For years, the Lucas Group have been kicking goals on Melbourne’s restaurant scene with the likes Chin Chin, Kong and Baby all to their illustrious name. After whispers of a hawker-style market reared their heads in March 2015, the time has finally come for their latest project, Hawker Hall, to open to the public. Hawker Hall is opening in Windsor at 11am on Sunday, November 14 and is designed to mimic a Singaporean hawker market. Owner Chris Lucas told Good Food that the Tiong Bahru Food Centre in Singapore was a major inspiration for the project. Just to clue you in, hawkers are typically nomadic merchants who sell cheap street food and wares in a large open space by yelling (anyone who’s travelled to Southeast Asia will know exactly what we’re talking about). At HH, this will translate to a broad menu covering curries, noodles, dumplings and barbecue, a very reasonable price point ($10-20) and a big, noisy mess-hall-style venue. The kitchen will be manned by head chef Damian Snell (formerly of Charlie Dumpling) under the watch of Lucas Group executive chef Benjamin Cooper. The actual hall, which used to be a furniture store on Chapel Street, is being transformed by heavyweight designers Eades and Bergman (Kong, Bomba, Mr Miyagi) and Melbourne's Craig Tan Architects (Dock Square Pavilion, Brompton Pavilion, Roji Salon). But amongst the food market-style accoutrements, the other big item on the Hawker Hall agenda is the emphasis on craft beer, with a fluid, constantly changing tap menu planned that will showcase new and small-time breweries as well as the venue's own label, Shiki. If it’s anything like Chin Chin, you’ll have to get in early — because it’s going to be popular. And speaking of Chin Chin, the Lucas Group also announced that Chin Chin will be shutting down temporarily early in the new year. Don’t worry though, it won’t be for long. The old gal is turning five, is no spring chicken and needs a bit of work, including the installation of a coconut barbecue grill and smoke extractors (the new botox). Hawker Hall will open at 98 Chapel Street, Windsor on Sunday, November 14 at 11am. Via Good Food.
Newsflash: fashion isn't just about looking good. Sustainability is playing an ever-increasing role for many designers, and there's a new Australian magazine trying to to support and highlight their noble pursuits. With their first edition launching only a matter of months ago, Hessian is your new go-to publication for feel-good fashion. For those a little out of the loop, we spoke to editor-in-chief Siggi McCarthy to get the inside scoop. How are people embracing this new trend? Where can you get your hands on the good stuff? What does it all mean? So, what is Hessian? "Hessian was founded simply out of necessity," McCarthy says. "Violette Snow (founder) felt there needed to be a magazine that packaged sustainable fashion in a way that was accessible, exciting and fresh. Without sounding like a crazy hippy, the earth and the people living here are in trouble and we need to step up and do something about it." McCarthy first met Snow when she was working for Ethical Clothing Australia, manning their stall at the Sustainable Living Festival. The two got chatting and soon realised they were very much on the same page. "I was immediately drawn to the idea of Hessian and knew I wanted to be a part of it. Violette was putting onto paper what I'd been thinking about for a long time: Why can't sustainable fashion be aesthetically pleasing? Why don't we expect more from fashion labels? Can someone please stop using the word 'green'?" "There needs to be a greater dialogue when it comes to ethical issues in the fashion industry but we can't create real change if we alienate young consumers. This is why Hessian uses a concept called subtle sustainability." Sustainability is a bunch of small choices "Subtle sustainability is a stripped back easygoing concept that encourages us to think about leading a more conscious lifestyle," McCarthy says. Instead of shoving it in people's faces, Hessian focusses on making realistic and achievable lifestyle changes — people want to feel as though they're making a difference, but they also don't want to read about doom and gloom. "Put simply, we just want young people to make informed choices and realise that mindful living can actually be fucking cool." Focussing on the bigger picture, Hessian prefers to think of itself as a style magazine rather than a fashion rag. "We encourage people to embrace quality local production, independent design, good craftsmanship, and style that transcends seasonal fads." You don't have to look bad to feel good Good news do-gooders! These days you can buy sustainable products without compromising on quality or style. "While some brands unfortunately reinforce the stigma attached to sustainable fashion — that it's heinous — there are labels out there that are encouraging people to buy ethically through beautiful clothing," McCarthy says. "I think that's the key to a more sustainable fashion industry — blending ethics with aesthetics so seamlessly that sustainable clothing becomes the more desirable option." Bottom line: people want to buy clothing because they look good and that's never going to change. "They’re not going to settle for something that looks like crap just because it has a nice story behind it." There are lots of brands doing great things "I think us young folk get a bit of a kick out of knowing who is behind the clothing and wearing something that comes from a small run," McCarthy says. And, luckily for us, there are a bunch of local independent designers doing us proud in the sustainability stakes. In particular, Siggi recommends Kuwaii, Celeste Tesoriero, PER-TIM, Julie White, Thursday Sunday, YEVU, Kester Black, Nobody Denim and The Social Studio. Working at Ethical Clothing Australia, McCarthy also tries to support accredited labels. "R.M. Williams, for example, is ECA accredited and make the best boots locally in South Australia," she says. "I also dig NICO Underwear, which is made in Queensland using organic cotton and bamboo." Overseas favourites include Honest by, Everlane, Kowtow and Study. The good stuff can be hard to find The difficult thing about small independent labels is that they can be tricky to hunt down. In lack of an outlet store, McCarthy recommends hitting up Monk House Design, Dagmar Rousset, and trusty old op shops. But her hot tip is social media — there a bunch of great Facebook groups selling good quality, secondhand clothing. "When I meet girls to pick up items bought in these groups, it always feels like a drug deal," she says. "You generally don't know what the seller looks like, so you stand awkwardly on a corner hoping to make eye contact. When you suspect it's the right person, you walk up to them hesitantly, exchange pleasantries, inspect the garment, give them the money and then go about your day. Sometimes I think I buy clothing off these groups more for the experience than the clothing!" You can do it for cheap Of course, doing things right doesn't always come with a huge price tag — this isn't like the organic section at Coles. If you're doing this on a budget McCarthy suggests you stick to Facebook or Instagram and hit up online swaps like The Clothing Exchange. She also suggests you invest in quality over quantity. Buying one great item that lasts you saves you a bunch of money in the long term. You should also shoot for a well-curated wardrobe. This means thinking about what you already own and how your clothing can be worn with the garment you're considering buying. There's not much point having a wardrobe filled with pieces that don't work together. Last but not least, don't worry about wearing the same clothes often. If you look good — work it. For more on sustainable fashion pick up Hessian from their online store or Happy Valley, Brunswick Street Bookstore, Save Yourself Boutique, Dagmar Rousset, Greenhorse Boutique, Limedrop in Victoria. In NSW you can pick up a copy at Darley Collective. Images via Hessian Magazine, Dagmar Rousset, Kuwaii, Monk House Design.
Cumulus Inc is the kind of venue where you are being given a new fork before you've even realised your other one just hit the floor — yes that did happen. One of Andrew McConnell's many venues, Cumulus has been a Melbourne favourite since its opening in 2008. Service is seamless and the food is well, simply divine. Whole lamb shoulder to share ($69) falls off the bone, while tiny morsels of the kitchen's charcuterie selection ($26) does nicely to whet the appetite. Just when we didn't think things could get any better, enter Cumulus Up. Above Cumulus Inc, Up is a mix between a waiting room for the main act downstairs and an entity in itself. While it encompasses some of the sleek design elements from Inc, it uses more exposed brick and dark detail to give it a relaxed yet classy finish. They keep things tight with a small wine list of 12 varieties by the glass. If you're going for white wine, the Di Majo Norante Falangbina from Molise Italy is divine, while the Mengoba Flor de Brezo Mencia from Bierzo, Spain is a beautiful red. The staff know the list inside out and will point you in the right direction every time. The food, it was always going to be good, we expected this. What we didn't expect was the duck waffle with foie gras and prunes ($10). It's going to be a thing; we can just feel it happening. Other bites on the menu include anchovy toast with fresh curd ($50) and zucchini flower fritters ($9). Larger meals come in the form of bass grouper with crab sauce and fennel ($38) and dry aged 800g rib eye ($90 to share). If cheese is your thing, finish your evening with a Brie de Meaux, white mould, cow's milk cheese from France ($16) or a Perl Las, a cow's milk blue from Wales ($16). Desserts see profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce ($15) and ice cream and sorbet available by the scoop ($4 a scoop). This newcomer makes you want to linger, yet lets you come and go as you please. A beautiful offshoot from Cumulus Inc, and we're excited to see where they take it from here. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen and Harvard Wang.
Bad news for online shopping addicts: Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has declared his intention to abolish the $1000 GST-free threshold on overseas purchases by July 1, 2017. The announcement, which came after a day of tax reform talks between state and federal treasurers, means that all items purchased from overseas retailers, including those bought through online shopping services such as Amazon, will soon be subject to the same standard 10 percent GST surcharge as items purchased in Australia. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hockey said that the change will help deliver "competitive neutrality for Australian businesses, and ensure fair and equal treatment of goods and services. If goods and services would have the GST applied in Australia, then the same should apply for goods from overseas." He also stated that the decision had been made "with the unanimous agreement of Labor and Liberal states and territories". Hockey told the ABC that "what it effectively means is that we're going to have taxation officials travel around the world and visiting these companies and asking them to register for GST purposes." Only those companies with an annual GST turnover of more than $75,000 will be affected. This will also include companies that provide digital content services, such as Netflix and Facebook. If overseas companies prove unwilling to comply with Australian government requests, an alternative method of collecting the GST could be for Australians to pay the surcharge separately upon receipt of their purchased item. The potential issue with this method would be the cost of assessing each item as it reaches the border – something that Hockey as dismissed as "plainly ridiculous." The treasurer is apparently confident that the amount of revenue raised by this new scheme will outweigh the costs of enforcing it – despite recent findings by the Productivity Commission to the contrary. According to news.com.au, however, a spokesperson for Mr. Hockey yesterday admitted that the treasury has yet to perform any modelling on the economic impact of the proposed changes. Ultimately, the most depressing thing about this story is that regardless of whether we end up paying the GST, it may still be cheaper to purchase things online — which does rather put a damper on Hockey's 'levelling the playing field' rhetoric. As it stands now, you've got just under two years to get in all your impulse buying before you get whacked with an additional fee. Image: Dollar Photo Club
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival is back for 2017. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows Image: Andy Fraser.
