It has been over 130 years since the site on the corner of Langridge Road and Raphael Street first started pouring beers, but the Abbotsford watering hole has not too long ago undergone a significant makeover. Visitors to The Carringbush Hotel found a new team at the helm and a new menu tempting tastebuds. Plenty of brews remain, obviously, but the food lineup is now completely vegan and vegetarian. The Carringbush has ditched meat in favour of vegan burgers, chargrilled cauliflower pieces, eggplant parmigiana, plus spicy corn fritters, onion rings and miso ramens. [caption id="attachment_863427" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carmen Zammit[/caption] The Carringbush Hotel has a great cocktail list too, featuring a pineapple vanilla mojito and a caliente margarita. The wine list is also on point, featuring ambient drops such as a 2020 Garage Project pinot noir. And for those keen on a bit of history, The Carringbush's original name — The Friendly Societies Hotel — is still emblazoned on its facade. The spot has been known by its current moniker since 1984, with the title stemming from Frank Hardy novel Power Without Glory. Appears in: The Best Vegan Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
So long, Bedford St. The Collingwood bar and cafe owned by Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters has undergone a facelift, and a fairly drastic one at that. Gone are the mac and cheese pancakes, fried chicken and toasted Wagon Wheel pies, now replaced with healthy food options less likely to clog up your arteries along with a seriously souped-up coffee menu. Now known as Terror Twilight, the newly renovated venue features a menu from Wide Open Road chef Pia Hambour. Standout breakfast dishes include three grain porridge with fresh figs, winter fruit, toasted seeds and coconut flakes, and a roast chicken sandwich with pistachio, bacon, prune and lemon mayo. Later in the day, diners can customise their own bowls, choosing from bases like steamed brown rice or sautéed broccoli, sides like roasted sweet potato or grilled haloumi, and proteins like grilled salmon or Sichuan marinated tofu. Alternatively, you can opt for a broth. There'll also be the option to upgrade your coffee with nootropic supplements and natural health-boosters, such as chaga mushrooms and MCT oil. If that's not your thing, you can grab a refreshing smoothie or a cold press juice instead. Find Terror Twilight at 86 Johnston Street, Collingwood from Thursday, May 18. For more information visit www.terrortwilight.com.au.
With more than 150 years of winemaking history, the Mudgee region is a well-known weekend destination for wine lovers exploring New South Wales. Sheltered in the Cudgegong River Valley and surrounded by fertile farm land, it's the third largest grape-producing area in the state. The warm, temperate climate is ideal for varieties like tempranillo and garnacha. And many of the varieties you'd find in the Hunter Valley are also on offer here. Whether you're taking a road trip from Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney, we've partnered with Destination NSW to bring you a guide to spending 48 hours in the wine region, from which vineyards and restaurants you should visit to the boutique accommodation on offer in the region. Start planning your road trip now. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_790168" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pipeclay Pumphouse via Destination NSW[/caption] EAT Thanks to powerful promotion of local produce, Mudgee specialises in high-quality eateries. Market Street Cafe is one of them. The large, sunny space feels like a French country kitchen and the food follows suit — classic dishes, cooked with premium ingredients. For dinner, there's Pipeclay Pumphouse. It's part of the Robert Stein Winery and Vineyard, one of Mudgee's best-known winemakers. Opened in October 2013, the fine diner presents a range of seven- and ten-course degustations and you can add on matching wines from the Robert Stein range, or from Mudgee vineyards more broadly. Meanwhile, good coffee can be found at cute, French-influenced, courtyard cafe Alby + Esthers. [caption id="attachment_790162" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gilbert Family Wines via Destination NSW[/caption] DRINK Start your wine tasting experience at Lowe Wines. Headed by sixth-generation Mudgee man and intelligent farming advocate David Lowe, it's home to expansive organic, biodynamic vineyards, rescued donkeys and a recycled 'chook palace'. Take it all in on a self-guided walking tour. Next, head to one (or more) of several wineries in the area specialising in European varieties. Mudgee's warm, temperate climate is ideal for them. Vinifera is known for its excellent Spanish-inspired drops and was one of the first wineries in Australia to experiment with tempranillo. Then, at Di Lusso, you'll find a focus on Italian wines and food, and at Mansfield, you'll discover unusual Portuguese-style drops. There are another 30 or so wineries to visit, including slick, big-name operations like Robert Oatley and smaller, fifth-generation winemakers Gilbert Family Wines, so be sure to book into your favourites in advance to secure tasting sessions before you travel. [caption id="attachment_790153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roth's Wine Bar via Destination NSW[/caption] DO When you want to drink somewhere other than at a vineyard, head to Roth's. It's the oldest wine bar in New South Wales, having set up as an illicit operation in the 1920s. And the 80-percent local wine list gives you the chance to sample anything you might have missed on your tasting adventures. Just up the road, the Mudgee Brewing Company is where to sample locally made ales and, when up and running again, hear local live music. If shopping is more your thing, check out the diverse range of native products and foods at the cafe and shop by Indigiearth. [caption id="attachment_790157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dunns Swamp, Destination NSW[/caption] For those looking for some outdoor adventuring, there's the western fringe of the Wollemi National Park to explore, including the incredible scenery of Dunns Swamp, which forms the head of the Cudgegong River, and has plenty of opportunities for cycling, walking and kayaking. [caption id="attachment_790159" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sierra Escape via Cameron D'Arcy[/caption] STAY One of the most beautiful (albeit pricey) options for sleeping is Evanslea. The estate sprawls across nine acres on the Cudgegong riverfront, yet it's within walking distance to town. Accommodation takes the form of five-star luxury spa cottages, and there's a communal pool and a tennis court. Here's the clincher: private wine tours in a vintage Valiant can be organised on request. Alternatively, you can stay at luxury glamping site Sierra Escape, which is only 20 minutes' drive from the centre of Mudgee, but feels a million miles from anything as it's surrounded by rolling countryside as far as the eye can see. Two-person tents start at $440 per night. Or, for a more architectural experience, there's The Black Shed. The newly built shed is found five kilometres from Mudgee, set within a working vineyard with free-roaming chooks and farm dogs. Now that interstate border restrictions have started to ease, start planning a trip to this picturesque wine region in NSW. For more details, visit Destination NSW's website. Top image: Lowe Wines, Destination NSW
Japanese tea rooms, erotic dance numbers and duets performed via Skype. These are just a few of the events you'll find on the program at Melbourne's second ever Festival of Live Art. Hosted by Arts House, Theatre Works, and Footscray Community Arts Centre, this two-week marathon of exciting and experimental art is perfect for people who have no interest in wandering aimlessly around a gallery. So from March 1-13, expect the unexpected. Blurring the lines between a litany of disciplines including dance, theatre, music, film, sculpture and even knitting, this year's lineup includes more than 50 different works produced by artists from all around the country and the world. Sydney artist David Capra — creator of the wet sausage dog scent — will be in town with his pet pooch to present his playful installation Teena's Bathtime, while Tamara Saulwick and Peter Knight have created an audio-visual piece titled Alter, made up of 16 carefully positioned iPads. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Image: Alexander Coggin
Salami enthusiasts and hunters of simple, homemade Italian lunches, you'd better get yourself to North Melbourne. There's a brand new salami bar opened on Atkin Street dubbed Saluministi, run by a hard-working Melburnian team painstakingly dedicated to handcrafted, Italian-style cured meats and paninis. Owners and brothers-in-law Frank Bressi and Peter Mastro are on a mission to bring back nostalgic Italian classics they grew up with, combined with their love for making salami. The team's signature handcrafted salami (which they've been making for eight years) was judged top three in the Melbourne Salami Festa for two years running. But now their delicious cured meats have a permanent home, snuggled in a warehouse-style, exposed brick type of minimalist kitchen in North Melbourne. There’s many ways you can delve into the wondrous world of Italian-style meats at Saluministi. You can tuck into one of their absolute specialties: the humble panini, from the breakfast panini (above), to the Salsiccia (grilled pork and fennel sausage, roasted peperonata, pecorino cheese and rocket), the Cotoletta (crumbed free-range pork loin, vincotto mayo, Italian coleslaw and provolone) or the Porchetta (free-range slow-roasted pork, artichoke paste, pecorino and rocket), each sitting at a pretty damn good $11-12. Nibbles are simple and traditionally Italian — we’re keen to get our mitts on the seasoned polenta sticks ($3 each). Plus, there’s Italian-style baked goods on offer — the housemade warm Nutella bombolini ($4 each) look genuinely insane. Find Saluministi at 8 Atkin Street, North Melbourne, 0413 082 253, www.saluministi.com.au. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30am - 4pm. Via Good Food. Images: Saluministi.
