of humour, it pokes fun at the journalist that says she wants to unearth a new voice but twists Costello's words into poverty porn, the school mums claiming to sport liberal attitudes but quick to shame, and the photographer so turned on by playing poverty tourist that he climaxes early. With a steely gaze, it spots how easily Selby keeps coming back from his many missteps, and how widely and repeatedly Costello is punished for hers. Watching along with Rain Dogs is a revelatory rollercoaster, and it's stunning. Check out the trailer for Rain Dogs below: Rain Dogs streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Images: Simon Ridgway, James Pardon and Gary Moyes/HBO.
When Jurassic Park opened in 1993, Steven Spielberg presented us with dinosaurs of such terrifying and spectacular realism, they've not been bested in the more than two decades since. So too the giant, wreathing CGI tornados of 1996's Twister, upon which Spielberg acted as executive producer. Special effects have come a long way since then, and one unfortunate corollary has been the proliferation of movies based on them rather than bolstered by them. Consider the latest offering: Into The Storm — another 'nature attacks humans' film where the only twist is it wasn't directed by Roland Emmerich. Here, a series of twisters are on a collision course with a small American town, imperilling not only its inhabitants but also the storm chasers determined to film from within the eye of the tornado. Some kids get stuck in a mill, more get trapped in their school and… that's it. There's the plot. Storm come. Storm big. Storm destroy. Most annoying of all, this is another addition to the found footage genre of film — an entirely unnecessary device that's almost always ignored as soon it becomes too difficult to explain how or why someone was filming every single moment (in this case, a dramatic shot of 747s swirling around inside a giant tornado was not, presumably, filmed by a pigeon with a Go-Pro). Found footage also has a knack for making even decent actors look rubbish, as is the case here with Richard Armitage, aka The Hobbit's Thorin Oakenshield. His dialogue, whether scripted or improvised, seems horrifically forced throughout, representing a sort of poor-man's Frank Underwood narration. There is one drawcard here, and it's the weather. The menacing skies are spectacular and the force of the winds is well captured in the action sequences, yet it's nothing we'd not already seen all the way back in 1996. So, if it's a twister film you desire, save your money and revisit the only one actually worthy of the name. https://youtube.com/watch?v=A_kj8EKhV3w
In celebration of the XX Commonwealth Games currently being held in Glasgow, one Scotland bar has created a marathon cocktail. Like many of the athletes competing this year, this cocktail is also a record breaker, with 71 ingredients used to represent each country participating in the Games. Mal Spence, of Kelvingrove Cafe in Glasgow worked with Glasgow City Marketing Bureau to create this extravagant concoction. "Most classic cocktails have three or four ingredients.” Spence explained to the Evening Times. “To find a recipe that could combine all these different flavours and also taste good was a challenge I couldn't resist.” Spence experimented with 300 different ingredients before finally achieving the right blend of flavours. While most alcohol aficionados would squash up their face at the thought of such a busy cocktail, in this case we’re satisfied that the research has been done and we will happily be the judge of this debate if someone would like to make us one. While the cocktail uses some familiar flavours of English red Apple and Scottish wild strawberry, the Commonwealth Cocktail includes a few things we’ve barely heard of, let alone tried in a cocktail. Really, when else would you get to sample The Cook Islands’s custard apple seeds, Swaziland’s sycamore fig, or Malaysian galangal? Australia’s contribution to the mix is an aniseed myrtle (syzygium anisatum), in case you were wondering. Spence is doing a limited run of 71 of these cocktails (of course) until August 3. If you’re unable to get to Glasgow Spence has made a simpler version, which you can make at home as you watch Australia dominate the Games. Here's the full list of ingredients: Africa Botswana: devils claw (genus clerodendrum) Cameroon: bitter leaf (piper umbellatum) Ghana: taro (psidium guajava) Kenya: chives Lesotho: rosehip Malawi: cacao (pycreuscyperaceae) Mauritius: wild raspberry (rubus rosifolius) Mozambique: cassava Namibia: prickly pear Nigeria: utazi leaves Rwanda: papaya Seychelles: citronella Sierra Leone: cashew nut (piassava) South Africa: roobus Swaziland: sycamore fig Tanzania: cloves Uganda: nakati eggplant Zambia: sorrel Americas Belize: dragonfruit Bermuda: arabica coffee beans Canada: logan berry Falkland Islands: bitter cress Guyana: sugar cane St. Helena: St. Helena tea plant Asia Bangladesh: jujubi Brunei Darussalam: durian fruit India: mangosteen Malaysia: galangal Maldives: pomegranate (annaaru) Pakistan: saffron Singapore: rambutan Sri Lanka: ripe jakfruit Caribbean Anguilla: mango Antigua & Barbuda: tamarind Bahamas: egg fruit Barbados: sour cherry British Virgin Islands: noni Cayman Islands: sage (salvia caymanensis) Dominica: guava leaf Grenada: lemon grass Jamaica: okra Montserrat: devil’s horse whip St. Kitts & Nevis: tamon St. Lucia: sweet basil St. Vincent & The Grenadines: arrowroot Trinidad & Tobago: tonka bean Turks & Caicos Islands: sapodilla Europe Cyprus: basil-thyme (???????) England: red apple Gibraltar: maqui berry Guernsey: blueberries Isle of Man: new potatoes Jersey: lavender Malta: star anise Northern Ireland: bog rosemary Scotland: wild Scottish strawberry Wales: wild cotoneaster Oceania Australia: aniseed myrtle (syzygium anisatum) (gundabluie) (bardi bush) Cook Islands: custard apple seeds (annona reticulata) Kiribati: dried coconut meat (copra) Nauru: pumpkin seeds New Zealand: manuka honey Niue: paw paw Norfolk Island: yam Papua New Guinea: taro (colocasia esculenta) Samoa: ladies finger (small, sweet banana) Solomon Islands: taro leaves Tonga: avocado (avoka) Tuvalu: breadfruit Vanuatu: plantain Fiji: kava root Via The Evening Times and Grub Street.
If it wasn't for Violet Crumbles, the world wouldn't have quite a few things. Firstly, we wouldn't have the pleasure of biting into those chocolate-honeycomb bars themselves, and tasting that delicious flavour combination. We also wouldn't have the slogan "it's the way it shatters that matters", which is up there with the catchiest advertising lines of all time. And, Bertie Beetles wouldn't exist, because the showbag favourite was initially created to use the pieces of honeycomb left over from making — you guessed it — Violet Crumbles. Thankfully, no one needs to live in a world without either Violet Crumbles or Bertie Beetles — or, thanks to your next must-try cocktail, without Violet Crumble espresso martinis, too. The latter has just hit the market thanks to the Melbourne-based Feminaè Beverage Co, and it is indeed exactly what it sounds like. Now it's the way your caffeinated boozy tipple shatters that matters, too. Sold in hefty two-litre ready-to-drink casks, the VC espresso martinis are made with cold-drip coffee, vodka and Australian cream, and then infused with Violet Crumble honeycomb, caramel and chocolate flavours. A box will set you back $79.90, and includes 24 standard drinks — for parties, or just to keep in the fridge for when the urge strikes. You'll also get a Violet Crumble bar to shatter over the cocktails — or just to eat if you'd prefer. (Let's face it, if you're keen on this kind of espresso martini, you're already a fiend for the chocolate bar itself.) Feminaè is only releasing a limited run, which means ordering sooner rather than latter is recommended — and they're already shipping the casks out. The company also has a passionfruit and pavlova cosmo in its range — now sold out, sadly — if you're already thinking about what other sweet treats deserve to be turned into cocktails. Our suggestion: Bertie Beetles, naturally. Feminaè Beverage Co's Violet Crumble espresso martini casks are available to buy online for $79.90 while stocks last.
