Architecture aficionados are in for a huge weekend this July if the just-launched Open House Melbourne Weekend lineup is anything to go by. Running from July 28–29, the weekend is the crowning glory of Open House Melbourne's annual, month-long celebration of local architecture — and this year's program, unveiled this morning, is its biggest yet. It sees a total of 220 buildings open their doors to the public across the weekend, including 70 new participants, 24 residential buildings and 81 City of Melbourne structures. Among the architectural delights you'll have the chance to get up close and personal is St Kilda's stunning new Stokehouse Precinct — the first five-star green-star building of its type in the country. More exciting still is that eco activist and artist Joost Bakker will be leading the guided walking tour. Explore the yet-to-be-completed 85th floor of the iconic Eureka Tower and marvel at its sweeping, 360-degree views, as part of an exclusive tour by architects Fender Katsalidas — or go back to school, with a close-up look at 37 significant sites across four of Monash University's campuses, including the striking, orange-accented biology building. Also on the program is artist Eugenia Lim's three-channel video homage to acclaimed modernist architect Robin Boyd called The Australian Ugliness. One of the stunning buildings included in the residential section is Molecule Studio's five-person, small-footprint home, Triangle House. While most of the open house tours are free, a few require pre-booking and incur a small fee. Check out our picks of the weekend or head to the website for the full list.
The mood is high in Melbourne right now, as the state continues to smash its vaccination targets and the city kicks off a long-awaited reopening. And the folks at doughnut bakery Goldelucks have created the perfect treat to celebrate both of these achievements. The store's dropped two new boozy dessert packs, which'll be available until the end of November. There's the Single Dosed Box ($48), featuring a mixed trio of Goldelucks doughnuts, one of the store's signature Nutella-filled syringes for an extra chocolate hit, a can of Public Brewing Co.'s popular Dan AnBrews beer, and an assortment of other lollies and chocolate. Meanwhile, the Double Dosed Box ($72) comes packed with a double serve of all of the above, ideal for sharing with a fellow double-jabbed mate, or simply saying cheers to post-lockdown life. Order online now for next-day delivery.
Get a crash course in Shakespeare in the Royal Botanic Gardens this summer. Running from December through to mid-March, Shakespeare's Best Bits offers a refreshing take on the works of history's most famous playwright, mashing up everything from Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet — with a healthy amount of silliness thrown in. The show follows the six amateur thespians known as The Mechanicals, who originally appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Only this time, rather than the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, they're tackling the oeuvre of the very writer who created them in the first place. How meta. Loaded with slapstick humour and at least one King Lear-themed rap battle, this production under the stars sounds utterly, intentionally ridiculous. Don't go mistaking it for the work of amateurs though. In fact, it's being run by the Australian Shakespeare Company. Not sure how the Bard would feel about all this, but at least you can expect some quality performances.
Beer and ramen. Look, we really shouldn't have to work all that hard to get you on board with this one. A standout culinary option on the Good Beer Week program this year, this five-course dinner at Shizuku Ramen in Abbotsford won't just feature beers by the beloved brewers from nearby Moon Dog. It'll also feature beer as an ingredient in the actual ramen itself. The miso beer ramen is reportedly the star of the night, although you can be damn sure we'll be trying each and every one.
Don't worry if you missed out on the ballot to Golden Plains, all the A-list acts you were dying to see will also be doing the rounds at Melbourne Zoo Twilights series. Over six weeks of summer the feathered, furred and finned will have plenty to choose from after hours, with huge concerts spanning every Friday and Saturday evening from January 30 through March 7 at the zoo. Fronting the zoo's genuinely huge lineup, Bright Eyes' soul-searching dreamboat Conor Oberst will spin his heartfelt tales among the giraffes. That's right, the Conor Oberst, hangin' out at the zoo. Victorians will bliss out to the sounds of local classics like Sarah Blasko, Dan Sultan, Bernard Fanning as well as Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and the motherflippin' Village People. Genre-wise, there's genuinely something for everyone; the lineup has you thoroughly covered in the realms of indie, folk, rock, bollywood and cult '70s disco (because why not). Making the perfect summer picnic destination, Melbourne Zoo will be pumping every Friday and Saturday evening from January 30 - March 7. Though tickets may seem steep at $70, that price not only guarantees you an amazing show but full admission to the zoo itself. All profits also go towards the fight to save the near-extinct Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Likewise, Sydney's Twilight at Taronga series (from January 30 through March 21) is worth going interstate for. Being one of Australia's most high-fiveworthy zoos, Taronga's also fronting a huge lineup — they get twee monarchs Belle and Sebastian and the one and only Rufus Wainwright, alongside You Am I, Something For Kate, Little May, Hiatus Kaiyote and more; all fronting that top notch Sydney Harbour backdrop. Of course, you're welcome to bring along your own picnic basket with loads of food, but you'll have to leave that bottle of wine at home. The event is fully licensed, but there's no BYO — an important measure to keep rubbish and glass away from the poor little animals. Conor Oberst plays Melbourne Zoo Twilights on Saturday, March 28 — supported by The Felice Brothers. Thanks to Melbourne Zoo twilights, we have one double pass to give away to one lucky CP reader. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au
A book described as "a modern story of sex, erotica and passion. How the sexiest sales girl in business earns her huge bonus by being the best at removing her high heels," might not be anything to write home about. But what if the author of said book was someone's dad, and that someone decided it would be hilarious to read a chapter every week to the entire world, with some incredibly funny friends providing commentary? Jamie Morton did just that with his father's (pen name: Rocky Flinstone) erotic 'novels', the Belinda Blinked series. And so the audacious and pants-wettingly hilarious podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno was born. Since its premiere in 2015, the podcast about "the best/worst erotica ever written" has racked up over 150 million downloads. And now, off the back of an HBO Original Series featuring a "lost chapter", Morton and his pals James Cooper and Alice Levine are bringing their hilarious smut back to Melbourne in 2020. As part of a huge world tour, the live show will treat 'Belinkers' to one show at the Palais Theatre on Wednesday, January 15. Team Porno will read unreleased material from the erotic saga while throwing in a few surprises and interactive elements. Now four books deep — with the fifth due to be cracked opened on Monday, September 9, 2019 — the series follows the sexual escapades of Belinda Blumenthal who works in the sales and marketing department of a pots and pans company. There have been leather rooms and nipples as big as Titanic rivets, anti-erotic ridiculousness with sales reps and young-ish men, references to pomegranates and the popping of vaginal lids, and one truly disgusting flaking prosthetic appendage. If you're a fan of the show, the live incarnation should make you very happy. As Belinda says, "When you get what you want, you feel great." Tickets go on sale at 1pm on Thursday, July 18, 2019
If your love for the humble meatball knows no bounds, Mamma's Boy Trattoria might just become a second home for you this month. Off the back of its popular bottomless lasagne and unlimited gnocchi series, the Brunswick restaurant is offering another all-you-can-eat deal through the month of November. This time, you're in for bottomless meatballs. Across various sittings from Tuesday to Sunday, Mamma's Boy is dishing up unlimited saucy serves of its slow-cooked, house-made meatballs, with a two-hour feast setting you back just $30 a pop. You've got a choice of classic napoli sauce, a meaty bolognese and the boscaiola – a creamy blend featuring mushroom, green peas and black truffle sauce. Of course, each serve comes with a basket of toasted sourdough for dipping, so you can make the most of every last drop of sauce. The restaurant's regular drinks lineup is also available if you fancy matching your feed with a glass of Italian wine or classic Aperol spritz. Bookings are a must and you'll have to drop the words 'Bottomless Meatballs' when you make yours to get the deal. Bottomless meatballs are available from Tuesday–Saturday 5.30–7.30pm and Friday–Sunday midday–2pm.
