Vivid Ideas is bringing innovative humans from all over the world to Sydney stages. Championing change-making creative voices, you can hear Troye Sivan explore beauty and fluidity, delve into the experiences of those who were raised in cults with filmmaker Sarah Steel or listen as experts discuss the ethics and potential ramifications of a future reliant on artificial intelligence and QR codes. Joining a lineup that's not lacking a lick in talent is Gretchen Carlson in conversation with Lisa Wilkinson. The prolific journalists and media personalities will dissect power (specifically the fallout when it's out of balance), toxic workplace culture and finding the courage to expose wrongdoing. As well, the pair discuss the intricacies of what's needed to make it easier for people to come forward after experiencing sexual assault. In 2016, Carlson — the highly respected and acclaimed US journalist and ex-Fox News anchor — successfully sued Fox founder and CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. This win, which inspired 2019's Bombshell, saw Carlson receive an unprecedented apology and settlement. The landmark case laid the foundation for the #MeToo movement's catapult to the global consciousness, as well as take down a predator who was in a position of immense power. [caption id="attachment_813274" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivid Sydney 2019, Destination NSW[/caption] Bound by an NDA, Carlson has tirelessly fought to break the culture of silence and remove protections from perpetrators — working to ban NDAs, enact legislative change and encourage survivors to share their experiences of harassment (which has resulted in the most significant changes to labour laws — passed by Joe Biden in March, 2022 — in over 100 years). The trailblazer was also named in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2017). With a social climate that's been immersed in the courage of those sharing their stories of trauma in the quest for justice and a safer existence — the Grace Tames, the Brittany Higgins, the Saxon Mullins — the pair will discuss the shifting media and legal landscapes both here and in the US. They will look at what still needs to change so survivors are encouraged to draw upon reserves of bravery and resilience to keep pushing forward — for the good of others, for safer communities and to upend the status quo. Sydney's Town Hall will host Gretchen Carlson and Lisa Wilkinson on Speaking Out on Sunday, May 29 at 1pm. Head to the website for details. Top image: Destination NSW
Five generations back, the Hamilton family planted some of the first vineyards in South Australia. It was 1837, a mere year after the arrival of European settlers in the state, and to this day they continue to produce top-quality, award-winning wine under the name Hugh Hamilton Wines. Mary Hamilton, Hugh Hamilton’s daughter, has been the CEO for the last seven years and explains that her father has always been considered the black sheep of the Hamilton flock. “He was a very spirited young boy and got up to a fair bit of mischief," she says. "He was never going to be corralled into anything and has always remained an elusive character.” Hugh’s lively sense of humour and his ability to march to the beat of his own drum has never wavered, so it makes sense then that the wines have names such as The Scallywag Chardonnay and The Scoundrel Tempranillo. Quality, flavoursome wine is the number one priority for Hugh Hamilton Wines and they have ensured this by sourcing grapes from their three vineyards. McLaren Vale hosts perfect conditions for ripening grapes and viticulture, as it’s located between the Adelaide Hills and the coast. “Most people are not aware of this, but McLaren Vale has the most diverse geology of any wine region in the world,” explains Hamilton. Each of the three vineyards have very different soil types which greatly influence the flavour of the grapes, from the black clay at their cellar door vineyard, producing darker-style shiraz (think bitter dark chocolate and black olives) to their next vineyard 500 meters down the road that produces more red-fruit flavours due to a different soil type and climate. Hamilton refers to this as their "big comfortable red velvet chair" with a generous and juicy yield. As part of the FreeWines app, Hugh Hamilton Wines have contributed two of their expert drops; 'The Trickster' Pinot Grigio and 'The Rascal' Shiraz. The Trickster is made from grapes sourced from the Adelaide Hills and came about due to Hugh’s love of freshly shucked oysters and his desire to create a wine that would pair with it perfectly. Described as “racy, upbeat and brisk,” Hamilton would recommend pairing this wine with seafood dishes such as salt and pepper squid, prawns and, of course, fresh oysters. The Rascal, described as “the quintessential McLaren Vale Shiraz, with lots of fruit ripeness but also elegance,” goes beautifully with a scotch fillet or beef casserole. When it comes to selecting a wine for herself, Mary is often influenced by her mood first, rather than having a constant go-to drop. At the moment Hamilton is particularly taken with the medium-bodied 'The Mongrel' Sangiovese, “It’s got lots of lovely, juicy cherry-flavoured fruit, and it tends to be a great partner with the food I cook, which is often Mediterranean or Middle Eastern.”
If movies are your religion, then the Shadow Electric Outdoor Cinema is the closest thing you'll find to a church. Screening a savvy mix of classics and recent essentials, their giant pop-up screen in the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent is the perfect place to catch a movie under the balmy summer sky. Things kick into gear just after New Year's, with Stop Making Sense on Friday January 2. The Talking Heads concert film is one of several musically-themed films on the program, including A Hard Day's Night, Bjork: Biophilia Live and the recent, heart-thumping jazz thriller, Whiplash. Other 2014 titles include Dan Gilroy's creepifying media satire Nightcrawler, the hilariously uncomfortable Swedish marital drama Force Majeure and the indie film phenomenon Boyhood. Also screening is Christopher Nolan's space epic Interstellar, a film that more than any other deserves to be seen beneath the stars. A couple of this year's best Australian films also made the cut, namely the slickly made time-travel thriller Predestination and the genre-transcending skateboarding doco All This Mayhem. New Zealand cinema is also represented via Jemaine Clement's gut-busting vampire movie What We Do in the Shadows and the yet-to-be-released horror comedy, Housebound. Speaking of the horrific, while it's disappointing to see that last year's regular Monday night cult film has been scrapped, the few B-movies they have managed to squeeze into the line-up look pretty bloody fantastic (emphasis on bloody). Sion Sono's Why Don't We Play in Hell? is like a Fellini film in a slaughterhouse, and really, who wouldn't want to see a movie called Kung Fu Cannibals? But it's in the retro department that this year's program really delivers. Boogie Nights, Fight Club, The Big Lebowski and Do the Right Thing are just a few of the classics that everyone should see with an audience. Wes Craven's Scream is a great fit for Friday the 13th in February, while When Harry Met Sally is a near-perfect date movie for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day notwithstanding, most Saturdays will see the Shadow Electric take a night off from the movies for a series of live music gigs. That program is yet to be announced, but keep your eyes glued to the website for more info.
Gather a gaggle of your best mates and get ready to hit the town. White Night, Melbourne's massive all-night arts bash, is back for another year, with a jam-packed program of music, film, performance, light shows and interactive art. Starting at 7pm on Saturday, February 20 and running until 7am the next morning, this really is an event you'll have to stay up late for. And if you do? Well, perhaps you'll see a school of jellyfish floating down Flinders Lane, or pay a visit to the NGV's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibition. Alternatively, you could spend the whole night skateboarding or dancing up a storm. The only thing that's for certain is, with so much on offer, you'd better know ahead of time what you really want to see and do. Check out our top ten things to see and do on the night, or head to their website for the full program.
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. As usual, speculation has run wild in anticipation of the lineup announce — will Kendrick and the Arctic Monkeys make an appearance? Will there by more than three females on the lineup? — but the details for Splendour 2018 are finally here. And we're happy to report that some of the rumours were true. There will be no Arctic Monkeys, but King Kunta himself, Kendrick Lamar, will be Splendouring. The lineup also doesn't state that Splendour is his only show, so stay tuned for news of a national tour (hopefully). The other huge name is Lorde, who will be doing her only Oz show at the Parklands — better get practising that 'Green Light' hair flip now. She leads a female contingent — that is kick-ass but still nowhere near as big as the pool of male performers — which includes Amy Shark, the Lauren Mayberry-led Chvrches, Sampa The Great, Alex Lahey, Jack River, Anna Lunoe, Stella Donnelly, female four-piece All Our Exes Live in Texas and Wafia. Also doing their only Australian shows at Splendour will be Vampire Weekend, Khalid and Girl Talk. The lineup seems to go on forever, including The Wombats, Gang of Youths, Franz Ferdinand, Superorganism and MGMT. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2018 LINEUP Kendrick Lamar Lorde (only AUS show) Vampire Weekend (only AUS show) Khalid (only AUS show) The Wombats Hilltop Hoods Chvrches Miguel Girl Talk (only AUS show) Angus & Julia Stone Gang of Youths Franz Ferdinand MGMT Ben Howard Dune Rats & Friends James Bay PNAU Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite The Avalanches DJ set Chromeo DMA'S Ball Park Music Henry Rollins (only AUS show) SAFIA The Jungle Giants Lil Xan Methyl Ethel Amy Shark The Bronx Ocean Alley Carmada (L D R U & Yahtzel) DZ Deathrays Lord Huron Middle Kids Hockey Dad Towkio Cub Sport Touch Sensitive Sampa The Great Dean Lewis Skegss Albert Hammond Jr Mallrat Marmozets Alex Lahey Riton & Kah-Lo Jack River Superorganism Anna Lunoe Lewis Capaldi All Our Exes Live In Texas Alex The Astronaut Yungblud Crooked Colours Nina Las Vegas Soccer Mommy (only AUS show) Elderbrook Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Tim Sweeney Stella Donnelly Bully Baker Boy Wafia No Mono Waax Angie McMahon West Thebarton Eves Karydas G Flip The Babe Rainbow Haiku Hands Didirri Alice Ivy Amyl & The Sniffers Ziggy Ramo Fantastic Man Lo'99 Human Movement Manu Crook$ Kasbo Madam X Andras Alta Ara Koufax Two People B Wise Made In Paris Jensen Interceptor Woodes Teischa Antony & Cleopatra Muto Elk Road triple j Unearthed winners (TBA) Mike Gurrieri Love Deluxe Lauren Hansom Poolclvb Godlands Nyxen Emma Stevenson Ebony Boadu Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 18. Image: Justin Ma.
