Watching television and subscribing to a streaming platform are both cheaper than going to the cinema. Should watching Netflix on your phone be even cheaper still? That's something that the international streaming behemoth is testing out, offering cut-price mobile-only plans — in Malaysia at present, although it has also flagged lower-price subscription options throughout Asia. Malaysia's The Star reports that the mobile-only option is currently available for 17 Malaysian ringgit (approximately AU$5.58) per month, offering unlimited viewing on one handheld device only — be it a phone or a tablet. The content is only available in standard definition, which is good news for anyone with a low data plan but bad news for anyone who loves high-definition viewing. Malaysian residents can only access the new plan by signing up via the Netflix mobile app, or by accessing the Netflix website on a smartphone. Still, it's cheaper than Australia's three tiers, with the basic $9.99 per month package allowing viewing on one screen at a time, including a laptop, tablet or mobile; the standard $13.99 tier upping the simultaneous screens to two and including HD; and the premium $17.99 option including ultra-HD and four screens. Variety notes that the tests are designed to appeal to smartphone-centric users in Asia — so if you do all of your film and television viewing on the smallest of screens (that is, your mobile), then you'll be hoping that Netflix expands its trial Down Under. The company hasn't given any indication that that's the case, but it does love to toy with new options — including, at the other end of the scale, possibly getting into the bricks-and-mortar cinema game. Via The Star / Variety.
Cue the nostalgia and prepare to feel positively ancient — Brisbane's last remaining video store is shutting its doors for good. As reported by the ABC, Oxley's Network Video has taken to social media to farewell its legion of loyal customers, many of whom have been trekking from all over Brisbane on the regular (and evidently still own DVD players). Owner Brenton Snell revealed the store's set to close this month, due to family issues. Even still, the old girl held her own longer than anyone anticipated. When Snell bought the store in 2010, the concept of video rentals was already taking a dive, fast succumbing to the popularity of online streaming services. He expected to sell up just a few years later, but DVD fans just kept rolling in and business boomed despite stiff competition from the internet. Those keen for a memento of the good old days — or to snap up a few titles for their home collection — should pay a visit in the coming weeks. Snell plans to start clearing out his 14,000-strong movie collection from Saturday, February 17. After Network Video's graceful departure, the nearest walk-in video stores will be those out in Ipswich and Logan. Network Video is located at Shop 4, 121 Oxley Station Road, Oxley, Brisbane. Its last official date of trade will be Wednesday, February 14 and it will start selling its collection on Saturday, February 17. For more info, visit the Facebook page. Via ABC.
Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. Six decades ago, an all-singing, all-dancing, New York City-set, gang war-focused spin on Romeo and Juliet leapt from stage to screen, becoming one of cinema's all-time classic musicals; however, remaking that hit is a task that Spielberg dazzlingly proves up to. It's his first sashay into the genre, despite making his initial amateur feature just three years after the original West Side Story debuted. It's also his first film since 2018's obnoxiously awful Ready Player One, which doubled as a how-to guide to crafting one of the worst, flimsiest and most bloated pieces of soulless pop-culture worship possible. But with this swooning, socially aware story of star-crossed lovers, Spielberg pirouettes back from his atrocious last flick by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Shakespeare's own tale of tempestuous romance still looms large over West Side Story, as it always has — in fair NYC and its rubble-strewn titular neighbourhood where it lays its 1950s-era scene. The Jets and the Sharks aren't quite two households both alike in dignity, though. Led by the swaggering and dogged Riff (Mike Faist, a Tony-nominee for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen), the Jets are young, scrappy, angry and full of resentment for anyone they fear is encroaching on their terrain (anyone who isn't white especially). Meanwhile, with boxer Bernardo (David Alvarez, a Tony-winner for Billy Elliot) at the helm, the Sharks have tried to establish new lives outside of their native Puerto Rico through study, jobs and their own businesses. Both gangs refuse to coexist peacefully in the only part of New York where either feels at home — even with the threat of gentrification looming large in every torn-down building, signs for shiny new amenities such as Lincoln Centre popping up around the place and, when either local cops Officer Krupke (Brian d'Arcy James, Hawkeye) or Lieutenant Schrank (Corey Stoll, The Many Saints of Newark) interrupt their feuding, after they're overtly warned as well. But it's a night at a dance, and the love-at-first-sight connection that blooms between Riff's best friend Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and Bernardo's younger sister María (feature debutant Rachel Zegler), that sparks a showdown. This rumble will decide westside supremacy once and for all, the two sides agree. The OG West Side Story was many things: gifted with a glorious cast, including Rita Moreno in her Academy Award-winning role as Bernardo's girlfriend Anita, plus future Twin Peaks co-stars Russ Tamblyn and Richard Beymer as Riff and Tony; unashamedly showy, like it had just snapped its fingers and flung itself off the stage; and punchy with its editing, embracing the move from the boards to the frame. It still often resembled a filmed musical rather than a film more than it should've, however. Spielberg's reimagining, which boasts a script by his Munich and Lincoln scribe Tony Kushner, tweaks plenty while also always remaining West Side Story — and, via his regular cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (The Post) and a whirl of leaping and plunging camerawork, it looks as exuberant as the vibrant choreography that the New York City Ballet's Justin Peck splashes across the screen, nodding to Jerome Robbins' work for the original movie lovingly but never slavishly. From the famous first whistle that's always opened the tale, West Side Story feels like it's dancing through the narrative instead of merely telling it. The savvy realisation that gang struts and brawls suit balletic movements — a notion from when the idea first hit the stage — pairs marvellously with the peppier visuals, too. Spielberg's fluid and kinetic stylistic approach springs from the same source as many of his other touches, with the director aiming not just to finally make a musical, bring the playfulness of his action scenes to the genre, or to give a work he loves his own stamp, but to ground the story in notions that are pressingly relevant today. Viewers here see more of the west side, get a bigger sense of the place, tap into its energy, and glean a more grounded view of the poverty, racism, factionalism and violence that's always sat at West Side Story's core. Switching some of the film's Leonard Bernstein-composed, Stephen Sondheim-penned songs between characters and locations makes this a more thoughtful and textured movie as well. See: the on-the-street version of earworm 'America' led by Hamilton veteran Ariana DeBose as the new Anita, and transforming 'Somewhere' into a community-focused ballad sung by the returning Moreno as a new figure. Both are magnificent. Still, as delightful as almost everything about Spielberg's film is — its inspired changes and passionate tribute to the first feature alike — it has an Ansel Elgort problem. He's a bland island in a sea of spectacle, and the lack of chemistry between him and the radiant Zegler would be a killer if examining the place, time and struggles that give rise to Tony and María's love didn't take precedence over the romance itself. Make it a 1950s NYC R+J, but about why its tragedy unfolds: that's another of Spielberg and Kushner's clever choices. And, while it takes a lifetime of unfortunate moves to strand the Jets and Sharks in their bloody turf war, thankfully one bad casting decision can't taint everything that glimmers about their latest big-screen outing. Indeed, enough praise can't be slung Faist, Zegler, Alvarez or DeBose's way, in what deserves to be a movie star-making effort for all four. Faist's turn as Riff is sinewy, smooth and vulnerable all at once — the film is electric every time he's on-screen — and Zegler's woozy and hopeful performance as a woman in the throes of first love is equally revelatory. Bringing EGOT-recipient and all-round entertainment icon Moreno back is touching, as well as exactly the right kind of nostalgic; looking both backwards and forwards is another of this sublime achievement of a feature's many successes, after all.
If you've seen A New Zealand Food Story then you'll already know the backstory behind new downtown restaurant Ahi. The eight-part online series follows acclaimed chef Ben Bayly and his team as they set out to discover what local cuisine is all about and where our produce comes from. It sees him enter rough Fiordland waters to harvest paua and crayfish, stalk deer through the Avon Valley, join a hook-to-plate fishing expedition in Foveaux Straight, and munch an absolutely enormous fig in Marlborough. The end goal is to create a truly unique New Zealand restaurant for the 28 March deadline. Five months later, in this year from hell, it's finally here. Ahi, translating from te reo Māori to 'fire', opened its doors for the first time on 31 August inside the new Commercial Bay precinct. Inside, Bayly and co-founder Chris Martin expand on the concept of fire with an open hearth in the kitchen. The 120-seat, hyperlocal space also features a woven oak ceiling to represent traditional Māori kete baskets, handmade plates from a West Auckland potter and an abundance of native timber which was salvaged by Bayly during the course of construction. Bayly says that Ahi's menu has been devised as a "culinary representation of what it means to be home, celebrating the diversity of the New Zealanders who bring produce to our tables." From whenua and moana, the land and the sea, diners can enjoy oysters by way of Waiheke Island, buffalo cheese from Whangaripo, speared butterfish from Cook Straight and cauliflower from Pukekohe. Snack items include tahr tartare with wild garlic and fermented hot sauce, hāngī pāua with kahawai, sour cream and kawakawa, and an interpretation of the 'Trumpet' made with buffalo ice cream and chocolate from Auckland's Miann. The larger courses complete the nationwide food tour. There's Fiordland crayfish soup with kūmara and saffron ravioli, Gisborne butternut with toasted harakeke flax and māhoe shoots, and 'Boil-up Toast' made with Berkshire pork, watercress and egg. From A New Zealand Food Story comes Bayly's wild-shot fallow deer in loin and cheek form, while the half crayfish you may have seen being charcoaled on the rugged Fiordland coast now comes with green onion and ginger sauce and lemon-sorrel salad. The restaurant comes complete with picturesque views out over the Waitematā Harbour — something which Bayly says is essential so diners know that they are in Aotearoa. Find Ahi on the second floor of the Commercial Bay precinct at 7 Queen Street. It's open 11.30am til late, seven days a week. Images: Manja Wachsmuth.