Jumping back on the fitness train post-silly season can be a tough gig. But just think how much easier it would be if you had your four-legged bestie by your side? Well, grab your pup's leash and limber up, because South Wharf eatery Common Man has launched a new series of dog-friendly pilates sessions in collaboration with new app Patch Pets. Taking over the venue's waterfront lawn from 9am every Saturday, the 45-minute pilates classes are free for humans and pooches alike. You'll be guided through a sweat and tone session alongside other like-minded fur-parents, with pets invited to join in a few of the moves as well. Classes are confirmed up until February 29, with further dates dropping soon. Prefer a midweek pre-work stretch? The venue's also hosting riverside yoga sessions, from 8– 9am each Wednesday, right through the end of summer. These free classes are just for humans, though your furry mate is welcome to kick back in the pet-friendly outdoor area while you work out. Mats are provided at both classes and you can book in advance to secure a spot here for Saturdays and here for Wednesdays. And The Common Man's got a jam-packed breakfast menu to hit up post-class. Just saying.
It might be bucketing down with rain in Melbourne, but grisly weather won't be the only thing flooding the city tonight. A planned climate change protest is expected to see thousands of environmental activists march through the CBD this evening, heading off at 5pm from the State Library of Victoria on Swanson Street. According to The Age, as many as 10,000 protesters could be involved in the protest, which is being organised by environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion. The group says it "uses non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction" and raise awareness about the impacts of climate change. Organisers have shared their protest plans in a public Facebook event, dubbed Swarm the City!, saying"when business as usual means climate catastrophe, then it's time to disrupt business as usual". The group is hoping the protest will encourage the government to declare a climate emergency and commit to full carbon neutrality by 2025. Victoria Police have also taken to Facebook to alert Melburnians to the planned protest and the potential disruptions — which, on a rainy Friday at peak hour during AFL finals season, could be huge. "We're aware that there's protest activity planned for the CBD of Melbourne tonight," said North West Metro Commander Tim Hansen in a video posted to the page. "We think it's really important that [...] you make plans to get out of the city as quickly as you can before this time so you're not caught up in the disruption." https://www.facebook.com/victoriapolice/photos/a.223960551009422/3018134824925300/?type=1&theater This local Extinction Rebellion protest follows several held in Brisbane earlier this year, where protesters glued themselves to the road and marched through the CBD during peak hour. The Extinction Rebellion Protest is expected to run from 5–7pm. For further public transport and traffic updates, check Yarra Trams and Vic Traffic. Top image: Extinction Rebellion Brisbane protest
Nick Cave is embarking upon a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November and December this year, and unencumbered by new releases, he'll be playing a wide selection of classics that stretch right back into his 30-year catalogue. Unlike Cave's 2013 Push the Sky Away tour with featured his much-loved band The Bad Seeds, this will be a rare solo outing. Prepare yourself now — you're probably going to cry when he plays 'Into My Arms'. Cave's epic tour comes fresh after the run of 20,000 Days on Earth — a fictional documentary (just go with it) about this legendary musician. We enjoyed this 90 minutes of one-on-one time with the artist so much we even named the film one the best at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Now we get to make this alone time a reality; just like in the cinema, this tour will be you and Nick Cave (and a bunch of strangers) in the dark.
To celebrate Refugee Week, Belgian artist collective Schellekens and Peleman are bringing their massive inflatable installation to Melbourne's Immigration Museum. The five-metre-high inflatable, aptly named the Inflatable Refugee, depicts a refugee, crouched and wearing a life jacket. He will set sail on the Yarra on Saturday, June 17 at 11am. The inflatable will then be displayed in the Long Room of the museum from June 19 to 25. The inflatable refugee has travelled around the Europe — from Venice, to Copenhagen to Uppsala — raising awareness for the journey of many millions of people currently seeking asylum around the world. After its stint in Melbourne, the installation will move on to other destinations worldwide. In tandem, the project Moving Stories encourages refugees to write stories to their fellow citizens which collate on their website. The artists are also partnering to with No Vacancy Gallery for a series of public interventions and interactive exhibitions. Schellekens and Peleman will be giving a timely talk on their practice and motivations for developing the Inflatable Refugee Global Art Project at the Immigration Museum at 2pm on Sunday, June 18.
As Melbourne emerges from the depths of another icy winter, you've got a fresh excuse to ditch the indoors and venture outside for your next art fix. The NGV, ACMI, Fed Square and the Koorie Heritage Trust have joined forces with digital production company Acute Art to create one of the largest free augmented reality (AR) exhibitions Australia's ever seen. AR.Trail is popping up from Monday, August 22–Friday, September 30, showcasing digital works from leading contemporary artists at 22 sites across the city. Grab your smartphone and set off on a self-guided exploration, unearthing AR artworks by names like KAWS, Reko Rennie, Ron Mueck, Alicja Kwade, Olafur Eliasson and more. Exploring the human condition and our connections to the environment, the exhibition is a thought-provoking one — and it boasts some pretty high-tech design, too. With your phone in hand, you'll be able to bring to life pieces like an enormous gravity-defying skull floating above the NGV waterwall, a luminous neon depiction of a Kamilaroi warrior outside the Koorie Heritage Trust, and a brand new work by Patricia Piccinini gracing Fed Square. To experience AR.Trail, you'll first need to download the Acute Art app, available for free via the App Store and Google Play. [caption id="attachment_866261" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] Images: Eugene Hyland and Fed Square
Sure, this whole lockdown thing is getting pretty old. But at least you can elevate this weekend's couch time with some fancy food and a taste of indulgence. Originally scheduled for August 8, the Prahran Market's Truffle Celebration has been cancelled due to restrictions. But, in good news, you can now enjoy the festival's Truffle Trail from the comfort of home, thanks to a timely takeaway pivot. Curated Truffle Trail packs are now available for click-and-collect, filled with specialty dishes and products from the festival's planned truffle-infused food trail menu. There are bites like Naheda's truffle parmigiano dip, a truffled chicken petite pastie from Stir the Pot, truffle-topped pizza, truffle-infused eggs and a savoury black truffle mille-feuille courtesy of The Food House Deli. Plus, even dessert is sorted, thanks to Fritz Gelato's very luxurious double cream black truffle ice cream. One of these indulgent boxes will set you back $40, available for click-and-collect to anyone living within five kilometres of the Prahran Market. You'll need to order here, then pick up your pack from Market Square between 2–4.30pm this Saturday, August 7. [caption id="attachment_821347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prahran Market trader Damian Pike[/caption]
When a food-themed day is worth celebrating, it's usually focusing on a dish you'd eat any day (and wish you could tuck into every single day, in fact). World Burger Day is one such occasion, and it's coming in strong for 2023 with free burgs. The catch? You do have to buy a glass of wine, which you'll surely be fine with. If you usually pair your burgers with beer, wine label Greasy Fingers is well-ware. That's one of the reasons that it's behind the giveaway. This drop is made to go well with burgs and whichever other greasy meals happen to tempt your tastebuds, no matter whether you opt for the shiraz, shiraz grenache or chardonnay. [caption id="attachment_902457" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Salkeld Photography[/caption] So, buy a glass at The B-East on Lygon Street on Sunday, May 28, then get your free burg. That's all there is to it, although you'll need to get in quick. The other key caveat: there are only 100 free burgers available, so it's a case of first in, first served.
