When the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl kicked off in 2016, it did so in simple but great style. Recognising that the key to many a good night out is a multi-venue itinerary, it made hopping between Fortitude Valley's finest hangouts a streamlined, well-organised yet still laidback experience — with brews aplenty and an ace live music soundtrack. Come 2021, the sprawling music and beer festival will still be going strong — even after the events of the past year. On Saturday, February 6, attendees can jump between ten Valley spots to see a huge heap of interstate and local artists. The simultaneous sonic fun takes place at The Brightside (both indoors and outdoors), Black Bear Lodge, Kickons, The Valley Drive-In, Ric's, O'Skulligans, Greaser, Blutes and The Zoo. As always, the agenda includes running between each to sip frosty beverages and catch crackin' sets, with the entertainment once again sponsored by a brewery. The whole shindig kicks off at 5pm, so the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace day of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. Well, that and check out the lineup below. MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL 2021: George Alice Concrete Surfers Heaps Good Friends Velociraptor Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Teenage Joans Ayla Hallie Austen Waxflower BANFF Debbies RINSE Greatest Hits The Flowers Syrup Sunflower WALKEN Sunbather Daggy Man Order Sixty6 Lexicon Colourblind June Alt Fiction Mum Friends Flamingo Blonde Victor Bravo Bad Neighbour Sammm HANNI Ricky Albeck and The Belair Line Band Yb. PNK FME GENES Porcelain Boy Citrus Daze Pure Milk Ashgroove Pipin Sachém Oh Bailey Paris Irwin Mouse Tetrament Top image: katexjean
Fresh from throwing Brisbane's first ice cream shindig, West End's new West Village precinct is gifting the city another new event. This time, sake and bubble tea will be flowing freely, gyoza and yakitori will be filling stomachs, and origami folding and an arcade alley will be testing nimble fingers at the first Brisbane Japanese Festival. Yes, arigatou gozaimasu is exactly what you should be saying. Taking place from 11am to 5pm on August 19 as part of Japan Week Brisbane, the day-long street fest celebrates the country that gave us everything from Pokemon to Godzilla to Studio Ghibli with a feast — of festivities, of culture and of food. And while there's plenty of fun due to come in all categories, sushi doughnuts fall firmly in the latter. Sushi. Doughnuts. Talk about taking two great things and making them even better. The festival will also boast markets and food stalls, bars serving sake and whiskey, a bonsai garden, traditional drumming and dancing, chopstick challenges, Japanese personalities, music, art and more, all helping turn West Village's indoor and openair spaces into a Japan-centric wonderland. Food-wise, there'll also be karaage, poke bowls topped in sashimi and bento boxes galore — and while the organisers haven't explicitly mentioned ramen, it wouldn't be a Japanese fest without the sounds of slurping, now would it? Tickets cost $10, and given how popular the ice cream festival was — more than 5000 Brisbanites went along — snapping one up ASAP is recommended. Plus, online ticket buyers go in the draw to win a trip to Japan. The Brisbane Japanese Festival takes place on Saturday, August 19 at West Village, 97 Boundary Street, West End. Head to the festival website and Facebook page for further details.
Every food truck and market stall in Brisbane seems to be setting up a more permanent base, with Puerto Taco the latest to join the fold. Their journey from mobile eatery to pop-up restaurant and hopefully beyond has another stop, however, and it's televised. Expanding their menu but shortening their name to simply Puerto, the Mexican-themed kitchen is Queensland's entrant into the Seven Network's latest competitive cooking reality TV program, Restaurant Revolution. If you've been in the vicinity of South Bank's Grey Street over the last month, you've probably seen signs about the show surrounding a pile of shipping containers outside QPAC — aka Puerto's new home. Fashioning Asian fusion meals alongside the fare they've become known for in their meals-on-wheels guise, Puerto is pulling out all the stops to serve up their 'East meets Mex' best, with $200,000 for their dream digs up for grabs if they can beat their counterparts in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Whether they come out on top or not, we all know who the real winners are: the hungry Brisbane public, who can devour their dishes for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday and dinner from Wednesday to Saturday. Of course, you have to be willing to get caught on camera — and willing to line up to get in too, because the BYO place doesn't take bookings. Both are small prices to pay for a delicious dine-in meal from the folks behind one of the city's favourite food trucks, and to possibly help make Puerto's restaurant dreams come true. Find Puerto on the QPAC Playhouse lawn on the corner of Grey and Russell streets, South Brisbane, or check out their Facebook page for more information.
This summer, Monte Morgan, Harvey Miller and stylist Kirsty Barros as co-designer launch the Client Liaison Designer Line pop-up in Melbourne and Sydney. While the band have always designed their own merchandise, they felt the time had come to embark on something a bit more ambitious. We brought you a peek of the range last month, which features Client Liaison's signature peach and 'reef' variations, and keeps to a unisex beach theme, manifesting itself as jumpers, beach robes, t shirts, bumbags, visors and budgie smugglers. For Harvey, it's all about slip, slop, slap. "Sun protection is a big one," he told Concrete Playground this spring. "It's something everyone should remember. We have a rash vest incorporated into the Designer Line." [caption id="attachment_595549" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Chris Middleton.[/caption] When choosing a summer outfit, the Client Liaison Designer Line is a good place to start. "It's luxury at the beach," says Monte. "You're totally relaxed but retaining a level of class". Harvey adds: "At the beach you'll need a light bag to chuck your beach towel in, somewhere to store your sunglasses at night. Bring a jumper for the icy cold evening. Dressing for the summer is all about being prepared." Read more about Client Liaison's summer wardrobe-picking abilities here. The Client Liaison Designer Line is available to purchase exclusively at pop-up stores in Melbourne and Sydney and at www.clientliaison.com from November 10. Prices range from $10-129. CLIENT LIAISON DESIGNER LINE POP-UP SHOP DATES: MELBOURNE Collarts, 209 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy Launch: Friday, November 10, 6-9pm Pop-up store: Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13 (10am to 5pm) SYDNEY Location TBC Launch: Friday, November 18, 6-9pm Pop-up store: Friday, November 18 to Sunday, November 20 (10am to 5pm) Diplomatic Immunity is out now. Images: Chris Middleton.
JumpFromPaper, a fashion company straight out of Taiwan, want you live out your dream of a Saturday morning cartoon world with their range of trippy accessories that look they’ve have jumped right out of the TV and onto your shoulder. Just look at them. Don't you just want to take this backpack called 'Adventure' and going exploring around the city? And this 'Summer Breeze' rounded bag somehow begs you to put on a crisp white tennis skirt and do some loosely choreographed exercise. You may just give a stranger in the street an existential crisis with this little cartoon-like 'Spaceman' backpack. They've even got a range for you dapper gents out there. Honestly, how are these three-dimensional? Trouble is, once you have one, it may be near impossible to stop holding your own artistic fashion shoots. Look at these whimsical ladies on their way to the movies. And if your girlfriends all get one then there's really no other option but to form a girl band, so you can have whacky photos like this as your album cover. Shipping to Australia you can get anything from wallets for $30 to backpacks for $139. You'll be paying for something that looks like it's made of a single sheet of paper, but we guarantee your inner child will thank you everyday. Images: JumpForPaper.
Love a cheeky G&T? You're probably someone who's noticed gin's undergoing a massive revival in Australia, with new gin bars seemingly popping up every other day, and local distillers pushing boundaries with bold, experimental flavours and colours, and all of it is thanks to those miraculous little things known as 'botanicals'. But what are they exactly? What are you even talking about when you're loftily referring to 'aromatic botanicals' in your nip of Tanqueray No.TEN? This iconic, award-winning gin, launched in 2000 as an evolution of the original Tanqueray, is handcrafted in small batches that combine the four botanicals of juniper, angelica root, coriander and liquorice. It's the only gin to be inducted into the San Francisco Hall of Fame — not too shabby. Every type of gin has a unique blend, but botanicals are the key in every bottle. Let's get to know them. [caption id="attachment_580018" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jonas Tana.[/caption] BOTANICALS By EU law, all gin has to be made using a 96% ABV (alcohol by volume) highly rectified spirit, and must taste predominantly of juniper — the small shrub from the mountain slopes of Italy and Macedonia whose name itself is from where the word 'gin' is derived. Juniper's taste is one of bittersweet pine, lavender, and camphor, but it's from the other botanicals — those select natural additives with which the spirits are distilled — that we get the uplifting, complex and unique aromas of spicy, floral, woody and citrus. SPICE Key amongst the spicy botanicals is coriander, whose seeds are second only to juniper in terms of their importance to the process of gin distillation. Coriander is grown throughout southern Europe, southern Asia and North Africa, and its tiny fruits release spicy sage and lemon flavours that contribute a dry, peppery finish to your gin. The other major spicy botanical is ginger root, one of the earliest spices known in Western Europe. In its pure form, it's capable of raising your body temperature, and when distilled in gin it imparts a dry, spicy character. [caption id="attachment_580016" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] FLORAL Chamomile is perhaps best known to tea drinkers and aromatherapists courtesy of its reputation for reducing stress and assisting with sleep. As a gin botanical, however, this creeping plant found throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and North America imparts distinctive light apple and faint straw aromas (indeed, its name means 'ground apple') as well as a sensation of dryness. Chamomile's most frequently used floral alternative is the leaf of the bay laurel tree, with its pungent, bitter taste and an aroma most closely resembling thyme. WOODY Amongst the earthy, woody botanicals, there is no greater ingredient than Angelica root. Once rumoured to cure the plague and stave off witchcraft, the angelica root from the subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere is renown for its medicinal purposes. Yet in gin, it's an indispensable component that not only makes it dry, but provides its typically earthy base. Liquorice root, too, is another woody mainstay that hails from southwest Asia, India and some parts of Europe, and whose sweet and bitter compounds produce similarly woody flavours. Liquorice root is responsible for adding length and base to your gin, softening and rounding out its 'mouth feel' or texture. CITRUS NOTES Finally, there are the citrus botanicals, led most famously by bergamot peel. Grown in Italy's southern Calabria region, bergamot orange peel is just as likely to turn up in perfumes and lotions as it is gin, possessing a distinctly bright, citrusy aroma and taste. More broadly, then, comes the conventional orange peel botanical, which — in dried form from both sweet and Seville oranges — is similarly used in gin to offer a light, citrusy note capable of balancing out the more pungent botanicals. Top image: Jez Timms.
