There's no way you've ever had omakase like that at Ronin. Most Melbourne omakase joints are traditional fine-dining experiences where you delight in multiple courses of artful, meticulously crafted — but seemingly simple — seafood-centric Japanese dishes. The most intimate let you chat with the master omakase chef about the culinary techniques, produce and cultural significance of each dish. It's all about hushed tones and sophistication. At Ronin, Chef Patrick Kwong has no time for such formality. From the moment you sit down at the ten-seat omakase bar, the young chef will beckon you to "get lit" with him and every other guest. He'll likely join you in shooting some tequila and sake throughout the night while the tunes of Taylor Swift, Natasha Bedingfield and Miley Cyrus play in the background. And if you're able to join the second nightly sitting at 8.30pm, it's likely to get pretty rowdy. Vibe-wise, it almost feels like you're at a uni house party. But despite Kwong's friendly laidback attitude, he's incredibly serious about his food. He learned his craft from a Japanese sushi master (who championed the traditional Edo period of omakase) in Malaysia before heading to Sydney, where he worked in several Japanese restaurants. He learned the traditional techniques and customs but had no intention of losing himself within strict codes of how he should behave and what kinds of ingredients he should use. Like Ronin — a type of samurai who had no lord or master — Kwong went on to play by his own rules, deciding when to stick to convention and when to get playful. He started Ronin as a pop-up in Docklands, having to build and dismantle his omakase bar each night. There, he fully honed his rule-breaking style of omakase and became hugely popular. Now Ronin has a permanent location on Little Collins Street (as of December 2023) and it almost immediately books out every time new dining slots are released. If you're lucky enough to get a reservation you'll be treated to 13 courses of outstanding food and, if you're an experienced omakase patron, you'll see how Chef Kwong doesn't just break the rules when it comes to service. He regularly infuses his own Malaysian heritage into dishes — like adding laksa butter to nigiri — while also bringing more contemporary Australian flavours to the experience. For theatrics, he'll even throw glitter on nigiri. But don't let this playful attitude to food fool you. The technique here is next level. And the flavour combos perfectly balanced. Even when he purposely numbs your palate with Sichuan peppers, you'll be keen for more. We could roll through each of the courses and name all the ingredients, but a huge part of the fun at Ronin is just rocking up and going along for the ride, getting a surprise each time Kwong plates up a dish for you. This rising star of Melbourne's food scene takes big swings. And he's absolutely smashing it. If you get the chance to get lit with Kwong, don't miss it. You'll find Ronin at 445 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, open from Tuesday to Saturday. Book a seat at either the 6pm or 8:30pm sittings via the restaurant's website.
Gracie's Wine Room is one of Melbourne's latest hospitality success stories. In an industry full of shuttered venues, price hikes, and quiet nights, at Gracie's Wine Room in South Yarra you can find bottles being popped, a bustling golden hour courtyard, and bread always being broken with friends. For owner Kelsie Gaffey, whose TikTok videos showing her process of opening a venue from scratch amassed hundreds of thousands of views, the current climate of people spending less and staying in more was one her concerned family warned her of. [caption id="attachment_1036436" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Gracie's Wine Room[/caption] "Before opening Gracie's, our more conservative relatives warned us that people are spending less. [Gracie's] hasn't experienced this." According to Kelsie, Gracie's Wine Room's main demographic of 23–33 year old women are actually spending more on nights out with their girlfriends than anyone else. New data from Visa backs Kelsie's observation up. Melbourne is Australia's Number One Night-Time Hot Spot The Visa Australia Night-time Economy Index 2025 is a new in-depth analysis that measures data such as spending, vibrancy, and venues open in cities across the country. According to the index, Melbourne has been crowned the number one night-time hot spot. This doesn't come as a surprise to Kelsie. "Melburnians really know how to have a good time," Kelsie tells Concrete Playground. "The city has such a vibrant culture around wine, food, and spending quality time with mates, and we're genuinely spoilt for choice. There's always something happening, and that energy makes working in hospitality here incredibly dynamic and inspiring." [caption id="attachment_1028074" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Gracie's Wine Room[/caption] The Visa Vibe Economy report, also commissioned by Visa and conducted by McCrindle, found that venues like Gracie's Wine Room have hit the sweet spot when it comes to the reasons Australians love to go out. The main motivation for getting off our couches post-work is to enjoy a meal, catch up with friends and unwind from our busy schedules. Gen Z in particular are factoring night-time activities into their budgets with over half of them considering this type of social spending "essential". In fact, Kelsie has already seen an increase in patrons on weeknights as the weather has begun to warm up as well as a jump in their average spend per head. Kelsie recognised this cultural sweet spot within her demographic and created a curated menu of share plates for friends to split over a bottle of wine. Customers can enjoy freshly shucked oysters, focaccia, and a snack plate of cured meats, cheese, and lavosh. [caption id="attachment_1036434" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Gracie's Wine Room[/caption] "I wanted Gracie's to be known as a place where you connect with mates, drink some good wine and eat some good bread. I didn't want the frills and price tags that come with fine dining, and I really do believe that staying true to this is what has kept people coming back," says Kelsie. With 73 percent of Gen Z's going out once or more a week, tapping into her own peers has helped to increase revenue and patrons through the door — even on weeknights. How to Spend A Night Out in Melbourne What does a dream night out in Melbourne look like for the 25-year-old founder? Kelsie shares that it always starts with a sunny afternoon. "I'm definitely starting at Gracie's and then making my way down to Republic Economica before ending the night at HER Rooftop in the CBD." Data from the Visa Vibe Economy Report found that of all the generations, Gen Z is the most adventurous, choosing to stray away from their local haunts and try new things, and just under half plan two activities in the one night to make the most of their city after dark. Half of Gen Z also believe that nights offer more new experiences than the daytime. Kelsie agrees. "I love being able to experience something new every single time I leave the house for a night out. It's so exciting, and has unlocked some of my greatest memories with friends." Gracie's Wine Room hasn't yet operated for a full calendar year, but Kelsie is feeling optimistic about the state of hospitality and business projection. At the heart of her success lies the Gen Z community that she built through TikTok. "I never imagined it would grow into what it is today, but the community that's formed around Gracie's has been the most rewarding and unexpected part of it all." Discover the vibe near you. Lead image: Gracie's Wine Room
There's no shortage of Aussies trying to become global social media stars. If that's your goal too, a first-of-its-kind experience will give your influencing career a significant boost, as Australia's first TikTok content house launches in Adelaide. Known as The Party Games House, this $10 million beachfront mansion in Moana is officially on the lookout for five more influencers keen to live, create and party for free for a minimum of seven days up to two months. The brainchild of Adelaide-based entrepreneur Shane Yeend, a self-made multimillionaire who made his fortune in party games, this extravagant property already has its first tenant, Frida Khalife, a 23-year-old real estate and hospitality worker from Adelaide. With the decision still to be made on who else will be moving into this luxe home, there's still time for influencers of all stripes to submit their applications. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime," says Yeend. "We are looking for Australia's next social superstars. Huge global names like Alex Warren and Addison Rae began in content houses just like this one, and now they have billions of views, brand deals, and are selling out arenas. We believe we will find the next generation of stars right here in Australia." It's not Yeend's first venture into viral escapades. He got his start in 2001 — before most even understood the concept — by creating the official Big Brother Board Game. Becoming an overnight hit, pallets of board games were craned over the Big Brother house wall for housemates to autograph. Now Yeend is returning to the world of virality, this time targeting the Gen Z wave of influencers. "In 2026, anyone with a social media presence should be able to make $1 million a year from social commerce. There's no better time or place to get started than the Games House this summer," says Yeend. Set against the backdrop of Moana Beach, the lucky few who call The Party Games House home will have access to a private chef, a massive pool and a dedicated production team, ensuring each TikTok post does massive numbers. Best of all, influencers living in the house retain full ownership of their channels and commercial activity, with any deals made during their stay theirs to keep. Applications to live in The Party Games House are now open. Head to the website for more information. Images: Benjamin Liew.
At least one visit to Capocchi's Collingwood showroom is in order when it comes to furnishing your abode. But who are we kidding? Once you enter the eclectically decorated shop — and have a chance to fantasise about how you can fit both a chic 70s sideboard and an opulent sandstone table into your lounge room — that one visit is likely to turn into a regular ritual. After all, there aren't many family-run furniture places left that consistently source such a trendy array of multi-era designs and put them all in one place.
Chilli fiends, listen up. Can you eat Belle's Really F**kin Hot chicken wings without batting an eyelid? Choose the three chilli-rated menu items at Dainty Sichuan for a laugh? Well, have we got news for you. The team behind Hobba has recruited some of Melbourne's top food trucks to bring you the inaugural Melbourne Chilli Festival. Held on the vacant lot next to Hobba in Prahran on Saturday, June 4, each truck will create a special chilli offering just for the night. So what can you expect to be eating? Well, perhaps a few Dos Diablos tacos, a Little Mushroom Co. veggie burger, Soul Kitchen wood-fired pizza and some souvas from Hobba — all laden with chilli, of course. Billy Van Creamy will be there too, serving an intriguing chilli ice cream we're most keen to try. For the serious chilli eaters (and we mean serious), a chilli eating competition will be held on the night too — and it's set to test even the bravest, most numbed of tastebuds. If you're not a spice fiend though, they've got your kind covered too. As well as All The Chilli there will be non-chilli, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available, so you won't have to go home crying from the spice of it all. The night isn't simply for the love of chilli, either — the gold coin donation entry fee will go to Prahran Mission, which is committed to assisting those with mental illness and extreme social or economic hardship. Now that's some spicy eating we can get behind. The Melbourne Chilli Festival 2016 will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 6-10pm at 424 Malvern Road, Prahran (the vacant lot next door to Hobba). For more info, check the Facebook event. Image: Colin McMurry.
Weddings, parties, performances — The Thornbury Theatre does it all. The 1920s former picture house and longstanding icon of Melbourne's inner north is one of the area's most versatile venues, hosting both private events and intimate concerts by local and international musical talent. The venue is full of old-world charm, too, with art deco ceilings, ornate walls, magnificent drapes, woven antique carpets and a showstopping marble staircase to make any event feel like a proper night on the town. Images: Julia Sansone
Early in The Super Mario Bros Movie, pop culture's go-to red-capped plumber (Chris Pratt, Thor: Love and Thunder) sits down to dinner with his brother Luigi (Charlie Day, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and the rest of their family. Pasta is on offer for the Italian American brood, but it comes with something that the Nintendo favourite and gaming mainstay since 1981's first-ever Donkey Kong title quickly advises that he hates: mushrooms. Fans know that more fungi are in his future. In this animated take on the beloved character, his sibling, and their pals and adversaries, a trip to the Mushroom Kingdom is inevitable. And, while there, Mario will meet Toad — a pint-sized humanoid with a toadstool for a head, who is part of a whole race of such folks also called Toads. From the titular brothers through to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu), the fire-breathing Bowser (Jack Black, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) and even big gorilla Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen, The Fabelmans), The Super Mario Bros Movie stacks together the bulk of the gaming franchise's best-known figures — and Toad is one of them. It also assembles an impressive voice cast to help bring its players to life, including Keegan-Michael Key as its main mushroom man. Here, the actor and sketch-comedy great's tones prove as elastic as his face and limbs long have, especially in iconic skit series Key & Peele. How do you voice a diminutive critter who is as perky as he is tiny? Someone who Key likens to a golden retriever? With ample energy, as The Super Mario Bros Movie's viewers hear. While fellow Key & Peele namesake Jordan Peele followed up that five-season 2012–15 show with a jump behind the lens, helming Get Out, Us and Nope — and earning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the former — Key has remained a constant on-screen. The pair also share Fargo, Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild on their resumes, teaming up in front of the lens or through voice work on all four; however, Key's list of credits spans everything from Parks and Recreation and Schmigadoon! to The Predator and Dolemite Is My Name. He's broken out his vocal talents in Archer and Bob's Burgers, too, and in the photorealistic version of The Lion King as well. But signing on for The Super Mario Bros Movie couldn't have been an easier choice for the OG Donkey Kong aficionado. That instant enthusiasm comes through in a perky, peppy performance — a voice that's squeakier than viewers are used to from Key, but slides easily into a career that keeps bounding in every on-screen direction possible. During his Key & Peele days, he brought audiences President Obama's anger translator Luther, substitute teacher Mr Garvey and his creative pronunciations, a "Liam Neesons"-loving valet, one of the brilliant 'Aerobics Meltdown' sketch's fierce lycra-clad competitors and more. Of course he's been bouncing here, there and everywhere since. With The Super Mario Bros Movie now in cinemas, Concrete Playground chatted with Key about jumping at the part, finding his Toad voice, preparing for the part, drawing upon his improv background and what he looks for in a role. ON TURNING DONKEY KONG FANDOM INTO A SUPER MARIO BROS ROLE Do you need to be a Super Mario Bros fan to press start on being in one of the game's leaps to the screen? Bob Hoskins, who played the titular character in 1993's live-action movie, famously wasn't. But Key was — and instantly said yes to being involved in the second film bringing Mario and the game's characters to cinemas. "I was a fan of Super Mario, or Mario Bros in the beginning, from Donkey Kong. I was a big Donkey Kong fan way back in the day," Key advises. "So when they approached me and asked me to do Toad, I was like 'I'd be more than happy. I don't even need to see the script! I'm happy. I'm in. I'm your guy. Whatever you want, whatever you need, I'm your guy'." ON FINDING THE RIGHT VOICE FOR TOAD While Key sits among The Super Mario Bros Movie's well-known names, his vocal work stands out from Pratt, Day, Taylor-Joy, Black, Rogan and company. Listen to Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser and DK, viewers immediately recognise the actor behind them. That isn't the case with Toad and Key. "What I did is, I was impersonating a friend of mine and trying to get his vocal patterns and vocal rhythms. And I brought that to the table, and then the directors [Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic] and I both worked on the pitch, and trying to find where the right pitch would be — and if I could get the voice higher and higher, then higher and higher," Key notes. "And I finally got him some place up here [Key's voice gets higher], until we then got him even higher than that [Key's voice returns to its usual pitch]. Then, mostly the biggest trick was trying to figure out how to maintain that voice while I was in the booth — because sometimes you'd be in the booth for three-to-six hours, and you're trying to figure out how do you maintain that." "So I would just pretend I was — you know, I'm like: 'what would it be like if I was sucking on a helium balloon? How do I make my voice sound like that?'. And then I'm like: 'what else can I do? I don't know — wear tight pants? I'll wear tight pants!'. Anything to keep that voice at that high register." ON PREPARING FOR PLAYING A HUMANOID WITH A MUSHROOM FOR A HEAD The Super Mario Bros Movie starts in reality — animated reality, but in Brooklyn. Here, there aren't mushrooms as far as the eye can see, or coin blocks, or rainbow roads to race on Mario Kart-style. And there definitely aren't mushroom men like Toad. All it takes is a warp pipe to transport Mario and Luigi into the realm seen in Nintendo games for four decades now. That's where Toad comes in. Asked how you prepare for such a part — playing a toadstool-topped humanoid, specifically — Key is all about creativity and being upbeat (and one of humanity's favourite pets). "I think it's just making sure that you're sparking your imagination on any given day. Because what I did — I knew what Toad looked like, but I would just sometimes look at pictures of him and just go 'what am I getting from this picture? What am I getting about how I can portray this?'," he says. "There's something about him that's snappy and positive. He's also like a mushroom-man version of a golden retriever. I wanted him to have that kind of sensibility when I portrayed him." ON DRAWING UPON HIS SKETCH-COMEDY BACKGROUND In the sketch-comedy game, Key is a legend. Before Key & Peele, he spent six seasons on Mad TV, too, also often opposite Peele. And, prior to that, he's among the long list of comedy names to have come through improv troupe The Second City — as Peele also did, and Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Catherine O'Hara, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as well. That background came in handy with The Super Mario Bros Movie, including getting into character. "I did get to improvise. I got to improvise quite a bit. A lot of it ended up on the cutting-room floor, but I like to use the improvisation to get into the spirit of it more than anything else," Key explains. "Sometimes I would just improvise right before the line and then jump into the line, and that would give the line the feeling I wanted it to have, the sense and the spirit that I wanted it to have." "Sometimes, you can just use improvisation in that way and it still helps." [caption id="attachment_896345" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] ON WHAT HE LOOKS FOR IN A PART Key's time on-screen dates back a couple of decades, including a one-episode stint in ER in 2001, plus 00s roles in Role Models and Due Date. What appeals to him now, after Pitch Perfect 2, Tomorrowland, Win It All and The Disaster Artist as well, and also Friends From College, Veep, No Activity and Reboot? Movies and TV shows that stand out. "I look for something in the project that's a little different. Something that catches my eye is always going to be something that I've never seen before. So, if you take a project like Schmigadoon!, I go 'oh god, I've never seen anything like that — if they're interested in me doing that, I want to do that'," Key says. "And the same thing with Super Mario Bros. I figured it would make a lot of sense — I understand what the movie looked like in 1993, when they made the live-action one, but I'm like 'what would it look like if it were this animated movie with the technology that we have today to make animation?'. I thought 'this thing's going to look amazing'." "So I try to jump onboard things that have a little twist to them — some kind of fun, clever twist that makes them different than whatever your run-of-the-mill project might be." The Super Mario Bros Movie released in cinemas Down Under on Wednesday, April 5. Read our full review.