After a little something to brighten your mood? How does a vibrant bouquet of bright yellow blooms sound? This year, Cancer Council Victoria's Daffodil Day celebrations will be beamed into homes across the city, by way of a contact-free flower delivery service run in collaboration with Rialto Melbourne. For its 35th annual edition, the famed fundraising appeal is set to drop thousands of daffodils to local doorsteps, from Monday, August 16–Saturday, August 28. To jump aboard an excellent cause and buy a bouquet for yourself or someone else in need of some bright blooms, simply place an order online. Prices start from $30, with proceeds going to support Cancer Council Victoria's life-saving work in the field of cancer research. Having teamed up with delivery platform Zoom2u and local florist Botanics of Melbourne, Rialto is expected to send out an impressive 20,000 daffodils over the two-week delivery run. On the evening of Daffodil Day, August 27, the Rialto Tower will also be showing further support with the building lit up in bright yellow for the occasion.
The team at Lazerpig know its way around a pizza — each crust is carefully prepared and rolled, sprinkled with an epic selection of toppings and fired in the brick oven. In addition to pizza, the Collingwood bar is also renowned for an incredible wine list cultivated by sommelier Jake Winther of Trutta Wines — and now, he's ready for the wines to take centre stage. On Sunday, October 29, Winther will bring together 20 of Australia's most innovative and relevant winemakers, both big and small. The Lazerpig dining room will be cleared out and transformed into a cellar door for an afternoon of tasting, learning and sharing in conversation about the hailed liquid. Wine enthusiasts are invited to join winemakers from Alpha Box and Dice, Sutton Grange Winery, Chevre, Little Ra Ra and more to taste some of the best wines from around the country. With music provided by DJ India Grace, this'll be one heck of a wine party.
Life can be expensive these days, especially when you've got your non-negotiable daily double-shot latte to take into consideration. But one Toorak Village newcomer is here to help ease that financial pain, offering to caffeinate you for mere pocket change every day this month. For the entire month of October, newly minted corner cafe Fleur Espresso is coming to the rescue of your bank account, slinging $2 regular coffees, all day, every day. Need to supersize? The venue's also doing large coffees for just $3 a pop. The initiative is partly a celebration of Fleur's launch and a welcome gift for its new regulars, but also just a nice little gesture to take the edge off that rising cost of living. What's more, while you're sipping your budget-friendly coffee, you can relish the fact it came from a cafe that's making a big effort for the environment. Fleur Espresso has already implemented a slew of waste-minimising initiatives, using only biodegradable takeaway packaging and operating its own in-house worm farm to take care of table scraps.
If you don't follow the AFL (or you do and you don't give a toss about either Collingwood or West Coast), you might be wondering what to do on this Friday's public holiday dedicated to the game. Of course, you could do basically anything — especially if you've got the whole day off work — but you may as well make the most of it with a big ol' party. Section 8 is hosting a whole weekend of festivities, including a blowout day bash on Friday afternoon. A lineup of DJs — like Toni Yotzi, one half of Daydreams and Common Nocturne — will play into the night for a cause much bigger than your good times. All proceeds from the day will be donated to RISE, a refugee-run welfare and advocacy organisation for asylum seekers and ex-detainees. Entry is free, but you can make a donation at the door if you so wish. The party kicks off at 3pm and will run right through until 1am.
By now, Melbourne's no stranger to the boozy brunch concept, though we haven't seen it done like this before. Kicking off on Sunday, April 29, Tokyo Tina's new weekly brunch sessions come matched with a fun side of bingo, as hosted by the Granny Bingo crew: Maureen McGilicuddy, Edith Vale and Caroline Springs. The Chapel Street restaurant promises to help keep that Saturday night revelry kicking on well into the next day, with two weekly brunch sessions (12–2pm and 2–4pm) and a 10-minute bingo round happening every hour. For $69, you can spend your Sunday sipping bottomless beer, bubbly and Aperol spritzes while tucking into a shared feast from the TT menu. You'll be swapping your standard smashed avo for more adventurous plates like okonomiyaki, smoked duck bibimbap, and a bacon and egg bao. The bingo itself promises a bit of raucous fun, especially those crowned bingo king or queen. Who knows — you could end this Sunday session with a sweet prize and serious bragging rights to your name. Either way, this is not the kind your nan plays. Just be sure to book online to make sure you can get a table.
Portarlington Mussel Festival has become one of the largest yearly events to take place in the tiny bayside community. Last year, over ten tonnes of locally harvested mussels were served to 30,000 seafood-loving punters. For its 12th year, Australia's mussel capital will host over 120 food stalls, peddling not only shellfish but fresh local produce too. There'll be live music across five stages, art, cooking demos, activities for kids and, most importantly, beer and wine tastings. And entry is just five bucks. Established in 2007, the festival highlights the importance of the Bellarine's aquaculture industry — 60 percent of Australia's mussels come from Portarlington. Despite the town's remoteness, you can jump on a ferry from Melbourne or, even better, do a coastal road trip. Image: Visit Victoria.
They're the two long-running legends of Melbourne's budget-friendly pizza game: Bimbo in Fitzroy, and its southside counterpart Lucky Coq. And on Sunday, February 9, the two are helping locals wrap up the weekend in hot, cheesy style, joining forces for a multi-venue pizza party packed full of freebies. While both bars are famed for their $5 pies, the two much-loved haunts are one-upping that and giving one free pizza to every punter who swings by between 5pm and 7pm. You'll have your choice of any pizza off the regular menu, too — think, a classic margherita; the bacon, egg and anchovy-topped Caesar; or the Cheesy Steak's combination of beef, barbecue mayo and caramelised onion. Just note that the kitchen won't be able to make any alterations. In a double win for your wallet, the two free pizza parties also coincide with Lucky Coq and Bimbo's 5–7pm happy hour deals. You can pair those free slices with $6 wines, schooners and house spirits. And, after 7pm, pizzas are just five bucks — like they are all day, every day. Find your free pizza pie from Bimbo on the corner of Rose and Brunswick streets, Fitzroy) and/or Lucky Coq at 179 Chapel Street, Windsor. First image: Lucky Coq; All other images: Bimbo by Kate Shanasy.