Every time you enter a darkened cinema to spend a few hours gazing at the silver screen, you pay tribute to French movies. More than a century ago, the European nation was at the forefront of the medium — its filmmakers are not only responsible for the oldest surviving film in existence, but also the 46-second piece considered the first true film ever made, as well as many influential early efforts. They're still helping shower audiences in movie delights today, of course, with Australia's Alliance Francaise French Film Festival providing an annual snapshot of just how busy and bustling the French film industry remains. When you're selling more than 212 million cinema tickets to eager audiences in a single a year, as the country did in 2016, you need plenty of great flicks to show them. As far as our slice of Gallic cinema in Australia is concerned, the numbers keep coming: reaching its 28th year, the 2017 festival will screen 45 films in nine different cities and towns, and will try to exceed its 168,000 admissions from its last outing. That all adds up to a great problem for a cinema lover to have: being spoiled for choice. Should you opt for watching many a French movie star? Exploring many an intriguing tale? Or try to combine both? Let us help steer you in the right direction with our ten must-see picks of the fest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ-y_3mquoc THE ODYSSEY When The Odyssey starts relating the tale of Jacques Cousteau, you can be forgiven for expecting to see Billy Murray's face, hear Brazilian versions of Bowie tracks and laugh at Wes Anderson's sense of humour. We all love The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which comically paid homage to Cousteau — but, taking to the seas for a biopic of the famous French oceanographer, director Jérôme Salle favours a much more traditional approach. With Lambert Wilson playing the man in question and Audrey Tautou co-starring as his wife, expect more than a few waves to result as the film examines Cousteau's professional and personal lives. The Odyssey opens this year's Alliance Francaise French Film Festival with a splash, which is exactly how you want things to kick off. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu3OdZ8RJd4 BEING 17 It's okay if Being 17 sounds familiar — it has been doing the rounds of Australia's major film festivals over the past year. However, one of the great things about the AFFFF is the opportunity to catch up with movies you might've missed elsewhere. And, if you haven't put this vibrant coming-of-age flick in front of your eyeballs just yet, make sure you rectify the situation. The story itself makes a certain impact as it charts two teenage boys exploring their feelings for each other, then grappling with the uncertainty that follows, as told with sensitivity and insight by Girlhood director-turned-Being 17 screenwriter Céline Sciamma. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAOVBV670XM DAGUERROTYPE Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa is well known for dwelling in horror territory — in fact, his last movie screened at the Japanese Film Festival late last year. Here, he makes the jump to France to tell a Gothic ghost tale, enlisting the help of actors Tahar Rahim and Mathieu Amalric. At the centre of the film sits the titular form of photography, which involves capturing images on a silver surface, and requires those getting snapped to sit still for hours on end. The film moves similarly slowly; however, it doesn't take long for its Gothic charms to work their magic. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnp0f9xoAfM IN BED WITH VICTORIA When it premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, In Bed With Victoria earned comparisons to Trainwreck. So if that's your kind of film, get excited. Yes, that means you should expect an account of a woman's quest for romantic success, relayed in both a frank and funny fashion. It also means you'll be falling for an engaging lead performance, with Up for Love's Virginie Efira more than handling the task of playing a Parisian lawyer and single mother trying to navigate the ups and downs of life, dating and finding happiness. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5dh7UWbSZI IT'S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD Prepare to question your life choices. In the last nine years, French-Canadian writer/director Xavier Dolan has made six films, five of which have screened at Cannes. He'll turn 28 this month, and he's currently working on his seventh effort, his English-language debut starring Kit Harington, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman, Thandie Newton, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon and Room's Jacob Tremblay. That's quite the accomplishment — and while his most recent movie, It's Only the End of the World, has received mixed reviews, there's still plenty of emotion-dripping French family drama and eye-catching visuals to enjoy. Gaspard Ulliel, Nathalie Baye, Léa Seydoux, Vincent Cassel and Marion Cotillard star, with the film taking out Cannes' 2016 Grand Jury Prize. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H96Qxp-3ssc A JOURNEY THROUGH FRENCH CINEMA We've already told you that France and cinema go hand-in-hand, but there's no need to simply take our word for it. Trust the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival to screen just the movie that'll teach you everything you ever needed to know about French filmmaking, with veteran writer/director Bertrand Tavernier's A Journey Through French Cinema an informative and engaging guide. Be warned: because there's plenty to cover, you can expect to get comfy for more than three hours. And remember to clear your schedule for months afterwards, because you're going to want to spend every waking moment delving into as much French movie history as possible. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmPTQdW79Tg PLANETARIUM With a title like Planetarium, writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski will have you thinking about stars — and seeing them as well. Expect to be dazzled not by the shining lights above or a place dedicated to them, but by the talents of Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp (yes, Johnny's daughter). The two combine to bring a pair of American sisters to life on a stylish journey through pre-war Europe, complete with seances and other paranormal phenomena, as well as the process of bringing supernatural magic to the movies. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elM9HxIlDnQ THINGS TO COME Come on, admit it: we were all hoping that Isabelle Huppert's name would be read out at the Oscars this year. Alas, there was no envelope mix-up in the best actress category. Elle wasn't the only astonishing performance that the French actress gave in 2016 though, with her work in Things to Come just as moving and revelatory. Under the affectionate direction of Eden's Mia Hansen-Løve, Huppert is once again at her best as a philosophy professor forced to reassess her life. And, if you can't get enough of all things Isabelle, she also pops up in fellow festival effort Souvenir. Double feature, anyone? View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRgjsnadqOA THE INNOCENTS Cinema has made a habit of following those in habits, pondering faith and exploring the space where religious beliefs and the realities of life meet. Add The Innocents to the contemplative pile, as a young French doctor visits a Benedictine convent to tackle the one scenario that's not supposed to happen: several pregnancies. Set at the end of the Second World War, Anne Fontaine's film proves all the more compelling by taking its tale from a true story. No wonder it got audiences talking when it screened at last year's Sundance, and no doubt it'll do the same again at the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival. View sessions here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=FWaf830692s TOMORROW After wowing audiences as one of film's most memorable cinema owners in Inglourious Basterds, Mélanie Laurent hasn't just continued to pop up on-screen — she has stepped behind the lens as well. In fact, the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival gifted Australian audiences with the chance to see her last fictional feature, Breathe, and they're coming through again. This time, Laurent turns documentarian with co-director Cyril Dion to dive into today's environmental issues, and just what they might mean for tomorrow. If that sounds powerful, it should. It also won the duo the Cesar award for best documentary at France's top film awards. View sessions here. The Alliance Française French Film Festival will visit Sydney from March 7 to 30; Melbourne from March 8 to 30, and Brisbane from March 16 to April 9.
Melbournians love to get a little fancy in January. Despite the monumental heat, we don our tennis whites, pack inside scorching stadiums and fan ourselves while sipping bubbly. But, if you're feeling a little worn out from the Australian Open, we have an alternative that has all the class without the apocalyptic heat. Trade in your rackets for some croquet clubs, get some fresh air down by the Yarra, and cool off with some icy, icy Pimms. The Royal Croquet Club is coming to town. Fresh from its debut run in Adelaide earlier this year, the Royal Croquet Club is a pop-up summer haven of food, drinks, music and croquet. Set up in the city during the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the club was an absolute hit for those after a summer tipple, now it's Melbourne's turn. The venue will be set up in the grasslands of Birrarung Marr for 17 days in January 2015. Though details are pretty scarce at the moment, we know that there will be a rather impressive group of foodie favourites on board. "The Adelaide Royal Croquet Club didn’t have a serious focus on food but with Melbourne being such a food town, we felt it was crucial to get this aspect right," event organiser Grant Smillie told Broadsheet. But it's not just the food, you'll be coming for. This urban oasis will have fully-stocked bars — specialising in jugs of Pimms, of course — functioning croquet courts and musical acts on stage. Those at the Adelaide event were even treated to a show from Remi. "Everything has got to be considered across the board so we can meet Melbourne's lofty expectations and exceed them," said Smillie. "There are so many festivals now, you want a full experience. We feel this one will be pretty organic and special." Special is certainly the right word to describe it. The Royal Croquet Club seems to have everything we want in a summer hangout spot: games, sun, shade, music, and cocktails that won't stop flowing. For those feeling a little lost outside the scorching heat of Rod Laver Arena, they'll even have the tennis on big outdoor screens. Sorted.
Apple's first wearable computer, the Apple Watch, is almost here. After months of furious pub debates, Android-loving naysaying and know-it-all speculation, Apple finally announced the release date for its next 'must-have' device at its 'Spring Forward' event in San Francisco — and the price tag for its sold gold version. Starting at AU$499 and running all the way up to AU$14,000 for their ultra-hard 18-karat gold version, the shrunken, wearable computer fits into a watch body and runs a modified version of iOS — the system running your iPhone and iPad right now. Available in two sizes (38 and 42mm height) the Apple Watch comes in three different 'collections' including the Apple Watch Sport Collection — with 60 percent stronger anodised aluminium case, though not completely waterproof — and the pretty, pretty AppleWatch Edition made from 18-carat yellow or rose gold, sapphire crystal glass (and costing that cheeky $10K). Not as baller as these watches, but a good first model. Preorders for the Apple Watch start April 10, available in the US, UK, China, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong. The watch will be available from April 24, but if you wander into a Genius bar you'll be able to try one on from the 10th. Analysts are predicting Apple could up to 60 million shipments within a year of its release — perhaps not if Pebble Time has anything to do with it. So, how does the Apple Watch work? Behold, the 'digital crown' controls all The primary joystick of the whole device, you can go all James Bond by using the rotating dial on the side of the watch to navigate (something many smartwatches leave out for aesthetics). Even so, the display is also used as a touch screen classic smartthing style. For all you constant screencrackers out there, that face is made from a super hard-as-nails single line sapphire material. Your watch can tell you to run faster Using four sapphire lenses on the back of the watch and the mighty, custom-designed S1 chip, the watch can detect your pulse rate (along with an epic amount of other info). Combine this with the accelerometer measuring body movement and the GPS tracking your distance, the watch can figure out how hard you're exercising and suggests fitness goals. What a beneficial jerk. 'Glance' at your most important info The Glances feature is where you make the watch all about you. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and your custom-selected screen of notifications pops up. Weather, dirty messages, calendars of events you're avoiding; it's all on your wrist. You can charge wirelessly No winding here. To charge up, the Apple Watch fuses MagSafe and inductive charging — you just hold the back of the watch near the charging connector and let the magnets pull everything together. Apparently the battery lasts 'all day', which could be anywhere from a probably 18 hours to 72 hours in Power Reserve mode. Siri runs the show Because the Apple Watch is so mini in screen size, Siri comes into play for a significant amount of commands. Yep, you'll feel like a spy. An awesome, awesome spy. You can send doodles to your mates Using the newly revealed app Digital Touch, watch wearers can create little animated drawings and send them to other watcheroos. Cute. App developers will be able to create Apple Watch versions, we're thinking Snapchat is particularly made for this. You need an iPhone for it to work And there's the catch. The Apple Watch needs an iPhone 5 or 6 nearby in order to function, feeding from the web or GPS info to work. Music, photos and contacts come across, sure, but this makes the device one of Apple's most you-need-that-to-get-this products ever, even the iPad stood on its own little stand. The Apple Watch will be available for purchase in Australia from April 24, pre-orders open from April 10. Via Mashable, TIME and PC Advisor.