Prepare to stare at the moon in all of its glory — up close, without a telescope and without zooming into space. Prepare to get excited about Marvel's latest Disney+ series, too, all at the same place. When you're releasing a streaming show called Moon Knight, bringing the moon to Australia — to Melbourne's Federation Square, to be specific — is one huge, eye-catching and attention-grabbing way to promote it. So, that's just what the Mouse House has done. Luke Jerram's Museum of the Moon isn't new to our shores, having popped up on the Gold Coast, in Sydney and in Melbourne before; however, this time it's here in the name of superhero worship. If you're new to the Museum of the Moon, UK-based artist Jerram's creation is a detailed installation that's suspended to look like it's floating — in this case, beneath Fed Square's Atrium. It measures seven metres in diameter and features renderings of the celestial body's surface based on NASA imagery, so it's as intimate and intricate a look as you're going to get without rocketing off to take one small step and giant leap across the real thing. The massive sculpture has been touring the world since 2016, displaying in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai and plenty of spots around Europe. Adding its latest Melbourne stint to its orbit, it'll be on display from Tuesday, March 29–Friday, April 15. The looming artwork recreates the moon at a scale of approximately 1:500,000, with each centimetre equating to five kilometres of the lunar surface. And if you're wondering just how elaborate the 120dpi imagery is, the high-resolution NASA photograph that it uses is 21 metres wide, and was taken by by a satellite carrying the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera. The spherical sculpture is lit from within, too, so it'll be adding a glow to Fed Square across its three-week stopover. It also combines its imagery and light with a surround sound piece created by composer and sound designer Dan Jones, and just how each venue displays it is up to them. Basically, it's never the exact same installation twice — so even if you've seen it before, it's worth a repeat visit. [caption id="attachment_716830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Neil James.[/caption] Sadly, you won't find Oscar Isaac at the Museum of the Moon — but Moon Knight, the Isaac-led show that's inspired this lunar delight's latest Aussie installation, does hit Disney+ on Wednesday, March 30. The Dune, Scenes From a Marriage and The Card Counter star plays Steven Grant/Marc Spector, who has a dissociative identity disorder as well as a sleeping disorder, and also becomes the conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Already dealing with multiple distinctive identities and not being able to tell the difference between being awake and asleep, his role as the moon god's offsider doesn't go down smoothly, unsurprisingly — especially when there's a sinister-looking figure played by Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) to deal with. Arriving more than a year into Marvel's new spate of Disney+ series, Moon Knight is the first one that doesn't overtly tie in with characters we've already seen in plenty of its past flicks. So, if it all sounds unfamiliar after the last 12 months or so served up WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye, there's a very good reason for that. Museum of the Moon is on display in Federation Square's Atrium, between ACMI and The Ian Potter Centre, 111 Flinders Street, Melbourne from Tuesday, March 29–Friday, April 15.
Foliage-filled haven Plantsmith is the brainchild of horticulturist and landscape designer Liz Turner. It's stocked not just with a hefty array of plant life, but loads of pots, planters, books, stands, gardening tools and treatments to help really unleash your inner green thumb. Staffed by a team of qualified experts, it's also a primo spot to load up on plant knowledge and ensure you've got all the know-how necessary to keep those plant babies alive and happy. And there's lots more plant-ucation to be gained from Plantsmith's diverse program of classes and workshops — be schooled on the basics in Plant Care 101, or prep for spring with the Propagation and Potting session.
Forget the pub with no beer — in central western Queensland, a resurrected watering hole will soon operate in a place with no residents. After closing its doors back in 1997, the Betoota Hotel will reopen in the ghost town this weekend. Brisbane smash repairer Robert Haken is bringing the famed spot back to life, telling Brisbane Times that he first fell for its charms around 30 years ago. Revisiting the empty, rundown site in 2015, he was driven to act. "When I walked into the place I just thought, what an amazing bit of Australia history and why isn't someone doing something with it." After buying the pub before Christmas, Haken's plan was to restore it to its former glory by late-August. The pub's reopening, unfortunately, hit a snag, with a post on Facebook saying it had been delayed because of red tape and paperwork. "Owners of the iconic OLD [sic] Betoota Hotel side wish to sincerely thank all that have given so much to help us attempt to reach our goal, a goal which is not gone, simply the finish line is further away than we hoped." Although it won't be opening for good quite yet, the pub has received a temporary licence to open on Friday, August 24, and Sunday, August 26 — just in time for the famous Betoota Races, the area's signature event, which often attracts more than 400 people to the resident-less town — and all profits from sales on the two days will go to charity. On Friday, from 11.30am–6.30pm, the Betoota Hotel will host an Australian Anti Ice Campaign (AAIC) awareness and education day, with 50 percent of profits going to AAIC and the other half to Rural Aid's Buy a Bale campaign, which supports drought-affected farmers. It'll be serving steak burgers, sausage sangas and, of course, plenty of frosty beer. It'll be closed on Saturday for the races, which you can, if you're so included, buy tickets for here. As they say, "when in Rome"... The day after, on Sunday, August 26, the pub will host the Cricket Cup from 12pm–7pm, with profits once again being split 50/50 to Rural Aid and AAIC. The same Aussie snacks and refreshments will be available, and there'll be raffles and prizes for the best-dressed cricketers. Once it's up and running — for good — Betoota Hotel will operate during the area's tourist season, between April and November. Due to the heat, it won't open in summer. The pub remains the only building in Betoota, and boasts quite the past, dating back to 1885. Previous owner Sigmund Remienko ran the place for 44 years until 1997. When he passed away in 2004, the town lost its last remaining resident. If it sounds like the kind of story you might read in The Betoota Advocate, that's understandable; however, while the satirical publication takes its name from the deserted spot, this isn't one of their amusing tales. For anyone keen to make the drive when the pub reopens, expect to trek more than 1500 kilometres west from Brisbane (a 20-hour drive), 1800 kilometres northwest of Sydney (a 24-hour drive) and 20,000 kilometres north of Melbourne (a 26-hour drive). Betoota Hotel is located at 6 Daroo Street, Betoota. For more information about its opening, keep an eye on the Facebook page.
When Shane Delia's celebrated CBD restaurant Maha reopens this week, it'll also show off an impressive new addition. Namely, a snacks and cocktails-focused outdoor pop-up known as Layla. Yep — the stretch of Bond Street outside Maha will temporarily close to traffic and be reimagined as a COVID-safe hospitality space, playing host to this playful marquee site that's set to become Melbourne's new Mediterranean and Middle Eastern summertime haunt of choice. Slated to make its grand debut as Maha reopens next Wednesday, November 11, Layla is here to cure a few of those travel cravings, serving up the kind of vibe you'd be revelling in on some far-flung overseas holiday. Expect a different focus and energy here to the classic Maha offering, or even to siblings Maha Bar and Maha East, beginning with a fixed-price Middle Eastern brunch, served yum cha-style from 9.30am on weekends. Doing the rounds will be small plates starring the likes of kataifi-wrapped haloumi with fennel seed honey, or perhaps an assembly of fried eggs, burnt sesame butter, challah and sujuk. Eats are matched with a rotation of fresh juices and luxe picks from an impressive champagne menu, plus four-legged pals are allowed to join the brunch festivities. Outside of brunch, the revelry continues with mezze showcasing that trademark Delia flair, along with upbeat tunes and Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails. Think, hibiscus spritz, a sumac-infused pink negroni, and the za'atar margarita blending Alipus mezcal with grapefruit, lime and spices. You'll be able to book a table at Layla via Maha's website (online from Wednesday, November 4), although there'll be some space set aside for walk-ins as well. Find Layla at Bond Street, Melbourne from Wednesday, November 11. It'll open from 5pm Wednesday–Friday and from 9.30am Saturday–Sunday.
Tacos slathered with salsa. Chips dipped in hot sauce. A sliver of cheese accompanied by a zesty relish. Whatever your favourite food happens to be, it probably tastes better with a condiment — and, like everything from artisanal gin to plants to cocktail ingredients, there's now a curated delivery service dedicated to flavour-adding substances. Meet Condimental, which bundles a heap of pickles, preserves, sauces, seasonings and relishes into a box and brings it to your door. If an image of a boring Christmas hamper just popped into your head, then this service will wipe it away. On the menu is a changing range of limited-release and seasonal items from Australian suppliers, aka the types of condiments that you won't find in any old supermarket. [caption id="attachment_707077" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Condimental's launch box.[/caption] Condimental also leans into the concept of exclusivity — not just via its selection, but courtesy of its limited-run editions. Only 100 boxes are available with each release, and while you can't subscribe to receive a box every time the service starts shipping a new batch, you can sign up to be notified when a new edition becomes available. In other words, if you're keen on watermelon pickle, habañero and oak hot sauce, umami seasoning, fermented tomatillo salsa picante, or bread and butter pickle, then you'll need to get in quick. They're the items on offer in the first delivery, with the launch release costing $65 plus a $15 delivery fee. For more information, visit the Condimental website.
Before getting a glimpse into everyone else's lives was as simple as logging into your social-media platform of choice, a game arrived that let its players do something similar with computerised characters. A spinoff from SimCity and its city-building follow-ups, The Sims allows whoever is mashing buttons to create and control virtual people, then step through their existence. First hitting in February 2000, it has spawned three sequels, plus a whole heap of expansion and compilation packs for each — and online, console and mobile versions as well. A quarter of a century since its debut, The Sims still keeps dropping new releases. To mark its 25th birthday, there's now The Sims: Birthday Bundle. That's one way to celebrate the game's latest anniversary. Here's another: stepping inside a three-day Australian pop-up dedicated to the beloved life simulator, which is heading to Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image from Friday, February 21–Sunday, February 23, 2025. Despite The Sims' more-recent titles, thinking about the game usually means thinking about the 2000s. So, this pop-up is taking that truth to heart by celebrating the Y2K era, too. Going along involves entering inside a 2000s-era pre-teen bedroom that's been decked out by Josh & Matt Design with all of the appropriate touches. Yes, it'll be nostalgic. Yes, there'll be CD towers and blow-up couches, just to name a few decor choices. The pop-up will also feature free stations where you can play The Sims: Birthday Bundle, if the best way for you to commeroate the occasion is by diving into the franchise virtually. In addition, there'll also be a free panel about the game on the Saturday, with speakers including Josh & Matt Design's Josh Jessup and Matt Moss — who are big The Sims fans — and EA/Firemonkeys' Simulation Division General Manager Mavis Chan. "As Australia's home of videogames, ACMI is so chuffed to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Sims! For 25 years, The Sims has provided a platform for so many kinds of imaginative play for multiple generations, allowing them to achieve great feats of digital architecture, guide their Sims to dizzying success — or cruelly remove their pool ladders. With each new expansion and sequel, The Sims has expanded its complex social world, reflecting changes to real-life society, and facilitating even more forms of self-expression in its passionate player base," said ACMI Curator Jini Maxwell, announcing the pop-up. "As a long-term Sims player myself, I'm so thrilled to celebrate the game's cultural legacy and personal significance in this event and free talk hosted by ACMI." EA Presents The Sims 25 is popping up from Friday, February 21–Sunday, February 23 at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne — head to the venue's website for more details.
Put down your Kit Kat, for we’ve just discovered a break that's even better than snappable chocolate-covered wafers: smashing stuff. To be more specific, we mean smashing stuff with a baseball bat — and it's a legitimate, all above-board activity at new Brunswick pop-up, The Break Room. Currently housed in the back of Hope Street's new shoe warehouse-turned-espresso bar Kines, an appointment at The Break Room is a five-minute, sweaty task that puts you behind thick, plastic walls, wields you with a pink baseball bat and some protective headgear and lets you go to town on some very satisfyingly smashable items. For the moment, they’re using plates and glasses as collateral. But if anyone can produce it, our ‘ultimate smashable’ would be a ceramic Matryoshka filled with glitter. The Break Room was born in a moment of frustration (and through the efficacy of podcasts) by founder Ed Hunter, after he realised that everybody wants to blow off steam in their own way. And while some might prefer to hit the gym, Hunter is inviting you to hit some crockery off a stool instead. Speaking of the stools, notches of pink residue from the so-coloured bats have been passionately left on them; reminders that other members of the baseball bat cathartic club (do I hear badges?) have bashed their way to sanity before you. For anyone studying their swatch patterns, the pink is Baker-Miller, and has been used in correctional facilities across America to help calm violent inmates. Yet Hunter heeds that The Break Room’s goal isn’t violence, but rather to reduce stress and harness those destructive tendencies in a controlled and fun way. A video posted by The Break Room (@thebreakroom) on Feb 10, 2016 at 8:46pm PST At $50 to smash your way to calmness for five minutes, this emotional outlet may seem a bit on the spenny side, but the beauty is in the fact that you’re not breaking your own stuff — and some other guy will be picking up the pieces after you. These pieces are, in fact, added to the pile that hides further out back, where both shattered crockery and snapped pink swords from liberated brethren lay, which is a good indicator that the allocated time is probably ample. So wait until the shutters go down, don your best Joaquin Phoenix impersonation and swing away at those inner aliens of yours by taking your aggression out in some organised chaos. The Break Room is currently located at Kines, 11 Hope Street, Brunswick, and is open every day from 3pm every day. For more information, visit thebreakroom.com.au.