This one-off event with NYC yoga instructor Dina Smirnova is swapping the traditional yoga sounds of babbling brooks and wind-chimes for Drake in a hip hop yoga class — proving that anything is possible when it comes to this strange new world of hybrid yoga classes. Dina's original teaching style combines all the classics of vinyasa, but with a R'n'B flavour. In a candle-lit room. Expect a few hip hop battles, fast-moving sequences to a live DJ set blaring all the Drake classics. It's not your average way to open up your chakras, and will be testing for those used to downward dogging at a slower pace. But YogaDrake has been praised by non-yoga lovers as a great way to find their personal namaste — albeit onewith heaps more street cred. This class will be held at Footscray's Bluestone Church Arts Space on Saturday, November 14 from 7-9pm, and vegan treats will be available on the night. Best of all, entry is by gold coin donation.
Head to the south side of town to Hampton Wine Co. for dinner in both solid and liquid form — here, the wines are just as important as what you'll be eating. Just near Hampton Station, jazzing up an otherwise sleepy strip, Hampton Wine Co. is expertly run by an ex-Jacques Reymond team. The menu is made up of sharing plates with an emphasis on meat and seafood, but there are enough veggie options to satisfy any surprise dietary requirements. There's also a banging pizza menu with the Signor George with tomato, flor di latte mozzarella, hot salmi and olives the pick. Drink wise, the list includes a healthy range by the glass — including Gippsland Wine Co. chardonnay and Cosmo Wines cab sav — while the walls are full of bottles that can be purchased and drunk at your table. Cocktails include the zesty ' Tromba Margarita' and the fresh and fun 'Amalfi Club' with pink grapefruit gin. The Hampton Wine Co. bar is also a boutique bottle shop, so if you don't finish whatever wine you order from the menu, you can just take it home with you for a nightcap at yours. Appears in: The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne for 2023
If you're going to fork out an arm and a leg for candy bar concessions, the food may as well be good. That's the thinking behind the Coburg Drive-In Food Truck Festival, which after tantalising our tastebuds late last year is back in time for the whole summer. On selected date from January 7-30, you can sit back in your car and enjoy the latest Hollywood releases while chowing down on delectable offerings from Melbourne's leading mobile food vendors. Trucks on site include Sliders on Tires, Toasta, Taco Truck, Yogurddiction and The Brûlée Cart, whose popcorn-covered salted caramel crème brûlée feels perfect for the occasion. Get ready to break your New Year's resolution diets with an entire month's worth of in-vehicle dining.
Sick of mediocre Spotify radio playlists? Let's get to the good stuff, the physical stuff. Melbourne online record store vinyl. finds itself a bricks and mortar location on the first and third Saturday of every month, and this Saturday it's heading to the Northcote Social Club. Vinyl. only deals with new pressings of records, so you can expect the latest and greatest in pristine condition, no exceptions. As well as providing an eclectic mix of music-you're-yet-to-meet, the vinyl. pop-up endeavours to support Australian music by sourcing their vinyl from official Australian suppliers such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Australia, Inertia Warner and Rocket Distribution. Best of all, entry to the pop-up shop is free, but we certainly can’t guarantee you’ll walk out of there with a full wallet; you’re sure to leave with some musical gold. Happy treasure hunting.
This latest exhibition from the Monash University Museum of Art is inviting you into another world. Dark, surreal and strangely alluring, the work of Sydney-based artist Justene Williams is a dark riff on reality. And, in this new series of video installations, she draws you into the most entrancing set of images you've seen since your first episode of The Mighty Boosh. Though her creations appear other-worldy and even magical, they surprisingly find their origin in the mundane. Williams has stated the works were very much inspired by her now-deceased father, his work and the life they shared together. Accordingly, many of the sets in her work are composed of or decorated with everyday materials like inflatable pools and barbecues. Regardless, we suggest leaving your rationality at the door with this one; this is a collection of works best experienced by submitting yourself to its total hypnotism.
Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Astor Theatre has been reborn. After temporarily shutting down in April, Melbourne’s most iconic picture palace is open for business once again, and is celebrating with a red carpet premiere worthy of Tinseltown’s golden age. The gala will mark the first Melbourne screening of Women He’s Undressed, a documentary about Australian costume designer Orry-Kelly, a three-time Oscar winner who worked on dozens of Hollywood classics including Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon and Some Like It Hot. The red carpet rolls out at 6.15pm this Thursday for a 7pm screening with an introduction by the film’s director Gillian Armstrong. The screening will be followed by an afterparty in the art deco foyer, with beer, wine, canapés and live entertainment. Hopefully the candy bar will still be open too — because after all, no trip to The Astor is complete without a choc-ice choc top. The good news? It looks like they’ll be available for many years to come.
Canadian producer Dan Snaith, aka Caribou, is headed to Australia for one of summer's most anticipated tours. One of the major headliners for St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Caribou has locked in two extra special sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. Caribou's latest record, Our Love, features the feelgood lead single 'I Can’t Do Without You', released in August last year and placing a very respectable #55 in this year's Hottest 100. Playing with some very '90s inspired R&B beats and '80s synth, Our Love is a record that's not only danceable but also engrossing to sit back and absorb. Caribou's no spring chicken at the electronic game; Snaith boasts a career spanning ten years with an impressive back catalogue. Fans of Caribou will remember his 2010 album Swim, with tracks like the expansive 'Sun' and the alluring 'Odessa' that won the hearts of many. To see these wonderfully layered, intricate and incredibly beautiful songs played live comes highly recommended — so if you’re not heading along to Laneway, do not miss this.
