There are so many cafes, restaurants and bars in Melbourne that it's easy to be overwhelmed with choice. You put yourself under so much pressure to impress your friends, and yourself, by always choosing the best coffee, the best place for drinks, or the most decadent and delicious fancy dinner in the area. We've decided that we're going to make it extremely easy for you to feel like a local, with the first of our neighbourhood guides we're producing with Adina Apartments. Have a read of our picks for St Kilda, and the next time you're staying in the area consult this list for a reliable, local option for a coffee. We promise that none of these options will disappoint. BEST PLACE FOR A COFFEE Hannah Hannah serves Proud Mary Coffee, which is juicy and full of flavour — just as it should be. The cafe prides itself on a well-considered approach to coffee, food and interior design. Vinyl records provide the soundtrack, while ferns pepper the interior. The all day brunch features porridge with date jam and hazelnuts ($11) and coconut pancakes with pink peppered berries and vanilla mascarpone ($16.50), while lunch is a mouth-watering selection including the likes of smoked trout, cavolo nero, witlof, radicchio, poached egg and samphire salsa ($19) and octopus salad with silverbeet, watercress, purple congos, capers and marjoram salmoriglio ($18.50). BEST PLACE TO GRAB BREAKFAST Matcha Mylkbar St Kilda is home to Melbourne's most popular and Instagrammable vegan eatery, which is fuelled by matcha. The plant-based café comes from the same people that brought you (and basically every cafe in Australia) Matcha Maiden. Dubbed Matcha Mylkbar, the cafe serves the regulars like smashed avocado with heirloom tomatoes and corn fritters, but then there's the coconut bacon and the matcha pancakes with dark chocolate sorbet. There are also the famous mushroom lattes, and beetroot lattes. BEST SPOT FOR FISH & CHIPS Paper Fish A kickass fish and chippery is located right off the St Kilda Beach boardwalk. Paper Fish offers sustainable, healthy(ish) eat-in and takeaway options all throughout summer. Open noon until late seven days a week, now until the end of daylight savings, Paper Fish will serve up sustainable seafood and fresh quality produce in environmentally friendly packaging. Menu items include flathead, blue grenadier, salmon or gummy served grilled or tempura fried, as well as fritto misto (small fried bits of seafood), sweet potato cakes and crinkle-cut chips in a cone. BEST PLACE TO GRAB A BEER Freddie Wimpoles Freddie Wimpoles features 13 taps pouring a rotating lineup of local and international craft brews, as well as additional beers by the bottle and can. They also have a number of wines, plus more than 180 premium spirits and a selection of classic cocktails. The food is inspired by corner delis in NYC – think hot dogs, beef jerky, pickled vegetables and slow-cooked meat subs. BEST PLACE FOR A CHEESEBOARD Milk the Cow You don't just go to Milk the Cow for fresh mozzarella and just-made ricotta — you go for the selection of over 150 cheeses. There is cheese that's been imported from France, Ireland and Norway as well as the Yarra Valley; cheese that's been washed in chai, paprika and cognac; aged in caves and sat ripening out the back until just the right time to eat. There's all sorts of soft, hard and in-between cheese — all curated on a rotating basis by head cheesemonger Laura Lown. This, and Milk the Cow's Carlton location, is the best place for cheese in all of Melbourne, not just St Kilda. BEST ROOFTOP BAR Captain Baxter St Kilda Sea Baths may not be Melbourne's Mecca of fine dining, but in a city convinced they are starved of sun, you can rarely beat a seat at a beachfront venue once the weather warms up. The same could be said about Captain Baxter. Nestled in with Republica at the baths, its large upstairs dining room and looming facade is the perfect place for a beer, a cocktail and a bowl of hand-cut fries. BEST WEEKEND FOOD MARKET Hank Marvin Market Over 40 street food vendors set up shop at Hank Marvin Market, a street food market on every Saturday at Alma Park in St Kilda East, transforming it into a hub of fresh produce, food trucks and street food stalls. Old favourites Overdosa, Hammer & Tong, Happy Camper Pizza and the Little Mushroom Co. are generally there, along with artisan doughnuts from Cobb Lane Bakery and traditional wood-fired bagels from Shtetl Bagels. BEST SPOT FOR A FANCY DINNER Cafe Di Stasio The upper echelons of elegance, service and rich Italian food. If we're talking about institutions, Cafe di Stasio is right at the top of the list. After 26 years on Fitzroy Street, the restaurant and bar still exudes elegance, sophisticated service and decadent Italian food. Here the lunches are long, the wine is expensive and the atmosphere is right on point. There's a place for old-school, classy dining and this is it. BEST SPOT TO PACK A PICNIC Catani Gardens For the discerning picnicker with a preference for a cool sea breeze, St Kilda's Catani Gardens is an idyllic fusion between urban and ocean. One of the only places in Melbourne where it is acceptable to find a palm tree lined avenue, six hectares of brilliantly landscaped gardens hugging both the city and the sea is located right on the St Kilda foreshore. While not as secluded as other options, the boardwalk setting provides the perfect vantage point of ample amounts of people watching, as well as immediate access to a host of fancy fish and chips shops. Extra points will be given for those who rollerblade with basket in hand to picnic point of choice. Book yourself in at an Adina Apartment Hotel and have a St Kilda staycation — it's the easiest way to tick all these off.
Traditional Japanese nosh meets on-trend superfoods at Armadale's newest cafe, Walk Don't Run. Opened by Vincent Conti and Mario Minichilli — the duo responsible for both The Merchants Guild and Prana Chai — the eatery is serving up what's been dubbed 'mindful gourmet' food according to Good Food. In other words, you get all the goodness of superfoods, but without sacrificing taste. The man making this happen is head chef and co-owner Ryo Doyama, who's previously worked at St Edmonds. Drawing on his Japanese background, he's come up with innovative dishes, like green tea noodles with poached chicken, green beans, nuts and tahini-ponzu dressing. All ingredients are organic, locally-sourced where possible, and put together to make sure that diners leave feeling well-nourished. "The focus is on ensuring customers feel nourished and energised when they leave, like they have been good to themselves," Minichilli said in a media statement. "We want a health conscious person to pick anything from the menu and not have to worry about what is in the dish — as it is all super good for you because if the fresh produce isn’t organic, it doesn’t make it onto the plate." Walk Don't Run's interior has been designed to complement the menu — simple, clean, beautiful and features one-off pieces from Please Please Please. It's the work of designer Wendy Bergman of Bergman & Co., who's lengthy resume includes Kong, Hello Sailor, Taxi Kitchen, Mr Miyagi, The Meatball & Wine Bar and Green Park. Find Walk Don't Run at 17 Morey St, Armadale. Open Wednesday to Sunday, between 7am and 3pm. Via Good Food. Images: WDR Instagram.
Hitting New Zealand for the weekend isn't as much of a faraway adventure as it seems — the flight's just over three hours from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. That's almost similar to visiting Canberra or Byron, and there's better wine at the end. New Zealand's capital is brimming with more contemporary, creative restaurants, microroasteries, buzzing cafes and of course, craft breweries than you can poke a wizard's staff at. Every (outrageously friendly) taxi driver will tell you that that city has more cafes, bars and restaurants per capita than New York City — and they're on the money. Hop an easy flight from Melbourne/Sydney to the Harbour Capital and spend an easy weekend on the waterfront, wandering through street art-filled laneways, tasting the world's most gloriously creative craft beer, learning up on ever-fascinating Māori history, and feasting on some serious food. EAT You'd have to try pretty hard to find a bad coffee in Wellington. The city runs rife with microroasteries and no-nonsense baristas churning out killer coffees by the minute. Wander down the street art-plastered areas of Eva Street and Hannah's Factory Laneway in search of a freshly brewed cup o' joe. Stop by Leeds Street Bakery, a teeny tiny glass-and-brick-walled joint for a piccolo from their mates Red Rabbit Coffee Co., and do not leave here without snapping up one of their famously insane salted caramel cookies. They're not pretty but they'll make you involuntarily make noises at strangers. Look at this: Locals will constantly send you to a formerly dreary multi-car garage that's now a bustling corner cafe, dubbed The Hangar. Run by local coffee roasters Flight Coffee, The Hangar serves up kickass coffee made from Costa Rican beans from the family-run Herbazu estate. Huddle over your own cup of joe and take in the ahmbiahnce, or get pesky and ask the crew about the roasting process. Ghuznee Street's Milk Crate and Customs Brew Bar are also worth visiting, as are our six favourite coffee bars on Concrete Playground Wellington. Now you're well caffeinated, let's head for something a little more hearty. Wellington has one heck of a dining scene, a combination of perpetually high quality produce and young, dynamic restaurateurs. Try your luck and wait for a table at Charley Noble in Post Office Square. A seafood bar and steak specialist with a penchant for woodfired cooking ('Charley Noble' was the sailors' name for the ship's galley chimney), this busy, busy restaurant has been the talk of the town since opening in 2014 — and features New Zealand's first Zesti woodfired chargrill and rotisserie. Looking for something a little more modern and fusion-based? Head for Egmont Street Eatery. Tucked down a regular ol' laneway off Dixon Street, this former carpark space does modern New Zealand/Asian fusion with a fresh, seasonal approach and casually excellent service — and they won Wellington on a Plate's highly coveted Burger Wellington comp in 2015. They'll happily match your lunch with one of Wellington's top notch craft beers or a slam dunk of a New Zealand wine. Try the miso salmon salad with cos, nam jim (a traditional Thai sauce) and herbs ($25), and wash it down with 'The Don', a hefty, sediment-filled white that your waiter will probably recommend you try before you buy. The Don doesn't suit every palate. Also worth visiting? Mark Keddell and chef Sean Marshall's The Matterhorn on buzzy Cuba Street, seasonally-focused (and wine-happy) restaurant Floraditas, wholesome, hearty brunch spot Loretta, award-winning chef Mark Limacher's Ortega fish shack, the Boon brothers' beloved Manners Street cafe/bar Crumpet, New York-inspired deli/diner Five Boroughs, and Eastern Asian modern dining spot and cocktail bar Ancestral. Eating on a budget? Check out our feature on seven days of cheap eats in Wellington. DRINK Let's test out that theory, the big bragging right that the city has more bars per capita than New York City. If you head into the city's nightlife/entertainment district, Courtenay Place on a Friday night, you'll find the area packed with young'uns heading to the area's rowdy Irish pubs, rock and roll bars and licensed late-night eateries. But Wellington's not just serving up any ol' tipples in its plethora of watering holes. Let's start with something for the beer lovers — Wellington is New Zealand's craft beer capital after all. Find your way to an old petrol station in Aro Valley that's now brimming with award-winning beer. You've found one of Wellington's very best craft breweries, The Garage Project. Since 2011, this well-publicised crew have gained the rep as the rock stars of the NZ craft beer scene. They gained quite the hype early on when they released 24 beers in 24 weeks, and have been working just as boldly and experimentally since. They opened their own cellar door within the brewery in March 2013, where you can have a mad chat and taste the latest batches on tap — everything from the best-selling (and bloody delicious) Garagista, to the out-there Umami Monster, Cereal Milk Stout and Ziggy's Carrot Cake. They've even just opened their own bar, GP 91 Aro, just down the road. To keep on the craft beer trail, head for the Parrotdog and Black Dog Brew Co. breweries or head for craft beer bars like Fork & Brewer, Little Beer Quarter, Golding's Free Dive, The Rogue and Vagabond, Bebemos, Hop Garden, The Malthouse or Hashigo Zake. [caption id="attachment_572288" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Hawthorn Lounge.[/caption] Finished your beer? Let's get a little more botanical with your next beverage. Wellington's home to one heck of a mixologist population, with some of the best cocktail bars in the global game. Head to Hawthorn Lounge if you really want to get straight to the good stuff. Managed by all round legend Peter Lowry, this cosy little '30s-style speakeasy is hidden away from rowdy Courtenay Place. Snuggle into a Chesterfield lounge by the fireplace, or pull up a pew at the dimly lit bar and choose from one of the bar's staples — up high for a Chocolate Negroni — or roll the dice on a special edition experiment — bar wizard Jamie co-curates this with Peter. If you're a cocktail fiend, also worth checking out are cocktail bar/alchemist den CGR (Cocktails Gin Rum) on Courtenay Place, Te Aro's award-winning Cuban bar and tapas hideaway Havana Bar, Tory Street's Spanish-inspired Poquito, and beloved Leeds Street cocktail haven Hanging Ditch. Wine runs rampant in Wellington, thanks to the world-famous wine regions surrounding the city — you'll find most Wellington restaurants brimming with local drops on the menu. If you're looking for something entirely non-alcoholic though, pay Six Barrel Soda Co. a visit in Hannah's Laneway. Want more? Check out our round-up of Wellington's best secret bars or best craft beer bars. DO Wellington's a highly walkable city, so lace up your booties and let's go 'sploring. Wandering along Wellington's straight-up beautiful waterfront is a must for first-timers, a stroll you can pair with a visit to the city's mighty Te Papa Tongarewa museum. It's been named one of Lonely Planet's 'Top 500 Places on the Planet' and for good reason. Over six floors, you can get a real sense of New Zealand's past, present and future, through gloriously well-curated exhibitions and a seriously epic collection. Follow NZ's passion for art around the city — there's a smorgasbord of street art and laneway murals around town (you just have to be ready to follow a boring looking backstreet every so often). For film fans, obviously New Zealand has its fair share of pop culture-related tourist Meccas. Let's face it, Wellington airport is home to giant, giant hanging statues of Gollum and Gandalf, so for Lord of the Rings fans, New Zealand is still the damn king of must-visit locations. Before you visit the home of the One Ring in Nelson, no self-respecting movie buff would leave Wellington without a visit to the Weta Cave and Workshop. One of the must-do film studio tours in the world, Weta will put you right up close to the props, costumes and hallowed halls of creativity behind The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Mad Max: Fury Road, District 9, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar, District 9 and more. You might hold an alien assault rifle from District 9, swing an orc mace from The Hobbit, or hold incredibly detailed chain mail worn by Frodo Baggins. Shell out for a Prancing Pony fridge magnet and head back to the city with a hobbity spring in your step. If we told you that you could spend an afternoon in Wellington cuddling up to, say, four red pandas, would you pop this on your to-do list? Worth every dime of a on-holiday splurge, Wellington Zoo offers some pretty kickass 'Animal Encounters'. Being red panda enthusiasts, we skipped the cheetahs and the meerkats to snuggle up to the zoo's four straight-up adorable pandas. You can pat them. And feed them grapes. Because they're gods amongst men. Also recommended is a stroll around the Botanic Garden, and if you're looking for one of the best views in town, set aside $7.50 for a return trip on the Wellington Cable Car. [caption id="attachment_572305" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Intercontinetal.[/caption] STAY Depending on your budget, Wellington's got a pretty wide range of accommodation options. If you've got a little dosh to burn on your well-earned weekend away, we stayed right in the city at the Intercontinental Wellington. Sitting right near the harbour waterfront and a very easy walk to Wellington's main galleries and Te Papa, Courtenay Place, Cuba Street and Hannah's Laneway, this slick inner city hotel will make a Kevin Macallister out of you in minutes. Don a fluffy white robe and make yourself at home in one of 232 contemporary guest rooms, equipped with extra large towels, giant, giant shower heads and — wait for it — a pillow menu. For something equally opulent, check out the award-winning ten-room boutique hotel Ohtel, sitting in the swanky seaside neighbourhood of Oriental Bay. Each room looks straight out of a design magazine shoot, decked out by owner/designer Alan Blundell with his own collected treasures, clocks, ceramics and individual chairs. It's pretty close to Wellington's main entertainment precinct too. Rooms come equipped with two-person baths, podcast facilities, natural toiletries, free wifi and oversized showers. There's plenty of budget accommodation and B&Bs in Wellington too, check out WellingtonNZ.com for a bunch of great options. LET'S DO THIS, HOW DO I GET THERE? Flights to Wellington from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are super short — around 3.5 hours on average. Jetstar have just launched a direct route from Melbourne to Wellington (from $159) and Queenslanders can fly direct from the Gold Coast (from $169). Air New Zealand fly direct from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Wellington (from $297). Next weekend, we hop on a 45 minute flight out of Wellington to the pretty city of Nelson for some of New Zealand's best contemporary art, insanely good (and globally renowned) wine region and some of the world's most beautiful outdoor adventuring.> Shannon Connellan travelled as a guest of WellingtonNZ.com. Top image: Egmont Street Eatery. All other images SC unless otherwise specified.
