Much to every Wes Anderson fan's delight, 2023 delivered not one, not two, and not even just three or four new films by the acclaimed director — it treated audiences to five. In cinemas, Asteroid City brought the filmmaker's symmetry- and pastel-heavy style to the big screen again. On streaming, the rest of his efforts for the year arrived as shorts The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Ratcatcher and Poison. When Netflix dropped Anderson's quartet of Roald Dahl-inspired shorts in September 2023, each arriving a day after the last, it inspired a question: why not package them all together and give the world another full-length Wes Anderson movie? Perhaps it was waiting for the director to win his first-ever Oscar for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar — for Best Live-Action Short, in fact — to make that happen, but it is indeed now happening. Accordingly, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More hits the streaming platform on Friday, March 15. Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) talking directly to the camera. Symmetrical shots after symmetrical shots. Dazzlingly gorgeous patterns as far as the eye can see. Yes, they're all in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. That part of what's now an anthology film tells of a wealthy man who is so fond of wagering that he comes up with a crafty plan — after discovering a guru who can see without using his eyes, he decides to learn to the same to cheat while having a bet. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar itself springs from one of the seven tales in Dahl's 1977 book The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. Soon on Netflix, it'll be packaged with Anderson's other three shorts from Dahl's work. The whole anthology cycles through a few core cast members, all of which play multiple roles. Stepping in front of the camera for Anderson: Cumberbatch, Dev Patel (The Green Knight), Ben Kingsley (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Richard Ayoade (The Souvenir: Part II) and Rupert Friend (High Desert). And in glorious news for The Grand Budapest Hotel fans, Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) also reteams with the director. The Swan also takes inspiration from a tale from the same book, this time about a small and smart boy being bullied. As for The Ratcatcher, it adapts a lesser-known story of the same name — not from the same text this time — which is unsurprisingly about a rodent exterminator. Then, Poison dates back to 1950, focusing on a man finding a venomous snake. In 1958, the same tale was adapted for TV by none other than Alfred Hitchcock, in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. All up, that's 90 minutes of new Anderson work. So, as we said multiple times in 2023, watching them all together turns them into an anthology feature. With Netflix's new release, you'll no longer have to press any buttons to get from one film to the next. Check out the trailer for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More below: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More will be available to stream via Netflix from Friday, March 15. Read our review. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
Bangarra Dance Theatre's new work Dark Emu is an exploration of the relationship between Australia's Aboriginal people and the land — and their extraordinary knowledge of Australia's plants, animals, landforms and climate. It's also a portrait of the harrowing impact European settlement had on this bond. The show takes inspiration from Bruce Pascoe's nonfiction book of the same name, which covers the complexities of indigenous farming, fishing and landcare techniques. "Before colonisation, Aboriginal people were one with the land and respect for earth, sky and ocean was central to life," says director Stephen Page. "We want to make people aware of the strength and resilience of Aboriginal people and celebrate their profound knowledge of agriculture and aquiculture, which belongs at the epicentre of Australian history." Coming to Arts Centre Melbourne from September 6-15, Dark Emu is Page's 25th project for Bangarra. In putting together the 70-minute, four-part show, he worked closely with dancers and collaborators Yolande Brown and Daniel Riley, as well as the Bangarra troupe. Image: Daniel Boud.
Doughnut purists will be familiar with this one. This family-run business has been kneading and frying dough since the 1950s. The iconic blue and white van has long been a necessary pit stop during a visit to the Queen Victoria Markets to stock up on a paper bag of the fresh, fried delights. Sometimes simplicity rules and this is definitely the case here: the unchanged recipe involves a quick fry of the yeasted dough in sizzling oil following by a generous dusting of sugar. The final step is an injection of hot red jam into the doughnuts core which explodes into your mouth (and onto your clothes if you're not careful) on first bite.
As music, spandex and glitter fans everywhere already know, the Eurovision Song Contest didn't go ahead this year. It's one of the many events worldwide that have been affected by COVID-19, alongside SXSW, Glastonbury, Coachella and Splendour in the Grass — but it's the only one to leave a huge Europop-shaped hole, of course. In Australia, broadcaster SBS attempted to make up for Eurovision's absence by spending a week celebrating the annual contest. And, globally, Netflix is also doing its bit. The latter is helping out in a much less serious fashion, however, all thanks to its new Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams-starring comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Due to hit the streaming platform at the end of June — and just dropping its first trailer this week, too — the film follows two small-town Icelandic singers who've always wanted to represent their country at the famed sing-off. Lars Erickssong (Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdottir (McAdams) aren't particularly well-liked in their homeland, or considered popular. But when they're named as the next Eurovision contestants, they're determined not only to win but to show that chasing their lifelong dream was worth it. Directed by Wedding Crashers, The Change-Up and The Judge filmmaker David Dobkin, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga looks set to feature plenty of Ferrell's over-the-top comedy — as the initial sneak peek makes plain. It also boasts icy backdrops, a song called 'Volcano Man', a fierce rivalry between Fire Saga and fellow competitor Alexander Lemtov (Legion's Dan Evans), and a cast that also spans Pierce Brosnan and Demi Lovato. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6Co-nd0lM Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga hits Netflix on Friday, June 26. Images: John Wilson and Elizabeth Viggiano, via Netflix.
Summer, glorious summer: we spend all year waiting for the perfect weather and a respite from the responsibilities of everyday life but, too often, the holidays pass us by without any noteworthy adventures. No longer. To help you take full advantage of this summer break, we've teamed up with Expedia to select five destinations that are guaranteed to take your holidays from average to exceptional. Each location is less than a nine-hour flight from Sydney — perfect for a cheeky little trip — you'll be soaking up the good life in exotic surroundings before you know it. Because we know that you're all just as into food as we are, we've hunted down somewhere to eat once you get there, from fine dining, to cafe and street food and waterside restaurants. Happy adventuring. AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND FLIGHT TIME: THREE HOURS Overlooked by many tourists who rush onwards to the North Island's more famous landscapes, Auckland is something of a hidden gem. There are waterfront vistas that give Sydney a run for its money, world-class restaurants and a burgeoning art scene all to be explored. Book at room at the colourful boutique Hotel DeBrett and start your visit with a wander around Viaduct Harbour, a glittering precinct with numerous bars and restaurants offering gorgeous views over the harbour. With its acclaimed seafood dishes, Euro is a particular highlight. For your culture fix, head to the Auckland Art Gallery, home to over 15,000 works by Māori, Pacific Island, and international artists. Pop into the gallery cafe for delicious pastries and coffee served in a bright, airy space. Still hungry? If you're in town during a weekend, don't miss French-inspired farmers market La Cigale, where you can gorge yourself silly on a selection of cheeses, pastries, artisanal bread and other delicacies. Next, it's time to get outdoors. No visit to Auckland is complete without a trek up one of the city's 53 volcanic peaks. Mount Eden is a favourite for its jaw-dropping crater and sweeping views over the city. For a unique beach experience, head to the western shore, where black sand beaches are flanked by dramatic cliffs and dunes. More of a classic white sand/emerald waters person? Catch a 40-minute ferry to stunning Waiheke Island. The retreat of choice for Auckland's affluent types, the island is also home to dozens of world-class wineries (try the secluded Te Whau for its delicious blends and award-winning restaurant). EAT: KAZUYA Auckland's legendary Japanese restaurant Kazuya is not something to miss. At this fine dining establishment the waiters wear white gloves. Try the signature dish 'Texture' — 30 different types of vegetables, from tiny shavings of baby beetroot to exquisite mustard greens and perfectly cooked, bright green broccoli. Check out Concrete Playground Auckland for an entire city's worth of more handy eating, drinking and playing tips. [caption id="attachment_580107" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Levi Morsy.[/caption] BALI, INDONESIA FLIGHT TIME: SIX HOURS With its lush landscapes, gorgeous beaches, rich culture, and relative affordability, it's not surprising that Bali is on practically every Aussie's bucket list. Plus, the paradisiacal island offers something for everyone: from the party animal to the surf bum to the yogi. If it's nightlife you're after, skip overdone Kuta and head to still busy but less saturated Seminyak. Hang out at Ku De Ta, an upscale restaurant and bar that morphs into a club in the evenings or catch a live gig at Potato Head bar. If it's gourmet eats you want, Seminyak's buzzing foodie scene offers endless options. Two standouts are Sardine, where oh-so-fresh seafood is served in a bamboo structure overlooking emerald rice paddies, and Barbacoa, a South American joint with stunning decor. More of a beach type? Don't miss Uluwatu, an area famous for its pristine beaches, amazing surf, and awe-inspiring sunsets. Grab your board and spend the day riding world-class surf breaks, or simply grab a book and a cocktail and while the afternoon away on the sand. Keen to create your own version of Eat, Pray, Love (stay with us)? Then Ubud is the place for you. Bali's cultural heart offers yoga and meditation studios aplenty, and has spas on practically every street corner. Our pick is Putri Bali Spa, which offers an insanely affordable five-hour package that will leave you glowing. Book your visit just before you hop on the plane, and you'll return to Sydney entirely blissed out. EAT: DAMAI This poolside restaurant serves award-winning cuisine using local Balinese ingredients, many of which are grown in the restaurant's kitchen garden. Meat and shellfish come from the villa's boutique farm, and eggs and poultry are gathered from locals. Book a room in the accompanying, stunning villa and treat yourself. SUVA, FIJI FLIGHT TIME: SEVEN HOURS With dazzling sand, crystal clear waters, and palm trees at every turn, there's almost no better place than Fiji for a beach-heavy holiday (plus, your Instagram photos are guaranteed to make your mates cry with envy). Composed of 333 islands, choosing where to spend your time in Fiji will be the hardest part of your holiday. We suggest you start with Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island and home to the nation's capital city, Suva. Filled with striking colonial architecture, temples, mosques, and museums, this is the perfect place to get your culture fix before heading to the beach. If you're in town on a Saturday morning, don't miss the municipal market for a heady taste of local life and a great selection of fresh produce, clothing, and souvenirs. Once you've fully explored Suva, it's time to make a beeline for the ocean. For stellar snorkelling and diving, look no further than the impossibly picturesque Mamanucas and Yasawa Islands. For some of the world's best surfing breaks, head to Namatou Island, where you'll be spoiled for choice. In between your water activities, try some yaqona (or kava). This ceremonial drink is ubiquitous in Fiji and should be tried at least once — in fact, if you're invited to join a local kava ceremony, it's considered impolite to say no. Once you've soaked up the idyllic beachside lifestyle for a few days, tear yourself away from the water and venture into some lush island interiors. For gorgeous hikes through a protected rainforest with plenty of waterfalls and deep pools, try the Bouma National Heritage Park on Taveuni Island. For a stunning accomodation option, we reccomend the Tokoriki Island Resort — it has fishing, snorkelling and sailing on site. EAT: TRADITIONAL DELICACIES There are a wealth of restaurants to eat at when you're in Fiji, but the local cuisine trumps it all. Heavily influenced by the water that surrounds it, Fijian food is filled with seafood options — like octopus, sea urchin and fish. Each island in Fiji will have their own version of Kokoda — finely chopped raw fish dressed with a thick coconut cream, onions, spices and lime juice. It's traditionally served in half a coconut shell, or a clamshell. [caption id="attachment_574226" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Kai Lehmann via Flickr[/caption] SINGAPORE FLIGHT TIME: EIGHT HOURS Once just somewhere to kill time during a layover, the Lion City has reinvented itself as a destination in its own right. A melting pot of Asian cultures, the bustling city-state is a foodie's heaven and you could easily spend your entire holiday stuffing your face. In fact, that's exactly what we suggest you do — plan your itinerary around food and fill time between meals with a few of the city's top attractions. Of course, Singapore offers a lot beyond incredible food. For a slice of nature, head to the stunning Botanic Gardens, Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage site, or spend hours wandering around the Bukit Timah Naturae Reserve. And don't miss the Singapore Zoo — the only place in the world where you can have breakfast with an orangutang family (really). Of course, no trip to Singapore is complete without a little shopping: for the best retail therapy, head straight to Orchard Road, which boasts 22 (!) shopping malls and six department stores. For a good home base, book a room at the stunning Park Royal — it's surrounded by the city's beautiful greenery. EAT: WAKU GHIN Seafood is the focus at Waku Ghin, a Singaporean restaurant by Tetsuya Waduka (of the legendary Sydney Japanese restaurant Tetsuya's). Save up and sit down for a degustation in a stunning, fine dining restaurant within the Marina Bay Sands hotel — which overlooks the Singapore bay. Cocktails and sake options are just as innovative as the food. While Singapore is home to many upscale restaurants, make like the locals and eat at the city's hawker centres, where you can sample the city's iconic dishes without burning a hole in your wallet. For the best Hainanese chicken rice, look no further than Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle in the Chinatown Complex hawker market. Other musts are chilli crab (head to Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant for this) and nasi biryani (Tekka Centre for South Indian cuisine serves up some of the city's best). OAHU, HAWAII FLIGHT TIME: NINE HOURS If you like your beach holidays with a generous helping of non-beach activities, you'll fall head over heels for Oahu. Hawaii's most populous island offers laid-back island living on its eastern and northern shores and the bustle of urban life in the capital Honolulu. What's not to love? Start by checking in and blissing out at The Royal Hawaiian hotel, then spend a few days on iconic Waikiki Beach, where you can snorkel, swim, or learn to surf during the day and relax over a few drinks and nibbles at night. To enjoy Oahu from a different vantage point, hike up Diamond Head crater for epic views over the island. For a more challenging climb, try the Olomana hike: your efforts will be rewarded with striking panoramic vistas. Make time to catch one of the island's legendary sunsets from the aptly-named Sunset Beach. Then, it's time to head to the North Shore. If you're an advanced surfer, you'll know this corner of the island is famous for its giant waves. Once you've worked up an appetite, feast at one (or a few) of the many food trucks or tiny restaurants that dot the area. Make sure to try the iconic poke (Pupukea Grill serves up particularly tasty bowls) or shrimp from Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, which has become something of a local institution. EAT: PEACE CAFE Maybe Honolulu's only vegan restaurant, Peace is located in a tranquil, tropical cottage in Honolulu. They serve up delicious sandwiches, sweets and lunchboxes made with organic vegetables and local ingredients. Pick up a healthy Vietnamese tofu or teriyaki tempeh sandwich for sustenance before heading off on a hike. Become an Expedia+ member and book your summer holiday — you'll have access to prices that others don't see.
