The world contains a vivid tapestry of diverse countries and cultures, each woven with its own unique traditions and celebrations. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a region than joining in with the festivities? From the rhythmic beats of Carnival to the kaleidoscopic lights of Diwali, take a step beyond the typical tourist trail with Intrepid Travel. Discover the heartbeat of a place through the lens of its most enchanting festivities. It's time to pack your bags, strap on some comfy shoes and create memories that transcend borders. Diwali The festival of lights is celebrated worldwide, but experiencing it in India itself is something else entirely. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness, goodness over evil and knowledge over ignorance. There are variations across the region and the different local religions of the country. Some things are always included: lots and lots of candles, lights and delicious food. The festival happens in the first weeks of November to tie in with the darkest days of the year (in India). Time your adventure to this stunning country to coincide with the festival so you can see the magic of the celebrations with the locals. Dia De Los Muertos Feel the mystical vibes of the weird and wonderful Dia de los Muertos, the annual Day of the Dead festival, in Mexico City. Participate in a traditional Day of the Dead ceremony and see elaborate altars dedicated to those who have passed. Enjoy delicious tacos and other street food at the openair Mercado Jamaica, and venture outside the city to see the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan. If you are passing through the capital on your exploration of Central America, time your travel so you can be there for this iconic festival. [caption id="attachment_969162" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Heejin Yu via iStock[/caption] Kwita Inzina If you're all about nature conservation, attend the Kwita Izina ceremony in Rwanda to see the on-the-ground efforts of those fighting the good fight for Mother Earth. That's exactly what you can do with this on-the-ground tour in Rwanda. It puts you in the middle of the ceremony, an adaptation of a traditional Rwandan naming ceremony where locals name and celebrate newborn local gorillas. The festival includes a mix of formal speeches from conservationists and celebrity guests, plus music and dance performances. Prepare to go with the flow and be whisked into the celebrations, as participation is encouraged. The entire region comes together to celebrate the festival and conservation of these beautiful animals. Halloween Bram Stoker may not have intended it, but thanks to the setting of his novel, Dracula, in Transylvania, locals now celebrate his creation based on local legends with a next-level celebration on All Hallow's Eve. Head to central Europe to Bucharest, Romania and explore the haunting beauty of Sighisoara (the birthplace of the infamous creature of the night) and spooky Bran Castle (aka Count Dracula's castle) in Brasov. Break out your scariest costumes for a spooky Halloween party in Cluj-Napoca — the former capital of the historical principality of Transylvania. Christmas The Christmas season just hits different when it's in Europe. Snow falls on rooftops of buildings and market stalls on narrow cobbled streets as stallholders give out mulled wine, chimney cakes, hot cider, pretzels, hot chocolate and sweet treats to the tourists and locals meandering from stall to stall. If a trip to Central Europe is on the cards, be sure to time it so you can explore the famous Christmas markets from Munich to Budapest. And the best way to travel in Europe? By train, of course. Carnival Bright colours, headdresses and more feathers than you can count — Carnival is the world's greatest party on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, just waiting for you to rock up. Witness an elaborate parade of floats and dancers in the Sambadrome, which stretches into the wee hours. Samba your way through non-stop action, join the conga line with the locals and move to the rhythm of the drum-fuelled street fiestas. Whether you're journeying through Brazil on an epic adventure or specifically going to Rio de Janeiro for the fest, it's definitely not to miss. Naadam While the Greeks have the Olympics, the Mongols have Naadam. This festival might not be well known, but it is the best time of the year to see Mongolia. The annual colourful festival is a centuries-old tradition that dates back to the Khans and their dynasties. Expect archery, wrestling and horse racing — the primary skills a Mongol warrior requires. While in the area, explore the stunning natural landscapes of central Mongolia, such as Baga Gazriin Chuluu (granite rocks worshipped by locals), the Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs and the dunes of Khongoriin, called the 'singing sands' by locals for the whistling sound made by small avalanches of sand on a windy day. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website.
When lunar new year arrived earlier in February, the year of the tiger kicked into swing — but 2022 just might be the year of the red panda, too. Pixar's next animated flick about a girl who turns into a red panda, called Turning Red, hits streaming in March, and Taronga Zoo has just announced that it's now home to a couple more of the IRL critters. And if you'd like to spend your time checking out the latter right now, no matter the weather or where you live, the Sydney spot has also launched a red panda cub cam. The word you're looking for? Or the sound, to be more accurate? Yes, it's "awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww". The two cubs were born back on December 8 to mum Amala and dad Pabu, and don't yet have names, but you can now watch them from home whenever you like. Taronga's red panda cub cam is free, too, and features videos of the little cuties being born, plus weekly highlights showcasing what they've been up to. So, you can't live-stream them all day every day, but you can still get a huge dose of adorableness. The camera is currently trained on the cubs' purpose-built, soundproof nest box, where they've been living with Amala since birth. Expect to see plenty of mum as well, with Taronga's Carnivore Keeper Rebecca Baldwin advising that she's usually on hand looking after her little ones. "Amala is very attentive and nurturing. Through the monitoring of our CCTV cameras, we can see that she is constantly grooming and cleaning the cubs and is encouraging them to take their first wobbly steps within the security of their nest box," said Baldwin. "Whilst they are still small and weighing only a couple of hundred grams, the cubs are spending their time within the security of their nest box which makes for great viewing. They won't start to venture out under the cover of darkness until they're about 12 weeks old," said Baldwin. Taronga already lets you fill your time staring at capybaras, seals, meerkats, otters, sumatran tigers, lions and elephants, all without leaving your home, thanks to its online TV channel — but if it keeps adding cameras, we'll keep watching. Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo started their online streams in 2020 for obvious reasons, and also releases regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels — and makes keeper talks and other clips available online as well. To watch Taronga Zoo's red panda cub cam, head to the zoo's website. To check out Taronga TV, head to the channel's website — or keep an eye on its videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.
2024 is a double Dune year. First, Dune: Part Two brought the science-fiction franchise back to the big screen with help from director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049), plus stars Timothée Chalamet (Wonka) and Zendaya (Euphoria). Next, television's Dune: Prophecy will arrive before spring is out. A six-part prequel series from HBO, it's set 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides — and, as the latest teaser trailer for the show advises, this is a time when sacrifices must be made. Dune: Prophecy marks this book-to-screen universe's return to the small screen. Over the past four decades, the saga started on the page by Frank Herbert has hit cinemas three times so far, including David Lynch's 1984 film and Villeneuve's 2021 standout Dune: Part One. In the 00s, it also spread sandy across TV via two miniseries. Everything in pop culture has to span both movies and television at the same time these days, however, hence Dune: Prophecy — even though the tale of Paul, aka sci-fi's spiciest man, is set to continue in a third Dune film that doesn't yet have a release date. Come November, including via Binge in Australia, Dune: Prophecy will follow the sect that gives rise to the Bene Gesserit, aka the sisterhood that secretly sways the universe. In the debut sneak peek back in May, the narration explained how the faction formed, and was "assigned to the great houses to help them sift truth from lies" — but also noted that that power comes with a price. The new glimpse doubles down on the costs and chaos. Across both trailers, cue plenty of plotting, lurking in dramatically shadowy spaces, schemes, rituals, battles and marriages. The focus falls on two Harkonnen sisters — part of the same family that includes Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen, Dave Bautista's (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) Rabban and Austin Butler's (The Bikeriders) Feyd-Rautha in the movies — who are attempting to sure up humanity's future. Dune: Prophecy is inspired by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson's novel Sisterhood of Dune, and features Emily Watson (Small Things Like These), Olivia Williams (The Crown), Travis Fimmel (Boy Swallows Universe), Jodhi May (Renegade Nell), Mark Strong (Tár), Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (The Colony), Josh Heuston (Heartbreak High) and Jessica Barden (You & Me) among the cast. HBO is as keen as most Dune characters are about spice on turning films into TV shows at the moment, with The Batman spinoff The Penguin, IT prequel series Welcome to Derry and a Harry Potter remake as a television show all also on the way. Check out the latest teaser trailer for Dune: Prophecy below: Dune: Prophecy will stream from in November 2024, including via Binge in Australia — we'll update you when an exact release date is announced. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, and our interview with cinematographer Greig Fraser.
After giving Looking for Alibrandi and Nosferatu the page-to-screen-to-stage treatment in recent years, Malthouse Theatre has another cinema great in its sights for 2025: The Birds, which started its life as a book by Daphne du Maurier, then hit picture palaces thanks to Alfred Hitchcock. A source of ornithophobia for more than half a century, the tale is swooping into the Melbourne theatre company, but not as anyone has seen it before. A world-premiere production, it's being staged as a one-woman show — and, courtesy of headphones, it's ensuring that audiences don't miss a single fluttering wing or blood-curdling squawk. Paula Arundell, a Helpmann Award-nominee for playing Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be in the only actor onstage when The Birds flues into Malthouse's Beckett Theatre between Friday, May 16–Saturday, June 7, 2025. In an approach that brings Sydney Theatre Company's The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Dracula to mind, She's tasked with conveying the terrors of a family facing the animal world's feathered creatures turning deadly, but going far beyond Tippi Hedren's efforts in Hitchcock's 62-year-old movie given that she's the show's sole performer. "The Birds is a thriller about a family who are living through an extraordinary crisis — the day birds, as an entire species, turn on humankind. Paula is one of the country's most astonishing actors, and this will be the performance of a lifetime, and you'll be in the theatre, wearing headphones, experiencing every whisper and every swoop intimately with her," said Matthew Lutton, who directs the production after finishing his ten-year run as Malthouse Theatre's Artistic Director. If you haven't seen the classic film or read the 1952 horror story that it's based on, as penned by an author that Hitchcock adapted more than once — see also: Rebecca and Jamaica Inn — it focuses on an unexplained attack on a coastal town, plus the fight to try to survive it. Malthouse's version, hailing from playwright Louise Fox, is giving The Birds a modern spin. [caption id="attachment_995200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shkuru Afshar via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] As for listening in, J David Franzke is responsible for the sound design and compositions — and getting theatregoers donning headsets is all about sensory immersion. At present, anyone wanting to catch the end result for this new take on The Birds will need to hit up the Melbourne season, but cross your fingers that the production will eventually take flight elsewhere around the country in the future. The Birds' world-premiere season runs from Friday, May 16–Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the Beckett Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, Melbourne. Head to the Malthouse Theatre website for tickets and further details.
It's been home to David Lynch's eerie filmscapes, Yayoi Kusama's infinity and obliteration rooms, Gary Carsley's projected jacarandas and Patricia Piccinini's forest of flowers that aren't quite flowers. It has also welcomed a riverbed, a snowman and a suspended installation that visitors can climb through, too. Marvel has taken over the place, and European masterpieces from The Met have graced the walls as well. But a labyrinth of red and black wool? That's about to completely transform Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art this winter. Yes, GOMA loves an immersive installation. It loves this one in particular — and yes, it should sound familiar. Originally, Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles was announced as part of the gallery's 2020 lineup; however, we all know how that year turned out. So, it's coming Brisbane's way as an Australian exclusive from June 18–October 3 this year instead. The eye-catching exhibition will showcase the Berlin-based Japanese artist and her work over the past quarter-century, coming to Brisbane after premiering in Tokyo back in 2019. And while it won't sit 53 storeys up or come with panoramic views of the city, like it did in Japan, Shiota's string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention. Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist — and although GOMA hasn't revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota's performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display is Brissie's big art date for the winter. [caption id="attachment_750700" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Chiharu Shiota. b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Uncertain Journey (2016/2019). Courtesy: Blain | Southern, London/Berlin/New York. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori. Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.[/caption] The Soul Trembles will take over GOMA once the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art wraps up at the end of April. Also doing the honours this year: a blockbuster summer showcase called Air, which'll follow on from Water back in 2019 and 2020. Running from November 26, 2002–April 23, 2023, it'll feature works by Ron Mueck, Anthony McCall, Dora Budor, Jonathan Jones, Dr Uncle Stan Grant Sr AM, Carlos Amorales and Tomás Saraceno, all diving into air in a cultural, ecological and political sense — with further details to be revealed later in the year. Before that, though, Transitions will showcase historical Aboriginal bark paintings and contemporary Indigenous works from August 20, 2022–April 10, 2023, with pieces hailing from Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA's collection. And, over at QAG, Knowledge: Queensland Contemporary Art will run from August 13, 2022–January 22, 2023, complete with new commissions and recent work by Robert Andrew, Burchill/McCamley, Megan Cope, Archie Moore, Ethel Murray and Ryan Presley, as well as Obery Sambo, Vanghoua Anthony Vue, Rosie Ware, Jenny Watson, Warraba Weatherall and Justene Williams. From August 27, 2022–January 29, 2023, QAG will also present the first major museum survey of work by Queensland-born painter Joe Furlonger. In other words, get ready to spend a whole lot of 2022 — and much of 2023, too — in a Brissie art gallery. [caption id="attachment_677208" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gallery of Modern Art, exterior, south and east face, James Turrell artwork.[/caption] QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY AND GALLERY OF MODERN ART 2022 PROGRAM: The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at GOMA — until April 25, 2022. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles at GOMA — June 18–October 3, 2022. Knowledge: Queensland Contemporary Art at QAG — August 13, 2022–January 22, 2023 Transitions at GOMA — August 20, 2022–April 10, 2023. Joe Furlonger at QAG — August 27, 2022–January 29, 2023. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles displays at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane from June 18–October 3, 2022. For further details — or to find out more about the gallery's full 2022 slate — visit its website. Top image: Chiharu Shiota b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In Silence (2002/2019). Production support: Alcantara S.p.A. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Courtesy: Kenji Taki Gallery, Nagoya/Tokyo. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.