Global ride sharing service Uber have teamed up with the legends at Gelato Messina for a one day only office ice cream delivery service. This Friday July 24, heroic Uber drivers will be dispatched across Australia with ice cold scoops of fudgy, wafery, milk choc chippy goodness. As if you needed another reason to look forward to Friday. Here's how it all works: Step One – Starting at 11am, Uber users can log into the app and enter the promotional code 'IceCreamOz' along with their location. Step Two – There is no step two. Your tub of ice cream is already on its way. The #UberIceCream promotion is being run in Sydney, Parramatta, Wollongong, Byron Bay, Canberra, Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Bunbury. Existing Uber users will be charged $15 for the transaction, while first time users get their ice cream free of charge. The company has also teased some less conventional delivery methods, including dog sleds and jet skis. This could be very interesting. Messina have even created a new flavour for the occasion, consisting of hazelnut gelato with white chocolate, hazelnut fudge, chocolate chips and cream filled wafers (unfortunately there's no backup option for people with egg or nut allergies.) Uber have actually offered ice cream delivery before, along with a number of other novelty promotions such as gourmet lunches and kittens (the kittens were not for eating, thankfully.) And while their legal status in Australia is still a little murky, as long as they keep pulling clever stunts like this – not to mention just being better than regular cabs in pretty much every way – we get the feeling that they won't be going anywhere.
If you look hard enough, you'll find INI Studio hidden within what looks like a small garage that's been painted white and decked out with white cube furniture. Minimalism is the name of the game here — that is until you purchase some of its pastries and coffees. The sweets are fairly next-level, with the croffless (part croissant, part waffle) topped with ice cream and chocolate syrup being a crowd favourite. We're also big fans of the tiramisu, made with INI Studio's own coffee. And as these folks roast their own coffee, it's no surprise that they do it damn well. You can go for your usual flat whites, filters and ice lattes, but INI Studio's more experimental coffee drinks are what we love the most about this cafe. The iced citrus long black made with a shot of coffee, a few slices of lemon and a dusting of lemon rind is one of the most refreshing and vibrant caffeinated drinks we have ever tried. The cream iced latte and the honeycomb affogato are also absolutely perfect for summer days — especially if you want something a little richer. Food- and drink-wise, INI Studio doesn't do much more than coffee and pastries, but it doesn't need to when they are this creative. And if you are super keen on getting the perfect shot of these aesthetically pleasing items for Instagram, you can even hire out the upstairs photography studio. Although, we would say that is a bit overkill. The interiors of the cafe are basically a blank cavas anyway. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Coffee in Melbourne
"Franchise" needn't be a dirty word in Hollywood, and the Mission: Impossible movies are shining examples as to why that is. Now in its sixth instalment, this isn't just a franchise done right. It's a franchise that somehow improves with each new chapter – an ongoing escalation of stakes and stunts that never sacrifices the intelligent, honest and light-hearted storytelling that's been so critical to the series' sustained appeal. At the forefront once again is leading man and producer Tom Cruise, whose capacity for performing increasingly complex and outrageously dangerous stunts remains inversely proportionate to his age. In Mission: Impossible – Fallout his IMF agent Ethan Hunt is at it again, weaving cars and motorbikes through the traffic-packed streets of Paris, HALO jumping from 30,000ft and leaping across rickety London rooftops. Cruise even accrued over 2000 hours of helicopter flight time prior to filming, all so that he could personally perform what is arguably the film's most thrilling and death-defying sequence. His love of filmmaking is apparent in every frame he occupies, and its value to the enduring allure of the franchise cannot be overstated. That the Mission Impossible brand could survive beyond Cruise's involvement seems far less assured than, say, James Bond or Batman. Not unlike the two most recent Bond films, Fallout compels its hero to shine a light on his own past deeds, with the movie's title referring not just to the literal threat posed by three nuclear devices but also the consequences of a lifetime spent obediently killing, stealing and undermining at the behest of the US Government. Adding to the emotional stakes, Fallout also repeatedly asks its characters to weigh up the value of a human life, presenting them with multiple scenarios in which they're forced to choose between the one or the many – knowing that either path carries with it irreconcilable guilt and heartache. Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie (whose return to the franchise marks the first repeat involvement by a director, with McQuarrie having also written and directed the previous instalment, Rogue Nation), Fallout achieves the rare feat of being an unceasing action movie that always feels more like a drama. There is no superfluity here. Every punch, shot, jump, crash and explosion exists because it must. This is a story-driven international escapade that never stops to sit down and catch its breath. Around Cruise the IMF family assembles once again, with Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin and Rebecca Ferguson packing equal measures of comedy and conflict into every scene they get. Man of Steel's Henry Cavill also joins the action, with his lumbering, muscular CIA assassin representing an appealing counterpoint to Hunt's penchant for the softer, tradecraft touch. He and Hunt are at once rivals and compatriots – two competing assets unwillingly paired together in pursuit of a common goal. Or so it seems. As always, the Mission: Impossible franchise throws up all manner of red herrings, double-crosses and mask-pulling identity swaps, meaning – just like the characters – you're never quite sure who to trust. If the story borders on confusing at points, it's only because the time-honoured tradition of spy movies commands nothing less. Ever since 1996, this series has unapologetically embraced jargon-heavy dialogue and twists upon twists without ever feeling compelled to play it safe or dumb things down (Mission: Impossible 2 being the regretful exception). If most sequels fail because they're rushed into production purely to capitalise on their predecessor's success, Fallout demonstrates the benefit of having the patience and the discipline to say: we will make this film not when, but if a good enough story comes our way. So it is that McQuarrie, Cruise and company deliver a benchmark setter for action movies – a rollicking, tense and captivating piece of cinema that begs to be enjoyed on the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb49-oV0F78
Žalec, Slovenia just jumped right to the top of the list of our must-visit holiday destinations. Located roughly an hour outside of the capital of Ljubljana, the small town of just under 5000 people is known for its natural wonders including an underground waterfall, and historical sites such as an ancient Roman necropolis. And yet we kind of suspect these attractions will be somewhat overshadowed by the local government's latest plans to bring tourists to the area: Europe's first ever public beer fountain. The €340,000 fountain, which currently has no set completion date, will reportedly spout a variety of Slovenian beers. For six euros, visitors will be able to try three 300mL samples, served in a commemorative mug. The project was apparently inspired by a drinkable mineral water fountain in the nearby town of Rogaska Slatina (whose own local government members must be kicking themselves for not having thought of this clear improvement first). The fountain did face some opposition from people who thought that taxpayer money could be put to better use. Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and a motion to cancel the project was defeated in a two-to-one vote last week. Democracy wins again! Via Fox News. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Born back in 2008, when Melbourne was just discovering its burgeoning coffee scene, Padre Coffee now has four locations across Australia including two in Melbourne, one in Sydney and another in Noosa. It's the Brunswick store that started it all, though, and to this day it retains the excitement and heady atmosphere of those early days of coffee explorations. The interior is fresh, light and airy with plenty of indoor plants offering up a welcome splash of green here and there. The vibe is bustling in, as its reputation stretches far and wide, and sitting back watching the coffee roasters and baristas work their magic is a big part of the charm. In terms of the coffee, there is a lot to choose from at Padre, with blends including its Golden Rule Espresso Blend with beans from Guatemala and Papua New Guinea and flavours of plum, dark chocolate, peach, macadamia, apricot and maple syrup. Another blend worth discovering is its Daddy's Girl espresso blend from Columbia and Brazil with notes of mellow caramel and sweet milk chocolate. If filtered coffee is more our thing there is a wide range here including the Hey Buddy blend with origins in Brazil and Ethiopia and hints of berries, apricot, caramel and hazelnut in the cup, as well as Gachatha AB Single Origin from Kenya, with intricate acidity and flavours of lemon, blueberry, brown sugar and blackberry. Padre Coffee also has a weekly Espresso 101 course, which runs for three hours and teaches you an understanding of espresso recipes, as well as a working familiarity with the equipment involved in making the perfect espresso. By the end of the day, you'll have expanded your knowledge of coffee and gained the skills to make it at home. Its website is also a handy resource for all things coffee, with special attention given to the sustainability and ethical side of the industry. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Coffee in Melbourne
He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. Christmas horror movies aren't a widespread genre, with holidaying folks ditching titles like 2010's Rare Exports (in which a homicidal Santa Claus was unearthed in an archaeological dig) and 1974's Black Christmas (college dorm slasher, set at Christmas) and preferring to pick up Home Alone for the hundredth time or anything starring Tim Allen. But this year, Christmas movies take a turn for the hilariously terrifying. Krampus is your unlikely new Christmas nightmare, directed by Michael Dougherty (who gained a cult following for his 2007 holiday horror film Trick 'r Treat). Set for release December 3, the film stars Adam Scott, Toni Collette and David Koechner as your regular family holed up, snowed in and arguing over shitty turkey at Christmas time. But when they lose their Christmas spirit, a scary-as-shit Christmas spirit, Krampus, decides to pay the family a visit — the ancient hoofed, horned antithesis to jolly ol' Saint Nick. Go on, give it a watch. You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry.
Anyone who's ever worn a suit in summer or been forced to make interdepartmental small talk with awkward colleagues in the lunch room will understand that corporate jobs can blow hard. It's no wonder why so many of us are jumping ship to startups and freelance work, lapping up that delightful freedom comes picking a coworking space. Melbourne has some slammin' spaces where creative people gather to do big things and you owe it to yourself to pick the best one for you. What's most important? Power points, ping pong, free biscuits, networking events, slick decor, indoor plants, comfy lounges, speedy wi-fi or all of the above? You'll never blitz a to-do list quicker than at a desk in one of these surefire winning spaces. THE CLUSTER The Cluster is the bigwig of coworking spaces. The sprawling corporate office space is located across Queen and Market Street in the CBD and overlooks the Yarra (it's fancy AF). More importantly, they're geared up for serious business with six multimedia meeting rooms. Their laundry list of impressive tech and corporate clients means the Cluster is the kind of space that would best suit serious(ly financially stable) startups and small companies who need a corporate infrastructure to grow (hello endless colour printing). But it's not all corporate — there's a keg in the kitchen. 17/31 Queen Street, Melbourne ROY SPACE Here's one for all your plant lovers out there. Roy Space is nestled right in the heart of Fitzroy, just off the intersection of Brunswick Street and Johnston Street, and boasts a healthy jungle of indoor plants in a bright, beautiful space. The cute office has a small population but large desks (about two metres wide), which is the ideal combination. Speedy internet, 24-hour access, table tennis and a separate meeting room is all included in the (very reasonable) monthly price, making it perfect for creative freelancers. Roy Space, 3 Chapel Street, Fitzroy MACQUARIE STREET STUDIO Macquarie Street Studio is your new home away from home for the creative coworkers who are looking for a beautiful blank canvas on which to build your perfect office. The raw, white industrial space is flooded with light and the attached photography studio makes it ideal for photographers, artists, graphic designers and anyone with minimalist leanings. It's just off High Street in Prahan, close to train, tram and a swag of cafe choices. Macquarie Street Studio, 1/24 Macquarie Street, Prahran INSPIRE9 One of the biggest benefits for freelancers and startups to get involved with a coworking space is the networking and skill-share opportunities that arise from close working quarters. Inspire9 taps into that potential for young companies. The former Australian Knitting Mill space in Richmond has been renovated and transformed into a light, airy, contemporary open plan office decked out with plants, bean bags, pool tables and reading nooks. Where Inspire9 up their game is their killer parties, social and networking events — after all, nothing bonds colleagues like a dress-up party. Level 1/41 Stewart Street, Richmond FRAMEWORK Framework on Swanston Street is a small coworking space on the CBD fringe with a tonne of charm. Their amenities game is on point too, with both table tennis and pool table to choose from, a working fireplace, two meeting rooms and all the cookies you can feasibly gobble without losing your coworkers' respect. The space was renovated and expanded in 2015 and now features polished floor boards, exposed brick and lots of natural light. You'll find yourself a mix of artists, photographers, entrepreneurs and digital agency folk. Oh, and the wig maker responsible for Dumbledore's glorious beards. 458 Swanston Street, Carlton REVOLVER CREATIVE If you're looking for coworking digs on the south side, Revolver will be your first port of call. They're located on Chapel Street, specialise in tech startups and combine the best of new-school and old-school office spaces. The space is industrial, functional and inviting with a great pricing structure and all the resources you could need. Like seriously, they've thought of everything. On-site café and coffee machine, an office Flexicar, soundproof Skype rooms, showers, bike racks, meditation cave and more meeting spaces than you'll know what to do with (but probably have meetings in). Revolver Creative, 231 Chapel Street, Prahran YORK BUTTER FACTORY York Butter Factory, named after the original 1855 building, is located is behind a heavy red door on King Street in the CBD. It's a big space (577 square metres to be precise), spanning two floors but they managed to fill it with big players in the tech world so you can rub shoulders with valuable contacts. The old space has been beautifully renovated but retains that old-school charm. It also features five meeting rooms, a café/kitchen area and a huge event space. 62-66 King Street, Melbourne DEPO8 Depo8 is another creative coworking space just off Chapel Street with members across a broad list of industries. The mid-sized office is warm and minimalist with a crafty, homemade feel and is, of course, decked out with plants. They're ideal for non-committal co-workers as they offer incredibly flexible (and hourly) rates but no doubt once you're there you'll fall in love with the place. As well as generous spatial arrangements, they're got you covered on all the office essentials — kitchen space, gratuitous caffeine, bike storage, showers, meeting rooms and super speedy internet. What more could you want? Level 1/39 – 41 Mount Street, Prahran ROTSON Rotson Studio is another babein' shared work space in Fitzroy that's all flattering light, lush indoor plants and minimalism. Being just around the corner from Naked for Satan also helps Rotson's cool factor. The studio has polished wooden floorboards, high ceilings and a view of the city as well all the amenities you can shake a stick at (kitchen, showers, bike racks, high-speed internet). The team is made up of vibrant young entrepreneurs and creatives so if your work family is in need of an upgrade, this is the studio for you. Rotson Studio, Level 2,/105 Victoria Street, Fitzroy CCLABS Formerly known as Queens Collective, CClabs co-working space is favoured by tech startups. This Queen Street space is ideal for those of you who need your desk to be Tumblr-esque level immaculate before you can concentrate. But apart from the uncluttered and beautifully presented space, Queens Collective's strength lies in their networking events which are numerous and high-powered. 1/20 Queen St, Melbourne Top image: Roy Space.
Australia's creative industry is about to get pretty damn employed — the new Alien and Thor movies will be filmed in Australia. Announced by the Federal Government in a press conference broadcast on ABC News 24 today, the films will start filming in 2016. The Australian government is fronting $47 million so the two films can be made in the country. "What it means is 3000 direct jobs for Australians," said senator Mitch Fifield. "This helps develop skills, skills that couldn't be developed on smaller budget productions." When briefing the cabinet, Senator Fifield apparently got pretty excited about the fact that Prometheus had a character called Fifield, until ol' mate industry and innovation minister Christopher Pyne piped up, "He died." Sir Ridley Scott's new Alien film and Marvel's new Thor film will start filming in 2016. We're pretty sure the casts of both movies will be advised to leave their dogs at home. Via SMH.