Since their inception in late 2012, Seattle-based electronic duo Odesza have stunning the been consistently pumping out smooth-listening, R&B infused melodies. They've mastered the art of shimmery, emotion-laden beats, with loveable vocal riffs that are just easy to dance to as they are to kick back and laze a day away with. They're the power couple of the electro-synth world, and they're about to hit Australian shores to trance our capital cities with their addictive sounds. In the two years they've been together, Odesza racked up two full length albums, an EP and a few remixes under their belts. Their first album Summer's Gone stood out in a crowd of competing electro albums for showing off not just beats, but startlingly dreamy songs. From the album, songs 'How Did I Get Here' and 'iPlayYouListen' instantly leapt to #1 on the Hype Machine Chart, and with their success came a flock of pilgrims ready to pay homage to new greats on the international electronic music scene. Their brand new album In Return reaps a number of catchy, soulful tunes, namely 'Say My Name' and 'Bloom', which have been flacked with positive reviews from avid listeners and reviewers alike. To celebrate a new album, and the ever-growing attention swamping these electro-savants, Odesza will be making their way around the country for a series of beats-heavy gigs. Supported by Charles Murdoch.
Put down that greasy kebab. We know you're hungry, but there's a new late-night food hero in town — and its offerings are a way better match to your 1am Negroni. Michael Madrusan — the guy behind Fitzroy cocktail lounge The Everleigh and good-times den Heartbreaker — has opened a pizza joint inside the latter, serving cheesy slices to round out the CBD bar's late-night revelry. Named after Madrusan's Italian grandmother, Connie's Pizza pays homage both to the traditional, Nonna-style offerings of his childhood, and the one-hander, New York-style slices devoured during his time slinging cocktails in the US. And, available until as late as 3am, it's going to drastically improve your late-night dining game. Madrusan's tackled this project with the same considered approach as he has his acclaimed cocktail ventures, enlisting the help of chef Ben Sisley (ex-Ovest and Mr Wolf) to design some truly cracking recipes, all of which are made with top-quality, Nonna-approved ingredients. Even the water used has the same pH as New York's in order to mimic the city's beloved dough. The menu, which will give Heartbreaker a substantial food offering, will feature a trio of pizzas, each available by the slice or the pie, and for scoffing in-house or taking home. Choose from the classic cheese and pepperoni, and then there's the Sicilian, a deep-pan, square-cut pizza that does a switcharoo, layering the tomato on top of the cheese. Connie's Pizza is now open inside Heartbreaker, at 234A Russell Street, Melbourne. Slices are up for grabs from 5pm till 3am Monday to Thursday, 12pm till 3am Friday and Saturday, and 12pm till 1am Sunday. For more info, visit conniespizza.com.au. Images Brook James.
It’s Saturday night. You’re sprawled on the couch. You’re in the middle of a Kubrick marathon (really, watching Mean Girls yet again). Then, out of the corner of your eye, you notice all hell about to break loose. The whisky bottle is down to its final nip. You’ve had one too many to drive. The nearest bottle shop is half-an-hour’s walk away. Oh, and it’s ten degrees outside. Never have so many elements conspired to cause your disappointment. There’s only one path out of this purgatory. Introducing, Deliver Me Drinks. It’s a brand new alcohol delivery service, bringing wine, beer and spirits to home-stranded boozers all over Melbourne. If, at any point between 6pm and 11.45pm on a Tuesday to Sunday, you find yourself in your lounge room with an empty cellar, all you have to do is jump online and make an order. Whether you live in the CBD, Port Melbourne, Camberwell or Carlton (or pretty much any other suburb), Deliver Me Drinks will bring drinkies to your doorstep within 45 minutes. Their wide-ranging menu covers red wines from the likes of Wynns, Yering Station, West Cape Howe and Pepperjack; whites from Oyster Bay, Pizzini, Pikes Traditionale and Mad Fish; beers from James Squire, Little Creatures, Asahi, Peroni and others; and a bunch of spirits. Check if Deliver Me Drinks delivers to your suburb on their website. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
George Miller has done the near-impossible and made car chases interesting again. Not just interesting, mind you. Sensational. Mad Max: Fury Road is electrifying, breathtaking, white-knuckle cinema at its masterful best, and — given the entire film is a car chase — that’s no mean feat. Consider the problem. Chase sequences become interminably dull as soon as you recognise they are restricted by just two possible outcomes: ‘pursuer catches’ or ‘pursued evades’. Subject to a few notable exceptions (French Connection and Ronin being the standouts), these scenes merely interrupt the narrative and contribute little or nothing to the character arcs or overall plot. The difference is the road movie. Miller, who practically invented the genre 35 years ago, understands that everything changes when the chase is the story. It's cinematic inverted spectrum, where action is transformed from interruption to character defining narrative — an extension of the their very lives and personalities. Traditional distinctions like age and gender become irrelevant, and how a person drives, fights, shoots and stares becomes more important than what they say. Demonstrating an astonishing paucity of dialogue, the action of Mad Max: Fury Road doesn’t just speak more loudly than words — it positively deafens. In a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland, earth’s survivors now exist in a collection of militarised tribes fighting over the remaining reserves of gasoline and subject to the tyrannical rule of self-appointed demigods like ‘Immortan Joe’ (Hugh Keays-Byrne). The chase begins almost immediately when a one-armed big-rig driver named Furiosa (Charlize Theron), attempts to liberate Joe's young wives from their servitude as ‘breeders’ and Joe goes all out to recover them. Caught up in the action is Max (Tom Hardy), a wasteland loner captured by Joe’s minions and being used as a living blood bank for one of Furiosa’s pursuers, Nux (an almost unrecognisable Nicholas Hoult). Plot wise, it’s far from innovative; effectively Waterworld on sand with the design aesthetic of Fallout. Cinematically, however, Mad Max: Fury Road is unparalleled. The action is choreographed to mesmerising perfection, offering a balletic pageant of destruction with a refreshing absence of CGI. The sound, too, is staggering, with the menacing roar of V8 engines mirroring the Inception-like ‘BRAMMM’ that seems an almost constant fixture throughout. The combined effect is ferocious and irresistible, encapsulating all that makes cinema a uniquely immersive and transportive experience. Miller has crafted something extraordinary here, a modern masterpiece that could very well redefine the action standard. Don't wait for DVD on this one. See it where it's meant to be seen, and see it now.
If you've ever eaten a lobster doughnut burger from Mammoth or brunched on hotcakes at Barry, you'll be very happy with the news that the crews behind these two cult Melbourne cafes are opening a newbie. Husband and wife team Jamie and Loren McBride, who are involved with Northcote's Barry, Malvern's Mammoth and Touchwood in Richmond, have paired up with Jemma Richards and Iza Dawkins of Shawcross Pizza to bring a touch of New York to Northcote. This collaboration has culminated in the opening of a brand new Westgarth Village eatery, Primo, which opened last week. "Westgarth Village is such a great neighbourhood," says Loren. "We are in our mid-early thirties with young kids. we wanted to make a place us and our friends would love to go to. Primo is the sort of place you can take the family, meet friends on Friday night for pizzas and drinks, catch up for a casual lunch on weekends." The menu will feature New York-inspired pizzas and soft serve, which is a pretty tight business plan, if you ask us. "Soft serve has so many fun elements to it — the option to be creative with flavours is endless," says Loren. Of course, they won't be the only players in the soft serve game. Sydney's Aqua S has just opened up shop in Melbourne's CBD with their famous sea salt soft serve, and Tuck Shop Take Away has being doing flavours like Redskin and Milo for a few years now. Primo will take the soft serve idea all the way though. "We are going to have soft serve floats on the menu, sundaes, affogatos — it's a classic combo. We will play with classic Italian ingredients and flavours; think zabaglione, olive oil, panettone, tiramisu." So it's kind of like Pizza Hut — but with soft serve and way classier — and all of the ingredients will be locally sourced in an effort to keep Primo's environmental footprint as low as possible. "We want to keep the produce seasonal. A lot of pizza joints promote imported product, which is great and often desirable, but we have brilliant local producers doing great things." says Loren. "Our menu will speak to what is good now and celebrate the type food we love eating." And good news for Northcote locals who like to eat pizza in their pyjamas: their nosh is available to order through Menulog. Primo sounds as though it will be a welcome addition for those wanting to eat casually (and well) without straying from High Street — or home. Primo will is now open from midday seven days a week at 104 High Street, Northcote. For more information, check their Instagram. Updated: September 12, 2016.
If you've been searching for a supportive environment to use the phrase, "How very droll," listen up. NPR humorist, bestselling author and creator of uncomfortably real windows into human existence David Sedaris is coming back to Australia. Returning for a national tour in January 2016, the beloved American humour writer will bring his trademark sardonic wit and social critique to the stage for An Evening with David Sedaris, his third tour to Australia. Celebrated for his constant This American Life appearances, must-read pieces in The New Yorker and his unputdownable books Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames and his most recent book, Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, Sedaris is no stranger to telling it like it is — and don't expect our own country to get away unscrutinised. "I love the airports of Australia," says Sedaris. "Security wise, they’re like stepping into a time machine and coming out in 1975. No one yells at you, you get to keep your shoes on. It’s heaven. Coming from the UK, I also appreciate how open the people are, how willing to talk about money. ‘How much did your house cost?’ I ask. ‘How much do you make per year?’ In Europe people pass out when you ask that question, but in Australia, they just jump right in and answer." Sedaris's last Australian tours sold out quicksmart, so you're going to want to lock these down when they're on sale 9am August 14. AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS TOUR DATES: January 17 — Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Tickets via ticketek.com.au. January 18 and 19 — Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall. Tickets via sydneyoperahouse.com. January 20 — Brisbane City Hall, Brisbane. Tickets via ticketek.com.au January 21 and 22 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne. Tickets via artscentremelbourne.com.au. January 23 — Theatre Royal, Hobart, Tickets via theatreroyal.com.au. January 24 — Octagon Theatre, Perth. Tickets via ticketswa.com. Tickets on sale 9am Friday, August 14. Image: Anna Fishbein.