Fans of stunning audio design and generally beautiful things, listen up. There's a father/son duo in Seattle who want to take your money and turn it into a stunning, stunning wood turntable. You've never played 'Norwegian Wood' like this. Silvan Audio Workshop is one of Kickstarter's latest gems, unearthed by Stoney Roads and seemingly worth every last cent in your piggy bank. Created from individual slices of wood, and audio components from English turntable specialists Rega — including a glass platter for your record, one beautiful tonearm and a low vibration, low noise belt drive — these Silvan turntables are all constructed by hand by the Walters. The Silvan comes in three different models: the Archer, the Champion and the Sampo (increasing in quality of parts as you spend more, obviously) and they'll even align the cartridge and set the counterweight so you can plug in and play. The turntables range from $750 up to $2250, so they're pretty exxy. But hey, handcrafted walnut decks were never going to come cheap. "Our vision is to make one-of-a-kind objects of art that will be the centrepiece of any home entertainment system," says the Kickstarter schpiel. "We believe that if your music is unique, if it has soul and life and beauty, the things you use to play it should have all the same character. Mass-produced just isn’t good enough." Silvan are looking for $14,000 to fund their workshop, so they can crank out more turntables in an more efficient space with less sawdust in every crevice — and get a little publicity while they're at it. Plus, they don't live in the same town, so schleppin' back and forth to your dad's house gets pricey. At the time of writing, they've raised $6,152 so far, from just 44 backers. Perks range from stickers and posters for teeny donations, and whole turntables in the $2250 realms. UPDATE 25/2: It's been brought to our attention that a company called Audiowood has been doing an undeniably similar design since 2009. Maker Joel Scilley told us, "The copy's concept is the same down to the same parts used, glass platter, spike feet, etc. My original design is the 'Audiowood Barky Turntable'. Silvan Audio knew the design already existed and are presenting it as their design... I've asked them to stop stealing my intellectual property, and to remove their Kickstarter, and so far they have refused. " Silvan Audio issued this statement yesterday on Facebook: "It's been a very big day, with coverage from a bunch of places (Hello, Boing Boing, Alternative Press, and Engadget! Thanks for the coverage!) and a good conversation with a great guy named Joel Scilley. Joel has a company called Audiowood, and he makes incredible things. One of them is a turntable very much like what we're making, so he's a bit put out that we'd be making what we're making. "It might cost us some support (this whole thing could rub some of you the wrong way, and we completely respect that), but regardless of the impact, we owe you the respect of being completely open and transparent. We added an FAQ to the page today with this info, but we want to be even more proactively honest with you: we're doing something very similar to what Audiowood has been doing for a while. We were pointed to Joel's work during the build of our first turntable, and we still think it's absolutely awesome. Our initial idea was "original" in that we weren't copying anything we knew of when we set out, but of course it's no more of an Original Idea to us than it was to Audiowood or anyone else who's brainstormed or made something similar at some point. (Google the back cover of Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Wood" at some point.) "Ultimately, what we're jumping into is the market of using factory parts in custom plinths. (Rega parts, specifically, because they're radically easy to work with, the quality is great, and the construction is very straightforward.) Audiowood is in that market, and others — hobbyists as well as resellers — are as well, making cool things from all kinds of materials. Our hope is that the world is big enough that all of us can continue to do a thing that we've really enjoyed so far without getting in each other's way. "We don't have a corner on or a legal claim to Rega's parts, and we certainly don't have a claim to trees either, so our intent is honest and completely friendly competition in an area we arrived at sincerely and really believe we're completely free to work in. "Some of you might be disappointed, or you'd rather support the guy who actually got into the shop and mass produced this idea first, and that's completely fine. The last thing we want is to damage Joel Scilley's business — he seems like a really good guy doing good, honest work. For those who want to enable us to go after an idea we also came by honestly, we appreciate the support." Check out the Silvan Audio Workshop Kickstarter page here. Check out Audiowood over here. Via Stoney Roads.
Multisensory cooking, auto suggestion and a robotic desserts trolley: these are just a few of the things diners can expect when famed chef Heston Blumenthal restarts service at his three-Michelin Star restaurant The Fat Duck later in the year. After undergoing extensive renovations — during which time Blumenthal popped up in Melbourne's Crown Casino — the original Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, England is set to reopen this October. Interviewed by The Observer restaurant critic Jay Rayner, Blumenthal dropped a number of tasty tidbits as to what has changed. "The move to Australia was a great opportunity to question what the Fat Duck is," Blumenthal told Rayner. "In the sense that we cook food and it’s served to people, we’re a restaurant. But that’s not much, is it? The fact is the Fat Duck is about storytelling. I wanted to think about the whole approach of what we do in those terms." In addition to consulting with Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall on the idea of turning the menu into a story — complete with introduction and chapter headings — one of the most intriguing/terrifying things Blumenthal mentioned in the interview was that he had spoken with mentalist Derren Brown, star of Derren Brown: Mind Control, about ways of extracting information about his customers "without them being too aware", and using auto suggestive techniques in order to convince diners they're getting what they most desire. Yeah, that doesn’t sound sinister at all. The Fat Duck (along with other destination restaurants) has apparently long been in the habit of Googling guests in advance, but such prosaic sleuthing is no longer enough to sate Blumenthal. Other features of the "maturing" Fat Duck include a £150,000 robotic sweetshop shaped like a dollhouse and a new online booking system to help sort through the more than 30,000 table requests per day. You can, naturally, expect the prices to go up too — although considering the tasting menu was £220 a head before the renovations, that might keep you, and your suggestive mind, out of Blumenthal's orbit. Via The Observer..
It was announced in May, that acclaimed New York artist Spencer Tunick would be returning to Australia this July to stage another famed mass nude photograph as part of Chapel Street Precinct's Provocaré Festival of the Arts. It has been 17 years since Melbourne's first taste of the polarising artist's work, when 4500 naked volunteers posed for a snap near Federation Square as part of the 2001 Fringe Festival. Tunick then photographed around 5000 nude people in front of the Sydney Opera House during the 2010 Mardi Gras. Since then, he's photographed the public painted red and gold outside Munich's Bavarian State Opera, covered in veils in the Nevada desert and covered in blue in Hull in the UK. Now, the artist is returning to our shores, and his sights are set on Melbourne's Chapel Street. Tunick will assemble another contingent of naked (and pretty brave) folk between July 7–10, for a work titled Return of the Nude. The exact locations were, until recently, a secret, but this morning it was announced that the artist had intended to stage the hero shot on the Prahran Woolworth's rooftop carpark against a Melbourne skyline backdrop at 9am on Saturday, July 7. Plans have, however, come to a standstill as Woolworths has declined access to its rooftop carpark, quoting 'potential loss of trade' as its reasoning. A spokesperson for the supermarket giant told news.com.au, "we will always put the convenience of our local customers first" and "the request for the photo was for the weekend, which is the busiest time of the week for shopping in our stores". In response to Woolworth's decision, the Chapel Street Precinct Association (CSPA) — the festival's host organisation — has launched a petition in an attempt to put pressure on the supermarket chain and get it reversed. You can sign the petition here. John Lotton, CSPA's executive chairman, said in a press release: "[CSPA] undertook detailed reconnaissance before approaching Woolworths to ensure Spencer's installation would not cause a detrimental impact to trading in the store. We have photographic proof that only four cars used the carpark at this time on a Saturday." While the location of the hero shot is being debated, the rest of the shoot will still take place somewhere in the Chapel Street Precinct. And, if you'd like to participate — anyone over the age of 18 can git their kit off and get involved — there's still time to register. Participants each get a print of the photograph, and, we're sure, a big boost of body confidence. Provocaré will take place across the Chapel Street Precinct from July 5–15, with Return of the Nude being shot over two days between July 7 and 10.
You like gin. You drink G&Ts on a regular basis. But how well do you know the botanicals you're drinking? Bombay Sapphire has teamed up with a group of artists, chefs and bartenders to take you on a sensory adventure of where its botanicals are sourced. During the two-hour experience, aptly named Project Botanicals, guests will be given the global botanical tour — just pretend you're sampling coriander in Morocco and picking cubeb berries in Java. An important part of the sensory experience is the food and drink. Four dishes, cooked by Studio Neon chef Aaron Teece, will be paired with four cocktails created by some of Sydney's favourite bars. It's not just a standard food and drink pairing, though — the tasting experience will be interactive. You'll pick lemons, which are actually lemon cheesecakes, under a grove of trees in Spain while sipping on a drink created by Sydney's Mjolner. Next, wander down backstreets in China drinking Bar Moncur's liquorice-laced Jasmine Bloom and eating duck pancakes. You'll then travel across the globe some more before ending in Morocco with a lamb tagine and a vibrant cocktail from Union Electric. Throughout the immersive journey a 360-degree audio-visual artwork, created by Australian musician and producer Ta-ku together with award-winning animator Sam Price, will be playing around you. The multi-dimensional artwork, composed of music made exclusively for the event and a vivid light installation, will shift with each jump to a new location and hopes to alter perceptions of taste. Each session will run for two hours at the following times: 8.30pm on Thursday, 6pm and 8.30pm on Friday, 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 8.30pm on Saturday and 1.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.30pm on Sunday.
Usually a retrospective signifies the tail-end of an artist's career. Generally, it's commissioned by a prominent gallery, and carefully curated to highlight their successes and triumphs and most iconic works. But not if you're DI$COUNT UNIVER$E. If you're DI$COUNT UNIVER$E, you know you don't have to play by the rules and conventions of art and fashion — and if you want to hold your own retrospective, you bloody well do it. That's the idea behind their new show, anyway. The Melbourne-based cult pop punk fashion brand (whos pieces have been worn by everyone from Beyoncé to Kylie Jenner to Madonna) have just announced their It's-too-soon-for-a-retrospective Retrospective Exhibition, which, like their self-described 'anti-fashion', basically subverts the very idea of the retrospective. For one, designers Nadia Napreychikov and Cami James only established the brand six years ago. They're also organising the exhibition themselves, rather than being invited to do so. "In general, as a brand, we purposely go against the grain of what is done in the arena we work in," says Napreychikov. We do this to challenge the system. To prove there are other ways of working. To show our supporters and other young people in our field that it is possible to pave your own path without having all of the resources. To create your own resources." They also won't be presenting a heavily curated selection of their works — they'll be displaying everything. And when we say everything, we mean everything. The exhibition — which will take place in their Collingwood studio gallery space — will include an excess of over 65 mannequins and 500 garments from the pair's personal archives and private collections, their showrooms, as well as garments borrowed back from the famous people who've worn them. This includes the epic Birthday Suit as worn by Katy Perry, the Pray t-shirt Miley Cyrus wore in her Terry Richardson photoshoot (before she ripped them off), and their signature studded biker jackets as worn by both Madonna and Beyoncé. [caption id="attachment_566976" align="alignnone" width="1200"] YouTube[/caption] The retrospective is reflective of how DI$COUNT UNIVER$E have used the Internet to gain rapid international success, despite having leapfrogged certain channels traditionally traversed by up-and-coming Aussie designers, such as presenting at Australian Fashion Week and being picked up by one of the big two department stores. The exhibition will run from November 29 until December 9 at their studio space in Collingwood. Open Monday to Saturday from noon until 6pm, entry will be ten bucks, and DI$COUNT will have some limited edition pieces on sale, including badges, patches, t-shirts, wallets, magnets, socks, sequin dresses and caps ranging from a couple of dollars to $400. The DI$COUNT UNIVER$E It's-too-soon-for-a-retrospective Retrospective Exhibition will run from November 29 - December 9 at 32-34 Wellington Street, Collingwood. Image: Daniel Good John.