"The things you own end up owning you." With that one memorable line, Fight Club's Tyler Durden became an unexpected forebear to the current trend for minimalism. But we've got news for you, declutterers and ascetics: even with all that absence of stuff in your life, the experts can still tell a lot about you as a person. Meet Sam Gosling, professor of psychology at the University of Texas and self-styled 'snoopologist' (good word, you have to hand it to him). He's the author of Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You, a book that explores how we project our personality in the spaces we create, and also how the spaces we inhabit influence our inner lives. He literally spends his life poking around bedrooms, offices, wardrobes, cars — anything you think is private is Gosling's lab. Ahead of his talk at Wired for Wonder in Sydney, we spoke with Sam about interior decorators, capitalism and our definitely awesome book collections. Can you give me a quick rundown of what you’ll be discussing at Wired for Wonder? I’ll be discussing how people affect space and how spaces affect people — both deliberately and inadvertently. There are things we can do — obvious things — to try and signal something to someone, but there are also things we’re less self-aware of. It’s these things that I pick up on and use to reveal things about the person who lives or works or socialises in that space. Based on what you see in someone’s house, can you tell what someone’s political leaning might be? We did some research in the US a few years ago which produced some surprising results. I think most people think that people interested in the arts tend to be closer to the left. But we found art and books about art have no relation to political orientation. However, we did find that someone who has sports-related decor in their space is likely to be more conservative, politically speaking. That said, it’s not so much what someone's interested in, as the number of things they're interested in. On average, if you have a narrow scope of interests, you’re more likely to be politically conservative. What do you think about professionally designed interiors? They can work ... but only if the client is genuinely able to convey what it is that they really want. Most people are actually pretty clueless about what will make them happy. When it comes to interior design people see things in magazines or on Pinterest and go, “There! That’s exactly what I want!” But the problem with this kind of wish-list making is that it’s impersonal. I work with the architect Christopher Travis – he’s amazing, a real visionary. He doesn’t ask his clients to describe their dream house. He starts by asking things like, “Tell me about a time in your life when you felt protected, loved. Now tell me about the physical space you were in.” And people will say things like, “My best memories are weekends away at my grandparents’ house when I was a kid learning to ride my bike on the gravel side road.” He’ll then somehow incorporate gravel into the design. Then again, trying to replicate an interior someone found on Pinterest might be important to them because they want their space to be on trend. So Christopher will ask other questions like, “What is it you want the space to say to your friends? Who do you want to be to these people?” I saw In the Basement at Sydney Film Festival. It’s an Austrian documentary about what some people get up to in their basements. There was an older, childless woman who kept a collection of dolls in shoes boxes. They were those dolls that looked incredibly life-like. She nursed them like real babies. I felt sad that these people had to hide away their passions, that their home wasn’t really a place they could express themselves. The thing is, the home has both public and private spaces. People put very different things in the living room than in their bedroom or the guest bedroom. That’s obvious enough. People may hide things away in a basement because those things are shameful — they may not be ashamed, but they think others will judge them. The other reason is because most of us want a space of our own even if we live with other people. The garden shed is at the back of the garden because it’s full of clutter, but it’s also out of the way because people go there to disconnect physically and psychically from the people they live with. Book collections can be revealing. Of course, what you own doesn’t always represent what you’ve actually read. I'm always a bit suspect when I see a whole shelf of those orange-covered, new-release Penguin Classics. Right. Apparently there are more Ramones T-shirts in circulation than there are Ramones records! That is, if you signal that you like The Ramones people will think you like a fleet of other stuff and have certain values. Our music and reading materials are increasingly being digitised. What are literary types turning to to flaunt their cultural cred? It might be harder for literary types to flaunt their hard copy libraries, but for researchers, the switch to soft copies of everything makes it much easier to gather data. I don’t just look at homes and workplaces; I’m very interested in how people display themselves on social media, too. Of course, on social media you can signal to your community what you’ve bought or what you’re listening to. In an article about the rise of minimalist living in this month’s New Philosopher, Oliver Burkeman writes, “Minimalism might be little more than the purging phase of consumer capitalism’s cycle of binge and purge.” Do you think it’s a genuine revolt or just a trend? Trend. Sam Gosling is the author of Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You. He will be speaking at Wired for Wonder, which is on in Sydney on August 26–27 at the NIDA Parade Theatre and Melbourne on August 28 at Central Pier Shed 14. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
The team behind South Melbourne's Park Street Pasta & Wine have some serious street cred when it comes to crowd-pleasing Italian food. And they expanded that fan base even further when they opened the doors to their new restaurant Osteria Renata in 2022, just a quick hop east in the heart of Prahran. Co-owners Alex Ghaddab and Gus Cadden (Head Chef) have delivered High Street a warm, modern take on the classic osteria and named it in honour of Ghaddab's Polish-Ukrainian grandmother. There's a sense of generous hospitality throughout, with a comforting, yet imaginative food offering matched by inviting interiors sporting soft olive accents and natural timbers. An onsite pasta lab steers the menu's carb component, as Cadden embraces both the traditional and the innovative. A strong lineup of antipasti features the likes of crisp gnocco fritto paired with 36-month-aged Iberico jamon, freshly shucked oysters with amaro mignonette, and brussel's sprouts with gorgonzola, pecorino and lemon. Otway free-range pork belly with grilled witlof starts off the mains, and the market fish stars Cloudy Bay clams and prosciutto XO. And the limoncello syrup cake is as summery a dessert as it sounds. [caption id="attachment_859748" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] Euro-inspired signature sips rule the cocktail selection at Osteria Renata, and Italian vino is celebrated alongside drops from Australia, France and Spain. A handful of rotating wine taps also offer a taste of what's happening with Italian varietals in the local winemaking game. The aforementioned pasta lab isn't just be whipping up fresh pasta stocks for the Osteria Renata and Park Street kitchens, but will eventually play host to a program of pasta-making workshops. [caption id="attachment_859749" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thom Mitchell[/caption] Top Image: Parker Blain Appears in: Where to Find the Best pasta in Melbourne for 2023
In what could prove to be a market-changing plot twist, online retail behemoth Amazon has set its sights on the startup world. It’s just gone live with Launchpad, a new specialist shopfront that will only sell products from startups. Combining the marketing, selling and distributing functions of other platforms — and possibly putting them out of business — Launchpad is an all-in-one service for bright-eyed inventors and visionaries with something to sell. The site is pretty tech-heavy so far, with gadgets you never knew you needed (and maybe still aren’t sure about) like an activity tracker that teaches you not to slouch, a Bluetooth speaker in floating orb form, and a 3D printer that’ll set you back $2,499 (US dollars, so probably double that, who even knows). But you’ve also got your artisanal pet treats, farm-to-bag popcorn, a smart indoor herb garden and a deck of cards ominously titled The Love Game. If you’ve got your own venture going on in, I don’t know, biodegradable socks, you can sign up to Launchpad for free and get Amazon’s help with marketing and distributing. Just make sure your products will be ready to ship within 90 days, and watch the cash dollars roll in. (Extra points if you’re already connected to one of their 25 partner organisations, which include venture capital firms, start-up accelerators and crowdfunding platforms.) Or just take a browse and get familiar with your scroll keys. Thus far the range is fairly limited, with just 200 products. But we predict that once this blows up, Launchpad will become something like the Etsy of the crowdfunded tech world — a time-sucking vortex of part wonder, part second-hand regret. Via Macworld.
For many moons, there’s been a secret passed around the ranks of students and young adults: Aldi sells $5 wine that’s actually not awful. In fact, those who’ve sampled it would know that ‘not awful’ isn’t strong enough. Now an official ruling body has declared what we young bohemians have known for a while now: Aldi’s $5 wine is objectively good wine. The Sydney International Wine Competition has announced its winning wine list for 2015, judging the top 100 wines from an entry pool of nearly 2000 and Aldi’s $5 bottle of 2014 South Point Estate rose has picked up a Blue Gold award in its blend category (just FYI the Blue Gold award is official proof that Aldi wine drinkers actually have good taste and aren’t just peasants). Aldi also won awards for their $12.99 bottle of Tudor Central Victorian shiraz and a $14.99 Blackstone Paddock “The Player” Barossa. So ner. So what do the judges look for in a good wine? Well firstly, the competition acknowledges that not all wines are created equal so they divide the plonk into categories according to palate weight – lighter, medium, fuller bodied dry whites (lol at wine terminology sounding like a sick burn) and dry reds. The wines are judged solo, then judged against other wines in each category. Then they pair each category with appropriate food and score on how well each variation complement the flavours of the meal. Then, and only then, do they aggregate the scores and hand out awards in each category. Check out the website to scope out the rest of the results and figure out the best and cheapest wine for your taste. But how do Aldi manage to sell an award winning wine for only $5? Aldi’s buying director told The Huffington Post that the secret is in the low overheads, a simplified range to cut distribution costs and understanding the young consumer. Oh Aldi, you do understand us. All we want in this life of sin is a $5 bottle of award-winning wine. We're just gonna leave this link to Aldi Liqueur online here, along with the fact that they deliver a case of 12 wines to metro areas for only $7. Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals. Via The New Daily. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
The National Gallery of Victoria has revealed what will be on its agenda at the tail-end of this year, this evening announcing its summer centrepiece in the world premiere of Between Two Worlds | Escher X Nendo. Much like the NGV's 2016's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei show, the blockbuster exhibition will celebrate two very different creators: Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. It will be the first to unite the two, bringing them together in an assembly of immersive art and design. More than 160 different prints and drawings created by Escher during his career that ran from 1916 to 1969 will be shown, the first time the Dutch artist has had a major exhibition in Australia. Optical illusion being what he is known best for, and the images on display will be drawn from the world's largest collection of his work at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. In tandem, Nendo will create an environment to house the works, taking inspiration from Escher to manipulate geometry and space to warp perception. This'll create a fully immersive experience in which to be boggled by Escher's works. It doesn't stop there for the upcoming season, though — the NGV's spring/summer is bursting with art shaped fruit ready for you to pick.Australian artist Polly Borland will also be celebrated via a display of her works of recent times at the Ian Potter Centre. Borland is a locally born, LA-dwelling photographer notable for her photos of well-known figures like Queen Elizabeth II and Nick Cave. Gravitating lately more towards surrealism in her photography and producing disquieting and abstract images, both recent and new works of Borland's will be shown. This'll run from September 28 until February 3. Also on the lineup is an exclusive showing of British artist Julian Opie's mixed media works. To be set in the NGV's gallery and gardens, the exhibition was created specifically to fill these spaces and will incorporate sculpture, video, and art specifically for the children's gallery. Try Hito Steyeri's landmark video installation Factory of the Sun, about workers in a motion capture studio whose actions are used to create artificial sunshine, becoming a metaphor for the way digital screens use and emit light. Or take a bite out of Willian Wegman's work — a man whose Weimaraner dog became his artistic muse, William Wegman: Being Human highlights the artist's versatility across different artistic methods and mediums. And don't forget Designing Women, a 40 year highlight of the role of female designers in shaping the culture and fabric of the design world. Drawing from the NGV's permanent collection, over 50 significant works will be showcased, icons by name and affect, and united by gender. This summer's Triennial was the most visited exhibition in the NGV's 157 years, and this exhibition is sure to get similar numbers through the St Kilda Road doors. Start planning your art viewing now. Between Two Worlds | Escher X Nendo will run at NGV International, Melbourne from December 2, 2018 until April 7, 2019. For more info, visit ngv.vic.gov.au. Image: 'Day and Night', M.C. Escher, © The M.C. Escher Company, The Netherlands.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, lose yourself in the swirling, vibrant world of Van Gogh, try your luck at scoring cheap tickets to The Book of Mormon and delve into a mysterious world at a secret immersive dinner. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Whether he's behind or in front of the camera, making his own version of Nosferatu or documentaries about volcanologists, popping up in Parks and Recreation or playing a villain in a Jack Reacher movie, there's no one in the film industry like Werner Herzog. His voice is famous, including get a use in family-friendly animation not once but twice. His work as a director is thoroughly inimitable. He's one of Germany's cinema greats — and Australia's 2024 German Film Festival is recognising him as such. This year's touring event, which has dates with Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Byron Bay between Tuesday, May 7–Wednesday, June 5, boasts a Werner Herzog retrospective on its just-announced full lineup. A documentary about him is on the bill, so get excited to see Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer on the big screen. Also set to flicker through the projectors: Aguirre, The Wrath of God, about searching for El Dorado; Fitzcarraldo, which focuses on trying to move a steamship over a Peruvian mountain; and Nosferatu the Vampyre, featuring Klaus Kinski, as with the aforementioned two titles, but this time as Dracula. There's also Heart of Glass, which gets experimental in a Bavarian village — and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024. Clearly, the German Film Festival has the past on its mind with its latest program. That also comes through in a second way, by marking 70 years of German Films, the organisation tasked with promoting the country's movies beyond Germany. As part of that retrospective, the Oscar-nominated Jacob the Liar, Oscar-winning documentary Serengeti Shall Not Die, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's iconic The Marriage of Maria Braun and unforgettable recent standout Toni Erdmann will all play the fest. So will Trace of Stones and Yesterday Girl, both from 1966 — the first from East Germany, the second from West Germany. Looking backwards isn't the only thing on the agenda, however. As it usually does, the event will bring some of the best German and Austrian movies that premiered at this year's Berlin International Film Festival to Australia. 2024's fest spans six such titles, starting with opening night's World War II-set From Hilde, With Love, which follows a young woman in the anti-Nazi resistance movement. From there, centrepiece choice Foreign Language features the always-exceptional Nina Hoss (Tár) in a tale about a friendship playing out through letters, while closing night's Treasure stars Lena Dunham (Sharp Stick) and Stephen Fry (The Morning Show). Plus, Andrea Gets a Divorce brings tragicomedy to the program, Scorched Earth gives the lineup a crime thriller and Every You Every Me is a social-realist drama. Elsewhere, highlights come via One for the Road, complete with a dive into Berlin's nightlife, then a switch to attempting to get sober; the Leipzig-set Dark Satellites, which tells of three love stories; Lubo, the latest must-see starring Franz Rogowski (Passages); Blind at Heart, which takes the leap from the page to the screen; and Not a Word, joining the ranks of recent films — such as Tár — to feature a conductor as a key character. And, as always, the Kino for Kids section returns with movies for younger viewers, making heading to the fest a family affair. A comedy about teen sisters who love skateboarding, an adaptation of the novel The Flying Classroom and Lassie — A New Adventure are all on that part of the bill. German Film Festival 2024 Dates: Tuesday, May 7–Wednesday, May 29 — Palace Electric, Canberra Wednesday, May 8–Wednesday, May 29 — Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Central, Palace Moore Park, Sydney Thursday, May 9–Wednesday, May 29 — Palace James St, Palace Barracks, Brisbane Friday, May 10–Wednesday, May 29 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, The Astor Theatre, Pentridge Cinema and Palace Penny Lane, Melbourne Wednesday, May 15–Wednesday, June 5 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, May 16–Wednesday, June 5 — Luna Leederville, Luna on SX & Palace Raine Square, Perth Thursday, May 16–Wednesday, June 5 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay The 2024 German Film Festival tours Australia from throughout May and June. For more information, visit the festival website.
He's collaborated with everyone from Kylie Minogue to Kendrick Lamar. Even Grumpy Cat wears that hat. Now, Pharrell Williams has teamed up with choreographer Jonah Bokaer and visual artist Daniel Arsham for a unique multidisciplinary dance project — and it's coming to Australia. From September 14 to 17, Brisbane Festival will host the Aussie premiere of Rules of the Game, which brings eight on-stage performers together in a combination of dance, music, video, art and theatrical expression. Williams crafts his first-ever orchestral score for the stage to accompany Bokaer's crisp, elegant dance moves and Arsham's offbeat, architectural environments. Loosely based on Nobel Laureate Pirandello's controversial play Six Characters in Search of an Author, the piece "recasts dance as something close to moving sculpture" as Bris Fest's artistic director David Berthold puts it. For Bokaer, who is as acclaimed and innovative in the field of contemporary dance as Williams is in music, it's a blending not only "of cultures, but a blending of forms, expressions, and of inheritance". Rules Of The Game's four-day, five-show Brisbane run will mark only the second time it will have be seen by an audience, after debuting in May at the SOLUNA International Music and Arts Festival in Dallas. In fact, the production won't premiere in New York until November. And if you're not in Brissie, you'd better book plane tickets fast, because it won't be showing anywhere else in Australia. Catch Rules of the Game at Brisbane Festival from September 14 – 17. Check out the Brisbane Festival website for tickets and further details.