With everyone spending more time at home — and zero time eating out at restaurants and cafes — we're betting that you've probably cranked up your oven and put your baking skills to the test in recent weeks. Unfortunately, though, we are not all destined to be Betty Crockers. Next time you want to get creative in the kitchen, you don't have to resort to a packet mix — even if you're a bit of a novice in the kitchen. A bunch of Aussie bakeries, cafes and restaurants are adapting to the current situation and one thing we're seeing more of is bake-at-home cookie dough. And it's safe to say these top-notch spots know what they're doing in the kitchen — so you don't have to. Here are some of the best you'll find in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, which you can pick up or get delivered. Then, soon enough, you'll be feasting on gooey, chocolatey cookies straight from the oven. SYDNEY Home of the cookie pizza, Bennett Street Dairy is selling its handmade chocolate chip dough and offering citywide delivery within two business days. The old school-inspired joint sources its ingredients straight from the farm, with its dough containing big chunks of chocolate and no raw products. You can get 500 grams of the goods, which will make about six to eight large biscuits, for $12. You can store your roll of dough in the fridge for or up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months, so you can stock up and have cookies on-hand for a while to come. To order, head here. Firedoor has also jumped on the cookie wagon, offering pre-made dough through its new online grocer Fireshop. The online store has a bunch of 'almost-ready' dishes, pantry staples and produce, which you need to order between Thursday–Tuesday for pick up on Friday between 2–4pm. In your virtual basket, you'll want to throw in at least one 400-gram roll of native cookie dough ($20). Made with white chocolate and native Australian fruits, this cookie is for those who like the finer baked things in life. Sydney's king of desserts Andy Bowdy is slinging some top-notch dough, too. Head down to Saga between 9am–4pm any Tuesday through Sunday, and nab yourself a roll of salted chocolate chip or peanut butter — or both. Each comes in 480 grams and costs $12.50. MELBOURNE Shannon Martinez and Mo Wyse's spin-off vegan New York-style delicatessen, Smith & Deli, is selling frozen dough. So, if you're vegan — or just looking to get your hands on some high-quality cookies — look no further. The dough is frozen fresh, loaded with chocolate chunks and will make ten to 20 biscuits, depending on size. A roll costs $15 and can be ordered via Mr Yum for pick up and delivery. Earl Canteen is selling two different types of cookie dough through its online shop Earl at Home. There's a Callebaut chocolate, sea salt and walnuts one or one filled with raspberry and pistachio — both will make about 20 deliciously chewy cookies and cost $22. To order, head here. The choc chip dough comes in its Favourites Pack ($125), too. Delivery is available within 20 kilometres of the CBD and is free for order amounting to $125 or more. Contactless pick up is also available from Earl's head office at 15–17 Cubitt Street, Cremorne. BRISBANE Brisbane's go-t0 for baked goods, Jocelyn's Provisions, is now selling 'take & bake' kits, including a choc chip cookie kit ($18.50), featuring 500 grams of ready-to-bake dough, which is enough to make 24 cookies. Kits are available for pick up only — with orders taken online, and collection available from Jocelyn's Provisions' stores on Sandgate Road in Albion, James Street in New Farm and Samuel Street in Camp Hill. If you're a cookie fiend and want more, Flour & Chocolate — as the name would suggest — is also selling some choc-filled dough for $15. You can pick them up from the Morningside patisserie every Tuesday to Saturday from 6.30am–2pm. To preorder, email morningside@flourandchocolate.com or call (07) 3161 6246. If you do go outside to pick up cookies, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Spanish feasts are on the menu at Burnett Lane's newest restaurant — and it's serving up dishes all day long. El Matador serves Iberian-inspired breakfasts, plenty of tapas for lunch, dinner and everything in-between. And all come with drinks, naturally. Drop by first thing for Spanish tortillas with cheese and onion crisps; corn fritters paired with wood-roasted cherry tomatoes and smashed avocado; and coal-smoked king fish topped with shaved San Simon smoked cheese. If you're looking for something sweeter, you'll find house-baked traditional Spanish breads and pastries, such as traditional shortbread and chocolate and cinnamon meringues. Cava-filled bloody marys with paprika are also on the morning lineup, should you need something stronger than a coffee. For those heading along later in the day, expect a huge range of bite-sized selections — there's a sizeable tapas and pintxos menu, which spans everything from four types of shellfish with salmorejo, alioli and lemon; to sticky pork ribs with smoked paprika; three-cheese tarts with baby figs and honey; and Spanish favourite patatas bravas. Larger meals are also on offer, including a lamb shoulder that's smoked overnight and served with preserved lemon, sherry and rosemary, plus half a confit suckling pig that you have to order 24 hours in advance. With the bar designed around an open kitchen, jamón and other cured meats from the humidor are also a highlight, as well as six types of Spanish cheese. As for drinks, you can tuck into one of three sangria jugs to share, pick from classic cocktails, or opt for an array of Spanish, local and international wines and beers. Decked out with booths and banquettes, and capable of welcoming 80 patrons at once, El Matador is the latest venture from Leo Castelluccio, who's known from Melbourne venues Cato, Graffiti Club and Bakers Gallery. He's planning to further his expansion into Brisbane, too, with a cocktail and karaoke bar in the works directly across the lane.
If you're the type of traveller who chooses their stay based on creature comforts and hotel accolades, you'll want to put a jaunt to Queenstown's newest boutique hotel on your 2023 bucket list. With jaw-dropping views of the lake and town centre thanks to its position on Queenstown Hill, The Carlin has been wowing guests since it first opened seven months ago. And now this 'beyond five-star' hotel just picked up a slew of gongs at this year's World Boutique Hotel Awards in Sydney on Friday night — including the top gong for World's Best New Hotel. The luxe accommodation offering also won prizes for Best New Hotel in Australasia and Best Hotel With a View: Australasia. The Carlin is the brainchild of US-born hotelier and property developer Kevin Carlin, who called the international recognition "very humbling". "We pride ourselves on delivering an outstanding level of service, and these awards formally acknowledge the hard work of our team," he said. [caption id="attachment_880380" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Allen[/caption] With more than 250 nominees from 70-plus countries, judges base their scores on various aspects of guest experience, including restaurants, facilities, location, design and emotional impact. Judges were impressed by the Carlin's "finer details" including the stunningly designed outdoor living spaces, 24-hour on-call staff, private chef and spa services, and guest access to luxury vehicles and private jets. And although it wasn't officially noted, we're guessing the hotel's famously appointed marble bathrooms and wildly exciting various remote-controlled toilet modes all played a role. "We confidently expect to see The Carlin taking more awards in the future," the judges said. Keen on a luxe Queenstown experience with a scenic flight, gin-tasting tour and private Onsen hot pools? Check out this CP Trips package. The Carlin was awarded three prizes at the World Boutique Hotel Awards, including World's Best New Hotel. The hotel can be found at 43 Hallenstein Street, Queenstown.
New York has Central Park. London has Hyde Park. Berlin has its Tiergarten. Sprawling inner-city parklands are a pivotal part of many of the world's best cities. Now, Brisbane is getting its own — revamping the site at Herston that's currently home to Victoria Park Golf Course, and turning it into a huge space for the public. Announced by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and dubbed Victoria Park Vision, the transformed spot will span 45 hectares — and, as well as almost doubling the amount of space that's currently available to Brisbanites, it'll mark the city's biggest new park in five decades. With the golf course's patronage in decline in recent years, its 26 hectares will be reclaimed and reshaped; however, its popular attractions will remain. That means that the driving range and mini-golf course will stay onsite, as will the function centre and wedding venue. While the Brisbane City Council has earmarked $1 million over the 2019–20 financial year for community consultation and design, exactly what else will be included has yet to be decided. But, the updated spot will act as a green link for the area, connecting Kelvin Grove, Herston, Bowen Hills and the Brisbane Showgrounds. https://twitter.com/team_schrinner/status/1137542332243423232 If you're keen to have your say on what the site should feature, you'll be able to do just that at upcoming forums and public consultation sessions. "Other successful parklands across Brisbane have pop-up cinemas, different types of markets, community events and include revolutionary play areas for all ages. These are all options we will explore with the community," said the Lord Mayor Schrinner in a statement. The Courier Mail reports that Victoria Park Vision will also include water features, woodlands and gardens — and, size-wise, will rank second in in the city to the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. In terms of access, it'll link in with the existing busway at Herston. And, when it's up-and-running, the park will also be serviced by the Brisbane Metro at the the Herston and Kelvin Grove stations. Just when Victoria Park Vision will be open to the public is yet to be announced, but work is due to get underway in 2021. Image: Victoria Park Golf Complex.