Thanks to the wonders of retro programs, seeing a beloved horror movie on a big screen is a fairly common occurrence these days — but what about those less lauded and not-so-loved frightening films from years gone by? Or the flicks initially deemed too gritty or nasty for cinemas? Or the up-and-coming genre hits? Thankfully, Friday Fright Night is their time to shine. Presented by Monster Fest, the new weekly program wades through horror at its most out-there, both made at home and abroad, and including rarely screened cult fare alongside fear-inducing classics. That the lineup kicks off with the first-ever Australian screenings of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 should give an indication of the types of movies on offer. The rest of the schedule spans an eclectic bunch, lurching from French splatter onslaught High Tension, to the ever-controversial Irreversible, and even featuring Team America: World Police. Or, check out Patrick Stewart in alien invasion vampire horror effort Lifeforce, and Lisa McCune in Aussie gross-out offering Body Melt. Yes, it seems no one can escape this program — except maybe those with weak stomachs.
So, you want to get a glimpse into life in another country, but you can't actually afford to travel anywhere? That's where film festivals come in, taking audiences on a cinematic journey without anyone needing to leave their comfy, movie theatre seats. This month, it's Germany's turn in the spotlight. Making its way around Australia from May 13–31, the Audi Festival of German Films delves into everything the country has to offer in the movie realm. That includes 50 new German-language films, spanning efforts as varied as action comedy Not My Day and twisted fairy tale The Bunker. It also includes an interesting schedule of panel discussions and themed evenings, if you want to do more than watch. Whatever your tastes or interests, there's certain to be something to tickle your fancy. Want to take a peek at an Alps-set western, laugh along with a hitman comedy or strap in for a time-travelling romance? Well, here you can. You can also delve into the history of cinema, and into a key figure in East Berlin's radical underground art world. For the full Audi Festival of German Films lineup, visit the festival website.
Two things we know about Australia: there’s a copious amount of sun on tap and people sure do love a good music festival. Thankfully for us, the freshly announced festival OffTheGrid (OTG) is using both these factors to put together a brand new music festival that’s 100 percent solar powered and waste free. Launched as a party concept just a few years ago, OffTheGrid is the brainchild of Ross Harding of Finding Infinity and Eyal Halamish of OurSay. The pair threw a string of battery bank operated shindigs around the world and now they’re bringing the experience in Melbourne on the December 22. The lineup includes Cut Copy DJs, Banoffee, Sui Zhen, Tornado Wallace, Silent Jay and Jace XL, Average Rap Band, Prequel and Wax’o Paradiso (and that's only the first announcement, dayum). OTG also does more than pay lip service to sustainability. The team have a comprehensive plan for ensuring the festival is entirely waste-free and powered only by solar energy. Bryce Lawrence, head of production, says sustainability is the future, not just for music festivals (which reap a huge effect of the environments they occupy) but for all industries and individuals. Power will all come directly from a 7kW solar system on the day, comprised of 28 250 watt PV panels that feed the sun’s energy into a battery pack (and a backup bio-diesel generator which runs off veggie oil). All waste will also be banned and all rubbish that is collected will be made into an art piece. “It’s a day festival in the heart of Melbourne… people shouldn’t be bringing in waste in the first place,” Lawrence notes. They’ve even collaborated with the food and drink vendors to make sure all utensils can be composted offsite and all cups can be reused. And it’s not a newfangled operation either. All technology and systems being used by OTG are readily available, to emphasise the myriad of solutions that have already been dreamed up and practically demonstrate that a) an environmentally friendly way of life isn’t a distant possibility but a choice you can easily opt into and b) even complex events like music festivals can rock just as hard on solar power. “OFFtheGRID is a celebration of what’s possible right now and also what’s possible into the future," Lawrence says. It’s an exercise in education as well as a dope all-day music festival. And the best part? All profits will be invested in a local sustainable project so you can buy your ticket knowing that Captain Planet would be incredibly proud. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
It’s been a fruitful couple of years for hybrid sweet treats. We live for the beautiful marriage of two delicious treat items, both alike in dignity, and apparently so does everyone else. And now the birth of the cronut, cruffin, duffin, frissant, and zonut has paved the way for the most glorious hybrid of all: frozen custard. Frozen goddamn custard y’all. Taking cues from the mighty Shake Shack, frozen custard is the jewel in the crown of the newly opened venue Royal Stacks on Collins Street and the best part is: they’re handing it out for free on Wednesday, February 3. From 5-7pm they’ll be handing out free cups of fro-cu (that’s frozen and custard to you) on the proviso that you sign in on the Yelp app. While you’re there, check out Royal Stacks itself. Not only are they the only place in Melbourne where you’ll find the aforementioned frozen custard, but the very Shake Shack vibe is brought to you by the cool dudes from Easey’s and Grand Trailer Park Taverna. Yummo.
Now in its sixth year, Aussie Wine Month returns in May to showcase the diversity of the Australian wine scene and celebrate the world class producers that our 65 wine regions have to offer. Melbourne and regional Victoria will come alive with events over the next month — vineyards and cellar doors are opening their doors to guests, and regional chefs are making their way into the city so everyone can enjoy good food and even better wine. In partnership with Wine Australia, we're helping you narrow down your options — here are seven of the best things to see and do.
Recognised as one of the most exciting film industries in Asia, the Korean cinema scene has been knocking it out of the park for years now — without it, we wouldn't have Bong Joon-ho's Okja and Snowpiercer, or Park Chan-wook's Stoker and The Handmaiden, for example. And the fact that neither directors have made the bill at the 2017 Korean Film Festival in Australia shows just how much talent the country has to choose from. Basically, there's plenty of other filmmaking greats where they came from. This year's KOFFIA, the festival's eighth, features straight-from-Cannes flicks, cinematic masters delivering their newest hits and many a movie in between. Boasting 24 films on its national lineup and bringing 15 to Melbourne, the festival will kick off on September 7 with The World of Us, a thoughtful drama about bullying and friendship, before coming to a close on September 14 with crime-thriller The Queen of Crime. Other highlights include Hong Sang-soo's fourth film in less than a year, The Day After, plus The Bacchus Lady, which isn't your usual exploration of an ageing protagonist. Also on the program is The Net, the latest from divisive auteur Kim Ki-duk, historical crime drama The Age of Shadows, and the political machinations of legal effort The King.
Know someone with platforms in your size? Or just happen to own a sequinned onesie? In celebration of their fifth birthday, the disco-loving folks at The B.East are throwing a big Studio 54-themed party in Brunswick East — and costumes are encouraged. From 3pm on Saturday, June 24, the party kicks off with throwback tunes reminiscent of the golden days of New York's infamous Studio 54 disco club. On the decks you'll find DJ Miss Goldie, Chelsea Wilson and DJ Mermaid, then headliners Mojo Juju and her band will get live and loud with a swagger-fuelled set. Plus, you can expect two special performances from Australian burlesque royalty Miss Sina King. Drinks-wise, bartenders at The B.East will be shaking up exclusive and over-the-top strawberries and cream cocktails all night long. And to help you keep your energy up, The B.East kitchen will also be dishing out trays of free sliders all night long.