Looks like the cat's out of the bag for this year's Listen Out festival, leaked the old fashioned way: posters. Although the national beats-heavy festival's lineup was supposed to drop at midday on triple j, Project U noticed a casual poster on a Sydney telegraph pole this morning. US rapper and general champ Childish Gambino is heading the bill, returning after a slam dunk set at last year's Splendour in the Grass. He'll be sitting pretty alongside returning UK producer SBTRKT (DJ set), Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ and recent Coachella smashes Odesza on the bill. Local favourites like Alison Wonderland, Client Liaison, Roland Tings, Hayden James and masked producer Golden Features will be there, alongside international drawcards like American hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, LA producer ILoveMakonnen, Lido and Ryan Hemsworth. LISTEN OUT 2015: Childish Gambino SBTRKT (DJ set) Joey Bada$$ Alison Wonderland Odesza Rae Sremmurd Golden Features Dusky Ryan Hemsworth ILoveMakonnen George Fitzgerald Lido Hayden James Client Liaison Roland Tings Halfway Crooks Jordan Burns Triple J Unearthed winner and more to be announced Saturday, September 26 Catani Gardens St Kilda, Melbourne Sunday, September 27 Ozone Reserve, Perth Saturday, October 3 Centennial Park, Sydney Sunday, October 4 Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Tickets on sale Thursday, June 18 at midday. Head to the Listen Out website for more details, tickets and lineup info.
Craft beer has come of age in Australia. Even in the darkest, dingiest drinkatoriums where metal troughs still adorn the base of the bar, you'll likely find a boutique beer or two for the more discerning drinker. But with new options on the market every day, how best to find the perfect one for you? Here are some handy smartphone apps that help take the guesswork out of choosing your brew. UNTAPPD Cost: Free Platform: iOS, Android, Windows and yes, even Blackberry. Untappd is like the Facebook of beer apps: a vast social hub of drinkers all eagerly posting reviews, checking in at pubs and breweries and uploading photos of their thirst-inducing beverages. It easily boasts the largest user base and is helpfully available on every platform. Flip on your location services and Untappd will alert you to both new beers and bars in your vicinity, as well as let you know who else is drinking there. Over time, it even learns your tastes based on your own drinking habits and reviews, then makes tailored recommendations for what to try next. BEER BUDDY (iOS) / APK TICKET Cost: $4.99 Platform: iOS, Android What Untappd is to the social side of drinking, Beer Buddy is to straight-up information. With more than 300,000 beers in its database, Beer Buddy lets your scan a drink's barcode and access a storehouse of information, including its alcohol and calorie content, brewery history and user reviews. It also features a wide-ranging search function that allows you to seek out your favourite (or soon-to-be tasted) beers according to bars, brewery, type of beer, season, the top beers in whichever country you find yourself and, of course, simply by what's nearby. NOW TAPPED Cost: Free Platform: iOS, Android Combining the official drinks lists of around 300 partnered pubs and bars in Australia with the reported lists by other Now Tapped users, this app offers a comprehensive database of craft beers around the country. Search by venue and you'll see everything they've got for sale, as well as drink info and a brief review for each. Search by brewery and you'll find all the places that manufacturer's products are available. Otherwise there's always map view, where you can see all the places nearby where craft beers are for sale. NEXT GLASS Cost: Free (but US only for now) Platforms: iOS, Android Imagine being able to just look at a drink and know (down to a percentage) whether you'll like it or not. Next Glass does exactly that by bringing science into the equation. Using a mass spectrometer to analyse the chemical composition of thousands of different beverages, Next Glass developed a detailed criteria against which your own preferences are then matched. Basically, once you've told it your favourite drinks, all you need to do is point your phone at a label and Next Glass tells you precisely how likely you are to enjoy it, as well as how much your friends like it and even how many calories it contains. iBREWMASTER 2 Cost: $12.99 Platform: iOS (Android version in development) This is the app for the serious craft beer brewers. Add your own recipes, try out the 250+ preinstalled ones or purchase more from the in-app store. Featuring a powerful scheduling tool, iBrewMaster lets you stay on top of every stage of the fermentation process, complete with notifications and info about nearby suppliers. Highly customisable and packed with details, it's a pricey but invaluable app for anyone who lists their favourite beer as the one from their own basement.
Remember Mr Poopie, the giant inflatable turd emoji artwork that served up ice cream in little toilet cups at Splendour in the Grass last year? No? How could you forget. Or Nicholas Cage in a Cage? Or the giant inflatable Lionel Richie head? These are all real things, seriously. Hungry Castle, the Barcelona-based art team behind all of the above have outdone themselves this year. Announced as part of the SITG arts lineup, Hungry Castle will bring their giant inflatable Sad Kanye installation to Splendour. Didn't quite get that? Here it is again: a 10-metre-high Sad Kanye inflatable is coming to Splendour — a true headliner, in our opinion. Are LCD Soundsystem inflatable? No? Alright then. It's unclear whether you'll be able to bounce on Kanye's sad face or whether he will serve you ice cream in little Kanye vessels, but we literally don't care. It's a ten-metre-tall inflatable Sad Kanye and we're determined to turn his frown upside down. Here's the inspiration shot: More about this year's Splendour lineup over here. Image: Savannah Van Der Niet/Splendour in the Grass.
They say there are no more original ideas, and never has that felt more true than today. Announced today, Instagram has launched a new feature that lets users share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. If it sounds uncannily like Snapchat, that's probably because it is. Rolling out globally over the next few weeks on iOS and Android devices, Instagram Stories is being sold as a way to relieve fears that you're posting on the app too much. According to a post on the company blog, the new feature "lets you share all the moments of your day, not just the ones you want to keep on your profile. As you share multiple photos and videos, they appear together in a slideshow format: your story." Users will be able to view the stories of people they follow via a bar at the top of their feed, although they won't be able to like and comment on them (you can still send a private message letting someone know how #dope they look). And if you feel particularly attached to a photo in your story, you can change it to a regular post with the touch of a button. You'll also be able to hide stories from particular followers if you so choose. As for the elephant in the room, Instagram hasn't shied away from the fact that they're copying one of their competitors. Asked by TechCrunch about the obvious similarities between Instagram Stories and Snapchat, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom admitted that Snapchat deserved "all the credit," before going on to point out that tech companies borrow ideas all the time. "When you are an innovator, that's awesome. Just like Instagram deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront. This isn't about who invented something. This is about a format, and how you take it to a network and put your own spin on it," said Systrom. "Facebook invented feed, LinkedIn took on feed, Twitter took on feed, Instagram took on feed, and they all feel very different now and they serve very different purposes. But no one looks down at someone for adopting something that is so obviously great for presenting a certain type of information." That may technically be true, but even by Silicon Valley standards, this is pretty bloody blatant. https://vimeo.com/177180549
With each passing festival season, music lineups dominate the hubbub. But with great grub now proving just as much a drawcard as those tunes, festivals are taking their food element next-level. Gone are the days of sad sausage rolls, scoffed speedily between stages — festival food is having a moment. Last year, Sugar Mountain Festival introduced a new onsite dining concept called Sensory, collaborating with some iconic Melbourne names to treat food-loving festivalgoers to an "immersive restaurant experiment". A mega success straight off the bat, Sensory is set to return for Sugar Mountain 2017, on January 21, having pulled together another cracking lineup of tastes, sights, and sounds. An indoor space within the festival's home at the Victorian College of the Arts will be transformed for the multi-dimensional event. There'll be multiple sittings throughout the day, with each 60-minute set-menu experience designed to take guests on a dazzling multi-sensory journey. Peter Gunn, the envelope-pushing chef behind Collingwood fine diner IDES, will be working his magic on the menu, sticking to form to deliver a cutting-edge culinary extravaganza. Meanwhile, the accompanying visual feast is sure to be every bit as impressive, with acclaimed multimedia artist Daniel Arsham taking the reins on the space design — fresh, might we add, from his collaboration with Pharrell Williams for Rules of the Game, which showed at Brisbane Festival this year. And all the while, those earholes will be in total aural heaven, thanks to a glittering, hour-long score crafted by S U R V I V E — yep, that's the Texan band behind the Stranger Things '80s-style hit soundtrack. Of course, the festival's foodie fabulousness extends beyond Sensory's walls, with eats from the likes of Kong BBQ, 8Bit, Pretty Mama and Pidapipo on hand to back up the musical treats. Summer-worthy cocktails will be shaken and stirred by the crew from The Top, while beer partner Sample Brew will be slinging a variety of tap beers and an exclusive range of tinnies. All-inclusive tickets to Sensory are priced at $70 each, and go on sale at 8am, November 16. Grab one separately, or bundle it together with a Sugar Mountain ticket.
Flying might be speedy, in terms of in-air time. But when you add airport transfers, check-in queues, security checks and boarding procedures, the hours start to pile up. A plane flies from Sydney to Melbourne in 90 minutes, but, for passengers, the journey can take up to four hours. Two Aussie aviation experts want to change all that. 28-year-old Luke Hampshire and 32-year-old Alexander Robinson are hard at work getting a startup off the ground, which will give members unlimited flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, for one (expectedly hefty) monthly fee. And you won’t be flying with Virgin, Qantas, Jetstar or Tiger Air, by the way, you’ll be on a dedicated private jet. The company is named Airly and here’s how it works. Members pay $1000 to join up and $2550 per month after that (yep, it's not cheap). There are no maximum rides per month and no minimums, either. You’ll be flying on one of three eight-seater King Air 350s, which will start with 54 flights per week between Sydney’s Bankstown Airport, Melbourne’s Essendon Airport and Canberra Airport. Once things are up and running, Airly intends to cover Adelaide and Brisbane, too. Queueing for hours will look so early 21st century. Instead, you’ll be checking in just 15 minutes before departure in the company’s private terminal, cutting two hours off an average journey with a commercial airline. Meanwhile, both on the ground and on-board, ‘first class’ service is promised, ‘everytime’. Sound like some kind of pie in the sky? Well, it’s actually been done before — and successfully. Over in California, a similar service, named Surf Air, is already flying between twelve cities. In fact, Surf Air’s founder, Wade Eyerly, helped out when Hampshire and Robinson were first getting moving. Six months ago, the two quit their jobs to work on Airly full-time. The first King Air 350 has already been ordered from the United States and Hampshire told the SMH, “We are working off a membership number. We have a lot of people showing significant interest in it now. Once we reach that break-even number, we launch.” Airly won’t own the aircraft — they’ll be acting as a service provider and dry leasing the King Air 350s from an Australian company, the identity of which remains anonymous for now. Not that Hampshire wouldn't be able to do the captaining — he's a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot. Via SMH. Image: Jordan Sanchez.