The Barwon Interviews, On Getting to The Altar of Good Fortune and Bitch Slap are three of five new exhibitions currently showing at Seventh Gallery. Natasha Carrington's The Barwon Interviews utilises four screens, each showing a different interview with a prisoner on site at Barwon Prison. By showing a limited portion of the interviewee's body — legs to waist — a sense of anonymity and distance remains intact. With subtitles on all four screens and one interview being played out loud, the flow of information is constant and overwhelming, forcing the viewer to either focus on one screen, or let the information wash over them. The subject's stories range from baking bread, to bodybuilding and reflections on family, offering a rare insight into the lives and mind of these oft forgotten inmates. Take a walk into the back half of the gallery and you’ll find a startlingly white room, housing On Getting to The Altar of Good Fortune. Two tiny images can be found, one pasted on the wall and the other poking out of the doorframe. Again loud audio is played, creating an interesting audio and visual interplay. Artist Ilya Milstein calls his piece a ‘travelogue’ of a trip to Germany turned research expedition, concerned with uncovering the secrets of an 18th century sculpture by Johann Goethe. Bitch Slap by Madeline Rose Chapman invites viewers to think about how women are seen and understood in our world. Images from famous films show women being beaten by men — while these somewhat familiar images are not immediately shocking, their isolation forces the viewer to consider just what our immunity to their horror communicates about society. While each exhibition is separate, they are united by the constant presence of both audio and visual stimuli, creating a collectively engaging experience for the viewer. Image from The Barwon Interviews
You don't normally associate the MCG with fine dining — it's more overpriced pies and eating an entire six-pack of hot jam doughnuts to yourself. But it appears that's about to change in the lead up to this year's AFL Grand Final, as some of Melbourne's best restaurants set up outside the 'G. Part of this year's pre-GF celebrations, Yarra Park will play host to a four-day Footy Festival (presented by Foxtel) in the lead-up to the big game, featuring music, movies and some seriously good food. Let us list them for you; Estelle, Fancy Hanks, Biggie Smalls and Tokyo Tina are just a few of the heavy-hitters – and you can expect footy-inspired spins on their typical cuisine. Think a kebab-burger hybrid from Biggie, and a meat pie taco (!) courtesy of Lady Carolina. The team from South Yarra's decadent Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio will take care of dessert with their salted caramel footy pops. Clearly Foxtel has at least one foodie on the payroll. You can also have a tipple in the Yaks Ale Watering Hole, the Bulmer's Cider Garden, or Wolf Blass' pop-up wine bar, The Nest. Yarra Park will also be home to the Grand Final Live Site, with activities, live entertainment and broadcasts, plus all 112 past Premiership Cups on display. Disclaimer: you will not be allowed to drink your wine out of a Premiership Cup. The AFL Footy Festival will take place from Wednesday, September 28 to Saturday, October 1 (Grand Final day). For more info visit afl.com.au/footyfestival.
We all know them, the mad-keen foodie that just loves to be as hands-on as possible. They find joy in hand-kneading flour, eggs and water into a silky smooth pasta dough, crafting craft brews and creating a full (and fantastic) experience around their meal times. If one such person is on your giftee list this festive season, we've done the legwork for you. And there's no better place to start than with BrewArt. The hops-loving team has made it their mission to make the art (and science) of at-home brewing as fuss-free as possible — meaning the amateur brewer in your life will be pouring stand-out sips every single batch. In the spirit of the holiday season, together with BrewArt, we've compiled a list of stand-out gifts to get that hands-on foodie in your life. BREWART BeerDroid AND BrewFlo, From $799 What better to gift your foodie than a world first? BrewArt's BeerDroid — the first fully automated personal brewer — is single handedly turning amateur frothies into pub-quality pours, every time. And the BrewArt app means they'll be overseeing their brew from wherever they are. So if you know the next master brewer or are simply looking for the ideal gift for a DIY foodie (who is partial to an arvo at the pub), consider your gift chosen. Go all out and pick up the BrewFlo, too. In-house (read: at home), they'll have up to 10 ice-cold litres of IPA, XPA, pale ale or kolsch on its way to a glass with a pub-perfect frothy head — every time. With no need for CO2 (another world first) and a handy LCD screen control — it's thirst-quenchingly good. [caption id="attachment_879951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luisa Brimble[/caption] PIG & PILGRIM PARILLA, $3150 Whether you're gifting a carnivore or someone that simply loves cooking with smoky flavours and hot coals, a parilla from Pig & Pilgrim is an exceptional choice to pop under the tree. Pictured above is The Sideburn, the "grand dame" of the Sydney-based biz's range of South American-style charcoal barbecues. Featuring a brasero in addition to a grill, this big bit of machinery is designed for longer cooks — with the easy option of creating more coals as you're roasting away. From experimenting with the amount of heat and smoke used to grill shrimps on the barbie, setting up chicken yeeros over red-hot coals and impressing morning guests with an al fresco shakshuka, the die-hard foodie in your life will be all set for the new year. Plus, there are options that pack less of a financial punch, including The Farrow —the small, portable grill that's ideal for any happy camper in your life. NOT WASTED JUICE CLUB MEMBERSHIP, From $99 Alongside good food, you must have good sips — and when it comes to natty wines, the good folks at Not Wasted are the people to turn to. Not only do they sling out bottles from both Aussie and international producers, they dive deep into the best (and most eco-friendly) viticulture practices and then share it with the world. If you've got an oenophile in your life that you'd love to gift a drop to, or you know a foodie that's looking to level up their wine knowledge, sign them on up to Not Wasted's Juice Club. With four size options — three bottles or six, for newbies or wine snobs — and the flexibility to pick the frequency of deliveries, your favourite foodie will receive a curated collection of vinos. A rare gem, a red that's ripe for the chilling or maybe something funky, they'll be pouring stand-out drops all year long. GOZNEY ROCCBOX, $799 There's something about a homemade pizza that absolutely hits. Whether it's the overarching process — from kneading the dough to having complete creative control over the toppings — or the winning combo of cheese and carbs straight from the oven, it's a universally adored experience. And taking it up a notch is the red-hot Roccbox from Gozney. Turning the heat up to 500°C, this tabletop pizza oven is cute, portable and a cinch to use. We're sure your lucky recipient will be inviting you over for a slice in no time — a delicious return on your investment. [caption id="attachment_879952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Meg Yonson[/caption] FAT TUESDAYS CHOPPING BOARD, $110 Although prepping food comes nowhere near the enjoyment factor of chowing down, having fun and functional tools is a must. Enter Fat Tuesdays, the creators of constantly sold-out, hand-made chopping boards artfully made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (that's both sourced and repurposed in Sydney). The range comes in four delightfully named colourways: birthday cake, guacamole, sherbet and raspberry jam, and we hear there are more on the way. If you've got your eyes on one of these beauties — for yourself or a friend — the last release of the year hits the shop early December, be quick. PASTA-MAKING CLASS, Varies A pasta class — taught by the pros — is as much a gift for your loved one as it is for you. Teach them to make fresh homemade pasta and you'll likely get to reap the rewards yourself (letting them do all the hard work of cooking — just like they like). Fussili, orecchiette, mafaldine, good old classic gnocchi — there are more pastas in the world than can be truly mastered in one lifetime, so even if they're an old hand, there'll be new tricks for them to learn. Grab them a gift card to one of the following spots and they'll be kneading flour, eggs and water in no time. Sydneysiders, Pasta Emilia (pictured above) is your best bet, Brisbanites can (and should) head to Fortitude Valley's Angelo's Pasta Classes, and Melburnians can make a beeline straight for La Cucina di Sandra. STYLE-HEAVY SERVING ACCESSORIES, Varies As your foodie fave will surely attest, plating up is as important (if not, nearly as important) as the food on said plate. So, any of the style-heavy objects that Maison Balzac, the Aussie experts in artful glassware and more, produces are a winning pressie. Maybe a set of gin and tonic glasses with a delicate citrus hit via a little glass slice of lime, some sea-blue glass plates or a celebratory set of tumblers (that, just quietly, would hold a frothy pour of beer quite nicely). VINTEC WINE FRIDGE, $899 If we're talking tech for foodies, a Vintec is nearing on essential. A temperature-controlled room to store your 35-bottle collection? Lush. Although they're not technically fridges, they basically are. Temperature and humidity are regulated, plus the bottles (and their precious drops) will be protected from both UV and vibrations — all the variables that can spoil your wine are controlled. It doesn't hurt that they look a bit alright, too. Hardcore wine lovers will already have one of these on their wish list. Got a foodie in your life? A beer lover? Ensure you're their fave with the help of BrewArt's frothy expertise and tech. Head to the website to get your order in, stat.
From hungover Sunday mornings to midweek lunch outings, burgers are a solid all-rounder when it comes to a tasty, hearty, hangover-healing meal. And the great thing about a city like Melbourne is that everyone is taken care of in this department — including the vegans. In fact, Melbourne vegan burger offerings can be overwhelming with all the choices out there. To help, we've pulled together a list of the best meat-free burgers, so you can take the research out of the feasting. Make sure you head out hungry — there are mock chicken burgers, pulled jackfruit numbers and plant-based patties to sink your chompers into. Recommended reads: The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Melbourne Eight Melbourne Cafes Where You Can Get a Great Plant-Based Brunch The Best Banh Mi in Melbourne Where to Find Melbourne's Best Curry Laksa
You will feel incredibly safe with award-winning industry expert Charlene Fernandez looking after your locks. If Fernandez can be trusted with Gigi Hadid's golden tresses at New York Fashion Week, there's a high chance she can be trusted with your luscious locks, too. Just last year Ferdandez took home the 'Independent Stylist of the Year' award at the Australian Hairdressing Industry Awards. And, you can access some of that award-winning hair styling right in the heart of Armadale. Need help deciding what to do with your hair? Charlene will start your service with a thorough consultation to ensure you leave with gorgeous hair and practical stying tips to maintain that good-hair-day feeling everyday.
What's better than Ability Fest, Australia's most-inclusive music festival, returning for another year? The fully accessible event, which launched in 2018 as the brainchild of 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, taking its setup and live tunes to two spots around the country. The fest started in Melbourne, which is the only place that it has called home since — but in October 2024 it'll play both the Victorian capital and its Queensland counterpart. Melburnians, you have a date for your calendar. Brisbanites, so do you, for a music festival that's arriving in the River City for the first time ever. And for folks everywhere else, you have two locations to choose from if you're keen to book a weekend away to head along. [caption id="attachment_963996" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] Ability Fest will first unleash its 2024 lineup — which hasn't yet been revealed — on Saturday, October 19 at Alexandra Gardens/Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. Then, the following week on Saturday, October 26, it'll make its Sunshine State debut at Victoria Park/Barrambin in Brisbane. "First and foremost, Ability Fest is a ripper festival at its core, but with the added plus that it can bring people of all abilities together," said Alcott about bringing the event north. [caption id="attachment_963997" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Glenn Hunt[/caption] "We'll have a completely accessible venue with elevated viewing platforms, pathways, quiet zones and sensory areas, ensuring that everyone has the ability to have an unreal day." "Gaining the support of the Queensland Government means we get to share our passion for great music and good vibes with the Sunshine State, and offer an inclusive and incredible festival experience for every single person," Alcott continued. [caption id="attachment_963992" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] The Brisbane festival will cater to around 5000 people, and Ability Fest is committed to being financially accessible during the current cost-of-living crisis in both of its stops. Accordingly, tickets will only cost $60 plus booking fee, and carers will receive complimentary entry. The fest is also lowering the age of admission to 16 so more folks can head along. "For many Australians, the cost-of-living crisis has created significant financial strain. We believe that music has the power to unite communities, bring people together and lift our spirits, especially during challenging times," said Alcott. [caption id="attachment_963990" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] From the get-go, Ability Fest has been carefully designed to be completely accessible and as inclusive as they come. It features ramps and pathways for easy access, Auslan interpreters working alongside the artists, and elevated platforms to give everyone a shot at seeing the stage. Plus, there's also quiet zones, dedicated sensory areas and accessible toilets. While dishing up primo live tunes and music experiences to Aussies of all abilities, the not-for-profit fest also raises money for the Dylan Alcott Foundation, with 100-percent of its ticket proceeds going to the organisation. Ability Fest 2024 Dates and Venues: Saturday, October 19 — Alexandra Gardens/Birrarung Marr, Melbourne Saturday, October 26 — Victoria Park/Barrambin, Brisbane [caption id="attachment_963995" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] [caption id="attachment_963991" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Chloe Hall[/caption] Ability Fest 2024 will hit Melbourne and Brisbane in October 2024. Pre-sale tickets will be available from 12pm AEST on Wednesday, July 10 (register online), with general tickets selling online from 12pm on Thursday, July 11. Head to the festival website for more details.
Replacing traditional gin ingredients with homegrown delights such as Australian lemon myrtle, pepperberry, lavender and cassia, the Fossey's team can be found hand-foraging and hand-bottling its gins in Mildura, the largest settlement in the Sunraysia region (aka the land of grapes and oranges). Fossey's Navel Strength Gin Elixir has won awards at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards; it's a drop that's packed full of juniper berries, ginger and — you guessed it — citrus. It has four times the amount of citrus than the distillery's regular gin: a nod to how historically, navy sailors would sip, squeeze and scrounge for oranges to keep scurvy at bay. Mark this one down on your 'someday' map — you might be somewhere near Mildura at some point and the bar would make a welcome pitstop, what with its gin and whisky tasting paddles, and its impressive lineup of cocktails. Otherwise, you can order a bottle of Fossey's online from $75.
By the time that 2022 is out, lovers of Studio Ghibli's films (aka everyone) will have two places to visit if they'd like to get as close as humanly possible to walking into the animation house's gorgeous frames. Already, you can head to the Studio Ghibli museum in Mitaka, a city on the western outskirts Tokyo — and you really should; it's as magical as it sounds, giant catbus and all — but now Ghibli's very own theme park has officially set a November launch date. Come November 1, the new location in Nagoya's Aichi Prefecture — which is around a three-hour train trip from Tokyo — will start spiriting away Ghibli fans across its 200-hectare expanse. The studio initially announced that it was creating its own theme park back in 2017, and originally planned to open in 2020. Then, in 2018, it pushed back its launch timeline to 2022; however, this is the first time it's set a specific date that everyone can mark in the calendars. The opening day of the Ghibli Park was announced today. pic.twitter.com/01vhPGuJgq — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) January 27, 2022 The Aichi Prefecture Expo Park spot is already home to a replica of Satsuki and Mei's house from My Neighbour Totoro, and it's gaining plenty of other attractions as it becomes a fully fledged Studio Ghibli thee park. Totoro features heavily, understandably, with the site even initially described as having a My Neighbour Totoro focus. However, you'll also be able to check out a life-sized version of Howl's Moving Castle, the antique shop from Whisper of the Heart, Kiki's home from Kiki's Delivery Service and a village area that pays tribute to Princess Mononoke. Also slated to feature: nods to the cat from Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns, buildings with design elements that take their cues from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and a super-sized garden that'll make you feel like you're one of the tiny characters in Arrietty. There'll also be a permanent exhibition room, a special exhibition room, a video exhibition room, a playground, and a shop and cafe, so you'll have plenty of places to explore, eat and browse. Expect more nods to Ghibli's various features to follow, recreating other aspects from its three-decade-old body of work — and possibly its most recent movie, Earwig and the Witch, too. And if the end result is even half as wondrous as the studio's aforementioned museum, then fans are in for a treat. There, you can also climb up to the building's rooftop garden to see one of the robots from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and watch exclusive shorts (including a sequel to My Neighbour Totoro) in a cute little cinema. Indeed, the museum is such a tourist attraction, you have to buy tickets over a month in advance — and experiencing the rush of folks in the merchandise-packed gift shop will make you feel like a susuwatari (Totoro's gorgeous little balls of floating soot). [caption id="attachment_799539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Studio Ghibli[/caption] Incorporated into the existing parklands, the Studio Ghibli theme park will be heavy on greenery and the natural surroundings, which matches the environmental messaging that plays a prominent part in Ghibli's movies. The site will also encourage "enjoying walking", according to the draft concept outline, while aiming to offer "a one-of-a-kind park loved by more people". We don't think either will be difficult. If you're now planning a Ghibli-centric holiday, you'll need to cross your fingers that Japan's border rules change before November to allow foreign nationals to enter the country — something that's currently suspended until at least the end of February 2021. And if you won't stop dreaming about the Studio Ghibli theme park anyway, the Aichi Tourism Bureau has released a trailer — which is largely an ad for the surrounding area, but also features Satsuki and Mei's house prominently. Check it out below: The Studio Ghibli theme park is slated to open on November 1, 2022. For more information, keep an eye on the animation company's website.