Every few months or so, Hollywood throws a few of its stars into the sea. Whether they're forced to conquer towering swells or left to float and flounder until rescue, the end result is usually the same: men battle nature, treading the very fine line between sinking and surviving in the process. Favouring disaster over drifting, The Finest Hours relates the details of the SS Pendleton. To date, the US Coast Guard's mission to bring the ship's crew to shore remains the greatest small boat rescue operation in history. Like many such stories, the true tale behind the film stems from a combination of bad weather, bravery and luck both good and bad. On the day Massachusetts crewman Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) intends to ask his superior officer (Eric Bana) for permission to marry his sweetheart (Holliday Grainger), a storm strikes. Two tankers are ripped in half by the hurricane-force winds and giant waves. With most of their colleagues tending to one vessel, it's left to Bernie and a tiny band of offsiders (including Ben Foster and Kyle Gallner) to jump onto a modest 36-foot boat to try and aid the other. Sadly, daring and noble deeds don't always inspire films filled with the same spirit, even when they're made with the best of intentions. The Finest Hours is set in 1952 and looks the period part. Unfortunately, the '50s are currently plastered across the screen in everything from Brooklyn to Hail, Caesar!, and frankly those offerings provide richer old-school depictions of the decade, and not just in a visual sense. Here, director Craig Gillespie keeps his tone as flat as his images are dark. Given that he also helmed the tender Lars and the Real Girl as well as the remake of Fright Night, his lack of energy is both surprising and disappointing. What The Finest Hours lacks in liveliness, it attempts to make up for in CGI-enhanced thrills. But while the splashing and crashing spectacle of the second half provide decent entertainment, they can't quite gel with the more intimate, character-based moments. It's never a good sign when the killer storm seems more subtle than the bulk of the people caught in its midst. Thank goodness for the sections devoted to the men on the struggling ship, as anchored by Casey Affleck. In his second impressive outing in as many movies following his turn in Triple 9, he endeavours to save his fellow sailors and keep The Finest Hours coasting along. The on-board drama he's immersed in might cycle through as many cliches as the rest of the film and the wet-and-wild genre in general, but it's the only part of the action presented with any tension or urgency.
Sometimes, watching a movie is all about escapism. Sometimes, it's a thought-provoking and eye-opening experience. You won't forget the world's troubles at the Environmental Film Festival Australia, but you will find out more about them — especially as they relate to the state of this planet we all call home. As its name makes plain, EFFA shines a spotlight on cinema that puts the environment in firmly focus. The 2021 event is going virtual, hosting its lineup online; however, the same remit remains between Thursday, October 14–Sunday, November 14. So, eco-conscious cinephiles can explore the struggles and splendours of the natural world, all from their couches. Leading the charge is The Weather Diaries, which sees Australian director Kathy Drayton chronicle her daughter's teen years as the planet is increasingly affected by climate change — and it's joined by The Fourth Kingdom, about illegal immigrants living in a New York recycling centre; That's Wild, where teens traverse Colorado's mountains; and The Forum, focusing on the World Economic Forum. The list of flicks goes on, including documentaries about everything from Nobel Prize-winning scientist Jacques Duboche and local farmers on the French island of Martinique to the School Strike 4 Climate movement.
If you're a true sweet tooth, you'll know that one course of dessert is never enough. The cacao masters at Mörk Chocolate Brew House are on the same page, and they're hosting a series of dessert-focused degustations where the sweet stuff reigns supreme from first course to the very last. Running each Friday in October, Mörk's four-course dessert nights offer Head Pastry Chef Kate Robertson (ex-Cutler & Co. and London's St John) the chance to indulge her experimental side, transforming high-end cacao into all sorts of clever, thought-provoking dessert creations. If you've ever experienced one of Mörk's mesmerising campfire hot chocolates, you'll know these guys aren't afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to chocoalte. One course of the degustation will hero a range of native Australian ingredients, while another is crafted around the unique, double-fermented Itakuja chocolate, which is built on passionfruit pulp. Each night will have two sittings of just 18 seats, so you'll want to be quick to snap up tickets — the earlier seating has already sold out. Reservations are open now, with tickets priced at $45.
When you consider the conventional response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, one of impassioned environmental outrage, you almost feel like director Peter Berg accepted his latest film as a dare. "Hey Pete, here's one for ya. You know that Deepwater thing that happened back in 2010? Worst oil disaster in US history? 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico? 11 workers missing and never found. Millions upon millions of marine animals wiped out and a $100 billion company doing everything it could to avoid liability? Yeah, well…make that an uplifting story". Impressively – and to Berg's definite credit – he's done a more than solid job of it. Deepwater Horizon does indeed find its heart by telling the story of the 'roughnecks' who kept the rig running right until it didn't: the engineers, the riggers, the crane operators and the cleaners. BP executives feature too, but you'd better believe they're the bad guys, especially in the eyes of the Deepwater team. Penny-pinching and regulation-bending, the BP/Transocean head honchos (led by John Malkovich) come across like comic book villains, delivering silver-tongued insults and making unyielding demands of their subordinates through toothy, moustachioed grins and deep-south Louisiana drawls. If Deepwater Horizon were a cartoon, Foghorn Leghorn would be the first one cast ("I say, I say, I say, I do protest sir that this here rig be nigh on 43 days past delivery date, yiiiih-ha!!") Squaring up against the suits is a solid ensemble cast of hard-arses and hillbillies from the Transocean team responsible for keeping the Deepwater rig afloat. At the helm, Mark Wahlberg plays Mike Williams, a straight-talking electronics technician, husband (to Kate Hudson) and father who tells his buddies how to fix their cars and his superiors how to fix their floating oil station. Alongside his boss Mr Jimmy (Kurt Russell), Williams has no difficulty in seeing that BP's determination to complete the drilling project and advance to the next site as quickly as possible puts at risk not just the oil reserve but all the crew members responsible for drilling it. Greed and gross negligence, in the film's frustratingly simplistic estimation, explain what happened next. We say frustrating, because in Deepwater Horizon there existed an opportunity to delve deep into the specifics of what precipitated the massive blow-out and subsequent explosion on that fateful evening. Sadly the script, based on the New York Times article "Deepwater Horizon's Final Hours", rarely advances beyond repeated mentions of a 'cement bond log test' not being performed. Berg's focus is clear from the beginning: this is a human story centred on a very specific couple of hours from within a much larger tale. But whatever the movie lacks in narrative depth, it does its best to make up for in action. As with any real-world disaster movie, the inevitable cataclysmic conclusion endows it with an inherent suspense. Berg's job is to simply build the pressure until its explosive release can be held no longer – and he's happy to take his time. As in Clint Eastwood's recently released Sully, the film's patience in delivering the heart-thumping disaster moment means its eventual arrival is almost overwhelming, aptly showcasing the horrors endured by those on board, and the heroism of the few whose actions saw so many others survive. An intense and gripping piece of cinema, Deepwater Horizon ultimately resonates more than one might have expected for a film of this type and subject matter, offering at once an earnest tribute to the men who lost their lives and a solid rebuke to those who were responsible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-UPJyEHmM0
From the hearty dishes of Africa, best teamed with spongy injera, to Thailand's fiery coconut-based concoctions, there's no doubt the world loves a good curry. And no matter which country's dishing up your favourite version, you're sure to find it celebrated at the Dandenong Market's first-ever Curry Festival, this Sunday, September 2. Heating things right up for Father's Day, the marketplace will be paying homage to delicious curry dishes from every corner of the globe. A multicultural lineup of street food vendors are set to take your tastebuds on a worldwide curry tour, each putting its own traditional and new-school spins on the beloved dish. Sample modern Indian creations courtesy of Curry Up Now, let Delicious Mauritius treat you to a taste of island life, or experience Sri Lankan curry creations as imagined by the team at Taka Taka. Dished up alongside the culinary treats will be a jam-packed program of cultural fun, flying the flag for all those countries that love their curry — catch some African drumming, Mauritian live tunes, Bollywood dancing, and even a sing-a-long Sri Lankan cooking demonstration. Image: Kate Shanasy
Everyone should see Henry Rollins on a stage. Luckily, audiences have had ample opportunities for more than four decades. The musician first came to fame singing behind the microphone in punk-rock band Black Flag and then Rollins Band, but is now just as renowned for his spoken-word shows, where he waxes lyrical (and candid and amusing) about his life, fame and the state of the world. Australians are no stranger to Rollins getting chatty; however, thanks to the pandemic, he hasn't taken to stages Down Under since 2016. That's changing this winter, with the icon, actor, author and radio host heading around the country on a 17-city tour. Rollins' spoken-word gigs always sell out, and they're always an entertaining — and unflinchingly honest — night spent listening to the Sons of Anarchy, Lost Highway and Heat star. This time, he's visiting both capitals and regional centres, and notching up every Aussie state and territory, on a tour dubbed 'Good to See You'. His Melbourne stops: Saturday, June 24–Sunday, June 25 at Hamer Hall. Attendees can look forward to Rollins looking back over the past seven years since he last visited Australia, stepping through his life from 2016 until COVID-19 hit — and, of course, exploring what's happened since. Fingers crossed for more mullet insights, too. Rollins makes his way around Australia after a massive leg in Europe, where he's been flitting from Croatia, Poland and Finland to Sweden, Germany, France and the United Kingdom — and more. And, his latest tour comes after he added two more books to his name in 2022: Sic, which draws upon the frustration of not knowing if his touring life would ever return; and Stay Fanatic!!! Vol. 3. Top image: Morten Jensen via Wikimedia Commons.