Death and vengeance are the common threads in Damián Szifron’s Wild Tales, one of the most deliriously savage black comedies to hit cinemas in years. Argentina’s nomination to the most recent Foreign Language Oscar race, the film consists of six separate vignettes, following six everyday people driven to the point of no return. The ensuing mayhem resembles the spawn of the Coen Brothers, Almodovar, Tarantino and Bunuel; a wicked tour de force as sharp as a corkscrew and every bit as twisted. Anthology films can be a risky proposition, particularly when one or more segments falls short. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Yes, every viewer will have their favourite (personally, I loved the opener), but even the ‘weaker’ episodes are catapulted along by an almost maniacal sense of escalation. Whether it’s a wealthy couple trying to cover up their son’s indiscretions, a lowly waitress taking revenge on the man who ruined her family or just two drivers struck down by a serious case of road rage, every chapter in the film is propelled by a wonderful inevitability: eventually, everything will be thrown horribly, hysterically and often violently out of control. And believe it or not, there’s actually method to Szifron’s madness — an intelligence lurking beneath all that wonderful chaos. The cathartic pleasure we feel watching his characters rebel against what’s socially (and ethically) acceptable comes directly from our own frustrations with the everyday world. Bureaucracy, class inequality and male impotence are but a few of the film’s more pointed areas of exploration, and while we’re hesitant to suggest that the people in the film get what’s coming to them, poetic justice certainly tends to prevail. Many of the shorts also offer a thinly veiled criticism of the country’s endemic political corruption, although you certainly don’t need to live in Argentina for that to strike a chord. The script is matched by top-notch technical specs, with crisp cinematography and eye-catching production design along with some extremely memorable music choices. The cast is likewise terrific across the board, although particular praise must go to Rita Cortese as a burly cook and Erica Rivas as a seriously pissed-off bride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTXKTj4XCs8
Parts of a Lady, Gronk, Day Planner and Ali G Goes to Chicago aren't going to win any shiny trophies this year, because none of them exist. But, after getting a shoutout in Amy Poehler and Tina Fey's very amusing opening monologue at the 2021 Golden Globes, you'll wish these fictional flicks were either showing at a cinema near you or streaming on your platform of choice. They might be an improvement on some of the movies and TV shows that were nominated this year, after all. Poehler and Fey noted that "a lot of flashy garbage" was vying for a gong and, well, they're not wrong. It's always best to remember two things whenever entertainment awards roll around. Firstly, great movies and television shows, and the talents behind them, always remain that way whether they have the silverware to go with it or not. Secondly, finally valuing the exceptional work of women and people of colour in the entertainment industry after so long spent focusing on white men will always remain important. And, while the Golden Globes ceremony this year looked a little different to usual — it was held across both Los Angeles and New York, with Poehler and Fey split across the two cities; nominees called in via video from home in all their finery, rather than attending in person; and winners didn't physically put their hands on a statuette — it did give a heap of recognition to some very deserving folks. Seeing three women contending for Best Director, with Chloe Zhao emerging victorious for Nomadland, really was something special. So was the fact that the first two gongs of the night went to Daniel Kaluuya and John Boyega, two of the best actors working today. Chadwick Boseman's posthumous award was always going to be an emotional moment and, winning special accolades, both Norman Lear and Jane Fonda made moving speeches about their careers and the current state of the industry. Plenty of top-notch talents missed out as well, though, because that's the way these congratulatory proceedings always go — but from everything that emerged victorious, we've picked 12 films and TV shows for you to feast your eyes on as soon as possible. MOVIE MUST-SEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFpK34lfv0&feature=youtu.be NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is a gift of an actor. Point a camera her way, and a performance so rich that it feels not just believable but tangible floats across the screen. That's the case in Nomadland, which will earn her another Oscar nomination and could even see her win a third shiny statuette just three years after she nabbed her last for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Here, leading a cast that also includes real people experiencing the existence that's fictionalised within the narrative, she plays the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot she spent her married life in turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. Following her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It's both deeply intimate and almost disarmingly empathetic in the process, as every movie made by Chloe Zhao is. This is only the writer/director's third, slotting in after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider but before 2021's Marvel flick Eternals, but it's a feature of contemplative and authentic insights into the concepts of home, identity and community. Meticulously crafted, shot and performed, it's also Zhao's best work yet, and the best film of 2020 as well. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Director — Motion Picture (Chloe Zhao) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Frances McDormand), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Chloe Zhao) Nomadland returns to cinemas from March 4, after a sneak preview season in late December and early January. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbE96sCJEjo MINARI Remember the name Lee Isaac Chung. Minari isn't the writer/director's first feature — with 2007's Munyurangabo, 2010's Lucky Life and 2012's Abigail Harm already on his resume — but it's the kind of intimate, heartfelt and resonant movie that cements its filmmaker as a top cinematic talent to watch. Remember the name Alan S Kim, too. The child actor makes his film debut here, but he steals every scene he's in. Considering that he's acting opposite Steven Yeun (Burning), who turns in his latest excellent performance and will hopefully nab an Oscar nomination for his efforts, that's no minor feat. Remembering Minari in general is a given, actually. It's so detailed, vivid and honest, and yet also so universal at the same time. Based on Chung's own upbringing, this tender drama follows the Yi family (which also includes My Unfamiliar Family's Yeri Han and first-timer Noel Cho) as they move to Arkansas to start their own farm. It's a movie about chasing the American Dream, but don't go thinking that you've seen this tale before, or seen any similar story told with such feeling either. The film's overall story can be summarised neatly, but Minari's many deep and thoughtful charms and triumphs aren't ever simplistic. Indeed, as features influenced by personal real-life tales can be at their best, this is a gorgeously and thoughtfully detailed picture, with Chung realising that trading in specific minutiae is far more compelling and relatable than opting for sweeping generalisations. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language Minari is currently screening in cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSjtGqRXQ9Y JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH The last time that Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield appeared in the same film, Get Out was the end result. Their shared scene in Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror movie isn't easily forgotten — if you've seen the feature, it will have instantly popped into your head while you're reading this — and neither is Judas and the Black Messiah, their next collaboration. With Kaluuya starring as the Black Panther Party's Illinois Chairman Fred Hampton and Stanfield playing William O'Neal, the man who infiltrated his inner circle as an informer for the FBI, the pair is still tackling race relations. Here, though, the duo does so in a ferocious historical drama set in the late 60s. The fact that O'Neal betrays Hampton definitely isn't a spoiler here; it's a matter of fact, and the lens through which writer/director Shaka King (Newlyweeds) and his co-scribes Kenneth Lucas, Keith Lucas (actors on Lady Dynamite) and Will Berson (Scrubs) view the last period of Hampton's life. Anchored by two fierce performances that stand out in their own ways — with Kaluuya commanding the screen during every single one of his real-life character's speeches, and Stanfield playing conflicted with a raw, nervy air — Judas and the Black Messiah does what only the best movies that look back at the past and its many problems manage. It roves its eyes over events gone by, shines a spotlight the rampant oppression and the struggle against it, and condenses a wealth of information into a gripping feature. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Daniel Kaluuya) Nominated: Best Original Song — Motion Picture (Tiara Thomas, HER and D'Mile, 'Fight for You') Judas and the Black Messiah opens in cinemas on March 11 — check back for our full review then. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ord7gP151vk MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM Chadwick Boseman, Oscar-winner. That combination of words is very likely to become a posthumous reality for the late, great actor, thanks to his last screen role. Boseman is just that phenomenal in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He has earned that term before in Get on Up, Black Panther and Da 5 Bloods, but his performance in this stage-to-screen production is such a powerhouse effort that it's like watching a cascading waterfall drown out almost everything around it. He plays trumpeter Levee Green, who is part of the eponymous Ma Rainey's (Viola Davis, Widows) band. On a 1920s day, the always-nattering, big-dreaming musician joins Ma — who isn't just a fictional character, and was known as the Mother of Blues — and the rest of his colleagues for a recording session. Temperatures and tempers rise in tandem in the Chicago studio, with Levee and Ma rarely seeing eye to eye on any topic. Davis is in thundering, hot-blooded form, while Colman Domingo (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Glynn Turman (Fargo) also leave a firm impression. It's impossible take your eyes off of the slinkily magnetic Boseman though, as would prove the case even if he was still alive to see the film's release. Adapting the play of the same name by August Wilson (Fences), director George C Wolfe (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) lets Boseman farewell the screen with one helluva bang. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama (Chadwick Boseman) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Viola Davis) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs--6c7Hn_A SOUL Released early in 2020, Onward definitely wasn't Pixar's best film — but Soul, its straight-to-streaming latest movie that capped off the past year, instantly contends for the title. The beloved animation studio has always excelled when it takes big leaps. Especially now, a quarter-century into its filmmaking tenure, its features prove particularly enchanting when they're filled with surprises (viewers have become accustomed to seeing toys, fish, rats and robots have feelings, after all). On paper, Soul initially seems similar to Inside Out, but switching in souls for emotions. It swaps in voice work by Tina Fey for Amy Poehler, too, and both movies are helmed by director Peter Docter, so there's more than one reason for the comparison. But to the delight of viewers of all ages, Soul is a smart, tender and contemplative piece of stunning filmmaking all on its own terms. It's Pixar at its most existential, and with a strikingly percussive score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to further help it stand out. At its centre sits aspiring jazz musician-turned-music teacher Joe (Jamie Foxx, Just Mercy). Just as he's about to get his big break, he falls down a manhole, his soul leaves his body, and he's desperate to get back to chase his dreams. Alas, that's not how things work, and he's saddled with mentoring apathetic and cynical soul 22 (the always hilarious Fey) in his quest to reclaim his life. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated, Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste) Soul is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lkCCo63nhM I CARE A LOT Last month, we said that Rosamund Pike may not end up with many shiny statuettes for her efforts in I Care a Lot. We also said that her Golden Globe nomination was thoroughly well-deserved. The Radioactive and Gone Girl star is stellar in a tricky part in a thorny film — because this dark comic-thriller isn't here to play nice. Pike plays Marla Grayson, a legal guardian to as many elderly Americans as she can convince the courts to send her way. She's more interested in the cash that comes with the job, however, rather than actually looking after her charges. Indeed, with her girlfriend and business partner Fran (Eiza González, Bloodshot), plus an unscrupulous doctor on her payroll, she specifically targets wealthy senior citizens with no family, gets them committed to her care, packs them off to retirement facilities and plunders their bank accounts. Then one such ploy catches the attention of gangster Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones), who dispatches his minions to nudge Marla in a different direction. She isn't willing to acquiesce, though, sparking both a game of cat and mouse and a showdown. Dinklage makes the most of his role, too, but I Care a Lot is always the icy Pike's movie. Well, hers and writer/director J Blakeson's (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), with the latter crafting a takedown of capitalism that's savagely blunt but also viciously entertaining. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Rosamund Pike) I Care a Lot is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rsa4U8mqkw BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM Of all the twists and turns that 2020 delivered, the arrival of a new Borat movie ranked among the most unexpected. Watching Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, however, it's obvious why the famed fictional Kazakh journalist made a comeback at that very moment — that is, just before the US election. Once again, Borat travels to America. Once again, he traverses the country, interviewing everyday people and exposing the abhorrent views that have become engrained in US society. Where its 2006 predecessor had everyone laughing along with it, though, there's also an uneasy and even angry undercurrent to Borat Subsequent Moviefilm that's reflective of these especially polarised times. It's worth noting that Sacha Baron Cohen's last project, 2018 TV series Who Is America?, also used the comedian's usual interview technique to paint a picture of the US today, and the results were as astute as they were horrifying. There are plenty of jokes in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which bases its narrative around Borat's attempt to gift his 15-year-old daughter (instant scene-stealer Maria Bakalova) to Vice President Mike Pence and then ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to help get Kazakhstan's own leader into President Donald Trump's good graces, but this is the unflinching work of a star passionate about making a statement. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Sacha Baron Cohen) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Maria Bakalova) Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available to stream now via Amazon Prime Video. SMALL SCREEN BINGES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcqItifbNUA SMALL AXE British filmmaker Steve McQueen hasn't directed a bad movie — and, even after dropping five new features as part of the Small Axe anthology, that hasn't changed. The director of Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave and Widows gifts viewers a quintet of films that are as exceptional as anything he's ever made, with every entry in this new series taking place in England, in the 60s, 70s and 80s, with London's West Indian community at its centre. The first, Mangrove, tells an infuriating true tale about a police campaign to target a Caribbean restaurant in Notting Hill. From there, Lovers Rock spends time at a house party as two attendees dance into each other's orbits, and Red, White and Blue follows a young forensic scientist who decides to join the force to change from the inside. Next, Alex Wheatle explores the life of the award-winning writer of the same name, while Education unpacks unofficial moves to segregate children of colour in schools. There's no weak link here — only stunning, stirring, standout cinema that tells blistering tales about Black London residents doing everything it takes to resist their racist treatment. Every film is sumptuously shot, too, thanks to cinematographer Shabier Kirchner (Bull), and the cast spans everyone from Lost in Space's Shaun Parkes and Black Panther's Letitia Wright to Star Wars' John Boyega. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role (John Boyega) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television All five Small Axe films are available to stream via Binge. It's streaming soon in NZ. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u7EIiohs6U TED LASSO What do Parks and Recreation, Wellington Paranormal and Ted Lasso all have in common? They're all stellar examples of kind-hearted TV sitcoms that are an absolute delight to watch. By now, the first two aforementioned shows have already established a legion of fans, but the third series listed above — a 2020 newcomer — definitely belongs in the same company even just based on its ten episodes so far. Starring a gloriously optimistic Jason Sudeikis as the titular character, the comedy follows its main figure during a period of transition. A college-level American football coach, he's just been hired by struggling English Premier League team AFC Richmond, despite having zero knowledge of soccer. He's actually been recruited for the role by the club's new owner, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Game of Thrones), who received the organisation as part of her divorce settlement and is determined to tank it to spite her slimy ex (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head). For much of his career, Sudeikis has excelled at playing thorny, jerkish characters (see: the terrific Colossal) who initially seem likeable. And yet, he's pitch-perfect here, and Ted Lasso as a whole proves just as spot-on. Also featuring excellent work from Brett Goldstein (Doctor Who) and Juno Temple (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) as an ageing player and a young hotshot's girlfriend, this is a smart, funny and warm gem. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Jason Sudeikis) Nominated: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy Ted Lasso is available to stream via Apple TV+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0uWS6CnC2o SCHITT'S CREEK The idea behind Schitt's Creek is immensely straightforward, and also incredibly obvious. If one of the obscenely wealthy families that monopolises all those trashy reality TV shows was suddenly forced to live without their money, like the rest of us, how would they cope? If you're thinking "not well", you're right. If you're certain that seeing the results would be amusing, you're on the money again. As envisaged by father-son duo — and the program's stars — Eugene and Daniel Levy, that's the scenario the Rose crew finds itself in, including moving to the titular town that it happens to own as a last resort. Yes, as the name gives away, they're in a sticky situation. The adjustment process isn't easy, but it is very, very funny, and remained that way for the show's entire six-season run before wrapping up in 2020. And, although plenty of other credits on her resume have made this plain (such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, Waiting for Guffman and For Your Consideration, all also with Eugene Levy), the great Catherine O'Hara is an absolute comedy powerhouse as the Rose family matriarch. She now has both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance here, too. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Catherine O'Hara) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Eugene Levy), Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role (Dan Levy), Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role (Annie Murphy) Schitt's Creek is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiXEpminPms THE CROWN When we say that fans of The Crown had been particularly looking forward to the show's fourth season, that isn't meant as a criticism of anything that preceded it. No disrespect is directed towards the regal drama's previous episodes, or to the past cast that took on the program's main roles before an age-appropriate switch was made at the beginning of season three. But, now more than halfway through the program's planned six-season run, this latest chapter focuses on two big showdowns that changed the shape of the royal family in the 80s. Firstly, Queen Elizabeth II (Oscar-winner Olivia Colman) and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (The X-Files icon Gillian Anderson) don't quite see eye to eye, to put it mildly. Also, with Prince Charles' (God's Own Country's Josh O'Connor) marriage to Lady Diana Spencer (Pennyworth's Emma Corrin) a big plot point, the latter clashes with the entire royal establishment. Among a cast that also includes Helena Bonham Carter (Enola Holmes) and Tobias Menzies (Outlander), Colman, Anderson, O'Connor and Corrin are all exceptional — and in a show that's always been buoyed by its performances, that's saying something. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama (Emma Corrin), Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama (Josh O'Connor), Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role (Gillian Anderson) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama (Olivia Colman), Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role (Helena Bonham Carter) The Crown is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDrieqwSdgI THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT In much of The Queen's Gambit, Beth Harmon sits at a chessboard. As a child (Isla Johnston), she demands that orphanage janitor Mr Shaibel (Bill Camp, The Outsider) teach her the game. As a teenager (Anya Taylor-Joy, Radioactive), she earns a reputation as a chess prodigy. As her confidence and fame grows, she demonstrates her prowess at tournaments around America and the globe, while also spending her spare time hunched over knights, rooks, bishops and pawns studying moves and tactics. None of the above sounds like innately thrilling television unless you're a chess grandmaster, but this seven-part miniseries proves that you should never judge a show by its brief description. Based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, written and directed by Oscar-nominee Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Logan), and dripping with lavish 50s and 60s decor and costuming to reflect its period setting, The Queen's Gambit doesn't expect that all its viewers will be chess aficionados; however, it's made with a canny awareness that anything can be tense, suspenseful and involving — and that every different type of game there is says much about its players and devotees. The series doesn't lack in creative and inventive ways to depict chess on-screen. It knows when to hang on every single move of a pivotal game, and when to focus on the bigger story surrounding a particular match or Beth path through the chess world in general. And it's especially astute at illustrating how a pastime based on precision and strategy offers an orphaned girl a way to control one lone aspect of her tumultuous and constantly changing life. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Anya Taylor-Joy) The Queen's Gambit is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review.