What's better than regular ol' mini golf? Putt putt with booze, as Holey Moley embraced back in 2016 when it opened its first-ever venue right here in Brisbane. What's better than one such OTT spot dedicated to tap, tap, tapping and sip, sip, sipping, too? Two, obviously, which the brand also acknowledged when it launched a second Brissie spot in the Wintergarden in 2019. Now, what's even better than just a couple of places to pick up a club and try to hit a ball around pop culture-themed holes, while pausing to drink bathtub cocktails? Yes, the answer is three, because that's how maths work. So Brisbanites, you've now got a date with Holey Moley Chermside. Given that Holey Moley has also spread across the Sunshine State and interstate, the underlying concept is already familiar, just at Chermside shopping centre. If you're known to pick up your Christmas presents at the huge Gympie Road spot, consider this an extra-festive piece of news — this year's browsing and buying can now include a mini-golf break. Holey Moley Chermside isn't be small, catering to 350 people. Patrons can play their way around 18 holes, channelling their inner Happy Gilmore before hitting the Caddyshack bar. The general setup, vibe and menu carries over from other locations, just in a different spot. Those greens include four new designs that've been exclusively tailored for the Chermside venue: Surfs Up, Dart Board, Moonshot and the Sonic the Hedgehog-inspired Mini Sonic Loophole. They're joined by a heap of the brand's well-known decor from other venues, such as The Simpsons' Evergreen Terrace and The Flintstones' Bedrock n Roll. And, some holes take their cues from Brisbane and its weather; 'tis the place for it, after all. At the bar, expect an 80s and 90s theme, as well as creative concoctions and stomach-lining bites to eat. Again, well-known faves like the Sugar Caddy and Rub a Dub Tub cocktails are on offer — the latter served in a tiny bathtub that even has rubber ducks floating in it — while the snacks lineup features ingredients sourced from local Australian producers. The bar's decor goes big on hanging plants, in a savvy touch: sure, you're not out in the openair, strolling around the grass and taking a swing, but you can still get a dose of nature all around you.
Good news gaming fiends: Melbourne's first hotel games-inspired room is now available for you to live out all your gamer dreams. View Melbourne has created a 35-square-metre room that's custom-made for gaming, providing guests with everything they need for the ultimate game night. It's essentially a fully loaded paradise for gamers and, yes, it's as good as it sounds. The PC corner includes an MSI MEG Trident X2 computer, dual 27-inch 170Hz Esports gaming monitors, a full Elgato streaming setup and a game library that boasts an extensive collection that's continuously updated. The setup also includes an Xbox controller, MSI gaming headset, mouse, keyboard and a Logitech speaker system. Meanwhile, the couch and main television are perfectly set up for all kinds of console gaming, from intense solo sessions to epic four-player parties. The main machine is a Nintendo Switch hooked up to a 55-inch Samsung TV complete with Apple TV, accompanied by four Nintendo Switch pro controllers. On the games front, all the Nintendo faves are available, including the big Mario titles, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Plus, guests also have access to a huge catalogue of NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and Nintendo 64 games, all of which are available to play via the Switch. Now, let's talk perks. The room comes with bottomless popcorn, which you'll make in the room yourself; a whole fridge filled with energy drinks, soft drinks, beer and wine; various spirits; and a fully stocked snack bar with an array of gamer faves (yes, even Cheetos). The popcorn is complimentary, but you'll pay for everything else that you eat and drink. The room is full of gamer memorabilia without feeling crowded, and the customisable RGB lighting adds a cool touch (don't worry, you can turn it off if it isn't your thing). Up to five people can stay in the room, so it's the perfect space for epic Mario Party sessions. The setup includes a king bed which can transform into two singles, a sofa bed, and the option to add a portable bed. The room is inclusive for two guests, with each additional adult costing $40 per night. Kids under 12 stay free if they're using existing bedding. For those looking to stream, the high-speed internet and Elgato gear, and even a ring light are there for a seamless experience. And if you're in Melbourne for business, the PC corner doubles as a workspace. In short, the room is a cool blend of nice hotel amenities and a gamer's dream setup, offering a fresh, fun way to stay in Melbourne if you're visiting — or a dream staycation if you just want to live out your 12-year-old kid fantasy. Find View Melbourne at 562 St Kilda Road, Melbourne — and head to the View Melbourne website for bookings.
Brisbane's idea of cooler weather might be much milder than most, but you can still slide across ice in the centre of the city in our warm part of the world. From Friday, June 21 to Sunday, July 14, King George Square will become a winter wonderland thanks to the return of the Skating At Brisbane Festival. With the event back for another year, all of the frosty fabulousness Brisbanites know, love and won't find anywhere else in the CBD is back too: ice skating, obviously, but also ice sliding, rides, music, food and more. It's the next best thing to heading to Europe when it's oh-so-cool, just without the bone-chilling, teeth-chattering cold. Plus, the lineup of events includes not only regular ice skating, but a romance-themed 'date and skate' night each Tuesday, as well as an 'Ice Ice Baby' 90s and 00s disco evening every Thursday. In previous years, the food offerings also included German sausages, espresso martinis gluhwein (aka warm, mulled, spiced wine), so prepare to really feel like you're abroad. Entry to the area is free, but you'll have to pay for all of the fun stuff, with the fest open from 10am–9pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am–10pm on Thursday to Sunday.
Festive season means party season, as your calendar no doubt attests. Expect enough food to make you feel merry, plenty of drinks to keep you jolly, and to frequent many a Brisbane bar and restaurant. There's no shortage of places to celebrate all things end-of-year, but not every venue is primed for your posse of pals in partying mode. In partnership with Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée, here are ten with enough room for you and a group of your best buddies to kick up your heels in and crack open a bottle of bubbly. 'Tis the season to have some fun and stay stylish, after all. ARIA, BRISBANE River views? Check. Mouthwatering food? Check. A classy sit-down dinner kind of shindig? Check check check. Head to Aria at Eagle Street Pier for a feast that'll keep your tastebuds satisfied until the new year, including a groups menu specifically geared towards ten to 20 people. Fresh seasonal produce is what chef Matt Moran is all about, so that's what your selection is certain to boast. Plus, private dining is available for bigger cohorts — which is probably perfect if you and 40 of your closest mates are in the mood for eating well and knocking back a few barrel-aged cocktails and glasses of bubbly. LENNON'S POOL BAR AND TERRACE, BRISBANE If you're after a venue with wow factor — and somewhere where you can sit by and maybe even dip your feet in an inviting body of water — then Lennon's Pool Terrace and Bar is the party place for you. Sure, the name gives you a great indication of the kind of fun you're in for; however, you mightn't realise that you'll be on a rooftop in the Queen Street Mall, surrounded by palm trees and overflowing with indoor and outdoor areas where you can sip on a refreshing glass of bubbly. Sounds like celebration central to us. CLOUDLAND, FORTITUDE VALLEY Sipping cocktails, tucking into tasty meals, dancing the night away, hanging out in style: whichever fits your idea of seasonal celebrating, you'll find it at Cloudland. Whatever you opt for, you'll probably want to make a beeline for one of their booths — aka the hottest seats in the house. Whether your idea of a group gathering means eight or 70 people, the decadent Fortitude Valley venue has you covered, complete with food and beverage packages. Fun fact in case you need some dinner and drinks conversation: the original Cloudland dance hall, located in Bowen Hill and demolished in 1982, was originally called Luna Park. THE CHARMING SQUIRE, SOUTH BRISBANE Can you remember what South Bank's Grey Street was like before The Charming Squire set up shop? No, neither can we. In terms of a one-stop spot for enjoying beers brewed on the premises and eating a hearty meal, there's nowhere like it in the vicinity. Whether you opt for the bar or restaurant, there's ample room to invite everyone you know, and a menu to match. You'll be in good company — The Charming Squire is often packed with people, so call ahead to book out a space. LIBERTINE, BRISBANE Nestled into the Barracks complex on Petrie Terrace, Libertine works the best kind of magic on its patrons. Sure, you're sitting a stone's throw away from a busy main road; however, once you have a vodka-filled Vietnamese lemonade in your hand and a plate full of easy-to-share croquettes and dumplings in front of you, you'll forget all about that. Given the gorgeous indoor and outdoor digs on offer, that's easy to do. Sitting under the stars having canapés and cocktails with your best buddies is something everything Brisbanite needs to do, too. BITTER SUITE, NEW FARM In the mood for the kind of celebration that feels like a festive Sunday session? Try Bitter Suite. The fact that you'll find it on a New Farm corner surrounded by houses and apartments should give an idea of the laidback vibe the British-inspired watering hole offers, but in the best kind of way. Think everything from fried green tomatoes and ham hocks to eat, and a rotating array of beers and ciders on tap to drink. And, if you're after some daytime shenanigans — a leisurely lunch outside, perhaps — you couldn't be in a better place for it. THE WICKHAM, FORTITUDE VALLEY Nothing says partying like relaxing in the beer garden of one of Brisbane's best pubs. And, to make the experience even more special, lounging around in a reclaimed shipping container can also be part of the merriment. They're just two of the spaces worth taking all your mates to The Wickham to enjoy a celebratory drink — and there's more where that came from. If you're in the mood for top comfort food-style nosh and a happening atmosphere, you'll find it at the 131-year-old establishment on Wickham Street. [caption id="attachment_600593" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: A Darling Affair.[/caption] THE LOFT, WEST END Weddings, parties, anything: it's not just a name of an Aussie band from the '80s and '90s that nobody really remembers. Those three words also describe everything that The Loft can host, whatever kind of get-together you're after included. And, crucially — although, fittingly given its Boundary Street location in West End — you'll never feel like you're in a function venue here. You'll kick back, knock back a few drinks, eat up everything you can, and you'll do so surrounded by more greenery than you'd expect in a place that's also a lounge bar and nightclub. ALFRED AND CONSTANCE, FORTITUDE VALLEY To you and me, Alfred & Constance is the best kind of hangout: multiple bars, multiple moods, multiple beverages… the list goes on. To the powers-that-be responsible for making it one of the city's must-visit spots, it's a hospitality complex — and boy oh boy, do they treat it like one. That means every kind of celebratory experience you could think of is on offer. Whether you're keen on feasting on a carving board in the beer garden, drinking wine in the downstairs disco, chilling out with an alcoholic smoothie or grabbing a late-night dessert, you'll find it here. SONO PORTSIDE, HAMILTON Don't just party like the calendar says you must — party like you've been whisked away to a far-off place. The moment you spy cherry blossoms, you'll feel like you're far, far away from Brisbane, and that's just the beginning of the Sono Portside experience. River views, an interactive teppanyaki bar, fresh sushi and sashimi prepared in front of your eyes, and so, so much sake: that's all in store here. Be warned: you'll also find plenty of inspiration to take your celebratory shindig to another country next year. Celebrate this season with Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée — available at your local supermarket or liquor store.