Bravo Child is a performance poet and a community builder. But he's also a coder, and he doesn't see that as all that far divided from his other talents. Bravo will be the host of Memebrain, an upcoming hackfest in Chatswood convened by dLux MediaArts, with partners Darwin Community Arts Centre, Kulchajam and the ISEA Portals Project, which aims to link up willing hackers in Sydney, Byron Bay and Darwin to see what they can do when pressing the arts and the computer sciences together. Concrete Playground recently got the chance to catch up with Child at one of his workspaces in inner-city Chippendale, where he told us all about what happens when art and science collide. If you're a coder, it's probably not a great surprise that Memebrain host Bravo Child would like to see you at his upcoming hackfest. But, if you're more of an arts type with little in the way of technical skills, you should know he wants you there, too. A hackfest is traditionally an afternoon, day or weekend where coders get together to collaborate and hopefully come up with some interesting software. Probably the best known recent Sydney attempt was the apps4NSW hackfest that slowly led to real-time bus and train data appearing on Sydney transport apps. The day itself is a 48-hour hackfest buried under the new Chatswood Concourse building. All sorts of people are expected to turn up Friday night — games developers, web developers, creative coders, roboticists (to be confirmed, at time of writing), illustrators, DJs, VJs and maybe even another poet. They'll all be politely clumped together to try to find new ways of linking up art and tech. The long term goal with Memebrain is to start a kind of Kino for Sydney hacking, with a permanent online presence and meetups in the physical world. Growing up to be a Coginaut Bravo describes himself as a 'coginaut', which he says is "an explorer of ideas". Essentially — like recent Vivid Ideas guest Jonathan Harris — he's a storyteller across media. Child splits his time over performance poetry, design work and occasionally cheering up countries one suburb at a time. His technical skills are only a late arrival in an ongoing love of live story. "My art form, if I could whittle it down, would be ideas and experiences." He wasn't always captivated by the technical side of things, though. He started when he was young at singing, acting and dancing workshops in South Africa. Coming to Australia, he studied at Australian Theatre for Young People, later learning impro and competing in the Cranston Cup. He'd run Outspoken workshops and hip hop battle nights and toured with spoken word group the Spokes. Eventually a degree in communication design (print media, essentially) got him interested in the technical, and his career veered off into game design. Make Code Without Computer Skills According to Jonathan Harris, "the medium of our time is code". Child feels similarly, that it's code that cleaves modern electronic art away from being just a repetition of cutscene-heavy, movie-like '90s games. But he doesn't think you need to give up your arts-brain to get into it just because there's a new mechanism to understand behind the scenes. He gives examples of easy ways to dip your toes in the coding world, depending on where your artistic interests lie: Code Academy turns the basic ideas of code into a game, with Foursquare-like achievements for threading your way through short, approachable coding lessons. Processing is another good place to start experimenting. Max/MSP is great for manipulating sound, while Isadora is a simple, "node based" way to learn to program your own interactive video for the stage. Just like some people can write prose but can't really draw, Child makes coding sound like simply another skillset for artists to DIY, or learn to coexist with. You wouldn't need any of it to turn up to Memebrain. But, equally, it doesn't sound like it would be too much drama to get a taste of the code side of things along the way. 48 Hours of Hacking For hacking participants, 48 hours of Memebrain will start Friday evening, June 14. Anyone can join in the main event there. And it's free. But you'll need to register first. There'll be some briefing, some meet and greet, then a night of hacking. He says that the vibe will be a bit like a mini-festival, with massages on Saturday, a chill-out space off to one side for sleepy-lidded hackers and some Saturday mentoring from ISEA Portal Project artists. There'll also be a live link up to teams working in parallel in Darwin and Byron. Participants bring their own components — art, mechanisms, code, ideas — and find a way to plug them together and do new, wonderful things. On Sunday, the results will be shown to the public in front of the Concourse big screen at 6pm. Zydnei should also be wrapping up nearby. It's about integrating skillsets. Any tech or art skill will do, says Child: "If you make cakes: cool. Bring your cake, and we'll plug an electrode into it." But it's also about integrating disparate pools of talent across town. As Child sees it, it's more about combining the two Snowian cultures of science and art. It's a hackfest that takes all types. "An artist who uses technology as the medium or a technologist who creates something artistic. We're really trying to have the fault line between the two become one."
This may just be the most exciting part of the entire Midsumma festival. It's pretty distant from the art or the theatre or the important discussion-type events but it is an entire bar devoted to all things Kylie Minogue. It's going to be glitzy and kitsch and fabulous. Open for just four days in the middle of January this special bar, housed in The 86 on Smith Street, has a jam-packed lineup prepared for Kylie-lovers young and old. Wednesday, January 15 will kick off the festivities with free Gelato Messina from 6pm, special $10 Kylie Kocktails and a top secret act yet to be announced (everyone surely has their fingers crossed for the diva herself!); Thursday will bring with it a lip-synching competition; Friday night will host an entire ball devoted to Ms Minogue, and Saturday will be 'Kylie Nation' — an elaborate dance party featuring Brendan Maclean, Millie Minogue and a stage full of drag superstars. Already, it's being hailed as a place for "screaming queens, queers, butch bears, bis, femmes and confused straights," or in other words, the average Kylie fan. This show was one of our top picks for Midsumma 2014, see our full list here.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Bombay Sapphire. Bombay Sapphire has always been a pretty classy gin. Its alluring blue bottle always catches your eye in the bottle-o and all its talk of enriching botanicals makes it sound like some mythical nectar of the forest. In fact, Bombay is so god-damned classy that it's giving you a month-long dedicated gin hangout in North Melbourne this month. From November 19-December 6, Project Botanicals will be dishing up quality Bombay cocktails and paired gourmet fare to boot. But this isn't any lowly pub grub; the 10 dishes on show have been specially curated for the event by none other than Masterchef's own Gary Mehigan. Your ticket price ($35) will cover the cost of two cocktails and two dishes and, if you want to come in ready and raring to go, we've got the lowdown on the best of the bunch. Get pickin' now. Moonlight Flat Oysters What better way to welcome the summer months than gin and seafood. As it wouldn't make any sense to pair light spirits with big fat steaks, the Project Botanicals menu is stacked full of delicious treats from the sea. In a twist from the usual couple o' lemon wedges, these locally sourced oysters will come served with lemon and almond cream, as well as a samphire and rose water granita. To complement this fresh summer offering, Botanicals will be slingin' you an Almond Swizzle. Drawing from the ingredients in the dish, this cocktail will mix Bombay with fresh lemon juice, Orgeat almond syrup, sugar syrup, and bitters with crushed ice, orange and mint. It's definitely best served while kickin' back in the sun and dreaming of the beach. Blue Swimmer Crab Toasts Sticking with that coastal theme, no seafood lover will be able to go past the blue swimmer crab. Served with roasted garlic, lavender and a pecan dukkah, this nom-fest will be served on moorish toasts — a definite step above the cheese on toast (plus tomato if you're feeling fancy) combo you're used to whipping up at home. This will then be served with a special take on the classic G&T. Inspired by the juniper found in their classic gin, Bombay Sapphire have whipped up the Juniper Sublime G&T. With the usual gin, Fever Tree tonic, and lime, this cheeky drink will also be infused with a juniper-flavoured aromatic fog. That's right people, you're not doing a G&T justice unless you're flavouring its air. Tartine of Field Mushrooms If seafood just isn't your jam, this fancy tartine should be just the thing. Comprised of Jamon Iberico (a meat not dissimilar to prosciutto), field mushrooms, quail egg and crisp shallots, this open sandwich will have you pining for a summer picnic basket. To round out that killer Euro vibe, this dish is served with a classic Negroni. Bombay, Martini Rosso, and Campari will be stirred with dehydrated orange and Hoshizaki ice. Be warned: with no mixers in sight, this is a drink for hardcore gin fiends. Crunchy Chicken Slider If you're craving something a little more hearty (read: fried), you can't go past the chicken slider. Served with apple slaw, cress and lavender, this cheeky little slice of chicken-based heaven will have your mouth watering from the get go. It also comes with one of the most exotic cocktails of the menu. The Cubeb Berry Fizz will feature Bombay with lavender syrup, vanilla syrup, lemon juice, egg white, soda water and lavender bitters (trust us, it's a thing). Lavender has come a long way from being the primary ingredient of your mum's perfume. (Fancy) Strawberries and Cream If you're anything like us, you'll be hankering for a sweet treat by this point. But don't worry — this menu caters to all tastes. In particular, this absolute winner of a dish will see the classic strawberries and cream combo improved with candied violets, lemon cream and warm breton crumble. This sweet overload will then be tempered with a citrus-based cocktail. Orris Aviation combines Bombay, Creme Yvette, Maraschino and edible violets with fresh lemon juice. Yes, it's still super sweet, but trust us — when you're sipping on violet and cherry liqueur, it's very difficult to complain about anything. Project Botanicals will be open every Wednesday-Sunday evening at 64 Sutton Street, North Melbourne. For just $35 per person, you'll be treated to two cocktails and matching tapas style dishes. Book your tickets here.
When a standard villa and self-made holiday itinerary simply won't do, you could turn your attention to Hotel Clicquot — a world first entry to all-in luxury accommodation by French champagne house, Veuve Clicquot. Here's the skinny: The hotel is popping up in the Byron Bay hinterland at Cooper's Shoot, a prime location for exceptional ocean vistas (and possible Zac Efron sightings), from 24 November to 5 December 2021. As per the description: A quintessential part of a stay at Hotel Clicquot is the daily calendar of unique, money-can't-buy experiences, all of which are entirely optional. Do or do not! Once there, you'll be looking at two nights and three days of activities (or no activities!), pre-arranged for you, so the only decision-making required is whether or not you should have another glass of champers. There's a 24hour butler service. There will be an in-house sommelier to guide you on a journey through the French champagne house's finest drops. A massage therapist will be at your disposal. Meals will be prepared for you and your cohort, one by up-and-coming chef Alanna Sapwell and the other by David Moyle of acclaimed local spot Harvest Newrybar, who will host a 'garden gastronomy' dinner. And, it should go without saying, but yes: there is of course an infinity edge pool. Helicopter transfers are optional. And if you need to fill a seat, I solemnly nominate myself for the task. Bookings are available from 1 November and you can register your interest here.
Like your old primary school fair, only way more interesting (and with way, way more hipsters) The Village Festival is returning to North Fitzroy for four days of fun and frivolity. Setting up in the Edinburgh Garden, this annual event will once again showcase a bunch of local music acts, as well as magicians, circus performers, cooks, craftspeople and artists. Assuming the weather holds out, it seems like the perfect way to spend your lazy weekend. In addition to the lineup of musical performances, shows worth checking out include The Famous Village Dog Show and So You Think You Can Interpretative Dance, as well as an actual wedding to which all of us are apparently invited. You could also get a live portrait done, attend a 10-minute dance party, or sit down for a hearty meal at the Sunday long table lunch. For a full list of what's on, visit the Village Festival website.
At Brunswick Street's Indian restaurant Mukka, Kabir Singh means to pack a punch — and put new life into Indian food in Australia while he's at it. The passion and vitality is obvious from the moment you step through the door. The space features jaunty colours, greenery hanging from slatted frames on the ceiling and a specials board that revels in its chalky colourfully illustrated invitation: 'Hey, will you share a cocktail jug with me?' How could you refuse an offer like that? Or the slow-cooked goat curry and homemade dosas for that matter? But if goat and cocktails don't rock your boat, there's plenty of other goodness to choose from across the menu. A selection of street eats from Singh's home of New Delhi forms the basis for Mukka's starters. Either go for classic samosas and onion bhajis or change it up with some damn delicious fish pakoras and papdi chaat — think of it as an Indian nachos dish consisting of flour crackers topped with spiced potatoes, chickpeas, cold yoghurt and a few different homemade chutneys. Amongst the curries from the tandoori grill is a chicken tikka marinated in spices and yoghurt overnight, then cooked in the tandoor oven — it's succulent and full of flavour. The saucier curries feature a modest selection of vegetarian, seafood and meat options. Our very favourite? The Bombay prawn masala. This thick curry isn't too spicy, but is full of garlic, ginger and desiccated coconut. It's a flavour bomb packed with prawns. And even though this Indian restaurant is all about serving up authentic curries, it also serves up one of the best butter chickens in Melbourne — not overly sweet or creamy like so many others out there. If you're a lassi fan, Mukka has a smooth mango classic, the original spiced-up minty version or a rose and cinnamon creation. And depending on how the day is unfolding, you can make your lassi that little bit more edgy with a dash of vodka or coconut rum. Cocktails have also been given plenty of love, with the bar team serving up classic tipples and Indian-inspired creations like the whisky sour spiced with cardamom, cloves and black pepper — vegans can even get a version made with aquafaba instead of egg whites. Head here for inventive cocktails and authentic Indian eats from regions all over the subcontinent. And if you're down south, check out Mukka's much larger St Kilda location that's serving up all the same bites. Images: Jo Rittey
Winemakers of Rutherglen have been doing good things with grapes for a while now out in northeast Victoria. But, luckily for us, they've decided to come city-side again this October for a two-day wine event, Rutherglen in the City. The pop-up cellar door will situate itself inside The Atrium at Federation Square. Sixteen winemakers will take over the high-ceilinged space, transforming it into an inner city 'winery' with over 100 different drops — so you can forget you're sandwiched between Flinders Street and the MCG and dream of open plains and vineyards. For $10, you'll get a free glass and be able to sample the best of the region's wine varieties — including durif and muscat — and a few different wine-heavy cocktails at the bar. The winemakers themselves will also be on-hand for a chat, and, if something takes your fancy, you can even order a few bottles from them direct. There'll be a range of masterclasses you can partake in, too. Full glasses of wine and other drinks can be purchased from the bar, and some nosh will be on sale. The best thing about it is you won't even have to drive home — thanks to trams and trains, you can have as many wines as you like. Rutherglen in the City will run from 12–5pm.