Fuzzy's national electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out is back for another round and this year's lineup is a humdinger, topped by California's inimitable Anderson .Paak, with his live band The Free Nationals. He's joined by UK beatsmiths Gorgon City, big trap fiend Baauer, AV-happy producer Claptone live, Harlem Trap Lord A$AP Ferg, LA young gun Jauz, grime newcomer Stormzy, Swedish rap phenomenon Yung Lean and more. There's plenty of homegrown love on the bill this year, as always, with festival favourites Rüfüs marking their final Aussie shows of 2016, alongside the likes of Cosmo's Midnight, Ngaiire, L D R U, JOY, Sui Zhen and Willow Beats. Listen Out tours nationally to four of Australia's capitals, kicking off on September 24 and hitting Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane over two weekends. Tickets are on sale from midday on Thursday, June 23 from the Listen Out website. LISTEN OUT 2016 LINEUP: Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals A$AP Ferg Claptone Immortal Live Cosmo's Midnight Gorgon City DJ Set Baauer JAUZ JOY. L D R U Ngaiire Rüfüs Stormzy Sui Zhen DJ Set Tash Sultana Tchami Willow Beats Yung Lean LISTEN OUT 2016 DATES: MELBOURNE — Saturday, September 24 at Catani Gardens, St Kilda PERTH — Sunday, September 25 at Western Parklands, HBF Arena, Joondalup SYDNEY — Saturday, October 1 at Centennial Park BRISBANE — Sunday, October 2 at The Sporting Fields, Victoria Park All shows 1-10pm Image: Listen Out.
The National Gallery of Victoria has revealed its next impressive exhibition, A Fairy Tale in Red Times. Showcasing large-scale and never-before-seen works from Sydney's White Rabbit Gallery's collection, the exhibition will explore questions of identity and personal and cultural memory. Featuring 26 Chinese and Taiwanese artists from across two generations — the first post-Mao generation and a younger generation for whom the Cultural Revolution is ancient history — A Fairy Tale in Red is an examination of the dramatic generational change in Chinese society and culture, and its impact on contemporary art as well as, more generally, today's China. Works include Shi Yong's A Bunch of Happy Fantasies (2009) installation of upside down neon-lit Chinese characters and the eponymous A Fairy Tale in Red Times (2003–07): a collection of vibrant, large-scale photographs by husband and wife duo Shao Yinong and Muchen. Plus, pieces never exhibited before in Australia will be on display, including Zhu Jinshi's large scale immersive installation The Ship of Time (2018) made from 14,000 sheets of xuan paper, 1800 pieces of fine bamboo and 2000 cotton threads; and Mao Tongqiang's Order (2015), a stainless-steel installation shot repeatedly with bullets. The exhibition is a collaboration between White Rabbit's founder Judith Neilson and the NGV — and it's the first time the NGV will dedicate and entire exhibition to works from the Sydney gallery. Coinciding with White Rabbit Gallery's tenth anniversary and the release of a new NGV publication The Centre: On Art and Urbanism in China, the exhibition opens this week, and will run from May 3 until October 6. As a bonus, it's also free to enter. Images: Tom Ross.
Spotify had best watch its back, because there's a brand new music streaming service in town. Launching this week, BitTorrent Now is an Android and soon to be iOS and Apple TV app that lets users stream ad-supported music and video, with a special focus on curated content that might otherwise fly under the radar. While BitTorrent is probably best known as a way of sneakily pirating TV shows, the company has actually been helping artists distribute their work for years. Since launching their BitTorrent Bundle service in 2013, they've worked with Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, comedian David Cross and countless other lesser-known filmmakers, musicians and miscellaneous creatives. Artists who make their work available via BitTorrent Now can choose whether or not they wish to participate in the ad program. If they opt not to, they can instead make their work available for purchase, or upload it for free without any ads whatsoever. According to the company, artists will receive 70 percent of revenue generated by ads on their videos, and 90 percent of revenue if they chose to place their content behind a paywall. BitTorrent will also make a concerted effort to curate content on the app, in order to help artists find an audience and vice versa. The app includes trending and new release sections, and allows users to build a list of favourites. Nothing too revolutionary — perhaps the most interesting thing about it is the focus on smaller artists, who'll hopefully be able to use the platform to make a name for themselves. No word yet on if/when BitTorrent Now will be available in Australia. Via Engadget.
Australians are notoriously picky when it comes to their daily coffee. But how many of us actually know how and why coffees can vary so much from place to place? Sure there's the skill of the barista, but it might be time to learn a bit more about the beans to inform our preferences. Here's a handy guide to coffee tasting, from what aromas to look for to how to drink better coffee in general. You'll be hosting your own coffee cupping sessions at home in no time — something you can even do with the humble coffee pod. [caption id="attachment_578979" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Daniel Ruswick.[/caption] WHY DO A COFFEE TASTING? Coffee cupping sessions are about educating people on the difference in beans. Where they're from, if they're single origin, how they're roasted and ground all contribute to a different product at the end of the line. Sam Gibson co-owner of Back and Forth cafe attends quarterly cupping sessions with his supplier Gabriel coffee. "Coffee tastings are important to identify the profile of the coffee, where it's from and how it's roasted determines the flavours which inform our choices of what to serve." Back and Forth has a house blend then a monthly single origin coffee it grinds freshly and sells to customers. Cupping sessions are also available and gaining popularity at places like Campos in Newtown and Rueben Hills in Surry Hills. DO'S AND DON'TS Don't do anything silly like brush your teeth just before doing a tasting. Cleanse the palate with sparkling water, that's not too cold between tasting. Don't swallow the coffee, but do leave it and swill it around your mouth a bit before spitting it out. Don't add sugar. When you're sipping, Gibson advises to take in a little bit of air with the mouthful, in the same way as when you're tasting wine. "It's really important as it gets the coffee to the back of the mouth and all over the tongue," he says. [caption id="attachment_578982" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Drew Coffman.[/caption] WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR "Aroma is really important and the first thing to be considered," says Gibson. Before tasting the coffee smell each one after the other and notice the difference. Then smell each one again just before you taste it. "Very roughly speaking the darker blends are better for milky coffees as they hold up with their more full bodied, bitter chocolatey characteristics." Lighter blends tend to be a bit more earthy, floral and citrusy which suit black coffee. When tasting the coffee think about characteristics beyond the actual flavour profiles like body, acidity, complexity, mouth feel and finish. Try to think of words that describe the flavours you're tasting, such as grassy, earthy. chocolatey, sharp, delicate, bitter, bold etc. COFFEE TASTING AT HOME With the rise in popularity of portable espresso machines at home, so too are people developing tastes for their favourite beans and blends in the pods. Australian startup company Tripod Coffee sources single origin and blended regional beans, then roasts and vacuum sealed locally to retain freshness. It might be an idea to get one of their sample packs, which has all five varieties from their spicy, savoury, cedar style 'Grey Gaucho' to their raisiny, citrusy and coco bean-esque 'Blue Beret'. Otherwise getting a small pack of a few different beans from a cafe, having them freshly ground and serving them French press style side by side, is a surprisingly good way to compare the characteristics of the beans. TIPS FOR DRINKING BETTER COFFEE Adding sugar is a real no-no for coffee purists. But knowing what kind of bean suits the way you drink your coffee (black, espresso or flat white, for instance) can help you make an educated choice to bring out the best in your coffee. Never keep coffee in the freezer at home, but tightly sealed somewhere dry. The best thing you can do is invest in a grinder and grind small quantities of beans as you make your coffee. And try as much coffee as you can — shake it up.
When it comes to fashion, staying ahead of the pack can be a mighty tough feat. But if you’re keen to kick monochromic minimalism to the curb, while giving a little back to your global community, we’ve found just the bold West African label to help you do it. YEVU, which means 'foreigner' in the local Ewe language, is a socially responsible clothing line bringing the wild traditional wax prints of Ghana to Aussie shores. Linking local African tailors with style-conscious global customers, founder Anna Robertson is creating serious change for Ghanaian seamstresses living on the poverty line. After launching their sell-out debut range in October 2013, YEVU returns this month with a fresh selection of awesome new threads (we actually can't get enough of these prints). From late November, Sydney and Melbourne will both house YEVU’s latest pop-up stores. Stocked with everything from daring jumpsuits to bold bomber jackets for both ladies and gents, these vibrant designs won’t go unnoticed in your wardrobe. Give back, shop ethically and nab a new look with some of the sweetest prints you’ll see all season. Head along to the launch of YEVU's pop up locations in Sydney (636 Crown Street, Surry Hills) on November 26 and Melbourne (27-29 Johnston Street, Collingwood) on December 3 from 6 to 9pm. YEVU POP-UP OPENING HOURS Sydney — November 27 to January 24 (10am to 7pm daily) Melbourne — December 4 to January 31 (10am to 7pm Daily) Both stores closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. Image: YEVU.
Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison and director Peter Sellars offer a radical new take on Shakespeare's Othello. Making its Australian premiere as part of the Melbourne Festival, Desdemona tells the story of the titular wife of Othello, and in particular her relationship with Barbary, the African maid who raised her (played by award winning Malawi singer-songwriter Rokia Traore). The result is a production that challenges the notoriously antiquated depictions of race and gender found in the original play, and promises to leave Shakespeare buffs – and audiences in general – with plenty of food for thought. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Festival. Check out the other nine.
Siblings Sofia and Stefan Soltys are hitting refresh on Eastern European fare for their new Fitzroy bar and eatery, Little Odessa. Following the success of the pair's CBD cafe Frances Food & Coffee, this latest project sees them drawing on both their Ukranian heritage and their family's lengthy history in the hospitality game. The siblings' mother opened Lygon Street's Cafe Paradiso back in the 70s, while their father later founded Rathdowne Street icon The Paragon. And now Little Odessa's joined the family, launching on Brunswick Street in early February. It's a cosy space, where natural wines are the focus of the drinks list and the kitchen's plating up modern riffs on the Ukrainian fare the Soltys grew up with. Here, find yourself tucking into dishes like dill and vodka salmon tartare with rye, seared sardines teamed with a Hungarian-style tomato sauce, and a borscht to make any babka proud. Of course, classic pierogi dumplings also make an appearance, here stuffed with either potato and cheese, or pork and apple. There's also an impressive wine selection and a strong bottled lineup of Aussie craft brews, though you can always stick with tradition and grab a Czech Budvar on tap. All served, of course, with a side of warm, European hospitality. Little Odessa is now open at 274 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. For more info, visit littleodessa.com.au.