Most Melburnians have walked past the Nicholas Building dozens if not hundreds of times. The 90-year-old edifice is a Swanston Street institution, home to artists, makers, designers and local businesses from all around town. For one night only, you can take in everything it has to offer, from its art deco arcade on up. From 5–9pm on Thursday June 22, A Night at the Nicholas invites punters to explore the historic building and get to know its eclectic tenants. Take in new exhibitions at BLINDSIDE and Kimono House, attend the launch of Gayelene Carbis' Anecdotal Evidence at Collected Works Bookshop, and pick up some handcrafted jewellery from Victoria Mason's studio. Boutique retailers including Kuwaii, Obus, and Vintage Sole will also be hawking their wares throughout the night. Entry will be by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the Nicholas Building Association. You'll also be able to purchase refreshments on the night. Image: Andrew/Flickr.
We don't need much of an excuse to drink gin at 12pm on any weekend, but you definitely won't need any excuse on World Gin Day on Saturday, June 10. To celebrate, everyone's favourite gin joint, Campari House in Hardware Lane, is hosting a Botanicals Marketplace. Imagine all your favourite distilleries under one roof, or on top of the roof, in the case of Tanqueray. Campari House has invited the Australian Distilling Co, Bass and Flinders, Little Lon and Westwinds to showcase their latest gins and mix some excellent cocktails. Everything will be topped off with boutique tonic water, courtesy of the guys at Fever Tree. And if you're swearing off the booze this winter, don't worry, Seedlip will also be there, slinging non-alcoholic gin by the gallon. For something really special, head up to Campari House's rooftop, where Tanqueray are setting up a huge gin activation. This one will actually be sticking around after the Botanical Marketplace has packed up, so you've got some time to catch it. Campari House's Botanicals Marketplace runs from 12pm to 5pm on Saturday June 10. Tickets are $27.78 a pop. You can book your spot through Eventbrite. Images: Supplied
Meet Iris Apfel, the kind of stylish, straight-talking, bespectacled nonagenarian everyone wishes was their grandmother. The New York cult figure has stood out from the crowd across decades of trends, and dabbled in everything from art to interior design. If she sounds much cooler than most people a quarter of her age, well, that's because she is. The 93-year-old's resume speaks for itself, given that she has spent over 75 years in fashion traversing everything from working at Women's Wear Daily to setting up her own textile design firm with her husband to still lecturing about style today; however, it is her personality and outlook, rather than her achievements, that shine brightest. That she says she was probably the first woman to wear jeans speaks to her pioneering spirit. That she notes that she's more excited about dressing up for parties than actually going to parties does as well. Indeed, the ever-flamboyant Apfel remains an individual at a time when such a term has started to lose its meaning, as she herself observes when musing over the common correlation between black attire and fashion. Always decked out in rows of couture costume jewellery and never seen in an outfit that could be classed as boring or bland, she advises that she approaches dressing a bit like jazz — with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. It shows. So bounces forward a loving portrait of blazing your own path — and never compromising for or caring about the opinions of others — as given perhaps the strongest living example. From the moment Apfel graces the screen and thrusts her oversized pearls of wisdom upon the audience, it is immediately apparent why she's the subject of the documentary that shares her name. From the moment the film displays its frame, the affection, energy and insight filmmaker Albert Maysles channels is also evident, as is his making of the movie in the style befitting his subject. Alas, there is a lone sad note to the engaging ode, despite the slight but sweet exploration that comprises the documentary's running time. The joy and vivacity that Apfel exudes on screen, fierce and frank until the last moment, is balanced by the knowledge of the film's director. The great Maysles, noted for crafting the iconic Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter, passed away at the age of 88 in early 2015, with this his penultimate effort. Accordingly, Iris actually pays tribute to two great trailblazers and showcases what both do best: pave their own way and create their own stories through their chosen mediums of fashion and film.
It's telling that Knight of Cups features many a dive into a pool, seaside stroll and wave crashing against the beach. The latest movie from The Tree of Life and To the Wonder's Terrence Malick is awash in recognisable elements and seems as familiar as water. It's also as malleable as the wet substance that covers the bulk of the earth and comprises most of the human body — and as invigorating. Of course, places and people are the film's primary concerns, particularly Los Angeles and a screenwriter by the name of Rick (Christian Bale). In the city known for the emptiness beneath its allure — indeed, David Lynch (in Inland Empire) and David Cronenberg (in Maps to the Stars) have already plumbed its depths — he's a man plunged into a crisis, making a mess of his successful life as he searches for meaning. Rick drifts through his days, unhappy with his choices but uncertain about how to change them. His problems are many, and not just linked to his failed marriage to Nancy (Cate Blanchett), or spate of flings (with Imogen Poots, Freida Pinto, Teresa Palmer, Natalie Portman and Isabel Lucas) afterwards. Tragedy haunts his family, straining his relationships with his brother (Wes Bentley) and father (Brian Dennehy). Though his career is beginning to take off, thrusting him into a glamorous world, it lacks fulfilment past the glitz and partying. As a result, Rick is both wading and paddling feverishly, and so is the film. Malick uses him not just as a protagonist, but as a buoy in a feature that lurches restlessly from place to place and person to person. Sometimes the movie stalks him as he floats through apartments and buildings, around sets and shindigs, and on walks over rugged terrain and by the ocean. Sometimes it adopts his perspective as it dashes around in fragments of his existence. That means that often, when you dip your toes in the feature, you get what you're expecting: a commonly told tale of mid-life malaise, Malick's roaming visuals and whispered layers of philosophical narration, and a focus on contemplation among them. Just as frequently, though, you get a burst that takes you by surprise: in dropping out of one tarot card-named chapter and into the next, in the symphony of classical music sounds and sun-dappled sights, and in the movie's dissection of hedonism, for example. Even when the surface appears still, something is always bubbling up below. Consider Knight of Cups, then, an ideal balance between relaxing and refreshing, and meditative and stimulating. Of course, with Malick at the helm, the film's reflective questioning becomes a gliding kaleidoscope of wide-angle images strikingly shot by Oscar-winning Gravity and Birdman cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and a montage-heavy mood piece as much as a movie. Conversation rarely lasts beyond a single line, and the all-star cast — which includes brief appearances by everyone from Antonio Banderas to Jason Clarke and Nick Offerman to Fabio — exist more than they perform. And yet, as Knight of Cups ebbs and flows over the course of its fluid 118 minutes, there's no mistaking its emotional and sensory impact. Plus, if you're going to jump in a seemingly familiar body of water filled with hypnotic experiences and hidden depths, you want Malick as your guide. With him in charge, you haven't really swum there and splashed through this before.