Baz Luhrmann has always had a knack for casting. As his three-decade filmography shows, he's long had a talent for plenty more — dazzling imagery, pitch-perfect needle drops, and a hyperactive and immersive vibe that makes viewers feel like they've stepped right into his movies, for starters — but his films are always immaculately cast. He had 90s teens swooning over Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. His made Elizabeth Debicki a star via The Great Gatsby. And just try to name someone who didn't want Ewan McGregor to serenade them after Moulin Rouge!. You can't; they don't exist. Elvis, Luhrmann's biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, is no different. Indeed, the acclaimed Australian filmmaker wouldn't have made it if he wasn't able to find the right actor for the job. And that stellar stroke of casting, enlisting Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's Austin Butler to sport the pompadour, sideburns and oh-so-many jumpsuits, has exactly the effect that Luhrmann intended. Watching Butler in the film's meticulous recreations of Presley's live performances, you instantly understand why the singer became an icon. You see what audiences in the 50s, 60s and 70s saw. Even better: you feel as thrilled and excited as they must've felt. Charting Presley's life from his birth in Tupelo, Mississippi to his death in 1977 at the age of 42 — as told by his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) — Elvis spans the details that a big-screen biography about one of entertainment's most famous names needs to. It's also made by a filmmaker with his own name recognition and sense of style. The result: an Elvis movie and a Luhrmann movie. It has the swagger of both. It mixes Presley's songs — some sung by Butler, some by the man himself, some blending the two — with hip hop. It sashays between swirling imagery and a Luhrmann-esque sensory onslaught to concerts so electrifying that you can almost smell the sweat. It's little wonder that Elvis debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to a 12-minute standing ovation. It's also unsurprising that bringing the film back to Australia, including to the Gold Coast where it was shot, was one helluva party. During the whirlwind Aussie tour, ahead of the movie's local release on June 23, we chatted to Luhrmann about all things Elvis — spanning everything from telling more than just Presley's story to Butler's virtually fated casting, thank you, thank you very much. THE MUSIC BIOPIC ALL SHOOK UP From Strictly Ballroom, his hit debut back in 1992, through to his 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby, his most recent big-screen release until now, music has been a crucial part of Luhrmann's films. Perhaps that's why Elvis feels like a movie that he was always going to make — and the style of feature, a music biopic, that was always going to pop onto his resume at some point. Asked if it felt that way to him, Luhrmann says that he was drawn to making more than just a music biopic. "I always liked the way Shakespeare would take a historical figure and make a bigger idea," he says — and as Romeo + Juliet fans know, Luhrmann's long been a fan of the Bard. "And I was so in love with Amadeus. I don't know how old I was when I saw that, but the thing about that film is it's called Amadeus but it's not really about Mozart. It's Salieri's story — and who the hell is Sailieri? That's the point of the movie. He was the most famous composer on the planet, and god goes and puts genius in this piglet of a person and he's very angry about it. So the film's about jealousy," Luhrmann continues. "I wanted to use the canvas of Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker — never a Colonel, never a Tom, never a Parker — this giant, out-there character, who, you know, was a carnival barker and a sort of Svengali type. He saw this kid who had grown up in one of the few white houses in the Black community and went 'I don't know what he's doing but that's the best carnival act I've ever seen'. And I just think the spread of the life — the 50s, 60s, 70s — if you want to explore America, what a great canvas. And through music, what a great canvas." FROM DANCING TO 'BURNING LOVE' TO DIRECTING AN ELVIS MOVIE Thanks to a wonderful piece of trivia from Luhrmann's past, directing Elvis almost seems like it was meant to be. He says the same about Butler playing Elvis — but only Luhrmann won a dancing contest to 'Burning Love' when he was ten. "I did. I went up to the DJ and I said 'hey mate, can you put on 'Burning Love' because it really gets going, you know?' Luhrmann recalls. "And we had the matinees at our little cinema for a while" — because, yes, Luhrmann's father Leonard ran a small-town movie theatre when he was growing up — "and I just thought he was cool". Ask a teenage Baz about Presley, though, and his answer would've differed. Unpacking why is part of the reason he has made Elvis now. "Pretty quickly, by the time I was about 18, I was into Bowie and stuff like that, and Elvis kind of was in the background," Luhrmann says. "But I think he was always present to me, but I was also very aware that under 35, he's just kind of a Halloween costume. My kids are like, he's the funny guy in the white suit, you know?" "Anything that is iconic, that becomes rusty — at some point something iconic must've been amazing, must've felt amazing, but it's just become ossified," Luhrmann continues. "So I've spent my life taking kind of implausibly cheesy things and trying to re-code them so that what they felt like, you can feel again." In what quickly proves typical Luhrmann fashion, he has an anecdote to explain, one relating to one of the most memorable songs in his movies yet. "When I was doing Moulin Rouge!, we were thinking about the key love song, and I was at a piano bar in San Diego. And 'Your Song' came on. And the guy was like "it's a little bit funny…" — every cheesy bar in the world would play 'Your Song' by Elton John. But I went home with Anton [Monsted, the film's executive music supervisor, and Elvis' music supervisor as well] and we listened to the original recording. And, we realised, what an amazing song." GETTING THE RIGHT ELVIS IN THE BUILDING Call it a case of suspicious minds: if Luhrmann was going to make Elvis, he wasn't going to cast just anyone. The world is full of Elvis impersonators, which is a skill all of its own. But that wasn't what Luhrmann was looking for — and although Harry Styles was also considered, the pop star wasn't what the director was after, either. Butler wanted the part so badly that he made and sent a video of himself singing 'Unchained Melody' before Luhrmann was even casting. "It wasn't like an audition," the filmmaker says. "He talks about it now, but I only learned recently or during the process that what happened was, he'd made another video and it wasn't good, he thought. And he had lost his mum the same year that Elvis did. So he has this nightmare and he goes down the stairs and thinks 'what I am going to do with this terror?'." "So he goes down and he just sort of, he's in a bathrobe, and he's playing it, and shooting with an iPhone as he's singing it. And I thought, it wasn't an audition. I thought it was like spy cam or something. I said 'who is this? What is this?'." "And then he came in, and pretty much he was Elvis from the moment he walked in," Luhrmann continues. "He just kept getting more and more Elvis, to the point where during the pandemic I had to tell him to slow down, like he was going to break himself. But I think it's like a life or death commitment for him." THOSE PHENOMENAL LIKE-YOU'RE-THERE CONCERT SCENES Strictly Ballroom had brilliantly choreographed and shot ballroom scenes. Moulin Rouge! was filled with big musical numbers, including in the eponymous Parisian establishment. The Great Gatsby boasted parties that could sit in the dictionary under 'decadence'. Luhrmann knows how to direct a spectacle — and, in Elvis, that comes via the concert scenes. Chatting about them, he credits the team effort — and Butler. "Firstly, you've got to start with Austin, whose commitment — it was like, it's a freak situation. I mean, his casting in the role is almost a freak situation. It's like forces beyond me almost, without getting too Hammer horror. He was drawn to be in this movie, and I wasn't going to make it unless I could find someone to play it," Luhrmann notes. "Then, COVID meant that whatever he was doing, he had to do it for another year. And by then he was so Elvis." Obviously, there's more to Elvis' centrepiece scenes than just pointing the camera at the Butler, as exceptional as he is. Luhrmann was determined to use the recreated footage to show — rather than tell — the audience what made Presley a star, and so incendiary, and why he was such a hit. Again, viewers don't just see the singer and his impact; they feel it, like they're there in that audience in the 50s, 60s and 70s. "Working with [cinematographer] Mandy Walker and [executive music producer] Elliott Wheeler, and the music people and all that, [we were] making sure shot by shot — making sure the look, shot by shot, it was identical in many regards," Luhrmann says. "But then you flip the coin, and you show what you didn't see in the documentaries and what you don't see in the concert footage. So it's getting the two sides to it." Elvis screens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from June 23. Read our full review. Image: Hugh Stewart / © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you haven't been able to book a trip to Spain in 2019, this month-long series may be a very tasty consolation. Stunning St Kilda bar Pontoon is serving up bottomless paella and sangria every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August. For just $50, guests will have two hours of endless access to three takes on paella paired with bottomless glasses of spiced wine. You'll be able to choose form arroz negro, with squid ink black rice, chorizo and squid; a version with chicken, green beans and smoked paprika; and finally a mussel and squid-heavy paella with lots of saffron. If you'd like to skip the booze and load up on the classic rice dish exclusively, you can do just that for $25 a head, too. Guests might be able to catch Head Chef Rhys Hunter in action, too, whipping up a big pans of paella in the fiery kitchen — which you'll then be able to enjoy out on the beachfront deck. While the bottomless sangria and paella deal will only set you back $50 you will need a minimum of two people to enjoy the deal — so call a mate and make a date ASAP. To make a booking, head to the website. Bottomless paella and sangria is available from midday. Images: Simon Shiff
UPDATE, September 27, 2022: Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert general admission tickets have sold out, with only Sydney WorldPride's affordability option left — but you can still head along thanks to Concrete Playground Trips. The Sydney WorldPride package includes tickets to the Domain Dance Party and Live and Proud: Opening Concert, plus three nights at the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour Sydney. On a Sydney stage on Friday, February 24, 2023, here's hoping that Australia's princess of pop utters four specific words: "come into my WorldPride". The massive LGBTQIA+ festival is heading to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time, taking over Sydney for two and a half weeks — and who else but Kylie Minogue could open it? Sydney WorldPride has been announcing parts of its lineup since June, including the return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street after the 2021 and 2022 events were held at the Sydney Cricket Ground due to the pandemic — and it will drop its full program in November. But Kylie headlining Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert, spinning around The Domain and making sure that Sydney WorldPride festivalgoers can't get her out of their heads is obviously massive. LOVERS! For the first time ever, WorldPride is coming to the Southern Hemisphere. YES! I'm so excited to announce that I will be performing at the opening concert in Sydney on 24 February, 2023 at The Domain. Can't wait to see you there! 💖 https://t.co/ExghPi5NEw pic.twitter.com/Wt0q1Szg2n — Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue) September 23, 2022 Sydney shall be so lucky — and so will Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert attendees, because it'll mark Kylie's only WorldPride performance. Her set for the night is also being created especially for the evening, so this isn't the kind of Kylie show you've seen before. Already know that you can't make it along? The performance will also be broadcast live nationwide on the ABC. On a night like this, Casey Donovan and Courtney Act will be on hosting duties — and the rest of the Live and Proud lineup will be revealed later this year. Hand on your heart, you know you want to be there, with tickets on sale now. The event doubles as a celebration of 45 years of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, if you needed more motivation to break out your best 'Loco-Motion'. "Kylie is not only a beloved musician and rainbow icon, but the highest selling Australian-born solo artist of all time," said Sydney WorldPride CEO Kate Wickett, announcing the news. "We are honoured and INCREDIBLY excited to have Kylie again stand with our community at Sydney WorldPride 2023 — the global rainbow family reunion we've been waiting for." Sydney WorldPride will run from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, 2023, with the opening concert taking place at The Domain on Friday, February 24. Tickets for Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert are on sale now. For more information about Sydney WorldPride, or for general ticket sales, head to the event's website.
If your ideal holiday is being poolside, cocktail in hand, in sunny Palm Springs, then get ready to book yourself in for a vacay in Albury. Yep, a retro-style Palm Springs-inspired resort is set to open in the regional town that straddles the NSW and Victorian border, making it the perfect pitstop on your next road trip. Sure, it might not be the same desert oasis in California, but it'll save you a whopping airfare. And, considering international travel is expected to be off the cards until at least 2021, you can go on your well-deserved getaway a whole lot sooner, too. Albury's old Astor Hotel Motel is currently undergoing a massive multimillion-dollar revamp, which is slated for completion by September; however, the first stage is set to reopen as early as July. The pub and motel was bought by hotelier Peter Griffiths back in 2019, with the major renovations happening at a time when domestic travel is more sought after than ever. Pitted to be a huge project for the town — and region — the renovated Astor is sure to bolster tourism, whether for a stop-in visit or as the destination itself. Designed by leading Melbourne design firm Technē, the development will see the 1960s building transformed into a resort with pastel hues, leafy decor and plenty of old-school Hollywood cues. The Astor will retain key structures from the OG building, but expect far more than just a lick of paint from the reno. It'll house 45 rooms, a bar, a restaurant, an airy beer garden and multiple function spaces. Located equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne, Albury is home to the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), the award-winning Library Museum, landscaped lawns at the Botanic Gardens and weekly farmers markets. You'll also find Taco Bill — a Tex-Mex chain that's been around since the 60s — which will help add to the southern Cali vibes. The town sits right on the Murray River and is a short drive from Falls Creek Ski Resort, too. In short, there's plenty to do if you're looking to do more than just pass through. The Astor Hotel Motel's multimillion renovation is slated for completion in September, 2020, with the first stage set to reopen from July.