Maybe you've spent much of 2020 glued to the small screen, viewing your way through this year's lockdown periods. Perhaps, as cinemas have been reopening around the country, you've flocked to the big screen to get your movie fix. Either way, if you've been thinking and supporting local — as has been the trend all-round in 2020 — then you've had plenty of Australian films and television shows to watch. And, from this hectic year, the best of the bunch have just been singled out at the 2020 AACTA Awards. Previously called the AFI Awards, the AACTA Awards announced its nominees back at the beginning of November, then handed out its trophies on Monday, November 30. The accolades span multiple types of screen content, so a hefty number of local productions were vying for a gong — but there were two big winners, with one each in the film and TV fields. Just calling Babyteeth a teen cancer drama doesn't quite cover just how complex, nuanced and intimate the movie is, as AACTA members clearly agree. It was named Best Film, and also won Best Director (Shannon Murphy), Screenplay (Rita Kalnejais) Actor (Toby Wallace), Actress (Eliza Scanlen), Supporting Actor (Ben Mendelsohn ) and Supporting Actress (Essie Davis), from a total haul of nine awards. On the TV front, if you've watched miniseries Stateless this year, then you've seen the most-awarded television production of 2020. It received 13 gongs, including Best Telefeature or Mini Series, Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (Fayssal Bazzi), Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama (Yvonne Strahovski), Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama (Darren Gilshenan), Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama (Cate Blanchett), Best Screenplay in Television (Elise McCredie) and Best Direction in a TV Drama or Comedy (Emma Freeman). Across both fields, other winners included Mystery Road (Best Drama Series), Upright (Best Comedy Series), Tim Minchin (Best Comedy Performer, for Upright), Standing Up For Sunny (Best Indie Film) and Firestarter – The Story of Bangarra (Best Documentary). Here's a rundown of the major nominations and winners — and you can check out the full list on the AACTA's website: AACTA NOMINEES 2020 FILM AWARDS: BEST FILM Babyteeth — WINNER H is for Happiness I Am Woman The Invisible Man True History of the Kelly Gang Relic BEST INDIE FILM A Boy Called Sailboat Hot Mess Koko: A Red Dog Story A Lion Returns Standing Up for Sunny — WINNER Unsound BEST DIRECTION Shannon Murphy, Babyteeth — WINNER John Sheedy, H is for Happiness Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man Justin Kurzel, True History of the Kelly Gang Natalie Erika James, Relic BEST LEAD ACTOR George MacKay, True History of the Kelly Gang Sam Neill, Rams Richard Roxburgh, H is for Happiness Toby Wallace, Babyteeth — WINNER Hugo Weaving, Measure for Measure BEST LEAD ACTRESS Tilda Cobham-Hervey, I Am Woman Laura Gordon, Undertow Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man Lupita Nyong'o, Little Monsters Eliza Scanlen, Babyteeth — WINNER BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Fayssal Bazzi, Measure for Measure Russell Crowe, True History of the Kelly Gang Aaron Jeffery, The Flood Ben Mendelsohn, Babyteeth — WINNER Wesley Patten, H is for Happiness BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Emma Booth, H is for Happiness Essie Davis, Babyteeth — WINNER Bella Heathcote, Relic Deborah Mailman, H is for Happiness Doris Younane, Measure for Measure BEST SCREENPLAY Rita Kalnejais, Babyteeth — WINNER Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man Natalie Erika James and Christian White, Relic Shaun Grant, True History of the Kelly Gang BEST DOCUMENTARY Brazen Hussies Brock: Over the Top Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra — WINNER Slim & I Suzi Q TELEVISION AWARDS: BEST DRAMA SERIES Bloom Doctor Doctor Halixfax: Retribution The Heights Mystery Road — WINNER Wentworth BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES The Gloaming Hungry Ghosts Operation Buffalo The Secrets She Keeps Stateless — WINNER BEST COMEDY SERIES At Home Alone Together Black Comedy The Other Guy Rosehaven Upright — WINNER BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Fayssal Bazzi, Stateless — WINNER Bryan Brown, Bloom Jai Courtney, Stateless Ewen Leslie, Operation Buffalo Aaron Pedersen, Mystery Road BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Jada Alberts, Mystery Road Rebecca Gibney, Halixfax: Retribution Asher Keddie, Stateless Pamela Rabe, Wentworth Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless — WINNER BEST COMEDY PERFORMER Milly Alcock, Upright Anne Edmonds, At Home Together Luke McGregor, Rosehaven Tim Minchin, Upright — WINNER Celia Pacquola, Rosehaven BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Rob Collins, Mystery Road Darren Gilshenan, Stateless — WINNER Damon Herriman, The Commons Callan Mulvey, Mystery Road Ed Oxenbould, Bloom BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Cate Blanchett, Stateless — WINNER Jacqueline McKenzie, Bloom Ngaire Pigram, Mystery Road Tasma Walton, Mystery Road Jacki Weaver, Bloom
In a few years, when someone hands you an Australian $5 note, that cold hard cash in your hand will look more than a little different. The nation's banknotes have undergone a makeover in the past few years, with a revamped $5 note doing the rounds since 2016 — but that same denomination is about to get another redesign to replace Queen Elizabeth II. Whether you pay for your coffees with actual money or you barely handle physical coins and notes, every Aussie knows that the late monarch's likeness adorns some of our legal tender, including our $5 note. Accordingly, with the Queen's passing in 2022, we all started wondering two things: whether we'd get a day off (answer: yes) and what's happening to our currency. Now, the Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that the $5 note will replace the portrait of the Queen, but not with King Charles III. Instead, in welcome news, one side of the note will feature "a new design that honours the culture and history of the First Australians". "This decision by the Reserve Bank Board follows consultation with the Australian Government, which supports this change," the organisation said in a statement. "The Bank will consult with First Australians in designing the $5 banknote. The new banknote will take a number of years to be designed and printed. In the meantime, the current $5 banknote will continue to be issued. It will be able to be used even after the new banknote is issued." The other side of the $5 note will remain unchanged, so it'll still boast an image of the Australian Parliament. That design features the Forecourt Mosaic, which is based on Michael Nelson Jagamara's Central Desert dot-style painting Possum and Wallaby Dreaming. As the Reserve Bank's statement makes plain, exactly how the new $5 note design will pay tribute to Australia's Indigenous culture and history hasn't yet been finalised. In the past, Australia's currency has featured imagery of Aboriginal rock paintings and carvings, and designs based on a bark painting by David Malangi Daymirringu, thanks to the original $1 banknote from 1966 — before that denomination was replaced with a gold coin. The Reserve Bank also issued a one-off $10 note as the nation's first-ever polymer banknote in 1988, which highlighted examples of ancient and contemporary Aboriginal art. And, the $50 banknote currently in circulation pays tribute to author, activist, inventor, musician, preacher and Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon. For more information about Australia's currency and any changes, head to the Reserve Bank of Australia's website.
Twenty-five years after a Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette-starring film about small-town murders thoroughly revitalised the slasher genre, the Scream franchise is back to take another stab at cinema glory. Because some things just won't die in the horror realm (see also: the Halloween, Saw, The Grudge, The Ring and Child's Play sagas), the Ghostface killer will once again be stalking Woodsboro, and also terrorising a scary movie that mixes slasher thrills with self-aware laughs. An instant classic ever since the first movie became a box office smash back in 1996, the franchise has already delivered three sequels so far courtesy of 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3 and 2011's Scream 4 — plus TV spinoff Scream: The TV Series. Now, as announced back in 2020, it's returning with a flick that blends the old and the new. While a different bunch of teenagers are in Ghostface's sights this time, Campell's initial target Sidney Prescott, Cox's reporter Gale Weathers and Arquette's former deputy-turned-sheriff Dewey Riley all feature in this new version of Scream, too. The series' latest flick is keeping things simple with its title, and betting on bringing back original cast members — both of which turned out rather nicely for fellow horror effort Halloween back in 2018. Yes, this series has always had a thing for Sid, and it still does. However, the new Scream is also putting The Boys' Jack Quaid, In the Heights' Melissa Barrera and You's Jenna Ortega in Ghostface's path, as well as Dylan Minnette (13 Reasons Why), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Love), Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Mason Gooding (Love, Victor) and Kyle Gallner (Interrogation). With filmmaker Wes Craven — who directed all four original Scream films — passing away in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have taken the helm. Based on the just-dropped first trailer for Scream circa 2022, they've also taken more than a few cues from Craven. No one asks if someone likes scary movies in the initial sneak peek, but answering the phone while you're home alone definitely proves perilous. Rules for surviving are also mentioned, and it won't come as a surprise to anyone if the new killer is linked to either one of the past culprits or victims, or to the feature's new characters. Story-wise, this iteration Ghostface brings Sid, Gale and Dewey back together to both confront the mask-wearing murderer and their past. As for where the film goes from there, that'll be revealed when it hits cinemas Down Under on January 13 next year. Check out the Scream trailer below: Scream releases in Australian cinemas on January 13, 2022.
Gin lovers, rejoice. Melbourne's CBD now has its first craft gin distillery, with Little Lon Distilling Co opening its doors. Steeped in history, the distillery is named after the infamous red light district that sat between Lonsdale, Spring, Exhibition and La Trobe Streets. The notorious area — that operated around 150 years ago and had bootleggers, prostitutes and sly grog aplenty — was divided by small laneways and cottages, most of which were destroyed in the 1950s. The distillery site, on Casselden Place, is one of the few historic spaces that remain. Little Lon owner and distiller Brad Wilson said the heritage-listed cottage from the 1800s was a passion project many years in the making. "After travelling to Europe, I thought it would be great to have my own spirit brand," Wilson said. "I was inspired by a 400-year-old distillery called Wynand Fockink in Amsterdam to start a project of my own." Drinks such as the mulled apple Ginger Mick are standouts on the menu, with each batch paying homage to the real-life characters that inspired the building's name. Using Victorian Police records, and the knowledge of a Melbourne tour guide Michael Sheldon who runs crime tours in the area, Wilson became familiar with the key figures of the time. "We wanted to personify the characters that used to live and kick around these laneways," said Wilson. Maude Compton, who ran a brothel and was jailed for stealing money out of customer's pockets, and Constable Hickling are some of the characters that feature on the distillery's menu. Little Lon Distilling Co, which has the capacity for around 200–300 litres of fermentation, is churning out batches on regular rotation, featuring local ingredients and fragrant notes such as rosemary, oranges and lemons — all things which have historically grown in the area. Images: Julia Sansone
Adding to its growing Australian portfolio, Ovolo hotel group has revealed its next location. Come early 2021, a 123-room site will open in South Yarra. Due to be built near the corner of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, the hotel will bring plenty of 70s glam to the area with a retro design by Luchetti Krelle and bold furnishings. Expect graphic wallpapers, patterned couches and lots of chrome accents, plus four Rockstar suites named after iconic musicians. With international holidays set to be off the cards for a while, you can expect to be planning lots of local holidays and staycations in the near future. And at Ovolo, you can expect the hotel chain's usual flourishes. That includes being dog friendly — so, yes, your four-legged bestie can join you on your next getaway. [caption id="attachment_776982" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ovolo Nishi[/caption] At its other Aussie hotels — such as Ovolo Laneways in Little Bourke Street in the CBD — the company offers a heap of freebies, such as a free mini bar (including a free loot bag), free breakfast with every stay, free wi-fi, free self-service laundry and a free happy hour drink each day, which are expected to be available at South Yarra, too. Also on the menu for Ovolo South Yarra: a restaurant and bar. If you've visited the chain's other on-site hospitality venues — Mister Percy in Sydney, Za Za Ta in Brisbane and Monster in Canberra — you'll know something pretty impressive is on the cards. We'll let you know as soon as more details are announced. Find Ovolo South Yarra at 230 Toorak Road, South Yarra from early 2021.