Some of the biggest names in Australian comedy are coming together in Melbourne for a one-off benefit gig in support of a worthy cause. Tripod, Anne Edmonds, Cal Wilson and Lawrence Mooney are just a few of the comedians who'll front the stage at Howler in Brunswick on the evening of Sunday November 29, with proceeds going to the aid of asylum seeker children currently being held in detention. Described by event organisers as "a funny fundraiser for an unfunny cause," the show is being facilitated by charity group ChilOut, an organisation dedicated to the protection of minors detained in Australian immigration facilities. In addition to those already mentioned, the comic lineup will include Greg Fleet, Josh Earl, Dave O'Neil, Dave Thornton, Tom Gleeson, Geraldine Hickey, Luke McGregor, Denise Scott and Harley Breen, plus a number of other guests who have yet to be announced. Tickets to the gig come to $43.50 per person, including booking fee. "ChilOut is a small, community organisation running on the smell of an oily rag but doing heaps through education, advocacy and lobbying to raise public awareness of the plight of asylum-seeking children held in immigration detention facilities by the Australian Government," said a statement that accompanied the gig's announcement. "ChilOut is not-for-profit and relies on generous donations to act on behalf of the almost 200 children currently imprisoned in environments that undermine and threaten their mental and physical safety and well-being every day that they’re there. Nobody wants to see these children go through this. Please come along and help us help them." To grab your ticket to Stand Up for ChilOut, head on over to Moshtix. And to learn more about the work being done by ChilOut, visit their website.
Ours is a generation for whom concept hotels are a wildly popular and sometimes baffling reality but hey, just lean into it. Here's a good'un that's caught our eye in central Spain: the Hotel Aire de Bardenas. The concept, executed with see-through bubble rooms, lets you sleep in the desert without roughing it — although the question of 'Do you trust the Spanish desert is not littered with creeps who want to watch you sleeping?' lingers in the air. The Hotel Aire de Bardenas is comprised of a series of bubble rooms connected by bubble tunnels and serviced by Michelin-tyre-man style bubble butlers (alright, so we made up the last one but theming provokes imagination). The bubbles don't offer much privacy but they certainly are Instagrammable (which is the whole point right?) and the views are predictably amazing. Architects Emiliano Lopez and Monica Rivera say the design is more than a gimmick and responds to the context of the site; it allows guests to take in the desert's stunning landscape but protects them from the harsh sun, wind, dust and heat that characterise a desert. #BalloonRooms #airedebardenas #hotel #luxury #balloon #sky #life #peace A photo posted by Serhat özdek (@serhatozdek) on May 25, 2015 at 9:32am PDT Amazingly enough, this isn't the world's only bubble hotel — France's version Attrap'Rêves lies outside Marseilles. While we dig the bubble life, we can't help but think windows offer the same protection — FYI the hotel also has beautiful rooms with traditional walls, ceilings and said windows. So if you're looking for a weird and wacky activity to do while cruising through the deserts of central Spain, consider dropping $200 a night to stay in a bubble under the stars. Wandering the desert has never been so luxurious. Keen to put yourself in a Spanish desert bubble? Check out the Hotel Aire de Bardenas for more info. Via The Creators Project. Images: Hotel Aire de Bardenas, Instagram.
It's an oldie but a goodie. Jimmy Kimmel pulled one of his most loved pranks at SXSW this week, asking punters whether they knew fake bands with his 'Lie Witness News' crew. Unknowing SXSWer after SXSwer praised the likes of Mary-Kate and Nasty, Cheese Whiz Khalifa and DJ Gluten — "hard to tolerate?" — with one punter even going so far as to describe DJ Underwire as "mixing it up with turntablism". Heh. It's straight-up baffling how Kimmel (and subsequent spin-offs) has managed to do this at festival after festival and catch starry-eyed posers in the act of posing, having pulled this stunt year after year, Coachella after Coachella. But my giddy aunt, it's fun to watch. These aren't the only shenanigans going down at SXSW. Check out our roundup of nine incredible things you're missing at this year's festival.
Brunswick mainstay The Cornish Arms Hotel has expanded its offering into the sky with a new rooftop bar and garden. Known for its vegan eats and any day-of-the-week vibes, the pub's prime real estate along Sydney Road makes it an ideal spot for the new open-air oasis. The third-floor rooftop will be open from midday each day and boasts city views, classic cocktails and eight dedicated craft beer taps pouring local brews like Two Birds, Temple Brewing and Furphy Beer. The extensive wine list also includes chilled summer reds, a vegan tempranillo from Tumbarumba and a vegan pinot gris from the Mornington Peninsula. A separate Asian-inspired snack menu will be offered up top, which of course includes vegan fare — from smoked tofu yakitori and braised mushroom bao buns to potato pakoras and Korean fried cauliflower. For those loyal to the vegan parmas and souvas, the full pub menu is still available downstairs. A solid rooftop space is rare in Brunswick. Now, locals can enjoy some fresh air while looking out over the city, all with drink in hand. It doesn't get better than that. The Cornish Arms rooftop is open from midday daily at 163A Sydney Road, Brunswick. For more info, visit cornisharms.com.au.
For everyone who can't make a trip to IKEA to buy furniture and homewares without eating meatballs, but also doesn't eat meat, the Swedish retailer has added both vegetarian and plant-based versions to its range in recent years, including Down Under. But what if you feel the same about the chain's hot dogs? Enter IKEA's plant dogs, which have just hit Australian stores. Let's be honest — getting through a visit to the brand's warehouse-sized outlets doesn't just involve shopping, and also deciding that everything in your house could use a facelift, but also working up an appetite while browsing and buying. Accordingly, it usually entails tucking into one of IKEA's famed bites, whether you're sitting down for those meatballs mid-shop or nabbing a hot dog on the way to the car. Obviously, the original meaty hot dogs that've been on offer for more than four decades aren't going anywhere; however, these new plant dogs expand the range. They're made from rice protein, plus carrot, onion and apple — and they'll set you back $2 a dog. IKEA is working to make 50 percent of the meals in its restaurant meals plant-based by 2025, with offering plant dogs the next step in that direction. In Sydney only, on four individual dates, the brand is also busting out a plant dog truck to hand out freebies. You'll find it at IKEA Marsden Park from 2–6pm on Tuesday, May 28 and at IKEA Tempe from 11am–3pm on Wednesday, May 29. After that, it's popping up at Centenary Square in Parramatta from 12–4pm on Thursday, May 30 and at Dolphin Court at Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach, from 11am–3pm on Saturday, June 1. To nab a free taste — your choice of a plant dog or plant balls — from the yellow-hued truck at its Sydney stops, you will need to show your IKEA Family membership (and if you're not already a member, you can sign up for free online). IKEA's plant dogs are now available at its Australian stores — head to the chain's website for further details. The IKEA plant dog truck is popping up across Sydney from Tuesday, May 28–Thursday, May 30 and on Saturday, June 1.
Like mole people and the residents of Coober Pedy before them, New Yorkers are heading underground. Although New York City is traditionally famous for raised Chelsea-dwelling walkway The High Line, a space-hungry and innovative team headed by James Ramsay of Raad Studio have put together a Kickstarter campaign to fund a brand new underground park. Far more ambitious than anything imagined by Parks and Rec legend Leslie Knope (albeit with less miniature horses), the goal is set at $200,000. The money, earmarked to develop and test the solar, landscape and social components of such an ambitious scheme, is just halfway there. With the team's July 8 campaign deadline looming, there's never been a better time to throw some dosh at genuinely inspired urban development. While the team are still working towards New York City council approval, the project has been in development for five years, aiming to convert the unused Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal into a fully functional, naturally-lit park. Natural light will be channeled into the subterranean space using some sort of bizarre, above-ground flower system (we clearly don’t understand the science but the Kickstarter video will explain it better). The park itself looks like a combination of the Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors in Raiders of the Lost Ark and the citadel from Mass Effect; in essence it looks amazing and we want to stroll through it immediately. In the modern context of urban density and population crises erupting across the globe, alongside the generally fast-paced craziness of street-level New York, it’s no surprise that the city is leading the way in environmentally and socially friendly solutions to complex space problems. You go, NYC. Watch Lena Dunham in the Lowline promo video here, because of course Lena Dunham's in it: You can contribute to The Lowline Kickstarter here. Via dezeen. Images: The Lowline.
"Beer and pies are a match made in heaven," says Goat Pie Guy owner and chef Mick Hobson. "The bite and flavour of hops or wheat or barley is perfect to cut through the buttery pastry and rich fillings that I make for my winter pie range." Brisbane-based bakery maestro Hobson is no stranger to mixing beer and baked goods. Rather than enjoying the two separately, Mick uses beer in his pies — there are no less than five pies on the Goat Pie Guy menu made with beer (and they're all Great Aussie Pie Competition gold medal winners). If he's using a brew in a pie recipe, Mick always matches his drinking beer too. "If it's a curry pie, I like to drink a pale ale or if it's one of my seafood pies, I always pair it with an amber ale." Mick actually uses beer in a lot of his recipes, not just pies. "Beer's an awesome base to build lively broths for seafood, rich sauces for grilled meat and lovely sweet and savoury layers in a slow braise." Certain beers with a more crisp edge, like a Little Creatures Original Pilsner, can cut through heavier, more buttery dishes, refreshing and reviving the palate, while more hoppy beers, like a Kosciuszko Pale Ale, can help you soldier on through spicy food. Let's get back to those award-winning beery pies. We're keen to test this secret ingredient for ourselves, so we asked Mick for a cheeky recipe. So what's Mick cooked up for Concrete Playground? One heck of a hearty wagyu beef and porter pie. "This one came about when I was experimenting for a meeting of brewers and meat merchants. It was important that both parties had their produce showcased in the best possible way so I decided to highlight the chocolatey flavours in the porter by caramelising it with the onions and adding the figs for extra sweetness. The beef flavour was intensified with allspice, black pepper and rosemary. Then I tossed them in a pot together, filled it with porter and crossed my fingers for six hours! And man, was it worth the wait." Let's do this. MICK HOBSON'S WAGYU BEEF AND PORTER PIE Ingredients: 2 medium brown onions sliced 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 50g raw sugar 1kg diced wagyu brisket 3 litres beef stock 60ml olive oil 4 sprigs rosemary chopped 2 bay leaves 10g cracked black pepper 15g allspice 150g dried figs 3.5 bottles James Squire Jack of Spades Porter 150g corn flour 1 egg whisked for brushing 4 sheets of shop bought shortcrust pastry (Borgs is a good brand) 2 sheets of shop bought puff pastry (Borgs is good for puff too) *(If you want to make your own shortcrust my recipe is below) Heat half olive oil in a heavy base pot. Brown onions in oil, add half a 330ml bottle of James Squire Jack of Spades Porter, balsamic vinegar, diced figs and sugar and reduce until sticky, then remove from pot and set aside. Heat remaining oil in the same pot and brown beef in small batches adding more oil as needed. Add all beef back into pot along with black pepper, allspice and chopped rosemary. Stir on low heat to completely coat beef. Add caramelised onion mixture, bay leaves, stock and porter. Bring to the boil then let simmer on low for three to four hours until beef can be cut with a fork. Combine corn flour with enough water to dissolve, and pour in slowly as you stir to thicken. You might like to add more or less corn flour depending on how thick you like your gravy. Grease pie tins with butter and line with shortcrust pastry, leaving a little overhang. Fill with thickened pie mixture and brush pastry edge with egg mixture. Cut puff pastry lids to suit base size and place on top, crimp base and top together with fingertips or a fork. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a cold James Squire Jack of Spades Porter. *Shortcrust Pastry 1 250g plain flour 125g unsalted butter, chilled, finely chopped 1 egg, chilled Process flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and one tablespoon chilled water in a bowl until combined, then with food processor motor running, add to flour mixture. Process until mixture begins to form large clumps, stopping machine before mixture forms a ball. Turn pastry out on to a work surface and knead gently to bring together. Form into a disc for a round tart or into a log shape for a rectangular tart. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours. Roll out to 3-4mm thickness and cut out required size. If you love discovering more things you can do with beer (and some surprising facts, like beer being 99.9 percent sugar free), visit www.beerthebeautifultruth.com. You'll find information on fusing beer and food, matching different styles of beer with your meals, and how particular foods can enhance the distinct flavours of a well-brewed beer. You can even learn a few nutritional myths around beer, and bust 'em while you're at it.