Attention BLACKPINK fans around Australasia — the good news just keeps on coming. After the announcement of their new single release this month and their Born Pink album dropping in September, the world's most successful female K-Pop group have another announcement on their hands — a world tour which just happens to include us here in Australia and New Zealand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BLΛƆKPIИK (@blackpinkofficial) The dates for the Born Pink World Tour were unveiled in a post on Instagram this week, revealing the tour kicks off in Seoul before moving through the US and Europe. Then come June 2023, BLACKPINK will spend the final leg of the tour performing over two nights in Melbourne (June 10-11), two nights in Sydney (June 16-17), and one night in Auckland (June 21). So far no ensues or ticketing information has been released, but we'll keep all those stans up to date with more news as it comes to hand. BLACKPINK's Australasian tour dates: 10 June: Melbourne, Australia 11 June: Melbourne, Australia 16 June: Sydney, Australia 17 June: Sydney, Australia 21 June: Auckland, New Zealand BLACKPINK's world tour will be headed to Australia and New Zealand in June 2023. Top image: Jiya & Arcam
Memories of family holidays up and down Australia's coastlines are treasured by most of us. Stopping at roadside lookouts, lemonades in country pubs, wallabies hopping around campsites and kookaburras laughing us awake. The brief: classic charm meets no-frills fun. A staple in these trips is a classic motel. A clean and comfortable spot to rest your head, a warm welcome, a folder stuffed full of brochures from local businesses and a minibar complete with snacks and libations. You might have noticed a resurgence in these often family-owned establishments, but with one new element sticking out like a sore thumb: standout styling. Fresh paint, linen bedding, social-driven marketing and artful umbrellas offering shade by figure-eight shaped pools — it's a formulaic trend, and it works. What better way to add that dreamy nostalgic charm to your holidays this year than a night or two in a revamped motel? Together with The Bottle-O, the store slinging your favourite boozy sips all over Australia, we've curated a list of our favourites. Book in, grab your drinks and soak up the serenity of days gone by.
In the quarter-century since Pokémon first burst into the world, its slogan has gotten quite the workout. The entire franchise is about catching 'em all, but that sentiment has proven rather adaptable. When it comes to Pokémon video games, you've gotta play 'em all. Love the cards and merchandise? You've gotta collect 'em all. Adore seeing pocket monsters on-screen? You've gotta watch 'em all. Like Pokémon-themed doughnuts? You need to devour 'em all. Hang on, Pokémon-themed doughnuts? Yes, they're a real thing that you can indeed munch your way through now, all thanks to Krispy Kreme. And, in the spirit of the franchise, you really do need to catch them separately if you're eager to get your fix in-store, with a different variety of doughy goodness dropping every fortnight from Tuesday, September 7. On the menu: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Poké Ball doughnuts, with each type decked out in the appropriate colours and decorations. Obviously, if you're saying "I choose you" to a Pikachu doughnut, you're tucking into yellow icing — atop a doughnut that's filled with choc crème, then dipped in white truffle, and then decked out with a Pikachu white chocolate plaque. If you're grabbing a Poké Ball variety, you'll find it covered in white icing and red sprinkles, and also with an appropriate white choc plaque. The Bulbasaur type features green apple icing, sand sugar and a crème swirl, while the Charmander kind is orange-hued and filled with vanilla custard. And, when it comes to the light blue-toned Squirtle, it's jammed with strawberry filling. You'll find the Pokémon doughnuts at Krispy Kreme stores across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Auckland — or, if you fancy catching 'em all in once, you can grab a 12-pack (featuring one Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Poké Ball doughnut, two Pikachu doughnuts and six original glazed doughnuts) online. And if you're wondering why you're now able to eat 'em all, that's because Krispy Kreme is celebrating Pokémon's 25th anniversary. If you want to bust out Pokémon Go while you're snacking, or watch Detective Pikachu, that's perfectly understandable. Krispy Kreme's Pokémon range is available from Tuesday, September 7 — with a different doughnut on offer in-store every fortnight (for $3.75 each) and the full collection available online (in dozen packs for $29.95).
Been seeing idyllic tiny houses all over your feed lately? Well here's your chance to join the tiny crowd. The guys at Tiny Away have just built a collection of cabins at the foot of the Grampians National Park. The new site is called Tiny Away Escape at Grampians Edge, and there are ten tiny houses on the property so far, set amongst the gum trees of the Grampians. There are also a bunch of communal amenities, like a recreation room, outdoor fire pit and swimming pool. "Whether you're a couple looking to break away from it all, or a family or group looking for a multi-site accommodation offering, Tiny Away Escape at Grampians Edge is an exciting innovation of the Australian resort concept and we're thrilled to be able to start to welcoming guests," Tiny Away co-founder Jeff Yeo says. The tiny houses themselves are all sustainably-built and include your usual mod-cons: split-system air conditioning, a teeny kitchenette, cooking stuff and a bathroom with gas-heated showers. Tiny Away Escape also has powered and unpowered sites nearby, if tiny houses are too spacious and you'd rather sleep in a tent, or a swag. Bookings for Tiny Away Escape at Grampians Edge are open now. More are expected to follow, and you can check out the tiny houses here. Images: Supplied
Fresh off the heels of opening its massive 1200-person island-themed bar in Docklands, the Moon Dog crew has announced plans for another venue — this time down the coast in Frankston. Moon Dog Beach Club is slated to open at the end of 2024, and will bring tropical island vibes to the seaside suburb. It is still currently under construction, but we can expect to find a huge balcony beer garden with day beds and palm trees, four bars slinging cocktail buckets and boozy slushies, and a beer- and prawn-filled cabana hut — because, why not? In true Moon Dog style, this is set to be over the top and a heap of nonsensical fun. Moon Dog Beach Club will also host regular DJs and live music sets that'll play late into the night, plus pour a stack of its own beers, seltzers, and playful cocktails. The kitchen will then be dishing up pub classics like parmas, burgers and ribs (you'll find these eats at just about every Moon Dog bar), alongside seafood platters, a Big Kahuna burger, and a selection of snacks. Moon Dog CEO and co-founder Josh Uljans shared, "When we found the site, we immediately knew our only option was to put a Moon Dog spin on a beach club, to make something really special and unique for the area. "We want Moon Dog Beach Club to be somewhere people can go to spend time with their mates and leave their worries at the door!" [caption id="attachment_975851" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Doglands[/caption] Moon Dog Beach Club is slated to open in late 2024 at 490 Nepean Highway, Frankston. For more information, you can check out the venue's website.
Skip the airfare but enjoy the party: that's the wallet-friendly outcome when Don't Let Daddy Know makes its Australian debut this summer. First held in Ibiza in 2012, the dance music festival has spread to 20 countries around the world since, including events in the UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, India, Belgium and The Netherlands. Now, it has just announced its first trip Down Under. Next stops: Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. DLDK will hit Australia's east coast in January 2024, on a three-stop tour over one big weekend. The tunes will start at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday, January 12, then take over Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, January 13, before hitting up Eatons Hill Outdoors on Sunday, January 14. While getting everyone feeling like they're on an island in the Mediterranean Sea isn't an easy task, DLDK will be letting its tunes take care of the vibe. Enter a lineup featuring AFROJACK, Timmy Trumpet, MORTEN and Sub Zero Project, as well as RESTRICTED, Dimatik and Bobby Neon. So, that means dancing to 'Take Over Control', 'Freaks', 'Domestic', 'Darkest Hour' and more, at a festival that's dedicated to pairing well-known dance music names with up and comers. Australia keeps welcoming local stints for well-known overseas fests and parties, after This Never Happened Presents made its first Aussie visit this winter, and also Palm Tree Music Festival in autumn. DON'T LET DADDY KNOW 2024 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Friday, January 12 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, January 13 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Sunday, January 14 — Eatons Hill Outdoors, Brisbane DON'T LET DADDY KNOW 2024 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: AFROJACK Timmy Trumpet MORTEN Sub Zero Project RESTRICTED Bobby Neon Dimatik Don't Let Daddy Know will tour Australia in January 2024. Ticket pre sales start from 12pm local time on Wednesday, October 11, with general sales from 12pm local time on Tuesday, October 17 — head to the festival's website for further details.
The folks at Moo Brew are launching a limited edition beer to celebrate some fairly limited edition humans. Available at select venues in Hobart for just a few days at the end of April, Moo Brew Wet Hop is the latest creation from the MONA's onsite brewery, and comes emblazoned with the image of a video store employee on the can, along with the slogan "a super rare beer for super rare people". The brewery has created just 70 kegs of the Moo Brew Wet Hop, so named because it was made within two days of the hops being harvested. Described as a "bright, hoppy and deliciously refreshing pilsner," it's expected to sell out within days of becoming available. To celebrate their latest baby, Moo Brew is hosting a launch party on the evening of April 26 at Video City, a VHS rental store in the Hobart suburb of Newtown. In addition to the store employees, other rare guests will reportedly include a fax machine repairman, a blacksmith, a chimney sweep and a full service servo attendant.
Whether you're sipping a flat white in a sun-drenched cafe or working from a stylish, art-filled office, great design has a way of elevating everyday moments. That's exactly what the Australian Interior Design Awards sets out to celebrate — and the 2025 shortlist, which has just dropped, is here to inspire some serious interior envy. For its 22nd year, the awards have nominated 195 standout projects that showcase the best of Australian interior design across residential, hospitality, retail and public spaces. Presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Architecture Media's InteriorsAu, the awards continue to spotlight spaces around the country that don't just look good — they feel good, too. [caption id="attachment_973588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] National Communication Museum, Casey Horsfield[/caption] So, where can you find the year's most boundary-pushing interiors? If you're in Victoria, you can head to sleek Fitzroy hotel The StandardX, Exhibition Street spot Juni, as well as luxe boutique hotel Melbourne Place and its subterranean bar Mr Mills. Other south-of-the-Murray venues that made the shortlist include Hawthorn's National Communication Museum (pictured above) and the revamp of 120 Collins Street, while Victoria's retail nominations run the gamut from Melbourne Airport's new-look Terminal 1 dining and retail precinct to hole-in-the-wall smoothie, yoghurt and açai bar Bitterjoy. A number of new Sydney restaurants and dining precincts headline the NSW contingent, including Wunderlich Lane's contemporary Greek spot Olympus (pictured below), Sofitel Sydney Wentworth's Bar Tilda, Neil Perry's Cantonese diner Song Bird and multi-venue Japanese dining destination Prefecture 48. Sydney nominees for public design include the revamped City Recital Hall, as well as Bondi Junction adaptive reuse project The Boot Factory. The Sunshine State is also well represented on AIDA's shortlist. Leading the charge are Queen Street diners Supernormal and Central, while moody West End hangout +81 Aizome Bar has also been recognised. Elsewhere, luxe wellness space The Bathhouse Albion and the pared-back, brick-and-mortar Newstead home of Brisbane jeweller BrownHaus are among the hospitality and retail nominees, respectively. This year's winners across all categories will be revealed at a gala dinner at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins on Friday, June 6. [caption id="attachment_966315" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Supernormal Brisbane, Earl Carter[/caption] [caption id="attachment_962736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Place, supplied[/caption] [caption id="attachment_973981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prefecture 48, supplied[/caption] [caption id="attachment_984056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] +81 Aizome Bar, supplied[/caption] For the full Australian Interior Design Awards 2025 shortlist, head to the AIDA website. Top image: The StandardX.
Boasting a majestic piece of Point Lonsdale real estate, complete with 360-degree views of the bay, Lon Retreat and Spa is the latest incarnation of luxury accomodation Lonsdale Views. It opened its doors in October, following a huge, 18-month transformation of the 200-acre family-owned property. The luxury retreat features seven sanctuary-like suites, each one decked out differently to mirror a particular aspect of the surrounding landscape. Expect earthy, natural tones throughout, with most of the furniture, ceramics, artwork and lighting sourced or crafted locally. As well as the plush rooms, Lon boasts its own private beach access, a guest lounge with an open fire and views across the ocean, a private art gallery showcasing local works, and an indoor heated pool fed by mineral water. In the spa, you'll also find an OTT eight-jet shower. Outside the retreat, you'll find nature walks spread all across the property, if some fresh air and leg stretching is on the agenda. And, while there's no restaurant on site, guests can still indulge in a swag of local goodies, thanks to the honesty bar and a 'Makers and Growers Pantry', showing off top Bellarine produce. Room rates at Lon Retreat and Spa will start at around $360 per night, with a two-night minimum stay. The price includes access to the pool and a hamper full of breakfast treats courtesy of Annie's Kitchen in nearby Barwon Heads. Lon Retreat and Spa wis now open at 25 Gill Road, Point Lonsdale — an hour-and-a-half's drive from Melbourne's CBD. Images: Nikole Ramsay Photography.