After a successful debut last September, the Flour Market's sweet, doughy spinoff for vegans, coeliacs and lactards is back again. The market will take place on Saturday, July 1 with the best local vendors of wholefood, raw, organic, vegan and gluten free treats. Let the face stuffing commence. So what's going to be going begging? ACE's raw cookie sandwiches will be making a return, along with Storm in a Teacup's artisan loose-leaf teas. The Cedar Store — new to vending at Wholey Day — will also be there with their vegan, dairy- and gluten-free donuts, along with raw treats from Lady Rawsome and stuffed cookies from Butterbing Cookie Sandwiches. Naturally, there'll be many more vendors than that — but you'll have to head along to find out who they are. The mostly flour-free fanaticism will take place at Collingwood's Schoolhouse Studios. All we can say is: get there early. These goodies are set to sell like gluten free hotcakes. Images: Greg Holland.
While you may think that the sandwich market is oversaturated, it seems that Melburnians can't get enough of the craze, with a new contender just opening in Prahran. Fannys Sannys is bringing chef-driven technique, generous fillings and premium coffee to Commercial Road. Chef Doug Keyte has the resume of someone you'd expect to find in the kitchen of one of Melbourne's fine diners, not behind the counter at a sandwich shop. With stints at the likes of Grill Americano and Hellenika on the Gold Coast, Fannys Sannys is Keyte's first solo venture in the hospitality industry. Keyte employs high-end kitchen techniques and leans on flavours and ingredients that chefs themselves crave on their days off to create hearty, no-nonsense sandwiches. Assembled with care and discipline, the stacked sangas include the likes of the Cheeky Bean with smoked beef cheek and barbecue beans, the Mac Daddy with a five-cheese mac and cheese filling, and the Porky Pig with porchetta, dijonnaise and salsa verde. The Krispy Green with fried John Dory, shaved fennel and green goddess sauce, has quickly become a local favourite. The new sandwich joint is also the only venue in Melbourne serving the beloved Brisbane coffee brand, Fonzie Abbott. About the new shop, Keyte says, "Take the ingredients and care you'd expect in a high-end kitchen, and put them between two pieces of bread. No shortcuts, no gimmicks — just proper food done right." Images: Supplied.
BrewDog might be best known for its yeasty ales and lagers; however the Scottish beer outfit has earned plenty of attention for its other activities. It boasts the world's first craft beer hotel to its name, as well as the world's first craft beer airline — and then there's the decision to make Brisbane its base for its first Australian brewery. Now, BrewDog is doing something that was always destined to, given the company's choice of canine-friendly moniker. Its latest beer is called Subwoofer IPA — and yes, it's 100 percent made for thirsty doggos. No strangers to dog-friendly events — you can take your four-legged buddy to stay in its Ohio hotel, for example — BrewDog has whipped up some hooch for pooches that uses the same wort (aka malted barley and hot water) that goes into their regular IPA. For canines, the brew also has a meaty element to get doggo tongues wagging, as well as B vitamins and probiotics. It's described as possessing "a a malt backbone and a 'hoppy' overtone from citrus", which sounds just like many a beer for humans. Crucially, Subwoofer IPA is alcohol-free, doesn't actually contain any hops and is also non-carbonated. BrewDog is calling it the first craft beer for dogs, although other breweries have made similar tipples for humankind's best friend. Earlier this year, Brisbane's Archer Brewery did just that, while brands like Snuffle, Bark Brew and Dawg Grog have been doing the same for a while. Served in 250ml bottles — and then in your dog's chosen bowl, obviously — Subwoofer IPA is only available in the UK at present. Fingers and paws crossed that it makes the jump down under when BrewDog's Brisbane brewery opens its doors. Image: BrewDog.
Summer might be done and dusted, but we've found at least one more excuse to scream for some ice scream. Or Italy's answer to ice cream, anyway. Friday, March 24 is the date Europeans celebrate Gelato Day — and one local purveyor is getting into the spirit by handing out a stack of frozen freebies. Zero Gradi, the dessert chain from the pizza maestros at 400 Gradi, is serving up a special one-day offer across all three of its Victorian stores. Every customer who buys a scoop of their signature hand-churned gelato on March 24 will score an extra scoop on the house. The deal's on offer all day long and you can take your pick of gelato flavours — the hefty lineup ranges from classics like bacio, pistachio and a boysenberry, to creations like peanutella and caramel cookie monster. A single scoop comes in at $6. Take advantage of the offer during opening hours at Zero Gradi's Brunswick outpost, its Mornington store or its location within Crown. [caption id="attachment_808234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Renee Oliver[/caption]
Throwing open the doors after spending more than three months in lockdown is a rather huge deal, both for Melburnians keen to venture out of the house for whatever reason they like and for venues eager to welcome patrons back in. So, the National Gallery of Victoria is marking the occasion in a big way — and reopening with seven exhibitions. While cultural venues have been permitted to reopen since the last set of eased restrictions kicked in at 6pm on Friday, October 29, both the NGV International on St Kilda Road and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square will welcome back art lovers from Wednesday, November 3. And, it'll do so with a mix of returning and new art, ahead of a few huge additions when summer hits. Didn't get the chance to see NGV Australia's world-premiere Maree Clarke: Ancestral Memories exhibition before lockdown? The first retrospective dedicated to the Melbourne-based artist and designer, it's returning until February 6, 2022, and covers more than three decades of the Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung woman's art. Also at Fed Square, you can check out Big Weather if you missed it earlier in the year. Exploring the appreciation of weather systems within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural knowledge, it's sticking around until the same February date. And, NGV Australia is also bringing back its newly acquired Naomi Hobson painting and photographic series, which focuses on Hobson's cultural identity, connection to Country and love for her community. [caption id="attachment_830893" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Big Weather at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Melbourne on display from 12 March 2021 – 6 February 2022. Photo: Tom Ross.[/caption] Plus, over at the NGV International, Camille Henrot: Is Today Tomorrow and Reko Rennie's newest work Initiation OA_RR will be on display upon reopening. The former is the first Australian showcase of the French-born, Berlin-based contemporary artist's work, while the latter features a pink Holden Monaro in a striking video piece — and both will display until January 30, 2022. That's what you'll be able to peruse the moment the NGV opens its doors across both its sites, and they'll be joined by two more exhibitions at NGV Australia before the week is out. From Friday, November 5, Sampling the Future will highlight design items with a futuristic feel (think: 3D-printed coral and hand-knitted architecture). Then, on Saturday, November 6, Found and Gathered: Rosalie Gascoigne | Lorraine Connelly-Northey will examine pieces by both artists — more than 75 wall-based and freestanding sculptural works, in fact. From late November till mid-December, NGV International will just keep adding new exhibitions, too, starting with Golden Shells and the Gentle Mastery of Japanese Lacquer on Thursday, November 25. It's all about kai-awase, the Japanese historical 'shell matching' game, and features two large lacquerware shell boxes alongside 360 matching pairs of gold-gilded and hand-painted shells. [caption id="attachment_811494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artists' impression of pond[er].[/caption]As already announced earlier in 2021, the Australian-exclusive Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition will launch on Saturday, December 4 — and with more than 230 garments, accessories and jewellery on display, it's clearly a fashion must-see. Next comes this year's NGV Architecture Commission, pond[er], on Monday, December 6, adding a pink wading pool to the NGV Garden. Finally, both Bark Ladies: Eleven Artists from Yirrkala and The Gecko and the Mermaid will open on Friday, December 17 — celebrating bark paintings and larrakitj (painted hollow poles) made by women artists working out of Yolngu-run art centre Buku Larrngay Mulka Centre, and also exploring the Yolngu people's culture in an all-ages exhibition. The NGV International on St Kilda Road and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square reopen on Wednesday, November 3. For further details, visit the NGV's website. Top image: Visitors at the NGV Waterwall, NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Eugene Hyland.
If you were planning on making jaffles one of your main dietary go-tos this winter, you'll be chuffed to know that you'll be able to do so while also helping out an excellent cause. Non-profit group Society Melbourne has opened the doors to its latest social enterprise hospitality project, dubbed Home.Two. Sibling to the Crêpes for Change food truck and pint-sized Brunswick cafe Home.One, this newcomer has set down roots at the University of Melbourne, where it's slinging Wood & Co coffee alongside an all-vegan, gluten free-friendly lineup of jaffles. You'll find hearty fillings like cauliflower and vegan cheese, mushroom and pesto, a plant-based meat and cheese pie version and even a take on the classic cheeseburger. And they're all going for just $8. The space itself is located in a cheery pocket of the university's New Student Precinct, located across from the tram stop on Swanston Street. It's set up shop inside a converted shipping centre, complete with a patch of turf and minimalist design by Breathe Architecture. You can take a seat on one of the wooden stools or grab a toastie on the run to your next uni lecture. The socially minded venue continues Society Melbourne's fight against youth homelessness, with 100 percent of profits going to its education and employment program. Run in conjunction with charities Launch Housing and Melbourne City Mission, the program offers life-changing employment and training for young homeless Melburnians, as well as a supportive work environment for them to boost their skills and confidence, from front of house to behind the coffee machine. Home.Two's also doing its bit for the environment, with fully biodegradable packaging and discounts encouraging customers to bring their own reusable cups and containers. Find Home.Two in the New Student Precinct, University of Melbourne. It's open from 7.30am–3.30pm, Monday–Friday.
Weekends are all about balance. You've gotta do something to make up for the fact that you're at work for 67.2 percent of your week (we did the maths), and sometimes all you need is a sophisticated long lunch with your favourite people. Counterbalance all the times you've eaten lunch at your desk by inviting your closest friends to while away an afternoon feeling fancy-free with delicious food and a cocktail in hand. Whether you've hit your targets at work, been kicking goals at the gym, or you just made it through another week, you deserve to treat yourself for the small wins and milestones. The world's finest French vodka, Grey Goose, is committed to quality ingredients, which means bartenders are able create incredible cocktails that upgrade any summer occasion — particularly a leisurely long lunch on the weekend. With that in mind, here are six Melbourne venues perfect for a fancy, indulgent meal.
Riddik is a pretty spot-on moniker for the gutsy new all-day eatery that's landed itself in Templestowe. Largely because the menu is downright huge — you're going to want to leave your indecisiveness at home for this one. Elsewhere, things are equally big and bold. The lofty former bank is decked out with statement street art and lots of leafy green touches against a black-and-white colour palette. It's a hard task to master, but it's the kind of space that holds up well from early morning Code Black coffees to those after-dinner cocktails. By day, you're faced with a sprawling mix of cafe classics and clever adaptations, with breakfast running until 3pm and lunch on offer from noon. A winner at either meal is the slow-cooked lamb, piled atop thick-cut sourdough and teamed with grilled asparagus and mint-laced hollandaise ($18) — just one of six different varieties of eggs benedict flying from the Riddik kitchen. Also in excellent supply here are burgers. The five-strong lineup stars buttermilk-poached fried chicken, coffee-rubbed beef and everything in between. The fish version ($22) ticks all the right boxes, stuffed with a crunchy panko-crumbed fillet, cut through with a pea smash and served with a side of chips you'll only want more of. A dive into more virtuous territory will leave you no less spoilt for choice, with options like the ancient grains bircher with chai-infused yoghurt ($16), a signature smashed avo finished with fig, spiced shanklish (a Levantine cheese) and pomegranate molasses ($19), and three on-trend breakfast salads. Some daytime offerings reappear with the dinner service, though overall the influence here is a little broader. Make a proper feast of it with dishes like truffled cauliflower and seared scallop risotto ($21) or the lime and ancho chilli pork cutlet ($24). Or paddle happily up the snackier end of the menu while you breeze through some after-work drinks. To match, there's a decent crop of largely local wines and a lineup of cocktails that runs from the classic to the more creative. For a tasty caffeine hit, see the Cold Drip Martini with brandy liqueur, Mr Black and house-brewed cold drip ($19) — you'll have earned it after navigating that ridiculously hefty dinner menu. Images: Phoebe Powell
It's the red neon signage that hails you down the depths of Crossley Street. This restaurant's distinct identity — created in collaboration with Studio Round and with a fit-out by Elenberg Fraser — and unique consideration for the fusion between contemporary food and design is what makes Gingerboy one of Melbourne's most exciting dining destinations. Since 2006, it's been the leader of the pack, quietly showing the rest how it's done. Like a beacon of light, there's nothing you can do but follow the red glow and go down the rabbit hole. Part opium den, part cosmopolitan outpost, Gingerboy is dark, seductive and thoroughly chic. Black tables juxtapose ghost chairs, whilst a tactile bamboo wall provides an element of the exotic. Dim lighting keeps your senses alert and, against this backdrop, Gingerboy's refined approach to South East Asian hawker-style fare bursts for attention. Gingerboy is an experience in new flavours and spices, making it particularly worth the visit if you're finding your own home fare a little bland. With the menu broken down into small and larger dishes that are ideal for sharing, it reads as a sharp and varied introduction to the buzz of an Asian hawker market. Ingredient combinations are individually delicate yet imposing when combined, including a moreish coconut chicken salad ($17) and a thoroughly impressive whole fried baby snapper, with roasted chilli lime dressing, mango and coconut ($38). Deboned before your eyes, it's likely to be devoured within minutes. Just like its dimmed interior, the deeper you dive into the darkness of the menu at Gingerboy, the greater your reward. Dessert cools the palette, but Gingerboy's sugar banana fritters with star anise ice cream ($16) are nothing like your local Asian takeaway joint. Airy and delicately sweet, appreciate the generous serving as you'll be licking your fingers for more. Finish this with service that is attentive, knowledgeable and beautifully inconspicuous, and suddenly, this den is yours. Gingerboy is energetic, exciting and bold. It's clear that a few years in the game has allowed for the ambitious concept to be refined to near-perfect practice. Gingerboy is one of the few places in Melbourne that hits sizzling style with class and character, merging the tastes of a global city with a distinctly Asian twist.