Jason M. Jones and Brahman Perera (Entrecôte and Hopper Joint) have just opened a new bar in Prahran, inspired by the 1958 cult classic musical Gigi — which they both have a great childhood love for. You'll find Gigi hidden down a bluestone laneway off Greville Street, decked out with velvet banquettes, antique crystal chandeliers, Persian carpets and hand-painted walls by artist Melissa Macfarlane. It has a whimsical camp feel and really screams old-world luxury without being gaudy or over the top. This elegantly flows through from the salon to the galerie space and into its open-air terrace. No doubt, Perera has overseen this playful fitout, for he also designed Hopper Joint, which opened earlier this year. Complementing the interiors, you'll find an extensive Euro-centric wine list that's been curated the Entrecote's sommeliers — covering everything from grower champagnes and Burgundy classics to Aussie pet nats and pinot noirs. Cocktails also get a good workout, including classic European sips and signature creations like the espresso martini made with popcorn-infused whisky, the Parisian Spritz that features a mandarin liqueur, and the signature Gigi cocktail made with sweet pea syrup, gin, elderflower and lemon. Digestifs, fortified wines, beers, ciders and mocktails round out the bev lineup, but we're sure most will be visiting Gigi for wine and cocktails. Keeping you from wandering off for a feed, the team has also dreamt up a long selection of snacks — available until late in the night. This includes oysters, caviar bumps, tuna tartare tartlets, beef party pies, sausage rolls and a miniature version of Entrecôte's famed cheeseburger. Co-Owner Jason M. Jones shared, "We're thrilled to be open and bringing Gigi to life here on Greville Street. "This place holds a special meaning for me — I celebrated my 21st birthday dinner upstairs when it was the Greville Bar. Now, we've created something new, but with that same sense of fun and nostalgia. "Gigi is all about escape and indulgence. We want our guests to step in, forget the outside world and lose themselves in a little Parisian magic." You'll find Gigi at 143 Greville Street, Prahran, open 5pm–late from Wednesday–Sunday. The bar doesn't take bookings but you can find more details at the venue's website.
Whether they riff on fairy bread or turn lamingtons into something cold and creamy, plenty of Gelato Messina's popular desserts transform other foods into a frosty sweet treat. Who doesn't love a culinary mashup? Not this chain and its devotees, clearly. And, since 2021, the brand has been taking that process a step further by whipping up a chocolates based on its already-inventive gelato flavours. With 2022 now here, Messina is kicking off the new year the way it always goes on — with a fresh batch of one-off specials, starting with a return to its gelato-inspired choccies. This time, there's four varieties available, all in one box. So yes, you'll get to try them all without having to choose which one you'd prefer. Love Messina's take on Iced Vovos, Coco Pops, lamingtons and fairy bread? They're all accounted for here. And they all look the part, because of course they do. They all look delicious, too. The Vovovroom bar comes filled with layers of raspberry cream, raspberry jam, desiccated coconut and sablé biscuit, then coated in raspberry chocolate. With the Just Like a Chocolate Milkshake bar, you're getting chocolate malt cream, milk chocolate-panned rice bubbles and chocolate sablé biscuit, all coated in milk chocolate. Obviously, the fairy bread bar is coated with 100s and 1000s — and includes layers of toasted breadcrumb cream and sablé biscuit coated in white chocolate as well. Or, for the lamington, you'll get chocolate cream, raspberry jam, chocolate-dusted desiccated coconut and chocolate sablé biscuit, as wrapped in dark chocolate. Boxes cost $40 each and you'll need to place your order on Monday, January 17, with times varying depending on your state. You can then pick up the choccies between Saturday, January 22–Sunday, January 23. Gelato Messina's chocolate box will be available to order from on Monday, January 17, from 9am local time in Queensland and the ACT, 9.30am in Victoria and between 10am–11am in New South Wales.
If you're missing fresh-off-the-grill burgers due to Melbourne's extended lockdown, Simon O'Keefe — aka Goldieboy — is here to change that with his new DIY double cheeseburger kits. You might have experienced Goldieboy's work at private parties and pop-ups, where he's been honing his creations along the way. The result is a beast-like fusion of Martin's potato rolls (the same used by Shake Shack), a patty made with a special blend of chuck and brisket courtesy of Toorak butcher Peter Bouchier, and a top-secret adobo kewpie sauce. Now O'Keefe is unleashing his finely-tuned formula in a DIY kit so you can recreate the magic at home. Each pack contains all the ingredients necessary to whip up a batch of the double cheeseburgers for two or four — patties, pillowy buns, American cheese, pickles and lashings of that secret sauce. A limited number of the kits drop weekly, with online orders open from 5pm Sundays till midnight on Tuesday or until sold out. Deliveries are then sent out on Friday between 7am and 4pm. Goldieboy has also teamed up with the folks at South Yarra's Two Wrongs, where you can collect pre-ordered burger kits each Saturday, alongside a super limited number of ready-to-eat burgs and take-home cocktails. In the coming weeks, more cafes and venues are set to jump on board, expanding the list of places where you can order and collect burger kits. And if all goes to plan, O'Keefe is looking to set up a permanent Goldieboy burger joint next year — more on that to come soon. Goldieboy's DIY kits are available to order via Mr Yum, Sunday to Tuesday. You can keep an eye on his movements over on Instagram. Otherwise catch Goldieboy from 11am Saturdays at Two Wrongs, 637 Chapel St, South Yarra.
This year alone, this fine country has seen Harry Potter brunches, dinners, movie marathons and trivia nights. And that's not to mention the Christmas feast that's happening in Sydney next month. But are you sick of it? No chance. If there's one thing we know, it's that the demand for Harry Potter will never die — and this latest pop-up, along with the fact that the next Fantastic Beasts film comes out this month, seems to prove that. The next piece of mainstream Harry Potter fandom to hit Sydney and Melbourne will be the Cauldron Bar. Inspired by the experiences that the gang had in potions class — and hopefully avoiding the botched polyjuice potion episode — the pop-up bar will mix magic and mixology. That's to say, there will be cocktails. Probably with some dry ice and bubbling substances. While details are vague for now, it sounds like it'll be sort of like a science class, except you'll wear robes and mix your drinks with a wand. And drink what you mix, too, of course. The 'experience' will take 90 minutes and be mostly self-guided. You may or may not have to take your O.W.L exam after. The Cauldron Bar will pop up in Sydney and Melbourne in April 2019. Tickets aren't on sale yet, but you can register here.
It's the first Australian-produced show to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. It's based on an adored Baz Luhrmann-directed, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring film that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. With its tale of star-crossed lovers set to a toe-tapping soundtrack, it's been a Broadway sensation — and it's finally opening in Australia. That'd be Moulin Rouge! The Musical — and, if you're as keen to attend its Melbourne premiere season as its central duo are about each other (and about professing their affection through song), then you just might be able to nab yourself a cheap ticket. As has happened with The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Hamilton, a ticket lottery is being held for the production's homegrown debut run. Via Today Tix, you can sign up for your chance to score a ticket for just $30. Yes, that figure is accurate. This is your spectacular (spectacular) chance to see the acclaimed screen-to-stage musical for less than the price of a dinner. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the Today Tix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each week for the next week's performances. The lottery will go live at 12.01am every Thursday morning, starting from today, Thursday, November 11, with winners drawn between 1–6pm on the following Wednesday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via Today Tix, too. Opening at Melbourne's Regent Theatre on Friday, November 12, Moulin Rouge! The Musical brings to life the famed Belle Époque story of young composer Christian and his heady romance with Satine, actress and star of the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, the show is known for its soundtrack, celebrating iconic tunes from across the past five decades. The film was, too; however, the stage version backs up the movie's tracks with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the feature premiered. Usually, tickets will set you back $95–219 a pop — so the $30 lottery really is an absolute bargain. There's no word yet on whether Moulin Rouge! The Musical will head to other Aussie cities later on. It's possible, as other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormon, have — and Hamilton has announced a move from Sydney to Melbourne, too. But, if you don't want to risk it, those located interstate should to start planning a trip ASAP — we think it'll be more than worth it. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday, November 12. To enter the Today Tix $30 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Michelle Grace Hunder.
The story of the stunning Queen & Collins building runs deep into Melbourne's history. It started in the economic boom of the late 19th century, becoming a bustling gothic bank in no time at all. Almost 150 years later, it's evolved into a dynamic workplace and thriving dining hub. To celebrate this new phase of life, Queen & Collins is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a $400 dining experience at one of the precinct's many venues. What are your options? You can start your day with a visit to Rustica. Having opened in early 2022, this outpost of the legendary bakery brings brekkie to go with locally roasted coffee or supreme brunch, and lunch feeds to CBD workers until 4pm, Monday to Friday. For something more sophisticated, you can hit fine French eatery Reine & La Rue (which opened in August to massive acclaim) for a luxe experience or head underground to the basement bar Purple Pit (by Maurice Terzini of Icebergs) for a unique take on after-work drinks. A recent addition is A25 Pizzeria — sister to the famous South Yarra venue — dishing out beloved plates of pizza and handmade pasta. Then, in early 2024, the viral KOI Dessert Bar will open in the precinct for an extra sweet treat to finish. To find a full-on meal at any of the above venues, fill out the form below. [competition]931503[/competition]
You'd be hard-pressed to find too many Melbourne cafes that have been kicking on for a whole decade. But it seems there's just no stopping Hardware Société — the CBD gem that's gearing up to celebrate its tenth birthday. The petite Hardware Street haunt is something of an institution, its creatively charged brunch fare and top-notch coffee known to pull some pretty hefty queues, any day of the week. Now, to mark the big 1-0, co-owners Di and Will Keser have opened the doors to a second, roomier venue — spread across a whole 255-square-metres — in Katherine Place. This time around, the design work takes its cues from Denmark, teaming rattan, leather and timber finishes with the likes of marble Wrong X Hay London lighting and a palette of pastel pinks and greens. [caption id="attachment_710434" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Tarasiuk.[/caption] The upsized kitchen space allows for an expanded food offering, too, with an all-day brunch menu on offer from 7.30am daily. Hardware Société's signature innovative flair shines through a new suite of certain hits, from lobster benedict teamed with citrus hollandaise on a black bun, to seared tuna mille-feuille with scallop tartare, yuzu aioli and a 64-degree egg. Old favourites like the chorizo baked eggs are sticking around, alongside classic French dishes like duck au vin and croque madame. It's all matched with Padre specialty coffee — vital for pre-work sessions — or you can dial up the decadence with a tap brew, wine or breakfast cocktail. But perhaps the most exciting addition to the Katherine Place store is Hardware Société's newly minted Friday knock-off sessions — roll in from 5pm for after-work drinks and clever snacks, like charcuterie, lobster and prawn brioche buns, and jamón and manchego croquettes. Find Hardware Société 2.0 at 10 Katherine Place, Melbourne. It's open from 7.30am–3.30pm daily and 5pm till late on Friday nights. The original cafe will remain open at 123 Hardware Street, Melbourne. Images: Peter Tarasiuk.
Every time that the opening riff from 'Seven Nation Army' echoes from speakers — or around football stadiums, where it's frequently chanted by crowds at soccer tournaments — the world partly has Australia to thank. In 2002, The White Stripes were touring the country when Jack White penned the iconic beginning to the anthemic track. Its birthplace: The Corner Hotel in Richmond, giving Melbourne another reason to brag about its status as a haven for live music. Once you know this fact, hitting the Swan Street pub means having 'Seven Nation Army' stuck in your head. See White bust out the tune at the venue that helped spawn it at Always Live 2024, however, and you'll never forget this pop-culture tidbit. On a lineup that's brimming with highlights, this is up there with the must-attend standouts. White is not only doing an intimate gig at The Corner Hotel, but will also be playing Ballarat's Civic Hall, with both shows part of the festival's new effort to celebrate the state's live music venues. Victoria's Always Live debuted in 2022 with an aim that's still relevant now: supporting gigs in what continues to be a tough time for the industry. With government backing, the program has courted huge names over its past two years, including launching with Foo Fighters; welcoming Dua Lipa, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Yothu Yindi and Sampa the Great for its first event; and returning for a second year with Christina Aguilera, Eric Prydz, Jai Paul and Jessie Ware. For its third stint across Friday, November 22–Sunday, December 8, it's keeping the high-profile acts coming, with Aussie-exclusive shows by The Offspring and St Vincent also on the bill. Ready to come out and play, punk icons The Offspring will hit The Forum Theatre for one night only. St Vincent is doing three gigs, also heading to Ballarat — at Her Majesty's Theatre — alongside playing The Palais Theatre in St Kilda and The Aviary at Crown. Equally massive, and literally: Anyma, making his Australian debut fresh from a six-show residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, complete with the largest screen in the southern hemisphere being built just for the Flemington Racecourse show. In total, 289 artists will take to the stage at 65-plus events around the state. Baker Boy leading the First Nations-focused BLAKTIVISM; a 30th-anniversary Tina Arena gig celebrating her Don't Ask album with help from Richard Marx, Daryl Braithwaite and Kate Ceberano; Missy Higgins also in anniversary mode for 20 years since The Sound of White first hit at Sidney Myer Music Bowl: they're on the lineup as well. The new Live at the Gardens series at Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens will see Chet Faker and Tash Sultana join Always Live, too, while the Jamaican Music and Food Festival is back, as is Luliepalooza at Lulie Street Tavern and End of the Line Belgrave. From there, the hefty roster features everyone from Sarah Blasko, Andy Shauf, Bôa and INKABEE x FLEWNT through to Rico Nasty, Bimini and Jaguar — plus Keiynan Lonsdale, Birds of Tokyo, Didirri, Anees and Emma Donovan. "This year's Always Live program not only reinforces our status as the music capital of Australia but brings an extraordinary array of unique and exclusive experiences to audiences across the state," said the event's Chair Matt Gudinski, announcing the bill. "I am incredibly proud to be part of delivering this year's program, and continuing to build the legacy of Always Live. It's a privilege to contribute to Victoria's rich music history and to support our live music sector." [caption id="attachment_969967" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Drummond[/caption] Always Live 2024 runs from Friday, November 22–Sunday, December 8. For more information, and to get tickets, head to the festival website. Top image: David James Swanson.
Throughout the pandemic, treating ourselves to Gelato Messina's desserts has become a tasty self-care go-to, and the chain has been releasing quite the lineup of special sweet treats — its own takes on Viennettas and Iced Vovos included — to help. Now, after a chaotic few weeks weather-wise across Queensland and New South Wales, the gelato brand is putting its OTT dishes to great use in another way, raffling them off to raise cash for flood relief. Buy a $10 ticket, go in the draw to win Messina treats, gelato tubs, chocolates, vouchers and merchandise: that's what's on offer until 11.59pm on Sunday, March 20. The gelato chain is hosting its own raffle, with $5000 in desserts and prizes up for grabs — in 150 packs filled with more than 60 of the brand's limited-edition wares. Those aforementioned Messinettas and Iced Vovo bavarians are included, with 2o of each on offer — and 20 of Messina's Basque cheesecake hot tubs as well. There's also 20 1.5-litre gelato tubs, 30 sets of its pick 'n' mix choccies, and five $150 Messina vouchers. Messina socks, caps, hoodies, t-shirts, sweatshirts and balm — they're all on the list as well. Tickets can be bought online, with 100 percent of the profits to be split between Australian Red Cross and Vinnies flood appeals across NSW and Qld. Winners will then be notified on Monday, March 21. Eating gelato, assisting folks in need: that's the best and most helpful way to enjoy dessert. Gelato Messina's flood appeal raffle is selling tickets until 11.59pm on Sunday, March 20. Head to the Messina website for further information.