There can literally never be too many Spanish restaurants. In fact, it's Concrete Playground's dream to see every street lined with them and for life to become a neverending string of eating tapas and drinking Spanish wine. For these and other ham-related reasons, we’re incredibly excited that Chato, a bright and authentic Spanish eatery, has just opened in Thornbury. Chato has moved into their new digs on High Street and is warming up the suburb with an authentic Spanish winter menu — mixed in with some Australian staples. Chato translates to ‘a small glass of wine’, but the dishes on offer are in no way small or stingy. The breakfast menu is a balance of basics (eggs any way with sourdough, $9.50 and toasted museli with poached fruit, $12.50) and a few Spanish inspired dishes, including torrijas (brioche dipped in vanilla and lemon milk and lightly fried, $12.50) and Flamenca (eggs cooked in a chorizo and tomato ragout and topped with serrano ham, $16.50). While traditional Spanish food is very much ham-based, Chato offers many vegetarian dishes as well as gluten-free option, so it sounds like there’s a dish here to suit everyone. The lunch menu includes a menu de dia (set menu of the day, $19.90) and anyone who’s visited Spain will understand how authentic this is — most restaurants offer a set menu to delight tourists and regulars alike. Alongside traditional paellas and empanadas, the menu also boasts a solid selection of bocadillos, which is basically a Spanish-style sandwich. We're keen to try the lomo, which consists of grilled marinated loin of pork with shallow fried bell peppers ($9.90). Bueno. Best of all, Chato is run by Darebin locals Maria and Jenny Echevarria-Lang, who source their produce from local, free-range — so you can eat with a clear conscience. But better get in quick, because we expect this place to pack out faster than you can say “Bring me all of your ham!” Chato is located at 921 High Street, Thornbury. Open Sunday to Wednesday 8am-3pm; Thursday to Sunday 8am-11pm. Call 9484 9554 for bookings. Images: Eugene Hyland.
Melbourne's biennial showcase of young and emerging artist has just unveiled its latest program. Running from May 3 to 20, the 2018 Next Wave Festival will highlight some of the coolest, most exciting and most innovative up-and-comers working across theatre, dance, video, music, sculpture and everything in between. The festival will kick off with a free opening night party at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute. The soiree is being sponsored by the Archie Rose Distilling company, so you know the booze will be good. It's one of a number of epic shindigs on the program this year, with Sezzo Snot and Makeda Zucco set to take over the Tote Hotel for a night of electronic music, sound art, performance and installation, and DJ Sista Zai Zanda headling an Afro-futuristic Mother's Day eve celebration of dance, music, poetry and storytelling. The rest of the line-up is packed with standouts. Crush Time, from Brisbane theatre artist Nathan Sibthorpe, serves up a democratic dinner where participants vote on the ingredients, while Estrogenesis, by performance collective Embittered Swish, will explore contemporary transgender realities through a mix of movement, lyricism, video and live sound art. There's also the intriguing-sounding Apokalypsis by local Greenroom Award nominees Zak Pidd and Charles Purcell, billed as "a high octane theatrical flipbook performance of 100 historical disasters in 60 minutes." If that all sounds a bit too intense, you can also check out Canine Choreography from Danielle Reynolds, an in-depth investigation into the world of freestyle dog dancing which is apparently a thing that exists. Image: Sarah Walker.
Madja and Nedim Rahmanovic have had us all on tenterhooks for the last nine months. In May last year they sadly announced their departure from North Melbourne's Twenty & Six and tantalised us with talk of a new venue, ambiguously named Host. It may have taken a bit longer than anticipated, but the couple's second Melbourne venture is finally up and running. Opening tonight, Wednesday, April 20 on Saxon Street, Brunswick, Host runs on a five-day schedule. You'll be able to sit down for dinner between Wednesday and Sunday, and lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. The focus — and the major point of difference between Host and Twenty & Six — is on more sophisticated nighttime service. The mode of the venue is reflected in the name — a focus on hosting, hearth and home. "The space was a bare warehouse and the brief was to create a home-like atmosphere that encapsulates the definition of what is it to be a 'host'," says Madja. This is mirrored with the menu's seasonal offerings, frequently changed to keep it fresh, and a focus on shared meals and flexible dining. This comes together for what Madja describes as "a relaxed evening service, alongside minimal intervention wines, local beers and a small cocktail and amaro list". The Brunswick space is industrial and gritty but made warm by wooden finishes, imposing staghorn ferns and intimate booth dining. And, as you would expect from the pair, the food itself is thoughtful and considered, plated up artfully with a splash of colour. Welcome to Brunswick, Host, you demure delight. Host is open now at 4 Saxon Street, Brunswick. It's open for lunch Friday to Sunday and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, visit hostdining.com.au.
Dropping in from the UK to play Groovin' the Moo, Brit singer-songwriter Charli XCX will be 'Boom Clap'ping her way through sideshows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In her own words, Ms XCX (AKA Charlotte Emma Aitchison) wants to give you "an hour of sweating and totally losing your mind, no matter what's going on that day or what you're worried about." Aitchison first attracted international attention in 2012, when she co-composed and performed on Icona Pop's hit 'I Love It', which played on Lena Dunham's Girls. In 2013, she released her own debut EP, True Romance, before joining forces with Iggy Azalea in 2014 on 'Fancy'. She and Azalea have since performed together all over the planet. Then, of course, along came 'Boom Clap', of The Fault in our Stars soundtrack, and the bratty 'Break The Rules'; confirming Charli XCX as a popstar in her own right. At the Corner, she'll be supported by Adelaide's rising rapper Tkay Maidza, another bright spark changing the rules of pop. Image: Mike Massaro.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, lose yourself in the swirling, vibrant world of Van Gogh, try your luck at scoring cheap tickets to The Book of Mormon and delve into a mysterious world at a secret immersive dinner. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
For many, Healesville Sanctuary is simply a school trip destination or a fun spot to take international visitors to so that they can hug a wombat. But for one weekend, the rural animal sanctuary is changing things up by hosting a massive food and wine festival. On Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25, more than 20 local wineries, breweries and distilleries will take over the site's lush nature trail, each with their own pop-up cellar door. Sutherland Estate, Four Pillars, Steels Gate Wines, Zonzo Estate, De Bortoli, Hop Hen Brewing, Tokar Estate and Stag Lane Distillers are some of the drinks producers taking part this year — each offering a range of tastings. While the booze is the main attraction (as well as the Aussie animals), you'll also find plenty of food stalls along the trail. Little Yarra Creperie, The Greatest Doughman, Babaji's Kitchen and Lady Paella will cook up a bunch of sweet and savoury eats, while Healesville Sanctuary's three cafes will also be open as usual. Either nosh on these while you wander, or stop and sit by some of the bonfires and teepees dotted along the walk to rest and snack. You can also follow the sound of music to find live gigs. The entire property will only be open to Wine & Wildlife ticketholders across the two days, so be sure to plan ahead. Tickets cost $60 for average punters, $48 for zoo members, and kids go free. The ticket includes access to the sanctuary, a reusable wine glass, and free reign of the drinks tastings. As an added bonus, you'll be glad to know that money from ticket sales will help fund a dedicated team at the wildlife hospital, which treats thousands of animals every year, in addition to caring for the animals at Healesville Sanctuary.
Batman's added one more surprise to his overstocked utility belt — free gelato. To celebrate the release of new video game Batman: Arkham Knight (the fourth and final in the Arkham series), N2 Extreme Gelato has created a trilogy of character-based flavours — all yours to inhale for free. This Wednesday, June 24 from 5pm, you'll be able to munch on DC Comics-inspired, handcrafted flavours of N2, all created using their signature style of liquid nitrogen-based 'gelatorgastronomy'. Again, it's free. FREE. And only available in N2's Sydney and Melbourne stores. Only one per customer y'greedy guts. There's 'The Batmobile' (burnt chocolate gelato representing ‘burnt rubber tyres’, crème brûlée ‘shattered glass’ shards, smoked chocolate ‘engine oil’ syringe and cookie chunk ‘asphalt’): Our personal favourite, 'The Scarecrow' (straw-infused gelato (!), cornflake crunch pieces, three syringes filled with citrus ‘fear toxin’ bitters): 'The Riddler (matcha gelato, green tea, ‘bewildered’ choc top, ‘confused’ ganache, feuilletines ‘puzzled bits’, topped with ‘?’ waffle discs): Munging down on Batman-inspired gelato isn't all we're celebrating here. This dark night of free N2 coincides with today's Australia-wide PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC release of Batman: Arkham Knight, the Arkham series finale, where Batman faces off against the formidable Scarecrow and his merry band of supervillains (we're talking Penguin, Two-Face, Harley Quinn and The Riddler). If you played Arkham Asylum, City or Origins, you know you're down for some fly-across-room-to-hit-dude-in-face-you-weren't-even-aiming-at action and all the beautifully dark graphics you could want. N2 Extreme Gelato's Batman-inspired creations will be available from 5pm in the following stores on Wednesday, June 24: SYDNEY Newtown: 184 King Street Newtown CBD: 43/1 Dixon St, Sydney MELBOURNE Fitzroy: 329 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy CBD: 18 Sutherland St, Melbourne One free gelato is available to each customer (they'll see your moustache is fake, guys) and only while stocks last. Get. There. Early.