If you're lucky enough to score tickets to Meredith Music Festival in any year via the event's ballot, one of Australia's best fests awaits no matter the lineup. 2025's roster of acts is characteristically impressive, however. On the just-dropped bill: TV on the Radio, Atarashii Gakko! and Perfume Genius, for starters, as well as Thee Sacred Souls, Pa Salieu, HAAi, Bar Italia, Colin Hay and Mildlife. And, there's still more where the came from. Folk Bitch Trio, Saya Gray, RONA. and Omar Souleyman are on the lineup, too. So are Dames Brown, Radio Free Alice, Sam Austins RP Boo, Wax'o Paradiso, Florist and Jack J. Add in Drifting Clouds, Dr Sure's Unusual Practice, Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, Mouseatouille, Brown Spirits and Lazy Susan on MC duties, and expect a jam-packed three days across Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1017126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sumner Dilworth[/caption] How is the fest crew describing this year's event? "One of the best places on earth to spend a weekend, the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre has been natured and nurtured and then natured again, for the singular purpose of hosting the time of your life," organisers advise. So, expect "a permanent and purpose-built underground wunderland that provides optimal conditions for rarefied reverie", as well as to get "lost in music, lost in one another, for three days and two nights of Sup'ed up saucery". 2025 marks the beloved festival's 33rd year, with this three-decade-plus tradition taking over its namesake Victorian locale to kick off summer. The first round of the ticket ballot for the three-day BYO camping festival opened in July and ended on Monday, August 11, 2025, but you still have a chance to enter. The second round is now open, and you've got until 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 to put your name in. So, book that long weekend, go in the running for tickets, then cross your fingers that you'll be spending a trio of days at The Sup with Tunde Adebimpe and company. [caption id="attachment_1017128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cody Critcheloe[/caption] Meredith Music Festival 2025 Lineup TV on the Radio Atarashii Gakko! Perfume Genius Thee Sacred Souls Pa Salieu HAAi Bar Italia Colin Hay Mildlife Folk Bitch Trio Saya Gray RONA. Omar Souleyman Dames Brown Radio Free Alice Sam Austins RP Boo Wax'o Paradiso Florist Jack J Drifting Clouds Dr Sure's Unusual Practice Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir Mouseatouille Brown Spirits Lazy Susan Meredith Music Festival returns to Meredith from Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. To put your name in the second round of the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19. Meredith Music Festival images: Chip Mooney, Leah Hulst, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
The latest big-screen gems aren't the only movies on offer at a heap of Australian film festivals in 2024. When Europa! Europa returned in February and March, it also featured a retrospective dedicated to Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos. On this year's German Film Festival lineup: a spotlight on The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft's Werner Herzog. And, when the Spanish Film Festival hits picture palaces around the country in June and July, it'll pay tribute to the one and only Salvador Dalí. 2024 marks 120 years since the Spanish artist's birth, so this annual showcase of films from Spain and Latin America is including an ode to the surrealist great through cinema. Documentary Salvador Dalí: In Search of Immortality is filled with archival footage, 1929 short film Un Chien Andalou is a collaboration between Dalí and filmmaker Luis Buñuel, and 1930's L'Age d'Or is penned by the pair. Also featured: Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound, in which Dalí was responsible for the dream sequence. When you're not celebrating Dalí at this year's Spanish Film Festival, there's plenty more to see — including opening night's Chile-set The Movie Teller from director Lone Scherfig (The Kindness of Strangers) and co-writer Walter Salles (Central Station), as starring the Buenos Aires-born Bérénice Bejo (Final Cut) and Barcelona-born Daniel Brühl (All Quiet on the Western Front). It'll kick off the fest in each of its stops in Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Byron Bay and Ballina, with the event's full tour running from Tuesday, June 11 (when it launches in the Australian Capital Territory) to Wednesday, July 10 (when every leg around the nation wraps up). When Un Amor, the latest from Elisa & Marcela director Isabel Coixet, pops up on the lineup, it's part of a focus on the filmmaker. Elegy, which stars Ben Kingsley (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) and Penélope Cruz (Ferrari), is also on the spotlight bill — as is 2013's Yesterday Never Ends and the Monica Bellucci (Mafia Mamma)-led Those Who Love from 1998. Other highlights span drama The Girls at the Station, a coming-of-age tale about three girls who grow up at a juvenile detention centre; Something Is About to Happen, focusing on a woman who loses her job, which won Malena Alterio (Strangers) a Goya; Jokes & Cigarettes, a biopic of comedian Eugenio; and vino-focused documentary Rioja: The Land of a Thousand Wines. Or, there's Checkmates, which rocketed up the Spanish box office with an underdog story about kids trying to win the Spanish Chess Championship — and Saturn Return, which takes inspiration from Spanish band Los Planetas. The timely Artificial Justice follows a judge assessing if AI can be used in the justice system, and Vera and the Pleasures of Others focuses on a 17-year-old girl who likes listening to exactly what the title spells out. Then there's the roster of titles from Latin America, such as Totem, which takes place across one day in a Mexican household; Bad Actor, which tells a post-#MeToo era tale; sci-fi thriller Aire: Just Breathe; and wellness dark comedy The Practice. There's more where they came from, including one helluva closing-night pick: Alejandro Jodorowsky's iconic The Holy Mountain, adding more surrealism beyond Dalí to the program. Spanish Film Festival 2024 Dates: Tuesday, June 11–Wednesday, July 10: Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Wednesday, June 12–Wednesday, July 10: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, June 13–Wednesday, July 10: Palace James Street and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Thursday, June 13–Wednesday, July 10: Palace Raine Square Cinemas, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX, Perth Friday, June 14–Wednesday, July 10: The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema, Melbourne Wednesday, June 19–Wednesday, July 10: Palace Norton Street, Palace Moore Park, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Friday, June 21–Wednesday, July 10: Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Friday, June 21–Wednesday, July 10: Ballina Fair Cinemas, Ballina The 2024 Spanish Film Festival tours Australia in June and July. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
The gin-making superstars at Four Pillars are at it again, this month unveiling their first new creation to hit shelves since 2016. The latest addition to the Yarra Valley distillery's much-lauded barrel-aged program is the Sherry Cask Gin, which has just spent over a year in former sherry barrels, to lend a rich, intense character to the final drop. It's rounded out with notes of crushed coriander, pine needles and star anise, and infused with a small amount of Amontillado sherry to give some length and sweetness. According to the experts who made it, this one works well neat, or with sherry and orange bitters in a classic Tuxedo cocktail. Also launching this month is the 2018 edition of Four Pillars' Chardonnay Barrel Gin, which used to go by the name of Barrel-Aged Gin. This time around, the spirit's enjoyed a full 12 months in chardonnay barrels, giving characters of ginger and spice, and an oak-driven sweetness. The Four Pillars team is recommending this one over ice, or with a sprig of rosemary and a drop of honey. Both gins are available online or at selected independent retailers.
If you think that climbing Mount Everest is a massive endeavour, then wait until you hear about the latest venture from ex-Noma chef James Sharman. As part of his One Star House Party project, he's taking 15 adventurous diners on a 14-day trek of the mammoth Himalayan mountain, complete with a pop-up fine-dining restaurant. Participants will hike to base camp for the meal of a lifetime, setting off on December 10 and returning on December 23. Just what Sharman will whip up when they get there is yet to be revealed; however, given that his roving culinary party aims to showcase the cuisines of each country that he visits and make meals out of ingredients he discovers along the way, inventive takes on Nepalese fare is more than likely. Now that's how you celebrate scaling the world's highest peak above sea level — but, of course, the catch is that attendees have to do the hard work to get there first. And it doesn't come cheap, unsurprisingly. The eager climbers each pay US$1050 per person, which includes accommodation in guest houses along the way and other necessities for the trip. Nepal marks Sharman's fourth stop in his 20-month plan to host 20 restaurants in 20 countries, after starting in Beijing in September, then visiting Ho Chi Minh in October and Bangkok in November. Mumbai is next on the agenda, with the delicious escapade also touching everywhere from Nairobi, Berlin and Reykjavik to Santiago, Vancouver and Kyoto. Yes, Australia is included, with a Tasmanian stopover slated for June 2018. For more information about One Star House Party, visit www.onestarhouseparty.com. Image: Nick Taz.
It has been twenty years since James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet recreated one of the deadliest ship disasters in modern history — you know the one. Titanic also launched a lifetime of folks standing at the bow of boats and exclaiming "I'm the king of the world", and made the world endure a Celine Dion song that, as the lyrics promised, would go on. As well as snag a huge bag of Oscars and big, big bucks at the box office, the film did something else: reignite public fascination with the 1912 sinking. If you've ever watched and wondered what it'd be like to see the real thing, then wonder no more. You'd just better have a cool $137,000 sitting in your bank account. Commencing in 2018, travel company Blue Marble Private will be taking nine fascinated seafarers down to the famous ship on an eight-day journey. Departing from the coast of Newfoundland in Canada, they'll dive four kilometres down into the North Atlantic Ocean in a titanium and carbon fibre submersible — accompanied by experts, of course — to cruise around the passenger liner's deck, glide over its grand staircase and wander through the vessel that went down on its maiden voyage, taking more than 1500 people with it. The hefty price tag is supposed to reflect the cost of a first class ticket on the RMS Titanic 105 years ago, although it's hardly surprising that plunging deep into both the ocean's depths and a historical wreck costs a massive stack of cash and then some. This isn't the first time tours have been offered — indeed, presumably using some of the loot his romantic drama pulled in, James Cameron has made the journey three times — but it's still estimated that only 140 people have seen the site in person since it was first discovered in 1984. Via: The Australian. Image: OceanGate.
Homebrewers and beer lovers in Perth have a new local playground for their craft. Brew U: Brew University is taking the existing brew-on-premises model and gearing it toward craft beer enthusiasts, giving locals the ability to brew beer that is actually tasty while digging deeper into the science behind the process. If you're not familiar with the model, a brew-on-premises facility allows novices to bulk brew their own beer on the cheap. It saves money (when you compare it to buying retail) and avoids the bloody mess of doing it at home in the garage. Brew U is just taking this concept to the next level. The whole thing has been started by six Perth locals and aspiring brewers: Jon Stockey, Jenna Lippert, Eliza Stockey, John Lewis, Richard Allen and Lisa Allen. Together, they're offering much more than your typical extract brewing facility — which is most likely the method your mate used to make that nasty home brew, which you then vowed to never drink again. Instead, Brew U provides patrons with the added opportunity to try out grain brewing (just like professional brewers) and use rare yeast strains in their beer, all from a customised menu. The brewing menu uses fresh, local and high quality ingredients and includes specialty brews like a sour cherry Berliner Weisse, an India pale lager (IPL) and a New England-style IPA. As well as beer, the facility also allows for the production of cider and ginger beers. The space is inspired by US microbreweries, with the refurbished venue taking on an American varsity theme using chain-link fencing, ivy vines, school lockers, park benches and AstroTurf, along with a 30-metre custom mural by artists Steve Browne and Jerome Davenport. Apart from the brewing bit, the space will host beer education classes and seminars with local brewers, kegerator sales, keg hire and custom installations. The team also has its own microbrewery in the works with a full-on site production facility, bar with indoor beer garden and packaged products planned for the near future. Brew U is now open at 3–176 Bannister Road, Canningvale, Perth. It's open 3.30–7.30pm Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm Saturday 10am–5pm Sunday. For more info, visit the Facebook page.
Having an after-work tipple at a physical bar is just one of many social happenings that have been paused as measures to contain COVID-19 ramp up. But one South Australian alcohol company is keeping the spirit alive — albeit virtually — with its newly launched Digital Happy Hour. The crew behind Applewood Distillery and Unico Zelo wines is here to turn your isolation frown upside down, with interactive tasting sessions live streamed nightly from 5.30pm AEDT. Available via the Unico Zelo Facebook page, Digital Happy Hour will see Founder Brendan Carter crack open and discuss a different bottle of wine each night, with viewers invited to join in with questions and comments of their own. Expect funny stories, banter aplenty, blind-guessing wine, "shit wine invention" reviews and lots of down-to-earth wine chat. Then at 6.30pm AEDT, head over to the Applewood Facebook page for a nightly spirits-focused live stream with Brand Ambassador Henry Hammersla. He'll be sharing some fun cocktail recipes for you to recreate at home — such as the much talked about Quarantini — as well as taking questions about all things booze. And as far as the actual drinking goes, Unico Zelo has you sorted with its Iso-Vino Care Package — a mixed dozen wines you can get delivered to your door, with free shipping. Or perhaps you'd prefer to stock up with Applewood's Isolation Gin Pack, featuring three of its signature gins for $199.99. Head over to Unico Zelo Facebook page at 5.30pm AEDT and Applewood Distillery's at 6.30pm nightly for Digital Happy Hour and Iso-Cocktails.