Here, in a buzzy pocket of the Mornington Peninsula, Hotel Sorrento has sat for nearly 150 years boasting enviable bay vistas. Now, the historic sandstone building is welcoming an overhauled food and drink offering helmed by George Calombaris as part of the first stage of its redevelopment, including modern Cantonese diner Shihuishi. Shihuishi is the newest addition to the Hotel Sorrento family, nestled in the original, grand Hotel Sorrento ballroom. Head chef Junlin (Jerry) Yi (ex-Red Spice Road) is unafraid to stray from tradition, from prawn crackers paired with crème fraîche; to spanakopita dumplings that marry whipped feta and dill. Deeper into the menu, patrons will discover Australian-Canto cuisine that nods to the Chinese restaurant that stood onsite back in the 1980s. A prawn, lap cheong and onion stir-fry is a crowd-pleaser, along with duck pancakes and black pepper beef, served on a sizzling plate. Other classics run to the likes of steamed barra with soy, ginger and spring onion, or the ever-popular pork and prawn shumai. A generous list of cocktails, wine as well as beer and mocktails completes the offering. Don't miss the Dynasty Margarita, a playful mixture of tequila, green tea, honey, lime, jalapeños, Szechuan and rosemary salt. Images: supplied.
May 5 isn't just May 5 — it's Cinco de Mayo. That's when the spotlight shines on Mexico; however, despite beliefs to the contrary, it isn't the country's Independence Day. Instead, the celebration marks the nation's 1862 victory against French forces in the Battle of Puebla. Back then, the day was declared a holiday. These days, the occasion is actually a bigger deal in the US. That said, it's still a great chance to appreciate Mexico's culture and heritage. There are plenty of ways to do this, although we suggest taking the traditional path: a party. So just how do you throw your own Cinco de Mayo gathering? What should you eat, drink and listen to? Follow our guide, and you'll be having a fiesta in no time. AVOID STEREOTYPES Starting on a serious note, Cinco de Mayo should celebrate Mexican culture, not stereotype it. Avoid the easy route when it comes to theming — so that means no sombreros, no fake moustaches and no Day of the Dead (which actually happens in October, so the timing doesn't work anyway). In fact, just discourage people from dressing up altogether. You'll be more likely to avoid accidental cultural appropriation. Focusing on the colours of the Mexican flag is one good option, with splashes of green, white and red certain to look festive. Or, you could champion the country's creative talents. Frida Kahlo deserves many parties in her honour, with her paintings considered iconic for good reason. Mexican cinema is among the world's best (think: Del Toro, Inarritu, Cuaron, Rodriguez), so if you have screens or projections going, look to these guys. Or just bring a splash of summer to your bash — grey, late-autumn Australia will thank you. FIND YOUR HERO FOOD This might be the easiest part of the party-planning process, but you don't just want the food to be good — you also want it to be authentic. That means tacos made with corn tortillas, chorizo, guacamole, salsa, onions and coriander, and quesadillas filled with stringy Oaxaca cheese. Put your focus into the central component of the dish and no one will notice if you go with store-bought stuff for the rest. A good option is always to take your cue from Neil Perry — his chicken (or pork) adobo for tacos sings with chipotle, honey and vinegar. You might also have time to try making your own churros for dessert. Yum. You can also get your guests in on the action (and take the heat off yourself) by asking them to bring their own homemade guacamole or salsa. Add a competitive element, and call it a guac off. The chef behind the best wins bragging rights, and everyone else wins by getting to eat it. Just stock up on corn chips beforehand, because there's going to be plenty of dipping to do. THREE DRINKS TO COVER ALL BASES When it comes to Mexican beer, it's an easy choice. Chill some Coronas in as big a bucket as you can find, and make sure you have plenty of extra lime slices lying around for people to pop in the tops. If you want something stronger, it wouldn't be Cinco de Mayo without margaritas making an appearance. Just combine 2 parts tequila to 1 part Cointreau (or another triple sec) and 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice. Choose a silver tequila, and look for the words '100% agave' on the label. That means it's the real stuff. Pour over or blend with ice, but don't forget the glass rimmed with salt. For a non-alcoholic option, agua fresca is your beverage of choice. It couldn't be easier to make or tastier to drink. Watermelon is a popular flavour, and all you need to do is blend cubes of the fruit then mix it with the juice of four limes, three quarters of a cup of castor sugar and a cup of mint leaves. Stir, stand for an hour, strain and top up with sparkling water. GO TO CONTEMPORARY MEXICO WITH YOUR PLAYLIST A party isn't a party without a soundtrack to match the occasion. Here you have multiple options, but we're only going to recommend two. Acoustic guitar fans need look no further than Rodrigo y Gabriela (fans of nuevo flamenco, rock and heavy metal too). The duo's sound is certainly diverse, which isn't surprising given that they mix traditional Mexican music with European influences over their five studio albums and three live records. For a more unpredictable playlist, there's always Spotify. Any one of their hundreds of Mexican playlists will spit you out a party-ready concoction of mariachi music, contemporary Latin songs and questionable Ricky Martin numbers. HIT THINGS WITH STICKS There's one party staple that never gets old, even as you get older. That'd be the piñata, something that the Spanish brought to Mexico, and also links in with Mayan culture. You know how it works: you wear a blindfold, swing a stick and try to break open a suspended, decorated container filled with goodies. That's the fun part — but making your own is just as fun, too. Papier mache away using newspaper scraps and a paste made from equal parts flour and water, plus a tablespoon of salt. Balloons work well as a sturdy base, as you might remember from primary school. Once everything has dried, decorate it with paint and crepe paper, and then stuff it full of goodies. Lollies are fine, but you might want something a bit more age-appropriate. We were thinking mini bottles of tequila or hot sauce, individually packaged T2 teabags, discs of pour-over hot chocolate, playing cards or obscure Mexican lollies — or a combination of the lot. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
Fusing classy food with a casual pub buzz was Jacques Reymond's vision for L'Hotel Gitan. Monsieur Blanc introduced a bohemian 'gypsy' twist to his long-running Michelin-style repertoire. Accessible and appealing, L'Hotel Gitan really is the epitome of the gastropub concept he was wanting, even ten years after first opening. It's refined dining in a smart casual setting. And the setting is certainly beautiful. The art deco bones of this stunning building have been primped and preened to produce a marble, brass, mirrored and tiled thing of beauty. The waitstaff are smartly dressed and know their way around the food and drink offerings. As for the menu at L'Hotel Gitan, it is one that encourages sharing. There are three sections: petite, moyen and plat principal. The petite section comprises single-serve tasters, from freshly shucked oysters to crisp cheddar and broccoli croquettes right through to jamon serrano offering. Moyen offers slightly more substantial dishes, such as the whole roasted king prawns and Gitan steak tartare: a freshly sliced beef fillet in a slightly spicy dressing, served in crisp lettuce leaves. As a plat principal, you have a choice of duck breast, a rockling colbert, a fragrant farmed Humpty Doo barramundi, a coq au vin pithivier or a grilled lamb backstrap. Desserts at L'Hotel Gitan include a creme brûlée, a fondant au chocolat and a selection of cheeses — best enjoyed by the fireplace on a cold winter's eve. The wine list features some local drops but has a far greater variety of European labels on offer. Beers have also been amped up lately, with a selection of Aussie and International brews on tap (and a few ciders) alongside some craft bottles and cans of beer.
Those final-round, half-popped remnants of the once-brimming popcorn bag have a solid fan base it seems, with two companies (two!) now selling bags of almost-there popcorn. Washington-based company HalfPops and Minnesota-based company Pop'd Kerns have decided that fully-popped kernels are wildly overrated, now selling half-popped corn as an actual snack. Their premature little bag buddies make for quite the potentially teeth-breaking snack, selling 170-gram bags at over 2000 locations America-wide and online (not for international delivery yet, so we'll have to live with the few skerricks in our popcorn bags for now). How the companies purposely half-pop the corn isn't made entirely clear on either of their websites, so we're willing to conjure up an image of the team hiding behind unsuspecting popcorn eaters and stealing their bags when they're almost done. Hiiiiiissssss, the sweet, sweet half-popped gold! The partially-popped friends made a strong appearance at New York City's Summer Fancy Food Show, the city's first ever specialty food week. Taking over NYC's Javits Centre from June 28 to 30, the inaugural SFFS15 nabbed the title of largest specialty food trade event in North America; a leading showcase of food industry innovation. For three days, American foodies found themselves surrounded by the newest and weirdest edible developments in the game. Half-popped corn wasn't the only thing turning heads at SFFS15. Probably the most grown-up type of ice cream in the freezer, wine ice cream is the work of an upstate New York dairy called Mercer's. Don't think this is simply wine-flavoured, these creamy, creamy confections have up to five percent alcohol. Other 'fancy foods' making waves at the specialty food week included the controversial maple water, tomato butter and the retch-inducing camel milk. Like, milked from a camel. Yeesh. Via The Kitchn.
Ah, markets. Vintage clothes like your granny used to wear. Fresh, ripe and delicious farmers' market produce. Sweets and treats and deep fried creations. The contents of someone's garage spilled onto a rug. Original Tupperware in almost as good as new nick. Exotic fruits and veggies that you're not sure whether to eat or to adopt as a pet. Artist creations and handmade wares. If you're sick of massive supermarket chains, retail garb and generic fluorescent-lit shopping centres, why not take an easy Saturday or Sunday stroll to one of Melbourne's best markets? As well as treating yourself to one-of-a-kind purchases you can feel warm and fuzzy for supporting local. Take your own enviro-bags and containers and you can add eco-warrior to the list. [caption id="attachment_568380" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Market Lane Coffee via Flickr[/caption] PRAHRAN MARKET Self-described as the 'food lovers market', the oldest continuous running market in Australia is your go-to place for gourmet delights and fresh, heritage fruit and vegetables, local fish and meat. While the marketplace is open during the week, the real bargains are on Saturday after 3pm when $1 bags of fruit and veg are up for grabs. The market also hosts regular demonstrations and food festivals, celebrating delicious edibles like cheese, chocolate, sausages and more. When? Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7am, and Sunday from 10am. [caption id="attachment_628755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Simon Shiff.[/caption] SOUTH MELBOURNE MARKET For 150 years now, South Melbourne Market has been an integral part of the fabric of Melbourne's food culture. It's not only a very pleasant place to pick up fresh produce and top-notch seafood, but it's also a go-to for morning flat whites, afternoon pastries and paella at night. Like Prahran Market, this is a market for all things food — once you've visited the green grocers and downed a dozen oysters, grab some gozleme, get a takeaway coffee and doughnut from Clement Coffee and then wander through the surrounding South Melbourne shops. When? Every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am. CAMBERWELL SUNDAY MARKET In the leafy green eastern suburbs is the crème de la crème of secondhand clothing markets — with plenty of other bits and bobs to please the general market-goer too. Everyone's budget is catered for here. For a couple of coins you can pick up some snazzy threads with folk shedding their bulging closets, or you could invest in some designer fur jackets. Antique homewares, succulents, heavenly scented soaps and body lotions and even well-thumbed books are all up for grabs to the best haggler. All of which can be enjoyed with the background music of a warbling busker. When? Every Sunday from 6.30am. QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET When you say Melbourne market it's impossible to not to think of the most royal of all: the Queen Victoria Market. With 600 retailers sprawling across the centre of the city, it is a historical landmark, major tourist attraction and place of many happy people eating hot jam doughnuts from the van that's been parked there for eternity. While food is what it does best across the deli hall, meat hall and fruit and veg centre, there's also plenty of other general merchandise worth browsing,] — especially if you're after a cheap leather belt. The market is at its carnival peak on Sundays. When? Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6am, and Sunday from 9am. COBURG TRASH & TREASURE Like the name suggests, this market is for people who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and sort through another person's gear spilled out on a rug. Expect everything from toys, games, clothes, jewellery, homewares, records, plants and more. If you're excited by the prospect of finding a hidden gem (and actually willing to work for it) this mass Sunday garage sale at the Coburg Drive-In is for you. When? Every Sunday from 8am THE ROSE STREET MARKET On every weekend, you'l be constantly impressed by the emerging creative talent of Melbourne at this Fitzroy market — and you can support them by buying some of their creations. This well-known market in Rose Street is where you can pick up one-of-a-kind artworks, fashion items, collectables, hand-bound books, screen prints and more. And after you're all marketed-out, have coffee or brunch in one of the many fine eateries nearby. When? Every Saturday and Sunday from 11am. DANDENONG MARKET Ever been shopping for the ingredients for a delicious exotic dish at a supermarket and come up short with finding all you need? With 150 nationalities spread across 200 traders, the Dandenong Market is a multicultural melting pot that will have all your shopping needs — and most unique and hard to find ingredients — sorted in one place. It's a paradise for any food lover looking to find old favourite flavours or try something completely new, and there are also plenty of other stores worth a look-in too. When? Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 7am, and Sunday from 10am. [caption id="attachment_568389" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Visit Mornington Peninsula[/caption] RED HILL COMMUNITY MARKET If you fancy taking a drive down the Peninsula, you may find yourself impressed and charmed by 300 creative stallholders at the Red Hill Market. Running since 1975, this market has developed a community-like hub for all things crafty and homemade, from dog beds to jewellery to delicate woodwork. The food is also pretty great — try the Red Hill Roast gourmet coffee and lightly battered seafood from The Flying Calamari Brothers. When? First Saturday of each month from 8am. FITZROY MARKET With a friendly atmosphere and good mix of homewares, clothing, jewellery, artisan designs and more, this local community-run gathering is a quiet market of 65 stalls. But however tiny it may be, it has a big heart, and raises funds for many organisations and charities. If you prefer smaller crowds to browse the makeshift aisles, you'll find plenty of space here, with all the regular options of delicious food available. When? Every third Saturday of the month from 10am. [caption id="attachment_568390" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Yarra City Council[/caption] GLEADALL STREET MARKET Tucked away off Bridge Road, this little Richmond street comes alive every Saturday morning with lively producers selling fruit and veg, artisans baked goods, free-range eggs, organics, seafood and meat, and the best homemade peanut butter you've ever had in your life. Arrive early to beat the crowds — and make sure to bring your own bags as this little market is plastic-bag free. When? Every Saturday from 7am. Top image: The Rose Street Market.
After a year full of lockdowns and restrictions, travelling around Australia is finally possible again. Now, the bumper-to-bumper summer season of the country's top galleries is within reach to out-of-town art lovers too. We've pulled together a taster of major exhibitions that span both new and recognisable art and will encourage reflection on this crazy year. Each state is offering something unique, from an expansive all-women artist exhibition in Canberra to shows revealing the diversity of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from across the country. Join us in celebrating culture and open borders with an Australian summer full of art, performance, community talks and tours.
The man who conquered Melbourne’s laneways has set his eyes on the sky. Co-creator of Laneway Festival and the man behind Thousand Pound Bend, Ponyfish Island and Sister Bella, Jerome Borazio will stake his claim to a prime piece of high-altitude Melbourne real estate, with an upscale camping ground on the Melbourne Central roof set to open on May 20. "I was literally just looking at the building, and I had this idea," Borazio tells us. "I’ve worked with Melbourne Central on and off on projects for five or six years now, and I know they’ve been trying to activate it, so I knew the space was available. But I wasn’t just going to put another pop-up restaurant or pop-up bar up there." Christening the project St. Jerome’s – The Hotel, Borazio promises "five-star intelligent design" and "high level personalised service" to go along with panoramic views of the Melbourne skyline. The accommodation consists of 30 canvas bell tents, with a combination of standard 'rooms' and suites. There's the 'Luxe' (a four-metre Homecamp bell tent) and 'Luxe Plus' (five-metre Homecamp bell tent, with mini-bar, electric blankets and heating) option to pick from, both fitted out with pretty stunning bed linen from Linen House's latest collection — and they'll provide you with one of their fluffy white robes too. Guests will have access to a range of amenities including 24-hour concierge service, free wi-fi, a guest-only communal lawn area, complimentary breakfast hampers, morning coffee by Plantation, goodies from the Swisse Body Care range and free Tai Chi and meditation sessions every morning. The St. Jerome’s – The Hotel General Store will be stocked up with everything from postcards to bed socks, amenities to Laurent Perrier Champagne, Victorian wines from Treasury Estate to Melbourne-based Fire Drum Vodka (yeah, not your average camping ground kiosk). The five-star trappings also mean a five-star bill, and Borazio says prices would start from around $330. That puts it about in line with other high-end CBD accommodation, but a tad more expensive than just pitching a tent in your own backyard. But this is a pretty unique stay in a significantly epic setting. The Melbourne Central rooftop has seen sporadic use over the years, and was recently home to a pop-up tennis court during last year’s Australian Open. The space is expected to open for business on May 20, and Borazio remains undeterred by Melbourne’s notorious winter weather. "We actually think it’s quite romantic," he says. "You’ll be in the tent, hearing the rain on the canvas. It's a pretty unique experience." St Jerome’s – The Hotel currently intends to occupy the space for a limited time only. St. Jerome's — The Hotel opens on May 20. Stay glued to their Facebook page for more updates.