It was one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. And now, five decades on, the anniversary of that achievement is being celebrated all around the world. Saturday, July 20 marks a whole fifty years since the first moon landing and Scienceworks is helping you relive the magic, with an astronomical program of cosmic fun. On July 20 itself, an after-hours session called Footsteps on the Moon will explore all things Apollo 11, through a series of experiences, exhibitions and even some live moon- (and star-) gazing through telescopes. The Planetarium foyer will host a showcase of photos taken by Apollo 11 astronauts themselves and screen a doco about the flight, while the Earthlight installation will see you immersed in a VR version of the International Space Station, moving around in zero gravity, using astronaut tools and taking in those stunning earth views. You can also kick back with a drink while catching a panel discussion with industry legends like head of the Australian Space Agency Dr Megan Clarke AC, Professor Alan Duffy, The Science Show's Robyn Williams AM and former astronaut trainer Dr. Gail Iles. Elements cafe will be open all night, serving galactic cocktails, local brews and snacks.
For one week only, the Arts Centre Melbourne is hosting a fancy schmancy piano recital. And it's going to go spectacularly badly. The latest one-man show from New Zealand stage performer Thomas Monckton, in collaboration with Finnish circus company Circo Aereo, The Pianist operates on a simple comedic principal: if something can go wrong, it most certainly will. Drawing his inspirations from the great silent comics, including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and of course Mr. Bean, Monckton plays the eponymous musician, a man so obsessed with impressing his audience he fails to realise his show is collapsing around his ears. A madcap physical theatre piece, The Pianist has garnered rave reviews across New Zealand and Europe, earning a nomination for best circus show at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe. Monckton will also take part in a post-show discussion on Wednesday, January 13.
Do you often feel like a douchebag for the way you treat artists? If you're anything like me, you love art but kind of expect exhibitions to be free. You think artists are completely crucial to a well-rounded culture but have only actually bought one artwork. Off a friend. For mates rates. This unsettling logic plagues many of the creative industries, writing included. *Nervously jerks at own shirt collar*. But, this Tuesday, November 26, the folk at Kings ARI are taking a step in the right direction with a one-night only exhibition of local artists' wares for realistically affordable prices ($20 - $500). Running from 6-9pm, the exhibition which is curated by performance and visual artist, Lucy Farmer, will feature work from Cat Rabbit, Sean Morris (pictured), Beth Croce, Lucy Farmer, Kimberley Denson, Lia Tabrah, Nior, and Karen Cromwell. For the lovers of classics there will be a large selection of jewellery and craft, and for the kookier amongst us, there'll be some unconventional biomedical prints and hand-illustrated beer coasters. Who needs Melbourne Now? As long as people are willing to come along and support talented local artists every so often, the contemporary art world will kick on. Image: Dead Meat (detail), 2013 © Sean Morris
Over the coming months, rooftop spot Heroes will really be living up to its name, celebrating some of Melbourne's (and the State's) culinary champions with a new series of monthly yum cha parties, kicking off on Sunday, February 17. The venue, from the same minds behind barbecue joint Fancy Hank's and its rooftop counterpart Good Heavens, has fast earned a reputation for its exciting menu of Singaporean hawker-style barbecue fare. Now, each of the yum cha events will see Head Chef Alicia Cheong teaming up with another kitchen hero, with both chefs whipping up a signature meat and vegetarian dish. First up, Harlow Bar's Telina Menzies is joining Cheong to deliver a lineup of barbecued dishes and yum cha staples, such as deep-fried sambal buns, steamed chive dumplings, congee and spring onion pancakes. In March, acclaimed chef Elliot Moss will travel Down Under all the way from Buxton Hall Barbecue in North Carolina. Finally, chef Rhys Hunter from St Kilda's Pontoon will be heading to the colourful rooftop to whip up smoky, charred dishes. For $45, you'll get your pick of two dishes, matched with classic yum cha sides and two hours of bottomless beer, bellinis and mimosas. When the food and drinks windup at 3pm, the music starts — there'll be open mic karaoke with playlists chosen by the guest chefs. Last year's series sold out, so we recommend booking your spot ASAP via the website.
Move aside, democracy sausage — when this Election Day rolls around on Saturday, May 21, you can swap your usual solo snag for a full-blown barbecue spread with top-notch craft brews to match. The meat masters at Burn City Smokers are teaming up with their mates at Toronto-based brewery Bellwoods and taking over Footscray's Mr West Bar & Bottleshop for the inaugural Democracy Barbecue. Grab an $89 ticket and you'll enjoy a snack on arrival, followed by a three-course barbecue lunch feast — with a Canadian twist, in honour of the day's special beer guests. The lunch will double as a beer showcase for Pint of Origin (normally held as part of Good Beer Week), featuring a range of Bellwood brews. That means your barbecue spread will include six of the brewery's signature beers, carefully paired to Burn City Smokers' fire-licked food. Top Image: Burn City Smokers, by Simon Shiff. Mr West, supplied.
If jungle vibes inside an inner-north warehouse on a Friday evening sounds like your perfect outing, head along to Jungle by Moonlight on December 1. It's the latest indoor plant sale from The Jungle Collective, an Abbotsford nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. They're opening up their warehouse, which isn't usually open to the public, for a night market filled with garden greenery, Christmas gift shopping, food from Smokin Barrys and ice cream. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Here, you can be inspired by the gorgeous green-filled space, and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces, while eating, browsing, getting your Christmas presents out of the way and soaking up some tunes. Best get in quick though — their sales are always popular, so we can only imagine that their first night market will be as well. RSVP via the Facebook event and get there early.