The island of Lombok is Bali's equally magical (but considerably less crowded) neighbour. Here, you get long white sand beaches, deep forests hiding waterfalls and small villages filled with friendly locals. Yes, Bali has all this too. But Lombok is significantly quieter and cheaper. Experienced travellers come here for all the luxury trimmings at beachside or mountaintop villas but at a fraction of the price. Read on to find our favourite places to stay in Lombok, all of which can be booked through Concrete Playground Trips. HOTEL TUGU LOMBOK This luxury Lombok hotel is full of character. One of the dining rooms sits under an enormous wooden pavilion filled with locally made furniture. The bar is located within a traditional hut decorated with a smattering of artworks and sculptures. And the uniquely designed rooms include features like private rooftops, lotus ponds, outdoor baths, plunge pools and more. Add the private beach and spa facilities and you're left with the total wellness package. Plus, it's only a short boat ride away from the famous Gili Islands — so your day trips are sorted. BOOK IT NOW. KU VILLAS This small resort has a few different accommodation types, ranging from individual rooms and suites (with or without a plunge pool) to larger villas with private gardens and larger pools. Modern simplicity is also key when it comes to design and amenities — expect large open rooms with classic wooden furniture and crisp white linens. The in-house spa and small restaurant both make spending entire days by the pool all too easy. We're so impressed with KU Villas that we've teamed up with them to bring our readers one massive island holiday deal. Guests will get a three-night stay, an hour-long massage, a personal chauffeur, a $200 food and beverage voucher for the nearby SIWA Clubhouse and daily breakfast for only $455 — an absolute bargain by anyone's standards. BOOK IT NOW. SELONG SELO RESORT AND RESIDENCES These villas and studios feel more like luxury homes than travel accommodations. Guests have their own modern kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms as well as private balconies with barbecues and private plunge pools. And the views — well, they are just serene. Whether you're sitting in your room or dining by the main pool and restaurant, you'll have uninterrupted sea views framed by wide-open plains and dramatic mountains. Plus, with the option to book a seven-bedroom villa, Selong Selo Resort and Residence is great for large groups of travellers. BOOK IT NOW. RINJANI BEACH ECO RESORT This rustic eco-resort has all the essentials required for having a super comfortable holiday on a tropical island — but it's the location and long list of adventure experiences that make it one of the best places to stay in Lombok. The resort's team will organise snorkelling and diving trips and hikes up to the Rinjani volcano where you'll see large emerald-green lakes and hidden waterfalls. What else is on the menu? Day trips to the nearby Gili Islands, massages at the spa and the opportunity to watch turtles hatch on the beach. Head here to immerse yourself in nature. BOOK IT NOW. JEEVA BELOLAM BEACH CAMP Now, this is the ultimate glamping destination. The off-the-grid recycled wood and alang alang beachfront lodges combine elements of Robinson Crusoe with East Indonesia aesthetics to create a boutique beach camp experience. When staying here, you'll feel totally removed from the outside world. Jeeva Beloam's 11 rooms lie within a 55-hectare nature forest preserve, facing the Timor Sea from a sand dune above a quiet 250-metre-long white sand beach. This Lombok paradise is made for true escapism. BOOK IT NOW. HARMONY VILLAS LOMBOK Is minimalism your vibe? If so, you've got to check out these beautifully designed villas in Kuta, Lombok. On the property, you'll find just five boutique villas (painted stark white inside and out) set around a luxurious lagoon-style swimming pool. It's gorgeous and calming — especially thanks to its adults-only policy. You won't find little kids running around this joint, disturbing your relaxing holiday. BOOK IT NOW. NOVOTEL LOMBOK RESORT AND VILLAS This is a stellar middle-of-the-budget resort on Lombok. You're not spending a heap of money, but you still get to stay right on the beach — free from crowds — getting all the top luxury resort inclusions. You've got large air-conditioned rooms by the water, free daily activities, three outdoor pools and a great restaurant and bar. Tick, tick, tick. It has it all. BOOK IT NOW. THE OBEROI BEACH RESORT This beachside resort is made for chilling out. Spend your days jumping from the pool to the beach and then to the bar — all before starting the rotation again. Sure, you can go on one of its snorkelling trips or have a private dinner on the shore, but you've got to take your time just hanging at the property too. That's especially true of you book the enormous luxury villa that has its own pool and private courtyard. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Selong Selo Resort and Residence
If you've been to Eagle Farm or Eat Street markets, you've likely lined up for Miss Claudes Crepes. They're not considered among the best in the city without good reason. In fact, the ravenous demand for their sweet treats has seen proprietors Naima Hughes and Justin Knudson open up their own New Farm cafe. At the slice of Paris on Brunswick Street, family recipes handed down from Naima's grandmother and mother — the eponymous Miss Claude — are cooked up for Brisbane's hungry masses. That includes salted caramel, chocolate, lemon meringue, banoffee, apple cinnamon pie and Nutella varieties. Nutella fans be warned: there's also a milkshake filled with your favourite hazelnut spread on the menu. Sticking with authentic French Normandie crepe tradition, savoury options are available as well. For anyone happy to forgo the fruit and ice cream-topped varieties, the famous brekkie crepe with bacon, scrambled egg, cheese, caramelised onion and our creamy homemade hollandaise, or lunch and dinner-appropriate servings of any meat and batter combination you desire are a must. Or, perhaps enjoy them as a main meal before a chocolate sauce-covered dessert.
It's an occasion worth breaking out the bubbly for — south-east Queensland's sparkling wine festival is back. All things fizzy and alcoholic are in the spotlight at Effervescence, after all. Indeed, the event's name both nods to its favourite type of beverage and describes the sensation champers-swilling attendees are bound to experience. And yes, we really do mean champagne, as in the sparkling wines specifically from France's Champagne region. In fact, it was a trip to the area that gave champagne enthusiast and educator Amanda Reboul the idea to start the festival. Fellow fizz lovers have two options to get their drink on at Spicers Hidden Vale: walk the Champagne Trail, or hunker down for the weekend-long VIP package. The former offers an at-your-own-pace wander between themed tasting stations, complete with bread, cheese and charcuterie, plus games of boules and other activities. The latter serves up all that, as well as expert masterclasses, lunches, a degustation dinner and a cocktail evening — but only if you have a spare couple of grand to really treat yo'self and then some.