In a rare instance of critics and audiences agreeing with each other, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dressmaker were the two big winners at the 2016 Australian Film Critics Association Awards. Held last night at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, the ceremony reflected on the past 12 months of Australian cinema, with the year's two biggest box office takers proving popular with critics as well. Critically acclaimed action blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road took home the award for Best Film, as well as Best Director for George Miller and Best Cinematography for John Seale. The Dressmaker, meanwhile, swept through the acting categories, with Best Actress for Kate Winslet, Best Supporting Actress for Judy Davis and Best Supporting Actor for Hugo Weaving. The film's director and co-writer Jocelyn Moorhouse was present to accept the awards of behalf of her cast, while also taking home the Best Screenplay Award for herself and husband P. J. Hogan. Ryan Corr won Best Actor for his work in Holding the Man. In the international film categories, last year's Oscar winner Birdman took home Best English Language Film, while German drama Phoenix won for Best Foreign Language Film. Amy Winehouse doco Amy won Best Documentary. The association also gave out its annual writing awards, bestowed by a panel of journalists and film industry practitioners. This year's winners were critics Rebecca Harkins-Cross, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Luke Goodsell. You can check out the winners here. To get a head start on the next crop of likely AFCA Award winners, check out our list of the ten Australian films to watch out for in 2016.
The 35th incarnation of Woodford Folk Festival — a temporary village of alternative lifestyle, music, art and performance — is finally happening this December and January. Over six days and six nights, more than 2,000 performers (and many, many more attendees) will bring this festival to life in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after a two-year pandemic-induced break. The festival will feature music from all over the globe including folk, rock, blues, First Nations performances as well as children's events, comedy, cabaret and talks on everything from social justice to science and innovation. You'll be able to wander through market stalls, encounter installation artworks and take part in workshops and activities at the Bushtime camping experience on Jinibara Country as you see out the year in with thousands of other festival goers. And that's all before the mammoth closing ceremony fire display on New Year's Eve that'll help you welcome in 2023. Keen to head along? The full Woodford Folk Festival program and tickets are yet to be released. For more information, visit the website. Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, glide along a pop-up ice skating rink, attend an international TV festival and smash stuff with a bat as a means to de-stress. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Fitzroy's gone and got itself a brand new bagel joint. Opening earlier this week in an old warehouse on Johnston Street, Mile End Bagels takes its name from a neighbourhood in Montreal, whose bagel obsession gives New York's a run for its money. Boiled in water and honey, and baked in a wood-fired oven, these rings of dough are seriously legit. Mile End is owned by Ben Vaughn and Michael Fee, the latter of whom worked for the former at the much-loved Carte Crepes at Melbourne University. Trading up from a crepe stand to a full blown bakery and cafe, their new endeavour sees the bagels made in full view of their customers. The interior has been spruced up by interior design firm Studio Esteta, and includes a communal table for up to 20 people. The bagels come in four varieties: sesame, cinnamon and raisin, poppy and "everything". Spreads include peanut butter and jam, a classic cream cheese option, and vegemite (because Australia). So far their fillings are limited to smoked salmon and roast beef, although they've teased a number of other options via Instagram, including a beetroot, kale and chilli jam number, and another with egg and ham. In the beverage department they serve Seven Seeds Coffee, Mork Hot Chocolate and Chai Boy artisan tea. Mile End is located at 14 Johnston Street, Fitzroy. Their opening hours are 7:30am-3:30pm Tuesday to Sunday. For more information follow them on Instagram or visit www.mile-end.com.au. Via Good Food.
Bunnings Warehouse is supercharging its usual sausage sizzle, to support a few Aussie communities that are doing it pretty tough. On Friday, January 24, all of the hardware giant's stores will host a special pre-weekend edition of their legendary snag sessions, raising coin for those impacted by drought and the current bushfires. All of the day's sausage profits will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. This is the second sizzling fundraiser day that Bunnings has hosted since the bushfire crisis began late last year — a similar nation-wide fundraiser in Nbuovember raised over $600,000 for non-profit Givit to purchase essential items for communities affected by the bushfires. So, on Friday, grab a snag in bread and show those in need some love — the sausage sizzles will run from 9am–4pm across all Bunnings Warehouses in Victoria (and the country). If you can't make it, you can chuck a few dollars into its collection tin over here. For updates and advice on Victorian bushfires, head to the VicEmergency website.
The arts precinct just keeps getting better when it comes to dining out. Sake Restaurant & Bar has set up shop downstairs at Hamer Hall. Starting in Sydney and Brisbane, Sake has brought its sharing philosophy, extensive cocktail list and beautiful interior south. Found along the riverside, Sake made a smart move installing floor-to-ceiling windows on one side. Interior design house Luchetti Krelle has utilised the whole space beautifully. Inside, there are small booths perfect for intimate dinners, a string of bar seating perfect for watching the action and outdoor seats that are just asking for summer to hurry up. The menu is deigned to share, a direction many a new restaurant is taking. Start with hiramasa kingfish with lime and jelapeno kosho and coriander infused ponzu or teriyaki lamb chops with basil miso, sesame seeds and teriyaki sauce. For mains, the icon wagyu striploin with ponzu and yakinku sauce is cooked rare and packs a real flavour, while the steamed Murray cod with tomato shiso dashi and salmon roe is ridiculously moreish. Sushi and sashimi are given their own menu here. The kingfish belly is a hit while you can also head over to sushi maki territory and try the shiro maki roll with snapper, cucumber, chives, plum paste and dancing bonito. The cocktail list takes inspiration from Japanese ingredients while the wine list has a strong focus on local producers. This is the perfect place for a plate of sashimi, a sip of sake and a killer view. As the sun goes down and the lights turn on, the city looks pretty good from Sake.
While we all need to look after our mates on a night out, there are occasions when you know you need to make a hasty, unnoticed exit before the night gets ugly. Ghosting, the smokebomb, the Irish Goodbye — call it what you want, the subtle art of disappearing before your mates even realise you're gone is a skill. Whether you're an expert escape artist or you can't depart without catching the eye of a few, all you've really got to do to pull off a great ghost is queue up that Uber and get to the front door of the venue. We've put together a list of the easiest and hardest places to ghost from to help you out. You can thank us later. [caption id="attachment_520249" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Leah Hulst.[/caption] EASY: COLLEGE LAWN HOTEL College Lawn in Prahran has long been the sort of place you'd want to wander down to on a Sunday afternoon to sink a few pints and maybe watch a game. But when that afternoon turns to night, and you realise you've got work in ten hours or so, College Lawn also has you sorted for ghosting. Surrounded by main roads so you can access your escape vehicle in a jiffy, the large venue also has enough rooms and different areas you can sidle off to and make your exit from. You'd even be able to hop over the fence at the back without anyone noticing and calling foul. EASY: THE CARLTON CLUB The Carlton Club is another large, sprawling venue that encompasses enough random bits and bobs to distract your friends from your exit. Lead your group into the room with animals on the wall, get them to stroke said furry wall, then take your cue. They'll probably spend a fruitless few minutes looking for you before assuming you're on the palm rooftop bar or something and stop worrying. EASY: HOWLER Howler is the sort of place where you're not really sure if you're in a bar, a club, an art gallery or a ping-pong tournament facility. With all of that going on — music, theatre, fringe shows and storyslams — it should be easy enough to blend into the background, pretend you're doing an art piece and scamper. Or you could win huge at a game of ping-pong, do a victory lap and then never come back. EASY: MADAME BRUSSELS Madame Brussels has the benefit of the good old distraction technique, too, but this time it's of a different sort. All the staff here just look so swish when they're done up in their finest tennis whites, your mates will find themselves wondering where you even buy tennis skirts from, and what exactly Pimm's is as they sink another jug of it. Then voila, you're a distant echo and on the way to water and bed. EASY: THE RETREAT The Retreat arguably has one of the best beer gardens on the north side of town — perhaps even the whole of Melbourne. It often plays home to some noise-heavy bands playing their hearts out, so you summoning an Uber will go unnoticed amongst the loud guitars and smokers. It's a busy place and it's got your back when you need it; just duck around the enormous tree out the back and slip out easily. HARD: GERALD'S BAR Gerald's quaint, cosy interior is a prime date setting for a romantic night of red wine and pasta. However, when it comes to group hangs, the one entrance is very obvious and the warm lighting and close quarters means it'll be unlikely your actions will go unnoticed — the rule of thumb is that the smaller and sweeter the bar, the easier it'll be to hear your mates yelling, "Oi! Where ya going?" and the jig will be up. HARD: LOOP ROOF Loop Roof is an excellent summer night cocktail spot high above the Melbourne skyline, but it's also a tricky spot to escape in a hurry. It may seem all fine and dandy to start with when you've ordered your Uber and downed the rest of your drink. But when you realise that there are five flights of stairs you have to contend with and your balance isn't so hot tonight, that facade fades fast. You make your way down bit by bit, and listen out for your ride. Just tell 'em you're only one flight away. HARD: MARION WINE BAR Marion, Cutler & Co.'s neighbouring wine bar by the same owners, is another place you'll want to bring your Tinder date to so you can impress them. It's new, trendy, long rather than wide and all done up in minimalist white and brick. This makes for an A+ cool wine bar experience, but has D+ ghosting capabilities, considering everything you do will be more noticeable thanks to the narrow entrance, bright white walls, small tables and huge windows. But really, you shouldn't be ghosting on a date unless the situation is dire, so stick to catching up with friends here who'll understand when the night turns and you need to run. HARD: SUN MOTH CANTEEN Sun Moth Canteen is one of those small places hidden away in Melbourne's underbelly of cobblestone laneways — good for the secretive 'find it yourself' culture that our city enjoys, but bad for those hoping to make a quick escape into a waiting car on a main road. Also, if you happen to glance at the food menu and see that there is fried bread on it, good luck to you. Your inner carb fiend might just take the reins and forget about leaving. HARD: YAH YAH'S Yah Yah's is a mainstay in late-night joints that keep kicking 'til daylight comes back around. At this 'weekend club for zombies', don't be surprised if you find yourself still there as the next door café kicks into gear for the morning rush. Smokebombing from a place as resolutely banging as Yah Yah's is nigh impossible when there's a dance floor and tunes of such prowess, so ghosting here is something you may try, but quite possibly fail at. The entrance is also right next to the dance floor. Not helpful.