Melbourne's rockstars will go head to head with the bigwigs of community radio, at the 22nd annual Reclink Community Cup. In a dance as old as time — otherwise known as the mid '90s — muso team the Rockdogs will take on the combined forces of PBS, Triple R, SYN FM, 3RPP and 3MBS, aka the Megahertz, in a highly entertaining and heckleworthy game of amateur charity football with a year's worth of bragging rights on the line. Played once again at Elsternwick Park, proceeds from this Sunday's match will be donated to Reclink Australia and used to improve the lives of people suffering from disability, homelessness, substance abuse and economic hardship through participation in sport and the arts. Coming off a thrilling 27-point win last year, the Megahertz will be looking to keep the cup, while the Rockdogs try to snatch it back. The match will be bookended by a series of live performances by the likes of Regurgitator, Ross Wilson, Total Giovanni, The Sugarcanes and Loose Tooth, all of whose musical credentials are a lot more impressive than their footballing ones. Hey, if you want to see professional athletes, go to the MCG.
If you've been struggling to live in the teenies because you're musically and spiritually stuck in the noughties, we have some news that's going to bring you bolting straight into the present. Ministry of Sound are embarking on a super-niche tour. From mid-November, they'll be paying visits to Australia's capital cities to perform, get this, their greatest clubbing moments from The Annual 2001-2004. And that'll be all, folks. Leading the lineup will be OGs John Course and Mark Dynamix, who, between them, have placed millions of CDs in club-loving hands and ears over the past couple of decades. They're the mighty duo behind Ministry of Sound's annual compilations, on which you probably first heard Roger Sanchez, Basement Jaxx, Tim Deluxe, Cassius and Groove Armada. To each gig, Course and Dynamix will be inviting a bunch of cracking support artists. Sydneysiders will be treated to an extra-special tribute to early noughties break beat at a Clubber's Guide to Breaks Room. You can count on appearances by the UK's Plump DJs, as well as by homegrown breaks guru Kid Kenobi. MINISTRY OF SOUND 2001-2004 REUNION TOUR November 18 — The Prince, Melbourne December 16 — The Metro, Sydney December 20 — HQ, Adelaide January 13 — Discovery, Darwin January 15 — Matisse Beach Club, Perth January 21 — The Met, Brisbane Tickets are over here. In the meantime, to get yourself in the mood, have a listen to this dedicated Reunion Tour play list on Spotify.
It's common for restaurants and bars to offer discounts to their own staff, but it's even better when they extend deals to anyone working in hospitality. Owners of such joints know how hard it can be to enjoy luxe nights out when working on these wages, so it's great when they can make their spaces more accessible to those who actually work in the industry. The latest spot to do this is Purple Pit, home to one of the city's best martinis. Seriously, anytime we have a hankering for a dirty gin martini, this is where we head. And now, the team offers a generous 20% discount to service industry workers every Wednesday night. This includes hospo staff, as well as anyone working in healthcare, social services and education industries. It's a huge win. Either treat yourself to a few classic Euro-centric cocktails and call it a night, or go all out by ordering caviar bumps, aperitivo-style dishes and a heap of martinis. Aussie hospo mainstay Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, RE and Jackson on George) and Joe Jones are the minds behind this outstanding basement bar. And this Wednesday night deal is the perfect excuse for service workers to visit. Images: Parker Blain.
UPDATE: JUNE 3, 2020 — Nimble has postponed its sale for a week, until Thursday, June 11. The below article has been updated to reflect this. There's nothing like a fresh haul of shiny new workout gear to inspire a little fitness kick. Especially when that workout gear takes the form of some high-performance threads from sustainability focused label Nimble Activewear. Well, this June, you're in for a treat, as the local brand pulls together a swag of great pieces for its huge permanent markdown sale. Running online and in-stores from 10am on Thursday, June 11 until stock sells out, the sale will be packed full of bargains, offering a hefty range of outerwear, tights, sports bras, sweats, shorts and more, with discounts of up to 40 percent. You might even be able to catch discounted pieces from the label's core CompressLite line, which is cleverly crafted from recycled plastic bottles. Nab one of these and you'll really have something to feel good about — Nimble's saved over 900,000 plastic bottles from heading to landfill since 2015. Nimble's permanent markdown sale kicks off at 10am on Thursday, June 11 and runs until stock sells out.
RISING is known for boundary-pushing activations, but even by RISING's lofty standards, Spark sounds kind of insane. Inspired by the movement of fireflies and distant galaxies, Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde has designed a 'flock of sparks' – thousands and thousands of tiny, bioluminescent particles – that he intends to unleash into the night sky above Fed Square. Each spark is made from biodegradable materials, so there's no risk to the environment, and the whole thing is free to anyone who happens to look upwards. According to the brochure, "once released, the sparks form ever-shifting clouds of light that behave like atmospheric bioluminescence, caught in a cool night breeze". Should make for a pretty special end to the evening: zillions of sparks floating over the moonlit Yarra, expanding and coalescing like a tiny universe. Spark will be taking place at Fed Square during RISING, but only for four nights. Entry is free. Set your phone cameras to night mode and get ready to be blown away. Images: Supplied
Shane Delia’s newest venture is going to delight the ever living crap out of fans of old school hip hop. Aptly named Biggie Smalls, the joint blends '90s hip hop with a classic New York diner setting and is built around an ethos of authenticity. You might remember Delia from his recent SBS series Shane Delia’s Spice Journey or one of his top drawer, fine dining venues, which makes his urban diner eatery in Collingwood seem like an odd choice. Being a massive Notorious B.I.G. fan as a kid, he's finally realised a lifelong love of hip hop and food in one establishment. That’s not to say it’ll be like any old kebab joint. We can’t forget that Maha, Delia’s most well-known enterprise, has received a chef's hat for the last six years, so Biggie Smalls is definitely in capable hands. Delia says the restaurant will be a 'KBab joint' and the offerings will be simple, non-traditional but will stay loyal to his Middle Eastern heritage. Delia's years of expertise really shine through in the menu, which features kebabs as mains with a basic list of sides, desserts and drinks to accompany. You can take your pick of some of the tastiest kebab options we've ever heard: there's the C. Wallace (flaxseed falafel, herbs, pickles, onions and smoked hummus). Yep, enjoy obliterating one of those. Then there's the West Coast (fried shrimps, harissa and almond mayo, herbs and pickled onion), the East Coast (maple glazed pork belly, crackling, (peanut butter hummus, herbs and pickles) and the Dirty South (fried chicken, pumpkin pie hummus, herbs, pickles and onion) to name a few. Did we mention there's a peanut butter caramel injected pretzel for dessert? Because there is. That's a real thing. That you can soon eat. Oh and the official venue hashtag? #readytodine. Classic. Biggie Smalls, located at 86 Smith Street, Collingwood, will open at 11am on Thursday, December 10. Find out more on their website.
The Flaming Lips are the very definition of a band that has too much creativity to quit. Their unique psychedelic rock has been around since 1983, but they're not the type of band who'd sign, seal and deliver the same hits over and over. Having said that, you (or someone in close proximity) probably have their greatest tunes perpetually on high rotation, from ‘Do You Realise??’, ‘The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song’, to ‘Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1’ and ‘She Don’t Use Jelly’. Listening to these psychedelic ditties is a joyous trip of an experience in itself, but seeing them live is something else entirely. The Flaming Lips' undeniably brilliant album, Clouds Taste Metallic, is currently enjoying its 20th anniversary and to celebrate, The Flaming Lips are off on tour yet again. Ahead of their Sydney Festival and Palais Theatre shows, we managed to catch up with the very chatty Wayne Coyne and asked him about giving new life to a 20-year-old record, his next-level live shows, and of course, his work with Miley. [caption id="attachment_554895" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: George Salisbury.[/caption] WHERE CLOUDS TASTE METALLIC AND HEADY NUGGS ROAM The Flaming Lips have released a whopping 16 studio albums since 1983, with the beloved seventh album Clouds Taste Metallic hitting shelves in 1995. Over a decade later, how does Coyne feel about the album now? "Some of those songs are just really great, dynamic, freaky songs to play. It’s one of those records that is never that far away from us.” The reissued vinyl, titled Heady Nuggs: Clouds Taste Metallic 20 Years Later, comes with quite a few extra goodies, including a live Seattle set from 1996. “We’re a very lucky group that virtually everything that we’ve ever recorded, we really do have absolute say over what we can reissue.” At first, the live vinyl was not going to cut it. “We never liked the quality. Even though we liked the show, it never sounded very good.” After a little playing around with plug-ins, the band was able to recreate the “crazy, freaky, exciting show" they knew they had on their hands. “I think when people listen to that they get a sense of that very amped-up punk-rock meets psychedelic rock, meets prog-rock weirdo group that we were," says Coyne. With track names such as ‘Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles’, it's hard not to ask for the story behind the album title Clouds Taste Metallic. Turns out Sydney had a hand in it. About 20-odd years ago The Flaming Lips were hanging out with Tool in Sydney. Tool’s then bassist, Paul D’Amour was taking a ride in a four-seater airplane (as you do) and asked the pilot to fly through a cloud (because Paul D'Amour). “He opened his mouth because he thought, 'How often do you get to go through a cloud?' I asked him, what did it taste like? And he said, 'You know, it tasted kind of metallic.' That’s an absolutely true story." ON FINDING A KINDRED SPIRIT IN MILEY The Flaming Lips are no strangers to collaboration; just check out their 15th studio album With a Little Help From My Fwends; a star-studded cover album of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. One creative partnership stands out amongst them: Coyne and Miley Cyrus. “The way that we live our lives is very similar,” Coyne explains, “She’s so on it. She has so much shit to say and songs to sing. I think that’s why we like each other. I’m always going and she’s always going, and so we meet up and we’ve got 20 things we want to do.” According to Coyne, the writing and recording process is more impulsive and natural rather than scheduled and labored. Coyne may start working on something at his studio in Oklahoma, then brings it to Cyrus, where sometimes all they’ll need is one take. “Usually even though we would say we’d start recording at noon, we usually wouldn’t start until 2am,” says Coyne, “She always has a lot of stuff going on. She can be in her house with 50 people and there can be a crazy party going on, and I’ll go in and say ‘Let’s go out and we’ll do some stuff for 20 minutes’. There’s five to six tracks we did together where it’s literally one take and I went into the house, got her, she came out, sang, and that will be the song.” [caption id="attachment_545696" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Todd Spoth.[/caption] LIVE SHOWS AND THE VIEW FROM INSIDE A HUMAN-SIZED BUBBLE There's a good reason why The Flaming Lips have been declared by Q Magazine as one of the 'Top 50 Bands to See Before You Die'. If you're fortunate enough to have witnessed them live already you’ll be familiar with confetti guns, crazy light shows, costumes, and of course, Wayne Coyne rolling over the crowd in a human-sized bubble. So what’s it like to literally walk on your audience? “I’ve done it so much now that it’s not an utter freak-out surprise,” he says. “I have a certain control over where it’s going to go, I can get a sense of how freaky and exciting it is for the audience. It’s one of those cool moments that we embrace, we’re glad we get to do something like that, and that the audience gets to play along with it.” The only thing that Coyne worries about in the bubble is potentially breaking a nose or a pair of glasses. Bless. For Coyne, the live show experience is a chance to bring everybody into their colourful world. “The things that we do with the lights and the volume, it includes everybody. Even if they don’t know the songs, it brings everybody together. That’s why we want it to be so dynamic. You want everyone to get the most out of it.” The Flaming Lips are most at home in a festival atmosphere, as Coyne explains, “I think it works well with our type of optimistic message. The things we really love to sing, those really do communicate at festivals pretty well.” Coyne believes there could be a new Flaming Lips record ready by April or May this year, but depending on their future work with Cyrus, no plans have been set in stone. “But that’s the great thing about always creating, sometimes by shear accident you stumble across this great song that you didn’t even know that you were going to do. That’s what we want to happen, that’s the reason to always be doing stuff. Some special moment may accidentally happen.” See The Flaming Lips perform live at Melbourne's Palais Theatre on Friday, January 8 and at Sydney Festival on Saturday, January 9 for free in the Domain. More details on The Flaming Lips' website. Top image: George Salisbury (WB).