It's safe to say that Deeds Brewing has left quite a mark during its first decade of life. Not only has the craft brewery released close to 200 different creations, but its Glen Iris taproom and kitchen, which launched last year, has become a go-to for beer fans of Melbourne's southeast. And how do you celebrate a tenth birthday when you're a legend of the beer scene? Answer: you go hard. On Saturday, August 20, Deeds is doing exactly that, with a rollicking party taking over its Glen Iris HQ. It'll be held across two sessions (12–5pm and 6–11pm), with the taproom decked out with ten different beer and food stations, inviting guests on a journey of rediscovery as they sip through the brewery's greatest defining drops. Each station will match its hero brew with specially paired bites — think: steak and porter sausage rolls, beef cheeks braised in imperial stout, and dark bourbon chocolate smoked salt marquise. Plus, the Deeds team will be on hand, taking punters on a deep dive into the brewery's history and all the beery magic that's happened along the way. Tickets are $100, which'll get you 10 beers and matched food.
If sparkling wine puts some extra fizz into your life, then you'll want to drink your way through this Melbourne event. On Saturday, April 20, 2024, the Bubbles Festival is coming to town to celebrate the most effervescent boozy beverages there are. You'll sip, you'll chat, and you'll meet the folks who make and distribute the tipples in question as well. You'll also eat canapes — no one wants to down champagne, prosecco and other sparkling drinks on an empty stomach — while you're sampling and tasting across two hours. At least ten different wines will be on offer, and your $109 ticket also includes a champagne tasting glass to take home with you. The venue: Bells Hotel in South Melbourne. You can take your pick of two sessions: from 12–2pm or 3–5pm on Saturday. If you're feeling like really treating your sparkling-loving self, you can pay an extra $75 for a VIP ticket, which gets you access to a special cuvée tasting before the regular doors open — and two tasting glasses, rather than one.
Since late in 2019, when Disney launched its own streaming platform, fans of its animated classics, beloved hits and many, many super-popular franchises have been able to binge their way through the Mouse House's back catalogue from the comfort of their couch. For a few weeks in January and February 2022, however, movie buffs are being asked to leave their houses to check out a selection of the company's famed titles — all thanks to the pop-up Disney+ Drive-In, which is returning to Melbourne. Yes, a streaming service is running a drive-in. Or, to put it another way, a product designed to get everyone watching on small screens at home is now endeavouring to lure viewers out to watch its flicks on a big screen from their cars. That's a very pandemic-era situation, with Disney+ teaming up with Openair Cinemas to make it happen. The drive-in will arrive back at the Melbourne Showgrounds car park on Friday, January 14, screening films most nights until Thursday, February 24. As for what'll be screening, the Disney+ Drive-In is working through the Mouse House's hits — including the animated version of The Lion King, fellow family-friendly hits Moana and Frozen, Pixar's Ratatouille and Coco, and a sing-along session of The Little Mermaid. Or, you can check out live-action throwback favourites such as Freaky Friday, 10 Things I Hate About You, Pretty Woman, Speed and Romeo + Juliet — or head to the much more recent Jungle Cruise, Cruella and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Popcorn, snacks and drinks will be available onsite — or you can bring your own. It's strictly a no-alcohol affair, though. And, ticket-wise, you'll be paying per car.
Melbourne has scored another sun-drenched waterfront pop-up to add to its collection of summer haunts; this time, it's hugging the banks of the Yarra on Southbank's Sandridge Wharf. With room for 165 punters, Yarra Kitchen & Bar has landed in the space beside beer bar Hopscotch, decked out with garden furniture and wicker armchair pods where you'll happily find yourself whiling away this season's balmy afternoons and nights. Don those sunnies, settle in riverside and get stuck into the impressive lineup of spritzes — maybe the Sicilian-style lemon and jasmine concoction, or a carafe of the blood orange and rosemary number. If seltzers are more your speed, you'll find options from both Fizzer and White Claw, along with local wines, a handful of tap brews, and tinnies from the likes of Stomping Ground and Hawkers. You can match the summery vibe with bites from the raw bar selection, including tuna ceviche tacos and salmon tostadas. Or, snack your way through the likes of crumbed barramundi bao, nori-salted fried chicken, loaded grazing boards and generous Aussie prawn rolls. Plus, it's dog-friendly. BYO four-legged bestie for some waterfront hangs. Yarra Kitchen & Bar is open 12pm–10pm Sunday–Wednesday and 10am–11pm Thursday–Saturday.
What do you get when you combine seriously chiseled muscles, cheeky lace underwear, a few nipples, death defying acts, and more laughs than you’ve had in a while? Oh, how we wish we knew where all your minds went first. But we’ll put you out of your misery. The answer, Absinthe, presented at the Spiegelworld Tent on the Crown Rooftop in Melbourne. Did we mention it’s MA15+? After opening in Las Vegas in 2011 and then hitting the streets of New York, this show has drawn sold-out crowds for four years straight. The modern circus is a constantly rotating door of performers, dancers, singers, burlesque performers, and comedians from all over the world with unique abilities, leaving you with no clue what will come up next. And it’s hosted by the somewhat sleazy Gazillionaire and his weirdly funny sidekick Penny. Word of warning, the things that come out of her mouth are not for the faint-hearted. As the performance is inspired by the booze-soaked cabarets of the late 19th Century, the Spiegelworld tent is the perfect location for the show. The rooftop of Crown, for the night, feels like a secluded and sensual bar — ideal for saucy acts and dirty comedy. Without ruining too many surprises, the show opens with a pile of ten or so chairs and one small man doing handstands on top of it, we move to an almost naked girl and a very large balloon, to fire breathing, to towers of just men who drink shots of absinthe between acts, to girls who swing on a hoop and each other while kissing in the meantime. Don’t be surprised if you gasp, a few times for the sexy, sexy performers and a few times for when you think they're going to fall right in front of your eyes. This show literally keeps you on the edge of your seat, a cliché we wouldn’t use lightly. Mini Melbourne is sponsoring the event, which makes for a very cute Mini to play with on the rooftop, just another weird and wonderful addition to this very memorable show. We do wonder how they got everything up there.
To celebrate truffle season, NOMAD has launched a limited-time brunch menu to celebrate the fancy fungus. Running every Sunday for four weeks from June 12, all dishes are served with approximately two grams of Manjimup black truffle from WA, so you can really itch that seasonal truffle craving. Start with a three-cheese manoush ($25), followed by ham hock hash browns with baked eggs and wood-roasted tomatoes ($19). A smokey date glazed bacon ($22); wood-roasted mushrooms with Jersusalem artichokes and pinenuts ($32); and Long Paddock Driftwood with honeycomb and crudites ($65) serve as lazy grazing nibbles. The brunch banquet is finished with an ice-cream sandwich, featuring olive oil ice cream and pecan cookies ($19). For those looking to make the brunch boozy, there is a range of specialty cocktails available for additional purchase. Think: NOMAD's signature bloody mary ($22), a seasonal bellini ($18), mimosas ($35) and espresso martinis ($22).