Designed to look like a traditional Japanese tea house, Marble Yakiniku is the best place to be in Melbourne if you're after authentic Japanese cuisine prepared with locally sourced wagyu cuts (plus some hailing from Japan). Its tableside barbecuing — from which it's taken its name, Yakiniku — is also one of the highlights of the whole experience. The menu is enormous at this haunt as well, so give yourself plenty of time to gaze over it. We suggest starting off with the sashimi — some of the best in Melbourne. The platter is the highlight, consisting of 12 pieces of the chef's selections and four kinds of daily fresh fish. For something unique, try the sea urchin sashimi paired with a miso soup. Elsewhere on the menu is a selection of nigiri, deep-fried and hot pot dishes. As well as wagyu and seafood, there are plenty of vegetarian options — the grilled eggplant in white miso sauce is a big win here. Steaks are also king here. The Marble Yakiniku menu gives you the option of Mayura M9 wagyu with cuts including tri-tip, oyster blade and short ribs, as well as Japanese A5 options such as rice yes and sirloins. Lost with this steak jargon? The front-of-house team know what they're talking about so let them guide you. But no matter your choice, this will be one of the best steaks you've ever eaten. The meat will be barbecued to perfection and will quite literally melt in your mouth. Pair it with an Asahi or Sapporo or a bottle from Marble Yakiniku's extensive sake list, which includes the impossibly hard-to-find Juuyondai Honmaru Honjozo.
Japan’s beloved illustrator, director and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki is once again helping us believe in the good of humanity with his latest passion project. Miyazaki is building a park on Kume Island, in the Okinawa Prefecture, a park intended to preserve and celebrate nature and remind children that, to quote Miyazaki himself, “It’s good to be alive.” Pass the tissues please ;_;. The park, which is scheduled for completion in 2018, will inhabit 10,000 square metres of pristine forest and Miyazaki has donated $2.5 million towards the project. Although he is often touted as the Walt Disney of Japan, their parks couldn’t be more dissimilar. Miyazaki’s park will have room for just 30 guests, which leaves a whole lot of space for running through the woods and recreating iconic scenes from Princess Mononoke. And construction and development will be centred around using only local building techniques, resources and labour so you know, it’s the exact opposite of a soulless Disney theme park (and far removed from the beautifully depressing Banksy kind). Here's the plan for Miyazaki's pristine nature park: Perhaps you'll find a few little trolls in the woods: Or little kodama doing their thing: Or a casual forest spirit, hangin': Miyazaki has always been an unwavering social critic, picking apart the wrongs of society in both his films and his public commentary. The countless allegories for environmentalism in his films are not lost on the audience but unlike many celebrity crusaders, he can often be found quietly doing the hard yards as well. Earlier this year he ran a mass public clean-up of the Fuchi no Mori forest, which he saved from development 20 years earlier with a $2.56 million dollar donation, and which is believed to have inspired the setting of My Neighbour Totoro. In the 2013 documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness he told documentarian Mami Sunada of walking to work every day with a rubbish bag in hand to clean up the streets and spending his weekend in gumboots, cleaning up the local river. He might actually be the river spirit from Spirited Away. So, now we all have a few new items to add to the bucket list, including ‘clean rivers’, ‘visit Kume’ and ‘become modern day version of Princess Mononoke’. All are now possible. Via Good Magazine.
We all love a chef collaboration, and we live for a midweek cheap eats deal. But rarely do the two meet quite as well as Maha East's most recent dining series 'ARAB'iata. This sees top Melbourne chefs like Scott Pickett (Chancery Lane, (Estelle, Matilda Longrain, Smith St Bristot and Audrey's), Mischa Tropp (Toddy Shop), Joseph Abboud (Rumi), Julian Hills (Navi), Pete Gun, (Ides) and Ben Cooper (Chin Chin) cook up limited-edition $15 pastas every week from September 16–November 6. The pastas will all be Middle Eastern-inspired and are only available between Monday and Wednesday from 5 pm. First up is Maha's own Shane Delia from September 16–19, who's plating pan-fried haloumi and mint gnocchi with charred tomato, cumin-spiced lamb and pine nuts. Pete Gunn follows this with his caramelised dukkah and brown butter mac 'n' cheese from September 23–25. You've then got Ben Cooper from September 30–October 2, Daniel Giraldo from October 7–9, Julian Hills from October 14–16, Joseph Abboud from October 21–23, Scott Pickett from October 28–30 and Micha Tropp from November 4–6. We don't know what Middle Eastern-influenced pasta dishes these chefs will be creating, but you can find out closer to the date via Maha East's Instagram page. Booking slots for those just eating pasta will only be 45 minutes long, but you are free to stick around longer if you order more bites off the a la carte menu.
Undisputed badass, battle hero and SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin is gearing up to represent Australia on the global stage. Announced on SBS's The Feed last night, Chin will take on the coveted role of Australia's official Eurovision spokesperson. Now that's a Eurovision representative we can get excited about (yeah sorry, ARIAs, charts, vocal range, yadda yadda, but come on). Chin will deliver the famous and vital points from Australia's stash, announcing the final three countries that will receive Australia's eight, ten and twelve points. So while Malta, Demark, perpetual 'London Calling' jokemakers the United Kingdom and more give it their best, most awkward shot in front of the green screen, Australia's modish champion will inevitably deliver the points with poise, urgency and hopefully, in this Logies hat. Given the time difference in Austria, Lin Chin will have to get up pretty early to deliver the goods. But eating, sleeping, raving and repeating is a cakewalk for this party professional. "I’m not worried about being up early, I’ll just have to take a break from the clubs for 20 minutes." *drops mic* As the very first time in Eurovision history Australia has been invited to compete in the contest, and the very first time Chin has dominated the international airwaves, it's all convenient timing for the SBS newsreader — who recently announced her new commitment to campaigning for the 2016 Gold Logie (most popular personality on Australian television, yep she's missing a few decades worth on her shelf). "195 million people watch Eurovision every year and if even just 10 million of those buy TV Week I’ll have it in the bag," she said in a coy and perfectly crafted media statement. "As SBS’s most recognisable personality I couldn’t say no to such an opportunity. I’m the obvious choice — not only have I been to Europe but I also listen to music from time to time." How can you get in on the Eurovision action? SBS will broadcast both semi-finals and the Grand Final live from Vienna on May 20, May 22 and May 24 from 5am. Both semi-finals will be shown in full on SBS ONE on May 22 and May 23 from 7.30pm. The Grand Final featuring Guy Sebastian and Lee Lin Chin's points delivery will screen on Sunday May 24 from 7.30pm. For now, this:
Planning on heading away over the Easter break? You better get your skates on, because the best places are filling up fast. Luckily Airbnb have got plenty of cool and quirky listings for people in need of a holiday. Whether you're organising a group getaway or want something a little more intimate, here are ten awesome spots we reckon are worth a look. DRIVABLE FROM SYDNEY BYRON'S BRAE, POSSUM CREEK Located roughly twenty minutes inland from Byron Bay, this massive property boasts spectacular views, a pool and pool house, five bedrooms, two kitchens and a firepit. It's not cheap, but damn is it pretty. RIVER SHACK, BAR POINT A great spot for an adventurous couple, this luxurious cabin on the Hawkesbury River can only be accessed by boat! Once you're on solid ground you'll find comfortable accommodation including a bedroom, kitchen and indoor/outdoor living space, complete with outdoor fire and two-person hammock. BUSH PARADISE, MT TOMAH Gaze through enormous floor to ceiling windows at the breathtaking beauty of the Blue Mountains. This stylish cabin on the edge of the national park includes a spacious living area, fully equipped kitchen, and even has its own resident peacock, named George. DRIVEABLE FROM MELBOURNE W-CLASS TRAM, LAURISTON An hour drive from Melbourne, this rustic cottage backs onto Lauriston forest and comes complete with its own tiki bar, undercover BBQ area and W-Class tram. That's right, a tram, one that has been carefully converted into its own separate two-bedroom unit. Between that, the main house and a vintage caravan, there's room here for up to nine people. BINAH GUESTHOUSE, GLENBURN This charming two bedroom guesthouse in Glenburn, Victoria sells itself as the perfect bush retreat. The private deck provides you with uninhibited views of the natural landscape, before you venture out to explore the neighbouring Yarra Valley. YARINGA, KENNETT RIVER Why choose between visiting the beach and the bush when you can do both? This three bedroom holiday house on the Great Ocean Road sits on stilts on the edge of a eucalyptus forest, with views overlooking the ocean. DRIVEABLE FROM BRISBANE ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY, FERNVALE With 360 degree views of the secluded Brisbane Valley, this five bedroom property in Fernvale seems like the ultimate place to relax. Laze about in either one of the two sun lounges, or go for a paddle in the heated outdoor pool. If you're in a more recreational mood, you can also go fishing in the nearby Brisbane River. COUNTRY CREEK RETREAT, COOROY This one bedroom house surrounded by rainforest and rolling hills looks absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy a cookout under the stars, or go hang with platypus and turtles at the nearby billabong. BRIGHTON KITE SHED, BRIGHTON Spacious and modern, this studio apartment in Brighton is located right by the seaside, and just twenty minutes from the centre of Brisbane. It's also only a quick walk to Sandgate village, replete with shops, restaurants and cafes. NEEDS A FLIGHT PRIVATE RIVER VALLEY SUITE, UBUD For those of you with a bit more disposable income, why not try jetting off to Bali. Located around thirty minutes out of Denpasar, this luxury retreat is 200m from the beach and includes a plunge pool, private outdoor bathtub, four post queen bed and an in-house chef. Don't act like you're not tempted. NZ ARCHITECT'S HOLIDAY HOME, WAIHEKE ISLAND This ultra-modern lodging on Waiheke Island near Auckland was recently shortlisted for the NZ Home of the Year Award. After snooping around the Airbnb listing, it's certainly not hard to see why. If it weren't for all the surrounding foliage, you'd think you were holidaying in the not too distant future. THE BOOT, TASMAN, NEW ZEALAND Why bother visiting the Lord of the Rings set when you can spend your entire holiday living in a fairy tale? Describing this one bedroom lodging seems a little bit redundant. You're not blind. It's a boot. You shouldn't need us to tell you why that's awesome.