You know summer's just around the corner when your social calendar and budget spreadsheet start filling up with must-attend festival lineups and your FOMO rages out of control. There are so many new and returning festivals coming up, we are truly spoilt for choice. But how do you decide which horse to bet on? Happy Wanderer is an off-the-beaten-track festival option, running October 31 to November 2 on an organic farm in Benalla, Victoria. They announced their headliners today and it’s a cornucopia of delight for fans of more laidback tunes and old-school Americana, with Jess Ribeiro, The Eastern, Sal Kimber and the Rollin’ Wheel, Archer, The Eighty 88s, James Kenyon, That Gold Street Sound, Nigel Wearne, Harry Jakamarra, Emilee South and Jane Sea. But the Happy Wanderer crew earn extra brownie points for letting you try before you buy, with an ongoing residency at The Gasometer Hotel that showcases what the festival will offer. The final instalment of the preview is on this Thursday, September 27, and features Melbourne reggae band El Moth, supported by The Electric I and Emi. Like many festival these days, the Happy Wanderer is a lifestyle choice as well as a sweet lineup. The HW ethos revolves around volunteerism — in fact, the festival began as a working bee on an organic farm. In its third year now, the festival has grown in scope to include three stages, a Discovery Dome for workshops, bars, food tents and trucks, coffee stations, camping and most importantly a rubber duck race on Broken River. Though it continues to expand, HW still holds onto their original purpose: a gathering of kin on a beautiful farm (and rubber duck racing, always). Happy Wanderer is happening at Yin Barun, Benalla, from October 31 to November 2. Tickets $160pp (camping and three-day admission included), available here.
Handpicking some of the globe's best new artists for yet another glorious year (their seventh, to be exact), Sugar Mountain has one heck of a lineup this year, with UK rapper Joey Bada$$, experimental Berlin-based producer Laurel Halo and Australia's Cut Copy headlining. Returning to Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts on Saturday, January 20, Sugar Mountain has again balanced international drawcards with local talent this year, from Melbourne's all-female five-piece Beaches to UK producer Actress. Other Aussies converging on Mebourne for the fest include Body Type, Stella Donnelly and Indigenous collective Kardajala Kirridarra. As always though, music isn't the only thing on the menu for Sugar Mountain. There'll also be a load artists on the bill, including a collaboration between American artist and dancer Khalif Diouf and Bangarra Dance Theatre's dancer and choreographer Waangenga Blanco and work by Amrita Hepi and Japanese artists Hiroyasu Tsuri and Jun Inoue. The nosh is yet to be announced, but here's hoping Sugar Mountain's immersive on-site restaurant Sensory will be back. Enough chatskies, here's that lineup you're after. SUGAR MOUNTAIN 2018 LINEUP Actress (UK) Ara Koufax Beaches Body Type Cut Copy Dan Shake (UK) Eclair Fifi (UK) Fantastic Man Gerd Janson (GER) Honey Dijon (USA) J Hus (UK) Jamila Woods (USA) Joey Bada$$ (USA) Kardajala Kirridarra Laurel Halo (USA) Love Deluxe Project Pablo (CAN) Sevdaliza (NED) Shanti Celeste (UK) Stella Donnelly ARTISTS VIA ALICE featuring Waangenga Blanco x Khalif Diouf (USA) Amrita Hepi x Pasefika Victoria Choir Justin Shoulder x CORIN x Tristan Jalleh Hiroyasu Tsuri (JPN) x Jun Inoue (JPN) Marcus Whale x Athena Thebus
Whether you're heading to the cinema with friends or curling up on the couch with your significant other, a night watching movies remains a fantastic source of entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Sitting in the dark, switching your mind away from your regular worries and slipping into another world — if you're catching the right flick, few things can top it. Cinema-wise, 2018 has thrown up plenty of films that tick all of the above boxes — and now we're just past the halfway mark, it's time to look back. Maybe you missed one of this year's hits when it was in theatres. Perhaps it's still showing and you haven't made it yet. Or, there could be a few gems that just slipped your attention. Of course, there's always the ace movies you saw, loved and want to see again. Whichever category fits, here's 12 films from 2018 that you you need to catch up on. Head to the cinema and grab a choc top or organise your streaming queue and cook up some popcorn, as we've sorted out your viewing for the near future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQH3jqetJoY THE SHAPE OF WATER What our critic said: A sea of perfectly assembled elements, The Shape of Water truly feels like a film that no one else could have made. Working from a script co-written with Vanessa Taylor (Divergent), director Guillermo del Toro is operating at the top of his game, and his fingerprints can be seen in every exquisitely detailed image. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKbjnLpxv70 FACES PLACES What our critic said: If everyone looked at strangers in the same way as French New Wave icon Agnes Varda (Cléo from 5 to 7, Vagabond), the world would be a much kinder place. Roaming through small yet lively villages, Varda makes new memories while reminiscing about older ones — about love, work, times passed, friends lost and past moments immortalised in earlier photos. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCYB28iknIM PHANTOM THREAD What our critic said: Every textile metaphor you can think of applies to Phantom Thread. It's a film that's carefully woven from the fabric of human urges, teeming with hidden layers and positively bursting at the seams with emotional detail. It's also one made by the finest possible craftspeople, with Anderson and his three stars fashioning the cinematic equivalent of haute couture. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzgTHyEv5Ng LADY BIRD What our critic said: As impressive a list of plaudits as Lady Bird has amassed, they pale in comparison to the movie itself. While it can seem like high school coming-of-age films are more common than actual high schoolers, Greta Gerwig gets everything right with her entry into the genre. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJHex4ZitgA A FANTASTIC WOMAN What our critic said: It can't be overstated how wonderful it is to see transgender representation on the big screen (no offence Eddie Redmayne, but this is how it should be). Vega's performance as Marina feels authentic, in no small part because it is authentic. Every movement, every delivery is subtle, considered and real. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNtLIcyjsnI GAME NIGHT What our critic said: At its best, Game Night is laugh out loud funny, subverting some classic comedy tropes and delivering scores of killer one-liners. It's probably one of the better Hollywood black comedies we've seen in the last few years, and ultimately entertains enough to justify the price of admission. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqy27Bk0Vw0 A QUIET PLACE What our critic said: John Krasinski's stripped-back use of sound reflects his entire approach, crafting a masterfully sparse movie from start to finish — and a downright masterful one too. Forget questions about why the monsters are there and where everyone else is: they couldn't matter less in this taut, fast-paced thriller, and they shouldn't even cross your mind. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9iVra2kdD4 TULLY What our critic said: Tully's motherhood scenario inspires rich performances from a particularly raw Charlize Theron and a suitably sparkling Mackenzie Davis — the former committed to conveying the hardships of maternity in all of its unglamorous glory, the latter calm and kind as Tully brings Marlo back from the brink of desperation. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4_79dnJeNU BPM (BEATS PER MINUTE) What our critic said: Set to a soundtrack that flits from electronic beats to sorrowful piano, to the pleading chants of ACT UP taking to the streets, what emerges is a movie that's both intimate and expansive. Just as BPM's first scenes leave a definite imprint, so does the cumulative effect of its 143 minutes, weaving personal tales into a sprawling snapshot of a real-life movement. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3__y-uPwbe8 HEREDITARY What our critic said: Ari Aster plagues the movie's protagonists with weird occurrences, including strange words etched into walls, odd flashes of light, upsetting strangers and alarming seances. He is making a horror film, after all. But more than that, the writer-director doubles down on tragedy, stretches the characters' emotional limits and heightens their psychological strain, Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEnRNIvEKu8 UPGRADE What our critic said: Bone-crunching, blood-splattered revenge is a dish best-served with an AI sidekick in Upgrade. Although the concept might sound more tired than wired on paper, it makes for a sharp, sleek and savage wander into genre territory. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6o5WPcCgT0 FOXTROT What our critic said: Foxtrot asks the audience to stare at its main cast harder than most films; to feel their aching hearts, to dive into their despairing minds, and to experience their unshakeable sorrow. Writer-director Samuel Maoz doesn't just call upon his actors to attract attention, though, but ensures that every meticulous shot reflects the characters' internal states. Read the full review.
In a food-obsessed city like ours where there's a quality feed to be discovered around just about every corner, why put a limit on your eating abilities? Melbourne's got a plethora of excellent all-you-can-eat options to rival even your fondest childhood memories from the Pizza Hut buffet and Sizzler salad bar (RIP). Break out the stretchy pants in preparation for some proper feasting with these great all-you-can-eat offers. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT YUM CHA AT DAVID'S Delivering that authentic yum cha experience within smartly revamped designer digs, iconic David's Prahran offers the kind of all-you-can-eat experience even your mum would approve of. What's more, at $38 per person on Saturdays (and $40 per person on Sundays), your bank account will be pretty chuffed as well. Choose the 11.30am or 1.30pm sitting, and settle in against crisp, white interiors for an upscale take on unlimited yum cha. How many of those plump dumplings can your stomach handle? How much? $38-40 per person. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT TEMAKI AT TOKOSAN The closure of Toko in Prahan has seen Tokosan take its place, with a focus on cocktails, karaoke and a casual Japanese snack menu. On Tuesdays they're honing in on temaki — which, for the uninitiated, is basically a cone-shaped hand roll — with endless supplies for just $20. There will options for vegetarians too. If you haven't tried temaki before, Tokosan's outdoor lounge courtyard is a pretty good place to make your debut. How much? $20 per person. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT MEAT AT POLEPOLE Carnivores in search of some serious midweek indulgence will find a whole lot to love about African-inspired Polepole, especially during Tuesday night's weekly all-you-can-meat extravaganza. From 5pm, punters can rock their taste buds and stuff their bellies with a smorgasbord of slow-cooked, African-style meat dishes and sides for the budget-friendly price of $39 per person. We're talking an endless array of melt-in-your-mouth ribs, vibrant salads and addictive harissa grilled corn cobs. Get in before 7pm to save even more coin with a few cheeky happy hour drinks. How much? $39 per person. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT SUSHI AT OKAMI JAPANESE One of the greatest things about Japanese food is that it rarely leaves you feeling horrendously full, even after scoffing an insane amount of it. Which means that an unlimited feasting situation at somewhere like Okami packs a serious punch in the value department. This spot has seven outposts across Melbourne (including Brunswick, Caulfield, Footscray and Camberwell), each one offering an all-you-can-eat menu for about $30, if you've got at least two diners. Go to town on sushi and sashimi, tempura and teriyaki, knowing you'll probably even have belly room left over for some green tea ice cream for dessert. How much? $30 per person. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT WINGS AT SAN ANTONE BY BLUDSO'S BBQ Mondays at San Antone can get pretty darn messy. But when you're elbow-deep in fried chicken, it's pretty likely you won't mind that much. The Crown restaurant is renowned for its American-style smoked meats and to kickstart each week, it offers two hours of endless chicken wings for just $25 per person. These finger lickin' goodies are smoked for two hours and then served by the bucket, teamed with your choice of sauce and a pile of golden fries. Settle in and keep that chook coming until those Monday blues are a distant memory. How much? $25 per person. ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BRAZILIAN MEATS AT B'CHURRASCO If you're good mates with meat, the ultimate feasting situation awaits at this buzzing CBD spot. Modelled on Brazil's rodízios, or all-you-can-eat, BBQ restaurants, B'Churrasco is famed for its unlimited meat feasts, where a parade of marinated morsels are served on skewers and carved right there at your table. Get acquainted with one of the city's best examples of Brazilian dining, across a seasonal pick of 12 quality, roasted meat cuts, and a whole bunch of authentic sides. Visit on a Wednesday or Thursday, and you can load up on the likes of beef ribs, chicken wings, and house made chorizo, along with a bellyful of accompaniments, for $45 per head. On other nights the spread will cost you $56 each. How much? $45–56 per person. CROSSWAYS VEGETARIAN, CBD For all-you-can-eat, minus the meat and any kind of pretension or style, it's hard to beat this longstanding Hare Krishna haunt. Perched above Swanston Street, Crossways plates up a different plant-based feed each day of the week, and you can eat your fill of the tasty, wholesome fare for just $7.95 (or $5.95 if you're a concession card holder). Feast up big on the likes of South Indian coconut curry, satay veggies, and lentil pasta, and even sate your sweet tooth with a house-made dessert — you'll still roll out with change from a tenner. How much? $5.95–7.95 per person.
The minds behind the multi-layered delight that is the legendary Strawberry Watermelon Cake — which has lit up Instagram feeds across the world since its inception in Sydney over a decade ago — headed south last November, opening the doors to a Black Star Pastry pop-up in St Kilda. It closed, like many restaurants did, at the start of the pandemic, but now it's back — permanently. Making its home beneath Acland Street's Jackalope Pavilion — where the now-closed, hopefully-reopening-soon exhibition Rain Room is located — the team's first permanent Black Star Pastry outside of Sydney follows a successful 2017 pop-up in Carlton, as well as plenty of outings at Melbourne's Night Noodle Markets over the years. The new pop-up store is serving up a selection of Black Star smash hits, the bill headlined, of course, by that Strawberry Watermelon Cake. Sporting layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream and watermelon, this little beauty sells around one million slices annually across the brand's four Sydney stores and was even dubbed the "world's most Instagrammed cake" by the New York Times. Other favourites making the journey south include the Pistachio Lemon Zen Cake — another layered sensation featuring pistachio ganache, white chocolate mousse, lemon curd and crunchy pistachio dacquoise — and the Raspberry Lychee Cake, which fuses chocolate biscuit, raspberry marshmallow and vanilla cream. Also on the lineup: custard flans, croissants, a vegan chocolate popcorn cake, a Dragon Cake (made with thinly sliced dragonfruit and jelly ripples) and a Japanese Forest Cake, which has matcha moss, dark chocolate bark and whole confit ume (plums). The sweet stuff is complemented by St Ali coffee and a contemporary, minimalist store space, featuring neon signage by UK artist Tracey Emin proclaiming "you loved me like a distant star". And, in a win for those who don't like waiting — or don't like heading out in the current climate — customers can also pre-order a range of cakes online and skip the queues with express pick-up. Those cakes are for all types of celebrations, too, ranging from four to 45 portions.
If you're looking for some hard-to-find wines, Malvern's Milton Wine Shop is a clear go-to in Melbourne's southeast. The cosy bottle shop isn't just for takeaway, either — the venue doubles as a wine bar that slings rare drops by the glass. The venue is split across three spaces, including the bottle-o, a living room with fireplace, and a sun-filled courtyard. The latter is a rare outdoor gem that can also be used in cooler months, as it's heated and enclosed. Expect both old- and new-world wines on offer at Milton Wine Shop, with a focus on quality winemaking. By the glass, there are orange and chilled reds alongside the usual red, white and rosé — with 'interesting and rare' drops from France, Italy and Austria. Apart from wine, there's a strong selection of craft beers from Australia and New Zealand, too. The bar's simple food offering ranges from nibbles to share plates. There are also cheese toasties and an extensive cheese and charcuterie offering. Once you've tasted the range, you'll be more than tempted to hit the well-stocked bottle shop on your way out. Appears in: The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne for 2023
Kween Yonce is about to tower over Melbourne. A skyscraper inspired by Beyonce’s fierce aesthetics in the 'Ghost' video clip is set to be built near Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. Although 'Beyonce' is not yet a recognised religion (give it time), the 76-storey tower will pay homage to the mother of us all by mimicking her monochromatic twists and turns in 'Ghost'. The 13012 Premier Tower will house retail space and hotel rooms as well as apartments and creates those curves with an innovative vertical cantilever system designed to make Beyonce fans weep (and effectively redistribute mass and stabilise the building but whatever). The tower has been designed by the architectural firm Elenberg Fraser, who have a monopoly on the chic apartment market; they're responsible for 42 percent of the apartments under construction in Melbourne right now and we're stoked they're Beyonce fans too (can we please have a 'Crazy In Love' apartment block next?). It may just be a marketing strategy but if so, boy do they have our number. We would love to live inside Beyonce. And we can even discern some graceful and svelte curves in the initial renderings of the 13012 Premier Tower. It’s a case of art mimicking life and who better to mimic than the Kween herself. Bow down bitches. Via The Guardian. Images: Elenberg Fraser.