Remember Tiger King mania? Of course you do. When Netflix's true-crime docoseries about Joe Exotic dropped in March 2020, it seemed as if everyone on the planet tuned in, dropped their jaws and couldn't stop talking about the chaotic real-life story. The fact that it released just as worldwide lockdowns hit helped boost its success, obviously. In the aftermath, other networks and platforms in the US rushed to get in on the action. That's when dramatised versions of the former Oklahoma private zookeeper's tale started being greenlit all over the place. Two big new series were swiftly slated: one starring Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters and Yesterday's Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin — a glorious piece of casting if ever there was one — and a completely separate show with none other than Nicolas Cage playing Exotic. Neither series has surfaced yet, thanks to the pandemic. But, in sad news for Cage fans (aka everyone), the second show has just been scrapped. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have reported that the Amazon has ditched its series — which means no blonde mullet for Cage. There's a chance the folks behind it might shop it around to other streamers and networks; although, whether anyone else picks it up, and if Cage will still remain onboard to play the tiger aficionado, one-time US presidential candidate and current incarcerated felon, is all clearly yet to be seen. This take on Exotic's tale was expected to chart his origin story, chronicling how he took on that moniker, became a larger-than-life version of himself and found himself on his present path. While Exotic has received plenty of media attention in his time, particularly recently, the Amazon series was due to take its cues from Leif Reigstad's 2019 Texas Monthly article 'Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild'. For now, anyone keen on more Tiger King mayhem will need to wait until the McKinnon-starring series comes to fruition. It's actually set to shoot in Brisbane this year. And, Cage fans will just have to console themselves by looking forward to him playing himself, and playing a truffle hunter as well. If you need a reminder as to why Joe Exotic's story keeps on keeping on, check out the Tiger King trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acTdxsoa428 The Nicolas Cage-starring Joe Exotic series has just been scrapped by Amazon. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is available to stream on Netflix, though. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Netflix.
Like furniture-filled playgrounds for adults, IKEA's warehouse-style stores aren't just a shopping space — they're the place where we all go to dream about our ideal homes. Who hasn't wandered through the Swedish retailer's showroom setup, felt inspiration strike and suddenly known exactly what you want your house to look like? We all have, and that's often why visiting the chain isn't a short trip. Fancy decking out a specific part of your home, but without also conjuring up plans for every other single room in your house, then picking up three throw cushions, realising you need a new lamp, somehow buying another Billy bookcase and also eating all of the Swedish meatballs? In other words, fancy solving a particular home-design problem without indulging in the full IKEA experience? That's where the brand's Plan and Order Point concept stores come in — a place, as the name suggests, where you can simply plan out what you need, then order it, all while getting advice from IKEA experts (and, yes, without having to wander through the chain's warehouses). IKEA has been rolling out its Plan and Order Point locations around the world for a few years now, but not in Australia — until Thursday, September 29. The first Aussie version of the concept store will launch at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne and focus on the brand's more complex home solutions and products, such as kitchens and wardrobes. Know that you want to give your kitchen a makeover, but daunted by the IKEA options? Desperate to organise your clothes, but looking for some advice about what'd work best for your bedroom? That's the kind of one-on-one service that'll be on offer — after which customers can order whatever they've decided upon while they're still at the Plan and Order Point, and then either get it delivered or pick it up at your chosen IKEA warehouse. "IKEA already has a strong presence in the Melbourne market, but with the IKEA Highpoint Plan and Order Point we can engage with new Melbourne customers in a more personalised and bespoke way than ever before," said Julian Pertile, Manager of IKEA Richmond and the new Plan and Order Point. "We hope to welcome customers that have never shopped with us before, as well as existing customers that may have found creating complex solutions, such as a kitchen or wardrobe system, too daunting to tackle alone." IKEA's debut Australian Plan and Order Point comes just months after it also launched its As-Is Online Australian marketplace nationwide, allowing customers to search for and purchase discontinued, ex-display and pre-loved products. Although Highpoint's new Aussie-first store doesn't open till the end of September, it's taking bookings for planning appointments via the IKEA website from Thursday, September 15. And if this sounds like your ideal IKEA experience but you're not in Melbourne, there's still good news — if the Highpoint outpost proves a success, IKEA may look to open other Plan and Order Point locations around Australia in 2023. IKEA's Highpoint Plan and Order Point will open on Thursday, September 29 at Highpoint Shopping Centre, 120–200 Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong, Victoria. Bookings for appointments can be made via the IKEA website from Thursday, September 15.
With music festivals popping up in every corner of the country with frequency, especially in these post-COVID-restrictions times, an event has to be mighty special to warrant travelling intrastate or interstate. Riverboats Music Festival is one such event, and the reason is right there in its name. A mainstay of Victoria's Echuca-Moama region that'll celebrate its 11th instalment in 2023, it usually hosts its fest on the banks of the Murray River — and includes intimate sideshows on the PS Pevensey paddlesteamer. Due to 2022's flooding of the event's usual home at Aquatic Reserve, the 2023 fest is actually moving to Echuca's Victoria Park Reserve when it returns from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19. But the music on a riverboat part still remains, as ticketed separately. So, you can head to the region for three days of tunes as part of the broader event, spend your time on the river, or mix and match both. Heading the on-land lineup: Marlon Williams, Spiderbait, CW Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra and The Whitlams, plus The Rolling Stones Revue featuring Adalita, Phil Jamieson and Tex Perkins. That's a whole heap of big-name talent from across Australia and New Zealand right there, and it's just the beginning of the 2023 bill. Also on the roster, and playing the paddlesteamer as well, are Alice Skye, Felix Riebl, Andy Golledge, WILSN, Bones & Jones and Watty Thompson. If you go for the boat option, you'll hear their sets while cruising down the river, in the kind of fest experience you truly don't get at every event. "Echuca-Moama has gone through an incredibly challenging period over the last few weeks, and our hearts go out to all those affected by the recent floods," said Festival Director Dave Frazer, announcing the lineup. "Riverboats has been part of the Echuca-Moama community for over tehn years now, and whilst we're sad to be leaving Aquatic Reserve next year, we can't wait to put on a spectacular show at Victoria Park in a few months time," he continued. If you're keen, the last festival sold out in just six days, so nabbing tickets ASAP is recommended. RIVERBOATS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Marlon Williams Spiderbait CW Stoneking & His Primitive Horn Orchestra The Rolling Stones Revue featuring Adalita Phil Jamieson and Tex Perkins The Whitlams Felix Riebl Alice Skye Tami Neilson Thornbird Katy Steele Andy Golledge Band WILSN Bones & Jones Watty Thompson Bud Rokesky MC Brian Nankervis The 2023 Riverboats Music Festival will take place from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19 at Echuca's Victoria Park Reserve, with tickets on sale now.
A couple of years back, a ramen joint in Sydney served up $400 bowls of brothy, noodle-filled goodness, complete with a full lobster and a golden head as a garnish. If you wanted to give it a try, you clearly needed deep pockets. But it now looks positively cheap and affordable compared to Australia's new $15,000 gold-infused cocktail. Yes, you read that amount correctly. Yes, that's a ridiculous sum of money for a drink. No, we didn't add an extra zero, or two or three — because $150 or $1500 cocktails would still elicit the same reaction. The bank balance-crushing tipple — called the Woodford Gold Fashioned — will clearly be the most pricey old fashioned you ever come across, and has unsurprisingly been dubbed Australia's most expensive cocktail. It's also only on offer for a limited time at two Australian bars for Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week. That celebration, as the name makes plain, hails from booze brand Woodford Reserve and is all about showcasing one specific type of boozy concoction. The fest itself is popping up at 200-plus bars Australia-wide, running from Saturday, November 5–Monday, November 14. Only Sydney's Dean and Nancy on 22 and Melbourne's Sky Bar will be serving up the $15,000 versions, though. What do you get for that hefty cost? An old fashioned made with Woodford's XO cognac-finished Baccarat Edition, as paired with a gold-infused Chateau d'Yquem reduction, plus handmade saffron and vanilla bitters. Even the ice that's popped in it is fancy — it'll be specially engraved — and the whole sip is poured into a hand-cut French crystal Baccarat tumbler. If you're wondering, the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo has a Diamonds Are Forever martini that costs US$19,000, so a more expensive drink does exist. The Woodford Gold Fashioned one comes in after that, making it the second-most expensive cocktail worldwide. Somehow manage to stump up the cash for a Woodford Gold Fashioned and you'll also get an at-home cocktail kit, which includes a pair of the same Baccarat tumblers and a bottle of Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition. If you're paying $15,000 for a cocktail, it really does need to come with freebies to enjoy afterwards. The Woodford Gold Fashioned will be available from Saturday, November 5–Monday, November 14 at Sydney's Dean and Nancy on 22 and Melbourne's Sky Bar for Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week.
When Dark Mofo announced its 2023 lineup, it promised a sleepover. The Tasmanian festival also promised everything from a Twin Peaks-inspired ball to Soda Jerk's latest film; however, slumbering at the gleefully weird, wild and wonderful winter event was always going to stand out. Usually, Dark Mofo attendees are doing anything but catching 40 winks, instead staying up all night and making the most of the jam-packed program — not popping on their pyjamas and bunking down for the evening. The sleepover comes courtesy of Max Richter's SLEEP, which returns to Australia for a new eight-and-a-half-hour overnight stint. The session kicks off on Wednesday, June 14, greets the day on Thursday, June 15 and, unsurprisingly, is already sold out. Fancy playing along — well, kipping along — at home in your own bed? Dark Mofo is now making that happening with a live broadcast of the entire Australian-exclusive performance. [caption id="attachment_659938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Allan[/caption] If you're new to Richter's and to SLEEP, attendees get some shuteye while Richter's compositions play. The former usually happens on beds at venues around the world, and the latter is based on the neuroscience of nodding off. In the past, Richter's SLEEP performances have been held at the Sydney Opera House, Philharmonie de Paris and Grand Park in Los Angeles, as well as at New York City's Spring Studios, London's Barbican and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. There's even a documentary about it that'll instantly get you excited if you aren't already. [caption id="attachment_659957" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rahi Rezvani[/caption] Lucky Dark Mofo ticketholders will be dozing at MAC2, but everyone else can join in and get the SLEEP experience by tuning into Edge Radio for the night. The live broadcast will start at 11.59pm on Wednesday, June 14, running until 8am on Thursday, June 15, so don't go planning an early start at work that morning. What makes SLEEP so unique? It isn't just a case of Richter and the American Contemporary Music Ensemble performing all night in different spots around the globe. The piece is informed by the neuroscience of sleep and takes its moniker seriously. Accordingly, it features slow-paced movements to help listeners tune out everything but the music as they slip into slumber — and to slow down their own pace in general. Yes, it's basically a lullaby — and it's enchanting. Here's a glimpse of SLEEP from its stint at the Sydney Opera House in 2016: Max Richter's SLEEP will broadcast live from Dark Mofo 2023 from 11.59pm on Wednesday, June 14–8am on Thursday, June 15 via Edge Radio. Dark Mofo 2023 runs from Thursday, June 8–Thursday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. For more information, head to the festival's website. You can also check out our wholesome-to-hedonistic guide, which'll help you stack your Dark Mofo itinerary based on the level of chaos you're after — and our Dark Mofo picks for last-minute planners. Top image: Max Richter - SLEEP im Kraftwerk Berlin am 15.03.2016. Foto: Stefan Hoederath.
Back in the 2000s, if you weren't listing to Interpol and Bloc Party, were you really in the 2000s? No, no you weren't. The former arrived out of Manhattan in the late 90s, then helped define the city's turn-of-the-century indie music scene with The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and The National. Hailing from Britain and also coming together just before Y2K, the latter initially scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano. From those beginnings, both bands became indie rock greats. Next, they're heading to Australia to remind music lovers why. Busting out everything from 'Slow Hands' to 'She's Hearing Voices', the two groups will share the same bill on a co-headlining tour of the country's east coast in November, starting at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, then hitting Sydney's Hordern Pavilion and finally playing the Brisbane Riverstage. For Interpol, it'll be their first visit Down Under since 2019, plus their debut chance to play 2022 album The Other Side of Make-Believe in Australia. Tracks from past records such as Turn on the Bright Lights, Antics and El Pintor will also feature. Bloc Party are making the trip after last rocking Aussie stages in 2018, and will perform songs from Silent Alarm, A Weekend in the City, Intimacy and 2022 LP Alpha Games. "We are so happy to be hitting the road with our friends Bloc Party in Australia. Come on down!" said Interpol, announcing the tour. "The histories of Bloc Party and Interpol are intertwined at various stages of our careers. It made perfect sense to us to solidify that by playing some massive shows together in one of our favourite countries on earth. We can't wait to get back to Australia in November," added Bloc Party's Kele Okereke. INTERPOL AND BLOC PARTY AUSTRALIAN CO-HEADLINE TOUR 2023: Thursday, November 16 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Saturday, November 18 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Wednesday, November 22 — Riverstage, Brisbane Interpol and Bloc Party are touring Australia's east coast in November 2023, with presales from 9am on Wednesday, July 5 and general sales from 9am on Friday, July 7. Hit up the tour website for further details. Bloc Party images: James Kellegher. Interpol image: Ebru Yildiz.
Can you remember what Homer sells his soul to the devil in exchange for? If you answered a doughnut you might have a shot at Bartronica's Treehouse of Horrors Simpsons trivia night. The Treehouse of Horrors episodes have featured some of the most memorable moments throughout the show's 29 and counting seasons, and this trivia evening sets out to test your Simpsons knowledge with a deep-dive into the first ten episodes of the Treehouse of Horrors series. Tucked away in a discrete Flinders Lane basement in Melbourne CBD, Bartronica is one of the city's best gaming arcades and is home to some downright classics like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Time Crisis II, NBA Jam and – of course – The Simpsons arcade game from way back in 1991. There's also a room dedicated to pinball machines, plus Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo to round out the retro goldmine.