By the time that 2024 is out, hopefully the Matildas will have Olympic gold medals from the Paris games. Sports fans, cross your fingers and toes now. But no matter how Australia's national women's soccer team fares midyear, the Tillies are set to score a bronze tribute to the squad before 2025 rolls in, with plans for Brisbane's ode to their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup efforts progressing. Last year, after a whirlwind month of football that included the Matildas beating France in a stunning penalty shootout, and Sam Kerr kicking the goal of a lifetime in the semi-final loss to England, the Queensland Government announced that it would build a Matildas statue. The team will be immortalised in a bas-relief piece at the River City's Suncorp Stadium, where the epic match against France was played — was the Matildas' 3–2 loss to Nigeria in the group stage and 2–0 third-place playoff defeat by Sweden. The artwork will measure around six metres in width and two metres in height, with the Brisbane-based Urban Art Projects newly commissioned to deliver the sculpture. There's no exact date yet that the public piece will be unveiled, other than the end of 2024 — but you can factor seeing the celebration of Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Mackenzie Arnold, Hayley Raso, Steph Catley, Katrina Gorry, Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord and their teammates, and their history-making World Cup campaign, into your trips to the Milton stadium. Fans can expect "a high-quality, large-scale cast bronze bas-relief capturing an iconic moment of celebration from the tournament," says UAP Associate Paul Gurney, with the company employing "both robotic and hand-crafted techniques to achieve the players' likenesses in bronze". No Australian soccer team has made it as far into World Cup as the Matildas did in 2023 — not the Matildas themselves in the past, and not the Socceroos, either. Indeed, it's no wonder that their games kept smashing ratings records, with the England match becoming the country's most-watched TV program since 2001, and also likely ever. When the statue celebrating the Matildas is installed, it'll add both female and football representation to a site that currently features statues of rugby league stars Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson, Darren Lockyer, Mal Meninga and Allan Langer, plus rugby union's John Eales. "In a nation that loves its sport, the Matildas were not only the most watched team on Australian television in 2023, their semi-final against England was the most watched event in Australian television history," said Queensland Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman. "They are inspiring women and girls to become more active and get involved in organised sport, and it is fantastic that their efforts will be recognised with a permanent tribute." Brisbane's new tribute at Suncorp Stadium celebrating the Matildas' 2023 Women's World Cup efforts is set to be installed by the end of 2024 — we'll update you when further details are announced.
"Didn't seem fair on the young lad. That suit at the funeral. With the braces on his teeth, the supreme discomfort of the adolescent." That's how what just might be your favourite new novel of 2024 starts. The book in question? Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. The acclaimed Irish author, who previously penned Conversations with Friends, Normal People and Beautiful World, Where Are You, will release her fourth tome on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. It arrives three years after her last, which also hit three years after Normal People. And if you're already wondering if it will get the TV treatment, as Normal People did first — and made everyone obsessed with Paul Mescal in the process — then Conversations with Friends, it's obviously too early to answer that. Cross your fingers, though. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Faber Books (@faberbooks) Intermezzo will follow two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, as they're grieving the loss of their father's death. The former is in his 30s and a successful Dublin lawyer, but turns to medication to sleep to cope with his loss. The latter is 22 and plays chess competitively. Peter also has complicated bonds with two women, his first love Sylvia and college student Naomi — which will sound familiar to Rooney fans — while Ivan meets the older Margaret not long after his dad's passing. "For two grieving brothers and the people they love, this is a new interlude — a period of desire, despair and possibility — a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking," says the official blurb for the book. "Intermezzo is a story of brothers and lovers, of familial and romantic intimacies, of relationships that don't quite fit the conventional structures," explains Alex Bowler, the book's publisher at Faber & Faber in the UK. "After three miraculous books, Sally Rooney's millions of readers will recognise the beauty and insight, the pain and hope that radiates from this new novel. But it marks an exquisite advance, too, in the work of a writer who seems so attuned to our lives, our hearts and our times." [caption id="attachment_842444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Enda Bowe/Hulu[/caption] Intermezzo will be published on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. For further details, head to publisher Faber & Faber's website. Images: Normal People / Conversations with Friends.
Less than a week after Melbourne was named the live music capital of the world, the city has scored itself yet another dedicated gig space, with The Hummingbird soon to launch downstairs at St Kilda's Newmarket Hotel. Making its nest within the St Kilda pub from next month, the intimate band room is set to play host to a genre-tripping lineup of acts, from jazz and soul funk to R&B and even comedy. The revamped space, brought to life by Heather Para, features a shiny new stage and sound system, a top-notch food offering from upstairs, and the kind of warm and friendly atmosphere we've come to expect from a great Melbourne live music venue. It's all kicking off with one heck of an opening night celebration on May 2, featuring performances by the likes of DJ and PBS radio favourite MzRizk plus local jazz vocalist Alma Zygier, with MC duties by the loveable Bev Killick. Grab tickets online to be part of the launch celebrations. The Hummingbird will host a bunch of shows each week, including two nightly shows on Fridays and Saturdays — a dinner-and-drinks show from 6-10pm, followed by a more dance-friendly situation from 10pm onwards. Find The Hummingbird downstairs at The Newmarket Hotel, 34 Inkerman St, St Kilda from May 2.
"I'm always looking to do something new and something that excites me, and something challenging — and I think this is all of those things," Tony Armstrong tells Concrete Playground about a unique project on the ex-AFL player-turned-TV mainstay's resume. The former ABC News Breakfast sports presenter has previously hosted television shows about dogs, Australia's untold history, famous Aussie stuff, plus sport in general and football specifically. Variety has been the spice of his on-screen career so far. But Eat the Invaders was destined to stand out; a series about putting Australia's invasive species on the menu will do that. "When I think about the kind of career I want to have, I don't necessarily want to ever be pigeonholed into one thing. And this was a great opportunity to stretch my skill set," Armstrong continues. "It was just so — I can't begin to explain how good the pitch deck and that first impression of the way the idea was going to be presented was. It was just so good. I was hooked from then." Eat the Invaders' title applies literally. Across six episodes, all of which are available to stream via ABC iView, Armstrong tours the country to explore whether animals that are waging war on Australia's native critters and plants should end up on our plates. In the process, he tucks in. Whether camel, carp or even cane toads are being considered as potential meals — rabbits, deer and sea urchin, too — each instalment dives into the history of its chosen creatures, their impact upon Australia's landscape, how people regard them, eradication efforts, the attitudes around each animal as food and why they might appeal as a meal. The show also puts its rhetoric where its mouth is in another way, with Armstrong heading to Tasmanian art gallery Mona in every episode for a feast featuring the ingredient in the spotlight. Joining him for the series of dinners: everyone from Poh Ling Yeow, Claire Hooper and Nat's What I Reckon to Rona Glynn-McDonald — who happens to be his partner — and her filmmaker father Warwick Thornton (The New Boy), plus Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Geoffrey Robertson. Also driving the series, both from Mona, are artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele and acclaimed culinary figure Vince Trim. The former's Eat the Problem project — an exhibition and a book — sparked Eat the Invaders. The latter is the gallery's Executive Chef, and therefore tasked with whipping up Mona-worthy dishes using the show's menagerie. In addition, Armstrong checks in with professors Andrew Lowe and Phil Cassey, invasion biologists, as he steps through why each animal could be a candidate for the end of someone's fork. This isn't just the type of show that doesn't grace screens every day, or the kind of project that doesn't come Armstrong's way often, either — it was also a helluva way for its host to travel around Australia. "I felt like I was getting away with something: in a mail plane from Alice Springs airport, going west for three hours, flying over some of the most-beautiful country in the world, and I'm just like 'what a privilege — what an absolute privilege it is to be able to do this for work'," he notes. "Most people have to work really hard and then take time off, and then pay to do that. That wasn't lost on me." Most people don't try the most-controversial animal on the Eat the Invaders menu, too, whether they're holidaying around the nation or not. When it comes to contemplating eating cats, Armstrong welcomes the conversation that he hopes the series will inspire, including about the destruction waged by the animals so beloved as pets. We also spoke with the A Dog's World, Great Australian Stuff and Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things star — and former Adelaide, Sydney and Collingwood footballer, and recent Memoir of a Snail voice actor — about the challenges of making the show, which ingredient should become an everyday staple and cognitive dissonance around Eat the Invaders' topic. What excites him about a new project, plus Armstrong's journey from the footy field to here: they're part of our chat as well. On the Animal That Immediately Stood Out Among Eat the Invaders' Different Species "Cat. Cat for sure. Because I know how much people love them — and how love can be blind. Cats can make great companions, all that kind of thing, but the damage that so many cats have done — feral and domestic — is crazy. They are killing machines. And our native animals here, because cats are a relatively recent introduction when you consider how old so-called Australia is, a lot of the animals don't view cats as predators yet in the way that they might view others. They don't have those thousands and thousands of years of adaptation to know how to deal with them. So the damage that cats are doing is immense. And what a great hook to get people in to watch an episode that isn't actually about — it's about eating cat, but it's not actually about eating cat. I can't wait to get in arguments. The show is also about our prejudice. Why is it okay to eat a cow? What's the difference? I don't see the difference. Maybe it's because cats in popular culture are presented in a certain way, so we don't necessarily think about them in the way that we should. And that's not to say that people shouldn't own cats and all that kind of thing. I think dealing with cats, it's about how can we be better owners? How can we be more responsible at that end? I don't want people not to have fun with an animal they love — but I want them to be responsible and think about the native animals that are getting smoked by cats." On the Biggest Challenges of Making Eat the Invaders "I reckon the biggest challenge with any show that's factual is how do we not make it boring? How do we keep it simple?. Because we could have gone down the path of crazy, crazy high-end and deep-dive science — we could have done that. Then it's also how can you be compelling enough to get people to listen to you talking about eating cat?, for instance. That's quite the tightrope to walk. And then it's also 'god, I hope when we're out here in the desert, because we've got one day here, we get a cat'. We might not. We had, I think, a day in WA to find camels, and we were lucky, we found a bountiful amount. But when we arrived on the station, they were like 'hey, look there's a huge chance we don't see any camels'. So there's that as well — trying to remain positive and upbeat about stuff, and also taking calculated risks. You can plan as hard as you want and then things can go wrong. So I guess the other thing is about being as adaptable and as quick-thinking as you can be." On Humanity's Cognitive Dissonance Around Animals When It's Considered Acceptable to Eat Some But Not Others "I think so much of it is nurture. So much of it is where you're brought up, what you've done as you've grown up, the way you as an individual approach the world — do you approach the world with a growth-type mindset where you're happy to be curious and all that kind of thing, or are you more conservative, are you more fixed? And then, are you someone who's willing to have a respectful debate? This cognitive dissonance is just so, so interesting. I think so much of that is baked into nurture through all the different touchpoints that make us who we are." On the One Candidate in Eat the Invaders That Left Armstrong Certain That It Should Become an Everyday Food "Carp. It's so easily accessible. The reason why I don't think cat is that's just not going to happen. The reason why I don't think camel is because, as delicious as it is and as many of them as there are, and how there's an industry waiting to happen, the infrastructure to set that industry up is just going to take so much investment, so the barriers to entry for that are too high. I totally think with carp, that is such a perception thing on how the animal tastes. Everyone just thinks of it as a shit fish, right? But if it is prepared properly, and killed properly, humanely, ethically, all those kind of things, it is delicious. It is so yum. And if you saw that episode where we're eating at Africola in Adelaide, that's some of the best food I've had. And that's carp. And Mark and Duncan just prepared two beautiful dishes showing the versatility of carp fillet versus carp in a salad. So it's a versatile fish. It takes on all of the flavours of the food around it. There's so much carp. And we already have a fishing industry. So I think that would be the most viable one — but also I am the last person who should ever, ever take charge of a business, so huge caveat right there." On the Species Explored in the Series That Are Part of Armstrong's Own Diet "So I already ate camel. Not all the time, but going to the Vic Markets, there's camel that you can buy — you can buy little camel steaks and that kind of thing. And it's delicious. It is bloody delicious. I've had it beforehand, but since the show I actually ironically haven't eaten much. I also have eaten quite a lot of rabbit in my time as well. So camel and rabbit are ones that were already part of my diet. But I think in the winter, I'll cook a lot of rabbit. I want to make stews and little pasties and stuff like that with rabbit." On What Excites Armstrong About a New Project, After a Unique Journey From Three AFL Clubs to an Array of TV Shows, Presenting Sports on News Breakfast, Film Voice Work and More "I think first, as I'm as I'm getting older and I suppose more established, it's the quality of the work that is the first thing I think of. I've always thought about that, but the very first thing I think about is 'do I think this will be well-executed and do I think I can have a role in that?'. When Memoir of a Snail came along, it was like 'hell yeah'. I've done voice acting for Reef School and that kind of thing, and I really enjoy that. I think now it's a mixture of 'is it something new and exciting and challenging?' and then 'do I think it will be good?'. That's kind of where I'm at. Probably the only world I haven't really gone into is proper performance, and that's something interests me. It's just something where if I'm like 'oh yeah, I'm pumped. That sounds cool. I'm excited. I'm a bit nervous', then I know I'm in the right spot." On Whether Armstrong Imagined the Path His Career Has Taken Back When He Was Drafted to Play AFL "Not even in the slightest. When I got drafted, in my mind I was like 'sweet, I'm going to become an AFL legend' — because that's what everyone thinks, right? Right now I'm supposed to be a bagillionaire former player who is the best ever, and I've just retired and now I smoke cigars and cruise around my many properties. Unfortunately, that wasn't quite the case. [caption id="attachment_843998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A Dog's World with Tony Armstrong[/caption] We were talking about 'not a bad way to see the country' before, and I was just like 'I'm constantly on sets or I'm in a voice booth, or I'm somewhere doing something' — and I'm like looking left and right, and I'm like 'when are they going to realise that I don't know what the fuck I'm doing? The jig's going to be up soon, Tone'. I'm so grateful, and I work and all of that stuff, which everyone does — but yeah, a lot of pinch-myself stuff." Eat the Invaders streams via ABC iView.