After making an impressive debut in 2017, One Night in Footscray is returning this Friday, November 23 with an even bigger and more expansive program. From 5pm, the streets of the inner-west suburb will be brought to life with an array of interactive art installations, live music and exhibitions. And it's all free. Visitors are encouraged to take a self-guided journey through the suburb, engaging in various cultural experiences along the way. Keen Fred Astaires can take to a pop-up LED dance floor, while others can get up close and personal with the giant puppet troupe Snuff Puppets. There's even a makeshift photo studio to get your family portrait taken, so don't leave pooch at home. Hungry punters will no doubt make a beeline for the walking degustation tours. You'll be able to skip between eight local eateries to devour everything from crispy Vietnamese spring rolls from Thien An, fresh Turkish burek from Double Degree Kebabs, and pies from boozy bakery Bad Love Club. Leave work on time so you don't miss any of the action.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from September's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL HEARTBREAK HIGH Teen-focused dramas always reflect the generation they're made for, and returning Australian favourite Heartbreak High is no different. Today's high school-set shows often come with more than a few nods backwards as well, though. Just like Beverly Hills, 90210, Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl before it — like Degrassi's multiple go-arounds across more than four decades now, including a new take that's set to land in 2023 — Heartbreak High 2.0 knows it has a history and doesn't dream of pretending otherwise. 90s worship is in fashion anyway, so all those Doc Martens, nose rings, baggy jeans, slip dresses and oversized band t-shirts not only could've adorned the initial show's cast. As this revival returns to what worked so well the first time around, takes a few cues from Euphoria, Sex Education and Never Have I Ever as well, and finds its own intensity, that blast-from-the-past aesthetic proves a natural fit. Sporting such decade-crossing attire is a fresh-faced — and fresh-to-the-franchise — cohort of Hartley High students. The years and teens have changed, but the location, like plenty of the outfits, remains the same. When the eight-episode new season begins, Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) and Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman) are life-long best friends, but their sudden rift after a drunken night at a music festival changes everything. Amerie doesn't know why Harper has suddenly shaved her head, let alone cut all ties with her. She's just as shocked when the mural they've graffitied in an unused school stairwell, chronicling who's dated, had a crush on and slept with who among the year 11s, is scandalously outed. And their classmates, including the non-binary Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), their bestie Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), heartthrob Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), his smug pal Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), mullet-wearing food delivery driver Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), and Bundjalung basketballer Malakai (Thomas, Troppo), all get drawn into the resulting (and immediately easy-to-binge) chaos. Heartbreak High streams via Netflix. Read our full review. WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR "Hey guys, Casey here. Welcome to my channel. Today I'm going to be taking the World's Fair Challenge." So says We're All Going to the World's Fair's protagonist (feature newcomer Anna Cobb) twice to start this absorbing horror film, to camera, in what makes a spectacular opening sequence. Next, an eerie wave of multicoloured light flashes across her face. Watching her response brings the also-excellent She Dies Tomorrow to mind, but Casey has her own viral phenomenon to deal with. She's doing what she says she will, aka viewing a strobing video, uttering a pivotal phrase and then smearing blood across her laptop screen — and she promises to document anything that changes afterwards, because others have made those kinds of reports. Written, directed and edited by fellow feature debutant Jane Schoenbrun, the instantly eerie and intriguing We're All Going to the World's Fair is that record. Schoenbrun's film is more than that, however. It also charts the connections that spring and splinter around Casey just by joining the online trend, where her videos spark others in return — and the spirals she goes down as she watches, which then sparks a response in her own way, too. A portrait of isolation and alienation as well, while chronicling the after effects of playing a virtual horror game, We're All Going to the World's Fair is also a picture of an always-recorded world. Take your lockdown mindset, your social-media scrolling, all that Zooming that defined the beginning of the pandemic and a gamer vibe, roll them all together, and that's still not quite this arresting movie — which keeps shifting and evolving just like Cobb's enigmatic and evocative performance. The entire flick earns that description and, not that it needs an established name's tick of approval, the fact that The Green Knight and A Ghost Story director David Lowery is an executive producer speaks volumes. We're All Going to the World's Fair streams via Shudder. RAMY In the dramedy that bears his name, Ramy Youssef (Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot) is a quintuple threat. He created Ramy, plays Ramy, executive produces, and also frequently writes and directs — and, in a show about a Queens-born first-generation American Muslim raised in New Jersey to Egyptian parents, as Youssef himself is, there's no doubting that the stories he's telling are personal. There's a difference between bringing your own exact existence to the screen and conveying the truth behind your experiences, however, with Ramy falling into the second category as it charts its eponymous figure's struggles as his faith conflicts with his lifestyle. Since its first season in 2019, the series has always been so deeply steeped in the lived reality of feeling torn between two cultures, and so specific in its details, too. And yet, it's also so universal and relatable in its emotions and insights. None of the above changes in season three, welcomely so, in what's one of Ramy's finest moments yet. In this ten-episode third run, the lives of Ramy and his loved ones are rarely blessed with fine moments — and Ramy Hassan, Youssef's on-screen alter-ego, keeps threatening his own heart, mind and soul with his choices. Season two ended with a short-lived marriage and the fallout still lingers, but Ramy has thrown himself into making his Uncle Naseem's (Laith Nakli, Ms Marvel) diamond business a success as a distraction. He has money, his own place and, soon, his own jewellery outfit, although that doesn't herald happiness. For his sister Dena (May Calamawy, Moon Knight), nor has striving hard to take the bar exam, especially when her parents Maysa (Hiam Abbass, Succession) and Farouk (Amr Waked, Wonder Woman 1984) are open about how differently they see her and her future to Ramy. As the elder Hassans also grapple with Farouk being out of work, plus decades of feeling like they're treading water, Ramy remains a stunningly perceptive and engaging exploration of the battle to remain true to oneself — and one's hopes, dreams and religion — while also proving a rich, poignant and devastatingly well-acted comedy. May more come. Ramy streams via Stan from Friday, September 30. DO REVENGE Sequels aren't the only way to get nostalgic, or to thrust a beloved old-school film — or several — into the now. A high school-set comedy about exactly what it's moniker describes, Do Revenge joins Heathers, The Craft, Jawbreaker and Jennifer's Body in charting teens chasing vengeance. Mean girls abound, too, and when 'Kids in America' starts playing, it's a Betty of a Clueless nod (and just one of many, including pastel uniforms that could've been pulled out of Cher Horowitz's computerised wardrobe). Casting Sarah Michelle Gellar as the principal and dropping 'Praise You'? The Cruel Intentions winks keep thrilling like a young Ryan Phillippe. The list goes on, to the never-grow-up delight of, well, everyone — because writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Someone Great) and co-scribe Celeste Ballard (Space Jam: A New Legacy) clearly know and love the type of movie they're making as much as the rest of us. Unleashing more references than a school library doesn't always play well — in the latest Scream movie, it gets repetitive and fast; in whodunnit parody-slash-homage See How They Run, it's a touch too clever-clever — but Do Revenge radiates pure fun and affection. At its centre: queen bee Drea (Camila Mendes, Riverdale), who climbed her exclusive private school's social ladder, hid her modest background and dated the dream boy Max (Austin Abrams, Euphoria) until a sex scandal tarnishes her reputation. With newcomer Eleanor (Maya Hawke, Stranger Things), who also has her own grudge against one of their classmates, she hatches a Stranger on a Train-esque plan: they'll avenge each other's wrongs and bring down their respective tormentors. Robinson and Ballard have a ball getting savage yet sweet, as does a cast that also includes Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner, 13 Reasons Why's Alisha Boe and Ms Marvel's Rish Shah — and devilish twists come with the self-aware fandom. Do Revenge streams via Netflix. HOCUS POCUS 2 Twist the bones and bend the back, Hocus Pocus has returned for another horror-comedy attack — and there's no doubting that this 29-years-later sequel adores its predecessor. Disney loves reviving and extending its popular past hits, whether as new remakes, followups or ever-sprawling franchises. In the majority of cases, it's committed to sticking to the same already-winning formula, too. So, pushing the cackling Sanderson sisters to the fore again, Hocus Pocus 2 unsurprisingly doesn't overly mess with the tried-and-tested template. Once again starring Bette Midler (The Addams Family 2), Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That...) and Kathy Najimy (Music), it's another family-friendly tale of Salem witches trying to eat children to remain alive and youthful forever. And, it doubles down on everything that the Mouse House thinks made the OG flick such a beloved 90s favourite to begin with — more songs, more OTT siblings, more teens trying to foil their plans to run amok, amok, amok and more Massachusetts-set mayhem, namely That means that Hocus Pocus 2 plays like a greatest-hits do-over as much as a second effort. New movie, same setup, a few fresh faces and an obvious yearning to keep the saga's black flame candle burning: that's director Anne Fletcher (Hot Pursuit) and screenwriter Jen D'Angelo's (Young Rock) film. After adding an origin story for Winnie (Midler), Mary (Najimy) and Sarah (Parker), as well as Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones, What We Do in the Shadows), they're all unleashed upon modern-day Salem by 16-year-old Becca (Whitney Peak, Gossip Girl), her best friend Izzy (Belissa Escobedo, Sex Appeal) and magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson, The Afterparty) — and nostalgically entertaining hijinks ensue. Hocus Pocus 2 isn't subtle or restrained, or keen to do much more than worship its predecessor, but spells do work more than once. Hocus Pocus 2 streams via Disney+ from Friday, September 30. BLONDE Usually when a film leaves you wondering how it might've turned out in other hands, that isn't a great sign — but Blonde, the years-in-the-making adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' fictionalised Marilyn Monroe biography of the same name, demands a watch. It's a fascinating movie, including for what works astoundingly well and what definitely doesn't. In the first category: Ana de Armas (The Gray Man) as Norma Jeane Mortenson, the woman who'd become not just a star and a sensation during her life, but an icon across the six decades since. Also exceptional: the almost-uncanny recreations of oh-so-many images that captured Mortensen/Monroe, including a plethora that are iconic themselves. In the second camp, however, falls Blonde's decision to filter its central figure's story through her death, as though that was the most important thing about her — and that it was inevitable. No one ever wants to be defined by one thing. Monroe certainly didn't, as Blonde itself depicts. She fiercely yearned to be known as more than a sex symbol who drew crowds to cinemas and attracted intense media interest — but being objectified was a part of her Hollywood experience, including here from the moment that a first studio meeting ends horrifically. As written and directed by Australian filmmaker Andrew Dominik, in his latest feature to unpack larger-than-life true tales after Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Blonde reductively sees that awful treatment, her childhood struggles, her tumultuous marriages and romances, her miscarried or aborted pregnancies, and her late-career on-set antics as all leading to the conclusion that's long been a matter of history. Far more engrossing is the movie's efforts to unpack the truth and pain behind all of Monroe's career-defining images, and to plunge the audience into a fraught headspace with her — and that soulful and phenomenal lead performance. Blonde streams via Netflix. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK LOS ESPOOKYS In the US, it was one of the best new shows of 2019. In Australia, thanks to a hefty delay in bringing it to our screens, it earned that distinction in 2021. The one silver lining for the latter? The gap between Los Espookys' first season and its second has proven much shorter Down Under — but more of this Spanish-language HBO comedy was always going to be worth the wait. The premise is a gem; the cast is a delight; the cavalcade of horror references is so savvily worked in that it almost puts every other winking, nodding, nudging show or movie to shame; and there remains nothing else on television or streaming like it. Sharp, witty, absurd, affectionate, insightful, charming, oh-so-distinctive, perhaps the best unofficial (and unrelated) successor to The Mighty Boosh yet: that's Los Espookys again and again, even more so in season two, although it's also a must-see that's best experienced rather than described. The same rings true for the Los Espookys gang and their business: horror IRL. It genuinely is a business for genre devotee Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco, Museo) and his pals Andrés (Julio Torres, Shrill), Úrsula (Cassandra Ciangherotti, This Is Not a Comedy) and Tati (Ana Fabrega, Father of the Bride), turning a passion into a line of work with a steady-enough list of customers. In an always-unpredictable affair co-created by Torres, Fabrega and Our Flag Means Death's Fred Armisen, the group stages spooky setups for folks willing to pay — gloriously outlandish and OTT scenarios, always with a tactile and DIY feel, resulting in both impressive and hilarious outcomes. Those installations keep coming, and so does both personal and interpersonal chaos for the crew (plus Renaldo's parking valet uncle Tico, as played by Armisen), particularly after Tati can't quite adjust to marriage, Andrés navigates life beyond the luxury he grew up in, Renaldo keeps being haunted and Úrsula tries to fend off persistent TV offers. Los Espookys streams via Binge. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Like knowing that House of the Dragon was coming, and winter as well, it's been impossible to avoid news about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The stunning-looking series has been in the works for five years, and is already locked in for five seasons, all jumping back to Middle-earth's Second Age. That's a period of elves, men, dwarves and harfoots — precursors to hobbits — and of the lurking evil of Sauron, plus orcs, trolls and more. It's also when the titular jewellery is forged. On the page, it's largely been covered in an appendix to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, taking this new series into previously unseen on-screen territory. And, as The Rings of Power focuses on, it's where Galadriel and Elrond's tales truly kicked in, with Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud) taking over from Cate Blanchett and Robert Aramayo (The King's Man) doing the same for Hugo Weaving, with their characters thousands of years younger. The young Galadriel narrates The Rings of Power's explanatory introduction, setting the scene for the show's fight against Sauron — and slowly putting the pieces in place for the compilation of a fellowship to do so. She tells of the dark lord Morgoth and his defeat in wide-ranging wars. She notes that the elf Finrod (Will Fletcher, The Road Dance) was convinced that Sauron, Morgoth's apprentice, still lingered afterwards. And she advises that such a belief and the search to prove it right cost Finrod, her brother, his life. Alas, during relative peace, as Middle-earth has been under since Morgoth was vanquished, isn't a prime time to take up that fight. But she's still scouring far and wide for Sauron, even if High King Gil-galad of the Elves (Benjamin Walker, The Ice Road) wants to bathe her in glory for past victories instead. If that's the path she took, there wouldn't be much of a series — and that's just the start of a thrilling show that also spends time with the dwarves of Khazad-dum, fellow elf Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova, The Undoing) among the humans, and harfoot Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavanagh, True History of the Kelly Gang) and her fellow diminutive creatures. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. ANDOR When it arrived in 2016 between Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens and Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, Rogue One: A Star Wars sent a message in its own spy-slash-heist flick way: it wouldn't be slavishly beholden to the Star Wars franchise's established and beloved universe. It felt earthier and murkier, more urgent and complicated, and far more steeped in everyday reality — within its science-fiction confines, of course — and more concerned with the here and now of its specific narrative than the bigger saga picture. It was certainly and unshakeably bleaker, and felt like a departure from the usual template, as well as a welcome risk. The same proves true of impressive streaming prequel Andor, which slips into its namesake's routine five years prior. The Galactic Empire reigns supreme, the Rebel Alliance is still forming and, when the series opens, Cassian (the returning Diego Luna, If Beale Street Could Talk) is a wily thief living on the junkyard planet of Ferrix. A Blade Runner-esque sheen hovers over a different place, however: the industrial-heavy, corporate-controlled Morlana One, which couldn't be further under the boot of the Empire if it tried. As Monos-style flashbacks to Cassian's childhood aid in fleshing out, he's searching for his sister, but his latest investigatory trip results in a confrontation and the Preox-Morlana Authority on his trail. Back on Ferrix, he endeavours to hide with the help of his friend/presumed ex/mechanic/black-market dealer Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona, Morbius) and droid B2EMO (Dave Chapman, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), while keeping his latest antics a secret from his adoptive mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve). But, even after being told to drop the case, persistent Imperial Deputy Inspector Syril Karn (Kyle Soller, Poldark) and higher-ranking officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough, Under the Banner of Heaven) aren't willing to give up. Andor streams via Disney+. Read our full review. ATLANTA You can't escape yourself. As Atlanta sent Earnest 'Earn' Marks (Donald Glover, Guava Island), his cousin and rapper Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles (Brian Tyree Henry, Bullet Train), their Nigerian American pal Darius (Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah) and Earn's ex Vanessa (Zazie Beetz, also Bullet Train) around Europe in the show's third season earlier in 2022, that truth became inescapable, too. Hopping everywhere from Amsterdam to Paris and London, the group saw the daily reality of being Black Americans linger with them at every destination — and their personal ups and downs as well — no matter how wild, weird, bleak or hopeful the circumstances they were in. Arriving mere months later, season four kicks off by also exploring that point, including in a debut episode that sees Atlanta, the city, haunt the show's main players. They're back home and there's no way they couldn't know it, whether they're on scavenger hunts, stuck in carparks or being chased. Just a handful of episodes in, Atlanta's fourth season also examines another truth that's always sat at the core of the show: that for better and for worse, there's no place like home. That applies to the physical location, but also to the homes we make with other people — family, friends and everything in-between. Earn and Van gravitate closer together, but their relationship has always ebbed and flowed. Al keeps pondering what success really means, too. In the process, Glover's superbly smart, blistering and often-surreal unpacking of race relations lays bare the nation it usually calls home, as it did so incisively in its first two seasons, while never failing to challenge, surprise and swing big. That the show's final season also clearly muses on legacies obviously couldn't be more fitting; however it ends, no doubt in a thoroughly unpredictable and yet also ridiculously apt way, it'll always be a great on Glover, Henry, Stanfield and Beetz's resumes. Atlanta streams via SBS On Demand. THE PATIENT In one of 2022's new streaming standouts, Bad Sisters, Brian Gleeson tries to get to the bottom of a suspicious death. In another, The Patient, Domhnall Gleeson plays a serial killer. The two shows have more differences than commonalities, but it's clearly a great time for the Frank of Ireland-co-starring Gleeson brothers and twisty tales about crime. For Run's Domhnall, he co-leads a show about a murderer who enlists a therapist to try to stop his homicidal urges. Sam Fortner does indeed sit in Alan Strauss' (Steve Carell, Minions: The Rise of Gru) office and seek his help, but as well as hiding his eyes and face behind sunglasses, he keeps his real name, the bulk of his personal details and bloody pastime to himself. It's only after Strauss wakes up chained in Fortner's house that the latter feels comfortable enough to come clean and truly ask for assistance, albeit under terrifying circumstances for his captive. Domhnall Gleeson's on-screen resume isn't short on highlights, including Ex Machina and Brooklyn. Carell's has blatantly boasted many, spanning both comedies (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The Office, obviously) and dramas (including his Oscar-nominated work in Foxcatcher). Accordingly, it should astonish no one that they're both instantly gripping in The Patient, as their characters bounce off of each other in inherently grim circumstances; however, they're each also in career-best form. The psychological-thriller series works as two commanding, textured and high-stakes character studies as Fortner demands Strauss' professional best, and ensures he isn't capable of refusing — and works through their respective baggage cat-and-mouse-style from there. In fact, it hits its marks so well that the show's concise format (each episode clocks in at between 20–25 minutes) keeps viewers wanting more. The Patient streams via Disney+. RICK AND MORTY The longer that Rick and Morty continues, the more it galaxy- and time-hopping mayhem it slings at the screen, aka whatever out-there sci-fi situations that creators Justin Roiland (Solar Opposites) and Dan Harmon (Community) can conjure up. But the more that this Back to the Future-inspired animated hit continues, too, the more that it proves a tragedy about choices made and not — and how even having all the science-fiction gadgetry in this and every other world and dimension can't make everything perfect always, because that's just not human (or alien, animal or Birdperson) nature. Season six of the series was always going to get contemplative given how the past season ended, of course, and because that's been baked into the show since day one. Still, the oft-quoted "wubba lubba dub dub" feels particularly weighty this time around, considering what it really means: "I am in great pain, please help me". Rick Sanchez (voiced by Roiland) has been saved, but that initially tears the Smith family apart — by now, they know (and we know) that Rick and his daughter Beth (Sarah Chalke, Firefly Lane), son-in-law Jerry (Chris Parnell, Archer), grandson Morty (also Roiland) and granddaughter Summer (Spencer Grammer, Tell Me a Story) aren't quite the versions of themselves they once were. Also part of the season's first few episodes: Beth getting close to Space Beth, also with consequences throughout her household; exploring what it means to offload parts of your life you're not happy with; and a good ol'-fashioned "yippee ki-yay!"-shouting Die Hard parody. In other words, it's all quintessential Rick and Morty, just getting deeper with each new run of episodes. Naturally, when Peter Dinklage (Cyrano) voices an alien equivalent of Hans Gruber, it's gold, and yet another classic Rick and Morty moment. Rick and Morty streams via Netflix. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream 2022 shows so far as well — and our best 15 new shows from the first half of this year, top 15 returning shows and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies.
If there's one thing the eastern suburbs do well, it's wine bars. It doesn't matter if you're slogging it down Chapel Street or staying away from the crowds in a quiet leafy pocket of Kew, chances are, there'll be a nice little wine bar nearby. The ones of this list stock a nice selection of traditional and new-age natural drops, and most have a kitchen or at least a good selection of cheese so you can snack while you taste a few of the open bottles. Quite a few even allow you to take away — so once you've taste tested a few, you can take a bottle home with you to drink at your leisure.
As the worlds of wellness and social connectivity continue to intermingle more than ever, Gurner Group has opened the largest and most extravagant private club in its growing stable to date. Spanning three levels and over 2000 square metres, SAINT Black is a high-performance haven that brings together wellness, biohacking, recovery, coworking and hospitality under one seriously stylish roof in South Melbourne. The experience begins with a sensory cube just beyond the threshold that opens up into a soaring lobby area. Here, you'll find a reception, concierge and tea bar replete with vein-cut travertine, Calacatta marble and soft circadian lighting for an instantly calming feel. Further inside, a member's bar and floating DJ booth overlook a coworking lounge built for casual business meetings and creative collaborations, complete with an organic wholefoods menu, adaptogenic drinks and alcohol offerings Thursday through Sunday. Ascending the luminescent staircase to level one leads to a sprawling gym floor framed by skyline views and kitted out with state-of-the-art gear from Watson, Technogym, AlphaFit and PLAE, as well as intimate studios with a full slate of over 200 weekly classes across strength training, pilates, yoga, breathwork, meditation and more. This is complemented by a suite of biohacking treatments in Haven — the venue's dedicated high-tech wellness wing that offers everything from cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen chambers to IV infusions and red-light therapy. SAINT Black South Melbourne also offers new membership tiers that unlock access to SANA, the venue's exclusive rooftop wellness experience. This private sanctuary on level seven features wood-barrelled ice baths and a 40-person sauna that hosts SAINT's signature 'fire and ice' classes, along with a six-degree ice bath, 38-degree magnesium pool and a sun-washed lap pool framed by sunloungers, all backed by panoramic skyline views.
It's been four years since Ryan Gosling last graced screens, rocketing to the moon in First Man. No, Barbie set photos pored over on every internet-connected device don't count. Since he played Neil Armstrong, much has happened. There's the obvious off-screen, of course — but then there's Chris Evans farewelling Captain America, and also appearing in Knives Out with the scene-stealing Ana de Armas. After co-starring in Blade Runner 2049 with Gosling back in 2017, she leapt from that Evans-featuring whodunnit to palling around with 007 in No Time to Die. Also during that time, Bridgerton pushed Regé-Jean Page to fame, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood earmarked Julia Butters as a young talent to watch. This isn't just a history lesson on The Gray Man's cast — well, some of them, given that Billy Bob Thornton (Goliath), Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections), Dhanush (Maaran), Wagner Moura (Shining Girls) and Alfre Woodard (The Lion King) also pop up, plus Australia's own Callan Mulvey (Firebite) — for the hell of it, though. Back in 2018, before all of the above played out, it's unlikely that this exact film with this exact cast would've eventuated. But plenty of action-thrillers about attempting to snuff out hyper-competent assassins already did flicker across celluloid — both John Wick and Atomic Blonde had already been there and done that, and the Bourne and Bond movies, and countless other predecessors. Still, the combination of this collection of current actors and that familiar setup isn't without its charms in The Gray Man, which makes the leap from the pages of Mark Greaney's 2009 novel to the big and streaming screens. Reportedly Netflix's most expensive movie to date, it lets its two biggest names bounce off of each other with chalk-and-cheese aplomb, and isn't short on globe-hopping action spectacle. The off-the-book spy versus off-the-book spy killer flick is knowing amid all that box-ticking formula, too, although not enough to make its cheesy lines sound smart and savvy. Gosling plays Court Gentry, aka Sierra Six; "007 was taken," he jokes. Before he's given his codename — before he's paid to do the CIA's dirty work as well — he's in prison for murder, then recruited by Donald Fitzroy (Thornton). Fast-forward 18 years and Six is a huge hit at two things: being a ghost, because he no longer officially exists; and covertly wreaking whatever havoc the government tells him to, including knocking off whichever nefarious figure they need gone. But one stint of the latter leaves him in possession of a USB drive that his arrogant new direct superior Carmichael (Page) will ruthlessly kill to destroy. Actually, to be precise, he'll pay Lloyd Hansen (Evans) of Hansen Government Services to do just that, and to do the dirty work that's too dirty for the criminals-turned-government hitmen in the Sierra program, with Six the number-one target. If you've seen one espionage-slash-assassin flick that sends a shadowy life-or-death fight bounding around the planet — here, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Germany and Austria all feature, among other spots — then you've seen The Gray Man's template. Directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe's versions with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, so they know the drill. That they've seen a heap of other entries in the genre is never question, either. That feeling radiates from the script, which is credited to Joe Russo with seasoned Marvel scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game), and clearly styles its one-liners after superhero banter. Having Gosling and Evans sling it, one playing bearded, silent and virtuous and the other moustachioed, jabbering and unhinged, makes a helluva difference, however. The silver screen has missed Gosling, and the moody, charismatic brooding he does so well. Thanks to Drive and Only God Forgives, the actor is firmly in his calm-but-deadly, complex-but-smouldering element — and, when Fitzroy's niece Claire (Butters) joins the story, Gosling is also in comfortable The Nice Guys-style territory. That isn't a complaint; he's great at both, reliably and engagingly so. But, again, almost every aspect of The Gray Man recalls something similar or its stars' past work. As he did so memorably in Knives Out, Evans revels in his latest asshole swerve away from The Star Spangled Man with a Plan, spitting out his smirking dialogue with relish. (The trash 'stash and skin-tight wardrobe are new, but suit the psychopathic vibe that Lloyd is wrapped in as snug as spandex.) That at least 50 shades of this feature have filled other films before can't be shaken, and yet that fact never blows up the movie. Explosions aren't lacking, given the storyline. Neither are setpieces of varying action-flick ridiculousness to house them in, as well as such a hefty dose of transport-related mayhem that the Fast and Furious movies might get envious. There's nothing grey in colour about the first big action extravaganza, staged in Bangkok amid a gleaming nightclub and bursting fireworks — and the Russos' best shootouts, fights and frays boast a sense of playfulness, just like the back-and-forth between Gosling and Evans. Still, some lively lurches stumble. A "Ken doll" quip is too calculated to crib that Barbie mania, and when the setpiece setting ante gets upped to include a hedge maze, it's yet another reminder of riches elsewhere on celluloid. That said, Netflix also previously made the abhorrent Red Notice, the last film badged as its most expensive ever. Next to that atrocious example of cobbling together well-worn parts and plastering them over with megastars, The Gray Man naturally looks like a masterpiece. The Gray Man isn't a masterpiece, though. If it was — rather than being entertaining despite showing the easy dots it's connecting, and its seams — the slickly shot picture would make full use of its entire cast. The film is all the better for having de Armas, Page and the like in it, but they all scream for more screentime (and for better-fleshed-out characters), which may come for some in future instalments. As his mentor Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan saga did, Greaney's books have spawned followups. On the screen, both a sequel and a prequel were reportedly greenlit by Netflix before The Gray Man even reached audiences. Knowing that this is meant to be a franchise-starter doesn't justify its love of formula, or hide it, but it also doesn't detract from Gosling or Evans, or the dazzling destruction around them. The Gray Man screens in cinemas Down Under from Thursday, July 14, and is available to stream via Netflix from Friday, July 22. Image: Paul Abell/Netflix.
You don’t have to be a science fiction fan to know that Doctor Who is having a moment right now. The 50th anniversary episode in December last year was a global event, and 2014 brings in the twelfth Doctor, to be played by Peter Capaldi. But while you wait for season eight to kick off, the MSO will be tiding your over with a performance of the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular at the Plenary. Back by popular demand, the MSO will perform music from the hit series composed by Murray Gold. The show will feature edited footage of the eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, as well as looking back at some of the past Doctors. The concert hall will also be overrun by the Silence, Daleks and Cybermen, so park the Tardis close by if you need to make a quick escape. Intergalactic adventures await you, so don’t forget to pack your sonic screwdriver.
Pairing hot dumplings with cold beer is one of life's simple pleasures, and it's one of the reasons that Harajuku Gyoza has become one of Brisbane and Sydney's go-to Japanese joints. When their sixth venue joins the fold in May, it won't just be bringing gyoza and brews to a 150-seat space in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast — it'll be setting up a microbrewery. Given the name Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium, it's the first restaurant of its type for the chain, and Australia's first Japanese microbrewery as well. And, it'll be offering plenty of tempting tipples for booze-loving dumpling fiends. Say hello to four 1200-litre red, black, silver and gold beer tanks pumping out six core Japanese craft beers from the Yoyogi Japanese Craft Beer range. Harajuku Gyoza has been brewing its own craft Yoyogi Pale Ale since 2015, but now they'll do so on-site at Broadbeach — and add five others to their regular menu. In addition to quenching Gold Coast diners' thirsts with their year-round selection and special seasonal releases, the new microbrewery will serve up yeasty brews that'll be sent to other stores, and sold wholesale. For anyone wanting more than just a pint, Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium will feature an entertaining table that comes with its own ten-litre keg, allowing you to fill up your own drinks as you sit and eat. And while the focus might be on beer, glorious beer, whiskey fans will find a range of rare Japanese varieties, available to purchase by the nip or individual bottle. If that's not enough booze and dumpling fun, the Broadbeach restaurant will also be Harajuku Gyoza's first to have a breakfast menu. Sounds smart — if you've been drinking fresh-made Japanese brews all night, you might want to head back the next morning for a gyoza pick-me-up. Find Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium at The Oasis Centre, Broadbeach from later in May. Head to their website and Facebook page for more information.