In a matter of months, Brisbane has gone from a city with no Art Series Hotels to a place with two on the horizon. Following in the footsteps of The Johnson at Spring Hill, a second venue will form part of the Howard Smith Wharves Development. Just which artist the new boutique accommodation establishment will honour is yet to be determined — but with construction not expected to start until mid-2016, that's hardly surprising. That the five-star, 164-room hotel will be a tourist drawcard is easier to predict, particularly given that the proposed designs look out over the Brisbane River while blending into the surrounding cliff face. A 1500-square metre exhibition space, entertainment stages, a restaurant precinct and a craft brewery are also part of plans currently being considered by the Brisbane City Council, alongside grassy play areas, gardens, a walking track and dedicated cycle path. As anyone familiar with the existing location will know, the revamp presents quite a change for the 3.43 hectare site. Those not so well versed in Brisbane history might not realise the spot's significance, or why the buildings that remain have been heritage listed. Indeed, the area has remained vacant for the past half a century, and has barely been given a second glance by walkers strolling by or passengers on passing CityCats. Until the 1960s, the wharves were a key part of the city's shipping trade — and during the Second World War in the 1940s, they also became home to five air raid shelters. From 2017, they might just form part of a new precinct that opens up the New Farm end of the Story Bridge to the public. For more information about the Howard Smith Wharves Development, visit their website.
Few documentarians have the same taste for hot button issues as Academy Award winner Alex Gibney. From Julian Assange (We Steal Secrets) to Lance Armstrong (The Armstrong Lie), enhanced interrogation (Taxi to the Darkside) and sexual abuse in the Catholic Church (Mea Maxima Culpa), the New York filmmaker certainly isn’t afraid of controversy, as his latest film once again proves. Going Clear is a revealing and often disturbing look at the history, tenets and purportedly shady practices of one of the most divisive religious organisations in the world. If even half of what is alleged in it is true, then it’s not just an incredible doco, but a first-rate horror movie as well. Early sections of the film concern the early days of Scientology, and in particular the life of its creator, L. Ron Hubbard. Throughout the ‘30s and ‘40s Hubbard worked as a struggling science-fiction and fantasy writer, during which time his then wife claims he often remarked that “the only way to make any real money was to have a religion”. It was in the early '50s that Hubbard released Dianetics, a self-help book that would form the basis for Scientology. Yet as the movement grew, so too did its founder’s neurosis. The latter half of the film concerns Scientology under David Miscavige, who became head of the church after Hubbard’s death. This section leans heavily on a number of interviews with ex-Scientologists, including Oscar-winning Hollywood director Paul Haggis, as well as the head of the shadowy Office of Special Affairs — a kind of church secret service charged with running smear campaigns against members who dared to speak out. “People will judge me as really stupid,” says Haggis ruefully. “But then, I was really stupid.” With these chilling testimonials, Gibney dismisses the idea that the church is simply a group of harmless eccentrics. Stories of intimidation, brainwashing and emotional and physical abuse are but the tip of the iceberg — and the agony doesn’t always end once you leave. Many members who abandoned the church have found themselves cut off from their friends and family, while others have been targeted for ongoing public harassment. But perhaps the most telling thing about the film has been the way the church has reacted to it. Almost every person involved in the production of the documentary has had their character viciously attacked; the organisation has even gone after film critics who published positive reviews. So, at the risk of opening ourselves up to unwanted confrontation: go and see this movie as soon as you possibly can.
It's 2017, and cinemagoers are about to see their ninth Batman movie in less than three decades — and, a few months later, their first live-action Wonder Woman film. Whether you love them, hate them, or don't mind them but are starting to get sick of a new one coming out each and every month, this year's comic book flicks highlight a disheartening point: gender equality and filmmaking really don't go hand in hand right now. Alas, the situation doesn't just apply to those fond of wearing capes and lycra. In general, watching movies about women, featuring significant roles for women, and/or made by women isn't as easy as it should be. When it comes to representing half of the world's population both in front of and behind the camera, saying that the film industry has plenty of room for improvement is both a massive understatement and a case of stating the obvious. If Hollywood isn't going to do any better, however, then the Internet Movie Database is going to do what it can to shine a light on the female-focused flicks that audiences can see. Enter the F-rating. Contrary to everything that the school grading system has made you believe, it's actually a good thing. Movies rated F boast a considerable contribution from women, be it writing, directing or acting in a sizeable part (no, playing a wife on the phone doesn't count, no matter how often great actresses are forced to do just that on screen). The rating was created back in 2014 by Bath Film Festival's Holly Tarquini in an effort to help viewers choose to watch movies that do more than give ladies a supporting role. Tick all three boxes, and a feature will receive a triple F — and a big thumbs up, representation-wise. At the time of writing, 21,890 films have been given an F-rating on IMDB, with users able to search for relevant titles just by ticking a box. Alas, searching is the only way to find the rating, which doesn't appear on IMDB's movie landing or keyword pages, but it's still a giant leap in the right direction. Or, as Tarquini sees it, it's hopefully a step on the path to better representation overall, rather than needing to actively let audiences know which female-focused films they should be seeking out. "I hope that the F rating will become redundant as the stories we see on screen reflect our culture, and that 50 percent of the stories we see [will be] told by and about women." she told The Guardian. Damn right. Via Vulture / The Guardian. Image: The Runaways.
Uber drivers may want to start thinking about a change of career. The ridesharing giant, whose relationship with its drivers has been turbulent in recent times, may soon have reached the point where it no longer has any need for them. After all, why spend millions settling lawsuits when you can get the cars to operate themselves? That seems to be the thinking as the company officially begins testing on its very first self-driving car. The modified Ford Fusion Hybrid, complete with roof mounted cameras and radar, took its first public outing on the streets of Pittsburgh last week. "While Uber is still in the early days of our self-driving efforts, every day of testing leads to improvements," said the company via a statement on their website. "Right now we're focused on getting the technology right and ensuring it's safe for everyone on the road — pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers." "In the future we believe this technology will mean less congestion, more affordable and accessible transportation, and far fewer lives lost in car accidents." That's all well and good, but will these self driving cars be offering their passengers complimentary mints? Where are we on that technology, exactly? Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
Did you spend your childhood wishing that Jurassic Park wasn't just a movie (or a book that spawned a movie and box office-smashing sequels)? Us too. While that dream is yet to become a reality, Queensland University of Technology has created the next best thing. Welcome... to the digital Dino Zoo. It's exactly what it sounds like: a two-storey installation that lets hyper-realistic, full-sized versions of prehistoric creatures roam wild, with the floor-to-ceiling screens acting like a glass enclosure. It's also much, much more than that. Dino Zoo doesn't just offer the world's first ever opportunity to interact with ten dinosaurs — including the largest flying reptile ever to live, and Australian critters with names like Muttaburrasaurus and Australovenator — but combines video game wizardry with scientific knowledge. What does that mean? Well, these dinos not only look the part, but act it as well. They've been designed to simulate real creatures, with each species vested with artificial intelligence. Watch Stegosaurus and Triceratops make their own decisions about moving, hunting, grazing and resting — and, if you're lucky, recreating parts of your favourite film. We can't promise that you'll be fleeing from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but we can promise that you can pretend to. With data gleaned from real-life fossils instrumental in the project, Dino Zoo also features a digital dig pit that lets audiences uncover prehistoric bones, an interactive Earth timeline that visualises tectonic plate movement throughout history, and an 'Earth mass extinction simulator' — eek. Basically, it's all the virtual dino fun aficionados could ask for — and everyone loves dinosaurs, after all. Yes, yes they do. Just ask all the folks that flocked to see Jurassic World, which mightn't have been the sequel fans of the original were hoping for, but it still made more than $52 million at the local box office. Find Dino Zoo at QUT's The Cube in the QUT Gardens Point Precinct, George Street, Brisbane until January 27. Check out their website for further information. Image: Erika Fish, QUT.
Everyone's dreamed of walking on water, and not only has Bulgarian-American artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff made that a reality — he's made it look insanely beautiful as well. After 50 years of planning, Christo's The Floating Piers this week opened to the public at Lake Iseo in the north of Italy. And boy does it look incredible. A photo posted by ottaviadrago (@ottaviadrago) on Jun 22, 2016 at 11:00am PDT The floating pier creates a three-kilometre water walkway from the village of Sulzano to the small island of Monte Isola on the lake. Over 220,000 polyethylene cubes have been used to create a floating dock, which moves with the small waves and gives visitors the feeling of walking on water. Sort of like those mats you'd try and walk on in swimming lessons, but more, y'know, secure. To top is all off, the walkway is covered in 100,000 square metres of shimmering saffron fabric. "Those who experience The Floating Piers will feel like they are walking on water — or perhaps the back of a whale," said Christo on his website. "The light and water will transform the bright yellow fabric to shades of red and gold throughout the sixteen days." The Floating Piers were first conceived by Christo and his late wife Jeanne-Claude back in 1970. Realised almost 50 years later, the project cost around $22 million — all of which has been funded by Christo himself. It's totally free for the public to visit, 24 hours a day, until it wraps up on July 3. If you're in Italy in the next two weeks, consider this a vigorous nudge. But for everyone else, here's some of the epic Instagrams that have been taken in the last few days. A photo posted by Simona Maculotti (@simona_maculotti) on Jun 22, 2016 at 2:30pm PDT A photo posted by Carlo D'Andrea (@c_a_rlo) on Jun 22, 2016 at 11:05am PDT A photo posted by The Floating Piers (@floatingpiers) on Jun 22, 2016 at 1:50am PDT A photo posted by Marta sangalli (@marta_sangalli) on Jun 22, 2016 at 12:12pm PDT A photo posted by The Floating Piers (@floatingpiers) on Jun 17, 2016 at 4:43am PDT A photo posted by The Floating Piers (@floatingpiers) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:15am PDT Top image: The Floating Piers via Instagram.