This review is of the Sydney run of this production in March 2015. Sydney Dance Company’s Frame of Mind drills a hole into your heart and brain and makes you leak emotion in that sneaky, visceral way only dance can do. It's in fact two short contemporary dance pieces: Quintett, choreographed by William Forsythe, then Frame of Mind, by Sydney Dance Company’s artistic director, Rafael Bonachela. The result is stunning contemporary dance — neither pretentious, nor attempting any grand narrative. These are simply short, genuine outpourings of life and feeling from two very different choreographers, made accessible by committed dancers. Understanding the context of Quintett’s conception is pivotal to the experience. Originally created in 1993 (this is its Australian premiere), Quintett was a love letter from Forsythe to his terminally ill wife. Despite these tragic circumstances, Forsythe's work celebrates the chase of love. It’s full of pulls, falls and negotiations; at once both whimsical and profound. The quintet of dancers (Cass Mortimer Eipper, Chloe Leong, David Mack, Jesse Scales and Sam Young-Wright) engage in explorative play. Each dancer seems to ask, “what can my body do when I look at it anew?” They defy the everyday constraints placed on the body, and provoke their fellow dancers — taps on the bum, grabbing, shakes and whiplash — all to see how far they can possibly go. There is no storyline to follow, or characters to orbit, but the unshakeable feeling they are dancing a memoir. This may be a thank you letter for the moments shared, but it has no final signature. Each extension is intersected and retracted, each posture never fully completed. The bodies constantly interrupt each other's trajectories, so that one must always surrender to another, relinquish and release. The captivating Leong is still running and reaching as the curtain falls. The music mashes up a frail male voice singing a hymn with the crying sounds of strings. It's a simple but catchy looping that makes us aware of the eternal life/death cycle, and humbles us for thinking our own lives so important. Another beautiful element of both Quintett and Frame of Mind is the inclusion of ‘the watcher’. When dancers are not engaged, they pause and watch their peers. Spectatorship being so integral to human behaviour, it’s nice to see dancers drop their guard. Frame of Mind has a turbulent and moody atmosphere, exploding into action with the unnerving, staccato song of violins — the contemporary-classical soundtrack comes from The National's Bryce Dessner. We see warrior-esque rituals, moments of bared teeth and risk-taking choreography that leaves no room for error. We watch dances of despair, reverie and entrapment. The lighting of Frame of Mind is breathtaking. Forsythe’s uses mirrors and projectors to cast Quintett into the refracted/reflected world of memory. Meanwhile, Benjamin Cisterne creates the daily cycle of sun/moonlight for Frame of Mind, within the cavernous abandoned warehouse that designer Ralph Myers has created. Cisterne alerts our eyes to unexpected shades and silhouettes, such that we begin to doubt the materiality of this world. Are those watermarks on the walls, or ghosts, or continents? Quintett aches with shared memories, and Frame of Mind rattles the psyche. Anyone willing to submit to a corporeal experience should attend.
Burger fiends of Sydney scored a new go-to joint back in 2021, when US-born brand Five Guys opened its first Australian store in Penrith. It also backed that up with a second outpost in Sydney's CBD this winter, too. But if you're keen to give the chain's combination of meat and buns a try down in Melbourne, get ready to add a trip to Southbank to your menu — with Five Guys launching its first Victorian eatery, and third Aussie spot overall, on Monday, August 8. Setting up shop at 3 Freshwater Place, the new store will sit on the promenade in front of Queensbridge Square, seat 79 burger lovers and — unsurprisingly — sport Five Guys' red-and-white colour scheme. On the menu: burgs, fries, hotdogs, sandwiches and shakes, aka Five Guys' usual range. If you're wondering why the brand has built up such a following, the fact that its made-to-order burgers skew in the classic direction is one good reason. These burgs come with two hand-formed patties on toasted buns, with your choice of free toppings (including pickles, grilled mushrooms and jalapeños). Five Guys also does bacon cheeseburgers that add two strips of bacon and two slices of Kraft American cheese as well. Prefer hotdogs, sandwiches (in veggie, cheese or BLT varieties), hand-cut fries (with or without Cajun spices) and vanilla milkshakes? They're all on the menu as well. Don't go thinking that the latter are boring, though — you can add bacon, bananas, peanut butter, salted caramel and even Oreo pieces to your design-your-own beverage. As anyone with allergies should note, though, Five Guys only cooks its fries in peanut oil. The popular chain already has more than 1600 stores to its name across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia since starting back in 1986 in the Washington, DC area — and has amassed quite the reputation in the process. Even given the number of big-name US burger chains with hefty followings, such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, it stands out. More Aussie Five Guys stores are in the works, too, in including additional Melbourne locations in 2023. Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, aka the folks behind The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, 6 Head, Ribs & Burgers, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and the Farmer, hold the master franchise for Five Guys in Australia and New Zealand — and while it hasn't revealed where more burgs will be coming everyone's ways just yet, setting up plenty of locations has always been the company's plan. When news that Five Guys was launching stores Down Under first hit in 2020, at least 20 spots were earmarked for Australia alone. Find Five Guys' first Melbourne store at 3 Freshwater Place, Southbank, Melbourne, from Monday, August 8 — open from 11am–10pm daily.
Adding to the host of one-off dinners taking over Melbourne this winter, landmark Collins Street restaurant Society (by Chris Lucas) will host Westholme Wagyu and Starward Whisky for an immersive dinner. Taking place at the Lillian Brasserie on Thursday, July 31, Society x Westholme x Starward will spotlight beef from Westholme and whisky from Starward, alongside the talents of Lucas Restaurants chefs Joachim Lim from Society and Vincenzo Ursini from Grill Americano. Guests can expect five carefully curated courses, with wagyu dishes expertly paired with specialty whisky cocktails and neat pours from Starward's Melbourne-made range. Standout dishes include the house-cured wagyu bresaola with winter pickles, and caramelle pasta in a ragu of beef cheek and beef tail. We're already salivating at the thought of these decadent winter flavours. There will also be a selection of innovative cocktails to drink, including a Starward Nova Highball with mandarin and peach, and a modern rendition of an Old Fashioned featuring wagyu fat-washed Starward two-fold. With limited spots, all-inclusive tickets to Society x Westholme x Starward at Lillian Brasserie are expected to sell fast. Head to the venue's website to reserve a spot. Images: Supplied.
Snapping street art is old hat now, with the halls of Instagram strewn with the point-and-shoot documentation of many a Banksy, Shepard Fairey Obey knock-off and epic East London murals. But the only real reward is a couple of likes from your buds back home, what if you could gain kudos from the artist themselves? Beloved Parisian street artist Invader has launched a brand new game for snappers, the perfect complement to his celebrated '70s 8-bit video game-inspired critters hanging about on walls worldwide. With the brand new app Flash Invaders, you're encouraged to find the artist's iconic little Space Invader installations, take a shot (or 'flash'), upload it to the app and earn points for each successful snap. The Flash Invaders app doesn't accept imposters, comparing your photo with a database of images to match it up. If you've found a genuine Invader, you earn points for that particular work. And don't try to trick the app with phony Google-searched photos either, as the software has been designed to only allow users to 'flash' the Invader works when you're actually in front of it — your bedroom-bound GPS location gave you away. But where can you find these little critters (and how can you tell if it's the real deal)? Head to Invader's website to check out the international locations of his official installations. Unfortunately, there's not too many in Australia, one in Perth and this one in Melbourne: Your best bet is to casually head to the artist's hometown, Paris, where there are over 1000 Space Invaders lurking in alleyways, atop buildings and along stairwells. These are the thumbnails from Invader's website, to get the picture: Or try Rome: Maybe Vienna: Perhaps Varanasi: Start playing Flash Invaders here. Via Vandablog.
This Summer is shaping up to be a cinematic treat for movie buffs. The latest Bond film hit cinemas last week, Peter Jackson's The Hobbit will be clogging theatres come Boxing Day and for those who like their movies filled to the brim with obscure pop culture references, gratuitous amounts of stylised violence and a pumping soundtrack, then there is Quentin Tarantino's latest offering Django Unchained. But if you are too busy to get to the cinemas this Summer or you like your pop culture in bite size pieces then check out this awesome video by YouTube aficionado Jonathan Keogh of the "IMDB Top 250 in 2 1/2 Minutes". This manic and masterful mash-up of everything from Gone With The Wind to Fight Club to The Lion King will have you reliving all your favourite movie moments and reenacting history's most iconic movie scenes in front of your bedroom mirror. Set to a remix of The Beatles, Joan Jett, Cypress Hill and House of Pain we must warn you that this video will have you fighting the urge to re-account yourself with your local video store and crying "You can't handle the truth!" at unsuspecting passersby.
So if you're lonely, Franz Ferdinand will be here waiting for you across Australia before 2025 is out. Fresh from releasing their sixth album in January, the Scottish band have announced a visit Down Under in November and December, with five gigs on the itinerary. Their stops: Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Thirroul and Sydney. It's been more than two decades since the Alex Kapranos-led group made a helluva splash with the catchy second single from their self-titled debuted album. Even just reading the name 'Take Me Out' is enough to get the number-one tune in Triple J's 2004 Hottest 100 stuck in your head. The song was also nominated for two Grammys, while the record that it springs from won the Mercury Prize. Franz Ferdinand's latest trip to Australia kicks off in Perth at Red Hill Auditorium on Wednesday, November 26, before heading across the country to Brisbane's Riverstage on Saturday, November 29. Next destination: Melbourne, playing Live at the Gardens at the Royal Botanic Gardens on Friday, November 28. Then comes a Tuesday, December 2 date with Anita's Theatre in Thirroul in New South Wales, before wrapping up on Wednesday, December 3 at On the Steps at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt. On every stop, Melbourne's Delivery will be in support — and everywhere except Thirroul, so will the Mornington Peninsula-born Teenage Dads. Since the huge success of 'Take Me Out' and their 2004 Franz Ferdinand album, the band have dropped records in 2005 (You Could Have It So Much Better), 2009 (Tonight: Franz Ferdinand), 2013 (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action), 2018 (Always Ascending) and this year (The Human Fear). Touring-wise, their past Aussie trips have included sets at Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival. Franz Ferdinand's 2025 Aussie visit comes just a few months after Bloc Party, who benefited from Kapranos' approval when they were starting out, do the same in August. Franz Ferdinand Australian Tour 2025 Wednesday, November 26 — Red Hill Auditorium, Perth Saturday, November 29 — Riverstage, Brisbane Friday, November 28 — Live at the Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne Tuesday, December 2 — Anita's Theatre, Thirroul Wednesday, December 3 — On the Steps, Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney Franz Ferdinand are touring Australia in November and December 2025, with ticket presales from 10am local time on Monday, May 12 and general sales from the same time on Wednesday, May 14. Head to the tour website for more details. Select images: Raph PH via Flickr.
Sometimes you want a great cup of coffee without a side of pretence. Sometimes you want a rustic and wholesome meal without having to make it yourself. And sometimes you just want a pot of homemade preserves without having to sterilise jars. Where perhaps might we find a cafe like that? Thomson Cafe and Food Store, my friends, fulfils all of the above and feels like an extension of your own home, in the best possible way. Whether it's a takeaway coffee or lunch for the family, these guys know what's up. With limited seating of under 30, intimacy is felt no matter what the occasion — in more of a cosy way rather than an accidentally drinking your neighbours water kind of way. When it comes to the menu, it's broken down into breakfasts, egg based goodness and 'lunchy things'. If it's closer to the AM the freshly baked crumpets served with butter and house made lemon curd ($11) is a hearty and decedent choice, while the avocado on organic sourdough served with house marinated feta, lemon, and toasted seeds is never a bad idea ($9 for one slice, $13 for two). For a more egg-based feed, the #2 baked eggs with caramelised onion, spinach and house marinated feta served with sourdough ($15) is creamy and rich, just the way you want it. Hangover = cured. When it comes to lunch, the virtuous among us can't go wrong with the brown rice salad with pickled ginger, avocado, cucumber, nori, black sesame, wasabi mayo, and salmon ($19), while a sandwich of poached chicken, walnuts, tarragon, spinach, parsley and aioli ($14.50) goes down just as nicely. For those who steer away from caffeine, hot chocolates of almond milk, raw cacao and dates heats you up without the sugar, while green juices and smoothies keep you going. We can't really fault this little local cafe who not only make most of their food and baked goods in-house, but grow most of their produce as well. We just hope you don't all go at once.