The best spot in Australia for a picnic is hotly contested. Melbourne has some good ones. So do Sydney and Brisbane. Mount Buffalo, a picturesque mountain surrounded by green valleys roughly a four-hour drive from Melbourne, is now coming for the title — as long as you're not afraid of heights. The Bright Adventure Company is offering secluded picnics for thrill-seekers suspended off the cliff face of Mount Buffalo, on a platform 300 meters off the ground. For $449, you'll get a set up on the suspended ledge suitable for two people, a delicious picnic hamper and all the safety equipment and training required. Then you can relax with your partner or picnic buddy as you take in the views of the Mount Buffalo National Park. All you need to bring is warm clothes, sturdy shoes, a water bottle and a total lack of fear of heights. The experience goes for three hours with sunrise, lunch and dinner packages all available. If you have a group of four you can organise a set of two edges side-by-side so you can share the experience with your besties. Book a cliff picnic through the Bright Adventure Company. Before heading interstate, check the relevant state's COVID-19 guidelines.
Luxury spas and wellness clubs are popping up all over Australia right now, but more affordable alternatives are a little more difficult to find. Most of us can't fork out hundreds of dollars a month to relax our stressed-out minds and restore our tired bodies. Enter P3 Recovery, a not-so-spenny Queensland-based wellness brand that's got big expansion plans across the country's east coast. It currently has four locations — two in Brisbane, one on the Gold Coast and now, one in Port Melbourne — but there are over ten more in the works, in big cities and regional towns all along the eastern seaboard. No venue is exactly the same, but you'll likely find infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, hot and cold baths, and a range of therapy treatments — from compression therapy and IV therapy to breathwork classes and contrast therapy. These are available to those recovering from injuries, training to be fitter or simply looking to unwind. Compared to the luxury spas that dominate this kind of comprehensive wellness scene, weekly memberships and individual sessions are somewhat cheaper — but prices do vary from site to site. The entry-level memberships give you access to wet therapy spaces (from about $25–$35 a week), while the incrementally more expensive options let you try more and more of the technologies available — these can get a lot pricier. You can also just book a one-off session if that's more your jam, either by yourself or with mates. P3 isn't as swish as the best spas in Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney, but you don't necessarily need all the bells and whistles when seeking that self-care life. Current P3 Recovery wellness centres can be found in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne, with plenty more locations to come. For more information, head to the brand's website.
He's one of the world's most renowned chefs, his three Michelin-starred restaurant Osteria Francescana claiming top spot on this year's prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants list. And now, culinary powerhouse Massimo Bottura is swapping kitchen for stage, heading Down Under and travelling the country for a speaking tour next August. Bottura, who you'll have spied getting wildly creative with his native Italian cuisine — and doing so to save thousands of wheels of parmigiano-reggiano — in episode one of Netflix series Chef's Table, is well-known for his storytelling, as well as for a deep love of art, music and history. Audiences are sure to gain colourful insight into the chef's childhood, his life spent in the Northern Italian city of Modena, and the rich local history and culinary traditions that helped ignite his love of food. Bottura will also share another of his passions, speaking about his own work in the fight against food waste and hunger. As founder of non-profit Food for Soul, which empowers communities to fight food waste and social isolation, the Italian chef's helmed a series of community kitchens and drop-in dining halls across Milan, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and London. He's long championed the idea that a chef's responsibility extends far beyond the kitchen and into their community, to help inspire global change. MASSIMO BOTTURA 2019 DATES Perth — Riverside Theatre, August 6 Sydney — The State Theatre, August 8 Melbourne — MCEC, August 10 Brisbane — BCEC, August 13 Tickets are on sale April 3, 2019. Register now for pre-sale.
Maybe your nieces and nephews got you onto it, or the other kids in your life. Perhaps you just like all-ages-friendly animation, especially when it's an Australian series about a family of blue heelers. Or, you might've become a convert at one of the hugely popular Bluey live gigs that've been touring the country. Whichever fits, and whether you're a big Bluey fan even without kids in tow or you've always wondered why adults love it as well, Airbnb is bringing the homegrown show to life. As the accommodation platform has done with other pop culture favourites overseas — such as Carrie's Sex and the City apartment and the house from Home Alone — it's putting a replica of the Bluey house in Brisbane up for rent. Two adults and two kids will be able to spend two nights in a home that recreates the Heeler family's abode — but IRL rather than in cute pixels, obviously. Given that the show was created in Queensland, is produced in Queensland and uses Brisbane as inspiration for its on-screen setting, there was clearly only one city that could host this screen-to-reality experience. The Bluey house marks the first-ever Australian location in Airbnb's Only On Airbnb program — aka the part of the platform that lists all those pop culture-themed spots and offers up the type of experiences that money couldn't buy elsewhere. So this time, Aussies don't need to feel envious of their overseas pals. You do have to be ready to spend a couple days immersed in all things Bluey, though. Here's what's on offer: a stay in the house, which is located in suburban Brisbane, between Friday, February 18–Sunday, February 20 for $20 a night; a behind-the-scenes tour of Ludo Studio, where Bluey is created; Chinese takeaway to eat in the backyard; a cake-decorating afternoon, focusing on the show's famous duck cake; and a puppet-making craft session that's all about Bob Bilby. That, and all the work that's been done to make the house look like where Bluey's eponymous six-year-old dog, mum Chilli, dad Bandit and little sister Bingo live. Those decorating touches include the red letterbox, bone-shaped chimney and recognisable bay window, plus other design features — and toys, of course — inside in the rooms and outside in the backyard for kids. If you're keen — and you've got some young relatives to take along with you — you'll need to apply to book at 7am AEST / 8am AEDT on Tuesday, February 15. You'll also need to have a verified Airbnb profile, a history of positive reviews and be aged over 18. Also, no pets are allowed, even while you're celebrating cartoon canines. For more information about Airbnb's Bluey house in Brisbane, or to apply to book at 7am AEST / 8am AEDT on Tuesday, February 15, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Image: Hannah Puechmarin.
Things are looking up in Brisbane, with rooftop bars popping up all around the River City in recent years, plus a new 100-metre-high Sky Deck set to follow. Sydney has the Sydney Tower Eye, Melbourne has its Skydeck and now the Queensland capital will gain its own lofty tourist attraction — complete with a restaurant, bar, glass-floor viewing platform, and 360-degree vantage out over the Brisbane CBD and Brisbane River. The Brisbane Sky Deck forms part of the city's $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf precinct, a project that's been in the works for at least eight years now. Finally slated to open by the end of 2023, and sprawling between Alice, George, Queen and William streets, the development will be crowned by the sky-high spot to grab a bite, drink and take in stunning views — which'll sit atop everything other dining options, hotels, shops, apartments and a heap of public space. While part of one of Queen's Wharf's resident resorts — it's set to feature four hotels — Sky Deck will be open to the public. Also, it isn't small, with a capacity of 1500 visitors at a time. Here, folks keen to scale great heights can also host parties, with an events space part of the setup. Brisbanites, your shindigs are looking up as well. Specific details about Sky Deck's restaurant and bar, including their menus and operators, haven't yet been revealed; however, that glass-bottomed platform will sit around the midway mark of the structure. From the just-released artists impressions of the venue, locals and tourists alike can expect ample greenery and crucial outdoor seating elsewhere, the latter giving everyone plenty of places to stop, sit and take in the panoramic vista. Expect Brisbane's Sky Deck to be popular, too. The Queensland Government certainly does, with Deputy Premier Steven Miles advising in a statement that "the Sky Deck will be a magnet for the estimated 1.4 million international, interstate and local visitors to the city each year." As for the rest of the Queen's Wharf Brisbane redevelopment area, it spans across 12 hectares in the CBD, and will include around 50 new bars, cafes and restaurant; a casino; those four aforementioned hotels; approximately 1500 apartments; and a swathe of retailers in a huge new shopping precinct. The full precinct features repurposed heritage buildings, too, plus the Neville Bonner Bridge and Brissie's first riverside bikeway cafe. For Brisbane inhabitants, Queen's Wharf has been in the making for so long — and the construction around it just seems to be taking forever, too — that it feels like it has always been coming. But "let's meet at Queen's Wharf" is something that'll soon be able to be said, including by visitors. Ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, the River City is transformation central, including tearing down and rebuilding the Gabba; renewing and reinvigorating South Bank, complete with a treetop walk, a permanent handmade goods market and new riverside lawns; making over Victoria Park; and revamping and expanding Northshore Hamilton. Also, a new seven-hectare riverside parkland is set to join South Brisbane, QPAC's fifth theatre is under construction and Kangaroo Point is set to score a new green bridge with an overwater bar and restaurant. Queen's Wharf is slated to start opening in the Brisbane CBD from late 2023. We'll update you when a specific date is announced — and you can find out further details in the interim via the development's website.
Back in 2011, Ben Quilty won the Archibald Prize for one of his most striking pieces — a portrait of fellow Australian artist Margaret Olley. Befitting his usual style, it fashions her likeness out of heavy yet purposeful brushstrokes and visible, tangible smudges of paint, bringing not just colour to the painting, but discernible texture, movement and vibrancy as well. When the octogenarian Olley sat for Quilty, it wasn't the first time that the pair had crossed paths. She presented him with the Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship in 2002, and a friendship blossomed. While Olley passed away in the same year that Quilty's portrait nabbed Australia's top art prize, the two titans of the local art scene once again sit side by side at the Gallery of Modern Art's latest dual exhibitions — with Margaret Olley: A Generous Life focusing on her prosperous career and Quilty highlighting two decades of his work. On display until Sunday, October 13, the two free showcases are filled with standout pieces, spanning delicate sketches of Brisbane from times gone by, striking still lifes, mesmerising Rorschach-style landscapes, contemplative portraits and creative sculpture, among other works. With more than 170 items decking the walls across both exhibitions, each one is worth your time; however it you're wondering which paintings to look out for, here are our six tips. MARGARET OLLEY: A GENEROUS LIFE [caption id="attachment_730009" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Victoria Bridge (1966), Margaret Olley. From the Moreton Bay Regional Council (Caboolture Art Gallery) Collection.[/caption] VICTORIA BRIDGE Living in the city on and off for much of her life, Margaret Olley turned many of Brisbane's streets and sights into art. Several pieces comprise an entire section of A Generous Life, not only offering a snapshot of the artist's work, but a time capsule of the city from five decades ago. Perhaps because it's such a crucial part of the CBD, or perhaps because it has changed significantly since Olley's 1966 work, her rendering of Victoria Bridge makes a splash. Linking the north and south sides of the river in the CBD, the overwater roadway is a functional crossing rather than anything spectacular to look at; however, in a simple inner-city landscape that combines pen and watercolour, this vivid piece will make you think otherwise. It actually depicts the previous version of the bridge, which was replaced by the current structure in 1969. [caption id="attachment_730007" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The banana cutters (1963), Margaret Olley. Purchased 2014 with funds from Drs Philip and Lenna Smith through the Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA. [/caption] THE BANANA CUTTERS At GOMA's exhibition, separate areas are devoted to Olley's still-life paintings and her Indigenous portraits. Many straddle the divide — although, amidst bright pieces with eye-catching flowers and colourful fruit, The Banana Cutters stands out. Like her paintings of Brisbane as well, the piece captures Queensland history, showing a trio of the state's Indigenous workers plying their trade in the early 1960s. From a technical standpoint, it also achieves a significant feat as a detailed figure painting. There's much to marvel at in the intricate vision of three men making a living, as well as the window into the past that they represent. [caption id="attachment_730006" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Portrait in the mirror (1948), Margaret Olley. Gift of the artist 2001, © Estate of Margaret Olley. Photo: Diana Panuccio, AGNSW.[/caption] PORTRAIT IN THE MIRROR Olley, like many artists, wasn't afraid of using her own reflection as inspiration, as A Generous Life makes plain. Several of her self-portraits grace GOMA's walls, offering an evolution of her style in a microcosm — an overview within an exhibition already designed to provide an overview, all by focusing on Olley's own form. And just as her eyes were drawn to her own guise over and over again, attendees will be drawn to 1943's Portrait in the Mirror, which features the artist surrounded by chosen belongings. Many will be instantly recognisable to those who've wandered through the preceding pieces, given that fruit and flowers feature prominently. QUILTY [caption id="attachment_730010" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Margaret Olley (2011), Ben Quilty. Image courtesy of the Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA. Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] MARGARET OLLEY While it sits on the A Generous Life side of GOMA's ground floor, rather than across the wide hallway in his own section, Ben Quilty's portrait of Margaret Olley is the centrepiece of both exhibitions — a fitting status for a work that won the 2011 Archibald Prize. When he emerged victorious, it was a case of seventh time lucky for the artist. When you take in his painting, it's easy to understand why. Here, the piece gets its own wall, as well as its own space to shine. Making the most of its placement, spending time with it and truly peering at every inch is recommended. You'll not only stare into the eyes of a woman rightfully celebrated as a great of Australian art, but, through his thick, almost sculptural globs of paint, you'll see her through Quilty's affectionate but unsentimental gaze. [caption id="attachment_730005" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Fairy Bower Rorschach (2012), Ben Quilty. Purchased with funds provided by the Patrick White Bequest Fund, 2012, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Courtesy the artist.[/caption] FAIRY BOWER RORSCHACH Comprised of eight panels and taking over an entire wall, this Rorschach-style piece recreates a scenic landscape. Instead of an ink blot, Quilty uses heavy paint, a mirrored composition, and soothing hues of green and blue to depict a picnic spot in Victoria. But the place and the image both hide a darker secret, with the spot reputedly the sight of a massacre in 1834, with Aboriginal Australian women and children killed. That's why Fairy Bower Rorschach doesn't just seem peaceful, but foreboding — and why its central waterfall can't wash away that feeling. A word of warning: it's one of several paintings in the exhibition to use the visual technique, and it's easy to lose track of time while you're standing before them. [caption id="attachment_730004" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ben Quilty. Top row: Reza (2016), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Reza; Omid Masoumali (2016), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Omid Masoumali; Omid Ali Avaz (2016), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Omid Ali Avaz. Second row: Ali Jaffari (2017), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Ali Jaffari; Mohammad Nazari (2017), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Mohammad Nazari; Khodayar Amini (2017), Gift of Paul Walker and Patricia Mason in memory of Khodayar Amini.[/caption] LIFE VESTS Sometimes, the simplest things make the biggest statement. For a person searching for refuge in Australia, making the perilous journey across the globe by boat and putting their very existence at risk, a life jacket isn't a simple item; however, to the rest of the world, its symbolism is now well-understood. Known as an Australian leader in activist art, Quilty's series of 12 life vests draws attention to the country's asylum seeker policy. More than that, it dedicates each image to the memory of someone who didn't survive the process, all after making it to the border and enduring what came next. Placed next to each other, this dramatic dozen is disarming by design and demands attention. It shouldn't escape notice that, while they're all grouped together, each vest sits alone in a separate piece, which is how the people who inspired them must've felt at the end of their lives. Margaret Olley: A Generous Life and Quilty are both free and on show at the Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane until October 13. Top images: Margaret Olley: A Generous Life exhibition views at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane. Images courtesy the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA). Photographs: Natasha Harth / Chloe Callistemon, QAGOMA.