For RISING's 2024 run, Fed Square is becoming a huge hub for First Nations people to share their stories through a series of art installations. For the entirety of the winter festival, from Saturday, June 1–Sunday June 16, punters can head down to not only enjoy beautiful works of art, but to also participate in important political discourse concerning First Nations people. Richard Bell's EMBASSY is at the heart of this. Inspired by the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy, pitched on the grounds of Canberra's Parliament House in 1972, EMBASSY will be a space where people can come to listen and participate in conversations led by First Peoples. The program features daily film screenings and a whole host of talks with activists, writers and artists every Saturday of RISING 2024. Once the sun sets each night, Fed Square will then be lit up by a series of projections. Tarryn Love's ngaka - look here shares stories of Sky Country and the cosmos, and aims to transport viewers into celestial knowledge. [caption id="attachment_958495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tony Albert, Cros Circles in Yogya 3 2016 ©️ Tony Albert, courtesy of the artist and RISING[/caption] Tony Albert's BEAM ME UP The Art of Abduction immerses us in themes of alienation, belonging and place through colourful installations as well as a special children's program. You can also explore further parts of Fed Square throughout the festival to find a collection of other works. This includes two works of speculative fiction from acclaimed writer Ellen van Neerven on the big screen, a collection of collages from Kait James and a massive piece of art from Josh Muir. For The Blak Infinite team, "these works across the square offer alternate narratives and ways of seeing the world, and collectively speak to the unlimited sovereign connections held across communities in Australia." Be sure to take your time exploring The Blak Infinite during RISING 2024, whether you're personally contributing to the conversations or just listening to what the artists are sharing. [caption id="attachment_958493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Cook, UFO Possums ©️ Michael Cook, courtesy of the artist and RISING[/caption] Top image: Richard Bell, Aboriginal Embassy at the Tate Modern 2023, courtesy of the artist and RISING
Supple Fox, the folks behind Dark Mofo's Ferris Wheel of Death, are hitting Melbourne for three weeks. And, thanks to riverside bar and eatery Arbory, they're bringing with them a living art installation. Titled The Ends, it'll be taking over the narrow slip of land between the Yarra and Flinders Street Station between October 5 and 23. Prepare for a steady stream of art, live performance and unexpected happenings on and around the river. Leading the project is the world premiere of artist Shaun Gladwell's latest work. Its star is Maddest Maximus, a new Aussie anti-hero who dresses in black, wears a helmet and floats high above the Tasman Sea. Gladwell's mixed media photographic pieces will be arranged around the site, in conversation with the landscape. Meanwhile, fellow Dark Mofo alumni The Huxleys have been commissioned to create a series of sculptures, which you'll find suspended in palm trees, growing out of roof tops and, every now and again, casually floating by on rowboats. And Melbourne-based performance artist Gabi Barton has choreographed a slew of unpredictable movements and happenings for the space. So, between riverside cocktails, keep an eye and ear out. "We very consciously looked to create something that felt human, breathing, absurd and curious," said Hannah Fox, who co-founded Supple Fox with Tom Supple. "And to directly reject the clean lines and endless triangles of the Melbourne design world." The Ends will happen at Abory Bar and Eatery every evening from 6.30pm till late between October 5 and 23. Images: Arbory, Oli Sansom.
The theme of this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival is 'Eat Your Art Out', which sees most of the 470-plus events explore the relationship between food and art. You'll be invited to join interactive dinners, cook at pop-up barbecues and drop by the weekly Fringe Flavours Night Market. Every Wednesday evening from September 18–October 16, Queen Vic Market will play host to food stalls, pop-up bars, local artisan shops and heaps of Fringe performances. You can tuck into Polich dumplings from Pierogi, Pierogi, handmade pasta from La Trafila, a huge selection of tacos from the Le Mano, Korean corn rice from Oksusu and fluffy souffles from the Tokyoki Souffle team. There'll also be three separate bars running each night. One will serve a selection of berry-infused cocktails, another will shake up nothing but margaritas, and the third will be run by the Fringe Night Market itself — serving beer, wine, spiced rum and gin and tonics. When it comes to entertainment, you're absolutely spoilt for choice. Tash York will perform their wine-filled cabaret show, Throw Catch Collective will run a food-themed juggling act, Bettie Bombshell and Ruby Sklippers will perform family-friendly versions of their burlesque shows, and Boyd Kelly will be DJing most nights — bringing soul and funk beats to the Fringe Flavours Night Market. You can, of course, look up who is performing in advance and go along for their free show at the market, but we love to be surprised by Melbourne Fringe Festival events — simply rocking up and hoping for the best. That's kind of the point of the Fringe. Discover a new artist at the spring night market series, and if you really love them, pay for tickets to their main Fringe show.
Meatstock Festival is setting up its smoky self in the Melbourne Showgrounds on the weekend of April 22 and 23, and if you're the sort of person who likes to eat meat until you start shaking with the meat sweats and can (m)eat no more, then we have an opportunity very relevant to your interests. Enter your details into the box below and you'll not only go into the draw to win two VIP passes to the festival, you'll also win the chance to become a fully-certified barbecue judge. Over the Meatstock weekend, you'll participate in a barbecue-tasting training course and sit at a judging table to taste test 30 courses of the finest barbecue Melbourne has to offer. If you're going to go to one barbecue festival this year, make it Meatstock. Not just your regular food festival, Meatstock has a music lineup that includes The Delta Riggs, The Davidson Brothers, The Tomahawks and Bullhorn. Sure, there'll be less music than there is at Woodstock, but there will be 200% more tasty meat-related foods. The food stars of the show are Jack The Ribber (smoky, slow-cooked goodness), and The Real Jerk (Caribbean street food). Try both, or all of the 13 food stalls and then fall into a sweaty, cholesterol-heavy heap — don't say we didn't warn you. There's more to see once you walk that off, like a live demonstration from The Sausage Queen or representatives from your favourite chilli sauces (Melbourne Hot Sauce) and knife brands. Finally, for a little old-fashioned rivalry, the festival will be running both Barber Wars and Butcher Wars, which will basically be a bunch of hopefully unbloodied people running around competing and wielding various knives. What a weekend. To win the barbecue-tasting prize, you must be available from 8am to 4pm on Sunday April 23 — there are 30 courses of barbecue to taste, it's going to take a while. If you don't win, tickets are $35 per day or $55 for the whole weekend. [competition]617370[/competition]
This weekend we celebrate the Year of the Goat for Chinese New Year, and we can't stop thinking about the feast that awaits us. In Chinese dining, dumplings are without a doubt the biggest crowd pleaser, and we thought it was high time we learned the art of their creation. So we went straight to the experts. And where better to look to than New Shanghai? Located in Emporium's cafe court, this Shanghainese chain has earned rave reviews for their handmade xiao long bao (steamed soup dumpling) and the sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork dumpling). Dim sum chef Yihua Wu is the dumpling master here — he's been making dumplings for 10 years, and it's safe to say he has his practice down to a fine art. He first learned how to make dumplings at home in Wuxi, and claims that it took years of practice to get him to the skill level he currently possesses. His xiao long bao consist of 18 folds at the tip of the dumpling. Considering how tiny and delicate these dumplings are, this is no easy task. Wu says it took him years to master the practise, and his tip for perfect parcels? Try to make the folds as even as possible. Now, Wu can make a basket of eight dumplings in two minutes, and on a weekend day he can be making up to 200 baskets a day. You can do the math. We love a good dumpling, and we're guessing that you do too. So without further ado, here is how you make — and eat — authentic dumplings. THE DOUGH Make a dough using simple ingredients of flour and water. The dough needs to be the right softness and elasticity to be used for making dumplings, so measurements and temperature need to be carefully monitored when preparing the dough. For the sheng jian bao, yeast is also added to the dough — that ensures they are more bulbous when fried, and have a breadier texture in comparison to xiao long bao. Let the dough rest for at least 15 minutes before filling. THE FILLING While the dough is resting, you can mix up your dumpling filling. Any sort of mince meat is a good base, just as long as it still contains fat so the meat doesn't go dry and the dumplings stay juicy. You can also throw some finely-chopped vegetables in the mix for some extra flavour. Ever wondered how they get the soup in the xiao long bao? It comes from boiled pig skin that has had the fat removed, and when the liquid is left to cool, it gets a sticky consistency, leaving you with a jelly substance. This jelly is then mixed into the mince filling, and when it is heated, it becomes liquid once more — and the dumpling is filled with soup. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Divide the dough into small balls and roll out into perfect circles, approximately 5cm in diameter. The dough should be close to 1mm thick, so roll them out so they are thin, but not too delicate. A good teaspoon of filling is added to the centre of the flat dough circle, and then the edges are brought together and folded many times. To be honest, this is certainly the most difficult part for beginners, so if you are playing at home, you'll need a bit of practice to make perfect. Once all the folds are made, pinch the tip of the dumpling closed. You should have something that looks like an adorable mini moneybag. COOKING Xiao long bao are steamed in a bamboo basket for four and a half minutes. Fried dumplings are cooked for about eight minutes. EATING Yes, there is a correct way to eat these dumplings, and it will save you from making a mess and burning your taste buds. Or at least it will ensure you don't do it again. For xiao long bao, sit the dumpling in a soup spoon and bite only the tip off first, to release steam. Once it has cooled slightly, you can suck out some of the soup. From there, you can eat the dumpling as you like — but this way, you won't burn your mouth and spill the soup. For the sheng jian bao, you can actually stab them to release some steam before taking a bite, and you don’t have to swallow it whole — it's best enjoyed over a few bites. New Shanghai are celebrating Chinese New Year with selection of special dishes in addition to their regular menu. We can vouch for their xiao long bao. newshanghai.com.au
If you're looking to level-up your afternoon tea game beyond basic bikkies and finger sandwiches, pop The Westin Melbourne's latest luxe offering on your radar. Taking the high tea concept to soaring new heights, the hotel's High SocieTea menu is dishing up a daily dose of glamour from Friday, August 25–Sunday, November 19. Sashay into the Lobby Lounge between 4pm and 8pm each day for a taste of the high life, tucking into a three-tiered feast dedicated to the high tea holy trinity — cheese, chocolate and caviar. You're in for decadent treats like charcoal tarts with wild scampi caviar and juniper-cured salmon, served theatrically in a glass box; the fanciest Croque Monsieur paired with aged prosciutto, caramelised onions, L'artisan Organic Mepunga gruyere and topped with bacon dust; milk buns crowned with 12-hour braised lamb shoulder and chevre; and gooey pear and cocoa tarts. Coming in at $135 per person, the High SocieTea feast includes a glass of champagne, with more premium vino and cocktails available to add on.
Enjoy a taste of Paris without leaving Melbourne. World renowned French baker Gontran Cherrier is set to cut the ribbon on his first Australian boulangerie in Collingwood later in the year. Opening on Smith Street in June, the bakery and cafe will stock a mouth-watering selection of freshly baked treats, including croissants, tarts, buns, rolls and fluffy white baguettes. Très bien. A fourth generation baker, dreamboat and host of the popular French reality show La Meilleure Boulangerie de France (The Best Bakery in France), Cherrier currently owns boulangeries in Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul. His Melbourne shop will be designed by Eades & Bergman, the same team behind Kong BBQ and the Meatball & Wine Bar. The menu will feature a mix of traditional and modern food made with ingredients imported directly from France. Think lemon tarts, almond chocolate croissants, rye and red miso bread, and squid ink rolls. Those wanting to get an early preview can check out Cherrier at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival March 3-9. Our idea of a French fantasy #gontranmelb A photo posted by Gontran Cherrier Australia (@gontrancherrierau) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:21pm PST "I chose Melbourne for my newest international bakery because it is known for its excellence in food," said Cherrier. "I think it also shares a lot of similarities with Paris such as the café culture and laneways. I was in Melbourne in 2010 and was struck by the culture and lifestyle. Ever since then I have wanted to open a store in this city. I’m so excited that it’s finally happening." Cherrier's Melbourne boulangerie is expected to open at 140-144 Smith Street, Collingwood in June 2016. Keep your eye on Instagram for updates. Photo by Marie Taillefer.