Over the last few years, Brisbane has quietly become one of the best spots for a weekend escape. It's got the climate of a tropical holiday, the creativity of a capital city and a local food and drink scene that punches well above its weight. Across the city, there's art, architecture and plenty of green space, but also incredible spots to dine and unwind that are world-class without trying too hard. Whether you're looking for a few days of luxury, a culture-filled weekend or just a change of scenery (and weather), Brissy makes it easy. Here, we break down where to stay, what to eat and how to spend your time while you're there. Where to Stay The Calile Hotel If you're a person who wants the relaxation to start the second you check in, The Calile will be right up your alley. This pastel-drenched, luxury hotel is the kind of place you'll struggle to leave (and honestly, you don't need to). The rooms are built for relaxation with cool stone, brass accents and breezy balconies, while the pool area is more like a scene from a Slim Aarons photograph than your standard hotel setup. It's also in the thick of James Street, Brisbane's designer shopping and dining precinct, so everything you need is within walking distance. Beyond the rooms, there's a full day's worth of indulgence on-site, including a library stocked with art books and journals, a gym with personal training available, and Kailo Wellness Medispa for top-tier facials, massages and LED sessions. When hunger strikes, you can walk straight from the pool into Hellenika restaurant, or grab an afternoon spritz in the Lobby Bar. Whether you're swimming, shopping or slipping into a deep-tissue massage, The Calile makes you feel like you're on holiday, even if you're only up for the weekend. Book your stay here. Where to Eat SK Steak & Oyster Opened in 2019 by the St Albans restaurant group, SK Steak & Oyster has slowly but surely become a James Street institution. Conveniently located within The Calile Hotel, the restaurant has a light and bright, mid-century aesthetic and the kind of polished yet unpretentious service that makes you feel at ease from the moment you walk in. The menu leans classic in the best possible way. The team of chefs delivers expertly grilled steaks, market-fresh oysters with caviar and showstopper seafood dishes like the Moreton Bay bugs and spanner crab pasta. Alongside these big hitters, diners also have an impressive choice of pastas, soups, salads and sides. Oh, did we mention there's an entire 10-option menu dedicated to potatoes? Yep. It's a cheeky flex that fans of the restaurant have come to love. But beyond the delicious food, the high standard service and attention to detail is what makes SK Steak & Oyster an exceptional experience. This isn't just one of the best steakhouses in Brisbane, it's one of the best restaurants, full stop. There's a reason locals book this place for special occasions, and why visitors should make it one. Book a table here. Joy Hidden down a laneway in Fortitude Valley, Joy is a tiny restaurant with a big reputation. The space seats just ten, with chef Sarah Baldwin and her small team running the entire show – from the kitchen to the floor – which makes every service feel extremely personal. But it's not just the size that sets Joy apart. There's no printed menu and no choices to be made. You're served what Sarah is cooking that day, which is always a seasonal and multi-course tasting menu that's part fine-dining, part performance art. While you'll never know exactly what's on offer before sitting down, you can expect delicate, clever dishes with creative and unexpected flavour combinations. Choose the matching drinks options, and you'll enjoy sake or natural wine pairings that are carefully chosen to complement each dish. When you dine here, it's as much about the moment as it is about the food. The intimate setting, minimalist aesthetic and one-chef kitchen all create a unique tension that heightens the experience. Getting a seat takes some planning, but don't let that deter you, it's a meal you'll remember long after you leave Brisbane. Book a table here Gerard's Bistro Gerard's is one of those restaurants that's been around long enough to be considered a classic, but continues to evolve and surprise. Positioned just off James Street, the bistro has long been known for its contemporary Middle Eastern menu and cool, textural fit out featuring warm clay tones, timber and rammed-earth walls inspired by Lebanon's ancient Temple of Baalbek. The vibe here is lively in all the right ways, with an open kitchen, a buzz of conversation and a menu designed for sharing. The best time to go is for a late lunch on Friday and Saturday, or an early dinner, when the light softens and the wine starts flowing. Yes, the space is beautiful, but what you're really coming for is the food. The menu draws on Levantine, North African and Mediterranean flavours, giving traditional dishes a modern twist. Housemade breads, charcoal-grilled meat and fresh produce lead the charge, and regulars rave about the lamb shoulder with parsley tahini, woodfired octopus from Western Australia and chickpea hummus with black barley. If you have any space left for dessert, the Turkish coffee pastry cream with meringue is a must-try. It's generous food made to be eaten with friends. Book a table here. Supernormal Andrew McConnell's Melbourne institution, Supernormal, finally landed in Brisbane in 2024, and the team hasn't missed a beat. Located on Queen Street, both Supernormal and its sister terrace spot, Bar Miette, look out over the CBD skyline, making them the perfect duo for a sunset dinner and drinks. Inside, the restaurant mirrors the minimal, high-functioning design of the Melbourne location. There's an open bar feature, spacious layout and timber tones throughout. But this isn't a carbon copy – the Brisbane team, led by Executive Chef Jason Barratt, has added just enough local energy to make it feel grounded in its new home. The menu is built around bold Asian flavours and textural contrast. Must-tries include the prawn and chicken dumplings, five spice half chicken, a rich pork tomahawk with fermented chilli, and of course, the signature lobster roll. The drinks are just as enticing, with Supernormal's take on a Margarita Koshó with yuzu and fermented green chili a crowd favourite. Book a table here. Hellenika If you're staying at The Calile, you have to try Hellenika. You'll spot the green and white striped umbrellas from across the pool, but this restaurant is very much a destination in its own right. It's the kind of place you come to for lunch and find yourself still at the table by sunset, bringing a slice of Mediterranean life to inner Brisbane. The space is open, breezy and built for long, lazy meals with plenty of natural light by day and a romantic glow by night. You don't need to be staying at the hotel to dine here, but if you are, it's a convenient (and frankly irresistible) option for an afternoon of indulgence. The menu is Greek-influenced and the service is impeccable. Highlights include the spanakopita, saganaki, grilled octopus and the signature whole baked fish. Pair it all with a bottle of Greek white or a spicy margarita and you've got yourself a very good time. Book a table here What to Do Kailo Wellness Medispa If you're going to book one thing while you're here, make it a treatment at Kailo. This is Brisbane's premier medispa and regularly ranked among the best in the country, offering everything from LED facials and lymphatic drainage massages to more advanced therapies like injectables and vitamin therapy (yes, that's a thing). Located conveniently inside The Calile, it's the kind of place you can weave into your day around lunch or shopping without needing to go out of your way. The space itself is serene and architecturally designed, with treatment rooms that feel both luxurious and calming. The spa is run by a team who know what they're doing, with service that's thoughtful and discreet, and an extensive menu of clinical-grade treatments. Whether you're popping in for a pick-me-up or carving out a few hours for total relaxation, you'll be sure to walk out glowing. Book a treatment here Albion Bathhouse Australia's bathhouse scene is having a moment and Albion Bathhouse is one of the standouts. Housed in a converted warehouse with huge ceilings and atmospheric lighting, it's easily one of the most stunning spaces in the city. In fact, walking inside feels like you've entered a whole different world. Every detail here is considered, from the curve of the archways to the texture of the towels, and the experience is elevated further by a truly premium offering. You'll find not only the usual suspects (steam room, magnesium plunge pool, cold dip) but also infrared saunas and bespoke wellness experiences that you can book alongside your soak. Perfect for a solo recharge or an afternoon with friends, Albion Bathhouse is equal parts stunning and soothing, and well worth carving out an afternoon for while you visit Brisbane. Don't forget to book ahead – it's popular for a reason. Book a session here Brisbane Powerhouse Housed in an old power station on the Brisbane River, the Powerhouse has long been a cultural hub for the city. And it's only getting better. The calendar is packed year-round with performances ranging from experimental theatre and indie music to comedy, contemporary dance and festivals. Coming up this winter, you can book tickets to see comedians Wil Anderson, Anisa Nandaula and Will Gibb. Plus, there's the World Press Photography Exhibition and performances by the Brisbane Ballet to look forward to. No matter what you see, the venue itself is worth a visit: a towering structure with exposed brick walls and years of history. Plus, the outdoor bar with food vendors and sunset views is a great place to kill time before a performance. Whether you plan your trip around a specific show or just pop in to see what's on, this place is always checking out. Book your tickets here. Whether you're up for a long weekend or just a couple of days to recharge, Brisbane is ready when you are. And with The Calile Hotel as your base, you won't need to go far to find the city's best bites, sips and spa sessions. Discover accommodation, spa and dining options at The Calile Hotel website.
We wouldn't put it past experienced hospo hands Mary-Jane Daffy and Jim Marinis to convert an old Tudor-styled mechanics shed into a cafe — oh wait, they already have. Glovers Station is Elsternwick's new go-to brunch hub, offering an impeccable menu with an exquisite fit out to match. The menu at Glovers Station is unconventional. Don’t expect to find your classic smashed avocado on toast, which is seriously despised by business partner and head chef Brett Hobbs. Brett, who worked under the eye of Gordon Ramsay, endeavours to bring unexpected combinations to his clientele. The mushrooms on toast with puffed wild rice and grapes ($17) initially sounds bizarre, but is a proven favourite. The menu's eccentricity is probably why it stands out in the suburb of Elsternwick. The cafe refuses to restrict itself in solely catering for its surroundings. "We have created a cafe for Melbourne, not just this area," Brett says. There comes a time where you have to stop drenching the paper menu from salivation and physically order. Trying the braised ox tongue on toast with burnt onion puree, mustard butter, pickles and chilli fried eggs ($16) is a wise move. One of Brett's latest creations is the pressed lamb shoulder with pumpkin jam, barley, pea and a variation of cauliflower salad ($18). And if you're seeking something a bit more dainty, look no further than the leatherwood honey yoghurt with poached seasonal fruits, topped with a nut and oat meringue ($13). Now, let's get to the caffeine side of things: coffee connoisseurs shouldn’t worry, Glovers use Dukes Coffee Roasters' seasonal blend to complement their food offering. Chefs must be methodical when composing a menu, and the minds behind Glovers Station have changed their menu four times in the last eight weeks alone. It seems adaptation has played a substantial role in their success. During a tedious planning period, dishes were categorised into 'female' and 'male'. As such, the team strives to achieve balance between the two, to satisfy both ends of the taste spectrum. As soon as a liquor licence is attained, there is no stopping dinner plans from charging ahead. But the owners are keeping the menu as a surprise — they're treat them mean, keep 'em keen kind of folk — but it was emphasised that sharing dishes would act as the menu's core. A hefty yet welcoming establishment, treating yourself to a morning or afternoon at Glovers Station will leave you feeling revived. This is one station you'll never want to depart from.
Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Luckily, New Zealand's watery borders are home to around 600 islands that offer a unique blend of peace and tranquility, stunning scenery and adventure too. Make a beeline for one of the accessible island escapes below. Time your visit right to avoid the crowds and you might even manage to have an island practically all to yourself. Here are five islands where you'll find wildlife reserves for spotting kiwi in their natural habitat and island dark sky sanctuaries perfect for stargazing up into the universe. [caption id="attachment_986097" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Matt Crawford[/caption] Stewart Island/Rakiura Off the southern coast of South Island lies New Zealand's third largest island, Stewart Island/Rakiura. Over 85 percent of the island is designated National Park land and unspoiled nature with rare wildlife is what to expect down here. Despite its size, settlement on Stewart Island is sparse and the only place to stay is in Oban (also known as Halfmoon Bay) where you won't ever be too far from the island's pristine natural environment. Getting to the southernmost island of New Zealand is an adventure in and of itself, with ferries serving as one of the main ways to arrive. If the thought of travelling by boat makes you feel queasy, you can always fly in too. [caption id="attachment_986589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alistair Guthrie[/caption] Bay of Islands Just a three-hour drive or a 50-minute flight from Auckland is the Bay of Islands, a breathtaking destination where you'll discover sleepy towns that roll on to crystal-clear inlets, more than 144 undeveloped islands up for exploration as well as water activities and vineyards to fill your days. Roberton Island (Motuarohia) is a 20-minute boat ride from Paihia or Russell and is best known for its stunning blue water lagoons and snorkelling trail. The luxury Cook's Cove Retreat is one of five houses on the island that can be hired for overnight getaways. The eight-person resort is found in a peaceful private bay. From there you can bushwalk to historic Māori sites, explore underwater marine reserves, or set off via kayak from the private jetty. [caption id="attachment_986579" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott Venning[/caption] Great Barrier Island/Aotea Great Barrier Island (Aotea) is the fourth largest island in New Zealand. A 30-minute flight or four-hour boat ride from Auckland will bring you to the rugged wilderness where spectacular fishing, natural hot springs and first-class surfing spots await. Away from the light pollution of Auckland, the off-the-grid island is also one of four dark sky sanctuaries, and the only officially recognised island dark sky sanctuary in the world. [caption id="attachment_663062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Miles Holden.[/caption] Waiheke Island An escape to New Zealand's Waiheke Island feels miles away from the bustle of central Auckland, though it's only a quick ferry ride from downtown. It's an island of varying landscape, with the turquoise-blue waters of the coast giving way to rolling green hills inland. This gives visitors endless options, too — from bushwalks and beaches to art galleries and, most notably, the plentiful wineries on offer. The whole island is easily explored by bus or bike, and trips from the vines of one winery to the next take only a traipse through the vineyard. Mudbrick is a standout, with stunning views back to Auckland city and top-shelf wines and dining options.You could spend a week here and still not hit all of the artisanal producers dotting the island. Join an art walking tour, try your hand at archery or distil your own bespoke gin, just to name a few things waiting for you on this wine island. Waiheke is the most densely populated island with over 8000 permanent residents. Kapiti Island This wildlife sanctuary off the Kapiti Coast is home to rare species such as the flightless takahē, white faced heron and kākā. You can visit the island for a self-guided day tour, or spend the night and enjoy local hospitality — while keeping an eye out for kiwi in their natural habitat. Kapiti is home to over 1200 little spotted kiwi, making it one of the most reliable opportunities to see them in the wild. There are three accommodation options including private glamping tents, native timber cabins and a Kiwi-style bach offering ocean views out across Waiorua Bay. Find your very own Aotearoa New Zealand here. Top image: Slipper Island Resort.
For some, friendly banter with whoever happens to be behind a car's wheel is a regular part of booking a ride. For others, the obligatory bout of awkward conversation with the driver is the most dreaded part of the trip. Or, maybe you're just having a bad day and don't feel like chatting. Perhaps you're usually happy to talk away, but you're stressed, have too much on your mind, and have emails to check while you're getting from point A to point B. Whether you like a good chinwag with your driver or prefer riding in silence, Uber has introduced a new feature that lets customers choose their level of conversation. It's called quiet mode, and it gives riders three options — 'quiet preferred', 'happy to chat' and 'no preference' — when booking a trip. The catch: it's only available for Uber Black customers, and it has currently only launched in the US. According to the Uber website, the ridesharing service's premium offering has also added a suite of other 'enhanced features', including asking for help with your luggage, requesting a specific temperature within the car, giving passengers a bit of extra time to make their way to the vehicle, and offering a consistent kind of ride in terms of car models, makes, interiors and exteriors. While there's no word on if or when the features will be rolled out beyond America — or if any will be adopted by regular Uber — there is obviously already option for folks who'd like to get across town without natter. It's certainly a sign of the times that ordering a conversation (or lack thereof) can now be done at the touch of a button, rather than in person. That said, pre-selecting quiet mode will stop the dreaded, always uncomfortable "I don't feel like chatting" convo before the uncomfortable silence, as well as awkward small talk.