As you're no doubt already aware, this week the world lost one of its finest actors, after Alan Rickman succumbed to cancer at the age of 69. Although his resume boasted dozens of incredible credits, Rickman is best known for his two most iconic roles, playing Professor Snape in the Harry Potter serries and terrorist mastermind Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Yet despite his predilection for playing sinister characters, tributes in the wake of his death have universally described the actor as a kind, funny and generous human being. Emma Thompson, who appeared alongside Rickman in films including Love Actually and Sense and Sensibility, described him as "the ultimate ally," while his Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe remembered Rickman as one of the first actors to treat him "like a peer rather than a child." Perhaps the most heartbreaking tribute came in the form of this simple image from The New Yorker cartoonist Ben Schwartz. Remembering the actor Alan Rickman, in this cartoon by @BentSchwartz: https://t.co/a35CPgUxLO pic.twitter.com/moUFpyl4SM — The New Yorker (@NewYorker) January 14, 2016 In tribute to Rickman's life and career, the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney have announced they will be hosting a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on Sunday February 7. Tickets will cost $15, with $3 of every sale going to the Cancer Council NSW. The cinema is also hosting charity screenings of Labyrinth on January 29 and The Man Who Fell to Earth on January 31 in tribute to David Bowie.
Watch great Australian stage productions with popcorn and choc top in hand, when Australian National Theatre Live arrives in cinemas in April. Inspired by the success of the UK's NT Live series, this local endeavour will capture and screen locally made theatre shows in participating cinemas, with the aim of bringing the live theatre experience to audiences who'd normally miss out. Australian National Theatre Live will launch with the Griffin Theatre Company's production of David Williamson's acclaimed satire Emerald City. The show will make its cinema premiere at Melbourne's Lido Cinemas on Friday April 22, followed by Sydney's Ritz Cinema on Wednesday April 27. Further screenings will follow in cinemas around the country. Other shows set to light up the silver screen include Mary Rachel Brown's The Dapto Chaser, Geoffrey Atherden's Liberty Equality Fraternity, and the Sydney Theatre Company's Wharf Revue. "Australia produces world-class theatre and Australian National Theatre Live will give audiences across Australia the opportunity to experience some of the best productions available – good theatre will no longer just be for metropolitan audiences," said spokesman and actor Grant Dodwell. "ANT Live means many more people will get to see plays that usually have a very short season in metropolitan centres." "Our ultimate aim is to stimulate a greater interest in live theatre, to encourage and promote writers, performers and practitioners, and create a resource for students and theatre lovers across the country." For more information about Australian National Theatre Live, visit www.antlive.com.au.
Bluesfest has lifted the lid on its second artist announcement for 2018, adding 16 more names to the already hefty lineup. Heading this latest stampede is Senegalese artist Youssou N'dour, who will be bringing his 20-piece band to the five-day Easter long weekend festival just outside of Byron Bay. If the name isn't ringing any bells, you'll probably be familiar with this '90s classic. Other artists joining the lineup include greatest hit-bearers Jackson Browne and Seal, Bluesfest regular Michael Franti, and British band Gomez will return to the fest for their first tour in six years. They'll place alongside two huge headliners: Lionel Richie and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, who will play with his band The Sensational Space Shifters. Plant's performance at Blues will mark 50 years since he first performed with Led Zeppelin, so the gravity of the performance is sure to be pretty huge. Other acts taking to the stage Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm over the weekend include Aussies Tash Sultana and John Butler Trio, Swedish duo First Aid Kit and what will be a captivating set by José González. Bluesfest returnees Joe Louis Walker, Dumpstaphunk and Eric Gales are on there too. Anyway, here's the full lineup. Better start making Easter plans — and deciding what to eat — because tickets are already on sale. BLUESFEST 2018 LINEUP Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters Lionel Richie The John Butler Trio Tash Sultana The New Power Generation Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers First Aid Kit Jose Gonzalez Morcheeba Gov't Mule Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real The California Honeydrops Eric Gales Bobby Rush Dumpstaphunk Joe Louis Walker Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Youssou N'dour Seal Michael Franti & Spearhead Jackson Browne Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Gomez Rag 'n' Bone Man The Original Blues Brothers Band Jimmy Cliff The Wailers Benjamin Booker Hurray for the Riff Raff Canned Heat Walter Trout André Cymone The Teskey Brothers Image: Andy Fraser.
The illustrious restaurant Noma, the same one that consistently tops dining lists across the world, will be closing its doors after one last blowout on New Year’s Eve 2016. It will be a sad occasion, but not to worry; like the phoenix or a feathered Pokemon equivalent, Noma will rise again in 2017 in a new, evolved form. Noma head chef René Redzepi told the New York Times that although business at Noma is booming, it’s time for a dramatic change, and he was not kidding. Noma will move from its cute nook in the middle of picturesque Copenhagen to the outskirts of town where the extra space will be dedicated to an urban farm, a greenhouse, a farming team and a field that floats on a raft. The menu will be have a dramatic overhaul as well. Ex-Noma chef Trevor Moran will return to help with the expansion and commented that the menu will change with the seasons, from game and mushrooms in the fall to a full seafood menu in winter. And, rather poetically, Redzepi says when “the world turns green ... so will the menu”, meaning that, for several months a year, Noma will be a completely vegetarian establishment. If you have fat stacks and want to catch a taste of OG Noma before its closure (without travelling all the way to the Denmark), then get to its Sydney pop-up in Barangaroo, where they’ll be setting up shop for ten weeks in late January 2016. Better get in quick though; the Noma Tokyo pop-up accrued a 60,000-person waiting list, so register your interest on the Noma website ASAP. Via New York Times.
When you're spending your spare moments glued to your phone, trying to cram more work into the 9-to-5 or scoffing down a snack as quickly as possible, it's easy to forget what taking a break really means. And, while enjoying a coffee throughout the day is one of life's simple pleasures, that's only the beginning. Sure, your morning, lunch or afternoon break might be brief — and the window of time after work and before you head home, too — but that doesn't mean you can't find something fun to do. Try venturing beyond your closest cafe for these activities. Take the nourishing break you, as a hardworking human being, deserve. GET A QUICK HISTORY FIX AT THE MUSEUM OF BRISBANE Give your brain and your feet a workout during your mid-morning break by indulging in the Museum of Brisbane's history-focused showcase. Their exhibitions change regularly, however you're guaranteed to get a glimpse of stories and artefacts linked to the past, present and future of the city. Or, pop in for a tour of the iconic, newly restored Clock Tower. You'll climb to a great height, look out over King George Square and imagine what Brissie must've looked like in years gone by, all in the space of 15 minutes. Entry is free, doors open at 10am. BREAK OUT A PICNIC IN A CBD GREEN SPACE Think picnics are just for people with a spare afternoon? Think again. Given that most Brissie CBD workers are only ever a short walk away from one of two sprawling green spaces — the Botanic Gardens and Roma Street Parklands — rolling out your rug, relaxing on the grass, taking in the sights and sounds of nature, and pairing it with your chosen snack couldn't be quicker and easier. And, rushing to get there and back counts as exercise. [caption id="attachment_559369" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] JAM Project.[/caption] SCOPE OUT THE CITY'S STREET ART Pounding the pavement is good for you, sure, but a 15 – 30 minute walk seems like a breeze if you have a specific purpose. With that in mind, get out and get active by hunting down the city's best, brightest, most colourful and creative street art. It's the kind of activity that can fill as much time as you have, and can also take you to hidden nooks and crannies throughout Brisbane. Plus, thanks to splashes of paint strewn all over town, you can do it just about anywhere. BROWSE FOR NEW OLD BOOKS Like reading? Like wandering through rows and rows of pre-loved treasures? Like getting a workout while you scour the shelves? When your city boasts one of the largest secondhand bookshops in the world, Archives Fine Books, popping in for a bite-sized stint of browsing is a must. Every printed tome you pick up will give you temporary respite from your busy morning, but so will moseying along the corridors spotting everything from pulpy fare to rare collectables. BREAK OUT THE COLOURED PENCILS Feeling a little stressed? Take an extra soothing coffee break by jumping on the current mindfulness bandwagon. Yes, we're talking about adult-oriented colouring circles, which are now a very real thing. Take a break, dive into your trusty pencil case and prepare for some therapeutic scribbling. Or, pick up one of the countless adult colouring-in books currently available at bookstores everywhere and make your own fun — perhaps while you sit in one of the city's many scenic picnic spots.
Just a few short months ago, Brisbane-based feline fanciers keen to cuddle a kitty over a cup of coffee had nowhere to go. The opening of the city's first ever cat cafe in Red Hill changed that — for the better, obviously, as their popularity has proved. And shortly, mouser fans will have another place to call their home away from home. Meet the Lucky Cat Cafe, aka the spot that will soon become Brisbane's second cat-focused establishment. It calls itself both a coffee shop and a petting zoo, lest you have any doubts about exactly what will be on offer. Further details, such as an opening date and an exact CBD address, are still being finalised, though you can expect to meet the new cafe's fortunate, furry, four-legged creatures this year. You can expect to visit them from 10am to 9pm, seven days a week, too, which means after-work kitty time will be a reality. Because cat cafes are about giving cute critters a home as much as they're about giving people access to adorable animals, all the residents will be rescued toms and tabbies, and some will be up for adoption. You just know you're going to want to take one with you, don't you? For more information about the Lucky Cat Cafe, check out their website. We also recommend keeping an eye on their social media feeds — whether Facebook, Twitter or Instagram is your thing — for a healthy fix of cat pics and other feline-focused fun.
Looking for an opulent, world heritage-listed B&B stay in Paris that'll make you feel like a pre-Revolution French monarch? The Palace of Versailles is opening a hotel and restaurant, where you can have your cake and eat it too. According to The Age, the world-famous 17th century palace has hit a spot of financial trouble, and is opening a hotel on the premises to raise much-needed funds. With more than seven million people wandering through the iconic grounds every year, it sounds like they're doing okay. But the state-owned palace has seen funding cuts from €47.4 million (around $70.7 million) in 2013 to €40.5 million (around $60.2 million) in 2015 — a hefty decrease when you're trying to renovate palatial Rococo apartments. Enter LOV Hotel Collection. The French-based hospitality group have just won the tender to transform the three 17th century buildings in the palace grounds right next to Louis XIV's beloved Orangerie into commercial accommodation. The Grand Controle, Petit Controle and Pavillon buildings — former treasurer and officers' mess buildings just 100 yards from the main palace — will be converted into 20 luxest of the luxe boutique hotel rooms. What's more, the 'hotel' — if you can call it that — will also house a world-class restaurant. Renowned Michelin-starred French chef Alain Ducasse is locked in to open a fine dining venue on the premises. Exactly what the restaurant will be like remains to be seen, but we're thinking levels of opulent cakery like this: "There will be no other hotel in the world like this one," according to a Versailles palace spokesman. "This is an emblem of French history and a cultural landmark. It will be an authentically royal experience." Guests will apparently be able to eat cake, drink French champagne and generally live like a House of Bourbon monarch during their stay. One thing you can probably expect? One heck of a price tag, and a tidal wave of cashed-up honeymooners. Renovations are expected to cost upwards of €14 million (that's $20 million plus), and should be finished sometime in 2018. Stay tuned. Updated: April 11, 2016. Via The Age and CTV News. Top images: Dollar Photo Club.