Making a grand entrance opposite Southern Cross Station, Quarterhouse could be your new go-to destination for after-work drinks and a pre-match feed. Catering for up to 1,400 patrons across three expansive levels, the venue's variety of spaces makes it a stellar spot for corporate gatherings and primetime footy fever. Plus, with Marvel Stadium just a short stroll away, getting pumped before the game or commiserating afterwards is a breeze. On the ground floor in the Public Bar, punters will encounter a classic, easygoing pub atmosphere. Kick back with live sports on big screens, including a mammoth four-metre-wide centrepiece, or challenge your pals by racking up some pool. There are comfy banquettes that are perfect for chilling out, or you can also soak up the sun with street-side dining and drinks. The menu spans European-inspired gastropub cuisine, with smaller dishes like fried squid paired with pickled fennel, lemon and aioli complemented by pub favourites like classic chicken parma or the Quarterhouse Burger, featuring bacon, blue cheese mayo, pickled onions and more. Meanwhile, juicy steaks served with skin-on fries, salad, umami butter and jus gras or peppercorn sauce are bound to hit the mark. Upstairs on level one, The Hall is where celebrations of all stripes, from birthdays to corporate events, take over. Decked out with its own private bar and a sunlit wrap-around terrace graced with greenery, your next special event will benefit from the elevated ambience. Versatile in design, this reserved space has enough capacity for 240 guests. Then, perched atop Quarterhouse, The Rooftop switches up the mood once again, with a laidback vibe ideal for cocktails in the sun. Rising above the hum of Collins Street, this vantage point looks across the elevated expanse of Sky Park. Up here, the menu is made for sharing, with a selection of woodfired pizzas offered alongside options like wagyu beef skewers with a pepperberry jus gras and roast shallots. When the footy isn't taking over Quarterhouse, a weekly entertainment lineup keeps the mood upbeat. Get down on Mondays for free all-day pool in the Public Bar, or head along on Thursdays for live acoustic performances from 5pm. The vibe picks up when the weekend arrives, with Fridays seeing Sunset Sips and DJs bringing the party to the rooftop. Then, Sunday afternoon welcomes casual trivia from 3pm. With Quarterhouse's arrival, your next game day or weeknight gathering is sorted. Quarterhouse is now open Sunday–Wednesday from 11.30am–11pm, Thursday from 11.30am–12am and Saturday–Sunday from 11.30am–1am at 693 Collins Street, Docklands. Head to the website for more information. Images: Chege Mbuthi / Griffin Simm.
All across New South Wales, stages are being swept, setlists are being finalised, speakers are being stress tested, and crowds are gearing up—because the statewide Great Southern Nights is just about to make its 2025 return. With well over 300 gigs taking place across 17 nights in cities and districts from Byron Bay to Broken Hill and beyond, it's going to be one hell of a festival. Midway up the NSW coastline, you'll find one of Great Southern Nights' hubs in the live music-loving city of Newcastle and the Newcastle Midtown Gig Trail set to host over 40 gigs across the festival's 17-night runtime. We've teamed up with Great Southern Nights to pick out the must-see entries on the lineup and some suggestions on how to stay busy between them. The Lineup The fun starts on Friday, March 21, with multi-disciplinary Filipino/Wiradjuri artist MO'JU at The Stag and Hunter Hotel in Mayfield, the five-piece Kiwi band SIX60 at NU's Bar on the Hill and EDM duo Slumberjack at King Street Nightclub. The following night, back at Bar on the Hill, late 80s/early 90s indie rock legends The Cruel Sea will take to the stage with some throwback hits and new recordings. To end the first weekend, solo multi-instrumentalist Running Touch and Melbourne-native indie rock quartet The Belair Lip Bombs will take over the King Street Warehouse on Sunday, March 23. The following weekend, on Saturday, March 29, legendary Aussie Blues and Roots soloist Xavier Rudd will be performing a bit out of town at Dashville Campground in Lower Belford. When the festival heads into April, expect a few hot gigs in the King Street Bandroom. Namely, the multi-platinum-winning rapper Winston Surfshirt on Friday, April 4; five-piece folk-rock group The Paper Kites on Saturday, April 5; and indie rock favourites Slowly Slowly on Sunday, April 6. If you find yourself with a free night, hit up the Newcastle Midtown District Gig Trail. Every night throughout the festival you'll find free gigs, performers, actors and more at seven venues in the heart of the action. That's just the tip of the iceberg, all sorts of gigs are set to take happen around the headliners. [caption id="attachment_938853" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Flotilla[/caption] Local Eats and Treats Newcastle is home to a buzzing blend of eateries to refuel between gigs; if anything, you'll end up pressed for time to hit all the venues around town. For a compact taster menu of what the city has to offer gastronomically, the Honeysuckle Foreshore is right in the centre of the city, close to Newcastle's premiere hotels, attractions and waterfronts. But if you're willing to go further afield, it'll pay off. Without leaving the city, you can enjoy Spanish tapas at Bocados or a sizeable yum cha feast (on Sundays) at Ginger Meg's, and if you like something a little fancier, there's sustainable seafood at Scottie's or curated cocktails and Italian feeds at Market St Basement. Should you find yourself a bit beyond the city lights, you can find an authentic Californian taqueria at Antojitos, and one of the most popular restaurants in the area is the famous Flotilla in Wickham. If you prefer to hit the streets and let the universe guide you to the eatery for you, you'll find casual options aplenty in Hamilton, eclectic, trendy small spots in Cooks Hill, while heading out west to the Hunter Valley will connect you with some of the top wineries in the country. Things to Do and Places to See Most of the GSN gigs on offer take place after dark, so what are you supposed to do beforehand? Glad you asked. One of Newcastle's most famous, accessible and affordable attractions is its ocean baths. Found along the Bather's Way, a six-kilometre walking track that traces the coast from Nobbys Beach to Merewether Beach, these pools (and the more secluded-yet-scenic Bogey Hole) are midway on the route and are recognised as some of the most scenic ocean pools in the country. If the sun is blazing and you'd rather stay indoors and dodge the steps, the Newcastle Museum is a great place to learn some local history, as is the Fort Scratchley Historic Site if military history is your jam, being the only fort in Australia to engage enemy combatants in maritime defence during WWII. For a dose of First Nations history and culture, take a guided tour through the towering sand dunes of the Worimi Conservation Lands. Where to Spend the Night The many facets of Newcastle's identity are plain to see in the accommodation options throughout the city. The QT hotel group is known for bold interiors and luxury by the pound — and QT Newcastle is no exception. A love for music and the arts and Newcastle's prominent surf culture can be felt at this dynamic stay. Set in a heritage building with waterfront views, the hotel also boasts one of Newcastle's finest rooftop bars and an on-site luxury restaurant that exclusively serves local produce. If you want to be as close to the water as possible, it's tough to get closer than Noah's On the Beach. A literal stone's throw from the surf break of Newcastle Beach, staying here means you'll be sent off to sleep by the sounds of the sea. And though you could be catered for with the onsite eatery, you'd be well within walking distance from the Newcastle CBD. If you want something further from the action (45 minutes further, to be precise) but don't want to skimp on the luxury, secure a booking at Caves Coastal Bar & Bungalows. South of Newcastle behind Caves Beach, this resort property brings a touch of the Hamptons and a pinch of the Maldives to the mid-north NSW coast. With bungalows, townhouses and villas available for booking and the luxurious restaurant Caves Coastal, this is the perfect place for larger groups looking to explore the surrounds of Newcastle. Great Southern Nights is set to take over venues across NSW between Friday, March 21 and Sunday, April 6. Check out our gig guides for Sydney, the Central Coast and Wollongong or visit the website for more information.
If you're looking for a unique Las Vegas experience, this is beautiful in every single way: an Airbnb hosted by Christina Aguilera, with the entire weekend booking designed around the the 'Dirrty', 'Genie in a Bottle', 'What a Girl Wants' and 'Lady Marmalade' singer. She'll chat with you over drinks. You'll hit up her favourite Vegas restaurant. You'll also see her intimate show in the Nevada city. And, of course, you'll spend two nights making the most of your reservation, including slumbering just off the Vegas strip. Missed Aguilera at her one-night-only gig in Melbourne in 2023, which was her first Down Under since 2007? This is your chance to go one better — and head to her, too. Here's hoping that your calendar is blank in the near future, however, because the Airbnb stay is only on offer from Thursday, February 29–Saturday, March 2. [caption id="attachment_942172" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dennis Leupold[/caption] "Welcome to Las Vegas! I'm a big believer in self-love and embracing your true, authentic self, so I'm thrilled to host a stay in Sin City for fans to let loose and give themselves some much deserved TLC for the weekend," said Aguilera about her hosting gig. "This glam stay is all about empowerment, pleasure and play. Get ready." Included in the booking, which covers up to four people: that conversation with Christina while drinking cocktails; staying in the luxe four-bedroom, four-bathroom Airbnb for the weekend; a private burlesque lesson from choreographer and dancer Sarah Mitchell, who has worked with the singer for more than a decade; and VIP seats to Christina Aguilera at Voltaire, the star's current Las Vegas residency. You'll also score that restaurant experience; a glam session with Christina's team to learn about — and don — her looks — as well as a boudoir photoshoot. Thanks to Christina's sexual-wellness brand Playground, you'll take some goodies home with you, too. The one-of-a-kind Aguilera-focused stay is the accommodation platform's latest such once-in-a-lifetime experience. Shrek's swamp, Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill, Hobbiton, the Bluey house, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop, the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage and Santa's festive cabin in Finland have all featured before (and the list goes on). For you, if this is what a girl (or guy) wants, needs, will make you happy and set you free, you'll need to try to nab the free booking at 5am AEDT / 4am AEST / 7am NZDT on Friday, February 23. Whoever gets these special kinds of Airbnb reservations is usually responsible for their own travel, including for this one. So, making the trip to Las Vegas and back is on your own dime. The rest? Money really can't buy it. For more information about the Christina Aguilera-hosted Las Vegas Airbnb stay, or to book at 5am AEDT / 4am AEST / 7am NZDT on Friday, February 23 for a stay across Thursday, February 29–Saturday, March 2, 2024, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Victor Leung. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
To mark the release of the 24th James Bond film and to celebrate its 18-year partnership with the iconic 007 franchise, Heineken is offering fans one last chance to live the glamorous life of a cinema spy and attend an exclusive party filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. You won’t know where. You won’t know when. You just have to be ready. It's the final escapade for Heineken's huge nationwide project The Catch, teaming up with the boutique experience cultivators Mr Aristotle. Throughout November and December, Heineken has been hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that have been so mysterious participants haven't known what’s in store until they were suddenly whisked away — they've sent lucky folks on a helicopter pub tour, personal stylist sessions and a Rottnest Island adventure to name a few. Now there’s just one day left to enter The Catch, and seize your chance to attend a huge VIP SPECTRE party in a secret and exclusive location in Melbourne. So secret, in fact, that guests are simply being sent coordinates rather than its actual location. Should you win, you’ll find yourself walking the red carpet alongside 250 celebrity, VIP and media guests, before taking in a show by a mystery international headline act. The colossal Sydney party, which took over Darlinghurst's National Art School, saw a themed theatrical journey with aerial performers, dancers, blackjack tables and surprise performances by Michelle Martinez, Peking Duk, Heather Mailman, Solo Tohi and Jonny Sonic from the Potbelleez with Mumma Mugs on vocals — so odds are the Melbourne gig will be just as epic. To be in the running, you’ll need to sign up via The Catch website, but be quick, because the competition ends TODAY.
Cinema has a big problem — and for the first time in quite a while, it can't be summed up by the words "sequel", "reboot" or "Adam Sandler". For a long time now, convenience stores and cinema candy bars have been known for their bizarre Prohibition-era pricing of ordinary goods. Now they are being joined by a third champion of Weimar-esque inflation – the cinema ticket counter. According to Screen Australia, in 2005, the maximum price you'd pay to see a movie on the big screen was $15. In 2015, the last year for which there is recorded data, that price had exploded to $24.50. And while this hasn't reduced the number of Australians going to the flicks each year, the number of times people visit has been steadily declining since 2009. Melbourne couple Sonya Stephen and Shane Thatcher say that only around 16 per cent of available movie tickets are purchased in Australia each year. Their solution, a new app called Choovie, is an attempt to allow audiences to drive demand — and, by extension, the prices they pay at the door. "Every time we went to the cinema and there was only a few people in there, he [Thatcher] would start questioning how you could use technology to get more people to go to the cinema more often," says Stephen. "It became obvious that by using smartphone technology there could be a genuine win-win, people could see more movies and cinemas could make more money." Choovie is a push for cinemas to adopt a fluid ticket price based on the time of the screening and the popularity of the film. The app would then share this information with users and allow them to find the best deal. In other words, you'll probably still pay a mozza for the new Star Wars in mid-December and whatever the biggest flick is on Boxing Day, but when you're busting to see Tears of the Otter by that Danish guy at 11am on a Wednesday morning, Choovie will help you find a ticket that takes these things into account. Obviously, much of the app's success will rest on whether cinemas decide to play ball or not; however with Australian movie theatres currently selling less than a fifth of their available product, Stephen is confident that more bums on seats will also mean bigger profits for cinemas. "The onus is on us to prove that it works. If we can do that I can't see why everyone wouldn't come on board." Choovie goes live on 27th March in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, with staggered launches across the rest of Australia in the months following. For more information, visit their website.