Those who were mad fans of Bill Cunningham, or watched and loved the 2010 documentary Bill Cunningham: New York (that Venn diagram is probably a single circle), would be unsurprised to hear that the legendary fashion photographer was still shooting less than a month before his death last Saturday. Cunningham's tenacity and single-minded focus, along with his modesty and warmth were just some of the things that made the street style photographer such a joy to watch. As a reporter and historian of fashion he displayed an extraordinary depth of understanding of his subject. It's a little dismaying therefore to discover that finding photos taken by Bill Cunningham is harder than you might expect. Trawl the usual channels (Google, Tumblr, Pinterest) and inevitably nearly every image will contain a telltale flash of blue — the French workman's jacket that Cunningham made his now-iconic uniform. Though I can't blame anyone for wanting to swoon over Cunningham himself, it seems fitting to honour the reluctant celebrity by turning our attention back to his work — if nothing else, there's no doubt that's what he would have preferred. [caption id="attachment_578295" align="alignnone" width="1280"] William J. Cunningham, Facades, Penguin Books, 1978.[/caption] NEW YORK IS ITS OWN STAGE Cunningham's muse, friend and co-star Editta Sherman poses in full Edwardian get-up in this shot from Cunningham's 1978 book Facades. Many of the photographs from the book depict authentic period costumes (which Cunningham himself had collected) placed against a backdrop of iconic New York architecture. The photos are contemplation on a city that, perhaps more than any other, has made progress and modernity into an aesthetic. Though Cunningham is better known for his (generally) unstaged street photography, this photo of the Lady Bracknell-esque Sherman includes elements of the photographer's sense of humour which are familiar. Note the advertisement hanging on the graffitied subway car above Sherman: "A woman of good taste". [caption id="attachment_578296" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bill Cunningham, Vogue, (Conde Nast, March 1974).[/caption] AMERICAN FASHION "OOZES VITALITY" If you're interested in 20th century fashion history then don't walk, RUN to watch this 2014 interview in which Cunningham describes "the most exciting fashion show" of his life. Cunningham is momentarily reduced to tears as he recalls details of the 1973 'Battle of Versailles' fashion show, in which French and American designers were pitted against one another. The two nations' designers represented two different fashion ideologies, and Cunningham wasn't shy about naming his victor. In the Chicago Tribune, he wrote that the Yanks "devastated" their French counterparts, with their "uncluttered American taste oozing vitality". Halston was among the American contingent who showed at Versailles, and though this 1974 photograph by Cunningham displays the more overt, embellished glam of the coming decade, one can still recognise in the dress' cut the kind of simplicity of design that Cunningham was still championing 40 years later. [caption id="attachment_578297" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bill Cunningham, 'Make Your Own Art: On the Street', New York Times (OCT. 31, 2014)[/caption] FASHION NEEDS EXPERIMENTATION TO AVOID SIMPLY BEING COMMERCE So here's a fun fact: Bill Cunningham literally invented the application of the word 'deconstructionism' to fashion (Bonnie English, Japanese Fashion Designers: The Work and Influence of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, Berg, 15 Aug. 2013 , p.170). It is a rare thing indeed to encounter someone with so fierce, varied and long-lasting an appetite for fashion. In a 1989 video interview, Cunningham described how he first recognised parallels between the early 1980s designs of Rei Kawakubo, and the clothes worn by New York's homeless women. His tone is not uncritical as he makes this extraordinary observation, but you can also detect his exhilaration as he goes on to make a further link to the proportions of medieval European dress. More recently in his 'On The Street' video series for the New York Times, Cunningham showed his continued fascination with the avant-garde by comparing the red of mainstream fashion to Kawakubo's "blood and roses". He concluded: "Fashion as we know it today is absolutely commerce. Very little artistic expression. Lots of it is very beautiful and women look wonderful in it. There's nothing wrong with that! But you have to have this wild experimentation." [caption id="attachment_578300" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bill Cunningham, 'Dashing', New York Times (February 24, 2012).[/caption] COLOUR IS POWERFUL AND DEMANDS YOUR RESPECT Many of Cunningham's most enticing collage spreads for the New York Times were based around a colour theme. Cunningham sensitivity to and appreciation of colour was something else. In 1965, the New York Times reported on a presentation given by Cunningham at Carnegie Recital Hall (the same building in which he lived and from which he was evicted in 2010). Cunningham spoke to an audience of fashion designers and students and described the colours he had seen at the recent Paris couture shows. To illustrate the colours he "sliced a pumpkin in half, peeled a banana and held up a raw beefsteak to illustrate the major colours…", documented by Bernadine Morris in her 'Two Views on Fashions: One Scholarly, One Pop' piece. Cunningham never lost his voracious appetite for fashion, and it's hard to imagine that we'll see his like again.
Tender, smoky, rich meaty goodness — this is Meatmother in a nutshell. Swan Street's Slip sleek and minimalist space in Richmond has been long-celebrated for its shudderingly delicious pulled pork, so praised that punters waltz past the Richmond digs just to get a mere whiff of the smoky aroma. But nothing pairs with lip-smackingly good American-style BBQ than crisp, cold beer — and Richmond's Mountain Goat Brewery is just the ticket. The Melbourne-born brewery is inviting the glorious carnivores from Meatmother to set up their epic Silver Creek Smoker inside the Mountain Goat beer hall, serving up that meaty, meaty goodness ever Friday night for the next three weeks. Think Brisket Buns filled with 12-hour oak smoked Wagyu brisket, as well as pulled pork and chipotle slaw buns. We're already showing signs of the meat sweats. Mountain Goat have also invited their mates from California's North Coast Brewing to pour three rarely seen tap beers at the beer hall's mini bar. But the brewery's got a few tricks up their own sleeve; Mountain Goat will be debuting their new Nitro-Hightail Ale over the three Fridays. If you're wanting to work off a few of those brisket buns afterwards, you can jump on a tour of the brewery. Find the Meatmother pop-up at Mountain Goat Brewery, Cnr North & Clark Streets, Richmond. Fridays 5-11pm from December 5-19. More info over here. Image: Nice Bike.
Internet radio station Hope St Radio found a new permanent home in 2021, opening the doors to a wine bar and kitchen within the revamped Collingwood Yards. Also dubbed Hope St Radio, the venue boasts an expansive space beside the precinct's central courtyard — its bright, roomy interiors decked out with timber booths and fun mural art by Peter Cole and Alice McIntosh. Food-wise, it's all about the after-work snacks and dinner options; best enjoyed alongside some local beers, sustainably-produced wines, or serves of Fernet and coke. The menu changes regularly, though expect to find options like rigatoni all'amatriciana, focaccia with whipped garlic and tarragon butter, and creamy burrata teamed with artichokes and a vibrant nettle oil. Unsurprisingly, music is a big part of the bar's DNA, with a custom sound set-up courtesy of Hot Wax Sound Systems featuring tunes from Hope St Radio's expert curation of musicians and artists. A live broadcast keeps the venue buzzing right through the end of each week. [caption id="attachment_812441" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Tom Blachford[/caption] Top images: Tom Blachford and Natalie Jurrjens Appears in: The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne for 2023
If someone hasn't already reminded you that today is the first of March (with a petrified look of a person on the brink of a mid-life crisis, no less), this bit of news should well and truly confirm that summer is over. Vivid Sydney has this morning given us the first tidbit from their 2017 program, announcing indie folk-rock band Fleet Foxes as their first visiting artist. The US band will bring their bright dance-around-the-forest songs to the Sydney Opera House for four exclusive shows on May 26–29 this year. These will be the band's only shows in Australia — and their first here in five years — so tickets will be allocated via a ballot system. Anyone who sat online to get (or miss out on) tickets to the Opera House's Bon Iver show last year will appreciate this method of allocation. Fans of Fleet Foxes will know the band have been extremely quiet of late; they haven't released an album since Helplessness Blues back in 2011. The band is set to release their third album this year — which, according to Consequence of Sound, is called Ylajali — and has already locked in some European tour dates post-Vivid, meaning that we could potentially be the first to hear their new material. The Fleet Foxes gig is the first announcement for Vivid 2017, which will this year run from May 26 until June 17. The full program will be announced later this month. That should get you excited for winter. Fleet Foxes will play four shows at the Sydney Opera House from May 26–29. The ballot is open now until 11.59pm on Sunday, March 5. You can enter here.
This autumn, Melbourne's Noir Restaurant is going to make your nights out a whole lot sweeter. As of April 8, the team are dedicating an entire bar to dessert. And not just any dessert, mind you, but Noir's utterly beautiful, perfectly-composed, hat-winning creations. The Noir Bar, as it's to be known, will bring its taste revolution to the space above the Noir restaurant; formerly home to the Swan Street Social. The menu is based on French classics, made prettier and more delicious with the addition of original, 100 percent Instagrammable touches. Examples include signature vacherin, with raspberry parfait, meringue and rose cream; poached black figs with black olives, pinenuts, red wine sabayon and Pedro Ximenez ice cream; and rhubarb soufflé with ginger ice cream and puffed rice. Noir's traditional-yet-contemporary approach will also apply to the drinks list. Cocktails are to be founded on old-school digestifs, sweetened with creative splashes — and there’ll be an ample supply of wine and craft beers, of course. Open between 5pm and 1am, Tuesday to Sunday, the bar will be headed by Noir chef Peter Roddy, with the help of master pastry chef Jerome Soubeyrand —whose CV includes Dinner by Heston, Hélène Darroze and Daniel Boulud. Expect weird things. Find The Noir Bar above Noir Restaurant at 175 Swan Street, Richmond. Open from April 8. Noir's new dessert bar will be contending with Melbourne's best ice cream and frozen dessert joints. Check out our list here.
There's a lot to learn about the gin and tonic. The classic combination of bitter and sweet has become a cocktail staple — mixed with a little lime and a lot of ice, it's endlessly refreshing and easy to make. We've all gone into a bar and had a bad G&T, but we've all gone into a bar and had a decent one too. How can the combination of two ingredients have such a different outcome? In partnership with Bombay Sapphire, we investigated. This is how you make the perfect G&T — from the tonic water, all the way to the garnish. OBVIOUSLY, YOUR CHOICE OF GIN IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT We've been treated to a gin resurgence of late. Hundreds of distilleries across the world are now creating their own gin — there are smaller, craft gin companies that have popped up and larger, more established brands that will hopefully stay around and bless us with gin forever. Gin is made with a base spirit, and botanicals (like coriander, orris root and juniper berries) are added during the distillation process in order to produce a certain, sweet flavour. Every gin company uses botanicals in its own way to produce its own unique flavour. "It's what you do with the botanicals that differentiates gin," says Sean Forsyth, Bombay Sapphire ambassador. "Bombay Sapphire is the only London dry gin to infuse the botanicals by steaming them instead of boiling them, which produces a brighter, more vibrant, kind of fresher, uplifting flavour." Gin is an incredibly varied drink, so it's important to figure out what brand (and flavour) suits your palette before you start using it in your G&Ts. Luckily, "never has the consumer had more choice available to them", says Forsyth. Try out a few brands and decide on one that you like. TONIC WATER MAKES UP THREE QUARTERS OF YOUR COCKTAIL Tonic water is not to be underestimated. Like gin, its flavour also varies drastically between brands. Smaller craft producers, according to Forsyth, focus on "natural cane sugars, using high quality, filtered waters, and of course using real botanicals, real quinine and real spices to flavour their mixers." The result is a tonic that isn't overly sweet, syrupy, and is generally more approachable than one you would find on a supermarket shelf. Many bartenders favour the brand Fever Tree in their drinks, because they focus on all of the above factors, as well as making sure their tonic has a decent level of carbonation. "A lot of bubbles is really important to a great gin and tonic," says Forsyth. The fizz tickles your nose and the smell of the gin becomes more apparent." But again, "it all comes down to preference and taste," he says. Don't be too hasty to chuck out the Schweppes if that's what you prefer. GET A LITTLE INVENTIVE WITH YOUR GARNISHES Arguments over the best garnish for the G&T are heated, but the answer arguably lies in the geography. Limes grow in India, and lemons usually don't, so it's most likely that "the original garnish for the gin and tonic was actually lime, not lemon", as Forsyth says. If you choose to garnish with lime, rub the rind around the rim of the glass before dropping it into your drink. Half of what you taste is what you smell first, and this tactic will take the lime flavour to the next, subtle level. But don't get bogged down in tradition — mix up your garnish with something that complements or contrasts with the botanicals. For example, Forsyth recommends you sling a little black pepper and strawberry, or some cassia bark in there to get a "really delicious, almost Christmas inspired gin and tonic". YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE THE CLASSIC G&T, AND THAT'S OKAY Maybe you don't like the combination of gin and tonic water, no matter how hard you try to get involved. That's completely okay. Maybe you prefer your drink a little sweeter. If so, add a touch of sugar syrup, or something like a melon syrup to your drink to jazz up your adventure a little further. Better yet, try out some cocktails that play with the G&T tradition, like a Lemon Collins, a Gin Rickey, or a Gin Basil Tonic, a drink that the guys at PS40 knocked up just for Forsyth that uses gin, lemon, fresh basil, a touch of sugar and a healthy dose of tonic. If you're just not that into tonic water, try mixing your gin with soda, or opting for a stronger Negroni or martini. If you like drinking gin, you have so many options of things to do with it — the cocktail world is your oyster. Images: Kimberley Low and Steven Woodburn (top image).
As much as we like to pretend we are all digital natives who will soon have our consciousness transferred into a gel-like neural network and live forever on the I N T E R N E T, the truth is that underneath it allwe're just tactile creatures who can't help but cry at sunsets. There’s nothing we like more than having something we can hold in our hands – and the people behind the droPrinter know exactly how we feel. Developed in Melbourne(!) by Zhenxun Yu, the droPrinter is one of the first portable, wireless smartphone printers available on the market – and despite being new to the scene, it isn’t as prohibitively expensive as you’d imagine. Like all cool things these days, the production of the droPrinter is being funded via Kickstarter and has already raised $43,967 – nearly three times its initial target – since launching on July 7 (see, people really love tangible old-school paper). The device clocks in at a tiny 10cm wide by 2.5cm deep and is operated via an Android or iOS app. With a 120 hour battery life you can print out literal reams of information: anonymous love notes, shopping lists, lists of baby names, wanted posters or maybe just miles and miles of emoticons – the world is now your oyster. It can even be used as a mobile power pack to charge your phone. Best of all, the droPrinter is affordable. The printer is expected to retail for $99, but for a pledge of $80 or more you can reserve yourself a printer (with an expected shipping date of March 2016) and one roll of paper. Further proof that the droPrinter folk aren’t trying to steal your hard-won Simoleans is that the device takes standard thermal paper, which can be purchased cheaply in office supply stores or online. For more information, check out the droPrinter Kickstarter.
Aunty's done it again; inviting the whole country round for a cup o' chai and a grand ol' hootenanny — the 2015 lineup for Meredith Music Festival is here. Returning to beloved Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, near Golden Plains over December 11-13, Meredith's more eclectic than ever — it's the Silver Jubilee 25th anniversary after all. Following the recent major announcement of Ex-Fleet Foxes minstrel Father John Misty as this year's top headliner, Aunty's added the likes of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ratatat, The Thurston Moore Band, Tkay Maidza, Neon Indian, Big Daddy Kane, Shellac, Fatback Band, Jessica Pratt, Briggs, and many more to the bill. As always, Meredith's a BYO paradise, and of course, the 'No Dickhead Policy' stands stronger than ever. There's just one ticket type (none of this fancy schmancy VIP tiered business) and it'll set you back $338.70 + $10BF + $7.50 post. Like every year, it's a ballot system and first round ticket offers will be made today, the second on August 20. Enter over here. But enough chatskies, here's who's ringing in 25 years of glorious Meredith fun with Aunty this year. MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP Big Daddy Kane Bully Father John Misty Floating Points Fatback Band GL Goat Harvey Sutherland Jessica Pratt Julia Holter Levins Lucy Cliche The Peep Tempel Master Khalil Gudaz MC Jane Clifton Mighty Duke and The Lords Briggs Moon Duo Neon Indian Optimo Pearls Power Ratatat Shellac Steve Miller Band The Thurston Moore Band Tkay Maidza Totally Mild Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats Unknown Mortal Orchestra Meredith Music Festival is happening December 11 to 13 in the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith. Enter the ballot here. Image: Meredith Music Festival.