Louis Vuitton's stamp of luxury (that popular LV) and Supreme's iconic red and white boxed logo are joining forced for their first collaborated pop-up shop — and they've picked Sydney to launch. From Friday, June 30 until Friday, July 13, the Bondi beach pop-up will feature coveted LV-stamped apparel paired with the Supreme logo accessories as seen in the men's autumn/winter 2017 line, which was announced at Paris Men's Fashion Week in January. Count yourself lucky, Sydney, this pop-up shop request was denied in New York City. The pop-up will stock the duo's new collaborative baseball caps, t-shirts and backpacks. And if you're feeling bold, the collection also features denim baseball jerseys, leather jackets, cross-body bags and much more. The store will also offer exclusive pop-up shop pieces that you'll have to check out for yourself. While the two brands were established 140 years apart, their collision of high fashion and New York City streetwear is a world-first — and a huge coup for Australia. Louis Vuitton x Supreme will pop up at 95 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach from June 30 to July 13. Open Monday to Sunday 10am–6pm, Thursday 10am–7pm.
Get off the mainland and pay a trip to Tasmania, whose brand new music festival is just around the corner. Held on the remnants of a pink crystal beach two hours west of Hobart, the inaugural Rose Quartz Music & Arts Festival is being sold as a "sensory escape to the wilderness", and is due to go down during the first weekend in April. You'd best get in quick though, since there are just 500 tickets available – and if their newly released lineup is anything to go by, they might not last very long. Music acts tapped for the festival include Andras, Roland Tings, Wax'o Paradiso, Bronze Savage, Michael Ozone and Jennifer Loveless. There'll be food available from a selection of Tasmanian food vendors. Ditto booze from local brewers, served in recyclable cups in order to cut down on waste. Rose Quartz will be held at the picturesque Lake Pedders, whose crystalline shores were submerged in the 1970s by the damming of the Serpentine and Huon Rivers. 200 festival-goers will be housed at Lake Pedder Wilderness lodge, while the remaining 300 will have to make do with camping. The latter option is currently available at $200 a head. There are limited car spots on site, but the festival will be running a shuttle bus service between Hobart and Lake Pedders. Rose Quartz Music & Arts Festival runs from April 1-2. For more information and to secure tickets visit www.rosequartzfestival.com.au. Via AWOL.
When you're home alone and looking to belt out a few tunes when nobody is watching (we've all been there), the tinny speakers on your laptop simply won't do. Prioritising high quality sound is often relegated to the realms of live music venues and exxy headphones, but fortunately, Sonos is upping the home stereo game. Thanks to their insanely high-quality wireless PLAY:1 smart speakers, audiophiles can crank up the crisp sound quality they deserve — and you can customise the sound in every room in your house. This is some gadget wizardry. Controlled using a free app for iOS, Android, Mac or PC, the compact smart speaker PLAY:1 boasts crystal clear sound and can stream your own music library to any room in your house — including your bathroom, if you so require. Seriously, close your eyes and you'll swear Aqua was performing in your living room. As it happens, we're such big Sonos fans that we threw a beach party with them in Byron Bay this past weekend (using those killer speakers) and we're teaming up with them on a giveaway that music lovers won't want to miss. Enter your details below and you can go in the running to win one of their coveted PLAY:1 speakers, valued at $299. [competition]582397[/competition]
Lately we feel like we've been the bearer of bad news when it comes to the fate of festivals, but this time we've got the complete opposite. The cats behind Falls Festival have this morning announced something pretty darn exciting: a brand new three-day festival is coming straight at ya over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. They're calling it The Lost Lands, a name which has enough mystery (and a vague enough reference to Jurassic Park) to have us very intrigued. The three-day camping festival will not only feature heaps of music, but will centre around art, theatre, comedy and outdoor activities as well. It'll be held over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the October long weekend just outside of Melbourne at Werribee Mansion, the luxe AF mansion and grounds that has played host to So Frenchy So Chic and the late Harvest Festival (RIP). But the real point of difference for The Lost Lands is that it's designed to be hella family friendly. Festival organiser and Falls founder Simon Daly has a family of five, and he recognised the need for a more European style of festival in Australia that not only lets kids attend, but actually involves them in the festival's activities. "The Lost Lands will give parents the chance to reconnect with the festival experience while instilling in kids a love and appreciation of music, arts and adventure," said Daly. "I think there's an appetite for more experiences crafted with parents and kids in mind and it's exciting for the industry." The festival will be focused around "shared experiences" that can be enjoyed by everyone — be that parents, kids, friends, and anyone who rocks up — and it looks set to incorporate so many activities, such as bushwalks, bike rides and even day trips to the Werribee Open Range Zoo. They're also offering a range of workshops to expand the mind (such as cooking and songwriting) or lengthen the legs (like circus play and yoga). Um, sign us up for everything. A photo posted by The Lost Lands (@lostlandsfest) on May 26, 2016 at 1:05am PDT But just because there's kids around doesn't mean that the menu is limited to chicken nuggets and juice boxes. The Lost Lands is promising a huge range of festival eats and drinks, including a curated range of Mummy and Daddy drinks such as craft beer, wine, organic spirits and even an on-site distillery. All this will be happening with a backdrop of classic Italianate-style architecture amongst the sprawling formal mansion gardens (designed by W.R. Guilfoyle, the man behind the Royal Botanic Gardens) and a chill but fun musical line-up. Expect to be swaying along to The Waifs, Harts, The Grates, Ozomatli, Missy Higgins, CW Stoneking, Architecture in Helsinki, The Bamboos with Tim Rogers, Mariachi El Bronx, Tash Sultana, Olympia, Ali Barter, The Little Stevies, Pounded By The Surf, The Royal Jellies, Nicky Bonba, Ainslie Wills, and Alex Lahey. As it's a three-day, two-night festival, camping (and glamping) will be available, but with Melbourne only half an hour away by car or train, it's not a necessity like most festivals. However, if you want to feel like Marie Antoinette for a weekend, you can even rent accommodation in the actual mansion and live like damn kings. It may be dark and gloomy right now, but we cannot wait for festival season to return. The Lost Lands will run from October 28-30 at Werribee Mansion. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, June 2 from thelostlands.com.au.
Well, it’s official: animal-themed cafes have reached critical levels of absurdity. After cats, owls and even teacup pigs, an impending eatery in East London will pay tribute to the humble blobfish, the gelatinous sea dweller that was recently voted the ugliest animal in the world. Set to open in summer 2016, the Blobfish Cafe will be home to three blobfish specimen named Barry, Lorcan and Lady Swift. No word on how the aquatic trio are handling their newfound celebrity, although Lorcan already has his own twitter account, where he mostly tweets about Tom Cruise. Of course, running a blobfish cafe isn’t as simple a proposition as just rounding up a few stray cats. The fish reside on the ocean floor off the east coast of Australia (booyah!) at depths of around 1000 metres, where the pressure is several dozen times that of the surface. As a result, the owners of the cafe have had to construct a special tank capable of replicating the deep sea environment, a mammoth undertaking described on their website as 'not cheap'. Still, the trade-off for the blobfish community may well be worth the cost. The 2013 public ballot by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society threw the species into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, with the fleshy pink fish beat out the axolotl, the proboscis monkey and the kakapo, aka the New Zealand owl parrot, to claim the title of God’s most hideous mistake. To make matters worse, a rise in deep sea trawling is threatening blobfish populations. Do you really want to live in a world without this guy? The cafe is yet to reveal their food and drinks menu, although they’ve promised a mix of light lunches and more substantial evening meals, along with weekly gourmet nights consisting of an eight course deep sea themed tasting menu. Presumably that doesn’t include eating blobfish. A number of online retailers also sell plush blobfish toys. That piece of information doesn’t really have anything to do with the cafe, but we still thought it was worth mentioning. We’re also not entirely convinced this whole story isn’t an elaborate hoax, although if it is it’s a pretty amazing one. Via London Evening Standard.
Have you ever tried to do yoga with a pet around? They're a bloody nuisance, getting up in your face during Downward Dog, tickling your ankles in Warrior Two, nuzzling in while you're taking some much-needed Child's Pose time. But perhaps you're all for a little fluffball in your grill in Baby Cobra pose. Rest assured, you're not the only one. Joining cat yoga classes around the globe, New York City's only cat cafe (yep, they've surprisingly only got one permanent spot after this pop-up) has introduced kitty yoga classes. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane cat cafes, take note. Lower East Side cat cafe Meow Parlour has launched yoga classes instore, letting humans and Kitty Kind rescue felines find their centre. They're taking cues from an Illinois cat shelter, who started cat-flanked yoga classes as a creative strategy to boost adoption rates. All this extra harmonious time spent with the kitties will hopefully encourage you to adopt one of your zen little friends. Let's be clear here, the cats aren't doing yoga in these classes. That would be genuinely incredible, but no, you're doing the yoga, and the kitties will scurry around your Three-Legged Dog pose. Meow Parlour's hour and a half sessions are structured as 45 minutes of yoga, 15 minutes of cool-down and 30 minutes of kitty snuggles (way more feline time than a usual cat cafe visit). "One of the funny things about cats is that the more you ignore them, the more curious they are about you," Meow Parlour co-owner Christina Ha told Yoga Dork. "Our instructor, Amy, loves getting the students to do animal poses as it feels very appropriate to start off with a cat pose in an environment surrounded by cats. We like to think that visiting Meow Parlour is great for reducing your stress level and reinvigorating your soul, and yoga just seems like an extension of that." If this ever comes to Australian cat cafes, a little tip from the Meow Parlour crew: cats do leave claw marks on the mat. If you're in NYC or planning a trip soon, you can find Meow Parlour at 46 Hester Street, Manhattan. MP's yoga classes are held on Tuesdays at 3pm. Check the website for details or too book a class. Via Yoga Dork. Images: Lisa Cee (Flickr CC), Ethan Covey, Meow Parlour.