Like show, like trailers: that's the approach that HBO is taking with getting everyone excited about House of the Dragon's return for season two. Fiery feuds are this show's baseline — this franchise's as well, since Game of Thrones was also full of them — so the Targaryen-focused series has scored not one but two new sneak peeks at what's to come. HBO is calling them "duelling trailers", in fact, in a first for the US network. There's also a trailer for the duelling trailers — because this pair of promos is all about getting audiences to choose a side. Given that the green and black councils are doing battle, one for King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney, Rogue Heroes) and the other for Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy, Mothering Sunday), the pair of House of the Dragon trailers also split their allegiances. Accordingly, viewers get a glimpse of the tale that's set to unravel from each camp's perspective. Just like winter, which is when House of the Dragon season two will hit Down Under — HBO also announced a Monday, June 17, 2024 premiere date with its new sneak peeks — the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons is coming, then. In the initial teaser for this season, Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best, Nurse Jackie) told her niece Rhaenyra that "there is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin — and no war so bloody as a war between dragons". Because this is the Game of Thrones realm, expect the events that unfurl in House of the Dragon to make good on that observation. Also returning in season two as the fight for the Iron Throne continues: Olivia Cooke (Slow Horses) as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith (Morbius) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhys Ifans (The King's Man) as Ser Otto Hightower and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, plus Fabien Frankel (The Serpent), Ewan Mitchell (Saltburn) and Sonoya Mizuno (Shortcomings). HBO is also adding new faces to the mix, with Clinton Liberty (This Is Christmas) as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna (Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story) as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew (Warrior) as Hugh, Tom Bennett (Black Ops) as Ulf, Tom Taylor (Love at First Sight) as Lord Cregan Stark and Vincent Regan (One Piece) as Ser Rickard Thorne. They join Abubakar Salim (Napoleon) as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin (Perry Mason) as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox (The Great) as Ser Gwayne Hightower and Simon Russell Beale (Thor: Love and Thunder) as Ser Simon Strong among the season two newcomers. When it premieres in June, House of the Dragon's second season will arrive two years after the first debuted in 2022. Game of Thrones was always going to spark spinoff shows. Indeed, when HBO started thinking about doing a prequel six years ago, before the huge fantasy hit had even finished its run, it was hardly surprising. And, when the US network kept adding ideas to its list — including a Jon Snow-focused series with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show, to name just a few prequels and spinoffs that've been considered, but may or may not actually come to fruition — absolutely no one was astonished. So far, just House of the Dragon has hit screens; however, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, the Dunk and Egg adaptation, is now due in 2025. WithHouse of the Dragon, Game of Thrones' first spinoff jumps back into House Targaryen's history. When it initially roared into streaming queues, it became an instant success. Accordingly, as it delivered more complicated GoT realm relationships, flowing long blonde hair, dragons, stabbings and fights for power — and plenty to fuel a drinking game, as we created — it was quickly renewed for season two. The series kicked off 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story, and gave HBO its largest American audience for any new original series in its history when it debuted. If you're thinking that House of the Dragon is basically a case of new show, same squabbles, as it was easy to foresee it would be, you're right. It's pretty much Game of Thrones with different faces bearing now well-known surnames — and more dragons. If you haven't yet caught up with the show so far, it dives into the battle for the Iron Throne before the one we all watched between 2011–19. Paddy Considine (The Third Day) started the series King Viserys — and it's exactly who should be his heir that sparked all the Succession-style fuss. The words "succession" and "successor" (and "heir" as well) got bandied around constantly, naturally. Also, Australian actors Milly Alcock and Ryan Corr were among the stars. This latest adaptation of George RR Martin's popular fantasy books — based on Fire & Blood, specifically — is bound to continue on for more than just two seasons, but that's all that's confirmed for the moment. Check out the duelling trailers (and the trailer for the duelling trailers) for House of the Dragon season two below: House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand, with season two arriving on Monday, June 17, 2024. Read our full review of season one. Images: HBO.
If you're a drinker of coffee, it's likely you're already familiar with Joseph Haddad's work. After all, he's the brains behind renowned specialty roaster Code Black, which launched in 2012 and has blossomed to encompass six local outposts. But for his latest project, Haddad's swapped beans for vino, opening the doors to an all-day wine bar and eatery on Flinders Lane. Simply named No. 100, it's drawing on a blend of Euro and Aussie influence, landing somewhere between dining room, deli and drinking destination. Hospitality design studio We Are Humble have worked their magic on the two-part venue, which greets you with a minimalist deli-style space that's primed for perching, then flows through into a chic 20-seat dining area filled with elegant timber panelling and metallic finishes. Drop by the former for a coffee (Code Black, of course), a sweet treat or one of the weekly changing sangas — perhaps starring chicken, stracciatella and rosemary lemon mayo, or porchetta with figs, ricotta and pistachio cream. The adjoining restaurant is plating up an oft-rotating menu celebrating simplicity and seasonality, which works just as well for lunch and dinner as for those in-between grazing sessions. You'll find small plates like baked fig done with honeycomb and mountain pepper ricotta, kingfish pastrami sided with crème fraiche, a chicken paté, and house focaccia served with whipped feta. Duck breast might be paired with pepitas and leek, squid noodles done with silverbeet and a hit of 'nduja, and a Basque cheesecake married with flavours of peach and thyme. There's also a $75 Feed Me option for when you're feeling indecisive. Meanwhile, wine-sippers are in expert hands with a list by Restaurant Manager and Head Sommelier Ellen Reinhardt, who brings experience from her time training at Le Cordon Bleu. Hitting a little differently to your usual wine lineup, this one's championing alternative Aussie varietals as well as spotlighting sustainable producers and a few international gems. A handful of cocktails sits alongside, including the Silver Fox, blending Code Black Coffee Liqueur with rye whisky and hazelnut. Find No. 100 at 100 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. The deli is open from 11am–2pm Tuesday to Saturday, while the restaurant is open 11am–late the same days. Images: Guy Lavoipierre
You demanded it, Australia. After apparently hypnotising the country with The Ghan, a three hour documentary about a train travelling from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs, SBS Viceland has announced it'll be broadcasting the extended edition of the film, which clocks in at a whopping 17 hours. Take that, Return of the King director's cut! The initial three-hour cut — billed as Australia's first foray into 'slow TV' — was a massive surprise hit for the network, drawing an average of 583,000 viewers. That makes it Viceland's biggest hit of the past 12 months. The doco was also widely discussed on social media, with #TheGhan trending nationally last Sunday night. https://twitter.com/mel_laah/status/949940354588999681 https://twitter.com/sgbrens/status/949959735905722368 https://twitter.com/quinnal/status/949932847497846785 https://twitter.com/kplyley/status/949959657530916864 The extended version will air this Sunday, January 14 starting at the bright and early time of 2.40am. It'll feature the entire 2979 kilometres, minus the sections at night when the screen would just be black, which, even by slow TV standards, doesn't sound all that interesting. In the meantime, you can catch up with the (relatively) short version of The Ghan via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiG3ipuB0Sw
It's time to shake off those thick coats, unleash the pale winter skin from beneath layers of black and stop worrying that you don't have your umbrella every time you leave the house — because summer is here. Melbourne may be the city of three seasons in a day, but at the first sign of summer sun we flock to the beach, parks, pools and amazing rooftop bars to enjoy a nice refreshing beverage. With so many great drinking options around the city, here are a few top recommendations for a summer tipple to get you in the spirit. Mojito, Los Barbudos Bringing Melbourne one-step closer to the colours and flavours of the vibrant Caribbean country, Los Barbudos are known for their traditional Cuban classics with great daiquiris, the El Presidente and — our top pick — a mojito ($10). Nothing could be more of a classic summer drink. Los Barbudos' version is full of white rum, lime, sugar, sparkling water and mint. You will be shocked at how fast these tasty treats disappear but, with prices this low, why not treat yourself to another one? 95 Smith Street, Fitzroy, (03) 9416 0079, losbarbudos.com.au Hard Iced Tea, Loop Roof A brand new rooftop bar has opened up above the cities favourite video bar, Loop. Officially named Loop Roof it has quickly been affectionately dubbed Looptop (see what we did there?). Looptop's menu features a huge range of top-notch cocktails, though it’s the hard iced tea selection that really shouts summer. Our pick for the best hard iced tea is the awkwardly named, but delicious tasting, Sunset Sparkle ($19) – Wyborowa vodka, pomme verte, T2 lychee sunrise tea syrup, fresh lemon, grapefruit peel and edible gold. Though we had the drink at night and were unable to see any sparkle, we have been told that under sunlight the edible golden spray used over the drink is quite a sight. Each hand-crafted tea syrup is created in house using tea from T2 and features a different ice cube full of delicious ingredients that are designed to melt and release more flavour into your drink as you go. On a side note, make sure you try the alcoholic snow cones (yes, really) with Ketel One vodka, watermelon shrub and lime. It's childhood nostalgia with an adult twist. 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne, (03) 9654 0500, looponline.com.au Red or White sangria, The Night Market We all love the Queen Victoria Night Markets. Sure, it's always overcrowded, but if you're after some of the tastiest food from around the world and free live entertainment — not to mention the people watching opportunities — then this is an event that can't be missed. With so many different multicultural hawker-style street food options available, there is no way anyone could try everything in one night alone (challenge accepted). Luckily for our aching bellies the markets will be operating every Wednesday night over summer. Wash down all that amazing food with a tasty (and huge) glass of sangria ($8). Served out of giant steel drums this is sangria made for the masses. There are two options, red or white and both are delicious. Grab yourself a huge glass, find a comfortable people watching spot near the bands and settle in for a warm summers night. Queen Victoria Market, cnr Victoria & Elizabeth Streets, every Wednesday night 5-10pm, qvm.com.au Vida Fiasco, Loch and Key Hidden above bushranger themed bar and restaurant Captain Melville, Loch and Key may be new but it's quickly making a name for itself as a great late night lounge bar. The space has been fitted out with lots of nooks to hide away in with a cheeky beverage and some good company. If you feel like you need a bit of private space then duck into one of their confessional booths. Our pick for a warm night however is to make your way onto their huge balcony overlooking Franklin Street with a cocktail in hand. Try the smoky Vida Fiasco: Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, fresh passionfruit, agave nectar and lime ($18). Mezcal is such an underrated spirit and gives this drink a lovely smoky flavour, perfectly balanced with the sweet passionfruit and agave. Above Captain Melville, via rear laneway, Level 1, 34 Franklin Street, Melbourne, captainmelville.com.au Campari Spritz, Carlton Espresso Walking down the Italian side of Lygon Street on a warm summers day, it's hard not to see the hordes of cafe-goers staking out prime people watching spots in front of Carlton Espresso. Also known as D.O.C Espresso, this Carlton landmark cafe knows how to make a great coffee — but on warm days all you should think about ordering is a refreshingly chilled Campari Spritz ($10). Served in a deep wine glass you have the fantastically bitter orange liqueur mixed perfectly with sweet Italian sparkling prosecco, a dash of soda and thinly sliced orange. Bellissimo. 326 Lygon Street, Carlton, (03) 9347 8482, docgroup.net Communist Manifesto, Double Happiness If you are after something a little unusual why not head to one of the original hidden laneway bars, Double Happiness. Tucked away down a side street off Chinatown, Double Happiness likes to infuse all their cocktail creations with some Asian-inspired flavour. Imagine chilli, coriander, ginger or lychee mixed with exotic fruits or even added to bubble cup tea cocktails. For the perfect summer drink on a hot day, try their Asian twist on a margarita. The Communist Manifesto – Tromba blanco tequila, tamarind, mandarin, lime and Szechuan salt ($17) has a perfect balance of sweet and salty with a delicious citrus tang that will make it hard to stop at just one. 21 Liverpool Street, Melbourne, (03) 9650 4488, double-happiness.org Pimm's #1 Jug, Madame Brussels Sharing is caring and who can say no to just one more delicious drink? Why not grab a group of friends and make your way up the stairs to Madame Brussels’ revered rooftop garden. Described by the Madame herself (well, the publican at least) as 'a rather fancy terrace and public house', it's hard not to get into the vibe at Madame Brussels. Do yourself — and your friends a favour — and let the lovely bartenders bring you some cucumber sandwiches and a large jug of Pims #1 ($35) to share. Full to the brim with tasty dark-tea colored Pimms, lemonade and an entire green grocers shop of fruits — strawberry, apple, orange, lemons, mint and the all-important cucumber — you can happily sip on it in the sunshine all afternoon. Level 3, 59-63 Bourke St, Melbourne, (03) 9662 2775, madamebrussels.com Pina Colada, Eau de Vie As you would expect from one of the top cocktail bars in the country, this is not your standard pina colada. Literally meaning 'water of life' in French, Eau de Vie have gone all out in reinventing this classic summer cocktail for a more discerning audience. Thoroughly shaken, the delicious chargrilled pineapple-infused Gosling's rum with citrus is then energised with house made pineapple soda and coconut syrup — and the the entire concoction is placed in a great big tiki mug for you to enjoy ($19). Add the stunning atmosphere and some of the top bartenders in Melbourne and you know you’re in good hands. 1 Malthouse lane, Melbourne, 0412 825 441, eaudevie.com.au Top image courtesy of Stewart, Sangria image courtesy of Anita Dabrowski, Campari Spritz image courtesy of Simon Aughton, Pimm's Jug image courtesy of Jessie Owen.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. Now, ready to sink his teeth into a new chapter of music-infused revelry, Loud's announced his latest project, Hot Dub Wine Machine — a series of al fresco get-togethers that'll take over four of the country's best-loved wine regions. This Australia-wide tour follows the raging success of Hot Dub Wine Machine's inaugural event, which saw over 6000 wine and music lovers flock to McLaren Vale's Serafino Winery in December last year. This time around, the scenic vistas and rolling hills of Hope Estate in NSW's Hunter Valley, Rochford Estate in Victoria's Yarra Valley, Ocean View Estate in Queensland's Somerset Valley, Home Hill Winery in Tasmania's Huon Valley, and Houghton Winery in WA's Swan Valley (so many valleys!), will play host to the festivities. Each boutique event will run from early afternoon through to after dark, and feature a hand-picked smorgasbord of Australian musical talent. This will all lead into one of Hot Dub's signature sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as the DJ mixes an iconic song from each year. Backing up the tunes, expect a careful curation of locally-sourced gourmet eats, craft beer, cocktails, and of course, some sensational vino from these iconic Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year. Hot Dub Wine Machine will take over Home Hill Winery on Saturday, March 4, Hope Estate on Saturday, March 18, Rochford Estate on Saturday, March 25, Ocean View Estate on Saturday, April 1, and Houghton Winery on Saturday, April 8. Tickets are now on sale here. Images: Pat Stevenson. Updated: January 19, 2017.