It started with a celebrity sing-along. It ditched the usual grand stage setup for a white platform in the middle of the room. Seth Rogen freaked out about being with so many people in one place during the pandemic. Multiple actors screamed about Kate Winslet being Kate Winslet, as everyone really should. The comedy awards showed that kindness matters. When it came to pure joy at getting their time to shine, the cast of Ted Lasso matched the cast of Schitt's Creek last year — and, presenting awards this time around, the latter had fun grappling with the teleprompter. Kerry Washington gave a touching tribute to late, great Lovecraft Country and The Wire star Michael K Williams. Jean Smart got a standing ovation. Governors Award-winner Debbie Allen served up a powerful speech about telling your own story. They're just a few things that happened at the 2021 Emmy Awards, with Hollywood's night of nights for all things on the small screen anointing its winners for another year. While the 2020 ceremony went virtual, this celebration of TV and streaming excellence was full of famous faces feeling the love in the same auditorium — and, from host Cedric the Entertainer to presenters such as Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and The White Lotus' Jennifer Coolidge, they were all clearly thrilled to be there. Particularly excited: all the deserving folks who won shiny statuettes, obviously. Plenty of great shows demanded our attention over the past 12 months, and many of them nabbed some recognition here. That means that we're all winners, too, because these stellar series make quite the must-watch list. Here's seven you should binge — or re-binge — right now, plus one stage-to-streaming special that also picked up a well-earned gong. TED LASSO What it's about: A sports-centric sitcom that's been like a big warm hug from the get-go, Ted Lasso is the current cheerleader for comedies that focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things. It celebrates folks supporting and being there for each other, and the bonds that spring between them — and not just to an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. As played by Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), the series' namesake is all positivity, all the time. A small-time US college football coach, he scored an unlikely job as manager of British soccer team AFC Richmond in the show's first season, a job that came with struggles. The ravenous media wrote him off instantly, the club was hardly doing its best, owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham, Sex Education) had just taken over the organisation as part of her divorce settlement, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) refused to get along. Ted's upbeat attitude does wonders, though, in the best sitcom that's currently in production. You definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its heartwarming determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships. Won: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Jason Sudeikis), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Hannah Waddingham), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Brett Goldstein). Where to watch it: Apple TV+. Read our full review. MARE OF EASTTOWN What it's about: Kate Winslet doesn't make the leap to the small screen often, but when she does, it's a must-see event. 2011's Mildred Pierce was simply astonishing, a description that both Winslet and her co-star Guy Pearce also earned — alongside an Emmy each, plus three more for the HBO limited series itself. The two actors and the acclaimed US cable network all reteam for Mare of Easttown, and it too is excellent. Set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, it follows detective Mare Sheehan. As the 25th anniversary of her high-school basketball championship arrives, and after a year of trying to solve a missing person's case linked to one of her former teammates, a new murder upends her existence. Mare's life overflows with complications anyway, with her ex-husband (David Denman, Brightburn) getting remarried, and her mother (Jean Smart, Watchmen), teenage daughter (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home) and four-year-old grandson all under her roof. With town newcomer Richard Ryan (Pearce, The Last Vermeer), she snatches what boozy and physical solace she can. As compelling and textured as she always is, including in this year's Ammonite, Winslet turns Mare of Easttown into a commanding character study. That said, it's firmly an engrossing crime drama as well. Although yet again pondering the adult life of an ex-school sports star, The Way Back's Brad Ingelsby isn't just repeating himself by creating and writing this seven-part series, while The Leftovers and The Hunt's Craig Zobel takes to his directing gig with a probing eye. Won: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Kate Winslet), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Julianne Nicholson), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Evan Peters). Where to watch it: Binge. HACKS What it's about: It sounds like an obvious premise, and one that countless films and TV shows have already mined in the name of laughs. In Hacks, two vastly dissimilar people are pushed together, with the resulting conflict guiding the series. Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) and her new boss Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown) couldn't be more different in age, experience, tastes and opinions. The former is a 25-year-old who made the move to Hollywood, has been living out her dream as a comedy writer, but found her career plummeting after a tweet crashed and burned. The latter is a legendary stand-up who hasn't stopped hitting the stage for decades, is approaching the 2500th show of her long-running Las Vegas residency and is very set in her ways. They appear to share exactly one thing in common: a love for comedy. They're an odd couple thrust together by their mutual manager Jimmy (Paul W Downs, Broad City), neither wants to be working with the other, and — to the surprise of no one, including each other — they clash again and again. There's no laugh track adding obvious chuckles to this HBO sitcom, though. Created by three of the talents behind Broad City, Hacks isn't solely interested in setting two seemingly mismatched characters against each other. This is a smart and insightful series about what genuinely happens when this duo spends more and more time together, what's sparked their generational conflict and what, despite their evident differences, they actually share beyond that love of making people laugh. And, it's a frank, funny and biting assessment of being a woman in entertainment — and it's also always as canny as it is hilarious. Won: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Jean Smart), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Lucia Aniello, Paul W Downs and Jen Statsky), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Lucia Aniello). Where to watch it: Stan. Read our full review. I MAY DESTROY YOU What it's about: Newly returned from a working trip to Italy, struggling to write her second novel after her first struck a sizeable chord and pushing up against a draft deadline just hours away, Arabella (Michaela Coel, Chewing Gum) takes some time out from an all-nighter to procrastinate with friends over a few drinks in a couple of London bars. The next morning, the Twitter-famous scribe is shaky, hazy and feels far from her normal self — and across the next 11 episodes of this instantly blistering 12-part series, I May Destroy You delves into the aftermath. Arabella realises that she was raped that evening, and that devastating event understandably rattles everything in her life. As she faces the situation, the series she's in is nothing short of phenomenal. Not only created and written by the unflinching and captivating Coel, but inspired by her own real-life experience with sexual assault, the result is as bold, raw and frank as it is sensitive and affecting. It also feels personal at every single moment. An immensely powerful show that intimately interrogates power on multiple levels and features an unsurprisingly potent performance by Coel, I May Destroy You was easily 2020's number-one must-see show, and its absolute best. It also sits among the best series of the 21st century so far as well, and won't be losing that title any time soon. Won: Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Michaela Coel). Where to watch it: Binge. HAMILTON What it's about: If you haven't been lucky enough to catch Hamilton on the stage — and, let's face it, most of us haven't — a filmed "live capture" version of the popular hip hop musical here to fill the gap. The story, for those who aren't intimately acquainted with US revolutionary history, chronicles the Caribbean-born eponymous "bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman" from his arrival in New York in the early 1770s. As the informative opening number explains, Alexander Hamilton will go on to become "the ten-dollar Founding Father without a father", with the production charting how he "got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter and by being a self-starter." And, as shot on Broadway back in 2016, the results really are as exceptional as we've all been hearing for the past five years. The entire cast, including not only creator, writer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda but Tony-winners Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) and Leslie Odom Jr (Murder on the Orient Express), Mindhunter's Jonathan Groff and Waves' Renee Elise Goldsberry, is superb, as is every element of the production. Infectiously exuberant from its first moments, and not only lively but frequently funny, Miranda's rich, dense but always-accessible words and songs interrogate US history with passion, intelligence and energy. They'll also become firmly lodged in your head, too, so don't say we didn't warn you. Won: Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). Where to watch it: Disney+. Read our full review. THE CROWN What it's about: 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 astounding — and in a show that's always been buoyed by its performances, that's saying something. Won: Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Olivia Colman), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Josh O'Connor), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Gillian Anderson), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Tobias Menzies), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Peter Morgan), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Jessica Hobbs). Where to watch it: Netflix. THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT What it's about: 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 an acute 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. Won: Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Scott Frank). Where to watch it: Netflix. Read our full review. HALSTON What it's about: American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, better known just as Halston, has already received the documentary treatment. But the wild tale of his successes, struggles, ups and downs, as well as his frequent presence at Studio 54, his list of celebrity friends and his ill-advised business decisions, similarly drives the five-part Netflix miniseries that also shares his name. Proving as chameleonic as ever, Ewan McGregor (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the titular part. He's charismatic, dynamic and all-round fantastic, as he always is, and the series wouldn't be the same without him. Indeed, this is a case of a performance — and a vibe, because Halston embraces exactly the atmosphere you'd expect given that it's set from the 60s to the 90s — doing most of the heavy lifting. Still, that central portrayal and the mood around him makes this a must-see. Because Halston was famously pals with Liza Minnelli, Krysta Rodriguez (Lisey's Story) also steps into famous shoes and, off-screen, Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, American Crime Story, Pose, Glee) adds yet another series to his lengthy resume. Watching the doco as well is recommended, but this is entertaining viewing nonetheless. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Ewan McGregor). Where to watch it: Netflix.
From a flaky raclette cheese and bacon croissant tart to a light honey-hojicha number, Head Chef Gareth Whitton is always dreaming up new specials for the pastry cabinet at Tarts Anon. His latest creation is herbaceous and comes from an unlikely source of inspiration — the forest green Birkenstock kitchen clogs that he's worn throughout most of his career. This weekend, Tarts Anon's Richmond bakery has joined forces with Birkenstock to create an exclusive $12-per-slice thyme, chocolate and verjus tart. The tart nods to Whitton's Birkenstock Boston clogs in Thyme with swirls of thyme-chocolate mousse and dusted with cocoa in Birkenstock's signature tread pattern. It also mirrors the green found throughout the venue — a fit-out designed alongside Nathan Toleman, the hospo heavyweight behind gems like Top Paddock, Lilac Wine Bar and Hazel. Plus, three Golden Tickets will be hidden beneath lucky slices, each worth a $250 Birkenstock Australia online voucher. Tarts Anon will be serving up its limited edition thyme, chocolate and verjus tart with the chance to win a $250 Birkenstock online voucher from September 12–14. Images: supplied
Summer has (finally) arrived. And while days lazing in the sun and nights chilling on rooftops are all well and good (and some of our favourite activities, to be honest), there is more to our city than just your same-old. This year, instead of sticking to your go-tos, use the longer days and balmy nights as permission to discover a new side of Melbourne that you've never experienced before. To help you do just that, we've teamed up with our mates over at the inner city-inspired brewer Atomic Beer Project to highlight some of the most innovative events happening in our city this summer. From a hypnotic virtual reality exhibition and a free live music series to the opening of Melbourne's first surf park, these five happenings are sure to make you step a little further outside your comfort zone and seek more interesting experiences — and to give you something way more interesting to talk about at the next backyard barbie. SPEND TIME INSIDE AN INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL REALITY EXHIBITION When? Until March 1 Lovers of digital, interactive and immersive art should make tracks to the Heide Museum of Modern Art, where Terminus: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward is now exhibiting. Open until March 1, 2020, the free virtual reality exhibition is a collaboration between New York-based visual artist Jess Johnson and Wellington animator Simon Ward. Johnson's hypnotic drawings have been transformed into five interactive virtual reality works, which make up five distinct and other-worldly realms. In this choose-your-own-adventure exhibition, visitors are invited to explore the artworks through a 60-minute 'quest', venturing between the realms. It's kind of like living out your very own video game fantasy. A public program of artist talks and workshops will also accompany the exhibit, including a virtual reality cinema workshop on February 1 — during which participants will create a VR short. For more information, head to the website. WITNESS FLYING LOTUS' NEW PSYCHADELIC 3D MUSICAL PERFORMANCE When? January 25 Grammy-nominated artist Flying Lotus is heading to Aussie shores for the first time since 2015. He'll take over Forum Melbourne for one night only on Saturday, January 25 with his latest performance experience, Flying Lotus 3D. While much of the show will remain a mystery until the night, ticket holders can expect it to centre around FlyLo's fire-themed 2019 album Flamagra. The album is chockers with jam sessions, jazz influence, electro-funk and hip hop beats, along with heaps of all-star collaborators — including Anderson .Paak, Little Dragon, Toro y Moi and even renowned filmmaker David Lynch. This performance is a must for experimental music and visual arts lovers. Tickets are $89 each and this one will likely sell out, so best buy them here before it's too late. [caption id="attachment_750758" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Gibson[/caption] LEARN TO RIDE A WAVE AT MELBOURNE'S NEW SURF PARK When? Opening January 2020 After years of hype, Australia's first surf park is finally set to open this January. Urbnsurf Melbourne will soon open near the Tullamarine airport, just 16 kilometres north of the CBD. The two-hectare space has already begun to test its first waves, and, once it's at full capacity, will be powered to pump out a whopping 1000 waves per hour. The park is built for both pros and beginners. The artificial wave technology used, called Wavegarden Cove, allows the on-ground crew to alter wave shape, weight and power, so punters can have their choice of waves, whether that's perfectly-formed right-handers or a random, ocean-simulating selection. Urbnsurf is also bringing some of Australia's top chefs with it. It has teamed up with Darren Robertson, Andy Allen and Mark LaBrooy to bring the fifth instalment of their farm-to-table eatery Three Blue Ducks to our city. The all-day, two-level restaurant will be built inside the two-hectare surfing lagoon and boasts high ceilings, a big open bar and an expansive, greenery-filled deck out front, so diners can watch the surfers in action. If you're especially keen, memberships have also recently gone on sale. [caption id="attachment_710997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Lidmila[/caption] LET LOOSE AT A JUDGEMENT-FREE HIP HOP CLASS IN FITZROY When? Every Tuesday and Wednesday Judgement-free dance class Groove Therapy has become a mainstay in The Worker's Club's weekly calendar since launching a few years back. Expect no-mirrors, just-for-fun vibes, designed to help beginners let go of their fear of dancing in public. But don't be fooled, this is still a legit hip hop class, taught by professionals who have trained across New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo. This is your weekly chance to learn some serious moves without being self-conscious about it — and all for just $20 a pop. The classes run every Tuesday from 6.30–7.30pm and Wednesday between 7–8pm, and you can book a spot on the website. [caption id="attachment_750081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glenn Mucutt[/caption] ATTEND A FREE GIG (WITH A DIFFERENCE) IN QUEEN VICTORIA GARDENS When? February 8 and 29 MPavilion — a design series which sees a new temporary structure erected in the Queen Victoria Gardens each spring — is essentially a big compilation of free arts and culture events. As part of this year's massive program, local not-for-profit Music in Exile will take over the space for two evenings on February 8 and 29 from 5–7pm. These special exhibitions will present work by Melbourne artists from a refugee or migrant background. Each session will include a one-hour live performance, with the remaining time dedicated to interacting with the musicians as they share stories and musical traditions. On February 8, the eclectic and rhythmic sounds of Ausecuma Beats will take the stage — the group is a combo of Senegambian, Cuban, Malian and Australian musicians. On February 29, Music Yared will be in the house — this group features Ethiopian musicians Haftu Reda and Anbessa Gebrehiwot, who will play traditional instruments including the krar (five-string lyre) and the masinko (single-string violin). Both nights are absolutely free. For more details, head here. Step outside your comfort zone and celebrate creativity with Atomic Beer Project's hop-driven brews. To see the full range, visit the website. Top image: Christian Capurro.
When South by Southwest revealed two key pieces of news back in 2022 — that it would be held outside of the US for the first time ever, and that it was heading to Sydney to make that happen — the end result was always going to be big. SXSW Sydney is still more than two months away, taking place from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, but it just keeps adding to its hefty lineup. The latest? Queer Eye star Tan France and Coachella CEO Paul Tollett as headline speakers. France joins the bill as part of SXSW Sydney's focus on screens. The Yorkshire-raised, fashion-loving star has plenty to talk about, including Queer Eye, his New York Times best-selling memoir, YouTube's Dressing Funny, fellow Netflix series Next In Fashion and his own gender-neutral clothing line. The screen fest within the fest is yet to announce what it'll be showing, but it also named filmmakers Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road: Origin) and Jub Clerc (Sweet As) among its speakers earlier in July. Tollett clearly connects to SXSW Sydney's music festival, given that he has experience with one of the biggest such events in the world. As CEO of Goldenvoice, the promoter behind Coachella, he's also spearheaded the Stagecoach country fest — and he started his career in the 80s working in rock. Also joining the speaker lineup as a headliner Cal Henderson, who your workplace might owe a debt to. He's Slack's co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, and ties into SXSW's Sydney's technology strand. And, as already announced back in February, American futurist, The Genesis Machine author, and Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb is both a keynote speaker and headliner. France, Tollett, Henderson and Webb will feature among 700-plus speakers, and more than 300 panels and events, at the Austin-born festival's Down Under debut. So far, the fest has also unveiled a batch of music highlights and must-attend parties, plus details of its gaming strand, with more program details still to come. On the music front, over 400 artist performances will take over Sydney's venues, with the entire event happening within a walkable precinct in the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more — aka a huge hub. [caption id="attachment_910712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brittany Hallberg[/caption] SXSW's setup includes packing festivals within the bigger fest, plus exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations popping up everywhere. So far, venues named include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. Attendees can hit up the SXSW Sydney Conference, which is where those keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions come in. And, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions, which is all about innovative and emerging tech and entertainment companies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Plus, at the Startup Village, up-and-comers from all industries and sectors will have space to meet, present and chat. [caption id="attachment_910713" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brittany Hallberg[/caption] SXSW's arts fests will span the SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival, which will be focused on live music venues in central Sydney — and the SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival, complete with more than 100 local and international independent games to play at venues (alongside demonstrations, launches performances, exhibitions and social gatherings). Movie and TV lovers, get excited — because the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just a film fest. There'll be flicks to see, including at red-carpet premieres; episodic content; and digital, XR and social content. Expect Q&As and panel discussions with the folks behind them as well. [caption id="attachment_910714" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Kirk[/caption] SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for further details. Top image: Netflix. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
While NSW's restrictions are easing somewhat, with restaurants, cafes and other food-first venues reopening with restrictions from May 15, we're still a little way off being able to head underground for just a shot of cognac, a shit tinnie and shooting the shit at a bar. This exact scenario is what we're missing at Ramblin' Rascal Tavern, Sydney's cognac- and corn nut-doused dive bar. So, we've asked Bar Manager Dylan Ruba how we can attempt to recreate a small slice of that experience at home: the drinks. If you've frequented Ramblin', you've more than likely had your cognac, short, neat and consumed in one shot, but when you're at home on the couch watching Mad Men reruns (as Ruba has during lockdown), you might want to try something a little… longer. Ruba's run us through three of his favourite drinks to make at home, which are riffs on a few of Rascal's signature cocktails. They're "tried and tested with a bit of at-home flair" according to Ruba — and they're drinks you can make without fancy cocktail shakers, stirrers or julep strainers, too. Also, because Stanley Tucci is now synonymous with quarantine cocktails, we couldn't not ask Ruba his opinions on the now-infamous shaken double shot gin negroni. "Look, I'm never one to judge someone on how they like their drinks," said Ruba. "I can't say that's how I'd do it, but props to Stanley for standing by his own ways and preferences." How would Ruba make his ideal negroni? "Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, and stir it down over ice with a slice of orange." Easy. [caption id="attachment_515137" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ramblin' Rascal Tavern[/caption] SEASON 6 Tart, but sweet. Orange peel is an ingredient often used in the crafting of gin, and stewed fruits help bring out those forgotten flavours. 45ml gin 30ml lemon juice 10ml sugar Teaspoon marmalade Prosecco Lemon twist You can make the Season 6 one of two ways: shaken or blended. For shaken: pour all ingredients into a jar (or a cocktail shaker if you have it) over ice, put a lid on it, shake. Strain into a coupe or flute (or, frankly, a mug if it's what you've got) and garnish with a dash of prosecco and a lemon twist. For blended: chuck all ingredients into a blender with ice. Blend. Pour slushie into glass of your choice and top with a dash of prosecco and a lemon twist. GERI HALLIWELL Really, really easy one, it's a bit like a dark and stormy or moscow mule, but a bitter, spicier version 30ml Martell Blue Swift 20ml lime juice Cracked pepper Ginger beer Lime wedge Build in a tall glass with ice, add 'one spin of the pepper cracker' worth of pepper, top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge. BLUE STEEL This is a heavier drink, bit like at an old fashioned but instead of using bitters — which not many people have at home — it has nutmeg and vanilla, which we've all got lying around from baking. Nutmeg also helps brings out the flavours of Martell Blue Swift, which has been finished in bourbon barrels. 45ml Martell Blue Swift 10ml sugar syrup A few drops of vanilla essence Small pinch of nutmeg Lemon twist Pour all ingredients into a short glass, stir down over ice. If you don't have a stirrer, you can just use a teaspoon. Garnish with a lemon twist. Make it and serve it all that one glass.