Food, fashion, art, music, film and photography: you'll find it all at Afro Hub, Melbourne's new café, bar, retail and exhibition space dedicated to the work of the African Australian community. Located on Nicholson Street in Carlton North, the multi-purpose venue is the brainchild of 26-year-old Saba Alemayoh, owner of Fitzroy's (awesome) Saba's Ethiopian Restaurant. "There are so many people in the African Australian community who are doing amazing things," she said. "Afro Hub is a platform for them to showcase their creative talents to a wider audience." The space will launch on the weekend of September 17 with a two-day celebration featuring music by a range of African Australian performers, art by award-winning photographer Atong Atem, a pop-up shop selling handmade accessories, and plenty of tasty food. In the weeks and months that follow, Afro Hub will play host to music performances, comedy shows, spoken word acts, film screenings, fashion shows, art exhibitions and more. In its first three months the space will be dedicated to East Africa, with a focus on countries such as Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. The café section will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, featuring mouthwatering meals from Saba's Ethiopian chef Tekebash Gebre. Find Afro Hub at 727 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. For more information visit www.afrohub727.com.au.
No longer will ravenous souls roam the mean streets of Melbourne on a wild-eyed search for their favourite food truck. Opening today on High Street, Thornbury, Welcome to Thornbury is Melbourne's first permanent food truck trailer park, featuring some of the tastiest names in mobile food vending that the city has to offer. Dreamed up by the legends at Mr Burger, Welcome to Thornbury is located at 520 High Street, just a hop, skip and a jump from Croxton Train Station and the 86 tram line. Once a used car yard, the newly-renovated, 4000-square metre venue features both indoor and outdoor seating, and will host as many as six different food vendors and 700 hungry patrons a night. The Welcome to Thornbury calendar, which you can find on their Facebook page, promises 43 trucks in August alone, including Mr Burger, Ramen on Wheels, Caliko BBQ, Gorilla Grill, Senor Churo, White Guys Cook Thai and Sliders on Tyres. They've also got their own in-built 200-seater bar, where you can grab cocktails, wine and beer by the bottle or on tap. Welcome to Thornbury is open between 5pm – 9pm Monday – Thursday, 12pm – 10pm Friday – Saturday, and 12pm – 9pm Sunday. For more information check them out on Facebook. Via Good Food. Image: Mr. Burger.
Clear your calendars, art lovers. We're coming up fast on the end of the year, and that means Midsumma is right around the corner. Melbourne's largest queer arts and culture bash, the Midsumma Festival has showcased the talents of local creatives from within the city's LGBTIQ community every year since 1988. Tickets to Midsumma 2016 are due to go on sale later today, meaning it's time to start poring obsessively over this year's program and seeing how much stuff you can fit in. Running for three straight weeks from January 17, Midsumma 2016 will be spread across more than 80 different venues, and will cover everything from visual art and performance to community events and parties. As has become tradition, the festival's centrepiece event will be the annual Pride March along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. This year, the march will put an emphasis on the fight for marriage equality. The Pride March is one of three major flagship events on this year's program. The Midsumma Carnival and TDance will once again kick off the festival with a five-hour lineup of free live music and entertainment in Alexandra Gardens. We'll also see the launch of the first ever National Water Polo League Pride Cup at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, in which the Victorian Seals National League will take on the Brisbane KFC Breakers. The night will also feature an exhibition grudge match between Australia's only LGBTIQ clubs, the Melbourne Surge and the Sydney Stingers. Carn the Surge! Other standout events on the program include the DRAGNATION drag competition, the Lesbian Comedy Gala and the Yass Pride! party at Luna Park. A performance from award winning cabaret singer Michael Griffiths looks set to be pretty great and the premiere of a new multimedia art exhibition Company of Men is another of our must-see events. Tickets for Midsumma 2016 will go on sale today. For more information about the festival including the full program guide, visit midsumma.org.au
It's been a great 12 months for queer-themed cinema. Moonlight won last year's best picture Oscar, Call Me By Your Name had everyone swooning and transgender drama A Fantastic Woman not only wowed festival crowds, but also picked up this year's best foreign-language Academy Award. They're just the big players, however. There's plenty of other top LGBTIQ+ cinema where they came from. And, in even better news, much of it is heading to Melbourne for the 2018 Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Running through the numbers, it's shaping up to be another impressive fest when MQFF hits up ACMI, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova from March 15 to 26. Across its 12 days and 85 sessions, film buffs can expect 38 features, 14 documentaries and 72 shorts. That includes two world premieres, 12 Australian premieres and 21 Melbourne premieres — and, from all of that, we've selected our five best picks of the bunch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIqwrEtTw-A IDEAL HOME What happens when a couple suddenly meets the grandson they never knew they had? Plenty — and when that hard-partying pair is played by Steve Coogan and Paul Rudd, expect plenty more to occur as well. It's not the first time they've starred together, nor the first time they've shared the screen and pondered the meaning of family, with 2011's Our Idiot Brother also featuring on their respective resumes. Here, however, expect a warm queer comedy about the the connections of kin (be it of blood or of choice) of all shapes and sizes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6Zwdi86Nw THE CAKEMAKER A sensitive, involving and exceptionally acted German drama that'll tempt your tastebuds and touch your heart, The Cakemaker explores the aftermath of a chance meeting, a passionate affair and a tragic accident — all while acknowledging the many complexities that exist when it comes to love. Berlin-based pastry chef Tomas (Tim Kalkhof) not only falls head-over-heels for Israel businessman Oren (Roy Miller), but is driven to act when their romance is cut short. Tracking down Oren's widow Anat (Sarah Adler) in Jerusalem, Tomas finds a new bond forming over unspoken grief and appetising baked goods. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBGLipbSi_M MANSFIELD 66/67 Never far from the headlines in both life and death, '50s and '60s star Jayne Mansfield was an actress, Golden Globe winner and Playboy playmate. She was also accused of being a Satanist, and became the subject of a persistent myth that she was decapitated in the car accident that claimed her life. Focusing on her final years, Mansfield 66/67 touches on all of the above — and includes interpretative dance sequences in its camp compilation, because why not? John Waters, Kenneth Anger, Peaches Christ and Tippi Hedren rank among the interviewees in a documentary that definitely isn't your standard behind-the-scenes effort. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuIpb6Z6Tuo TORREY PINES From its style of stop-motion animation to its heartfelt true coming-of-age tale, every inch of Torrey Pines should feel hand- and homemade. That's because it is. An autobiographical effort from trans animator Clyde Petersen, the film dives into his '90s upbringing as a Star Trek fan with a schizophrenic mother, takes viewers on their road trip across the US, and explores everything that arises when you're with grappling with identity and sexuality. It's also stuffed full of pop culture references, including pop to Australia's own Crocodile Dundee. SO LONG Enjoying its world premiere at MQFF, So Long has a stronger Aussie connection — made in Melbourne by filmmakers Caitlin Farrugia and Michael Jones, it adds lesbian mumblecore to the country's cinematic output. You might recognise the general story of two just-single twentysomethings navigating life and love might, and there's no doubting that we've all seen that scenario many times before. Familiarity doesn't always breed contempt, however, particularly when it's both realistic and relatable. Keen on more MQFF highlights? Check out Freak Show, A Moment in the Reeds, Signature Move and Sensitivity Training from our 2018 Mardi Gras Film Festival picks, and Desert Hearts, Love, Simon, The Feels and After Louie from our 2018 Brisbane Queer Film Festival selections. There's also I Dream in Another Language from our 2017 Sundance Film Festival list, and BPM (Beats Per Minute) from our Alliance Francaise Film Festival rundown. Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2018 runs from March 15 to 26 at ACMI, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova . For more information, visit the festival website.