Get up close and personal with Adelaide's Tkay Maidza this week, at two intimate gigs coming to Sydney and Melbourne. Presented by GiggedIn, the new live music subscription service that gets you unlimited access to gigs around Sydney, these two exclusive shows will feature Dew Process's popular young powerhouse MC performing at Melbourne's Howler on May 25 and Sydney's Plan B Small Club on May 26. Tkay's had a furiously busy year, with support spots for Mark Ronson, Years & Years, Charli XCX, high praise from Killer Mike, and festival appearances by the bucketload. Tickets to the gig are currently on sale via Moshtix — unless you're a GiggedIn member, in which case the whole thing is free. Doors open at 7.30pm. Thanks to GiggedIn, we've got ten double passes to give away to each show. And on top of that, they're giving you 30 percent off your first month if you sign up for a membership before June 25. Just enter the code CPFRIENDS at checkout. [competition]573724[/competition] Image: Dew Process.
Time to wake your brain up from its summer slumber and get those mind grapes squeezing juice again, because Melbourne is getting a dose of none other than the inimitable Miranda July. In what can't be called anything less than a coup, the celebrated writer, filmmaker, actor, artist, app maker, handbag wizard and bona fide enigma will be gracing the stage at Melbourne Town Hall for her talk Lost Child! on Monday, March 7 — right off the back of her talk at the Sydney Opera House's All About Women. Recently read The Last Bad Man and wondered who the hell was this woman behind it? Or just fascinated by the whole persona of this wonderful woman? Well, she'll be talking through her very varied and unique works, from her time as an artist in Portland to where she is now. And we daresay she'll be answering a few audience questions — so get yours ready. Image: Miranda July.
Carrie Brownstein is the sort of talent who can rock most things. In the '90s, she rose to riot grrrl fame with pioneering punk trio Sleater-Kinney, while the noughties saw her gain a whole legion of new fans through the satirical Portlandia. Like any good sketch show, they are short and sweet satires, with the most notable (not to mention quotable) highlighting society’s superfluous expenditure and excitement for all things branded with a bird. Most recently though , Brownstein's caged the parodies and applied her talents to memoir. In Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, Brownstein writes of her turbulent suburban upbringing and of finding her people — and her power — through the feminist punk scene. On tour with the reformed Sleater-Kinney, Brownstein will briefly rest her guitar for a chat with Myf Warhurst at Melbourne Town Hall this Tuesday, March 8. So put on your best casual attire and join the pair for a discussion of defiance, humour and rock and roll.
Love a good glass of red? Well then, you're in luck. Following a series of pop-ups and bottling parties, people-powered urban winery Noisy Ritual have gone and found themselves a permanent home. Located on Lygon Street in Brunswick East, the new venue will pull triple duty as a cellar door, wine bar and event space, suitable for everything from weddings to exhibitions. The bar opens to the public for the first time on Saturday June 18, and you better believe we'll be first through the door. "Noisy Ritual will be a haven for people interested in wine, winemaking, food and music," reads a statement on the winery's website. "Stop by for a glass of wine in the bar, or take a bottle home. Sign up for a winemaking experience, come to one of our special events, or hire the space for your own occasion." Not a bad turn of events for a business that began with fermenting grapes in a Thornbury backyard. Turns out if you offer people the chance to stomp, press and bottle their own vino, they'll turn out in droves. Incidentally, 2017 Noisy Ritual memberships are currently available, and get you entry to three winemaking workshops, three barrel tasting sessions and six bottles from your very own vintage. Plus, you'll be able to go into the Noisy Ritual bar and order a glass of the wine you made with your own two hands (and feet). Find Noisy Ritual at 249 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. For more information visit www.noisyritual.com.au.
The Hills Are Alive with the sound of Australia's newest and best this weekend. Featuring a gaggle of Australian acts headlined by Melbourne-based hip-hop artist Remi, The Hills Are Alive music festival is seven years young this year. The 2015 edition will also mark the first time the event has spilled over into a second evening, with festival organisers promising "twice as many good vibes." Hosted at the McLaren family farm an hour and a half out of Melbourne, THAA 2015 will feature Canberra electronic group SAFIA, Tassie punk-rockers Luca Brasi, Melbourne folk-duo Pierce Brothers, Adelaide singer-songwriter Timberwolf, triple j 2012 Unearthed High winner Asta, NZ country music crooner Marlon Williams, plus a whole lot more. Despite their 2015 expansion, The Hills Are Alive remains a small festival by design, offering an antidote to the massive crowds that often characterise these kinds of events. With a capacity of just 2000 people, tickets are by invitation only, meaning you need to either be friends with one of the acts or know somebody who's been before. Attendees are encouraged to carpool to keep their impact on the environment to a minimum, while glass and pets are prohibited on account of the cows with whom you'll be sharing the campsite. For more information on the lineup, head to the festival website.
Get ready to stuff yourself with so many Greek doughnuts you'll barely be able to move. Chef George Calombaris is about to cut the ribbon on his long awaited new restaurant, The Hellenic Hotel. Opening on Friday, June 17 on Ferguson Street in Williamstown some two years after it was originally meant to do so, The Hellenic Hotel will be the third member of the Hellenic Republic family, which also has branches in Brunswick East and Kew. Diners can expect a hearty selection of Greek food and wine, with popular items including the saganaki with peppered figs expected to make the journey across the Westgate Bridge. Beyond that we don't know a great deal about the menu, although with award-winning young chef Josh Pelham at the helm, we're confident we'll be in good hands. "It's about delivering value-for-money family-friendly food," he told Good Food last month. Located on the site of the former Hobsons Bay Hotel, The Hellenic Hotel will be split into two levels, with an 80-90 seat dining room on the ground floor plus a bar and veranda upstairs. There will also be a takeaway outlet attached, complete with its own separate entrance. The Hellenic Hotel will open for dinner on Friday, June 17 at 28 Ferguson Street, Williamstown. For more information visit HH's website. Via Good Food.
The Royal Exhibition Building is set to be overrun with pooches of every shape and size. Returning for its third year, the Melbourne Dog Lovers Show will welcome more than 250 exhibitors and upwards of 25,000 visitors. Whether you’re in the market for a new family pet or are just looking for a bit of a cuddle, you won’t find a more adorable event in Melbourne. Obviously, cat people need not apply. This year’s show includes a number of special guests on both two legs and four. Service dogs from Victoria Police and Border Protection will be on patrol, while celebrity vets such as Dr. Katrina Warren will run seminars on canine health. Several of Victoria’s dog shelters will be there, with no shortage of rescued animals looking for permanent homes. Oh, and in case that doesn’t make your heart melt, they’ve also got a dedicated puppy patting zone.