You might think that there's not much exciting about a fridge magnet. I mean, who is really thrilled by a piece of plastic that announces "I Love NYC" or is shaped like your pet dog? The designers at Kudu saw artistic potential in the common fridge magnet, however. They pushed the design of the magnet one step (or, rather, a few metres) farther and created magnetic panels to cover your entire refrigerator. Kudu's fridge panels create a bold kitchen statement, an easy way to spice up an otherwise lack-luster space. And the best part? They're simple to remove or to switch out. Swap your fridge panels to fit a party theme, a holiday, or perhaps your mood. Choose from a collection of themes, spanning from animals, to a sexy shirtless man, to designer illustrations; then, simply measure your fridge and order online. Kudu is willing to help you measure your fridge, and will even custom design a panel for you or your business, upon request. [via Notcot]
UPDATE, AUGUST 13, 2020: After closing for a revamp, The Terrace will reopen on Thursday, August 20. Expect a new menu, as overseen by ex-Donna Chang chef Benny Lam. Bookings will be available to the public from Monday–Thursday, with walk-ins only (other than for Emporium Hotel guests) from Friday–Sunday. Already one of the most scenic spots in Brisbane's inner city, South Bank has added another attraction to its list: its first rooftop hangout accessible every day of the week. Located on the 21st floor of Grey Street's Emporium Hotel and open from breakfast onwards, The Terrace boasts an all-day dining menu, plus plenty of drinks. It also features luxe surroundings and one hell of a panoramic view over the river, South Bank and across to the CBD. Under the guidance of executive chef Chris Norman, the food menu takes care of all the usual daily meals, including brekkie, brunch, lunch, dinner, late-night snacks and everything in-between. The beverage list features classic and signature cocktails, as well as local and international wines and spirits. Of course, if you're taking the elevator up to sky-high surroundings, then you're just as interested in the decor and vantage. Design-wise, the look is unsurprisingly opulent — think light colours, walls filled with greenery, white backlit onyx floor tiles and a 13-metre bar made out of the same material. Date palms add to the tropical vibe, while floor-to-ceiling glass doors open out onto the balcony. And, to ensure that Brisbanites can make the most of The Terrace come rain or shine, the venue has two retractable roofs. A 23-metre infinity edge pool is also located on Emporium's top floor, however this is for guests only. But if you are treating yourself to an overnight stay, you'll be able to order something to eat and drink from The Terrace while you laze by the water. Those keen to drop by just for a beverage, bite and breathtaking vista are encouraged to book in advance.
Fancy some art with your shopping and dining? Thanks to the Institute of Modern Art and James Street, that’s exactly what’s on offer. The IMA’s latest exhibition takes up residence at New Farm’s hub of glitz and glamour for a month of locally focused work from Queensland-based contemporary practitioners Clark Beaumont, Louise Bennett, Anastasia Booth, Megan Cope, Sam Cranstoun, Caitlin Franzmann, Alice Lang, Archie Moore, Stephen Russell, Haruka Sawa, Sancintya Simpson, Athena Thebus, and Elizabeth Willing. The term “subtropic” is at the heart of the project. It's commonly thrown around to describe the city’s warm weather. But what does the expression mean in a cultural sense, in contemplating Brisbane attitudes and considering what it means to make art here and now? As curated by Tess Maunder, that’s the question 14 creatives all ponder. Visit Gail Sorronda, Bailey Nelson, Gerard’s Bistro, Camargue, Sass and Bide, Optiko, Maryon’s, Pistols at Dawn, Blonde Venus and Scrumptious Reads to see the results. Art and heat combine in a celebratory showcase that gets to the very heart of the Brisbane climate.
Six months after opening its first Queensland store in Clayfield — and more than 40 years since the family-run brand first opened in Sydney — Harris Farm Markets has launched its second Brisbane site in West End. Whether you live in the inner-city suburb or you're just passing through, you can now stop by the chain's flagship Sunshine State site, which has taken up residence in West End's West Village precinct. If you're a newcomer to Harris Farm Markets, it boasts a particular focus on fresh local produce — which is one of the reasons why the chain has both stood the test of time and amassed a considerable following. When it launched its first Brissie location in December at the former Clayfield Markets site, it was a homecoming of sorts. While Harris Farm Markets is definitely based in New South Wales, it actually used to own the Sandgate Road spot years back. Now, it's also making its home in a 1800-square-metre space on the ground floor of the former Peters Ice Cream building, with the market's doors opening back on Friday, June 4. Harris Farm Markets' West End shop features more than 500 types of fresh produce; three types of milk on tap, including oat milk; a plant-based range of over 150 products; and a hefty cheese section showcasing 500-plus types. In a first for the brand, it's also doing honey on tap — so you can pour your own — and self-serve almond, peanut and cashew butters. Customers will find eight types of loose coffee beans and 20 varieties of loose tea leaves to choose from, too, plus grow-your-own mushroom kits and edible flowers. The idea, like at Harris Farm Markets' other stores, is to highlight Queensland and Australian products — and, based on its array of in-store options, to level up the supermarket experience at the same time. Danny's Bread, from Teneriffe, is running a French bakery onsite, while Sol breads, Roza's Sauces, CJ's Pasta, My Berries and Madders Brothers Patisserie all have items stocked in-store. There's an onsite salumi deli, seafood market and butcher shop, too, as well as a fresh doughnut deli. A big focus on sustainability is also part of the Harris Farm Markets experience, including via its imperfect picks section. That's where shoppers can pick up seasonal fruit and vegetables that mightn't look picture perfect, but still taste as great as ever, all as part of the chain's efforts to help stop farm wastage. Next on the agenda: a store on the Gold Coast, at the Isle of Capri, which'll be the chain's third outside of NSW. Harris Farm Markets currently operates 22 locations down south. Find Harris Farm Markets' West End store at West Village at 97 Boundary Street — open from 7am–10pm daily.
Parties, art, music, performances, food, stripping bare for a swim to celebrate the winter solstice: that's the Dark Mofo way, and so is weaving its anything-can-happen vibe, its beloved regular highlights, and its array of expectation-exploding shows and events into a ritual as much as a festival. The Tasmanian winter arts fest is a place to commune, with attendees and with its boundary-pushing program alike. Challenge, confrontation, evoking a strong response: Dark Mofo is a place for that, too. The festival sat out 2024, spending the time to regroup for the future ahead instead. Late that year, it announced its return for 2025, however. The full program will be unveiled at the beginning of April, but organisers have already announced the first new work. When attendees look at Nathan Maynard's We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep, they won't forget it. Set to premiere at Dark Mofo 2025 — which runs from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 15, 2025, except for the Nude Solstice Swim on Saturday, June 21 — the new commission by the multidisciplinary Trawlwoolway artist will take over a Hobart CBD basement. Inside, expect a commentary on cultural theft and erasure via Maynard's mass installation, using sheep heads to make a statement. "Languishing in museums and their storerooms are the remains of ancestors of First Nations people from all around our globe. They have been stripped of identity and, without consent, treated like specimens for study and scientific inquiry," explains the artist. "We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep speaks to the sadistic power white institutions flex when they deny First Nations people the humanity of putting our ancestor's remains to rest in the physical and the spiritual." When Dark Mofo's 2025 comeback was first revealed, so were the returns of a number of its beloved festivities: the aforementioned Nude Solstice Swim; Night Mass, which fills downtown Hobart with art and music; culinary highlight Winter Feast, which popped up in 2024 despite the festival around it taking a break; and the Ogoh-Ogoh. If you're wondering if the world missed Dark Mofo, the response to Night Mass alone so far says it all. When 6000 pre-release tickets were made available late in 2024, they were snapped up in less than four hours. "Taking the year off in 2024 was a difficult decision, but Dark Mofo is back with renewed energy and focus, ready to deliver an enormous program spanning two packed weeks this June," notes Dark Mofo's new Artistic Director Chris Twite. "It was encouraging to sell over 6000 Night Mass tickets in less than four hours during our pre-release late last year, indicating that demand for the festival remains strong. We are hoping for a similar response when we release the full program on the 4th April." Back in November, Twite gave a few more hints at what's in store this year. "Dark Mofo is back. For our 11th chapter, once more we'll bathe the city in red and deliver two weeks of inspiring art, music and ritual," he advised when announcing the event's 2025 dates. "Night Mass is a beast, and this year it will evolve once more — worming its way through the city with new spaces, performances and experiences to dance, explore or crawl your way through." Dark Mofo returns from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 15, 2025 and for the Nude Solstice Swim on Saturday, June 21. Head to the festival's website for further details — and check back here on Friday, April 4, 2025 for the full lineup. We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep images: Jesse Hunniford, 2025. Image courtesy of Dark Mofo 2025. Night Mass images: Jesse Hunniford and Andy Hatton, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023. Winter Feast images: Jesse Hunniford, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023. Nude Solstice Swim images: Rémi Chauvin, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023.