When Disney+ made its way into the world back in 2019, it gave viewers — including folks in Australia and New Zealand — access to a huge range of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic movies and shows. What it didn't do is bring Hulu, which the Mouse House owns the majority stake in, to audiences Down Under. And, with Disney+ focused on family-friendly fare, it didn't deliver the kinds of series and films that Hulu screens, either. Hulu still isn't heading our way. But, come early 2021, Disney+ is expanding to include a new section that's basically an international equivalent of Hulu. It's called Star, it'll launch on Tuesday, February 23, and it'll screen "an additional 1000 unique titles under the new Star brand in the first year", according to the announcement at Disney's big 2020 Investor Day on Friday, December 11. It's also set to premiere 35 brand new series in 2021, too. Disney hasn't listed exactly what Australia and New Zealand audiences will be able to watch via Star — but it did reveal that Star will feature "a robust collection of general entertainment movies, television, documentaries, and more, along with Star-branded new exclusive originals and local productions being created for the service". It'll be drawing upon Disney's studios, such as Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television and Touchstone, and will also feature local programming specific to each region. https://twitter.com/Disney/status/1337155471422189569 Star won't feature everything that Hulu does, because plenty of Hulu's series and films pop up elsewhere Down Under — like The Handmaid's Tale, for instance. That said, it's safe to presume that some of the rights deals that deliver Hulu content to other networks and streaming platforms in Australia and New Zealand might change when Star hits, moving where you can catch certain flicks and programs in the process. When Star launches, it'll also become available in Europe and Canada, both of which already have access to Disney+. The Mouse House will also launch Disney+ including Star in Singapore on the same date, then look to roll out in Eastern Europe, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong across the rest of 2021. And, as you might've already guessed, Disney+'s expansion to include Star will come with a price increase. Australian subscriptions will go up to AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year, while New Zealand's will cost NZ$12.99 per month or AU$129.99 per year. Star will join Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, February 23, with Disney+ subscriptions costing AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year in Australia, and NZ$12.99 per month or AU$129.99 per year in New Zealand, from that date.
2022 has been a great time to be a fan of Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, thanks to not one, not two, but three new projects hitting Australian screens — aka Nightmare Alley, Cabinet of Curiosities and Pinocchio. But if you adore the director's stunning Pan's Labyrinth, as everyone should, then 2023 is going to be even better in Melbourne. The reason? The wondrous film is getting the Hear My Eyes treatment Remixing cinematic masterpieces with a brand-new live score is Hear My Eyes' big thing, as seen in its take on Chopper in 2022 in Melbourne, plus past versions of Drive, Girlhood, Suspiria and Two Hands — and more. It hasn't ever done the same with Pan's Labyrinth before, however, so this performance at 6pm on Saturday, March 18 at The Astor is part of a premiere season. Sleep D and artists Hektor and RBI (Ruby Willis) are writing and performing the new score, giving a hypnotic and resonant picture matching sounds. The end result is set to be one of the most transporting examples of movies meeting music you'll ever go to; think of it as a cinema session and a concert in one. Need a refresher on the film? Released in 2006 and winning three Oscars for its efforts — including Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Makeup — Pan's Labyrinth takes audiences to Spain during the Franco regime, specifically in the summer of 1944. That when and where ten-year-old Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) gets drawn into a stone maze, with the lines between her reality and this dreamworld colliding — and creating powerful, moving and dazzling movie magic.
It would certainly be Schmuck-like (that is, foolish) not to visit one of the best bagel masters in town. Schmucks Bagels go way beyond the average poppy seed bagel, serving adventurous options such as the Hippie Slicker — a seeded bagel filled with turmeric-roasted cauliflower, hummus, watercress and tomato — and the Oy Vey, filled with pulled pork, harissa slaw and tonkatsu. Sure, the store is small, but it's totally defying what can be crammed into a round of boiled bread. While Schmucks concede that bagels are now seen as an American thing, it prides itself on tracing the history of bagels back to the 17th century Jewish bakeries of Poland, and its story is goes back to owner Jeremy Marmur's grandfather, a holocaust survivor who allowed his grandson to binge on bagels as a child. If we're going to trust anyone with a bagel in Melbourne — it's these guys. The bagels here are steamed rather than boiled, giving it a lighter texture and a full-flavoured taste. They come in a variety including sesame, seedy grain, blueberry or rye with condiments including almond butter, Nutella and cream cheese. The breakfast menu is elaborate, with 'Avo Our Way' catering for the vegetarians, while the sausage and egg filling with Kewpie mayo and iceberg is up there with the best. The 'All-Day- bagels include a nod to their Polish origins, with a turkey breast, hickory smoked bacon, kewpie, tomato and melted cheese option available, while the truffle pepperoni is a nod to New York. There are jars too, filled with either passionfruit yoghurt and dried berries or buckwheat granola with coconut yoghurt and almond milk. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Bagels in Melbourne for 2023
Steamy, sunny days are still upon us, making afternoons around the pool an enduringly high priority — and a surefire reason to leave the office inappropriately early. While swimming a few laps satisfies the large majority of water babies, there are those of us yearning for the playful days of yesteryear; when fighting your siblings on the back of inflatable dragons was the ultimate, when diving for sunken rings was the best of times, when blow-up alligator time had to be shared out and rostered by your tired-but-practical Aunty Jane. But pool toy companies haven't forgotten you. There's a huge market for pool toys to suit all ages, with plenty of stylish, weird and genius inflatable ideas on offer. From floating poker and ping pong tables to giant floating birds and watermelons, these are our favourite inflatables to make any pool party that little more Instagrammable — and your summer that extra bit more nostalgic. THE GIANT FLAMINGO/SWAN One of the most Instagrammable pool accessories around: the giant swan (or pink flamingo, if you're feeling more flamboyant). According to the Giant Swan website, the swans are "popular in fashion shoots", so for $99 you can nab your very own oversized aquabird and get yourself a perpetually summery profile picture. POOL SHOOTBALL If you like shooting hoops but find the asphalt a little too steamy in summer, this genius little game brings the court to the water. For just $40 with free shipping, this one's perfect for pool parties or sorting out sibling rivalries. AQUA ZORBS With the increasing popularity of Zorb Bumper Soccer and Human Zorb Bowling, Aqua Zorb water walkers could be of the most epic additions to home pool toy collection. One of the more exxy pool toys on the market, the Zorbs are $595 each — and obviously you're going to need two for battle reasons. One for the truly dedicated pool fiends. FLOATING POKER TABLE Now here's a truly grown-up pool toy. Bestway are responsible for the world's first pool poker set, complete with inflatable poker table, chairs, cards, chips and most importantly, drink holders. It's just $39.95 for the set, however a day of poker in the pool may end up costing you more. THE LAKE TRAMPOLINE You're going to need a bigger pool for this one, preferably lake-sized. Remember all those hours you spent as a youngster doing precarious trick jumps from your trampoline into your pool? Now your adult self can get some solid (and somewhat safer) air jumping off a giant lake trampoline, priced from a rather steep $1800 to $3700. With a price tag like that, might be worth getting your crew to chip in. MOTORISED BUMPER BOATS Yep, motorised bumper boats. Longtime aquatic toymakers Hammacher Schlemmer have created these floating vehicles for long afternoons spent crashing into your loved ones at four kilometres per hour. For $100 each, these bumper boats can also be used to ferry your summer snacks from one end of the pool to the other, or could be used as a flimsy excuse for a jetski in a lake situation. FLOATING POOL PING PONG Never chase ping pong balls around your garage again. Yours for around $60-90, depending where you buy it, this floating ping pong table is as summery an activity you can get. You're going to want to take this to the shallow end though; treading water and playing ping pong sounds like one hell of an exercise. AQUAGLIDE REVOLUTION If you're looking to make other people jealous (or highly confused) of your toys, this'll do the trick. Priced at $4500, the six-foot-high Aquaglide Revolution has it all: slides on one side, some form of extreme seesaw on the other, climbing walls aplenty. The Revolution allows up to ten people on board at once, and will have you outrageously exhausted and immeasurably happy by the end of the day. URBAN OUTFITTERS POOL FLOATS Another much more realistic and adorable option to brighten up any pool party. From watermelons, Monaco bars, snakes, suns, smiley faces to floating beer pong, American retail giants Urban Outfitters have a variety of novelty pool inflatables on offer for just $25 to $50 each. By Tommy Codling and Shannon Connellan.
The strip that houses 50-seater Coburg wine bar Gemini hasn't traditionally been home to such establishments. But Gemini is part of a wave of wine bars that are coming to Sydney Road, started by Coburg-based Geminis Tresna Lee and Shane Farrell. There's a true community spirit at the crowd-funded Gemini, which pays it forward by hosting local gatherings, tastings and co-working sessions while defying easy categorisation. It's an all-day eatery that doubles as a pantry and bottle shop. You're as likely to get a perfectly brewed coffee as you are a hand-selected wine. [caption id="attachment_1017721" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saskia McCormack-Kuijpers[/caption] The European-leaning menu includes a daily-changing Gemini bar sandwich. By night, the menu has share plates that spotlight the likes of skewered octopus in sweet gochujang, wagyu beef carpaccio, delicata squash with Mount Zero beluga lentils and miso-candied walnuts. Wines mostly feature local producers, with a smattering of French wines, while beer, cider and non-alcoholic drinkers are well-catered for. If you fancy a cocktail, there's the house negroni and tommy's cocktail or what's fashioned a 'flawless' martini with milk and honey vodka. Sit amid Gemini's exposed brick walls and warm timber and feel at home in a space that's a true local. Third top image: Grace Petrou.
After closing down its Daylesford location earlier in 2018, Kazuki's opened the doors to its new restaurant — bringing its Japanese fine dining from regional Victoria to Melbourne. That year, Japanese-born Chef-Patron Kazuki Tsuya and his wife and business partner Saori launched Kazuki's in Carlton. It's a case of new surroundings, but same approach, for the flagship eatery, in a split-level site that seats 30 downstairs and 18 on the second floor. Design-wise, with a calm, serene feeling all part of the eatery's vibe, the interiors feature timber screening, rich carpets and naturalistic lighting — and an overall colour palette that heroes grey with accents of Japanese elm, granite and leather. As for the menu, it continues the fusion of Japanese and European flavours that Kazuki's is known for, paying tribute to the chef's heritage as well as his French training. The menu oft changes, but diners can expect dishes such as kingfish sashimi with buttermilk, finger lime, white soy and ginger, plus sea urchin with russet potato chips, beluga caviar and cultured cream. The wagyu flank is cooked over coals and comes with a smoked eel and port wine reduction — while desserts may include a dark chocolate tart with gianduja ganache, hazelnuts and miso caramel and yoghurt sorbet with yuzu curd and Anzac biscuit crumbing. Japanese sake, whiskey and spirits feature on the drinks list, as does wine from Japan and Australia among a hefty international selection at Kazuki. Images: Peter Tarasiuk.