There’s been a lot of well-deserved hype surrounding British band alt-J recently, following the release of their second album This is All Yours. Hell, their October 2014 shows in Sydney and Melbourne sold out in a matter of seconds, leaving a whole raft of fans who were gearing up to stomp and sing along to the pounding ‘Breezeblocks’ pretty disappointed. If that was you, well, chances are you already know that the Mercury Prize-winning band is returning to our shores this May. There’s no more Forum for these Leeds lads, though. This time round, they’re playing the slightly-harder-to-sell-out-instantaneously Rod Laver Arena. What the show will most likely lack in Miley Cyrus (who sings the ‘I’m a female rebel’ line in ‘Hunger of the Pine’ and is a big alt-J fan and should really just go on tour with them already), it will make up for with killer support acts Asgeir and Mansionair.
Freedom Time — the free-spirited festival synonymous with balmy summer days, dance-fuelled nights and lush DJ sets — is gearing up for another huge season, dropping the lineup for its jam-packed third summer series. This time around, the Freedom Time gang are spreading the love even further, adding a January 7 visit to Sydney's Manning Bar and Gardens on top of the usual shows in Perth on New Year's Eve and at Melbourne's Coburg Velodrome on January 1. As always, the festival's gifting us with a diverse lineup of musical guests, assembling a mix of international greats and homegrown heroes that'll have you dancing your little feet off no matter your style. Headlining this eclectic bunch is famed Chicago house producer Larry Heard (aka Mr Fingers), Jamaican dancehall legend Johnny Osbourne and an inter-generational collaborative effort from Leroy Burgess and Melbourne's own Harvey Sutherland. Meanwhile, Rhythm Section International's Bradley Zero will present a handpicked label showcase in each city, featuring a crop of local acts performing alongside modern soul duo, Silentjay and Jace XL. Melbourne will also be grooving to sets from beloved local DJ CC:DISCO, Haiatus Kayote vocalist Nai Palm and singer-songwriter Sampa The Great. FREEDOM TIME 2018 LINEUP Larry Heard (aka Mr. Fingers) Leroy Burgess Harvey Sutherland Johnny Osbourne Sassy J Bradley Zero CC:DISCO Nai Palm Sampa The Great Wax'O Paradiso Nozu Jordan Rakei J'Nett SilentJay & Jace XL Band Krakatau 30/70 Prequel Heartical Hi Powa Phil Stroud Samantha Goldie Big Rig Umut Jeremy Spellacey Winters Cazeaux Oslo Pjenné Millú
Pop this one in the diary: one of our favourite bars on Greville Street is teaming up with one of our favourite whisky distilleries. On Wednesday, June 21, White Oaks Saloon will be hosting a very special whisky dinner alongside Tasmania's Lark Distillery. If you haven't heard of Lark before, they were actually Australia's first carbon-neutral whisky distillery and they've been bottling some of the country's best single malts for over 30 years. White Oaks is a staple on the Prahran scene, with some of the best cocktails and desperately-need-a-napkin barbecue going around. The dinner itself will kick off at 7.30pm and run till 10pm. Tickets are $149, which gets you an incredible, three-course set menu with seven dishes. Wash it down with a gimlet on arrival and four carefully paired whiskies from the guys at Lark. For food, expect White Oaks Saloon's southern spread set menu, which runs to the likes of twice-cooked jalapeno poppers, Louisiana crab cakes, fried chicken and cajun fish tacos. If you like your whisky neat and your BBQ sticky, this is the party for you. Seats are filling up fast, but there are still some tickets available. Bookings through the website. Images: Supplied
It's time to make the pilgrimage to the Supernatural Amphitheatre once again, Golden Plains has opened the ballot for 2017. Taking place over a long weekend under a full moon, Meredith's other beloved festival returns for three days next March 11-13. And they've announced on heck of a legend to top the bill: Neil Finn. As always, the lineup will appear on one stage in the Supernatural Amphitheatre, fronted by one of history's greatest songwriters. Crowded House legend Neil Finn will play a special career-spanning set under the full moon. It's been seven years since Finn played The Sup', so this should be pretty special. Also on the lineup is Nicholas Jaar, The Specials, Kurt Vile, Chain & the Gang, Princess Nokia and Teenage Fanclub, as well as local faves Total Giovanni and Camp Cope. Meanwhile, Golden Plains is set to be the same festival you know and love — no dickheads, no need to hide your goon sacks, no commercial sponsors — but with a new sound system, new campground, new foods and kids under 12 can attend the festival free. GOLDEN PLAINS 2017 LINEUP Neil Finn Nicolas Jaar The Specials Chain & The Gang Total Giovanni Margaret Glaspy Kurt Vile Princess Nokia Teenage Fanclub Camp Cope The Damned Olympia Wax'o Paradiso HABITS ORB Cash Savage And The Last Drinks J A Z Z Party Ausmuteants Benny And The Flybyniters The Dusty Millers Brooke Powers The Peep Tempel [embed]https://youtu.be/j8U1gC2JilQ[/embed]
Normally the words 'YouTube sensation' trigger an instant shudder of revulsion as the abominable lovechild of Bieber and Nyan Cat twerks into your imagination, but that's where it also began for British trip-hop trio London Grammar who will be gracing our shores in March — after last July's cancellation. Ever since the release of 'Hey Now', which clocked up over a million views in just under a month, the indie darlings have gone from strength to strength. With a platinum debut album If You Wait, three songs in this 2014's triple j Hottest 100 (including a top ten spot for 'Strong') and rave-reviewed appearances at festivals worldwide under their collective belts, the trio are set to continue their love affair with the Australian public when they hit up the Festival Hall on March 14. Fronted by the preternaturally talented Hannah Reid, whose vocal range has seen her compared to the likes of Florence Welch and Adele, London Grammar had to cancel their tour last year after Reid was struck down with pneumonia. This national tour has been long-awaited by Australian fans, many of whom were lucky enough to catch their memorable set at Splendour in the Grass just a few short years ago. Supported by Until the Ribbon Breaks + Wet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nMEHJPuggHQ
Melbourne's annual winter festival RISING sprawls over a lot of the CBD, but the official hub is Night Trade. And this year, the free-to-enter art, food and music labyrinth is taking over the Capitol Arcade and surrounding alleyways from Saturday, June 1–Saturday, June 15. It's where you go to get fed, plan your next move while grabbing some drinks, get a psychic reading, and gawk at incredible art installations, light shows and live performances. [caption id="attachment_958059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] One standout installation comes from UK artist Jeremy Deller, who has converted one of the laneway shops into an exhibition that's said to made for the goths and ravers. Expect to find a video grotto, spinning druids and other visual artworks within the small space. Next door, you can feed your inner artist at RISING's Sip and Paint ($39 per person) where a different artist will help you sculpt, paint, create and drink the night away. On the calendar is Magic Steven, Sammaneh Poursh, Geoffrey Watson, Xanthe Dobbie, Ned Middleton and Tobias Richardson. Elsewhere at RISING's Night Trade, party-loving healer Sue Thompson is holding psychic readings, LA artist John Kilduff is performing a live version of the cult public access TV show Let's Paint TV — a physical and mental breakdown of painting, cooking, singing and treadmill-based synth workouts — and DJs are playing a huge range of sets. There will even be a pop-up karaoke room where you can sing your favourite hits with a bunch of strangers. Those keen to pay for some live gigs can also hit up Night Trade's Stage Door, where the team are hosting a series of artists and parties. Each of these performances only cost $20, so it's an easy and cheap way to experience some of RISING's best bits. When it comes to bevs, you can hit up the Night Trade lounge bar that's been given an 80s underwater ambient theme. Pair this with Momo Station's Nepalese dumplings; Kim Sing's dim sum and noodles; Union Kiosk's jaffles; Los Amantes' Mexican street food; or The Alley Edition's hot chips and snacks — perfect for a cold night out in the city. Night Trade is always a must-visit at RISING, not only for these formally announced offerings, but because of all the surprise events and pop-up performances that will inevitably grace the space without any notice. [caption id="attachment_958058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption]
Imagine a Melbourne canteen where you can eat doughnuts all day and fried chicken all night. Add beer and you've got the latest Melbourne opening to cover all guilty pleasure bases. Yep, it's a real thing; Raph Rashid (of Taco Truck and Beat Box Kitchen repute) is opening a hub of so-called dude food inside his insanely popular permanent endeavour All Day Donuts. Bringing a menu of southern-style fried chicken and "burros" (Rashid's interpretation of a burrito) to ADD of a nighttime, Rashid's street food menu will be served every evening from 5pm under the moniker Juanita Peaches. According to Good Food, Rashid was actually supposed to open JP first, but got "sidetracked by doughnuts". Beer and wine are also on the menu, handpicked by Rashid's buddy Matt Skinner and perfect to pair with your crunchy pieces of golden fried chicken or a glistening doughnut dinner (yep, they'll be available after 5 too). An entire dinner of beer, fried chicken and doughnuts? Don't tell Mum. Find Juanita Peaches inside All Day Donuts at 12 Edward Street, Brunswick, open Thursday to Saturday 5-10pm. Via Good Food. Image: All Day Donuts.