If you’re living away from home and you’re not much of a cook, chances are you’ve got a couple of go-to takeaway spots and a couple of packs of Mi Goreng when all else fails. But soon, there’ll be a way of ordering a home-cooked meal that’s just as fast and probably way more interesting and healthy. Yourfork is a Sydney-based website where home cooks post their menus and customers can order off them online for pick-up. According to founder Roshan Mahanama, the idea for Yourfork came from his sister-in-law who, after backpacking in the Americas, had a craving for a particular Peruvian dessert. To their amazement, there wasn’t a single Sydney restaurant that made it. "We thought ‘Wow, isn’t that weird that there’s all these restaurants in Sydney and you can’t find this because it’s just not mainstream?’" he said. Roshan and his brother Shanu came back to the idea of an online platform for home cooks in late August this year after selling another business, a food and coffee reordering app that had never really taken off. After spending a month mocking up the website on pieces of paper and setting up a Facebook page to gauge the level of interest in the idea, they realised the demand was pretty big. After the page received over 200 likes in two weeks, the brothers started looking for home cooks who wanted to sign up to the website. As well as providing a platform for aspiring chefs who aren’t ready to take the risk in a fully fledged restaurant, Roshan said that one of the goals of Yourfork was to create a space for niche cuisines that might not fit in with whatever the latest dining trend might be (Mexican, anyone?). Some of the examples on the site include raw food and Egyptian-Indian fusion. “What we realised very quickly was that our Facebook community was telling us what they wanted to see, and it wasn’t stuff you could get in a restaurant,” he said. “From a restaurant’s point of view, they’re not sure if enough people are going to order it so they never make it because they don’t want to lose money. But a mum and dad at home ... they don’t care if one thousand people or two people order it.” Right now, the site is still essentially in beta testing mode, with five chefs ready to go and 45 more signed up and still working on their menus. While the chefs are scattered all across Australia, the majority are in Sydney. Roshan says he’d ideally like to launch the site properly in the next couple of months. As for what he’d ultimately like to see happen with Yourfork? “It’d be really cool if I’m with a bunch of mates, and they don’t know that Yourfork’s my site, and we’re all like, ‘I don’t feel like cooking tonight,’ and somebody goes ‘Oh, let’s Yourfork it.’”
It's said that good things come in threes, and this couldn't be truer right now for Sydney theatre lovers, with the announcement that the city has exclusively secured a trifecta of musical blockbusters. The NSW Government has locked down the world-class productions of Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and Waitress. It's that last one we're most excited about — it first hit Broadway in 2016 and has gone on to gain stellar reviews, numerous Tony nominations and sold-out shows night after night. Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. While Waitress won't be here until 2020, the other two productions are set to be performed in 2019. The story of Chicago needs no introduction being one of the most successful theatre productions ever, while Saturday Night Fever is a favourite amongst Australian audiences, although its current iteration has never been performed here. Together, the three shows are expected to bring in more than 60,000 visitors to Sydney, while also generating millions in tourism revenue. Perhaps in an effort to rival Melbourne's theatre scene — which nabbed the Australian 2019 premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Sydney has upped its commitment to theatre this year. As well as these international shows, the NSW Government announced plans to turn the Powerhouse site into a new theatre. Chicago will open at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in mid-2019, while Saturday Night Fever will be performed at the Capitol Theatre from August 2019. The Australian premiere of Waitress is set to hit Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2020. Image: Joan Marcus.
UPDATE, MARCH 19: Due to concerns around COVID-19, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet will no longer screen in Australian and New Zealand cinemas onFriday, April 17. At present, a new release date has not been announced — we'll update you when one has been revealed. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. David Attenborough will turn 94 in 2020, but the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series last year — Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet — and even appearing at Glastonbury to promote the latter, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to cinemas. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, the resulting doco us described as "a powerful message of hope for future generations". In the just-released first trailer, Attenborough doesn't hold back. "The living world is a unique and spectacular marvel, yet the way we humans live on earth is sending it into a decline," he comments — before further noting that "human beings have overrun the world". He calls the film his "witness statement" and his "vision for the future", exploring humankind's actions over its existence and how moves can be made to address the planet's current environmental state. Naturally, Attenborough's wise words are combined with striking footage — as you'd expect of anything that the broadcaster is involved in. A Life On Our Planet will screen in cinemas Down Under for one night only, on Friday, April 17, before hitting Netflix later in the year. Head along to see it on the big screen, and you'll also be treated to footage of Attenborough from the film's London premiere hours earlier, where he'll joined live on stage by a range of guests to discuss issues raised in the doco. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVkqjHrAzw&feature=youtu.be David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet was due screen in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Friday, April 17, before hitting Netflix later in the year; however it'll now release on a yet-to-be-revealed date — we'll update you when one is announced. Image: Joe Fereday, Silverback Films.
Melbourne's Queen Victoria Gardens will again play host to MPavilion, a four-month program of free talks, workshops, performances and installations from October 5, 2016 to February 18, 2017. This year, Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai will install Australia's largest bamboo structure — of all time. The 282-square-metre art-chitecture project will be constructed using ancient building techniques and materials sourced from India and Australia. Along with the bamboo, Jain will use earth, stone and rope in order to create a structure that references both the Australian landscape and Indian tradition. Though it will be made simply from plant and earth-based materials, the structure sounds like it will be anything but simple. The roof will be made of karvi panels, which is created from a mix of cow dung and earth, and will be supported by 2.4-metre-high bamboo columns. White lime daub will act as a waterproofing agent and a 12-metre-tall tazia, an ornamental tower used in Indian ceremonies, will be constructed and viewable through the oculus in the suspended ceiling. Basically, it's going to be super, super cool. Jain told Dezeen that the creative space is meant to "suspend visitors between earth, ground and sky". Studio Mumbai is known for collaboration and often works with local artisans to design and build their projects with a connection to the environment it inhabits. If you want to get to know more about the man behind the plan, the RMIT Gallery is offering a preview, Bijoy Jain and Lore: Making MPavilion 2016, which will run September 9 through October 22. The exhibition explores Jain's inspiration and process, and features models and sketches of the new MPavilion prior to its official launch on October 4. MPavilion, presented by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, is in its third year and will again serve as a hub for free cultural activities. Past years have seen the Gardens host AL_A's immersive petal-shaped structure and Sean Godsell Architects' walled garden with moveable exterior. This year's MPavilion will remain in the Gardens until February, after which time it will be moved to a permanent home within Melbourne's CBD. Via Dezeen and Inhabitat. Images courtesy Studio Mumbai. Top image: Nicholas Watt.
Melbourne's stunning Acne Studios store opened its doors back in 2014. Since then, it has been slinging coveted Scandi-minimalist garments, and maxing out Melburnian credit cards on the reg. Now, over in Collingwood, it's hosting a six-day pop-up with a heap of standout sales. Here, you'll be able to snaffle clothes, shoes and accessories — with discounts of up to 80 percent. While the label is being appropriately vague about what will be on offer, it is saying that there'll be pieces from Fall/Winter 2014 through to current stock. Who knows, maybe that pink silk jacket — or those leather white sneakers — you had your eye on a couple of years ago will be back (and actually affordable). We do suggest, however, heading in earlier rather than later, as the best bargains will be snapped up early. Acne Studios Pop-Up Sale will be open from 8am–8pm on Tuesday, 10am–8pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 10am–6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 11am–5pm on Sunday.
Family-run Middle Eastern venue Oasis currently holds a firm place in a whole lot of hearts. It's been 21 years since Emad and Marwa Makool first launched their pint-sized bakery and grocery store in Murrumbeena, and its popularity has spurred plenty of expansion along the way. In fact, the cult favourite has grown so much, it's opened the doors to a second outpost. This month, it has unveiled its new cafe, food store and cooking school in the heart of Fairfield. Marking an exciting new era for the long-running favourite, the Station Street space is a contemporary food-lover's haven, complete with a restaurant, an all-day wine offering and a sprawling retail selection. The restaurant space boasts room for 170 people across two levels, its contemporary fit-out cheery and inviting. Here, you can settle in over coffee and hearty breakfast plates, such as the orange blossom hotcakes with blood orange syrup, honey labneh and rose petal katifi, and a classic shakshuka eggs starring house-made tomato sauce and cilbir yoghurt. [caption id="attachment_725339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Sobey[/caption] Lunch and dinner might find you tucking into one of Oasis's famed shawarma wraps, a salmon burger showcasing its legendary 'yalleteef' spice mix, or maybe a share plate of roasted chicken wings elevated with chilli and pomegranate sauce. To match, there's a lineup of craft beers, wines from both Victoria and Lebanon, and classic cocktails available all day. Venture through to the grocery section to find a hefty range of Oasis's signature Lebanese pita bread, pizzas and pastries, baked at the original outpost in Murrumbeena. The rest of the shelves are stocked with a tidy curation of pantry staples, regularly adjusted according to what customers are loving. Find Oasis Fairfield at 92–96 Station Street, Fairfield. It's open from Monday–Thursday 7am–7pm, Friday 7am–9pm, Saturday 8am–9pm and Sunday 8am–7pm. Images: Gareth Sobey
The National Gallery of Victoria has been displaying a plethora of Chinese masterpieces lately, and the opening of its new dual exhibitions — Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape — are two more unmissable additions. The most monumental part of the exhibition is undoubtedly the Terracotta Army: a collection of sculptures that were created for the first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang's gigantic tomb back around 221–206 BCE but were only discovered in Shaanxi province in 1974. It's one of the 20th century's most significant archaeological finds. The NGV had displayed some of them before back in the 80s, but has managed to score eight (of the estimated 8000) terracotta warriors for its 2019 Winter Masterpieces exhibition. They're supported by a cast of two breathtaking life-size Imperial Army horses and two smaller replica bronze chariots, and complemented by a remarkable selection of gold, jade and bronze artefacts that date back a thousand years. Finding parallels with the terracotta warriors, Cai Guo-Qiang's exhibition provides a contemporary perspective on China's culture and ancient philosophies. Across installation, exhibition design and paintings forged with gunpowder, Cai's work illuminates his sincere commitment to the idea that history and ritual can inform great contemporary art. Below, we've picked out six artworks that highlight why this exhibition is one you have to catch — whether you live in Melbourne or interstate. It will be showing right up until October 13. CAI GUO-QIANG [caption id="attachment_722861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] TRANSIENCE (PEONY) From good fortune to compassion and romance, peonies have held an important significance within Chinese culture for centuries. This artwork is made up of two works, with Transience I (Peony) being a huge mound of porcelain, which has been singed with gunpowder. The second part, Transience II (Peony), is an immersive 360-degree painting where Cai Guo-Qiang showcases the peony throughout its four stages of life — from its emergence to its bloom, wilting and eventually its decay. Each colourful petal displayed across the work was created using colourful gunpowder (in a Williamstown warehouse) to scorch the silk underneath forming unique characteristics and shapes. Together, the two works explore the fragility of life and hint at the downfall of the Qin empire — it was the first dynasty of Imperial China and lasted only 14 years as advisors fought for control. [caption id="attachment_722859" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] MURMURATION (LANDSCAPE) Featuring 10,000 porcelain starlings, this mind-bending installation seeks to recreate the bewildering phenomenon of 'murmuration', where large flocks of birds move effortlessly in harmony — something that scientists still haven't landed on a conclusive answer for. Simultaneously, Cai's intricate work also resembles the undulating slopes of Mount Li, a culturally and spiritually significant place that was chosen by Emperor Qin Shihuang to house his giant terracotta army. Meanwhile, each of the birds in the artwork were produced in Cai's hometown of Quanzhou, which has strong traditions of crafting high-quality white porcelain. However, Cai used gunpowder to ignite his flock into a dramatic shade of black. [caption id="attachment_723262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] FLOW (CYPRESS) Like peonies, cypress trees have long been an important emblem in ancient Chinese history. Symbolising resilience and integrity in art and literature, this large-scale creation saw Cai draw with gunpowder and mimic what's known in Chinese as dimai, or 'veins of the earth'. According to feng shui, the Chinese study of energy forces, locations that feature distinct valleys and rivers represent the earth's most abundant settings and have been chosen throughout ancient history as the sites for tombs and other places of supreme importance. This work depicts China's Central Plains, which is considered to be the birthplace of the concepts of yin and yang, Taoism, and the starting point for 400 years of the Han Dynasty. TERRACOTTA WARRIORS [caption id="attachment_723265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] ARMOURED MILITARY OFFICER With an estimated 8000 terracotta warriors buried at the Xi'an excavation site, so far only about 2000 have managed to be successfully removed. However, what has astounded experts is that every figure they've managed to unearth has its own unique attributes, whether that be the uniforms they're wearing, the weapons they carry or the hairstyles of the people. This fact has led many to believe that each of the warriors could actually represent a real-life person from Emperor Qin's army of the time. [caption id="attachment_723264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] KNEELING ARCHER Discovered in one of the excavation site's enormous pits, the kneeling archers are some of the Terracotta Army's best-preserved items that have been discovered to date. Highly realistic with their armour and facial expressions crafted in stunning detail, on average, the kneeling archers stand at about 1.2-metres-tall and are considered absolute masterpieces of ancient Chinese sculpture. It's said that the craftspeople responsible for the Terracotta Warriors paid extra careful attention to the kneeling arches, which can be seen in the stitching on their shoes and the immaculately produced armour plating. [caption id="attachment_723263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] MYTHICAL CREATURE The huge cache of ancient marvels didn't just include thousands of soldiers. For his journey into the afterlife, Emperor Qin decided that he'd need a host of other possessions, people and creatures to help him on his way. So far, archaeologists who remain hard at work digging through the earth have found a wealth of civilian figurines, carriages and even animals, including this remarkably preserved pair of mythical creatures. From singers and acrobats to strongmen, other findings include bronze cranes, horses and suits of armour, plus a host of buildings from his own imperial palace such as halls, stables and offices. Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality and Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape will both be on display at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne until Sunday, October 13. Admission is $30 for adults and includes entry to both exhibitions. You can buy tickets at the gallery or in advance here. Images: courtesy NGV International.