Glass, by director M. Night Shyamalan, concludes a trilogy nobody knew was a trilogy until the final moments of his previous film, Split. What at first seemed a fun and, at times, disturbing thriller about a split-personality kidnapper (played by a terrific James McAvoy) suddenly presaged an entirely new world of superheroes in the vein of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Harking all the way back to Shyamalan's 2000 film Unbreakable, Glass is the film designed to bring together the stories of McAvoy's unhinged killer, Bruce Willis's reluctant hero and Samuel L Jackson's evil genius. It's a two decade project and a gutsy effort to try something new. Unfortunately, the finished product fails to live up to the alluring concept. A quick refresher. Unbreakable brought together two fascinating characters in the form of comic book expert Elijah Price (Jackson) and sports stadium security guard David Dunn (Willis). Dunn is the sole and miraculous survivor of a horrific train crash from which he emerged entirely unscathed. He's a soulful and introverted family man, and it's not until Price contacts him that he realises he's never been sick or injured his entire life. Price, by contrast, is wheelchair bound, a sufferer of a brittle bone disease that makes him, effectively, as fragile as glass. Price's theory is that if he's as weak as humanity permits, it stands to reason someone must be his direct opposite; a man who is, essentially, unbreakable. Then in 2016 came Split and the introduction of The Horde (McAvoy), a collective name for the many personalities embodying the hapless Kevin Wendell Crumb. Chief amongst them is The Beast, an abnormally strong and animalistic entity capable of scaling sheer walls and even ceilings. If Dunn is the superhero, then The Beast is the super villain. Glass ties these characters together by locking all three up in a mental institute under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson). Her speciality is illusions of grandeur manifesting in the belief that its sufferers are superheroes, and the film does an impressive job of sewing doubt in both the characters' and audience's mind that everything we've seen to date might be explained away by simple science. It's an enticing counterpoint to the conventional superhero narrative, which tells us they simply exist and that's that. Here, Shyamalan continues his preoccupation with how one might become a superhero. It's a trilogy-long origin story, grounded in the lore and mythology of comic books. Fascinating as that idea is, however, the movie spends far too long footnoting itself, going to pains to explain again and again how its events track the narrative arc of any comic. It's as if Shyamalan is desperate to ensure you know how clever his idea is, and all you want to do is yell back at the screen: IT'S OKAY! WE GET IT! MOVE ON! Admittedly, it is clever. The idea that superheroes do exist, but are also very human and only marginally more enhanced and capable than everyone else represents an appealing and refreshing take on the genre. And yet the film's theoretical strength is also its practical weakness. The climactic clash between Dunn and The Beast feels entirely lacklustre and unimpressive in a world now accustomed to such scenes frequently involving the levelling of entire cities. Mass destruction can be tiresome as well, of course, but surely there's room for something in between? In Glass, the characters are a far cry from Superman, Thor or The Hulk. Consequently most of their fighting consists of the pair locked arm-in-arm like a dull MMA bout. There are flourishes of brilliance – Beast's inhuman gallop across a field being amongst the best – but they're far too infrequent. Ultimately though, the biggest problem with Glass is that it's far too preoccupied with explaining itself as it goes. And so while the journey is enjoyable enough, the final feeling is that a great opportunity has been missed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ghQs5AmNk
When HBO's static-filled logo plays, something excellent typically follows. The voters in the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences certainly think so. In 2023, the folks who decide which shows will score some Emmys love have awarded a massive 74 nominations to three HBO series: Succession, The Last of Us and The White Lotus. TV's best case of family feud earned 27 nods, including for almost every actor who appeared in its fourth and final season in leading, supporting and guest roles. In the Best Actor category alone, Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin are going head to head. The most spectacular game-to-screen adaptation yet nabbed 24, while vacation chaos brought about 23 nominations. The other show that racked up a comparable tally? Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso with 21 nods. 2023's Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday, July 13 Australian and New Zealand time, ahead of the winners being anointed on Tuesday, September 19 — and, although a handful of series garnered the bulk of attention, plenty more got in on the action. Similarly in the running: everything from Andor, Better Call Saul, House of the Dragon and Yellowjackets (all in the drama fields) to Abbott Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building and Wednesday (the comedy categories), plus the likes of Beef, Daisy Jones & the Six and Fleishman Is in Trouble (limited series) as well. Among the homegrown highlights, Australia's own Sarah Snook is in the running for Succession, as is Anna Torv for The Last of Us. Murray Bartlett has a double chance: for Best Supporting Actor in the limited series and television movie field for Welcome to Chippendales and Best Guest Actor in the dramatic category for that stunning episode of The Last of Us. And, Aotearoa's Melanie Lynskey also got the nod twice: for Best Lead Actress for Yellowjackets and Best Guest Actress — both in the drama camps — for, like almost everyone else, The Last of Us. Other standout noms include acting recognition for Better Call Saul's exceptional Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn, who should each have houses filled with awards by now; all the love for Barry's phenomenal last season; plus Bad Sisters' Sharon Horgan, Poker Face's Natasha Lyonne and Swarm's Dominique Fishback getting a look in. That said, all of the above shows could've and should've earned more attention (and the fact that Barry's Sarah Goldberg missed out is a particularly big gap). Also noticeable: that the outstanding Dead Ringers was completely overlooked, and The English; the lack of affection for Harrison Ford in Shrinking; just one acting nom for Yellowjackets; and leaving out Steve Martin and Selena Gomez for Only Murders in the Building. As always, of course, ace shows still exist without awards — whether or not they get nominated, or win. The 75th Emmy Awards will take place on Tuesday, September 19, Australian time. Here's a rundown of the major nominations — and you can check out the full list of nominees on the Emmys' website: EMMY NOMINEES 2023 OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES Andor Better Call Saul The Crown House of the Dragon The Last of Us Succession The White Lotus Yellowjackets OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES Abbott Elementary Barry The Bear Jury Duty The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Only Murders in the Building Ted Lasso Wednesday OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES Beef Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Daisy Jones & the Six Fleishman Is in Trouble Obi-Wan Kenobi OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas Fire Island Hocus Pocus 2 Prey Weird: The Al Yankovic Story OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Jeff Bridges, The Old Man Brian Cox, Succession Kieran Culkin, Succession Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us Jeremy Strong, Succession OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us Keri Russell, The Diplomat Sarah Snook, Succession OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Bill Hader, Barry Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso Jeremy Allen White, The Bear OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Christina Applegate, Dead to Me Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face Jenna Ortega, Wednesday OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Taron Egerton, Black Bird Kumail Nanjiani, Welcome to Chippendales Evan Peters, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Daniel Radcliffe, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Michael Shannon, George & Tammy Steven Yeun, Beef OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Lizzy Caplan, Fleishman Is in Trouble Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy Dominique Fishback, Swarm Kathryn Hahn, Tiny Beautiful Things Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six Ali Wong, Beef OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES F. Murray Abraham, The White Lotus Nicholas Braun, Succession Michael Imperioli, The White Lotus Theo James, The White Lotus Matthew Macfadyen, Succession Alan Ruck, Succession Will Sharpe, The White Lotus Alexander Skarsgård, Succession OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown Meghann Fahy, The White Lotus Sabrina Impacciatore, The White Lotus Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Simona Tabasco, The White Lotus OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Anthony Carrigan, Barry Phil Dunster, Ted Lasso Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso James Marsden, Jury Duty Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary Henry Winkler, Barry OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Janelle James, Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary Juno Temple, Ted Lasso Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso Jessica Williams, Shrinking OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Murray Bartlett, Welcome to Chippendales Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird Richard Jenkins, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Joseph Lee, Beef Ray Liotta, Black Bird Young Mazino, Beef Jesse Plemons, Love & Death OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Annaleigh Ashford, Welcome to Chippendales Maria Bello, Beef Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble Juliette Lewis, Welcome to Chippendales Camila Morrone, Daisy Jones & The Six Niecy Nash-Betts, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Merritt Wever, Tiny Beautiful Things OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Hiam Abbass, Succession Cherry Jones, Succession Melanie Lynskey, The Last of Us Storm Reid, The Last of Us Anna Torv, The Last of Us Harriet Walter, Succession OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Murray Bartlett, The Last of Us James Cromwell, Succession Lamar Johnson, The Last of Us Arian Moayed, Succession Nick Offerman, The Last of Us Keivonn Montreal Woodard, The Last of Us OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Becky Ann Baker, Ted Lasso Quinta Brunson, Saturday Night Live Taraji P Henson, Abbott Elementary Judith Light, Poker Face Sarah Niles, Ted Lasso Harriet Walter, Ted Lasso OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Jon Bernthal, The Bear Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Nathan Lane, Only Murders in the Building Pedro Pascal, Saturday Night Live Oliver Platt, The Bear Sam Richardson, Ted Lasso
California's rich migrant history, sunny climate and abundance of world-class ingredients ensure restaurants, wineries, breweries, and food trucks deliver mouthwatering experiences. Dining should always be a major focus when exploring the globe, but California's sheer diversity in flavour and experience makes it the ideal choice for a food-focused road trip. With the help of Visit California, we've pulled together a list of top-notch venues across the state that are worth planning your trip around. [caption id="attachment_960067" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Morro Bay Harbour, credit Nature, food, landscape, travel via iStock[/caption] Fresh Seafood Galore in Northern California SeaQuake Brewing, Crescent City Drawing inspiration from Northern California's towering redwood forests and pristine coastline, SeaQuake Brewing in Crescent City, about 25 minutes south of the state line, showcases what the region's cuisine is all about. Alongside tasty options like woodfired pizza and grass-fed burgers, the brewery has a bunch of seafood to sample. Dive into the decadent mac 'n' cheese topped with blackened shrimp or see how US fish 'n' chips measures up — this version features local rockfish coated in blonde ale panko crumb, . Deciding on the perfect beverage can be a challenge with innovative brews and non-alcoholic kombuchas on offer — the latter has up to 14 rotating flavours, including chai, tart cherry and blood orange. [caption id="attachment_962314" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Larry Myhre via Flickr[/caption] Tavern 1888, Eureka Just over two hours south of Crescent City is Eureka, a port city renowned for its Victorian-era architecture. Here, you'll find Tavern 1888, a renowned restaurant near the waterfront named after the historic building it occupies. Despite this, the cuisine takes a forward-thinking perspective with Southern hints while a vibrant cocktail menu gives the place a dynamic lift. Uniting top-notch ingredients from across the region, the Humboldt Bay oysters and the seared scallops with pea puree highlight the quality of the nearby waters. Once dinner is complete, step into the Phatsy Kline's Parlor Lounge for colourful cocktails and live tunes. [caption id="attachment_961516" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Dave Franklin via Flickr[/caption] The Wharf, Fort Bragg Three hours down the coast, perched on the edge of Noyo Harbour, The Wharf is a historic spot for lunch or dinner in Fort Bragg. Opened in the early 1950s as a coffee shop, it was the go-to spot for local anglers needing a caffeinated pick-me-up during a hard day's work. Today, not-too-different fishing vessels keep the restaurant topped up with fresh salmon, sea urchins, crabs and more. Swing by for tasty clam chowder or cioppino – a fish stew originating in San Francisco – accompanied by stellar views. [caption id="attachment_960345" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Visit California[/caption] Explore Californian Wine Country Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyard, Santa Barbara California is the home of winemaking in America, with the state responsible for more than 80 percent of the country's production. Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyard is an outstanding example of the state's expertise, based in the Santa Rosa Hills of Santa Barbara (two hours north of LA). There's a clear focus on pinot noir and chardonnay alongside syrah and grenache varieties. With a cool breeze from the Pacific Ocean sweeping through the surrounding mountains, Alma Rosa produces carefully balanced wines that reflect the mild climate and limits its releases to 300 or fewer cases. To sample some of these rare drops, catch an intimate on-site tasting in the estate's private ranch house. [caption id="attachment_961513" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Courtesy of Presqu'ile Winery[/caption] Presqu'ile Winery, Santa Maria Valley Thirty minutes away, immersed in the beautiful Santa Maria Valley, Presqu'ile Winery is a family-owned affair dedicated to cool-climate wines, such as pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah, with charming vines stretching across the bucolic property. Picture-perfect by design, the property was carefully conceived as a "tapestry of blocks", allowing for fascinating experimentation. Featuring modern-rustic architecture, the impressive on-site tasting room is complemented by experiences across the estate that range from bocce to horseback riding. [caption id="attachment_962584" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Vineyard & Winery[/caption] Jordan Winery, Healdsburg Founded in 1972, Jordan Winery's reputation has steadily grown to become one of the top wineries in California. And it's no surprise when you consider the scale and splendour of the place. Set on 1200 acres of picturesque rolling hills in Sonoma County (one hour north of San Francisco), around three-quarters of the property is dedicated to supporting natural habitats. This ecological philosophy extends to the winemaking operation with significant renewable energy and biodiversity efforts elevating the class-leading cabernet sauvignon and Burgundian-style chardonnay. [caption id="attachment_961520" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Theleming via Flickr[/caption] Try Top-Notch Cuisine in Southern California Cielito Lindo, Los Angeles Mexican roots run deep in California, and Cielito Lindo is central to bringing tacos to the US. This laid-back taco stand has been serving customers simple but delicious creations for generations, having occupied the same spot on Olvera Street in Downtown LA since it was first established by Aurora Guerrero in 1934. Times have changed, but the venue remains true to its humble origins, striving to keep prices low for its long-standing customers. Today, you can still get two beef taquitos with guacamole sauce for $6.50. Add sides like tamale and chile relleno to make each bite that much more special. [caption id="attachment_962709" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Courtesy of Visit Carlsbad[/caption] Campfire, Carlsbad Campfire brings all the smoke, warmth and good times from a weekend in the wilderness into the confines of an upscale restaurant in the coastal town of Carlsbad, near San Diego. The location tells the story — a wooden hut and a corrugated iron Quonset transformed into a contemporary eatery, where a hearty menu recalls the best of California's spirited terrain. The menu changes with the seasons, but almost every dish is woodfired or cooked over an open flame. Expect charred, seared and fermented creations alongside a surprising selection of vegan-friendly options. Close your eyes and you can just about hear and smell the campfire crackling in the night. [caption id="attachment_962295" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Courtesy of Lucha Libre Tacos[/caption] Lucha Libre Taco Shop, San Diego The love for lucha libre, aka Mexican wrestling, is obvious across southern California, with street corners adorned with colourful murals featuring masked wrestlers and arenas filled with fans for sold-out events. Founded in 2008 by brothers who grew up watching the sport, Lucha Libre Taco Shop pays homage to this vibrant culture across three San Diego locations — Mission Hills, North Park and Pacific Beach. The delicious tacos and burritos taste even better when surrounded by the over-the-top decor. Take things to the next level by booking the Champions Booth – a kitschy gold-plated corner – or wear a luchador mask to get a discount on your feast. Start planning your tour of California, America's ultimate playground, today. Header image: Visit California
Brunch and karaoke. They may seem like an unlikely pair, but if there's one company that's going to combine them well, it's Funlab. The group responsible for Holey Moley and adults-only arcade bars Archie Brothers and B. Lucky & Sons, is bringing together mimosas and 'My Sharona' at its 70s-themed karaoke joint Juke's. Located inside the Crown Complex, this one trades pinball machines and golf clubs for a psychedelic colour scheme, plenty of mirrors and mirrorballs, and decor that'll make you want to bust out your flares and big hair. Oh, and plenty of 70s bangers as well. Now, it's adding bottomless brunches to its repertoire, too. Running every Saturday and Sunday until April 11, the singing, drinking and eating sessions run for two hours and will set you back $50 a pop — which gets you quite a lot. As well as a cocktail on arrival (either a bloody mary or a mimosa), you'll get two hours of karaoke, two hours of endless beer, wine and cider, and food. To eat, you'll get burgers, mini hotdogs, chips and tater tots, with vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options available. The latter definitely veers more into lunch territory than breakfast, but you're also singing karaoke before sunset — all rules have already been broken. You do need a minimum of six people to partake — so, start rounding up your mates now. Bottomless karaoke brunch sessions run from 12–2pm and 3–5pm and can be booked by calling (03) 9070 5373.
Flick through the pages of any issue of National Geographic and the planet comes to life in all of its natural glory, particularly the colour, movement and all-round splendour of the animal world. Indeed, the magazine has been taking eye-catching wildlife photographs since 1888, and first featured one such image — a snap of a reindeer — on its cover back in 1903. From that huge 130-year history, the publication has picked out the absolute best photos in its archive for a brand new exhibition, which will make its world premiere at the Melbourne Zoo from September 8 to November 30. 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will showcase exactly what it sounds like: 50 breathtaking snaps of the earth's animal inhabitants, as curated by famous nature picture editor Kathy Moran, and featuring the work of iconic National Geographic photographers such as Michael 'Nick' Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert and David Doubilet. If last year's Photo Ark exhibition has you staring in wonder, then this promises that and more as patrons not only view the stunning sights captured, but the way that photography has evolved over the course of more than a century. Displaying as an outdoor gallery in Melbourne Zoo's Carousel Park, 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs will be accompanied by augmented reality experience Air, Land & Sea. The interactive installation transports viewers to a watering hole where animals — hailing from Africa, the Arctic and more — graze, drink and interact with the environment around them. As well as giving patrons a glimpse at wildlife photography at its finest, Melbourne Zoo hopes the exhibition will bring attention to the plight of animals around the world. To see the exhibition, you'll need to pay for entry into the zoo, which is $37 for adults. Image: Gray Whale Hands by Thomas P. Peschak, San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico, April 2015.
Over the past ten years, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have spent a considerable amount of time focusing on the most portrayed human literary character in film and television, all thanks to their Benedict Cumberbatch-starring series Sherlock. After four seasons, the series doesn't appear to be making any more episodes anytime soon, so the TV writers and producers have turned their attention elsewhere. To start a new decade, they're sinking their teeth into only literary character, human or otherwise, that's featured on the big and small screens more often than their beloved detective. That'd be Dracula. Adapting Bram Stoker's 1987 gothic classic for the BBC and Netflix, the duo's new take on the undead figure tells unravels the bloodsucking count's tale across a three-part mini-series. From ol' Drac's origins in Transylvania to his run-ins with Van Helsing, it's all covered — plus his encounters with solicitor Jonathan Harker and his wife Mina, and his impact in Victorian-era London, too — although Dracula promises to revisit and reshape the famous horror story in a fresh way. Baring his fangs as the most notorious vampire of all is Danish actor Claes Bang (The Square, The Girl in the Spider's Web), while the show's cast also features Dolly Wells (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), John Heffernan (Official Secrets) and Morfydd Clark (Crawl). Naturally, it all looks suitably creepy and brooding — and, in more than a few scenes, rather bloody. Netflix has just revealed the full final trailer ahead of dropping the entire show itself, which'll hit the streaming platform Down Under on Saturday, January 4. The exact time hasn't been revealed, but Netflix's newbies usually release at 6pm AEST / 7pm ADST. Check out the Dracula trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-b2HXpbg7U Dracula hits Netflix on Saturday, January 4.
Since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has given travellers a decidedly cool place to stay each winter. December hits, and the site reveals its new frosty rooms — the kind that are carved out of ice and only around for a short time, as they'll melt once the weather gets warmer. They're not just any old slabs of ice and snow in the village of Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, however. As part of their annual tradition, the accommodation provider calls for designers and artists to unleash their chilly ideas — then unveils their wondrous creations to travellers. In the 2018–19 crop? A candy-inspired world made out of cold, cold substances, a forest campsite complete with an icy kombi van you can sleep in, a bed guarded by icy animals and another that resembles a journey into the ocean's depths. Or, perhaps you'd like to climb into a dome-shaped room that looks like a polar cave — or a geometric-heavy abode that's not only inspired by cracking ice, but adds more cracks the more you move through the suite. Now open until April 2019, the fresh blend of ice and creativity features 35 one-of-a-kind rooms in total, as crafted by 34 artists from 13 different countries. They're made from more than 30,000 cubic metres of snice — that's a mix of snow and ice — from the local Torne River. As well as places to sleep, the new iteration also includes an ice bar, ice ceremony hall and ice gallery. If you're a fan of the kind of coldness the southern hemisphere doesn't see at this time of the year, but you can't make it to Icehotel's cold climes during the northern winter, don't worry — in addition to their annual slate of artistic suites, Icehotel has been open all year round for the past year. It includes 20 permanent suites, an ice bar, plus private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
In 2025, G Flip has a new album on the way. Come 2026, they'll be backing up their latest record with a five-city tour of Australia. When the drummer, singer and songwriter takes to the stage in Brisbane to kick off their next run of homegrown dates, it will be eight years to the month since Georgia Flipo first uploaded 'About You' to Triple J Unearthed — a move that's sparked a helluva career so far for the Aussie talent. G Flip has locked in gigs not only at Brisbane's Riverstage on Friday, February 27, but also at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Tuesday, March 3; Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Saturday, March 7; Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre come Thursday, March 12; and Fremantle Arts Centre on Saturday, March 14. If you've spotted the fact that these dates are nicely spread out, that's likely because the ARIA Award-winner's 2023 solo Australian tour played to sellout crowds, adding extra shows due to demand. [caption id="attachment_1013155" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy Martin Photography via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] For company this time, G Flip will have Toronto's The Beaches and Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon in support at all gigs. "I am so excited to be coming home to play some shows with my mates The Beaches and Ayesha Madon! The Dream Ride tour is going to a bloody good time, can't wait to see you there!" said the 'Drink Too Much', 'Hyperfine', 'Gay 4 Me', 'The Worst Person Alive' and 'Good Enough' performer, announcing the tour. [caption id="attachment_1013154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Sophie Bine[/caption] Dream Ride, the album, releases on Friday, September 5, 2025 — and features already-released singles 'Disco Cowgirl', 'Big Ol' Hammer' and 'In Another Life'. Get ready for an 80s-inspired sound, and for G Flip playing almost every instrument on the record. Their second album Drummer dropped in 2023, and earned G Flip ARIAs for Song of the Year for 'The Worst Person Alive', Best Video for 'Good Enough' and Best Australian Live Act for the corresponding tour. Before that, their studio debut About Us released in 2019. While G Flip last took their own headline tour around the country in 2023, they were busy everywhere from Field Day and Great Southern Nights to One Night Stand and Spilt Milk's House Party series in 2024. [caption id="attachment_967435" align="alignnone" width="1917"] F Fawkes via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] G Flip Dream Ride Tour with The Beaches and Ayesha Madon Australian 2026 Dates Friday, February 27 — Riverstage, Brisbane Tuesday, March 3 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, March 7 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Thursday, March 12 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide Saturday, March 14 — Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth [caption id="attachment_966668" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Callum Walker Hutchinson[/caption] G Flip is touring Australia with The Beaches and Ayesha Madon in February and March 2026, with ticket presales from 12pm local time on Thursday, July 17, 2025 and general sales from 1pm local time on Monday, July 21, 2025. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images.
Combining booze and personal grooming is nothing new to Mike Enright. The man behind The Barber Shop, York Street's inspired gin bar and barber (and its spinoff at Barangaroo), he's a master of both the close shave and many a high-end spirit. Now he's taking the marriage to the next logical step. No, we're not talking about alcoholic shampoo — although you're kind of on the right track. Enright's Original Gin is a series of gin-scented grooming products – think shaving oil, hand soap, and after shave with 16 botanicals, including touches of juniper, cardamom, liquorice root and lemon. "I wanted to create a gin experience in The Barber Shop as well as the bar," said Enright. After years of research, the products — which are all made in Australia using natural ingredients — launched earlier this month. They're available at The Barber Shop's two Sydney locations as well as online. For more info or to get your mitts on Enright's Original Gin products, visit enrightsgincompany.com.