Part of the charm of the Melbourne's wildly successful Flour Market is its unpredictability. We're never quite sure when they're going to announce the next one and we're never certain we'll be able to get there before all the good stuff sells out. Of course, getting up early on a Sunday to queue for croissants is a little overrated — especially when it's electric blanket weather. So in what can only be good news for inner-city pastry fiends, Flour Market has announced they'll be doing a weekly pop-up inside Melbourne Central throughout June. Melbourne Central's level two link bridge above Lonsdale Street might not have as much vibe as Fitzroy Town Hall — but it will certainly have the all the doughy goods. For the five Thursdays in June, Flour Market will be setting up shop on the indoor bridge from 3-7pm. They'll be selling a selection of baked treats from a rotating selection of eight artisan Melbourne bakers each week. All the market regulars will make an appearance, including Shortstop, Tivoli Road, Pidapipo, Cobb Lane, Agathe Patisserie and more. And although the pop-up will technically be trading until 7pm, we recommend getting their early as these precious goods have a tendency to sell out.
The start of the working week just got a little bit more bearable, thanks to the gang at Brunswick Street social club Little & Olver. Hot on the heels of their successful December opening, the bar and live music venue has put the finishing touch on their kitchens — and to celebrate, they’ll be serving Monday night dinner to the hungry folk of Fitzroy for nothing. Free food. Every week. We’ll just give you a moment to let that sink in. The L&O kitchens will be run by head chef Stacey Tuara, formerly of Meatmaiden on Little Collins Street. A veteran of the fine dining world, Tuara has put together a seasonal grill menu that caters to both meat lovers and herbivores (a big surprise considering Tuara's former meat-lovin' kitchen). Spiced crumb chicken, pork belly, maple roasted parsnip and five-grain salad are just a few of the dinner options that jump out at us — although if we're being honest, we’ll probably just opt for the $2 happy hour ribs. Mondays will feature a rotating menu, from dumplings one week to pulled pork sliders the next. And have we already mentioned it’ll be free? FREE. You're going to need a drink. Luckily, the team have developed a brand new cocktail menu, one that includes jugs of iced tea infused with whisky, vodka, tequila and gin. L&O's new food and drinks menu marks the latest step in the venue’s reinvention, reborn from the ashes of the old First Floor nightclub. In addition to the kitchens and cocktail options, Little & Olver recently unveiled their garden bar, and appear to be pushing for a slightly classier atmosphere in general. That said, they’ll still be running First Floor’s regular club nights, including Warehaus Parties and Closet. This Saturday will see them host Sydney DJs Cosmo's Midnight for their only Melbourne show, while they’ll also bring in Melbourne’s Zanzibar Chanel over Easter. Find Little & Olvr at 393 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. Now open Mon - Sat from 5pm till late.
It's been 11 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival has announced its 2016 lineup. Returning to Singapore, Auckland and the five established Australian Laneway go-to cities, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the previously leaked Hudson Mohawke and Purity Ring headliner announces, Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their unconventional stages. Odd Future's super outfit The Internet will be here, alongside Ninja Tune's bass monarch Thundercat and the return of Grimes (start losing your collective shit). Epic Scottish electronic crew CHVRCHES are headed back to Australia, with a few fellow return trippers — Baltimore dreamboats Beach House, American math rockers Battles are back with their new album, as well as Brooklyn's atmospheric foursome DIIV. Plenty of love for the onstage return of Big Scary after Tom Isanek finished up with #1 Dads, and there's sure to be a big ol' ruckus for Sydney wonderkid Flume back on stage. You'll be hard pressed to find a spot at Las Vegas hypecard Shamir's set, watching young Washington rapper GoldLink or the pretty, pretty Beatles-y Tobias Jesso Jr. Odd Future's Vince Staples is headed here too, following his OFWGKTA bud Tyler the Creator's ban from Australia. With beloved local artists like Hermitude, Violent Soho, The Smith Street Band and DMA's, this year's lineup is more eclectic than a Jenny Kee jumper. Enough talk, here 'tis. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Ali Barter* Banoffee Battles Beach House Big Scary Blank Realm** Chvrhces DIIV DMA’s East India Youth FIDLAR Flume GoldLink Grimes Health Hermitude High Tension Hudson Mohawke Japanese Wallpaper Majical Cloudz Methyl Ethel METZ Purity Ring QT Shamir Silicon Slum Sociable** Sophie The Goon Sax*** The Internet The Smith Street Band Thundercat Tobias Jesso Jr. Vince Staples Violent Soho * Exclusive to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne only ** not playing Fremantle *** Exclusive to Brisbane only ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL DATES AND VENUES FOR 2016: Saturday, January 30 — SINGAPORE (THE MEADOW, GARDENS BY THE BAY) Monday, February 1 — AUCKLAND (SILO PARK) Friday, February 5 — ADELAIDE (HARTS MILL, PORT ADELAIDE, 16+) Saturday, February 6 — BRISBANE (BRISBANE SHOWGROUNDS, BOWEN HILLS, 16+) Sunday, February 7 — SYDNEY (SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, ROZELLE) Saturday, February 13 — MELBOURNE (FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) + THE RIVER’S EDGE) Sunday, February 14 — FREMANTLE (ESPLANADE RESERVE AND WEST END) Tickets on sale September 30 at 9am from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser. Here's one for getting psyched up.
