Eight Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Winter weekends haven't looked this wonderfully packed for many a cold, cold week. There's plenty of winter harvest treats to be eaten, films to be snuggled into and live music to warm your hands on, doonas have never looked so unappealing. Get out there, put a dumb-looking animal beanie on and lap up that wintry goodness — there's plenty of time to worry about prepping for bikini season later.

Harvest at GOMA

GOMA has a new exhibition that will get your tummy rumbling. The wonderful Harvest exhibition celebrates food and art with over 150 pieces from the Gallery's Collection on display. Harvest features stunning still life paintings from the 17th century to now, delicious videos and large installations to fully immerse yourself in. As part of the exhibition, Harvest: Food on Film will focus on the presence and importance of food as a symbol in filmmaking. GOMA have even designed a special lunchtime meal at the cafe bistro. After having your fill of art and working up an appetite, dig into the roasted Spatchcock, puffed corn and toasted grains with blueberry gel with a glass of wine ($20). There are plenty more programs being held during the exhibition, so bib up and get noshing.

When: Saturday, 28 June - Sunday, 21 September
Where: GOMA , Stanley Place, South Bank Brisbane
How much: FREE

Odd Home at The Hold Artspace

The most perplexing pieces of contemporary art are those that stem from the most absurd briefs, and the premise of The Hold Artspace’s new exhibition Odd Home, is true testament to that. Asked to critically deconstruct long held conventions through the individual art practice, the artists on display at this exhibition have not held back. Artists James Barth, Marisa Culpo, Spencer Harvie, Lilly Heenan, Aishla Manning, Naomi O’Reilly, Anya Swan are Trevor Tierney will be doing their best and draw from the everyday and pop culture art of conflicting ideas. Think everything from processed food to alternative lifestyles — if you don’t leave Odd Home a little squeamish and confused, then these artists haven’t done their job (but we can assure you this exhibition is in fine hands).

When: Wednesday, 9 July - Saturday, 12 July
Where: The Hold Artspace , 274 Montague Rd west end
How much: FREE

The Lunchbox

A charming portrait of two lonely hearts who connect across a city of more than 20 million people, Ritesh Batra's debut feature feels worlds away from a stereotypical Indian melodrama. As a matter fact, were it not for the setting, the language and the mouth-watering shots of local cuisine, you might very well mistake it for Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail. The epistolary romance is hardly a new genre; Ephron's film was itself a modernised remake of the classic Hollywood rom-com The Shop Around the Corner. Fundamentally, The Lunchbox is a film about unlikely human connections, and the unexpected happiness they can bring. Endearing characters give substance to the formulaic plot and make Batra's debut feature a satisfying cinematic meal.

Read our full review here.

When: Thursday, 10 July - Wednesday, 6 August
Where: Various cinemas in Brisbane
How much: $15 - $25

Hey Geronimo Take Over Trainspotters

Hey Geronimo have been amassing a solid fan base over the past few years, branching out from their Brisbane roots and hitting the national airwaves thanks to some seriously catchy hits. Their latest effort, Erring On The Side of Awesome further established the band as one to keep an eye on, even though their YouTube clips have amassed over a million views. The band has returned home to curate a series of shows for Trainspotters, the popular hub for live music. For their first show, the band has collected an interesting group of acts. My Own Pet Radio, Bilby and Born Joy Dead will be taking the stage from 9pm.

When: Saturday, 12 July - 9:00pm
Where: Trainspotters , 270 Ann Street, Brisbane
How much: FREE

Yoga Fest

Do you crave a bit of extra flexibility? Do you need to relax and unwind? Do you need to ease yourself into some form of exercise? It’s our chance to make a change: Yoga Fest 2014. A festival of yoga might sound like a tame affair, but it isn’t. Get this: market stalls, dance workshops, food stalls, natural medicine demonstrations are all happening throughout the two days as well as heaps and heaps of yoga. Head over to the Old Museum where there will be five halls of yoga.

When: Saturday, 12 July - Sunday, 13 July
Where: The Old Museum , Cnr Gregory Tce & Bowen Bridge Rd Bowen Hills, Brisbane
How much: $48 - $128

Scandinavian Film Festival

Step into your local arthouse theatre these days and you'd be hard pressed not to find a regional film festival going on. In 2014, the line-up is getting that little bit more crowded, with the inaugural edition of a brand new festival highlighting the films from Europe's frozen north. Covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the first annual Scandinavian Film Festival is set to put the kvikmynd in kvikmyndahátíð. For more information about the Scandinavian Film Festival, visit their website.

When: Friday, 11 July - Sunday, 20 July
Where: Palace Cinemas Brisbane , Brisbane
How much: $15 - $20

Reframed14 at White Canvas Gallery

There’s nothing better than local produce, especially when it comes to art. Brisbane-based Reframed has long made it their agenda to keep eagle eyes on Brisbane’s best creatives and put them in a gallery space to show off their flying colours. Now, in their fifth annual exhibition, Reframed14, they’ve curated an array of styles and mediums across painting, photography, objects, installation and jewellery, all from artists with postcodes begin with four. The exhibition will feature the work of 17 artists such as Belinda Giddins, Tessa Brown, Ari Fuller, Kerryn Lane, and a dozen more.

When: Thursday, 3 July - Sunday, 13 July
Where: White Canvas Gallery , 26 Church St, Fortitude Valley
How much: Free

Caligula

Welcome to the future, a striking hyperreality envisioned by The Danger Ensemble. They have been described as a love-or-hate cast, bold, mesmerising, yet infuriating and explosive. Now, the cast of notoriety take on the story of Caligula, the first Roman emperor to meet an untimely death by assassination, his divine intervention shrouded in controversy and conspiracy even to this day. Cruelty, passion, severance and glory makes for a scandalous tale that you can dig your dramatic fangs into; a wild ride for the gutsy and the vindictive. Meet Marie Antoinette with shields and brutality, extravagance with the ever pending ultimate cost.

When: Thursday, 3 July - Saturday, 12 July
Where: Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts , 420 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
How much: $20 - $35

Words by the Concrete Playground team.