If you've been to Sydney, the Night Noodle Markets or spent some time on Instagram any time in the last few years, you've probably seen Black Star Pastry's strawberry watermelon cake floating around in the hands of hungry sweets fiends. You'll also know it's not just any cake — no, it's a thing of intense beauty that catches the eye (and heart) of anyone who as much as glances at the pink flower-topped cube of pastry. Just look at it. A photo posted by ROBBIE (@itd_be_rude_not_to) on Sep 14, 2016 at 5:36am PDT If your sweet tooth is aching just looking at that pretty hunk o' cake, you'll be delighted to know that the Sydney-based bakery yesterday announced via Instagram that they'll be coming down south to Melbourne for a three-month pop-up. They'll be setting up shop on University Street in Carlton from in late February with a selection of their incredible cakes — and yes, their signature aforementioned strawberry watermelon doozy will be there. Other favourites include the lemon pistachio zen cake, the strawberry lychee cake and the vegan chocolate popcorn cake. They'll also open up online orders to Melbourne so you can order a huge one for an "occasion". Until now Black Star's goods have only been available at their three Sydney locations and, for the last two years, the Night Noodle Markets. The lengthy pop-up hints at the possibility for a permanent store to open here in the future — but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Be sure to make the most of all that glorious, glorious cake while it's in town. The Black Star Pastry Pop-Up will open in late February and run for three months. It will be open Monday to Saturday 9am – 8pm and Sunday 9am – 3pm. For more information, visit blackstarpastry.com.au.
Learn how to make the perfect Sri Lankan curry or produce Persian pickles like a pro, at a series of pop-up cooking classes taught by asylum seekers and refugees. Held at a number of Melbourne venues throughout June and early July, the Free to Feed project aims to empower and enrich the local community by providing jobs and opportunities for its newest and most vulnerable members – while keeping the rest of us happy with insanely tasty food. The initiative will welcome instructors from Iran, Pakistan, Kenya and Sri Lanka – and for many of them, it represents their first employment opportunity since arriving in Australia. Students can learn the secret to mouthwatering lentil dhal, try their hand at making rose petal jam, or cook up hotdogs (yes, hotdogs) like they do on the streets of Tehran. Free to Feed classes are currently being held on select Saturdays and Sundays at venues including Crunch Cafe in Northcote, Grub Food Van in Fitzroy and The Neff Market Kitchen at the South Melbourne Cooking School. For more information visit the website.
The heat has turned up a notch and those long sunny days are stretching into balmy summer nights. What we are saying is, it's cocktail o'clock basically all the time. And while some cities scramble to the beach after work on particularly hot evenings, a Melbourne summer wouldn't be complete without prolonging your return to your hot house with a few cocktails and some top-notch bar food. Maybe you want to perch on a roof terrace with friends or retreat to an underground air-conditioned basement for some quiet time. Whatever you want, you've got it — here are the best icy-cold summer drinks and where to get them. SPECIAL CUP AT HOT SAUCE If cocktail time coincides with dinner time, then Hot Sauce is a sure fire winner. Situated down a laneway inside the new QT Melbourne, the soundtrack is a mix of 90's throwbacks, classic hip hop and a few little-known tracks you will want to Shazam for later. But what to drink? We suggest the Special Cup. Japanese caramel fried chicken with spicy chilli and black sesame sits above a specially-made cup that hides a deliciously matched cocktail of Melbourne-made Capi sparkling smoked cola and Japanese whisky underneath. Cocktail and snacks in the same vessel? This is late night dining done right. VIETNAMESE MOJITO AT UNCLE CBD St Kilda's Uncle has been dishing up modern, upmarket Vietnamese eats for the last few years and recently crossed the river to open up a sister venue in the CBD. The casual sharing menu has a mix of classic eats that will remind you of street food adventures around Ho Chi Minh City (if you should be so lucky to have had some), and the cocktail menu is very much a Melbourne interpretation of classics with a Vietnamese twist. Think lots of Szechuan pepper, pho spices, Vietnamese mint and of course plenty of Sriracha and fresh fruits. Uncle's twist on a Mojito is perfect for washing down spicy, Vietnamese pho — particularly if you crave it even on hot days. Plenty of stolen white rum, Vietnamese mint, fresh cumquats, palm syrup, lime and soda will satisfy even the most staunch of Mojito purists. [caption id="attachment_608153" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Simon Shiff[/caption] CHAMPAGNE ICY POLES AT ARBORY Icy poles and booze — they're the two staples of a quintessential long, hot Aussie summer and, let's face it, what icy treat can't be improved by the addition of alcohol? Thanks to POPS, which launched in Australia last year, these two faves come together in a genius mix of Champagne and ice served in a Calippo-like cardboard vessel. The Classic is a frozen Champers and juice icy pole and the Bellini is a mix of hibiscus, blood orange juice, peach schnapps and Prosecco. The only bar you can currently lick these frozen delights at is riverside bar Arbory. It's a damn fine choice of venue, but if it's too hot to leave the house — or you want to enjoy POPS by a pool of your choice — then booze delivery lifesavers Tipple deliver the frozen treats to you in 60 minutes. BLOODY SANGRIA AT GOOD HEAVENS Just when you thought all bar themes had been exhausted, the team behind BBQ joint Fancy Hank's opens an '80s Miami Vice-themed rooftop bar. Perfect for summer, Good Heavens has a prime position on the second level of the building that once contained Tuscan Bar with a partially-open rooftop overlooking Bourke Street. While the bar has plenty of '80s-inspired classic cocktails (including a reinterpretation of a Blue Lagoon), it's the Bloody Sangria we are most excited by. Fresh blood orange juice is shaken with Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, rosemary syrup and fresh citrus before getting topped up with Pinot Grigio. This cocktail would make it feel like summer even if it wasn't. QUINCESS LAYER AT NIEUW AMSTERDAM Last year robbed the world of many great celebrities. To honour the late Carrie Fisher who will be long remembered for, amongst other things, her defining role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, comes the Quincess Layer. This cocktail is full of East London dry gin, cardamom liqueur, Mozart Dry, house-made raspberry and white cacao tonic, coffee oil and a quince paste rim. This is a perfect after-dinner cocktail — but we also recommend trying dessert. Here's to you, Princess. FROSÉ AT MR MIYAGI It wouldn't be a 2017 cocktail list without mentioning one of the most Instagrammed drinks of the summer: frosé. This is less Frankenstein's monster and more a welcome love child between adult drinks and Slurpees — and the master of this summer treat is Chapel Street restaurant Mr Miyagi. Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir Rosé, which has notes of strawberries and cream, is tossed into the restaurant's own Slurpee-style machine with a little sugar to be slushed, crushed and frozen for thirsty guests. Topped with an exotic-looking edible flower, we don't think this will be the only summer of frosé. WATERMELON PASSION AT 400 GRADI Walking past Brunswick's 400 Gradi, you could easily be forgiven for thinking it's just another pizza joint. You would be very, very wrong though. After Johnny Di Francesco's win at the World Pizza Championships — where 400 Gradi's margherita was awarded first prize — this pizza joint quickly shot to the top of every foodie's hit list. To wash down your award winning pizza, we suggest getting a sweet Watermelon Passion. Gin, fresh watermelon juice, a squeeze of lime and some sprigs of mint make this one of the most simple, yet tasty summer drinks on our list. YARRA VALLEY SOUR AT ROOFTOP AT QT Perched 11 floors above Melbourne sits one of the city's newest rooftop destinations: the Rooftop at QT. This bar is a mix of openair deck and casual indoor couches, which will come in handy when the warmer months unfortunately come to an end. The expert bartenders are capable of making a drink to your tastes, but we suggest starting off with a few of their signature tipples first. The Yarra Valley Sour is made with Healesville's Four Pillars gin, freshly squeezed lemon, orange blossom, egg white and topped off with a drop of Pinot Noir. We know what you're thinking: red wine in a gin-based summer cocktail? You'll have to trust us on this one — it's going to be one of your new favourites. With capacity for 185 people, we recommend getting here early to secure a seat. This is one of the best places to enjoy a balmy night, watching the cityscape with an ice-cold cocktail in hand. MO' MONEY AT SEOULJA BOY What kind of monster doesn't love a daggy pun? The team behind Bourke Street's new Korean-Japanese bar Seoulja Boy are not afraid to make a few. But what this bar is really about is anju — that is, the Korean version of izakaya pub food. So expect lots of smaller plates designed to be eaten, in a casual way, with friends over drinks. In honour of The Notorious B.I.G's classic lyrics, Mo'Money is a Korean-inspired cocktail made with green tea, muddled cucumber, mint, lime and Korean soju. If you're still thirsty after the Mo' Money, take the next logical step by ordering the Mo' Problems. TOKYO COCO AT HORSE BAZAAR With regular nights featuring everything from storytelling and live hip hop to traditional Japanese performances and open mic nights, Horse Bazaar has something for everyone. But for summer, they've crafted some unusual and delicious cocktails to match their menu using classic Japanese ingredients such as yuzu, Japanese whisky, pickled ginger, umeshu liqueur and green tea. Our pick though is the Tokyo Coco which mixes strawberry-infused coconut water, Diplomatico Blanco white rum, a touch of rosewater and freshly squeezed lime juice. Perfect.
Although it certainly doesn’t feel like it, spring is just around the corner. So too is Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and this year they're really pushing the boat out. Alongside the catwalks and usual fashion bonanzas around town, Emporium Melbourne have received the memo that we’re all just big kids in high fashion garb and are creating a multi-storey playground for us. The highlight? A freaking ball pit. Every level of the CBD's already fancy Emporium will be replete with unique activities and installations. As well as getting your guilt-free shop on (because it’s Fashion Week, duh) you can also dive head-first into a 3m x 3m chic ball pit without feeling like you might accidentally elbow someone’s child in the face with your enthusiasm. And while you’re in there, feel free to have a ANTM moment and pose for the cameras. And the fun won’t stop there. For hairy gentlemen, you'll find Whiskey + Whiskers on the lower ground level. While the ‘whiskers’ side things doesn’t mean a kitten-petting station, it does mean you can deposit yourself here for a bev and beard trim. Upstairs on the ground floor is where you’ll find the giant neon playground that spits out prizes every hour (yes, you read that correctly). One floor up, you'll find the beauty station for the ladies with a hair and beauty bar for makeup retouching, coloured contact lens trials and a braiding station (face it — there’s nothing more luxurious than someone gently braiding your hair). All this primping and preening will make sense during the evening when you make your way up one more floor to the party level. Hello, free prosecco on Friday. Hello, garden party and official MSFW photo booth, we'll be here for a while. And we’re not even done yet. If your weary legs can carry your shopping bags, new hair-do and booze-fuelled body up the stairs, make your way to level three to welcome spring with a snack in the cafe court while being serenaded by local live music.