Don't want to compromise when picking a vintage from your favourite restaurant or wine bar's menu? If it's not poured by the glass, that can mean paying up for an entire bottle. Your tastebuds might thank you, but your wallet likely won't. Nowadays, things don't necessarily have to be this way, as Coravin's wine preservation tools make it possible to pour from a corked bottle without actually removing the cork. Returning for a second year, the Coravin World Wine Tour is showcasing these nifty creations by teaming up with five bars across Australia to pour their entire menu by the glass. In Noosa, Atelier Wine Bar is the venue of choice. While there's only enough space to seat 16 guests, this contemporary cellar-like spot has more than enough world-class vino to choose from. Considering you won't have to pay by the bottle, now is your chance to explore over 150 rare and diverse vintages hand-picked from across Europe and Australia. Plus, there's undoubtedly some incredible pairings to discover with Atelier's Italian-inspired small plates. "A new generation of wine drinkers are increasingly curious, adventurous, and willing to experiment with new varieties and styles. Offering more wines by the glass allows drinkers to find their new favourite variety, region, or style, without taking the risk of buying a whole bottle," says Coravin Founder, Greg Lambrecht.
"It's a shock to the system. It's a change to the everyday, regular routine. It's where the unhappy gene comes out — and it's a sign of the times today." That's the gloriously candid and empathetic Sandra Pankhurst on trauma, a topic she has literally made her business. Later in Clean, the documentary that tells her tale, she describes herself as a "busy nose and a voyeur"; however, that's not what saw her set up Melbourne's Specialised Trauma Cleaning. For three decades now, her company has assisted with "all the shitty jobs that no one really wants to do," as she characterises it: crime-scene cleanups, including after homicides, suicides and overdoses; deceased estates, such as bodies found some time after their passing; and homes in squalor, to name a few examples. As she explains in the film, Pankhurst is eager to provide such cleaning services because everyone deserves that help — and because we're all just a couple of unfortunate turns away from needing it. The 2008 movie Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) and Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise) fictionalised the trauma-cleaning realm; if that's your touchstone at the outset of Clean, prepare for far less gloss, for starters. Prepare for much more than a look at a fascinating but largely ignored industry, too, because filmmaker Lachlan Mcleod (Big in Japan) is as rightly interested in Pankhurst as he is in her line of work. Everything she says hangs in the air with meaning, even as it all bounces lightly from her lips ("life can be very fragile", "every dog has its day, and a mongrel has two" and "life dishes you out a good story and then life dishes you out a shit one" are some such utterances). Everything feels matter of fact and yet also immensely caring through her eyes, regardless of the situation that her Frankston-headquartered employees are attending to. Sometimes, STC does confront harrowing and grimy messes that could be ripped straight out of a crime drama, but ensuring that the families don't have to swab up themselves after a gory incident is a point of pride. Sometimes, it aids people with disability or illness by playing housekeeper when they can't, or sorts through a lifetime of possessions when someone has turned to hoarding. There's no judgement directed anyone's way, not by Pankhurst or the crew of committed cleaners who've formed a family-like bond under her watch. It takes a particular sort of person to do this gig, everyone notes, and the group is as sensitive and considerate as their boss because most have experienced their own hardships. They can also see what she sees: "everyone's got trauma; it's not the demographic, it's the circumstance". Pankhurst's company and tale isn't new to the public eye, thanks to Sarah Krasnostein's award-winning 2018 book The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay and Disaster — and both there and here, the role she has played and the fortitude she has displayed while sifting through her own personal traumas earns merited attention. Mcleod keeps his focus on STC for the film's first third, aided by Pankhurst's frank insights, but the many layers to the business, its workers and its clients are paralleled in her own multifaceted story. Clean takes her lead, though; never within its frames does Pankhurst offer up a simple assessment of herself, other than saying she'd liked to be remembered "as a kind human being — nothing more, nothing less". As a transgender woman who was adopted at birth, grew up in an abusive household, married and had a family, performed as a drag queen, undertook sex work, survived rape and drugs, transitioned, and became one of Australia's first female funeral directors, nothing about her can be deduced to a few mere words. The raw honesty, quick wit and spirited sense of humour continues as Pankhurst mentions many of these details, largely in passing or onstage when she becomes a motivational speaker after health woes stop her from cleaning. It's due to her medical conditions that she's vigilant about staff wearing PPE on the job — Clean's naturalistic, on-the-ground shoot, with cinematographer Louis Dai (Hakamada: The Longest Held Death Row Inmate in the World) behind the lens, began in 2019 well before the pandemic. There it is again: that unfaltering, highly moving, deeply inspirational compassion for others, whether they're the vulnerable struggling or employees lending the former a hand day in, day out. Clean looks upon Pankhurst with as much industrial-strength humanity as she sees in the world around her, even one where "people die in horrific ways every day", but never smoothes away her faults, doubts, rough experiences or tough edges. Mclean and Dai both double as the doco's editors and, as they begin splicing Pankhurst's time away from the business together with her team's everyday duties across the feature's second two acts, a touch of movie magic does filter in. To provide a wider array of imagery for the film's two strands, Mclean adds a number of brief recreations of Pankhurst's childhood and younger years, and of reconstructed crime scenes. They're unnecessary, and also don't suit the already affecting and absorbing tone that springs from Pankhurst and her employees telling it plain but with brimming understanding. There's a tender tenor in Patrick Grigg's (Australiana) score, too, that finds a better balance. Those dramatisations don't jumble the film by any means; they're just superfluous. Another reason that Clean's reenactments don't sit well: the feature has such a wealth of narratives to follow anyway, including time spent with specific members of the STC crew such as Brian Gaciabu, Rod Wyatt and others. Pankhurst gets the chance to search for her birth mother, her health gets pushed further to the fore, and some of the clients that the company helps also get a glimpse of the spotlight. Mcleod could've made several documentaries or a series about the overall situation, and even simply about the no-nonsense but endlessly entertaining Pankhurst; that COVID-19 impacted his timeline is apparent. This energetic but thoughtful tribute still cleans up, though — and that it has its imperfections fits every tale that it unfurls.
When you have a favourite bar, brewery or eatery, or a beloved joint that offers a great combination of the three, scoring a second place to enjoy its beverages or bites is always welcome news. Slipstream Brewing Company has delivered just that. A beer-pouring — and -making — go-to on Brisbane's southside for the past seven years, it has now opened another location. Meet Slipstream Brewing Social House. Brisbanites will need to head out of town for a sip here, so add checking out the brewery's latest venture to your next trip to the Sunshine Coast. Since Wednesday, October 16, 2024, you'll find Slipstream Brewing Social House in Birtinya, in the local Stockland Shopping Centre, sprawling across a 300-person greenery-filled space with 40 taps, plus both steak and seafood on the food menu — and featuring indoor and outdoor seating, combining al fresco dining with cosy booths. If the word that comes to mind is "hangout", that's by design on co-owners Deale and Elisa Stanley-Hunt's parts. Brisbane's Slipstream Brewing brewpub in Yeerongpilly, which has been open on Wilkie Street since 2017, has the same vibe. The two sibling venues both take cues from America's west coast across their food menus, as Slipstream's beers do as well. On the brews front, the brand has also created a new North Coast pilsner that you can knock back exclusively at Social House. For something other than beer, cocktails, independent spirits, boutique wines and non-boozy choices — coffee among them — are on offer. The culinary options under Head Chef Jarick Quesada include new dishes and highlights from Yeerongpilly across a range of plates to share, grilled eats, burgers, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Think: southern fried chicken tenders with pickled vegetables, popcorn cauliflower, salmon tostadas, crumbed mushroom burgers, rib fillet steak sandwiches, 450-gram pork tomahawks with wagyu fat potatoes, fish tacos made with beer-battered barramundi and chocolate stout brownies. Unsurprisingly, Mooloolaba prawn are also on the menu — served barbecued with 'njuda butter, white wine, napoli sauce, parsley, preserved lemon and toasted ciabatta. Entertainment-wise, Social House is also set to host live music, Oktoberfest shindigs, pinball competitions, weekly trivia nights and more.