UPDATE: June 5, 2020: Judy & Punch is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Sometimes, a film lives and thrives thanks to its casting, benefiting from stellar actors who melt into their roles. That's the case with Judy & Punch, with Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman breathing life, depth and a roguish attitude into characters best known as wood, string and fabric. As the title makes plain, they're playing Punch and Judy, the puppet-show figures that date back more than three centuries. Still, while writer/director Mirrah Foulkes tasks her stars with fleshing out the marionettes' wholly fictional origin story, she doesn't rely on the duo to do all of the movie's heavy lifting. Her interpretation of the tale — the bold, subversive directions she takes it in, and the feisty, cheeky vibe the film adopts in the process — makes as much of an impact. Jumping behind the camera after acting in Animal Kingdom, Top of the Lake, The Crown and Harrow, Foulkes ensures that her filmmaking debut isn't the kind of feature that lights up screens often. The movie starts with two versions of Punch and his other half: one cavorting on stage, the other pulling the strings behind the curtain. The crowd roars as the perpetually drunken Punch (Herriman) and the long-suffering Judy (Wasikowska) manoeuvre and manipulate their inanimate counterparts, with the pair packing in shows in Judy's insular (and curiously inland) hometown of Seaside. Judy is actually the more dexterous and talented of the two, but Punch gets all the fame and acclaim — partly, reflecting his brutish personality, by making their puppet show literally "punchier". He makes their daily life punchier as well, and thinks nothing of treating Judy and their infant daughter with contempt, whether he's seeing another woman, complaining whenever Judy says a word or showing that he's the world's worst father. With the real-life Punch and Judy famously based on the former's slapstick violence towards the latter, you can be forgiven for feeling cautious about how a live-action version will play out. It sounds strange and inappropriate, but Foulkes is keenly aware of the material she's working with. In her hands, Judy & Punch takes puppet-show savagery and lets it loose in live-action, then rightfully questions why it's considered entertainment. And to really hammer home her point, she needs to unleash a flurry of physical and metaphorical blows. The filmmaker isn't subtle, but neither is a guy bashing his wife and child, which has happened in P&J since the 1600s. So, when Judy is the only person in the town to speak out against the communal stoning of women deemed witches — and, later, when a tragic turn of fate sees her seek solace among the local female outcasts, then plot her revenge — it's thoroughly designed to make a statement. Kudos to Foulkes for not only reclaiming P&J's problematic narrative for Judy, calling out Punch's boorishness and asking why women have so often been treated so poorly — by their partners, by complicit communities and by mobbish societies as a whole — but for clearly having fun while she's doing so. Where this year's thematically comparable and similarly excellent fellow Australian film, The Nightingale, leaned into bleakness and pain, Judy & Punch veers the other way. The movie is styled like a gothic fairytale, with its crumbling castle, sprawling woods and Elizabethan-era costuming, and it takes that look and feel to heart. Dark, fanciful, perceptive, often comic — this mix of elements mightn't sound like a natural fit on paper, but it works. Judy & Punch's tone definitely wavers, although that's on purpose too. And when François Tétaz's percussion-heavy score keeps echoing, it constantly reminds viewers of the thuds, shoves and worse that have long been baked into Judy and Punch's abusive romance, while also proving audibly playful. Given all of the above, you can excuse Judy & Punch for including a big speech at its climax; again, Foulkes isn't doing anything by halves. Nor is her cast, including the likes of Benedict Hardie (Upgrade), Tom Budge (Bloom) and Gillian Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road), who all help populate Seaside's chaotic masses. Wasikowska and Herriman are dream leads, though. She draws upon an ever-growing resume filled with fascinating and formidable women (Jane Eyre, Stoker, Tracks, Madame Bovary, Piercing… the list goes on), while he's having quite the malevolence-dripping year after stepping into Charles Manson's shoes in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Judy & Punch firmly tells Judy's story, so this is Wasikowska's film, but it highlights both of its main characters for a good reason. This thoroughly feminist hero doesn't just give a historic narrative a much-needed update and champion a timely cause — with their dynamic back-and-forth, she endeavours to cut Herriman's misogynistic weasel down to size, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63NAagrKOcc
Every December, fans of sparkling sights are gifted a luminous feast for their eyes. No, we're not talking about Christmas lights. Regardless of whether you're bathing in a festive glow or hardly fond of all the merriment, 'tis the season for the Geminids meteor shower to soar through the sky — starting back on Sunday, December 4 and finishing for 2022 on Tuesday, December 20. Yes, that means that this shower is visible right now. Even better: Down Under, it's at its peak on the evening of Wednesday, December 14 and the morning of Thursday, December 15. If you have a telescope at hand, it's clearly a great time to put it to use. Eager to catch a glimpse, even from just your backyard or balcony? Here's everything you need to know. [caption id="attachment_882304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ESO/G. Lombardi via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] WHAT IS IT Lighting up the end-of-year skies, the Geminids meteor shower is considered the most spectacular meteor shower of the year. Again, Christmas lights aren't the only spectacle worth peering at this month. The Geminids is caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere — and it was first observed in 1862. Some years, you can catch as many as 150 meteors every 60 minutes, so this definitely isn't just any old meteor shower. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] WHEN TO SEE IT The 2022 shower kicked off on Sunday, December 4, but it really is just getting started. While the Geminids runs through until Tuesday, December 20 this year, it's expected to be at its peak in Australia overnight between Wednesday, December 14–Thursday, December 15. If you fancy a stint of stargazing, the best time to look up is on Wednesday, December 14 from around 9pm in Brisbane, 10pm in Perth, 11pm in Sydney, 11.30pm in Adelaide and 12am in Melbourne. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, but before sunrise. [caption id="attachment_882301" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Durkin via Flickr[/caption] HOW TO SEE IT For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible. This could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower runs from Sunday, December 4–Tuesday, December 20, and will be at its peak during the night on Wednesday, December 14–Thursday, December 15. For further details, head to Time and Date. Top image: A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.
2023's inaugural SXSW Sydney saw everyone from Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker and Chance The Rapper to Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb and Nicole Kidman take to its stages. Who'll follow in their footsteps in 2024? That's the question now that the tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival has confirmed that it will be back next year, running from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 after its first Down Under stint proved a success. "To say SXSW Sydney left a mark on the city in its inaugural year is an understatement. The team pulled together a remarkable grand-scale event that brought together APAC's creative communities in a way the region had never seen before," said SXSW Sydney Chair Geoff Jones, announcing the news. "We are thrilled to announce the dates for SXSW Sydney 2024 in partnership with the NSW Government, and look forward to opening more doors for innovators across the tech and innovation, music, screen, games and creative industries." Locking in SXSW Sydney's 2024 return and dates came with a few stats from the 2023 event, revealing that it notched up 287,014 attendances from 97,462 unique attendees. Those figures came from 34,975 total tickets, with folks from 41 countries heading along to 1178 sessions. It's too early for SXSW Sydney 2024 lineup drops yet, with applications for the event's Session Select, plus its music, screen and games showcases, set to open in 2024 — and badges due to go on sale then as well. Among its wealth of highlights, 2023's SXSW Sydney featured Brooker chatting about his hit series and technology's future; Chance The Rapper talking about 50 years of hip hop; Coachella CEO Paul Tollett discussing his own fest; Kidman exploring her work as a producer on the likes of Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and Love & Death; the Australian premiere of Kitty Green's The Royal Hotel; and the world premiere of The Wiggles documentary Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles. The full lineup spanned a 700-plus strong bill of talent, covering over 300 sessions, and featuring more than 300 gigs across 25 venues. From talks and concerts to films, TV shows and games, there was no shortage of things to see. That's all now in store again in 2024. SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Images: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
It's been a long time coming and a pretty rough road for LGBTIQ+ Australians, but same-sex marriage is set to become legal in Australia within the month. This thing is actually happening. At approximately 6pm AEST today, the House of Representatives in Federal Parliament held a final vote to finally, belatedly, once and for all, pass the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017 on its third reading. So what does this mean? To pull directly from the bill, it will officially redefine the Marriage Act 1961's definition of marriage from 'the union of a man and a woman' to the non-gendered 'union of two people'. The bill has been floating around parliament for a few weeks now. It was passed by the Senate on November 29 and has been debated in the House of Reps since Monday, November 4. Members have spent most of this week reading and discussing amendments to the bill — mostly ones related to religious freedom — of which none have been passed. To make it legal, the law needs to be ratified by the Governor-General, which could even happen this week. If all goes to plan, the ABC predicts same-sex marriages could start happening from January 8, 2018. The bill entered parliament after 61.6 percent of Aussies — that's a tidy 7,817,247 people — voted in favour same-sex marriage being legalised in the national postal vote survey. You can find a break-down of the votes for various electorates and the participation rates for different age groups on the ABS' survey results website. Cue the celebrations. We can practically hear the rainbow confetti cannons and collective cries of relief for the queer community from here (although, to be fair, our office is very close to Oxford Street). Image: Letícia Almeida.
The weather has been very newsworthy this year — and very unpredictable. We've been hit by devastating drought and had more than our fair share of heatwaves, including the hottest day in two years in January. And that was before we had lots of rain up north, with Sydney getting 70mm of rain in just one night. But it seems that Melbourne's emerged from November's weird weather and launched right back into scorching territory, as the city is set to get a minor heatwave this week. The Bureau of Meteorology reports that a pool of hot air is currently making its way down south and — as you've probably noticed — it's raising the temperature considerably in Victoria and SA. Melbourne is expected to maximum of 35 degrees today and 38 degrees tomorrow, Friday, December 7. That's around 14 degrees over the average at this time of year. The Bureau of Meteorology is even calling it a low-intensity heatwave. Low intensity #heatwave developing over much of #Victoria for Thu-Sat, locally severe along the northern border as day/night time temps soar 🌡️📈. Becoming milder, humid and unsettled on the weekend. https://t.co/B1vmgSuReQ pic.twitter.com/SmQuwcZ6Cc — Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) December 4, 2018 The heat is going to stick around overnight, but should fade on Friday night. For many, the hot temps signals the start of after-work swimming season — although, if you're going to St Kilda, remember that you can't drink on the beach anymore — but this heat in early December never bodes well for the rest of the season. Better buy that fan now, fam. Image: udeyismail via Flickr.
You're invited to take a rare glimpse into the life of Frida Kahlo, when photographs from the famed Mexican artist's personal collection land at the Bendigo Art Gallery this December. Travelling exhibition Frida Kahlo, Her Photos will be on show in Victoria from December 8, 2018, until February 10, 2019, featuring a sprawling selection of 257 images curated by Mexican photographer and photography historian Pablo Ortiz Monasterio. The collection travels through Kahlo's fascinating life, speaking to the artist's lifelong passion for photography — an art form that regularly influenced her own work. The photos have been pulled from the archives of the Casa Azul (Blue House) — Kahlo's former home, which has been made into a museum celebrating her life and art. You'll spy gems that have only been on public show since 2007, capturing Kahlo's family moments, her love for Mexico and its traditions, her passions, friends and enemies, the era's political struggles, and even the artist's lengthy hospital stay following an accident in 1925. The exhibition also features shots from Frida contemporaries including Fritz Henle, Man Ray, Tina Modotti, Edward Weston, and Lola and Manuel Alvarez. Images: Frida painting a portrait of her father, by Gisele Freund, 1951, courtesy Frida Kahlo Museum; Diego Rivera (in his study at San Angel_, Anonymous, 1940, courtesy Frida Kahlo Museum.
Good news for plant-based pizza fiends living south of the Yarra — the city's first and only all-vegan pizzeria has another big expansion in the works, with plans to bring its covetable meat-free slices to a new Prahran outpost. And southside fans don't have to wait too long, either, with the opening slated for this August. Red Sparrow has won plenty of fans — both of the vegan and carnivorous varieties — since opening in Collingwood in early 2017. So much so, that last year the owners bought the space next door, knocked out a wall and doubled the venue's size to cope with the crowds. [caption id="attachment_677657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Red Sparrow Collingwood[/caption] Now, they're letting southside punters have a piece of the pie, snapping up a second space in the heart of Chapel Street. The new digs will be dishing up much the same as the original, heroing plant-based pizzas and a stack of local craft beer. Hit toppings made famous by the Collingwood outpost include the likes of the Patatas Bravas – a smokey tomato base loaded with potato, parmesan, meat-free chorizo and chipotle aioli – and another hearty combination of red onion, mock sausage, house-pickled jalapeños and mozzarella. Red Sparrow Southside is slated to open on Chapel Street, Prahran in late August. We'll let you know more details when they drop.