Handpicking some of the globe's best new artists for yet another glorious year (their seventh, to be exact), Sugar Mountain has revealed one heck of a 2018 lineup, with UK rapper Joey Bada$$, experimental Berlin-based producer Laurel Halo and Australia's Cut Copy headlining. Returning to Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts on Saturday, January 20, Sugar Mountain has again balanced international drawcards with local talent this year, from Melbourne's all-female five-piece Beaches to UK producer Actress. Other Aussies converging on Mebourne for the fest include Body Type, Stella Donnelly and Indigenous collective Kardajala Kirridarra. As always though, music isn't the only thing on the menu for Sugar Mountain. There'll also be a load artists on the bill, including a collaboration between American artist and dancer Khalif Diouf and Bangarra Dance Theatre's dancer and choreographer Waangenga Blanco and work by Amrita Hepi and Japanese artists Hiroyasu Tsuri and Jun Inoue. The nosh is yet to be announced, but here's hoping Sugar Mountain's immersive on-site restaurant Sensory will be back. Enough chatskies, here's that lineup you're after. SUGAR MOUNTAIN 2018 LINEUP: Actress (UK) Ara Koufax Beaches Body Type Cut Copy Dan Shake (UK) Eclair Fifi (UK) Fantastic Man Gerd Janson (GER) Honey Dijon (USA) J Hus (UK) Jamila Woods (USA) Joey Bada$$ (USA) Kardajala Kirridarra Laurel Halo (USA) Love Deluxe Project Pablo (CAN) Sevdaliza (NED) Shanti Celeste (UK) Stella Donnelly ARTISTS VIA ALICE featuring Waangenga Blanco x Khalif Diouf (USA) Amrita Hepi x Pasefika Victoria Choir Justin Shoulder x CORIN x Tristan Jalleh Hiroyasu Tsuri (JPN) x Jun Inoue (JPN) Marcus Whale x Athena Thebus Sugar Mountain Festival is happening at Victorian College Of The Arts, Melbourne on Saturday, January 20, 2017. Tickets are $109 each and are on sale now at sugarmountain.com.
It's impossible to fit Gippsland on a plate but every year the chefs, brewers and cheesemakers of Victoria give it a red hot crack. Yep, it's that time of year again. The East Gippsland Winter Festival is back for 2023, running from June 9 to July 9 with more artisanal tasting plates than anyone could consume in an average human lifetime. If you haven't attended this one before, bring your appetite. It's an incredible celebration of everything Gippsland — the people, food, produce and communities that make this place special. The event runs for a full month, with activations and lunches popping up all over the region. Some of this year's highlights include the Nicholson Bridge Long Lunch (general release tickets have sold out for this one, but you can still get lucky on the waitlist), ice carving and fire dancing at Metung, a sunrise bathe and breakfast (in old wine barrels, no less), and a special Duck & Pinot Dinner at Northern Ground in Bairnsdale. Special shout out to the FAT Ride, which sounds amazing: 40km of the beautiful Gippsland Rail Trail, with pop-up food, art and tune (FAT) along the way. They're even throwing in post-ride beers and return transfers. You can browse the full program over here. We recommend basing yourself somewhere central, like Bairnsdale or Bruthen, and then strategically filling your diary with delicious events and winery activations. Images: Supplied
Why are we so quick to dub certain books 'unfilmable'? After dozens of so-called-unfilmable film adaptations, maybe it's time to stop doubting the ability of screenwriters and directors to translate written expression to visual. Sometimes these unfilmable films are among the most exciting cinematic adventures of all, having to be inventive in a way that defies our expectations. Among unfilmable books, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell surely takes the cake, so let's resolve to be excited rather than plain old dubious that mind-fuck virtuosos the Wachowskis (The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) are tackling it. The novel is set across time, from the Colonial Pacific to a circularly primitive future, and follows the exploits of several people who have basically nothing to do with each other. It's always told in the language and point of view of the character currently in focus — among them, an intrepid reporter, a precocious composer, and a woman genetically engineered for a life in hospitality — and constantly undermines conventional narrative structure by ripping us out of a story just when it's picking up pace. It's also a completely intoxicating read that was nominated for the 2004 Booker Prize. Tykwer and the Wachowskis are clearly aiming for greatness here, but they don't make it, and that leaves the unorthodox film open to savagery from many angles, far more than it deserves. Even at three hours, it's not a difficult watch, as the thickly intercut stories are individually intriguing and easy to distinguish. The editing involved in Cloud Atlas is a real marvel, actually. I'm picturing some obsessive Gollum (actually Alexander Berner) emerging from the editing suite with scurvy and a hunchback after months of toil. It's this intricate editing that subtly pulls the film along, so that the appearance of an actor in one time cuts to their transformed face in another and the mention of a door will in the next vignette open a gate. One of the best elements of the film is how it turns the 'actor playing multiple roles' trope from a novelty into an art. Although the message of the book and film is ambiguous, the idea of recurrence and of us having traceable connections to distant times is a major theme. The filmmakers are able to give vivid expression to that idea by having actors take on several characters, often across gender and race. Some critics have accused the film of racism for its use of yellow-face, but to do so seems sensationalist when you see how much thought, awareness, and purpose has gone into the portrayal of race. It's basically the point of the movie. On top of that, the prosthetics are awe-inspiring, and it's worth watching the credits just to see which unrecognisable appearances from Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Ben Whishaw, Doona Bae, Hugh Grant, Keith David, Xun Zhou, and others passed you by. Some of the other mise en scene, however, is surprisingly forgettable given the filmmakers; one of their futures looks pretty much like Bladerunner. The other big problem for the film is that, as it builds to its breathless, hypercutting crescendo, it looks a bit like cloying Western mysticism, if not all-out schmaltz. Resist falling into this vortex and you might enjoy the personal reading you take out of Cloud Atlas's ambiguous melting pot. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ByehYal_cCs
In their latest exhibition, Rubicon ARI are embracing a growing trend in Melbourne's local art scene — letting us loose to play with things. First Emily Dawn gave her gallery patrons giant blocks and letters to create news works with, then Ernesto Neto knitted us a giant nest to jump around in; now Sarah Louise Rickets is getting in on the action. Her new show at artist-run gallery Rubicon is simple: fill a room with light and cuddly felt objects, encourage us to throw them around, then sit back and watch the consequences. Running from January 14 - 31, PLAY - POSE - POST' is an interactive installation consisting of a bunch of hand-made Tetrapods or "giant jacks". Though what happens next is really up to the audience, the multi-media artist certainly has some suggestions. Asking us to literally play, pose, then post the objects on social media, Rickets hopes her creations can create both an fleeting real-world experience and lasting digital image. Though the work may seem all fun and games, there are sure to also be some telling revelations about how we approach and document new experiences in the 21st century.
If you’re looking for a way to give the final weekend of summer the send-off it deserves, the inaugural Summerfest could be the event you’ve been searching for. Located on Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands, the free concert features the likes of Sneaky Sound System and Ruby Rose on a floating stage. Watching Orange Is the New Black's newest cast member performing in the middle of the harbour will certainly be a sight to behold, and dancing away the last moments of summer sounds equally enjoyable. Back on dry land, there will be pop-up bars in the form of the VodkaO Cocktail Bar and Rekorderlig Cider Garden, as well as a food truck park to keep your sustenance up. If you want to score some awesome food and drink vouchers for the day, or be in with a chance to meet and greet Sneaky Sound System, head to the Summerfest website to enter the competition to live it up VIP style. Summerfest, presented by Victoria Harbour, is running from midday until 7pm and will culminate in the final day of Chinese New Year celebrations, with the Docklands Dragon and light installations to illuminate the night sky. Now that's one heck of a way to end a glorious summer.