It's a highly controversial topic, one that fuels pub debates and brunch arguments around the country. Where is Australia's music capital? Is it Sydney? Is it Brisbane? Or is it our very own music-lovin' backyard? The music industry enthusiasts at the Society of Tastemakers & Elegant People (STEP) have run some excellent panel discussions for those in the music biz and those looking to break into it. Previous topics have covered areas such as ‘The Artist’, ‘The Critic’, and ‘The Managers’, but this time they’re focusing on all things live and local; discussing all the reasons why Melbourne IS Australia’s music capital. Guest panelists for the evening include Nick O’Byrne (band manager and program director of BIGSOUND), Woody McDonald (3RRR legend and booker of Meredith and Golden Plains), Mikey Cahill (senior music writer at The Herald Sun), Simon Winkler (3RRR music director), and Lucy Buckeridge (publicist for EMI and band member of Lowtide). On top of the riveting discussion that is sure to ensue from this creative lot, there will also be a performance by local lovelies The Harpoons, and a DJ set from Broadway Sounds. Image: Melbourne Music Week.
Fairy bread, but make it tropical. Aussie snags, but make them Balinese. Meat pies, but stuff them with beef rendang. These are but a few of the playful dishes that'll feature on a one-off set menu at the CBD's Makan on Thursday, September 5. To make this happen, sisters Tasia and Gracia Seger (Makan) are teaming up with MasterChef Australia's Michael Weldon, together giving beloved Aussie dishes an Indonesian makeover. It's a mashup unlike any other we've seen in Melbourne. For $120, you'll get snacks like keju crackers with Vegemite sambal, batagor dim sims with peanut dressing, beef rendang and jackfruit pies and urutan sausage sandwiches. This is followed by a cohu kingfish and chips, kangaroo satay, babi guling Sunday roast and Indonesian spiced charcoal chicken. Fairy bread served with brown butter ice cream and sri kaya jam rounds out this fusion feast. "We have always wanted to do a collaboration that celebrates both our Indonesian heritage and Australian upbringing, and we couldn't resist doing it in a way that brings together the more playful, nostalgic dishes we grew up on. So, when Michael suggested we do a fresh, spiced-laden take on Bunnings sausage sandwiches, South Melbourne Market dim sims and fairy bread, we instantly got excited," shares Tasia Seger. It's a shame this dinner is only running for one night, but it's sure to sell out. Be sure to score tickets as soon as possible. Images: Kimberly Liew.
The Immigration Museum is celebrating all things hot and spicy at Chilli Fest, as part of their summer/autumn program focusing on food from across the globe, North South Feast West. From central America to the heart of Asia, chilli has brought a loving tear to many an eye and severe burn to the tongue. If you can’t get enough of the hot stuff, this mini-festival is for you. The courtyard at the Immigration Museum will be taken over by Burn City Smokers for the barbecue of your spicy dreams. They'll also be serving up chilli cocktails for the adventurous drinker and Cornutopia will be providing the goods for our vegan and vego friends. For those keen to recreate the cocktails, Fred Siggins will be hosting a cocktail making workshop for an additional cost. Hot sauce documentary Sriracha will be screening throughout the day for the once endangered condiment, and for those looking to set their mouth on fire, there will be a hot sauce tasting competition. Things are going to get intense. If you can’t stand the heat, you can cool off with some My Two Mums Ice Cream or a crisp beverage from the courtyard bar. On top of the fiery frivolities, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks will perform, and there'll be DJ sets by PBS’s Miss Goldie and DJ Sensi. You could say that’s one hot night out on the town. You could.
We all know that one day the singularity will be upon us and machines will rise up and take the planet. We know that. And yet when a super intelligent cooking robot wanders into our midst we welcome it with open arms — and that's probably because, even in the face of grizzly robot death, food is king. With that in mind, meet June the intelligent oven designed by a feisty gang of ex-Apple developers. June is incredibly advanced. Using image recognition technology, she can identify food types, weigh dishes and adjust cooking time to make sure your food is cooked perfectly (allowing you to have another wine and lose yourself in Game of Thrones without worrying about ruining dinner). She’s equipped with a touch screen with step-by-step instructions, a meal planner and recipe suggestions, a built-in digital scale, and push notifications. She also has (brace yourself) live HD video streaming from within the oven. Yep. We have a feeling that watching this fascinating live stream will become a household activity. And may opened-oven-door cakes never sink in the middle again. And although June looks like a wee microwave, she packs a powerful punch with the ability to preheat to approximately 180 degrees Celsius in four and a half minutes. And she has a NVIDIA Tegra K1 with 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, mostly likely making her more powerful than your laptop. Welp. The future is certainly now and we, for one, welcome our robot overlords. At least they know how we like our steak. Images: June Oven. Reserve your June oven here.
Independent artist-run record label Two Bright Lakes have been releasing exceptional, gamechanging music for the last eight years. Sadly TBL are calling it a day, but thankfully they'll continue to release music through a new venture, affectionately dubbed Little Lakes Records. To celebrate the end of an era, Two Bright Lakes are throwing one huge final bash at Schoolhouse Studios. Both current talent and TBL alumni will be performing on the night, with Kid Sam putting in an extra special performance. There'll also be troubadour extraordinaire Brendan Welch, the divine dance moves of Collarbones, and utterly gorgeous Melbourne group The Harpoons. The fun doesn’t end there, as Seagull, Nick Huggins, Hello Satellites and of course, Two Bright Lakes DJs, will celebrate eight glorious years of independent music. If you're a music fan, a TBL fan, or just a lover of damning the man with independent art, this is your party. Image: Two Bright Lakes.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer weekendery. The ever-popular So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Melbourne's Werribee Park Mansion for its sixth year running. If you haven't been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tortes and terrines, offensively good wine, furious outdoor chess, casual gypsy beats. So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of eclectic artists you may be yet to meet. There's '60s French pop-American art rock hybrid outfit The Limiñanas (think Serge Gainsbourg meets The Velvet Underground), Parisian funk-folk poet and musician Bertrand Berlin, and Nouvelle Vague, who are no strangers to the So Frenchy setup. Last, but in no way, shape or form least, there's six-piece ex-busker band Deluxe — they will be belting out their unique blend of pop, hip-hop, funk, soul and big band elements to get everyone up off their picnic rugs and dancing the blazes out of that lawn. If you're not the most organised of picnickers, So Frenchy is putting on the works again with their beloved picnic boxes and cheese plates from Ed Dixon. Filled with buttery pastry quiches, salad jardinière and goose egg meringue, the picnic boxes are one to preorder if you don't want to miss out. But So Frenchy won't let you go hungry; there'll be a huge banquet of seafood, crepes, macarons and ice cream available on the day. And of course, there'll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, Provence rosé, Bordeaux reds and whites, and special cocktails at the SFSC vintage caravan. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi.