It's omurice time. Some dishes are as straightforward as they sound, and this one — aka omelette rice — is among them. It's an omelette made with fried rice, then typically topped with sauce. Clearly it's an easy concept to get around. And Motokichi Yukimura from Kichi Kichi Omurice in Kyoto keeps visiting Down Under to whip it up. Not all iterations of this western-influenced Japanese eggs-plus-rice staple are made equal, which is why Kichi Kichi Omurice's version might be on your travel bucket list. Chef Motokichi Yukimura's viral-famous take on the dish has made him an internet star — the term "Japan's most-famous omurice chef" has been used — and seen his eatery become a tourist destination. Sometimes, however, he brings his omurice to Australia, as he's set to again in March 2025. If you'd like the Kichi Kichi Omurice experience without the airfares, you can make that a reality in Brisbane. And if this sounds familiar, that's because Yukimura headed this way twice in 2024. He's again visiting Harajuku Gyoza to show why the dish he's been making for over 45 years is such a smash. The chef is doing 'meet and eat' events, cooking everyone who attends his specialty — and putting on a show, complete with his Kichi Kichi Omurice song and dance. Queensland capital residents are headed to Harajuku Gyoza South Brisbane across Sunday, March 23–Tuesday, March 25. Tickets cost $170 per person, with sittings for both lunch and dinner. That price covers tucking into Yukimura's omurice, as made at your table, plus a range of Harajuku Gyoza signature dishes — and meeting the chef. Alongside removing the need to book a flight to Japan, this is an easier way to enjoy the Kichi Kichi experience for another reason. As of January 2024, the Kyoto eatery is no longer doing bookings in advance. Now, diners are only able to make reservations on the same day they're eating, and need a password that's placed on the restaurant's door each morning to lock in their seating.
Maybe you'll see a glowing giraffe. Perhaps you'll spy a dazzling koala. Or, you might find yourself peering at the sun — but much closer than usual. They're just some of the lanterns that could be brightening up the inky night sky at the 2023 Luminous Lantern Parade, with the event making its return to South Bank Parklands from 5pm on Friday, June 9. The parade doesn't just give the riverside spot a new glow for the fun of it. It celebrates multiculturalism, and has for more than 15 years now. Over that time, it has grown to become quite the hefty — and radiant — event. Crowds in recent years have been a little more spread out than usual for obvious reasons, but the parade champions diversity — and welcomes new Queenslanders, including migrants, refugees, international students and people seeking asylum — no matter how jam-packed attendees are. As well as the main event — which is free to head along to — there'll also be live music and performances in the South Bank Piazza afterwards.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we set the compass to Tropical North Queensland and take a trip to Cairns for a special stay at Crystalbrook Riley. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive four-night travel deal — including in-room entertainment, aquarium access and accommodation in an ultra-refined Urban Room. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Queenslanders have had a good few reasons to celebrate of late: State of Origin wins. A low-intensity heatwave that makes it feel they're never going to break up with summer. First place in a new survey that asked Aussies to rank their favourite local travel destination. And while anyone who's not a Maroons fan probably doesn't want to hear them gloat about their footballing victories, we can certainly support a destination that grants us access to sunny days and balmy nights right now without the need to renew our passports. Pitching itself for consideration is Crystalbrook Riley, a five-star stay that's strategically situated along Cairns' iconic coastal boardwalk. It has some of the best beaches of the world literally at your doorstep. Luxe location aside, Crystalbrook Riley's outstanding amenities are equally impressive. They include a 1000-square-metre swimming lagoon, a private man-made beach, bustling bars and restaurants and some seriously stylish rooms and suites. THE ROOMS The Crystalbrook Riley team is proud to proclaim that its 311 rooms and suites most certainly do not feel like a home away from home. But before you think that's a typo allow us to explain its rationale. Basically, it's because the team believes that leaving your teeny one-bedroom with views over the main road to spend your time away in the same sort of set-up defeats the purpose. Instead, it delivers all of the good things you love about your own house (big beds, comfy couches, steaming hot showers) and adds some oomph by making the design a little more sophisticated, the furnishings a touch more elegant and the kind of contemporary cool accessories you'd find at a boutique homeware store. FOOD AND DRINK If you're in Cairns, you're probably going dedicate a couple of days to super-early-start excursions like the Daintree National Park or the Great Barrier Reef. On those occasions, when you come home exhausted and don't have the physical energy to untangle your salty hair let alone order an Uber, Crystalbrook Riley's own in-hotel restaurants are on hand. The highest rooftop bar in Cairns, Rocco, is all about generous serves, share-style dining and fresh dishes that take inspiration from the Middle East and the Mediterranean and recreate them with fresh regional produce. Highlights include mezza plates featuring freshly shucked oysters, house-made labneh cheese, Far North Queensland grilled tiger prawns, confit chicken and grilled lamb cutlets. Pair them with a smart selection of sweet and savoury cocktails, like the Moroccan-inspired Message in a Bottle, for an experience that is truly unmissable. On the other hand, if you're all about an Asian epicurean experience, then Paper Crane offers a modern menu that makes the most of Tropical North Queensland's fresh ingredients while highlighting the best of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese fare. Signature dishes such as the citrus soy-marinated Tableland rib-eye steak on the bone pair perfectly with Paper Crane's custom cocktails. Just be sure to pace yourself if you have another long day trip planned for the next morning. THE LOCAL AREA Know as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is the place to base yourself if swimming and snorkelling among world-heritage-listed marine life is on your bucket list. Ditto those seeking easy access to the iconic Daintree Rainforest and its soaring green canopies. But beyond its beaches and bushland, Cairns is also a dream holiday destination for those who like to pack their itinerary with drinking, dining and days spent doing a little retail damage. Our suggestions include the tropical treats at Charley's Chocolate Factory, sunset cocktails at seaside bar Salt House, the small boutiques in Oceania Walk or Galleria for high-end designer stores. THE EXTRAS Did you even go on a holiday if you didn't treat yourself to a fancy facial and meditative massage? Although Crystalbrook Riley's Eleme Spa is temporarily closed, guests can still enjoy access to the equally fabulous Eleme Day Spa Crystalbrook Flynn just down the road, where treatments such as couples therapy and detox packages are all available. Additionally, those who take advantage of this exclusive Concrete Playground Trips promotion can enjoy two complimentary tickets to the famed Cairns Aquarium. It's home to the Southern Hemisphere's only two-storey Deep Reef Tank, the 360-degree Oceanarium and Underwater Viewing Tunnel. Guests can spot rare species of sharks, sting rays, crocodiles and more, as they attempt to find Nemo. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
If clothes make the man, the beard defines the attitude. Whether it's a sharp stubble, a neat fade or a bold statement moustache, the right grooming routine can elevate your whole look. That's where the Philips OneBlade 360 comes in. This all-in-one tool is built to trim, edge and shave any length of hair with precision and ease, thanks to a flexible 360-degree blade that follows the contours of your face, a five-in-one adjustable comb and a fast-moving cutter that can deal with hair of any length. To show what it can do, we've teamed up with Joe Kurdyla from Melbourne barbershop Kings Domain to walk us through four trending facial hair styles that you can nail at home with the Philips OneBlade 360. Short stubble Effortless and universally flattering, a tidy five o'clock shadow is an easy way to look put-together without appearing as though you've tried too hard. Keep it sharp by using the adjustable guard to maintain your preferred length, and let the 360-degree blade do the heavy lifting. Neat beard A short-to-medium beard with faded sides and defined edges is a low-maintenance way to enhance your face shape and jawline while still looking professional. No fuzz, no fuss. The OneBlade's precision trimmer lets you clean up the neckline and cheeks in seconds, keeping things fresh between barber visits. Full beard Bold, rugged and full of character, a full-length beard is a surefire way to make a statement. Use the OneBlade to shape and edge around the beard, especially around the cheeks and neckline, so it stays strong rather than scruffy. Retro moustache Throwback alert: whether you're going for the retro Tom Selleck look or prefer a neater, cleaner look (think: Nathan Cleary), the OneBlade's dual-sided blade helps you define edges with total control. Ditch the guard, tidy the stubble around your mo and let the whiskers take centre stage. For more information on the Philips OneBlade 360, head to the brand's website.