American music legend Prince has just dropped word that he'll be touring around Australia and New Zealand in February. That's right, February. As in the month we're currently in. The shock announcement was made earlier today, with the recording artist sharing the news with fans via his Twitter account. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/WiOKCZtdw8 — Prince3EG (@Prince3EG) February 5, 2016 The 57-year-old recently serenaded audiences in Minnesota with a series of intimate shows dubbed 'Piano and a Microphone', a name that has been adopted for his tour of the southern hemisphere. He was originally meant to perform in Europe in December, but cancelled those plans in the wake of the Paris terror attacks. We're yet to see any details regarding exact dates or locations – the last time Prince visited Australia was in 2012, when he played shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This will be his first visit to New Zealand. Whatever the plan is, presumably we'll find out soon. UPDATE – The dates and locations for the tour have been revealed. Prince will play four shows at Melbourne State Theatre on February 16 and 17, two shows at the Sydney Opera House on February 20, two shows at Sydney State Theatre on February 21, and one show at Auckland's ASB Theatre on February 24. Tickets for his Australian shows go on sale at midday (AEDT) on February 9, and for his New Zealand show at midday (NZDT) on February 11. For more info, go here.
If there's an Aussie film that's had everyone talking over the last few months, it's Down Under. You don't make a comedy about the 2005 Cronulla riots — and about racism in Australia in general — without causing some chatter. The fact that the flick has reached cinemas at a time when the subject of prejudice and discrimination has been splashed all over the local media has certainly helped. Actually, unless you're actor-turned-writer/director Abe Forsythe, you don't make a movie about either the horrific events of more than a decade ago or the pointless hatred behind them at all. Determined to create "a communal experience where we can all just share in just kind of how stupid and how scary everything has kind of gotten," Forsythe didn't hold back when it came to shining a light on the more problematic side of our multicultural country — and he spoke with us about his motivation, spreading a message through laughter and the timeliness of the film's release. ON DECIDING TO MAKE A FILM ABOUT THE CRONULLA RIOTS "I think the main thing for me personally was that I found that I was going to be a father, and there were two things in play. One was that I realised I didn't have much time to get the script happening because soon there was going to be someone that I was just completely responsible for, and I was kind of running out of time. And then the other was that I felt like I was bringing someone into the world and I guess I was concerned about that. This was six years ago that I wrote it. I was looking around, and going, 'This child that I'm bringing into the world has absolutely no say about it — and what kind of world is he going to be exposed to?' So that was all stuff that led me to the Cronulla riots. Because, I mean, I've got a son, and so much of the Cronulla riots, I feel, has to do with masculinity and displaced masculinity and the way males in our country — but also everywhere around the world — the way they can deal with certain things. So it was at a particular time in my life where everything just kind of bubbled up and just fell into place. And then it wrote itself very, very easily and quickly. I mean, I spent five years working on the script, but the initial draft just kind of poured out of me." ON TURNING A HEATED HISTORICAL SITUATION INTO A COMEDY "Before writing this script, [comedy's] what I had been working in. I had been working in comedy a long time ago when I made my first film [2003's Ned] — but the years preceding writing Down Under I'd been experimenting with telling these sorts of stories but in a comedic way in a couple of films I'd made for Tropfest and a couple of other things I'd been working on. "For me, it's really interesting to use comedy to take an audience into a subject matter which I guess can shine light on that subject matter in a different way. And also, it's my experience that if you can make people laugh, you're actually opening them up in a way to accepting other things. If you're laughing, you're opening yourself up emotionally, and if you're opening yourself up emotionally, then you're more receptive to, you know, a movie that's actually saying something about something." ON BALANCING HUMOUR AND TRAGEDY "To use an example, the opening two minutes where we have all that real riot footage, one consistent thing throughout every screening of this movie that we've had has been how shocking everyone finds the opening two minutes. And I think that's partly to do with the fact that it has been ten years — and when I wrote this six years ago, one of the reasons I wrote it was that I felt like we we hadn't dealt with what happened during the riots. So, it kind of feels like we've just brushed it away, and obviously recently everything's been changing locally and internationally as well. But people were shocked by — people have always been shocked by — that first two minutes. "We actually tested the movie without opening the movie with that footage, and when we didn't have that footage at the beginning of the movie, people actually had trouble with all the stuff that happens later in the movie because it kind of took them a little bit by surprise. But by opening the movie with all that footage, where you go, 'This happened, these people did this, and it's as bad as it looks,' we were actually kind of making people go, 'Okay, this subject matter, even though we're going to ease into comedy, there's going to be all of this other stuff which appears every now and then and eventually it's going to end this way too.' "So it was a tricky tonal balancing act to go from scenes where you're laughing at all sorts of different things and behaviour, but then it was always important that we were jolting back into the darker aspects and easing back into the comedy... It was tricky and it took a lot of time to get it right. But I felt like you couldn't tell this particular story and deal with this subject matter without having the darker aspects in there." ON THE TIMELINESS OF THE FILM'S RELEASE "I think it's going to make people question what we've done more, definitely. But it is one of those things — you can have a preconceived notion of what this movie is before you see it, but after you see it, I think it's pretty clear that we're trying to be respectful with how complicated this movie is and the issues are. "Even if we're going to get specific about it, the last couple of weeks with everything that happened with Sonia Kruger's comments on television and Pauline Hanson and everything — it is a little bit crazy that for me, writing something six years ago dealing with this issue, that it is getting released at a time that I could not have guessed with everything that's happening in Australian and also internationally." Down Under is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our review.
Looking for a way to keep warm and dramatically relaxed this winter? We think we've stumbled upon just the novelty thing you're looking for. A savvy American inventor has taken the concept of relaxation to unprecedented heights, with the creation of a hammock that is also a hot tub. Commence applauding. Conceived and designed by Oregonian Benjamin Frederick, The Hydro Hammock is made from a durable synthetic material, and is capable of holding the weight of more than 185 litres of water plus two adult bathers. The water, from sea, lake or garden hose, is then heated via propane gas heater and circulated via pump (battery and solar-powered hammocks are also currently in the works). The hammock can be suspended between two points like a regular hammock, but also functions as a portable hot tub liner in the sand or snow. Yep, you can build a hot tub right into the snow. Frederick is currently looking to secure additional funding via Kickstarter, and has so far raised US$35,000 of his US$50,000 goal. A pledge of US$260 will get you the basic, single-layer hammock including installation straps and carabiners, while US$390 gets you the double layer hammock with extra insulation. However, we should point out that neither of those options actually includes the heater and pump — for that you'll have to fork out US$1180 for the single layer version, or US$1310 for the double. But while that may sound like a lot of money for a hammock, it's still likely a hell of a lot cheaper than getting a regular hot tub installed. And the good news is that Frederick ships his invention worldwide. Just make sure you tie both ends to something secure and unbending, otherwise you're likely to end up bruised, wet and cold. For more information about the Hydro Hammock, visit their Kickstarter page.
The inevitable robot uprising is one step closer to becoming a reality, with the launch of Domino's first ever pizza delivery drone. The store-to-door aerial pizza man was unveiled this week in Auckland, where it will be rolled out across New Zealand in the coming months. According to Domino's, the drones will be used as a delivery method alongside the existing fleet of human couriers (well, until they outlive their usefulness) and will be "fully integrated into online ordering and GPS systems". They've developed the technology with U.S. drone developers Flirtey, who last month helped 7-Eleven deliver their first slurpee by drone. Expect the drones to make short distance deliveries in fine weather, because the last thing we need is pizza falling from the sky. …actually, scratch that. That sounds excellent. Of course, this isn't the first time that Domino's has invested in robotics. In March of this year they gave life to DRU, a robotic delivery unit capable of extinguishing the human race by the time your pizza is cold. Sure, he looks adorable, but we're pretty sure that beneath that Apple store exterior lies the unfeeling cybernetic heart of a Terminator. Then again, maybe we're over-reacting. Maybe all he wants to do is to deliver us a pizza and garlic bread and be done with it.
With hard-hitting dramas, imaginative comedies and a retrospective tribute to one of the all-time greats, the latest edition of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival doesn't disappoint. Lighting up the screen from March 1-24 in Sydney before heading out to Parramatta and Casula in April, from March 2-24 in Melbourne, and March 11-April 3 in Brisbane, the 2016 program features a diverse mix of titles showcasing the very best the French film industry has to offer. Cannes winners are set to be a highlight, with Rust and Bone director Jacques Audiard tackling the issue of asylum seekers in his new offering Dheepan, and Philippe Garrel's masterful romantic drama In the Shadow of Women. Legendary French filmmaker Michel Gondry's new film Microbe & Gasoline will also feature in the festival — which will be closed by Jean Luc-Godard's 1963 film Contempt. Here are our top five picks to see at the festival. But first, enter the comp for some sweet, sweet tickets. [competition]561842[/competition]
Movie lovers, prepare to lose your shit. Roadshow Films have confirmed that acclaimed writer-director Quentin Tarantino will visit Australia in January to promote his latest film, the star-studded, blood-soaked western The Hateful Eight. Details on the visit are still pretty scarce, with more information expected to drop in the coming months. What we do know is that Tarantino will attend a premiere in Sydney along with a "fan event" in Melbourne ahead of the movie's staggered theatrical release. The film is currently slated to debut in select cinemas in 70mm on January 14, followed by a wide release on January 21. Set on the western frontier shortly after the end of the American Civil War, The Hateful Eight revolves around eight strangers, played by Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Demián Bachir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern, who become snowed in at a stagecoach stopover during a fearsome blizzard. This being a film from the guy behind Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained, we're guessing things don't exactly go smoothly from there. Aside from the cast, one of the most noteworthy things about The Hateful Eight is Tarantino's decision to shoot and release the movie on 70mm film. The rarely utilised format allows filmmakers to capture images in greater detail, but is much more expensive than shooting a movie digitally or using standard 35mm film. "If we do our jobs right by making this film a 70mm event, we will remind people why this is something you can't see on television and how this is an experience you can't have when you watch movies in your apartment, your man cave or your iPhone or iPad," said Tarantino at the American Film Market earlier this year. "You'll see 24 frames per second play out, all these wonderfully painted pictures create the illusion of movement. I'm hoping it's going to stop the momentum of the digital stuff, and that people will hopefully go, 'man, that is going to the movies, and that is worth saving, and we need to see more of that.'" The issue is somewhat complicated by the fact that very few cinemas still have the equipment to project 70mm film prints — hence The Hateful Eight's two part release strategy. The Astor in Melbourne is one of the only theatres in the country that still regularly screens movies in the 70mm format, and shapes up as one likely venue for Tarantino's Australian visit.