Between them, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, JRR Tolkien, Bram Stoker, the Brontë sisters, Virginia Woolf and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are responsible for a wealth of literary treasures. So are Oscar Wilde, Harold Pinter, William Blake, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, Lord Byron, TS Eliot, Thomas Hardy, James Joyce, DH Lawrence, John Keats, William Wordsworth and Rudyard Kipling, plus AA Milne, Beatrix Potter, Dylan Thomas, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith. HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast mightn't seem like the usual place to celebrate them all, but it is until the start of August 2025, all thanks to Writers Revealed: Treasures From the British Library and National Portrait Gallery, London. Announced earlier in the year, open since mid-April and running till Sunday, August 3, this exhibition is all about paying tribute to great authors and writers — beyond libraries, bookstores, and your own bookshelf or Kindle. Indeed, getting the chance to revel in the talents behind some of the finest works of literature ever committed to paper in a stunning showcase across a gallery's walls is rare. Writers Revealed is a world-first. What features at an exhibition devoted to wordsmiths? Eager word nerds can see author portraits, plus rare handwritten manuscripts and first editions. More than 100 literary artefacts and portraits span the likenesses of the writers responsible for Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, The Lord of the Rings, Dracula, Wuthering Heights, Sherlock Holmes and other masterpieces, as well as texts themselves, with five centuries of literature covered. As the exhibition's full name states, this is a collaboration between the British Library and the National Portrait Gallery, London. If you're wondering why the two institutions are pairing portraits with books, one of the showcase's aims to explore how literature and visual expression are linked. Also in the spotlight: the legacy of influential writers, plus digging into their creative processes. A draft of Dracula, what's thought to be the only Shakespeare portrait to be painted while he was alive, a picture of Austen by her sister, John Milton's publishing contract for Paradise Lost, letters from both Smith and Ishiguro: they're among the highlights that can be found across 1000 square metres in HOTA's Gallery 1. "We are thrilled to collaborate with the National Portrait Gallery on Writers Revealed, a truly unique exhibition that brings together some of the most exceptional objects from our collections. Visitors will experience rare first editions and exquisite manuscripts alongside celebrated portraits of the writers who created them," said Alexandra Ault, Lead Curator of Modern Archives and Manuscripts at the British Library, announcing the exhibition. "Featuring treasures that rarely leave our gallery in London, this major new exhibition will bring HOTA's visitors closer to some of the most-important figures in English literary history," added Catharine MacLeod, Senior Curator of 17th Century Collections at the National Portrait Gallery. "Encountering these displays, visitors will discover what is revealed and what is hidden when life, writing and portraiture intersect." Writers Revealed: Treasures From the British Library and National Portrait Gallery, London displays at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast until Sunday, August 3, 2025. Head to the gallery's website for further details and tickets.
Yarra Valley wine country is set to score a bold new addition in June 2025, when Levantine Hill Estate opens its ambitious onsite hotel designed by acclaimed architecture firm — and Mona designers — FK (formerly Fender Katsalidis). Once completed, the award-winning winery's boutique accommodation Levantine Hill Hotel will be home to 33 luxury suites overlooking the rolling vineyards Conceptualised to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, the new hotel will be set across two levels, decked out in natural materials and raw finishes to complement the property's existing spaces. That includes the cellar door, fine-dining restaurant and winemaking facilities, which are also the work of FK founder Karl Fender. Suites are set to feature their own living rooms, studies and private balconies, plus eight of them will feature expansive circular baths. Expect lots of polished concrete, rich leather and untreated silvertop ash used throughout. Catering to the wedding crowd, there'll also be a sumptuous bridal suite — named the Optume Suite — complete with its own cellar, bar, open fireplace and dressing room. And if you fancy arriving in style, the hotel will be located just a quick stroll from the estate's helicopter landing area. Guests will also have access to the indoor gym, an outdoor exercise area and a 1.5km walking sculpture track, which winds through the sculpture-filled gardens brimming with over 30 pieces of internationally created sculptures. Complimentary continental breakfast and a fully-stocked mini-bar are also included in every Levantine Hill Hotel stay. But this luxe accommodation isn't the only grand thing in the works for Levantine Hill, with plans for an additional 47-room hotel still in the works. That project will also be brought to life by architects FK, and we will be sure to share further details once they roll in. Levantine Hill Estate's new hotel is set to open in June 2025, at 882 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream. For more information, you can check out the winery's website. Images: FK Architects.
Whether you're devoted to the inner north or firmly believe that west is best, it's easy to get stuck in either bubble. But with the opening of the Metro Tunnel and new stations like Parkville and Ardern, commuting between Carlton and Footscray is more convenient than ever. And with free travel available until the end of January, it's also cheaper. Celebrating this newfound link, much-loved bar and bottle shop Mr West has fizzed up Northwest Connect — a self-guided beer-soaked safari that invites guests to travel between four standout venues across the two precincts. Held every weekend until the month rounds out, transport nerds and beer lovers will find themselves in heaven. Plus, if you collect a stamp from every spot, you'll get into the running to win awesome prizes. [caption id="attachment_902357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Georgia Verrells[/caption] So, who's getting involved? Participating venues include Good Measure and The Lincoln in Carlton, while Mr West and Bar Thyme represent Footscray. What's more, each venue will serve a Metro Tunnel food and drink special, thanks to the support of Never Never Distilling Co. and Hop Nation Brewing Co. For instance, Mr West will serve the Never Say Never cocktail, featuring ginache gin, Italian bitters and fermented rhubarb, alongside loaded chips — think Chappy's Pickled Onion chips, smoked chorizo, pickled beetroot and guindillas. Meanwhile, Hop Nation has created the limited-edition Met-Pale just for the occasion, a hazy pale ale with a nostalgic Melbourne transport-inspired design. Time to catch the train? We think so.
Pastels and poop. Step inside Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience and that's what awaits. The colour scheme is soft and soothing, but the point of focus is literal crap (well, fake versions). If you've ever called something "cute shit" before, those words have never applied quite as they will here. This Japanese-style installation takes its cues from not only Japan's kawaii poop trend, but from the Unko Museum's sites across the nation, including in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Shizuoka. Now, Unko Museum is making its Australian debut in Melbourne — originally slated to open in December 2023, but now adding some adorable crap to summer from Wednesday, January 17, 2024. The focus: "max unko kawaii", aka "the maximum cuteness of poop". Also one of the mains attractions: getting everyone taking snaps and filling their social-media feeds, so expect a heap of pastel emoji-esque shit to fill Instagram. Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience is split into zones and areas, spanning displays to take pictures of and other inclusions that are more immersive. Think: images of poop projected around the place, snapping selfies with poop props and flying poop, and retro-style games with a poop theme in a space called the Crappy Game Corner. Pastel-hued toilets are also a feature, lined up along a wall under a sign calling them "my unko maker". So are neon poop signs, giant poops, a ball pit where the balls are shaped like poops, poop hats, walls filled with toilet seats, glowing poop lights and a towering toilet-shaped doorway. Plus, exiting through the gift shop here means picking up kawaii poop merchandise and souvenirs. In Japan, as at October 2023, 1.4-million people had flushed the interactive experience into their itineraries. In Australia, Melburnians and tourists who now want to add some poo to their next Victorian visit can expect to spend 30–60 minutes revelling in endearing crap, in a family-friendly experience — because poop is for everyone.
How many ways can Melbourne go dotty for Yayoi Kusama? Everyone is about to find out. The National Gallery of Victoria's big summer 2024–25 exhibition is dedicated to the Japanese artist, complete with a five-metre-tall dot-covered Dancing Pumpkin sculpture in NGV International's Federation Court, plus a world record-breaking number of infinity rooms and other immersive installations, many featuring spots. There'll be polka dots inside and out around the venue, including on the plane trees on St Kilda Road. On Wednesday, November 27, 2024 — in the lead up to the exhibition's run from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025 — the NGV has unveiled the beginnings of Kusama's latest artwork. A version of Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees is being staged in Melbourne, with more than 60 trees outside the gallery having their trunks covered in pink-and-white polka-dotted material. The first row has been completed, which anyone in the vicinity can now check out — and by early in the week commencing Monday, December 2, 2024, all four lanes of St Kilda Road in front of the NGV will be brightly wrapped. With over 180 works set to feature, in what'll be the largest Kusama retrospective that Australia has ever seen — as well as one of the most-comprehensive retrospectives devoted to the artist to be staged globally, not to mention the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving the country — stepping foot inside the NGV will still be mandatory for art lovers. But Kusama is also livening up the road for everyone to enjoy all day and all night long. In the past, including when Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees debuted at the Kirishima Open Air Museum in Japan in 2002, a red-and-white colour scheme has been used; however, Melbourne has scored its own bold-pink iteration. Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees is obviously free to view, joining several other artworks that won't cost anyone a cent to see during the exhibition. The aforementioned Dancing Pumpkin is already on display. NGV International's glass waterwall is also going pink, but with black rather than white dots. Kusama's new version of Narcissus Garden, which dates back to 1966 and will feature 1400 30-centimetre-diameter silver balls this time around, is set sit in front of the waterwall and in parts of Federation Court. Plus, the yellow-and-black spheres of Dots Obsession will hang over the Great Hall. Then there's the artist's sticker-fuelled, all-ages-friendly The Obliteration Room, where audiences young and old pop coloured dots everywhere — 'obliterating', as Kusama calls it — to cover an apartment interior that's completely white otherwise. Overall, Yayoi Kusama will step through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s; plenty from the past four decades: they'll all appear. [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] Yayoi Kusama displays at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Images: Yayoi Kusama's Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees, 2002/2024, on display along St Kilda Road, Melbourne for the National Gallery of Victoria's Yayoi Kusama exhibition until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Tobias Titz.
Ice skating is one of those idyllic winter time activities that goes hand in hand with hot chocolates, sitting around a fireplace, and rugging up in coats, gloves and scarves until you're feeling like a big walking ball of wool. With all of that in mind, you can hit a ten on the winter feels scale these cold months with Winter Fest, a fiesta of coldness coming to Moonee Valley in June. First up, take a spin on the Moonee Ponds ice skating rink, which runs from June 30 to July 15. Bookings are necessary, and each session will run for 45 minutes — and when you leave the ring, you'll feel like an ice dancer ready for the 2022 Winter Olympics. There's a whole host more on offer too, like free music events and live theatre at the Clocktower Centre. The Clocktower will also hold $8 movie nights throughout the festival, and there's nothing cosier than a winter night at the movies — especially for less than a tenner.