Since late in 2019, when Disney launched its own streaming platform, fans of its animated classics, beloved hits and many, many super-popular franchises have been able to binge their way through the Mouse House's back catalogue from the comfort of their couch. Come May, however, movie buffs are being asked to leave their houses to check out a selection of the company's famed titles — all thanks to the pop-up Disney+ Drive-In that's heading to the Gold Coast. Yes, a streaming service is running a drive-in. Or, to put it another way, a product designed to get everyone watching on small screens at home is now endeavouring to lure viewers out to watch its flicks on a big screen from their cars. That's a very 2020–21 situation, with Disney+ first teaming up with Openair Cinemas to make it happen in Brisbane last year, and now bringing it to the Goldie this year. The drive-in will hit Metricon Stadium on Sunday, May 9, with its season running through until Saturday, May 29. New this time around is the inclusion of movies from Star, the new Disney+ expansion that just hit Down Under in February — and brought 600-plus films and TV shows with it. As for what'll be screening, the lineup includes everything from 10 Things I Hate About You to a sing-along session of The Little Mermaid. Also on the bill: Titanic's watery romance, both the animated and live-action versions of The Lion King, Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, multiple Oscar-nominee Nomadland and the horror thrills of 28 Days Later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7qjQlfoRs Popcorn, snacks and drinks will be available onsite — or you can bring your own. It's strictly a no-alcohol affair, though. If you're keen, you'll want to get in quick, as only 60 cars will be allowed in each night. And, ticket-wise, you'll be paying per car; however, prices will vary depending on how many folks are in your vehicle. Updated April 13.
When Quandamooka Festival returns for 2024, it'll begin with a Welcome to Country and traditional smoking ceremony. The celebration of First Nations music and culture will also enjoy a homecoming. It's been two years since the event was last held on Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, after popping up at Wynnum Fringe instead in 2023. This will be its first full-scale event since 2022, then, and only the second time since 2019 that the fest has returned to Country. Accordingly, the tribute to the Quandamooka Peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the Quandamooka Estate that have ties to Minjerribah dating back 20,000 years, will feel even more meaningful. Of course, no one should ever need a specific excuse to honour and embrace Australia's Indigenous culture, but Quandamooka Festival offers one anyway, this time in the form of a two-day event across Friday, August 30–Saturday, August 31. On the agenda: heroing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, music, dance, food, stories and more via live performances, Kunjiel (corroborees), arts and crafts, movies, panel discussions, cuisine and tours. The complete lineup hasn't yet been revealed, but Quandamooka Festival has dropped the first three names to look forward to. Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung woman and QMA Indigenous Artist of the Year 2022 Jem Cassar-Daley will headline the Friday night, while Uncle Joe Geia and Quandamooka musician Sachem are also on the bill. On the Saturday, traditional dance will be the focus, as will the drive in-style first-ever Quandamooka Film Festival featuring the work of locals on the silver screen. "Quandamooka Festival is a great opportunity to bring the whole community and visitors together to celebrate culture and the arts, and learn more about Quandamooka Country — the sands, seas, sacred lakes, creeks, catchments and creatures found across the Redlands/Moreton Bay islands from the Quandamooka Peoples perspective," said Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation Chair Cameron Costello. Entry to the event at QYAC campus Minjerribah Gunaba on East Coast Road is free, kicking off at 4pm on the Friday, but registration to attend is mandatory and opens on Tuesday, July 9. Quandamooka Festival 2024 runs from Friday, August 30–Saturday, August 31 on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
One of the rare remnants of Brisbane's past that's still standing in the CBD, Naldham House is getting a new lease on life, and soon. First constructed nearly 140 years ago, then undergoing major renovations in 1988, the Felix Street site is now part of the Waterfront Brisbane project that's revamping Eagle Street. And while much along the roadway remains under construction, this heritage-listed spot will start reopening in mid-July 2024 with the first two of three new venues. Turning into a new dining and drinking hub, Naldham House will become home to both Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace and Club Felix midyear. Details of the third venue that'll fill its walls haven't yet been revealed. DAP & Co, the hospitality group co-owned by Andrew Baturo, Denis Sheahan and Paul Piticco, is behind Naldham House's next guise, adding to a citywide stable that also includes The Gresham, Popolo Italian and Walter's Steakhouse and Wine Bar. The building began its life as a shipping office, then became the Brisbane Polo Club from 1994–2015. Now, it'll give over its ground floor to Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace, which takes its cues from both European brasseries and grand hotel lobbies around the globe — and its first floor to cocktail bar and lounge Club Felix. On the lower level, everything with be markedly old-school from the look to the service, whether you're among the 95 people that the venue can cater to inside or the 120 outside on the terrace with its own bar. Up a storey, there'll be a supper club vibe, a French-heavy menu, a hefty champagne list, and capacity for 150 standing and 110 seated. The aim is for Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace to become an after-work hangout, including for both dinner and drinks, with Club Felix taking the fun into the night with a 2am closing time. At the latter, small plates and charcuterie will accompany the sips, and the space will also be able to be used for weddings and parties. That leaves the third of the three-level spot's floors for the yet-to-be-revealed other venue. While the details are still under wraps, it is set to launch in spring. As well as Baturo, Sheahan and Piticco, the Naldham House boasts Executive Chef Douglas Keyte (ex-Grill Americano in Melbourne), General Manager Christian Green (ex-Rockpool, The Botanical, Aria, Chin Chin, and Longrain) and Restaurant Manager Steven Ham (ex-Soho House Group in London) at its first two venues. Taking care of the aesthetic, which is all about honouring the structure's history while setting a new mood — think: bold colours and patterns, with each floor getting its own look — is interior designer Anna Spiro. "We are beyond excited and privileged to finally open Naldham House next month, restoring a new level of hospitality to Brisbane. We have poured our hearts into creating something extraordinarily special for Brisbane and Australia. We want Naldham House to be a celebration of our city's heritage and rich culture for years to come," said Baturo. "Brisbane has been crying out for diverse late-night city experiences. With Brisbane well and truly basking in the international spotlight, Naldham Brasserie and Terrace and Club Felix have been specifically designed to align with a growing, mature, sophisticated world-city that is committed to an energetic, fun and safe late-night economy," Baturo continued. Find Naldham House at 33 Felix Street, Brisbane City, with Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace and Club Felix set to open in mid-July 2024. Head to the Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace website and Club Felix Instgram for more information in the interim.
Home to brews, bands and giant-sized board games since 2014, Ann Street's Woolly Mammoth Alehouse now has an in-house sibling venue: a tropical-themed watering hole called Ivory Tusk. The bar has taken over Woolly Mammoth's Mane Stage area and given 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 boasts three bar areas, all serving up cocktails on tap. Expect eight different concoctions made from fresh ingredients and botanicals — such as the Living Vanilla Loca, with rum, French vanilla syrup, citrus and spritz; and the Apricot Julep with bourbon, apricot brandy, lime, mint and sugar. Wine and craft brews are on the menu, too, plus ten types of tequila. And, you can nab either a cocktail tasting paddle or a tequila flight, each featuring four tipples. Food-wise, the venue champions 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, chorizo sliders, black bean chilli and roast pork, as well as vegetarian, vegan-friendly and gluten-free options. With the site also doubling as an events space — and catering for between 20-1000 people — set menus are 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 is still hanging around — just smaller, and on the site's upper level.
You'll find Spicers Hidden Vale in Grandchester, which is a 30-minute drive from the Ipswich town centre. Equally suited to couples and groups of friends, this spot has country luxury down pat. Your accommodation comes equipped with thoughtful details, and may very well have a fireplace or a spa — or both — meaning it may be hard to leave your room. When you do venture outside, be sure to check out the kitchen garden, smokehouse and orchard or complete one of the nearby walking trails. As dusk settles you might play a game of pool in the games shed, take a dip in the spa or toast some marshmallows around the campfire. Yep, there's plenty to do around here. That said, you'll likely be just as happy to just pull up a chair on your verandah and watching the sun dip below the hills.
Our river city has stepped up to the plate in recent years, with more and more atmospheric watering holes opening their doors to those keen for a drink outdoors. But a chill session cannot be complete without the perfect mix of brews, views and vibes — Brisbanites won't settle for anything less, these days. With a helping hand from our friends at Heineken, we've compiled a list of four Brisbane bars that boast pretty spectacular views. Grab a Heineken 3 in one hand and your phone in the other and get ready because, trust us, when Brissie puts on a show, you don't want to miss it.