Since Dark Mofo first introduced House of Mirrors back in 2016, the installation has sat at the top of everyone's must-do list. Created by Australian installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney, it's exactly what it sounds like: a walkthrough space filled with reflective surfaces that will not only strands you in a maze of your own image, but turns your likeness into a kaleidoscope. After touring the country, the world's largest travelling mirror maze has returned to Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art. The installation was unveiled in late 2020 as part of the museum's post-pandemic revamp and reopening. Is it fun, creepy or both? Wander through the disorienting, perception-altering, panic-inducing, optical illusion-based labyrinth and decide for yourself. The modern, minimalist twist on the fairground classic features 40 tonnes of steel and 15 tonnes of mirrors — with no added gimmicks, no special effects, no soundtrack or soundscape. If your trip down to Tasmania coincides with this year's Dark Mofo celebrations, check out our round up of the best things to eat, see and do on the island during the winter months. House of Mirrors is open from 10am–5pm Friday–Monday. Images: House of Mirrors (2016), Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney. Photo by MONA/Jesse Hunniford, courtesy of MONA, Hobart, Tasmania.
If you're the type of traveller who chooses their hotels for the perks and extra inclusions, then you might want to put Tasmania's newest place to stay on your radar. Mövenpick Hotel Hobart marks the Swiss brand's first site in Australia — and if either the chain's name or its country of origin have you thinking of sweet treats, yes, they're part of the hotel's offering. Between 4–5pm daily, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart celebrates chocolate hour. That's when you'll receive a free dessert — such as an eclair, brownie or truffle — when you purchase a chocolate-flavoured cocktail, mocktail or affogato. If you fancy tucking into something sweet at another time of day, you'll also be able to book in for a chocolate-tasting package. And, Mövenpick's hotels serve the brand's line of food and beverages, which means that Mövenpick ice cream is on the menu as well. One of more than 80 of the chain's sites worldwide, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart also boasts 221 guest rooms across levels three to 18 — because you need somewhere to enjoy its sweets. Located near the city's waterfront, the venue has been decked out with nature design-inspired interiors that take inspiration from Tasmania, with Jaws Architects doing the honours. Think: wall panelling, furniture, fabrics and colours that have all been selected to the local landscape. For guests in the mood for more than just chocolate, cocktails and ice cream, the hotel is home to Tesoro Modern Italian restaurant, and also has a big focus on nutritious breakfasts. You can start your day with a shot of juice or yoghurt blended with fresh fruit and vegetables, or with other health-focused dishes. Facilities-wise, there's also a function space that can cater for up to 100 people and a gym — and, inside some guest rooms, you'll be treated to panoramic views over Hobart, too. Find Mövenpick Hotel Hobart at 28 Elizabeth Street, Hobart — and head to the chain's website for bookings and other information.
Promising to delight pun-lovers and meat enthusiasts alike, Coal Blooded Griller is the fiery new addition to Brighton's food scene, throwing open its doors this Tuesday, October 1. With a food offering helmed by Josh Monteiro (ex-Changz Canteen and founder of Changz Hot Sauce) and a custom-built smoker and barbecue pit taking pride of place, this one's your new go-to for house-smoked meats, fried chicken and local craft brews. As the name suggests, the Martin Street venue has a soft spot for all things smokey and grilled, so expect the likes of chopped pork shoulder and beef brisket by the gram, glazed pork baby back ribs and a range of hefty burgers sandwiched between locally made milk buns. That custom smoker will be running 24/7 to keep up with demand, the fire manned all through each night and day. The crispy fried chicken burger is one of Monteiro's carefully honed creations, perfected over the years, and an extra spicy Changz-inspired version of this is also set to hit the menu in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, a lineup of classic, share-friendly sides runs to the likes of buffalo or saucy barbecue wings, cheesy jalapeno poppers and flame-grilled corn slathered in coriander butter, pecorino and chipotle. It's far from herbivore-friendly, but we suspect Melbourne's meat-lovers will be lapping it up regardless. From the bar comes a rotating tap-list of limited-edition beers from local breweries, backed by a handful of tinnies and wines. Bad Shepherd Brewing will be taking over the taps for the starting month. Otherwise, those meaty eats are sure to go swimmingly alongside sips like the house Bloody Mary loaded with buffalo sauce and a jalapeno popper, the Peach Gin Fizz made with Macedon Ranges Gin, or of course, a cheeky pickle back shot. Find Coal Blooded Griller at 146 Martin Street, Brighton, open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am.
It's what Melbourne is known for: having a drink on the top of one of its city buildings as you see out the day in style. We know there are many to choose from, so in partnership with Jim Beam, we've put together a list of four rooftop bars where you can find something a little different — from cheeseburgers in old tram carriages to cocktails above a Chinese restaurant.
It all sounded like an elaborate prank. Then it sounded just too good to be true. But it's actually been confirmed. Daft Punk are launching their new album, Random Access Memories, to 4000 insanely lucky ticket holders in the NSW country town of Wee Waa. While I have a sneaking suspicion that the helmeted Frenchmen only chose Wee Waa because they giggled at the ridiculousness of its name, those opportunistic Wee Waa-ians (Wee Wains, maybe?) are making the most of this incredible event by throwing the biggest afterparty in Wee Waa history. Weekend Vines is converting the idyllic Seplin Estate Winery, 1.5km outside of Wee Waa, into a two-night camping festival. After Daft Punk have left you feeling harder, better, faster and stronger, head straight out to the Wee Waa Camping Festival where a host of electro artists and Daft Punk disciples will be rockin' out into the wee (waa) small hours of the morning. The event is fully licensed, decked out with a festival sound system and only has 2500 available tickets, so keep an eye on the Weekend Vibes website to make sure you snap one up when they are released early next week. Featuring local and international stars Olibusta (France), Marvin Roland (UK), Mr Pyz (Melbourne), Crease (UK) and Pablo J and the Lobsterettes (Sydney) wee waa beyond excited for an unforgettable weekend of awesome music and late night parties. And that's the last Wee Waa pun we'll make you read.
Luxe basement bar and eatery The George On Collins has scored a makeover and a brand new menu, as it moves into the next phase of its life. The sprawling basement space, designed Hecker Guthrie (responsible for Ugly Duckling, Ruyi and Longrain, amongst others), now features a collection of revamped private spaces, geared towards upscale celebrations with the crew. Make yourself at home in The Attic, tucked upstairs and behind a curtain; enjoy an intimate celebration in The Den; or settle into a feast in the new-look private dining room, The Rumpus. The glass-fronted Cellar, with views across the rest of the venue, has room for a up to 220. Alongside these sleek new additions to the space, The George has also treated its food offering to a complete overhaul, now plating up vibrant, mod-Vietnamese fare for lunch, dinner and late-night sessions alike. The three new menus are the vision of MasterChef Australia 2018 contestant Khanh Ong, and have been brought to life by Head Chef Quim Hernandez. While they're anchored by traditional flavours and techniques, there is still plenty of creativity. Head in for plates like glass dumplings with prawns, pork and heirloom carrots ($12), slow-cooked lamb shoulder matched with coriander sauce ($36), and a half rooster ($32) done with a ginger and fish sauce caramel. The dessert situation proves equally impressive — starring creations like Khanh's 'drunk' sticky date pudding ($14) with whisky caramel and vanilla — as does the drinks list, which Khanh has also had a hand in. Vietnamese flavours make themselves known throughout the cocktails, which include the lemongrass and chilli infused Hot In Ha Noi ($22) and the guava- and coconut-heavy One Night in Saigon ($22).
Jumping on a bike and pumping the pedals is one of the best ways to explore a new city; however, usually it's something that only happens on land. Not in Paris if their new navigating gym comes to fruition. Here you won't just ride your way along the city's River Seine — you'll ride on it. To be specific, you'll sit on a stationary bike on a glass-enclosed 20-metre platform that floats down the famous French waterway. And, you'll actually be helping make the vessel move, with the workout-centric boat powered by exercise (plus solar panels for added energy, in case the 45 people on board prefer to cycle at a leisurely pace). Opening its windows to the elements during the summer, and keeping everything closed and warm during colder months, the Paris Navigating Gym will also feature cross-trainers for those keen on a different kind of fitness routine, plus augmented reality screens. That's how you'll keep track of just how much pedal power you're contributing to the vessel's trip, as well as data about the Seine's environmental conditions. The concept is a collaboration between Italian architects Carlo Ratti Associati, fitness equipment manufacturer Technogym, non-profit architecture group Terreform ONE and urban regeneration institute URBEM. At this stage, it's just that — a concept — but fingers crossed that this certain tourist drawcard becomes a reality. Via Inhabitat.
Known as one of Australia's prosecco pioneers, the King Valley's Dal Zotto Wines is a full family-run affair spanning the generations. First opened by Otto and Elena Dal Zotto in 1987, the winery and attached trattoria are now run by the second generation of Dal Zottos. Focused on Italian grape varietals, the winery has a distinctly European feel, with the trattoria dishing up fresh pasta and Italian classics crafted from fresh ingredients grown in the kitchen garden, maintained by Nonna Elena. Dogs are welcome to make themselves at home in the sunny outdoor spaces, so nab a table on the lawn and settle in for a wine-matched pizza feast, while your pup explores. Oh, and this winery was the first to make prosecco, so make sure you enjoy at least one of the several bubbly options available.
Escape to the South of France with a visit to this chic bistro located in the heart of Richmond. Headed up by chef Peter Roddy, Noir is a charming neighbourhood gem with a buzzing energy and seriously good French fare. Kick things off with a few oysters ($5 each) and a French 75 ($24) before tucking into entrees like chicken liver parfait ($20), beef tartare ($19) and Mooloolaba prawn tortellini with shellfish bisque ($24). For mains, expect dishes like caramelised Atlantic scallops with squid ink and cuttlefish risotto ($36), confit duck with cider potato fondant and spiced lentils ($40) and scotch fillet with frites and sauce au poivre (peppercorn sauce) for $45. Or, opt for the ever-changing tasting menu displayed on the blackboard, priced at $80 per person. While Noir is known for its contemporary (and fairly pricey) French dishes, it does have one affordable feast that's hard to pass up. The super-popular seafood lunch special will see you sitting down to two courses, plus a glass of top-quality wine, for just $45. If you've got a little time (and a few extra dollars) to spare, you can bump that up to two hours of free-flowing wine for an additional $30 per person. For drinks, there's a concise cocktail list and some local beers on offer. When it comes to wine, though, you can expect a lengthy list of Aussie and French drops, including a few amber and skin-contact vinos.
Finding the perfect balance in a cafe can be tough — some are just too big, others too small — but if Goldilocks could visit Northcote's Poke the Bear, we'd bet she would think it's just right. It's the latest venue from hospitality guru Ryan Cassidy (ex-Truman, Galleon, Veruca Salt) and it boasts a menu of breakfast and lunch options, all of which come with a healthy side of pun. If mornings aren't your thing order a Grizzly Bowl of acai, banana and coconut water, topped with chia seeds, goji berries and toasted coconut, or channel you inner caveman with the Bear Hands: a brekky taco packed with scrambled eggs, avocado, tomato relish and pico de gallo. Lunch options include a selection of toasties, soups, nachos and poke bowls, while sides come under the banner of Bear Essentials. Coffee is provided by the experts just down the street at Wide Open Road, while non-coffee drinkers can choose from a freshly squeezed red, yellow or green juice from the Se-Juiced menu. Located in what was once Radio Mexico North, the cafe's design remains largely the same: it's bright, open and filled with leafy greens. While the puns might make your eyes roll, Poke the Bear has all the makings of a northside hotspot.