If you prefer your alcoholic beverages in ale or lager form, you've probably noticed a couple of trends taking over Brisbane. Every corner of the city seems to house a craft beer bar, and a growing number make their own tasty tipples on the premises. West End watering hole The Catchment Brewing Co. is the latest to join the ranks of both — and is the newest cause for craft beer celebration. Another place serving ice-cold pints not only poured fresh from the keg, but also brewed on site? Yeah, you won't hear us complaining. Indeed, it should be smiles all round at the Boundary Street venue, which boasts two levels of bars and two laneway hangout areas within its renovated art deco confines. The relaxed atmosphere is enough to make patrons want to stay all day — and that's before you get to the menus. The food offering features favourite gastropub fare, such as pizzas, burgers and sharing platters — aka the ideal bites to line the stomach with. With an upstairs wine bar, the drinks menu focuses on wine. as well as a mix of local and international beer alongside Catchment's in-house Colonial Ale and Pale Select Ale. Both beers — one light and golden, the other flavoursome and fruity — will start brewing in the coming weeks, much to the delight of the city's craft ale aficionados. That means eager patrons can visit now to check out the surroundings, and then return later for the ultimate beer and bliss combination. Find The Catchment Brewing Co. at 150 Boundary Street, West End, or visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
It's ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. This year, Laneway Festival blows out the candles with one of its biggest lineups yet. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates including the Brisbane Showgrounds on January 31, Sydney's Sydney College of the Arts on February 1 and Melbourne's Footscray Community Arts Centre and River's Edge on February 7, finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. Returning to the Australian touring circuit is UK on-repeat outfit Jungle, festival jaw-droppers Future Islands and Melbourne's lives-up-to-the-hype queen Courtney Barnett. Two of the biggest hypecards of the bunch, FKA Twigs and BANKS, will fight for the midnight hushed vocal crown. Then there's the ever-epic St. Vincent, punk-as-fuck UK band Eagulls, smooooooth king Flying Lotus, Harlem's top-of-the-game hip hop outfit Ratking and the triumphant returns of Rustie, Jon Hopkins, POND and crisp-as-blazes Caribou. Then there's Mac DeMarco and his mum, Agnes. But enough talk, here's that lineup you're after. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP: Agnes DeMarco* Andy Bull Angel Olsen BANKS Benjamin Booker Caribou Connan Mockasin Courtney Barnett Dune Rats Eagulls Eves*** FKA Twigs Flight Facilities Flying Lotus (Layer 3) Future Islands* Highasakite Jesse Davidson** Jon Hopkins* Jungle Little Dragon Mac DeMarco Mansionair Perfect Pussy Peter Bibby POND Ratking Raury Royal Blood* Rustie Seekae SOHN St Vincent* Vic Mensa *Exclusive to Laneway: no sideshows **Laneway Adelaide only ***Exclusive to East Coast shows only
Brisbanites, prepare to take your love of the outdoors to its fanciest extreme. You'll get some fresh air, party by the river and swing a mallet. That's right — the Royal Croquet Club is about to make its Queensland debut. After wowing Adelaide since 2013 and Melbourne earlier this year, November 6 marks Brisbane's turn to enjoy an all-ages festival dedicated to the pastime many might associate with cult '80s teen flick Heathers. That said, while it may boast four playing pitches spread across South Bank's forecourt, the Royal Croquet Club isn't just about whacking balls around. Think 17 days of food, drinks, music and more summer vibes than you can shake a croquet club at — which is an option here, clearly. The dining lineup offers a fabulous fusion of Asian, all-American and Mexican cuisine. Your stomach will delight at delicious fare from Sin Vida, Miss Kay's, The Defiant Duck, Bao Down Now, The Doughnut Bar and Mighty Mighty, plus La Macelleria gelato and Street ADL bringing their Moroccan-Malaysian tastes up north. Beverage-wise, unique spaces such as the Champagne Bar and Pimms Garden have those particular beverages covered. And then there's the entertainment, including local, interstate and international artists and musicians showering attendees in performances, with details still to be announced. Honestly, even without knowing the full lineup, the Royal Croquet Club already seems to have everything we could want in a late-spring hangout spot: games, sun, shade, tunes and cocktails that won't stop flowing. We'll see you there. The Royal Croquet Club hits the South Bank Forecourt from November 6 to 22. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
When your last festival screened 48 films to 168,000 people around Australia, what comes next? It's a problem many events wish they had, however, in their 28th year, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is on the case. With the massive celebration of Gallic cinema continuing to draw huge crowds, the beloved annual festival is offering up more of the same — and we're giving away tickets. Kicking off on March 7 in Sydney before touring to Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Parramatta and Casula until April 9, the 2017 program begins and ends with a bang — or, with two very different journeys. In pole position at the start of the fest sits The Odyssey, an adventure-filled biopic focused on famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, and co-starring Audrey Tautou as Cousteau's wife Simone. Then, after running through the bulk of its 45-film selection, the fest comes to a close with maternal comedy A Bun in the Oven, featuring The Bélier Family's Karin Viard as an unexpectedly expectant 49-year old. In between, the AFFFF delivers on two fronts: stars and a vibrant array of big screen stories. There's plenty of both. The former includes 2017 Oscar-nominees Isabelle Huppert and Natalie Portman, with Huppert showing up twice — playing a woman with a secret past in the rom-com Souvenir, and a philosophy professor in Things to Come — and Portman joining forces with Lily-Rose Depp (yes, Johnny's daughter) in Planetarium. Depp also stars with French singer-actress Soko in The Dancer, while Marion Cotillard does double duty too in romance From the Land of the Moon and the Xavier Dolan-directed family drama It's Only the End of the World. Inglourious Basterds actress Mélanie Laurent co-directs environmental doco Tomorrow, the great Gérard Depardieu takes a road trip in Saint Amour, and one of the last roles played by Amour's Emmanuelle Riva, as an elderly aunt in Lost in Paris, also features. Elsewhere, the 2017 fest tells the tale of the first popular Afro-Cuban artist of the French stage in Monsieur Chocolate starring The Intouchables' Omar Sy opposite James Thierrée (aka Charlie Chaplin's grandson), examines the real-life circumstances surrounding a pregnant nun in The Innocents, dives into coming-of-age affections with Being 17 and gets ghostly with the haunting Daguerrotype. Or, viewers can catch Juliette Binoche at her most slapstick in farcical detective effort Slack Bay, and enjoy the kind of moral dilemmas the Dardenne brothers explore so well in The Unknown Girl. Looking back as well as forwards, a two-movie retrospective steps into the court of Versailles courtesy of the Marie Antoinette-centric Farewell, My Queen and music drama Mozart's Sister. Plus, if all of the above isn't enough for the most eager film buffs, dedicated cinephiles can take A Journey Through French Cinema for 191 minutes of movie history. [competition]611799[/competition]
Heading to Byron Bay this July to flail around to The Cure, be obliterated by sound of The Avalanches and burl the words to The Strokes? You can't do all that without a little pre-game with your mates, preferably at a stunning beach house right on the ocean, with some of Australia's best upcoming artists playing sets just for you. Luckily for you, Concrete Playground has teamed up with Sonos to throw one heck of a beach party — and you could be on the guest list. We're putting on an intimate pre-festival gathering at one of Byron Bay's most iconic locations. It's called Beach Break (because you need one, we need one, everyone needs one). You could be joining mates CP and Sonos for a big ol' warm-up on Saturday, July 23, to be held at a secret location which only the guest list will know. You'll be kicking back at our Byron beach house with a cocktail, catching sets from Australia's one-to-watch artists Kllo and Banoffee, and listening to Sonos-curated party playlists. Register your interest and we could be seeing you at our pretty little beach house. ENTER HERE. This event is independently presented by Concrete Playground and Sonos, and is not associated with Splendour in the Grass or Secret Sounds.
It was the hit of Cannes, a highlight at both Sydney and Melbourne's film festivals, and has been selected as Germany's entry in the best foreign-language category at next year's Academy Awards. It's none other than Toni Erdmann, the almost three-hour German comedy about a father trying to spend time with his adult daughter. The memorable movie can't really be described accurately — it has to be experienced, trust us — and now, thanks to the just-announced German Film Fest Australia program, it's making its way around the country. The critical smash is just one of the highlights of the annual showcase German cinema, which notches up its 15th year in 2016. It sits amidst a packed lineup that boasts 31 features, five documentaries and more than 25 Australian premieres, and will tour Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra from November 15 to 30. Other standouts include opening night's road trip drama Goodbye Berlin, box office smash The Most Beautiful Day, a factual look at a young Burmese music fan in My Buddha is Punk, and tragicomedy Me and Kaminski, with Captain America: Civil War's Daniel Brühl as journalist doing whatever it takes to get ahead. Everything Will Be Fine, the latest effort from veteran director Wim Wenders, also pops up — in 3D and featuring James Franco, Rachel McAdams and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Yep, variety is the spice of German cinema as well as life (and James Franco has to pop up just about everywhere). Of course, great film fests look at ace flicks from years gone by, as well as new hits, adding another reason to get excited about GFFA's picks. Nodding to the nation's movie-making past, the festival closes with a restoration of silent trapeze artist drama Varieté from 1925, which stars the first-ever Oscar winner Emil Jannings. Elsewhere, doco Fassbinder explores the work and impact of New German Cinema pioneer Rainer Werner Fassbinder, while the director's legendary love story Ali: Fear Eats The Soul will also screen. The German Film Fest Australia tours the country from November 15, screening at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema and Palace Norton Street from November 15 to 29, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Kino Cinemas and Palace Westgarth from November 17 to 30, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from November 25 to 30. For more information, visit the festival website.