Jackson Browne dropping a cover of The Eagles' 'Take It Easy'? Classic Bluesfest. Kendrick Lamar echoing across Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm with "This. Dick. Ain't. Freeeeeeeee."? New Wave Bluesfest. Bringing over 200 performances to seven stages over five 12-hour days, Bluesfest returned to the hallowed, well-gumbooted grounds of Tyagarah just out of Byron Bay over the Easter weekend. This outrageously-loved festival brought in its 2016 chapter with one of its most eclectic lineups yet (but importantly, brought back the festival's renowned yearly menu of fish tacos, Yemen rolls and organic doughnuts). From Celtic voodoo to pre-WWII 'minstrel blues', Icelandic indie folk to truly avant garde performance art rock, this year's festival took the genre-spanning game next-level. Kicking off the first night, Kendrick Lamar drew one of the most dominantly Young Person crowds of the festival. Following widely praised shows in Melbourne and Sydney, the 'King Kunta' gamechanger brought his wildly eloquent unpacking of race and identity to the festival's opening night — from 'Backseat Freestyle' to 'Alright'. Lamar gave ups to fellow festival headliner and R&B legend D'Angelo, who, helped the Bluesfest crowd find new hinges in their pelvises with his two highly seductive sets — even though multiple reports from Thursday's set saw Kendrick fans actually booing the R&B icon. Really. Booing D'Angelo. Kids today. Big favourites Tedeschi Trucks Band and Grammy award-winning, face-melting multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter made most Bluesfesters highlight lists, alongside a swathe of relative newcomers to many Aussie ears. Jerron"Blind Boy" Paxton had the festival well abuzz, the twenty-something multi-instrumentalist specialising in '20s and '30s blues a la Fats Waller and "Blind" Lemon Jefferson. Our jaws are still on the floor in the Delta tent after seeing San Francisco's super fun outfit Con Brio, lead by the unforgettable Ziek McCarter — the lovechild of Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars with better abs. Punters stood open-mouthed and wonderfully freaked out watching legendary avant garde experimental art rock collective The Residents. We raised plastic cups to Mojo Juju's "love song to Newcastle", attempted terribly to sing along Nai Palm-style with Melbourne's Hiatus Kaiyote, madly Googled 'Shooglenifty' and generally flailed around in bona fide Dad Dancing style to Mick Fleetwood. Big ups have to be paid to Friday night's heart-in-mouth set from The National, ending with frontman Bryce Dessner genuinely gobsmacked by one heck of an emotional, to-the-syllable singalong. Bluesfest delivered yet another feelgood, like-clockwork festival, nabbing only one and a half days of downpour and less mud than usual. More than one artist, including the legendary Jackson Browne, called it "the best festival in the world". With police happy, punters happy, sleeping kids in wheelbarrows happy and artists happy, we reckon that calls for another organic doughnut. Images: Andy Fraser. Words: Shannon Connellan.
When the guy stirring up the drinks tells you that he makes his own bloody mary spice mix, and then lists more ingredients for the mix than you can count on all your fingers, it's safe to say that your drink is probably going to be pretty spesh. The Catfish have the bloody mary down pat. Just the right blend of warmth and spice without being too demanding on the palate, it's exactly what a poor, hungover soul needs. The blend is perfection, and because it's pre-mixed they can pump them out when they need to, which means that you won't be waiting 15 minutes for your drink. Plus, every time you get one it'll be just as amazing as the last time. You're a spice demon? No fear – they're happy to tailor the heat to your liking. It's not just bloody marys that The Catfish nails; its comedy club every Tuesday night has become legendary across Melbourne. With tickets sold cheap at the door, it features a rotating lineup of some of the country's best acts, as well as the occasional international comedian. Doors open from 7:30pm for a show at 8pm, but be sure to arrive a little before then as it regularly fills up. It also offers cheap pots and pints throughout the show, but as if you needed an extra reason to attend. As well as comedy, there are live music gigs held regularly at The Catfish, with some of the city's top acts gracing its stage. Keep your eyes peeled on its gig guide or Instagram for regular updates. If you're hungry after the gig, you're in luck as the food menu here has some killer options. With Philly-style cheesesteaks on offer, as well as a range of fried chicken, you won't be leaving the venue craving a kebab on the way home.
The butt-numbing marathon that is the Melbourne International Film Festival has once again come to a end, but we're not quite ready to stop talking about the movies. For 18 days straight our critics devoured all the festival program had to offer, uncovering hidden gems and suffering through the worst of the worst so that you, dear reader, won't have to. From 3D sex epics to psychological thrillers and an early look at one of the mostly hotly anticipated Shakespeare adaptations ever made, here are our picks of the best, the worst and the most utterly bizarre films of MIFF 2015. THE BEST FILMS MACBETH On paper, the latest film adaptation of Macbeth has all the makings of a winner. William Shakespeare's tragedy of power and ambition has regaled audiences for four centuries; Aussie director Justin Kurzel showed he knows a thing or two about making moody, brooding movies with serial killer chiller Snowtown; and stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are among the finest actors of their generation. On screen, this bubbling potential isn't just realised — it is exceeded in brutal, blistering fashion. Nary a piece of cinema this year will gift audiences with such a sensory yet stark audio-visual showcase while uttering such iconic monologues; however it is the tackling of the original play's sound and fury with raw energy and a western-like savagery and sorrow that truly lingers. Fassbender and Cotillard are breathtaking, as are supporting players Sean Harris, Paddy Considine and Jack Reynor. A finer film in 2015, we may not see — all hail Macbeth, indeed. -Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2tblIkL4g TEHRAN TAXI Of the three films veteran director Jafar Panahi has made since the Iranian government sentenced him to a 20-year ban on filmmaking in 2010, Tehran Taxi is by far his best. Gone is the (justifiable) atmosphere of frustration and impotence that coursed through This Is Not a Film and Closed Curtain, replaced instead by a renewed sense of purpose and political resolve. Shot almost entirely within the confines of a taxi that Panahi himself is driving, this surprisingly light-hearted film takes us around the streets of the Iranian capital and introduces us to various colourful characters, including an illegal DVD salesman, a pair of superstitious old women and even the directors own quick witted niece. Thing is, not all of whom seem to realise they're in a film. By blurring the line between documentary and fiction in such a playful manner, Panahi is able to deliver an impassioned cry for social change. Rarely is a film so clearly important while also being so much fun. -Tom Clift THE LOBSTER After wowing arthouse viewers with the Oscar-nominated Dogtooth and the Sydney Film Festival-winning Alps, Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos makes his English-language debut with something that both is and isn't a little bit different. Here, he enlists a recognisable cast, including Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Wishaw, John C. Reilly, Olivia Colman and Léa Seydoux, to enact a situation that skewers society's penchant for pairing off; in other words, his players might have changed, but his fascination with slyly cynical exaggerations of societal norms remains. That The Lobster's story revolves around single folks trying to meet their match to avoid being turned into animals demonstrates the humour on display, but the film's beauty must be experienced to be believed. That the end product is as satirical as it is movingly sweet and wryly amusing isn't just emblematic of its shifting tone — it's a stroke of cinematic genius. -SW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0E2Qh6wLS4 THE GUEST As late night genre films go, they don't get much better than The Guest. A follow-up their 2013 home invasion horror movie You're Next, director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett pay homage to the crazed war vet films of the post-Vietnam era with this intense, clever, hugely entertaining action thriller. Downton Abbey star Dan Stephens is simply brilliant as David Collins, a mysterious soldier who arrives on the small town doorstep of the Peterson family with a message from their eldest son Caleb, who was recently killed in action. But it soon becomes clear that there's more to David than he's letting on. Funny one moment, frightening the next, with a couple of fantastic action scenes thrown in, The Guest is the kind of movie that knows exactly what it wants to be, and nails it every step of the way. It hits DVD and VOD next month, so make sure to track it down. -TC THE BOLDEST EXPERIMENTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-S6xiie4RQ LOVE 3D Hands down the most divisive film of MIFF 2015, Love is the latest picture from provocateur Gaspar Noe, who previously shocked audiences with his gruesome rape-revenge thriller Irreversible before taking them on a drug-fuelled afterlife trip through neon-lit Tokyo in his follow up Enter the Void. Both those films are tough acts to follow, but this two hour 3D sex epic certainly delivers. Plenty of people hated this movie – and yes, some of the dialogue is unforgivably clunky, and the protagonist is one of the most unlikeable leads we've been burdened with in quite some time. And yet even its detractor's would be hard pressed to deny the film's visual panache, including what is for our money the most artful use of 3D since Avatar reinvigorated the format (and no, we're not talking about the 3D cumshot, although that's definitely memorable.) Whether it'll ever get another theatrical screening in this country isn't really clear, but if it does then you should jump at the chance to check it out – even if it's just to say you did. Just maybe leave the kiddies at home. -TC QUEEN OF EARTH After tackling sibling and romantic bonds in The Color Wheel and Listen Up Philip, respectively, writer/director Alex Ross Perry turns his attention to another kind of connection in his latest feature. In Queen of Earth, long-term female friendship is in the spotlight, with Catherine (Elisabeth Moss) and Virginia (Katherine Waterston) seemingly in the final throes of their bond. Over the course of a week spent at a remote cabin, their differences are heightened — as is Catherine's already-fragile emotional and mental state. The story might sound straightforward, as the BFFs fight and recall better times; however the ever-versatile Perry — his handling of internal battles as much as external conflicts, and his crafting of a claustrophobic character thriller — is anything but ordinary. Comes complete with textured 16mm cinematography, a haunting score, and equally demanding and devastating lead performances. -SW MOST WTF MOMENTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftOMkr9eYS8 SPRING When is a body horror movie not a body horror movie? When it's actually a deeply touching love story. Written and directed by relative newcomers Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, Spring is a weird beast indeed. The film contains all the trappings of a gruesome creature feature, and yet it never quite goes in that direction. Instead, we're treated to a surprisingly affecting tale about a young American backpacker who falls head over heels for a pretty Italian girl, only to discover that she's harbouring a fairly significant secret. This low-budget production benefits from great central performances and some pretty elaborate makeup effects, but its biggest strength is that it consistently refuses to follow the expected path. A thoroughly strange but extremely gratifying flick that has us excited to see what the filmmakers tackle next. -TC RYUZO AND HIS SEVEN HENCHMEN In Ryuzo and His Seven Henchmen, legendary Japanese actor and director Takeshi Kitano ponders three questions. First, he wonders what a yakuza gets up to when his action-packed days are long behind him. Next, he applies the same query to filmmakers known for making yazuka movies. Finally, he explores what happens when both get back into the crime and violence game. The amusing, crowd-pleasing offering that results careens between kinetic laughs and outlandish action — as such a film should — as it attempts to answer all three concerns. Expect antics and insights to combine, even if the momentum of the first third can't quite be maintained. An effort that's perhaps less "what the fuck" than "why the fuck not." -SW DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS THE NIGHTMARE Back in 2012, Rodney Ascher made the conspiracy movie to end all conspiracy movies, with Room 237 delving into theories surrounding Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. What it lacked in polish it made up for in the affection it showed in indulging its subjects, and in celebrating its inspiration. Sadly, his latest effort — the part-documentary, part-thriller offering The Nightmare — is all pandering and no purpose, apart than repetitively rambling about and reenacting what sufferers of sleep paralysis experience. The concept is fascinating, but Ascher seems more concerned with scaring the audience — and referencing A Nightmare on Elm Street and Insidious — than actually exploring the topic. His purpose might be to make you not want to go to sleep, but his outcome achieves exactly the opposite. -SW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmOX11PdR4 THE ASSASSIN Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien took home the Best Director Award at the most recent Cannes Film Festival for his slow-moving martial arts drama The Assassin – and far be it from us to question the decision of the esteemed Cannes jury. Actually, scratch that. Sure the film may look pretty (although it's got nothing on last year's The Grandmaster), but that's little consolation when you're struggling to stay awake. The narrative, about a young female assassin in ninth-century China, is totally inscrutable, which wouldn't be as much as an issue if the characters weren't likewise. It's very difficult to care about anything happening on screen when you don't care about the people it involves. The film does contain a few impressive fight sequences, shot from a distance in a manner that emphasises the balletic qualities of martial arts. Ultimately however, it's nowhere near enough. -TC
If you've been to Sydney, the Night Noodle Markets or spent some time on Instagram any time in the last few years, you've probably seen Black Star Pastry's strawberry watermelon cake floating around in the hands of hungry sweets fiends. You'll also know it's not just any cake — no, it's a thing of intense beauty that catches the eye (and heart) of anyone who as much as glances at the pink flower-topped cube of pastry. Just look at it. A photo posted by ROBBIE (@itd_be_rude_not_to) on Sep 14, 2016 at 5:36am PDT If your sweet tooth is aching just looking at that pretty hunk o' cake, you'll be delighted to know that the Sydney-based bakery yesterday announced via Instagram that they'll be coming down south to Melbourne for a three-month pop-up. They'll be setting up shop on University Street in Carlton from in late February with a selection of their incredible cakes — and yes, their signature aforementioned strawberry watermelon doozy will be there. Other favourites include the lemon pistachio zen cake, the strawberry lychee cake and the vegan chocolate popcorn cake. They'll also open up online orders to Melbourne so you can order a huge one for an "occasion". Until now Black Star's goods have only been available at their three Sydney locations and, for the last two years, the Night Noodle Markets. The lengthy pop-up hints at the possibility for a permanent store to open here in the future — but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Be sure to make the most of all that glorious, glorious cake while it's in town. The Black Star Pastry Pop-Up will open in late February and run for three months. It will be open Monday to Saturday 9am – 8pm and Sunday 9am – 3pm. For more information, visit blackstarpastry.com.au.
Many years ago, Laki Papadopoulos and Mark Price gave Fitzroy the ultimate gift, opening their vegetarian eatery, Vegie Bar. Then, over twenty years later, the team behind the cult restaurant and other inner-north success stories Rice Queen and Panama Dining Room gave another gift for the suburb: Transformer. Although not that old, Transformer Fitzroy looks like it has always been here — perhaps because the building which houses it has been part of the Rose Street landscape for a long time. Inside, a lot of attention to detail given to the former electrical transformer manufacturing warehouse. Lofty wooden ceilings, painted brick walls, recycled timber furniture and a whole lot of greenery create a natural, relaxed vibe that pulls you in and invites you to stay a while. The chefs know their way around the vegetable patch and put out thoughtful, flavourful dishes. Fresh, innovative combinations showcase the best the season has to offer, and the kind of foods our bodies crave at this time of year. Delicious ricotta gnocchi with porcine puree and mixed local mushrooms will warm you from the inside out. Goat and sheeps halloumi smothered in rich ruby red grapefruit and fennel puree come together in a dish that is not only a riot of abstract colour, but a flavour sensation. On a menu designed to share, all combinations would lead to happiness, however, the stand-out dish, both in aesthetic appeal and eye-closing, blissful sigh-inducing deliciousness is the bahar-braised eggplant with preserved lemon labnah and pickled red onion. You won't find any fake meat here. Transformer is all about pure, honest vegetable dishes. Luke and his team do enough amazing things with vegetables that you won't even miss it. The drinks list features alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that will have goodness coursing through your veins, such as the Aromatic with Brunswick Aces 'Hearts' Sapiir served with tonic or soda. There are also some pretty impressive organic and biodynamic local and overseas wines and craft beers — not to mention the cocktails. With names such as Grassy Nola and Banana Paddlepop, and ingredients like Tasmanian pepper berry salt and pecan bitters, there are adventures to be had. Appears in: The Best vegan Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
Supplying drinks to an army of thirsty followers for a solid 11 years, it's easy to see why this Chinese communist themed bar is as popular as ever. Red and gold ornaments are lavishly strewn amongst propaganda posters and a few framed Chinese pinup girls. There is even a small shrine to Chairman Mao proudly displayed above a working fireplace for those cosy winter nights. The drinks list is solid with a strong Asian twist to their cocktails, many of which feature underlying flavours of chilli, coriander, ginger or lychee. Try their take on a margarita with the Communist Manifesto: tequila, tamarind, mandarin, lime and Szechuan salt ($17). The ever-popular bubble cup tea cocktails are a well-deserved novelty, complete with popping boba pearls. Though there are a few flavour options to choose from, it's the Bubble Cup #1 — tequila, black currant, passion fruit popping balls, lime and ginger beer ($15) — that really hits the spot. For those warm nights when only a beer will do there is a small but solid collection of Asian beers such as Bia Ha Noi ($9). Double Happiness is not a large bar and once it starts filling up you may feel the need to escape the crowds. If this is the case then head along to sibling bar New Gold Mountain, conveniently hidden away just upstairs. Double Happiness is the perfect bar for those nights when one dose of happiness is just not enough.