Red Door Yum Cha is far from your traditional, family Chinese restaurant. Firstly, you won't see a yum cha trolley wheeling around. Rather, diners order off a menu, and the food comes directly from the kitchen without doing the rounds.Secondly, Red Door actually doubles up as an antiques and furniture store. You may find yourself sitting on a black lacquered dining table, among traditional red wardrobes and dressing tables, that are all for sale (and you can run on home with). The menu is a construct of old and reinvented Chinese food. You'll find traditional prawn har gow. The scallop dumplings arepretty smashing, too. If you want the best of the land and the sea, go the pork, prawn and corn dumplings. Coeliacs, you'll behappy to know that two thirds of the dumpling menu is gluten free. Moving on from dumplings (even though you may not want to) are the more substantial dishes. The Chairman Mao hong shaorou is a must. Braised pork belly is paired with Chinese wine, star anise and ginger, freshened up with bok choy to create a knockout dish. The braised beef hotpot is also hard to pass up, slow cooked in a black bean stock and served with rice and vegetables. To drink is an abundance of teas, spanning from oolong to herbal iced teas. There's no such thing as a cocktail jug here —instead, drinks like the Elderflower Collins are hidden in traditional Chinese teapots. Shielded by the calmness of white lanterns, Red Door is a calmand enjoyable dining space — where tradition and modernity fuse.
Today a brand new sleek restaurant and bar opens — but it's not where you'd expect. MPD Steak Kitchen isn't located in the CBD, or the inner suburbs. It's in the outer southeastern suburb of Berwick. And not only that, the new 200-seater has an ex-Vue de Monde chef and a former Attica sommelier on board. Not bad for Berwick. MPD — which is a nod to the Meatpacking District in New York City — is a concept from Victor and Robert Zagame, who are the same siblings behind Spice Market and that suburban family bistro chain Zagame's. As the name suggests, it's a venue with a very specific focus. Steak. Really, really nice steak. Taking charge of the kitchen at the two-storey venue is Chris Bonello, former executive chef at the Vue Group, which includes Vue de Monde and Bistro Vue. He'll be in charge of sourcing prime cuts of beef, including Cape Grim sirloin, Rangers Valley pope's eye and rump from Blackmore Wagyu. Side options range from hand-cut chips to truffle mac and cheese and honey-glazed brussels sprouts with pancetta. If, for some inexplicable reason, you don't feel like steak at a steak restaurant, other mains include John Dory with char-grilled lettuce, olive tapenade and pearl barley, and Flinders Island lamb with radish, sunflower and quince. That said, we do have to admit that we're quite taken by a couple of the dessert options, like the burnt mandarin mousse with dulce de leche, basil sorbet and dehydrated milk, and the white chocolate parfait with pistachio aero, lemon curd and bitter chocolate. The wine list includes an impressive 250+ options chosen by ex-Attica restaurant manager and young gun sommelier Banjo Harris Plane. Not into wine? They've also got craft beer and cider, a selection of bourbons and scotches, plus a number of adventurous cocktails made with liquid nitrogen. MPD Steak Kitchen is now open on the corner of Greaves Road and Clyde Road, Berwick. For more information visit mpdsteakkitchen.com.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing a little adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the Melbourne landmarks and institutions we all love. This week, discover and rediscover the things that make Melbourne so great, with seven different detours through our city's classic spots. From Monday to Sunday, channel that Melburnian spirit, and enrich your everyday with one completely achievable, time-honoured activity that helps bypass any mundane roadblocks in your routine. This week, rediscover the classics of Melbourne we know and love, from a double feature at The Astor Theatre, to a long lunch at Grossi Florentino, to a rummage through the Queen Victoria Market. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Greville Street's newest Italian joint, Rossi, is serving up a weekly jazz and lasagne night dubbed 'In The Corner' until the end of September featuring a live 'jazz-hop' band, combining jazz and hip hop influences. Some of the featured live artists include composer Grant Windsor (who's worked with the likes of Gregory Porter, Kamaal Williams and Jose James), Sensible J and Caleb Shand. These guys will be performing every Wednesday, providing a smooth backing track for the main course: chef Thibault Boggio's signature lasagne. "It's not your classic jazz vibe that's already been done," Rossi's live music curator Sean Marchetti says. "We are infusing elements of jazz, hip hop and sample culture. Our musicians will be exploring sounds and melodies, while the guests explore our amazing food and drinks – it's an exciting collaboration." The lasagne itself comes in three speeds – classic meat, seafood and vegetarian. The classic is a mix of beef, pork and bone marrow sourced from nearby Gary's Butcher at Prahran Market, slow-cooked for eight hours in red wine and tomato sauce, then layered with parmesan and béchamel. Rossi's 'In The Corner' series will run every Wednesday until the end of September. Entry is free – you just pay a la carte. Walk-ins are welcome, too, but it's always a good idea to book. Images: Supplied
All good things must come to an end. While this is more of a 'ciao for now' rather than a teary farewell, Shadow Electric has indeed had a brilliant program this summer and it deserves to go out with a bang. While the last film will be screened on April 1, the screen will stay up an extra night for a bit of a showcase of cinematic visual artists teaming up with musicians. Rat & Co will work with Ollie Elmers on visuals, where Sleep D will work with AV artist Dylan Batelic for his set. The performance will be Rat & Co’s first headline show for the year, after making a solid name for themselves around Australia in 2014. DJ Jesse Fultone will be warming the crowds up, and LA Pocock will be bringing it home.
Italian wine bar and restaurant Casa Mariotti just landed on Richmond's Swan Street, and the team is celebrating by running a special aperitivo session from Wednesday–Sunday until the end of October. Drop by anytime from 4–6pm and you can score a selection of wine, beer and cocktails starting at $9 a pop alongside complimentary snacks. And these aren't just free peanuts or popcorn — the crew is giving away top-notch bar snacks. Think bruschetta al pomodoro, bowls of lupin and seasonal frittata. You could simply drop by the new Casa Mariotti Bar & Cucina for beers and free small bites, but you'd be a fool if you missed out on some of its larger dishes. Get around its deep-fried mozzarella and anchovy crostini and rice balls, or try bigger dishes like its handmade pastas and warming sugos. The brothers running the show — Guido and Guiacomo Mariotti — have been inspired by their nonna's old family recipes, plus their experience working in Roman restaurants for over 20 years. If you want to sample a little slice of Rome in Melbourne, be sure to check out this new wine bar and restaurant's temporary aperitivo special. Images: Jack Carlin.
Messina diehards, we've got some bloody good news for you. There are now three locations to satisfy your gelato urges in Melbourne: Fitzroy, Richmond and now, Windsor. Yep, Gelato Messina is opening their third Melbourne store today. Sitting on Chapel Street right beside vodka bar Borsch Vodka and Tears, Messina's Windsor venture is cranking out the gelato and cakes Melbourne knows, loves and Instagrams well. The new store will have a 'secret room' out the back for GMA meetings (Gelato Messina Anonymous) otherwise known as private degustations. According to the Messina team, this could be one of the prettiest yet. "Without being biased, our soon-to-be third Melbourne store on Chapel Street, Windsor, is one of our best-looking kids with fully wood panelled walls, some very snazzy red cool rooms and we’re hoping, some very handsome staff." Messina's new Windsor gelateria is the 12th for the empire, joining Melbourne's Fitzroy and Richmond chapters, alongside Sydney's flagship Darlinghurst and subsequent Surry Hills, Bondi, Parramatta, Miranda, Rosebery and The Star casino spinoffs and Coolangatta's beachside joint. They've got their Las Vegas store of course, and they're opening another store soon in the former Rozelle tram depot in Sydney. Gelato Messina's newest store opens at 171 Chapel Street, Windsor at 5pm on November 2.
It's a longstanding qualm some people have with female comedians that they're always talking about their genitalia. Those people might not enjoy this show. Returning to Australia for one-night-only after sold-out performances and seriously high praise, US comedian, performance artist and one half of the Wau Wau Sisters Adrienne Truscott is quite literally baring all in her critically-acclaimed, one-woman show about rape culture. Dressed only from the waist up, Truscott is taking aim at the likes of Daniel Tosh and his controversial comments of last year, and is dragging the art of the 'rape joke' to breaking point. After five-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe, Adrienne Truscott's Asking for It is one the most-talked about shows of the past year (for better or worse).
This year's West Projections Festival is lighting up with the literary theme of 'non/Fiction'. Running every night from August 17–26, the annual after-dark festival will see an entire area bathed in breathtaking light as more than 36 unique spaces around Footscray play host to specially commissioned works of pop-up public art. Supported by Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council, this year's festival promises to be the most expansive yet. Sites include Harley & Rose, Mr West, SIMS Supermarket, Seddon Wine Store and Chambers Street. Forming the spine of the festival are seven hour-long art walks, each of which will take participants on a different route around the suburb and end at a participating bar. There'll also be spoken word performances, roving projections, a VR dance party and a pop-up bar – and don't be surprised to see a convoy of food trucks rolling around the neighbourhood, either. The festival will kick off with a launch party at Nicholson Street Mall on Friday, August 17, from 6–9pm, which will feature plenty of food, art and live music. This year, the festival spreads across the inner west, too — with a pop-up in Seddon's Victoria and Charles Streets running across two nights, August 3 and 4; and West Footscray's pop-up in Barkly Street running from August 10–11. Images: Shuttermain.