After spending so much time indoors in 2020, we're all keen to be outdoors as much as possible (while the good weather lasts). And one spot you can soak up the good vibes is Federation Square, which is transforming into a garden oasis this season. On January 15, the CBD space will unveil new grass zones, deck chairs, colourful beanbags and a jam-packed program of free happenings to keep you entertained (and comfy) for those lazy summer afternoons and evenings ahead. The roster of events includes live music, wellbeing classes — think yoga, cooking demos and life drawing — plus screenings of major sports events and an outdoor cinema screening classics like Muriel's Wedding, The Great Gatsby and Red Dog. In collaboration with ACMI, Fed Square will screen a silent film on the digital facade with a live score accompaniment on selected evenings, too. And, when you get hungry, you can get food delivered from any of the surrounding Fed Square restaurants and bars, including Riverland, Mama's Canteen and Atiyah Lebanese Kitchen. Image: Liam Neal
Virtual reality may finally be about to hit the mainstream, with Sony announcing that PlayStation VR will be on the market by the end of the year. Compatible with the PS4, the long-awaited virtual reality headset will go on sale in October, and is now available for preorder from the PlayStation website for the surprisingly accessible price of AUD $549.95. Expensive gimmick or the future of gaming? Suppose we'll have to wait and see. The company made the announcement at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this morning. According to Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House, more than 230 developers are working on VR games, including a VR version of Star Wars: Battlefront. House expects there will be more than 50 games available by the end of the year, many of which will incorporate both the VR headset and a TV screen, allowing for multiplayer experiences that don't require multiple headsets. While there are still some doubts about the mass marketability of VR technology, Sony's announcement undoubtedly marks a significant step forward — not least because of its relative affordability. When accounting for shipping, both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift — which both require a high-powered desktop computer to operate — are expected to cost more than double that of the PlayStation headset. Although, as the guys at Lifehacker have predicted, to use PlayStation VR to its full capabilities you'll probably need to purchase a PlayStation Camera and a Move controller or two, which will bring the price closer to $700. Those after a bargain basement alternative can always go with Google Cardboard, but we suspect that won't be compatible with your PS4. Via Wired.
Forget space travel, the internet and the mapping of the human genome. Our greatest technological achievements pale in comparison to the one unveiled by Dominos (yes, that Dominos) in Brisbane last night. Developed by the pizza chain in partnership with technology startup Marathon Robotics, the Dominos Robotic Unit, or DRU, is a fully functioning autonomous vehicle built for the sole purpose of delivering pizza. The future is here. Designed to travel along footpaths, DRU weighs 190kg, can reach speeds of up to 20km per hour, and navigates unassisted using GPS. It is also capable of navigating around obstacles, ensuring your food arrives unscathed. Once DRU rolls up outside your house, you simple enter a unique mobile code and the heated storage compartment opens right up to reveal the sweet, sweet pizza within. Sadly, Dominos expects it'll be at least another two years until DRUs are ready to begin regular service, as there are still various technological and regulatory hurdles to overcome. Turns out the government is a little tetchy when it comes to unsupervised robots roaming the streets... which is probably fair enough. Dominos also acknowledges that there could be problems with vandalism and theft. DRU is worth around $30,000, making it a prime target for unscrupulous robot-nappers. Of course, that pales in comparison to the real danger that no one seems to want to talk about. We've seen enough dystopian science fiction films to know the beginnings of a robot uprising when we see one. Pretty sure Skynet started out as a pizza delivery system, too. Just sayin... [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqzLoXjFT34[/embed] Via Lifehacker. Image: Marathon Robotics.
As if alcohol alone doesn't do enough to unleash your inner, six-year-old self, you can now embrace it shamelessly — that's if you happen to be in San Francisco and anywhere near that city's latest thing: a pop-up ball pit in your local bar. Yep, you read that right. A brilliantly regressive-thinking organisation by the name of Forward Motion has turned every kidult's dream into a reality. The team is heading into willing bars and nightclubs, setting up enormous pits, and filling them to the brim with balls of all colours. And you're welcome to jump straight in — even if, or especially if, you're armed with a cocktail. Forward Motion held its first pop-up on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20 at San Francisco's Romper Room. "It took a little over a year to actually make it happen, as the biggest obstacle was trying to raise enough money to purchase 40,000 ball pit balls," Forward Motion founder Ryan Lum told Mashable. "After several failed crowdfunding attempts, I decided to just start selling tickets to [the] event that didn't even exist. It took a long time trying to raise the money but it was all worth it in the end." Not only did stacks of people attend, they made the most of it. Some dressed as brides and one as a kangaroo. There were ball fights, conga lines, limbo matches and Macarena displays. The bar staff got on the bandwagon, too, throwing a plastic green turtle into the pit and offering a free shot to the first person to find it. Forward Motion, you are hereby officially invited to Australia. In the meantime, readers can cry with envy at ball pits happening on the other side of the Pacific by following announcements on Facebook. Via First We Feast and Mashable. Images: Dollar Photo Club and Miracles Ramirez/Forward Motion.
Danny Boyle’s iconic 1996 film Trainspotting is finally getting the sequel you kind of don’t want to see but can’t look away from. Boyle officially confirmed the news an interview with Deadline — the sequel has a script and is definitely going ahead. The only problem is coordinating the schedules of the now-famous OG actors. The sequel will be based on Irvine Welsh’s 2002 novel Porno, which was released six years after the film of Trainspotting. The film version of Porno will pick up eight years after Trainspotting left off, with the same crew. But the biggest difference is in the title — obviously, this one is about porn. While Trainspotting was perhaps the most effective campaign against shooting up heroin (and the need to learn the dialect and slang of Edinburgh youth), Porno may well do the same for the amateur porn industry. Don’t worry, there'll probably still be gratuitous drug use. Boyle told Complex that Porno will bring back the “four main actors” which the Internet has interpreted to mean Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Kevin McKidd. Even John Hodge, the screenwriter of Trainspotting, is working on the sequel. There has been no confirmation whether Ewan Bremner or Kelly Macdonald will be included, however the plot of Porno has a sizeable role for Bremner’s character 'Spud', so we’re cautiously optimistic. For those of you wanting to read the book before seeing the film, be warned: the plot might be changed when it goes to the silver screen. The project has been in the works for the while now and author Irvine Welsh told The Big Issue two years ago that, "The sequel I wrote — Porno — is already ten years old, so I don't think you can just use the book as the source for the script. You need other stuff that makes it more fresh and contemporary. The porno stuff might feel a bit passé now after Fifty Shades of Grey." It would seem that Welsh and Boyle have some (probably not very) sexy surprises in store for us. Via Deadline and Complex.
Trying to stay healthy while eating the food you love can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. Basically, we want to have our cake, and eat it too, but to also have that cake not ruin any chance at being healthy as blazes. Luckily, the good folk at food delivery service Youfoodz have put together a couple of recipes that offer unexpectedly healthy takes on some of our all time culinary favourites. Say goodbye to the grease-sodden offerings from your local fish and chip shop because, for dinner, they suggest a healthy, homemade alternative, that subs out those deep-fried chippies for baked roast veggie chips and a good-for-you superseed crust instead of batter. Alternatively, if you've got a hectic sweet tooth, they've got the perfect protein packed recipe for blueberry pancakes with a light honey ricotta that looks every bit as good as it sounds. Add some extra berries on top for added antioxidants and deliciousness. Healthy eating ain't so bad after all. Check 'em out and enjoy the spoils. FISH AND CHIPS Ingredients (fish) 120g cod 1tbs almond meal 1tbs slivered almonds 1tbs quinoa 5g chia seeds 5g sesame seeds Lemon wedges Salt Ingredients (chips) 60g sweet potato 60g carrot 60g potato Paprika Ingredients (tartare sauce) 2-3 tbs of your favourite prepared aioli 2 large Gherkins (chopped) 1tbs Capers (chopped) Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lemon 2tbs fresh dill (chopped) 2tbs continental Parsley (chopped) Method 1) Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. 2) Cut vegetables into chip shapes and sizes and combine with some paprika. Bake in oven until roasted and delicious. 3) Combine almond meal, nuts and seeds and mix well, sprinkle heavily on top of cod and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked. 4) Add chopped gherkins, capers, dill, lemon juice and zest and parsley to prepared aioli and mix well. 5) Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of sea salt. BLUEBERRY BAKED PANCAKES AND HONEY RICOTTA Ingredients (pancake mix) 4 eggs 1 cup almond meal Half cup gluten free flour 100g protein powder Lemon zest of 2 lemons 1.5 cups natural yoghurt Quarter cup white sugar 1tsp bi carb soda 1 cup blueberries Ingredients (ricotta and honey mix) Ricotta cheese Honey Method 1) Lightly beat eggs with sugar till combined well. 2) Add almond meal, gluten free flour, protein powder and bi carb soda and mix well. 3) Add yoghurt, blueberries and lemon zest, combine all ingredients and cook in medium hot non stick fry pan till risen and golden. Combine ricotta and honey, spoon over cooked pancakes with additional berries and honey. Want someone else to cook these for you? Youfoodz will bring them right to your door. To view the full menu, head to youfoodz.com.
Find true love without ever lifting a finger. A brand new smart watch app is eliminating the most physically arduous part of Tinder by selecting your matches for you based on the beating of your heart. Yep, it swipes right for you. This is isn't just like putting your Tinder profile on auto-swipe (actual thing). Developed by American creative agency T3, Hands-Free Tinder works by measuring your pulse rate. According to T3, "The heart doesn't lie." The display on your smartwatch will show you a potential date’s profile picture and then gauges your physiological reaction. If your heartbeat quickens, it may well be true love/casual sex time. If it slows, it clearly wasn’t meant to be. Check out their classy, classy promotional video, below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkVLJiJj7qQ We’re not buying the whole ‘always listen to your heart’ shtick, but you’ve got to give the company credit for really boiling Tinder down to its bare essentials. You literally have to press one button, and everything else is taken care of. This is especially great news for frequent and/or desperate Tinder users, many of whom have begun to experience the symptoms of repetitive strain injury as a result of too much right swiping. The hands-free functionality also has the added benefit of removing any lingering traces of guilt you might feel for snap-judging a potential match based solely on their physical appearance. After all, it’s not like you can control your heart rate. Just don’t use the app while you’re on the treadmill. Could lead to some pretty awkward, terribly-matched first dates. While the concept video makes specific mention of the Apple Watch, the agency claims the app will be available via both Google Play and the Apple App Store, although no word yet as to when. It’s also worth pointing out that the app isn’t actually affiliated with the creators of Tinder, so there may be some rebranding before it hits stores. In the meantime, we’ll be huddled around our phones, swiping like a bunch of soulmate-seeking Neanderthals. Via Mashable. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