The end of the world is coming to Mona. Where a library once sat, nothing but sand, water and debris will soon lurk. The Tasmanian gallery is remaining where it is. Dark Mofo is still on the calendar for 2025. And no, after becoming the first museum to receive Wu-Tang Clan's rare Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album on loan earlier in 2024, it isn't dropping the mic and saying goodbye. For a year, however, the inimitable Australian venue will fill part of its interior with a post-disaster landscape, all thanks to a new sculpture by French artist Théo Mercier. Commissioned specifically for the site, DARK TOURISM will display from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026 in Mona's former library. Using only sand and water, Mercier will create a scene that looks like the aftermath of a disaster — hence the debris — with the piece commenting on humanity's need travel to locations with grim histories, as well as making a statement about planet's changing climate. [caption id="attachment_980537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.[/caption] "What does it mean to sculpt catastrophe, or to construct collapse? Like others who have painted ruins in the past, DARK TOURISM is about sculpting contemporary ruins, which are also natural disasters," explains Mercier. "Faced with this frozen landscape, humans find themselves at the heart of the devastation, as spectators and consumers. But there's something contradictory about this project, something romantic and utopian at the same time. Because the sand allows the world to tremble and shuffle itself in infinite figures." [caption id="attachment_950179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "When Théo was last in Hobart he said he was 'going for a walk'. He walked to the top of kunanyi. He's back, and he'll be doing something just as mad at Mona," added Mona Owner and Founder David Walsh. Crafting DARK TOURISM at the venue, Mercier will be using Tasmanian sand to ponder how people face the worst — in the past and impending — with the tourist trade in Pompeii, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Paris' catacombs and Port Arthur given as examples of the type of dark tourism that the sculpture will be in dialogue with. "Théo's work is a reminder of the fragile and temporary nature of the world around us, and of life itself," notes Mona's Sarah Wallace, who curated the piece alongside Jarrod Rawlins. "I hope visitors will be drawn in by the intricate detail in this captivating installation, while reflecting on the questions he raises about how we cope with catastrophe." [caption id="attachment_980535" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Théo Mercier, 2023 © Jérôme Lobato[/caption] DARK TOURISM will display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026. Head to the venue's website for more information. Top image: Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.
Prepare to exclaim "yeah, science!" like Jesse Pinkman — and to see a whole lot more of Aaron Paul's Breaking Bad character. The acclaimed series is making a comeback, cooking up a movie that'll serve as a sequel to the show's finale. In the spotlight: Walter White's former student and protege, who might just be in a spot of trouble. While this follow-up will span a single two-hour package, rather than span multiple episodes, it is still coming to a small screen near you. As revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, it's heading to Netflix before screening in the US on AMC, the network behind the original show. Just when it'll hit the platform hasn't been announced. First revealed last year, the film has a working title of Greenbriar, and begin shooting back in November. Plot details are scarce; however it'll reportedly focus on Pinkman and chart a kidnapped man's escape. It hasn't been confirmed if the former and the latter are one and the same, but it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to put them together. As Better Call Saul diehards are well aware, Breaking Bad has never completely gone away since the OG show wrapped up in 2013; however fans eager to look forward in the show's chronology, not backwards at the early life of Bob Odenkirk's shady lawyer Saul Goodman, have something to add to their must-watch list. There's no word yet on who else will feature in the film — and although Bryan Cranston confirmed the news of the movie, but whether he's in it or what it's about is still the subject of rumour. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
From March to September each year, Aussie Rules football is Melbourne's favourite sport. In April, via a sprawling showcase that marks the NBA's first official global touring exhibition, basketball wants to join in as well. The NBA Exhibition celebrates hoop dreams and all things b-ball, and has just locked in its first-ever visit to the Victorian capital. After premiering in Warsaw, Poland in 2021, The NBA Exhibition bounced into Brisbane in November 2023. Now, from Wednesday, April 3, 2024, it's Melbourne's turn — and to bound through basketball history at the same time. Catnip for fans of Air and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this sports-focused affair is big in scope and size, surveying the culture of hopping onto the court and the lifestyle that goes with basketball, too. Visitors will traverse 1100 square metres and make their way through 20 themed sections. Created with the National Basketball Association, The NBA Exhibition aims to lure in b-ball diehards, casual followers and folks that haven't thought about the sport since their school PE lessons alike — and attendees of all ages. Looking at basketball memorabilia is part of the presentation, but so is throwing a ball around yourself and, thanks to the virtual and augmented reality aspect of the showcase, taking snaps with your favourite NBA players. So, you can get a photo with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, too — aka the coveted prize that each year's NBA Finals' winner receives — and shoot hoops, see how far you can jump and test your reflexes as well. Fancy a picture showing that you can slam dunk, even if you can't? There's a section of The NBA Exhibition for that. Eager to watch NBA highlights using VR goggles? That's also on the agenda. Keen to get surrounded by iconic NBA moments? That's what the infinity room is for. With names like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal obviously featuring — and Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as well — other elements of The NBA Exhibition include a heap of balls and shoes on display; footwear and hand prints from past and present players; art that was commissioned for a pop-up NBA Gallery exhibit in Sydney in 2022, featuring Australian and First Nations artists; and celebrating NBA players that've made the jump from Australia, which is likely to feature Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze and more. The District Docklands will host The NBA Exhibition's debut Melbourne stop. The showcase hails from entertainment platform Fever, which is also behind The Art of Banksy: Without Limits. So far, the latter doesn't have Melbourne dates — but it's in the waitlist stage, so fingers crossed that a local season gets announced soon. The NBA Exhibition will display at The District Docklands, 440 Docklands Drive, Docklands, Melbourne from Wednesday, April 3, 2024 — head to the exhibition's website for further details and to join the waitlist, with tickets on sale on Wednesday, February 21. Images: Muse Marketing and Entertainment.
One of the beacons of light on Melbourne's event calendar in a fairly glum cold weather stretch is the Queen Victoria Market's Winter Night Market. And now it's set to return — and it's bigger and gutsier than ever before. Kicking off on Wednesday, June 5 the market pulls together a global array of eats, a plethora of live entertainment and lots of snow. As always, this year's market promises to not only brighten up your winter Wednesday nights, but to fill your hungry stomachs. The 30-strong lineup of food stalls will send punters trekking across the world, eating the likes of traditional Italian loaded flatbread, churro bowls with oozy hazelnut sauce and vanilla ice-cream and That's Amore's legendary pastas, which are tossed in a parmesan wheel before landing on your plate. The full food lineup is yet to drop, but we'll let you know when it does. Of course, there'll be mulled wine and steaming hot cider to warm your belly and hands as you browse over 50 design and specialty stalls. Top all that off with a dollop of live music, roving entertainment and a silent disco, and you've got one hell of a cosy winter situation. This year, for the first time ever, the Winter Night Market also features a series of Christmas in July-themed nights. For five weeks, every Wednesday from July 3–31, the space will transform into a winter wonderland with a large snow machine, Christmas decorations, a mini forest of trees, carollers and lots of ugly sweaters — wear your best one and you'll win prizes. Among the other festive inclusions, you'll be able to watch live ice-sculpting, drink Brick Lane's Christmas pudding-style take on its Red Hoppy Ale (with nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, barberry, bergamot and vanilla), and sip Mork's beloved campfire hot chocolates. Fancy an eggnog, but without the booze? Newcomer Melbourne Cocoa is whipping up a non-alcoholic version, paired with bite-sized Christmas puddings that come covered in 70-percent dark chocolate. The Winter Night Market will run from 5–10pm each Wednesday, from June 5 until August 28. Christmas in July-themed markets will run from July 3–31. Updated July 14.
If you're looking for a practical gift for your wine-loving dad this Father's Day, look no further than Good Pair Days. This year, the personalised wine delivery service has joined forces with sustainable retailer Manrags to bring you four wine and socks boxes — each of which was created with dad in mind. The man behind the wine offering is Sommelier Banjo Harris Plane (ex-head sommelier at Attica and co-owner of Melbourne's Bar Liberty), so you know you're getting some extra special drops for your pop. If your dad is well into his reds, go for the deluxe box ($164) — which boasts a New Zealand pinot noir, an Italian dolcetto and a Victorian shiraz mencia blend — or the the wine lover box ($123), with a malbec, a Barossa GSM (grenache, syrah and mourvedre blend) and cabernet merlot from Southern Highlands' Tertini. There's also a classic box ($84) and one solely dedicated to shiraz ($39). Along with the extra special bottles, each box also includes three pairs of Manrags socks, which are made from super-soft Egyptian cotton and are printed with funky Australian designs, as well as tasting notes, details on the winemaker, food pairing suggestions and a matching recipe card for each bottle. Shipping is included in all boxes and the packaging is 100-percent compostable to boot. And, for those last minute gift givers, Good Pair Days ships quickly within one-to-two business days. To order one of Good Pair Days' dad packs, head on over to goodpairdays.com. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When June rolls around this year, Sydney's State Theatre won't be filled with cinephiles. Event Cinemas George Street won't welcome eager movie buffs either, and nor will other picture palaces around the city. Usually, they'd be teeming with Sydney Film Festival attendees; however the fest cancelled its 2020 physical event back in March, when COVID-19 restrictions started coming in. To the delight of film fans, however, SFF is moving online instead. After announcing the digital festival earlier this month, SFF has now revealed its first-ever all-online lineup, in what promises to be a once-off pandemic-only affair. If you're fond of film fests and you live somewhere other than Sydney, you'll be pleased to know that the 67th Sydney Film Festival: Virtual Edition is also streaming nationally, too. While SFF won't be showing hundreds of movies like it normally does, it has still compiled an interesting and engaging roster of flicks — specifically focusing on features by female filmmakers from Europe, Australian documentaries and an array of short films. Moving SFF's regular Europe! Voices of Women in Film program strand online, the digital fest will screen ten new movies by women directors from countries such as Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland and Ireland. Highlights include Sea Fever, a tense and rather fitting sci-fi thriller that tracks a contagion on a fishing trawler; Force of Habit, an anthology film exploring women's everyday experiences; and Charter, following a mother's actions during a fraught custody battle — as well as documentary A Year Full of Drama, which charts a small-town competition winner who is enlisted to review every theatre production in Estonia in 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFJxW46F0YQ From the Aussie doco selection, ten films will compete for Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Best Australian Documentary, with the annual SFF prize being presented via a virtual awards ceremony this year. Among the contenders, Morgana follows a middle-aged housewife's decision to start starring in her own sex- and age-positive erotic films, while Descent focuses on one of the world's only professional ice free-divers. There's also The Weather Diaries, which sees filmmaker Kathy Drayton charts the effects of climate change on her daughter, musician Lupa J, as she grows up over six years, plus A Hundred Years of Happiness, about a young Vietnamese woman forced to choose between staying in her rural home to care for her parents and moving to South Korea to get married. SFF's shorts range spans another 13 titles, including ten vying for the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films. Three others specifically hail from screen practitioners with disability as part of the fest's returning Screenability strand. Available to watch for the fest's entire duration, all of the above films are ticketed, starting at $5 for the Screenability shorts package, then costing $14 for a single movie. You can watch everything in either the Documentary Australia Foundation or Europe! Voices of Women in Film package for $99, too, or view the entire lineup — shorts and feature-length flicks — for $199. SFF's virtual program also includes two free components, should you be interested in looking back on previous fest highlights. The festival is one of 20 worldwide events taking part in We Are One: A Global Film Festival, which screens on YouTube from Friday, May 29–Sunday, June 7. As part of the online fest, it's showing Aussie films Mystery Road and Mabo, which you can view at set times without paying a cent. Or, Aussie movie lovers can binge their way through the 40-film Sydney Film Festival Selects collection on SBS On Demand, available from Wednesday, June 10–Friday, July 10. It's a best-of lineup featuring plenty of top titles from previous SFFs, so get ready to revisit Studio Ghibli co-production The Red Turtle, Taika Waititi's Boy, the Greta Gerwig-starring Frances Ha, Aussie comedy That's Not Me and New Zealand's The Breaker Upperers. You can also feast your eyes on Palme d'Or winner The Square, Scandi thriller The Guilty, Turkish drama Mustang and Xavier Dolan's Heartbeats, among other films. The 67th Sydney Film Festival: Virtual Edition runs from Wednesday, June 10–Sunday, June 21. For further details — or to purchase tickets and view the festival's programmed films during the above dates — visit the SFF website. Top image: Sea Fever.
Technology allows us to easily capture what we see and hear, and to share these sensory experiences in photos and soundbites. But so far, our sense of smell has been far less casually reproducible. Designer Amy Radcliffe, acknowledging both the disappointment and value of this, has created a scent "camera" that could make us all into amateur perfumiers. Radcliffe's Central Saint Martins MA thesis project, the Madeleine, is a quaint-looking device that makes use of chemist Roman Kaiser's "headspace capture" method from the 1970s. The Madeleine is like something out of The Jetsons, with hipster appeal provided by the tasteful, white ceramic vacuum casing and terrarium-like funnel. The user places said funnel over the source of the smell to be recorded, and then before his/her very eyes, the smell is sucked through a cute plastic hose into an absorbent resin odour trap. Check out the video to see the process. Resurrecting a sense of ceremony from the pre-digital age, you'd then nip over to the local processing lab with your vial of scent and transform it into a liquid fragrance, much like getting photos developed back in the '90s. Once the chemical signature is decoded, that fragrance is captured forever. What's the imaginative power of a pocket perfumier? Scent is, of course, the most potent memory trigger among our senses. Now there's scope to preserve the unique scent of a loved one, long after they've left your life. Imagine posting your crush the smell of jasmine outside your window (or certain, naughtier things) instead of a mixtape. One day there could even be a SoundHound for smells, as in, "Love the perfume that chick's wearing, what is it?" Whip out your smell-o-cam of the future and find out. Radcliffe is now developing the Madeleine further with fragrance labs. Will our olfactory world be cheapened by oversharing and oversaturation of scents? Or enhanced by our raised awareness of the smells around us? Just as Instagram can tend to make you see life in terms of potential freeze-frames, scentography may sharpen your nose to sniffing out shareable fragrances. Via the Guardian.