If bustin' makes you feel good — ghostbustin', that is — then start singing the appropriate theme tune: the movie franchise about vanquishing spirits is returning again. Notching up the supernatural comedy series' fifth film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has locked in a date with cinemas in March 2024, and now has a trailer teasing what's to come. Perhaps the most important details: Paul Rudd, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson are all back. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the sequel to 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which means that not only is Rudd (Only Murders in the Building) returning as Gary Grooberson, but that Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), McKenna Grace (Crater) and Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) are back as well. The latter trio play Callie, Phoebe and Trevor Spengler — yes, the daughter and grandchildren of the late Harold Ramis' Egon Spengler — who became initiated in the family business when they inherited his old farmhouse. As the just-dropped first sneak peek at Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire shows, this film is reversing the last flick's swap — so, rather than taking place in Oklahoma, it's back in New York. There, summer is proceeding as normal until an unseasonable chill kicks in. The reason for the plummeting temperatures isn't any old blast of cooler weather, either, which is where the Ghostbusters come in. Also in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's cast: Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales), Patton Oswalt (What We Do in the Shadows), Celeste O'Connor (A Good Person) and Logan Kim (The Walking Dead: Dead City), alongside OGs Murray (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Aykroyd (Zombie Town) and Hudson (Quantum Leap), as well as Annie Potts (Young Sheldon). The new film will arrive four decades after the first Ghostbusters initially hit screens, with Gil Kenan (A Boy Called Christmas) directing. Not only did 1989's Ghostbusters II follow before Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but also 2016's women-led, excellent and wrongly maligned Paul Feig-helmed Ghostbusters. After directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Jason Reitman (Tully, The Front Runner) — who is the son of Ivan Reitman, who helmed the first two movies — co-writes the script this time around. Check out the trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will open in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Let's call it the "Nicolas Cage plays" effect: when those three words combine, almost anything can follow and viewers will be obsessed. Dracula, himself, an expat Aussie surfer, a man that no one can stop dreaming about, Superman, a truffle hunter and a dad milking an alpaca are just some of the recent ways to end that sentence. In Longlegs, the pivotal phrase wraps up with the movie's title. It's the key name in the case that a just-out-of-the-academy FBI agent has been assigned. Nothing can prepare audiences for Cage's performance, however, even if you've seen him in everything from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Vampire's Kiss to Wild at Heart and Face/Off, and then Mandy and Willy's Wonderland. Little can prepare you for this instant-classic and supremely unnerving addition to the horror canon, either. In making Longlegs, Maika Monroe and Osgood Perkins were well-equipped, though, thanks to a decade separately linked to the genre as an actor and a filmmaker, respectively. The former came to prominence with 2014's It Follows, a follow-up to which is on the way. The latter made his directorial debut with 2015's The Blackcoat's Daughter, then added 2016's I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House and 2020's Gretel & Hansel to his resume. Perkins is tied to horror by blood, too, as well as from his work on-screen, where he was stepping into a young Norman Bates' shoes at the age of nine. His father is Anthony Perkins, aka the elder Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, plus three sequels — one of which he helmed himself — in the 80s and 90s. Cage, Monroe, Perkins: that's a helluva pedigree for any movie. Longlegs doesn't squander it. Whether it's opening in 70s or unfurling its bulk with pitch-perfect 90s details, Perkins has whisked up a can't-look-away cinematic nightmare — one with a namesake that takes some thematic cues from Darth Vader in a way, he tells Concrete Playground. That's a connection that likely no one would make if he didn't join those dots himself. That said, it also speaks to the impact of a figure that lingers over an entire feature while deployed judiciously. The trailers for Longlegs are just as careful with their teasing, and Perkins was with Monroe as well: on-set, she saw Cage as Longlegs properly the first time that Agent Lee Harker, her character, does. Mentioning the best-known villainous force in a galaxy far, far away is also an aptly leftfield clue for a movie that does indeed play out like a puzzle, not just for Monroe's Harker and her boss Carter (Blair Underwood, Origin), but for everyone — and a feature that can never be accused of making obvious choices. Perkins has also described Longlegs as a "horror movie mixtape", and it fits a flick that's about unsolved murders, detectives chasing the culprit, the occult and Satanism, mysterious codes, unsettling dolls and creepy barns, each adding to the components waiting for audiences to piece together. The response so far in the US alone hasn't just been warm, but hypnotised and huge. Neon, the US distributor that's also brought Parasite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Possessor, Titane, Spencer, Moonage Daydream, Triangle of Sadness, Infinity Pool, Anatomy of a Fall, Ferrari and Perfect Days to screens in America, broke its box-office record for a debut weekend when the movie opened there a week before Down Under. The only film that beat it in takings: the all-ages-friendly minion power of Despicable Me 4, so the exact opposite of this haunting thriller. Now it's Australia and New Zealand's turn to meet Longlegs — and we chatted with both Perkins and Monroe about it, including about where inspiration came from for Perkins for a character as immediately unforgettable as Longlegs, plus Monroe's career path to the movie. Also covered in our round-table discussion with the duo: the genesis of the film's story, Monroe's reaction when it initially came her way, building a presence like Longlegs with Cage and Perkins' route to the genre. On What Inspired the Character of Longlegs Osgood: "For me, it starts with Darth Vader, and everything goes forward from there. And when I say it starts with Darth Vader, it starts with the quality of 'ohh, the villain is really the star of their own story, the star of their own situation. They're doing the best that they can with what they've been dealt'. And so with someone like Cobble, with Longlegs, the idea is not how do you make him sinister, but what about him isn't sinister? The sinister parts and the sort of evil parts and the kind of villainous parts is de rigueur. That's got to just be part of it. That's mandatory. Where you pull and stretch the rubber band is like, well, where is he pathetic? Obviously he's powerful, but where is he weak? Obviously he's invested — well, where is he unsure? So when you start to create these binary positions, much more can exist between those poles. If you have a villain who's like this all the time, and that's not — you don't see a lot of that anymore, but everybody has their pluses and their minuses. And I guess even a serial killer is ultimately still a person who shit's happened to, not good. And when you pluck them out of their habitat, they're probably pretty pathetic." On What Came to Mind First When Perkins Was Conjuring Up the Film's Story Osgood: "It's what I think would be fun about something like this. And usually that comes in through music, and imagery evolves as you work with other people. The first thing that happens is the dialogue and the way the movie sounds and what people are talking about, and what words they're choosing to use. I'm a big words guy. I don't believe in thinking about writing. I only believe in actually writing. Those are very different entities for me. So it starts with the words, and it starts with words that I like, and it starts with the title like Longlegs that I like. And then it starts with the way that he talks and the things he chooses to say, and it grows out of that." On Monroe's Initial Reaction to the Movie When the Script Came Her Way Maika: "I read a whole lot of scripts, and it is few and far between that you read something that just grabs you immediately. The writing was so good. It was so vivid. And, probably similar to audience members watching the movie for the first time, I really thought that I had a grip on where it was going and understanding, and I was like 'okay, awesome, a nostalgic crime-thriller'. And then a little past halfway through, all of a sudden it turned into a whole other beast, and it just felt so unique and fresh." On How Much of Longlegs, the Figure, Was on the Page — and How Much Came Together During the Shoot Osgood: "We worked together on it, and of course there's the contribution of hair, makeup, special effects makeup, wardrobe, production design. Everybody's gratifyingly pulling towards the same goal, which is to make something cool, something that has a music to it, something that has a pulse or that vibes stronger than anything else around it. That's the whole trip that we're on. And with Nic, with the character of Longlegs, most of it is on the page when he gets it. The way he looks is written. And then we've got to figure out a way to make that look right. So it becomes about literally taking one piece at a time. Like the chin, it's too much, it looks like Dick Tracy, so take it down by half. I don't need these scary things around the eyes because that makes it look a little too like Halloween costumes, so let's take that down. Let's look at this — the hair should be poufy. We're talking about glam rock, so let's exaggerate that a little bit. It just becomes about taking all the little pieces and sewing them together. And luckily for me, I have a collaborator in one of the great all-time movie presences who's really as focused and deliberate and deep as you want them to be." On Monroe's First Proper Meeting with Longlegs Maika: "It definitely felt intense, and pretty much we would do a take and I would just step out of the room — and I would go in if there were notes or something, but I just think it was nice for us to keep our space. Then after we finished filming that day, it was actually his [Cage's] last day. We were sitting across from each other and they were taking some still photos, and we just started chatting. It was the first time I heard his actual voice, and he was just saying to me 'I'm just such a fan. I love all your movies'. And I was just like sitting there like 'is this really happening?'. It was crazy. It was very surreal." [caption id="attachment_924171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] It Follows[/caption] On What Monroe Makes of Her Career So Far After 15 Years On-Screen and a Decade on From It Follows Maika: "There's just so many ups and downs, and there's no rhyme or reason to this industry. You book this big movie and you're like 'this is it. This is going to be it'. And it isn't. And then you do this tiny film, and all of a sudden it turns into to something that was never expected. I think at the end of the day, I am just so insanely grateful. I have to step outside and sort of look at where I'm at. And if I were to talk to my 13-year-old self, I would have never believed this, that I'd be sitting here right now and just the people I've been able to work with — it's just surreal and just very lucky. On Perkins' Path to Directing Horror Movies Osgood: "I think like any kid who grows up and sees their dad doing the thing, there's either the raging impulse to do the same thing and to try to find out, do a little bit of a detective search on your dad by trying to go in their footsteps of — and I think for me, it was certainly part of that. The horror genre to me is just the most delightful. It's the most delicious. It's the most profane and absurd, romantic, poetic, endless, concealed genre of all of them. It really contains everything. It contains love. It contains comedy. It contains adventure and science fiction, and it's all sort of embedded in there. So I don't necessarily think of myself as a horror director, because I don't know that I think of myself as a horror fan. I can't remember the last horror movie I paid for to see in the theatre. I don't really care about it, it's not really interesting to me. To me, I'm more looking to do something expansive, and the horror genre allows for all realms of thought and expression. And there's so many little signifiers that you can connect to, like serial killer or procedural crime, or it's an axe murderer or whatever it is — you can go in and people have an idea about it, and an emotion attached to it. And then you can create your own thing based on the model." Longlegs opened in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Read our review.
The year 2015 has come and gone, and the kind of microwave-rehydrating instant pizzas featured in Back to the Future Part II haven't yet come to fruition. Neither has a holographic 19th Jaws film. However, something just as great is on its way to becoming a reality thanks to a Danish brewery — and it'd go mighty well with Marty McFly Jr's favourite food. Copenhagen-based outfit To Øl has invented something many a yeasty beverage fan has dreamed of: instant craft beer. It comes in powdered form, ready to be mixed with some of the original alcohol and sparkling water. Add the three together, and voila, you've got some fresh booze ready for drinking. Basically, the gypsy brewers — aka two beer-loving pals who don't have their own facilities, but work out of others with spare capacity — figured out how to freeze-dry their tipples, and also how to then transform it back into the drinkable form (thanks, science!). According to Tobias Emil Jensen & Tore Gynther's post on online food culture platform Aorta, they were motivated by "wanting to provide quality beers in situations which normally doesn't encourages it due to the natural physics of beer," such as climbing a mountain or transporting beverages by plane. Four of their brews have undergone the freeze-drying treatment so far: "a heavy deep beer brewed with coffee, a fruity IPA brewed with different tropical fruits, a Wild Yeast hop forward IPAs and a fairly dry pilsner". No word yet as if or when To Øl will ever release their new concoctions to the public, so we'll all just dream of these futuristic bevs until more news come to hand.
Sorry Sydney. Melbourne is getting the country's first-ever 67 Pall Mall outpost, due to launch some time in mid-2025. This incredibly luxe, global private members club is set up exclusively for wine lovers who want to sample the very best drops out there. It's not for those of us hunting down $15 bottles of ok wine at the local bottle shop; it's for top-tier wine drinkers who are willing to spend big. The joining fee is $3500 per person (being waived for a limited time!) and the current discounted yearly fee for members who sign up early is $2300 on top of that. If this is beyond your spending limits, perhaps shoot this article over to your rich sister or that well-to-do mate who always shouts the good drinks — because they might be able to bring you in as a guest. [caption id="attachment_942250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 67 Pall Mall Singapore[/caption] So what's the deal with 67 Pall Mall? Memberships for 67 Pall Mall are highly sought after around the world. The group has sites in Singapore, London, Switzerland, France and Hong Kong. The venues are known for being some of the most incredibly designed spaces, filled with the world's greatest wines that are served and chosen by accredited master sommeliers. A huge selling point for wine connoisseurs is the fact that 67 Pall Mall offers an unmatched selection of wines by-the-glass to members — 1000 to be exact — and sells them with very minimal markup. Most of these drops are never offered by the glass so it presents a rare opportunity. What's in store for Australia's first club? The first Australian site is touted for Melbourne's Spring Street. Spread across the top three floors of the 16-story building, the private members club will let folks sip on fine wines while taking in views across the Treasury Gardens, MCG and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Floor 14 will boast a wine bar and all-day dining room with impressive 270-degree views of the surrounding area. One level up, members will get access to private rooms and semi-formal dining experiences. And the top floor will feature an extensive champagne menu, a raw bar, open air balconies, and a secluded whisky bar. This is top-end luxury stuff that's hard to come by in Australia. 67 Pall Mall's CEO Grant Ashton says, "Melbourne was chosen above all other cities as our first outpost in Australia due to its close connection to independent and outstanding wine producers, allowing us to engage with a passionate wine culture and a knowledgeable collector community." Peter Gago, chief winemaker of Penfolds, whose wines are poured in 67 Pall Mall Clubs across the globe, also commented: "From London to Singapore, 67 Pall Mall has evolved into the world's premier wine Members' Club. Now, expanding to a prime site overlooking the MCG in Melbourne, it's truly remarkable. "Melbourne, a strategic gastronomic hub, with Yarra Valley vineyards and Mornington Peninsula nearby, will soon boast 67 Pall Mall as a wine mecca. It'll attract wine enthusiasts and curious minds alike, continuing the Club's tradition." 67 Pall Mall is set to open in mid-2025 at 85 Spring Street and is currently taking applications for new members (at heavily discounted prices). For more information, head to the club's website here.
2013 is drawing to a close, and it’s safe to say that it’s been a pretty big year. We’ve had three prime ministers, a royal baby was born, there was a huge doping scandal in national sport, and of course, Miley Cyrus. So who better to reflect on the year that was than some of Australia’s finest writers, comedians, and musical talents? Casey Bennetto will be at the helm of this one night only cabaret performance. His sophisticated wit will be setting the tone for the evening, with guests jumping in with a song, a story, or some slam poetry about what 2013 has meant for them. Guests include Trevor Ashley, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Tony Birch, Alan Brough, Catherine Deveny, Hannah Gadsby, Sammy J, Lally Katz, George Megalogenis, Tripod, Maude Davey, Chloe Hooper and Henry Wagons.