After a year that saw Victorians spend most of their time staring at their own four walls, giving out vouchers for travel was always going to be a popular plan. So, when the State Government announced its plan to give away $200 vouchers to folks travelling regionally as part of a $465 million Victorian Tourism Recovery Package, it earned plenty of attention. And, when the first two rounds of those vouchers became available, they were snapped up quickly — so much so that another 30,000 were released after the first set to meet demand, and a new and separate batch for metropolitan Melbourne stays was also distributed. Now, as was always on the cards, the third round of $200 vouchers for regional travel is being handed out to encourage everyone to take a getaway within the state. As previously announced, the next batch will become available at 10am AEDT on Tuesday, March 30, with 50,000 available — covering travel between Tuesday, April 6–Monday, May 31. There have been two obvious aims behind the scheme overall: enticing Victorian residents to go venturing throughout the state, and helping support regional pubs, hotels, wineries and small businesses. The vouchers can be spent on accommodation, tourism attractions and tours in regional Victoria, the Yarra Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula. But, there's a hefty list of things you can't spend them on, including gaming, alcohol, fuel, food and drinks (unless it's part of a winery tour, for example), groceries, personal items (such as clothing) and transport (such as rental cars and public transport). So, you can't just use the voucher to road trip to a pub, but you can use it to book accommodation at the pub, then spend your own money on food and drinks — which will still make your trip away significantly cheaper. There are some additional caveats, too: the vouchers are limited to one per household (not per person) across the entire scheme; you must first provide evidence of spending $400 on accommodation, attractions or tours before getting your $200; and you must pay for a minimum of two nights accommodation in regional Victoria. Which means, at most, half of your expenses will be covered — but, that's $200 that you won't have to fork out yourself. [caption id="attachment_760554" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Rail Trail, by Visit Victoria/Josie Withers[/caption] Yes, it's a little complicated — but the Vic Government has broken it down in more detail online. It has also given some more examples of what you can use the vouchers on, including holiday parks, camping sites, cottages, farm stays, private holiday rentals, houseboats (yes, houseboats), winery tours, adventure tours and entry fees to regional attractions, such as. museums, water parks and adventure parks. If you're wondering how the vouchers have been used so far, they've primarily gone towards trips to the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Surf Coast, East Gippsland and Colac-Otway shires, the government has advised. Folks visiting regional Victoria have spent an estimated $85 million, averaging at around $1700 per trip — and staying an average of five nights. You can apply for the final round of 50,000 $200 travel vouchers from 10am AEDT on Tuesday, March 30 at business.vic.gov.au/travelvouchers. Top image: The Great Ocean Road, Shipwreck Coast, by Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn.
Kinky things are afoot behind proverbial white picket fences. Made with the financial assistance of the Melbourne International Film Festival Premiere Fund, the directorial debut of acclaimed local short film and music video director Stephen Lance takes your typically angst-ridden, po-faced Australian teen drama, and dresses it up in a full-body latex suit. A BDSM-themed coming of age story, My Mistress gets points for an eyebrow-raising premise and some bold stabs at Blue Velvet-style erotic voyeurism. Unfortunately, weak dialogue and clumsy characterisation soon leave the film feeling limp. The leafy suburbs of Queensland provide the backdrop for the story, one that begins when delinquent high-schooler Charlie (Harrison Gilbertson) discovers his father's body hanging in the garage. Stricken with grief and consumed with anger towards his mother (Rachael Blake), on whose shoulders he places the blame for his father's suicide, Charlie seeks comfort in an unlikely relationship with Maggie (Emmanuelle Beart), a professional dominatrix who has recently moved to town. It's a seriously strange set-up that, frankly, should have yielded far more interesting results. Lance shows adeptness behind the camera, and all three of the lead performances are quite strong. The problem with My Mistress lies instead with its screenplay, co-written by Top of the Lake creator Gerard Lee. The dialogue more often than not rings false, particularly when people are arguing, which they're doing almost all the time. There's also a baffling lack of consistency in the behaviour and personality of the characters, with Maggie and Charlie's relationship going from stable in one scene to downright hostile in the next. It's also disappointing to see Lance adopt the very boring, narrow-minded position that the sort of niche sexual behaviour exhibited by his characters must be a symptom of some sort of dysfunction or inner pain. Charlie's emotional dependence on Maggie obviously has its origins in the breakdown of the relationship with his mother. Likewise, the film goes to great lengths to make us understand that Maggie is damaged: a former drug addict who has lost custody of her infant son. Wouldn't it be nicer to see a movie about S&M practitioners who are just in it for a rip-roaring good time? Fingers crossed for 50 Shades of Grey. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6jZeKiaE04c
What more fitting time to indulge your inner Francophile, than France's national day of celebration? Dust off that beret because once again, Federation Square is embracing the red, white and blue for Bastille Day, with a weekend of French festivities. Descending on the precinct from Saturday, July 16–Sunday, July 17 (the weekend after Bastille Day), the 2022 Bastille Day French Festival is dishing up a lively program of food, entertainment, market stalls and more. A winter marketplace will be stocked full of French favourites; think, buttery croissants, cheese and charcuterie, crepes, toasty serves of mulled wine and of course, the world's finest bubbly, straight out of Champagne. The French-accented entertainment runs from live acoustic tunes to hip hop dance demonstrations, or you can dive into topics like art, history and sustainability at one of the festival's Les Lumieres talks. There'll be culinary masterclasses dedicated to French favourites including wine, cheese and cocktails, and Melbourne's own French roots will be explored with a series of guided walking tours through the city. And if you can't make it IRL, there's no need to cry into your creme brulée — the festival's also dishing up a supporting digital program featuring entertainment, talks, trivia and more. Images: Previous installments of the Bastille Day French Festival
Heads up Australia, Aldous Harding is one of those Kiwi musical talents we'll casually be calling our own in a few years. You may not have heard much from her yet, but this Christchurch folk queen is just about to drop her debut album and head out on her first tour of Australia. Be sure to check her out — by all accounts, she's killin' it across the Tasman. Starting her career from the ground up, Harding has dominated the pub scene of Lyttelton — a port town just south of the Christchurch CBD. Full of rural charm and enchanting melodies, her acoustic folk is definitely telling of her roots. Like New Zealand's answer to Julia Stone, her music is rich in character and story. Her self-titled debut so far has just the one single, 'Hunter', with the rest to be released on July 25. And she's making her way to our shores just one week later, so you better get acquainted with it quickly. Harding will play two Melbourne shows, a free gig on Sunday, July 6 at Public Bar and supporting Tiny Ruins on Tuesday, July 8 at Northcote Social Club. Harding's shows are sure to be a very chilled affair — perfect for red wine, big jumpers and melodious swaying.
There are a few different lockdown styles at play in Melbourne right now. Some of us are burning through the at-home workouts. Some are working hard on those wine appreciation skills. And some of us are boss-level multitasking and doing both at once. If the latter sounds like your kind of jam, then clear your Friday night calendar for virtual event series Pinot Pilates. An online wine-fuelled pilates class helmed by seasoned instructor Laura Roodhouse, the sessions are running via Zoom at 6pm every Friday, right through the end of stage four lockdown. Join in each week to combine your knock-off vino with some muscle-toning moves, from the comfort of your living room floor. You'll be guided through a laidback series of stretches and core work, in between sips of your favourite vinous tipple, of course. Classes run for one hour, clocking in at an easy $10. Roodhouse even has your back with some wine recommendations, this week shouting out Yarra Valley winemaker Rob Dolan.