There's something about food trucks that will never go out of style. It's quality food, but instead of being artfully plated up on ceramics, the chefs lean down and hand you your meal in a paper tray. Sydney-based Eat Art Truck was one of the first to really take off, with its American barbecue street food infused with fine dining and bright, colourful trucks that feature the work of local artists. Specialities on the menu are the eight-hour smoked pulled pork bun, the slow-roasted beef brisket bun and the crispy fried chicken bun. There are nachos, salads, fancier dishes like the kingfish entrée, and desserts like flourless chocolate cake. Once a month an artist will paint a piece on the side of the truck, and at the end of the month the piece is auctioned off for charity — so folks get a serving of culture along with their fries. To celebrate the launch of the KitchenAid Mini in Australia, we created a Mini Dinners video series, asking two of our favourite Australian chefs to throw a dinner party. Brenton Balicki, one of Eat Art Truck's founding chefs, cooked us up a feast. He has a fine dining background, having spent years working at the iconic Japanese restaurant Tetsuya before moving on to Quay. When Eat Art Truck owner Mo Moubayed came to Brenton with the idea for the truck, it sounded like a challenge, so he got on board. He likes the relaxed nature of the truck in contrast to the precision of fine dining. "Fine dining is something you have to put in your calendar," he says. "But at the truck you can get the same quality food and we can share that fine dining experience without needing the fine dining environment." Brenton's professional background instilled in him the importance of good produce, so when he cooks at home he regularly takes trips down to the Sydney Fish Markets, where Australia is lucky enough to have some of the best produce in the world. "It's difficult to come up with the right outcome without the correct equipment — that includes the right produce." For his dinner party, Brenton rode down to the Sydney Fish Markets and picked up some kingfish, fresh vegetables and beef from the nearby Vic's Meat Market. It's a one-stop shop. Playing to his strengths, Brenton decided to cook up some of his specialities. All three of these dishes have appeared in some form on the Eat Art Truck menu. For entrée, beetroot-cured hiramasa kingfish, served on a plate that was given to him by Tetsuya Wakuda for his 19th birthday. It's his favourite thing to cook with. "The name really says it all — it's the best fish you can get. It's farmed in South Australia on a strict diet and grown in cold water, which is what gives it a high fat content." For the main course, a classic Eat Art Truck burger. "Everyone claims their burger recipe is the best. That's because when you make it yourself you can decide exactly what goes in there, you have more control over the flavour that you like." For dessert, he kept it simple with a flourless, sugarless chocolate cake made with almond meal. It's an easy dessert that anyone can whip up. Take a few minutes and watch Brenton plate up his Eat Art Truck food — and get inspired, his recipes are coming soon. Watch our Mini Dinner with Liam O'Driscoll, head chef at Sydney's Big Poppa's. He cooked up three courses of the rustic Italian food his Oxford Street restaurant is famous for. Images: Samantha Hawker.
National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for all people of Australia to learn and acknowledge the nation's shared history, to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and reflect on how we can each contribute to reconciliation. Reconciliation requires more than listening, learning and reflecting, which is powerfully summarised in this year's theme: More than a word. Reconciliation takes action. As always, hundreds of events are occurring around the nation in schools, community centres, workplaces, cultural institutions and sporting clubs. All these events embrace the theme and recognise that for reconciliation to occur in Australia, more impactful action is required. Reconciliation also requires the active participation and involvement of wider Australia. So this year, you can also host an event as well as attending a suite of unique educational discussions and workshops. National Reconciliation Week is convened annually by Reconciliation Australia, the national body on reconciliation. Significantly, this year marks twenty years since Reconciliation Australia was established in 2001. The start and end dates of Reconciliation Week are the same each year— May 27 and June 3. These dates celebrate two significant achievements in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision which saw the rightful recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of the land. [caption id="attachment_813142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: City of Greater Geelong, City Hall[/caption]
Come summer in Melbourne, you won't just see stars on cinema screens — you'll sit beneath them while you're watching a movie. That's what Rooftop Cinema promises, and the first part of its new program certainly delivers. First stop: Tom Hiddleston navigating an anarchic society in an apartment block in High-Rise. Kicking off on December 3 and running through until April 2017 (with the second half of the program still to be announced), there's plenty more movie fun where that came from. Haven't had a chance to catch up with Marvel's latest superhero, Doctor Strange? Keen to revisit this year's lady-centric version of Ghostbusters? Want to take the ultimate US road trip with American Honey? You'll find them all on the lineup. Amy Adams-starring duo Arrival and Nocturnal Animals, amusing action hit The Nice Guys and a dose of the skux life courtesy of Hunt for the Wilderpeople also feature among the more recent portion of the program. So do two music offerings sponsored by Levi's: Nick Cave doco Once More With Feeling, as well as a look at the fab four in The Beatles: Eight Days A Week. Don't forget that checking out classics on the big screen is all part of the Rooftop Cinema experience as well, though. This year's retro contingent including tear-inducing tributes (Labyrinth and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), all manner of Christmas hijinks (Bad Santa and its forthcoming sequel, Love Actually, Home Alone and Elf) and three nights of Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice, new release The Founder, and Birdman). If there's ever been a reason to spend your evenings outdoors for the next few months, this is it. Rooftop Cinema takes place in the Melbourne CBD, on top of Curtin House, Swanston Street (between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets). The bar opens daily between 11am and 1am, with films starting at 9.30pm in December and January. The February to April program will be announced in late January.
Beer Wine & Calzone may sound like a list of life's greatest offerings, but it's actually the name of your new favourite CBD restaurant. They're setting up shop on William Street and bringing a little pizza to a pocket of the city usually characterised by corporates and grey office buildings. And best of all? They do takeaway for those lazy days you when want to curl up in bed (or under your desk) with the best pizza variation ever invented. Opened by Jerome Dadon, the guy behind nearby CBD cafe Brother Thomas, this ode to calzone is now open above brand new jazz club Bird's Basement. The kitchen is manned by Marino Maffi, a professional pizzaioli who's studied at the Accademia Italiana Della Pizza — because both those things exist, what a time to be alive! — and the food menu is split evenly between pizza, pasta and calzone. Calzone, just FYI, are those delicious food lumps stuffed with smaller (but equally as delicious) food lumps, beloved by people everywhere, including Ben Wyatt on Parks and Rec. You'll only find the classics here, so leave your contemporary pineapple on pizza ideas at the door and learn to love a well-made margherita. But even traditionalists aren't above the inclusion of some heinously good dessert creations, like a banana, Nutella and custard calzone or panna cotta pizza slathered in berry compote. You might want to wear your loosest muumuu for this restaurant adventure. Beer Wine & Calzone is now open at 350 William Street, CBD. It's open seven days a week, noon to midnight. Find out more at beerwineandcalzone.com. Images: Simon Shiff.
All-you-can-eat oysters and unlimited sparkling? Say less. For a limited time, Pinchy's Lobster and Champagne Bar is running a special 'Menu Pré-Théâtre'. Grab unlimited oysters and bottomless bubbles from Wednesdays through to Fridays from 5pm to 6pm. The special will be running all winter. The idea is the give the pre-theatre crowd somewhere to eat their bodyweight in oysters, but you don't need a ticket theatre ticket to get through the door. The oysters themselves are top-shelf, sourced from Moonlight Flat in Bateman's Bay in NSW. They'll be served natural, or accompanied by Pinchy's trademark spearmint and green chilli mignonette. Menu Pré-Théâtre will set you back $50 a head, which depending on your oyster slurping abilities, represents significant value. Image: supplied.
Head to the south side of town to Hampton Wine Co. for dinner in both solid and liquid form — here, the wines are just as important as what you'll be eating. Just near Hampton Station, jazzing up an otherwise sleepy strip, Hampton Wine Co. is expertly run by an ex-Jacques Reymond team. The menu is made up of sharing plates with an emphasis on meat and seafood, but there are enough veggie options to satisfy any surprise dietary requirements. There's also a banging pizza menu with the Signor George with tomato, flor di latte mozzarella, hot salmi and olives the pick. Drink wise, the list includes a healthy range by the glass — including Gippsland Wine Co. chardonnay and Cosmo Wines cab sav — while the walls are full of bottles that can be purchased and drunk at your table. Cocktails include the zesty ' Tromba Margarita' and the fresh and fun 'Amalfi Club' with pink grapefruit gin. The Hampton Wine Co. bar is also a boutique bottle shop, so if you don't finish whatever wine you order from the menu, you can just take it home with you for a nightcap at yours. Appears in: The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne for 2023
It's been just a couple of months since the State Library of Victoria first showed off its wild side, hosting a huge week of gigs and dance parties as Melbourne Music Week's 2016 hub. Now, punters again have the chance to party in the usually grave-silent library after hours, with 3RRR transforming part of the space into a lively pop-up bar for two Friday nights this month. Set to rock the book stacks on January 13 and 20, the event ties in with the library's latest exhibition, ON AIR: 40 years of 3RRR, celebrating the history and evolution of one of Melbourne's best-loved radio stations. Each night of the pop-up will see RRR favourites like Chris Gill (Get Down), Steve Cross (Beat Orgy), and Sarah Smith (Breakfasters) spinning the tunes in the library foyer, as you knock back RRR cocktails on the Mr Tulk terrace and browse vinyl in the onsite bookstore, Readings. Even the library's galleries will be throwing open their doors, allowing a rare after-hours sneak peak at the current exhibition program. 3RRR's ON AIR pop-up bar is happening on January 13 and January 20, open 7-10pm. ON AIR: 40 years of 3RRR will run until January 29. Image: Pascal/Flickr.
For many a traveller, Singapore means three things: shopping centres, strict rules and stopovers. But, break out of the predictable itinerary, and you'll discover a more exotic side to this five million-strong island state. Beyond the CBD, tree-lined streets lead to diverse neighbourhoods, and each home to a distinctive culture. From beachside Katong, where Peranakan chefs serve up fiery laksa among heritage-listed architecture, to Little India, which is infused with incense, strung with flower garlands and draped with hand-woven silks, there's plenty more to be discovered beyond the aforementioned three S's. Here's Concrete Playground's less obvious guide to exploring Singapore. [caption id="attachment_571546" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Katong[/caption] STAY There's no better recovery from a long flight than a long soak. And with an oversized bathtub next to your bed (and within full view of a 46-inch LED TV) in a Peranakan Club room at the 229-room Village Hotel Katong (a 15 minute drive west of Changi Airport) you can do just that. When you're done, prowl about in 41 square metres of cool, white and blue space, splashed with Peranakan-patterned furnishings, including feature tiles and an enormous floor rug. There's also a roomy outdoor pool, a gym and a restaurant, serving up marathon multicultural buffet breakfasts and dinners. (Peranakan, by the way, refers to the descendants of Chinese people who moved to the Malay archipelago between the 1400s and 1600s and developed a famously rich culture, combining Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arabic and European influences.) [caption id="attachment_573954" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Albert Court[/caption] For a stay full of character on the edge of Little India (about 30 minutes west of Changi), check into Village Hotel Albert Court. The airy, marble-lined lobby is a step back into the colonial era. Order a martini and take a seat on a plush red lounge in the front bar, and you'll feel like you're in a James Bond film. The pre-war feel continues in the greenery-filled, sculpture-dotted courtyards and the classic rooms, furnished with dark wood and fitted with shutters. Some are arranged around a spectacular sunny atrium, and if you're staying above ground level, you'll be travelling via an external, glass-walled, Willy Wonka-style lift. Need to reenergise after a long, steamy day? Smash out some kilometres in the gym and relax in the twin jacuzzis — one warm and one cool. Ask about the 'Far More Perks' package for a bunch of extras, like free cocktails and canapes, private lounges, late checkout, city tours, laundry and access to a Changi Airport lounge. DO A stay at either hotel lets you in on some pretty special cultural experiences, which allow you to see Singapore through a local's eyes. If you're in Katong, it's well worth getting on the Village Hotel's heritage walking tour — if not just to get your bearings. A fun, friendly guide will lead you through nearby Joo Chiat neighbourhood. Once a coconut palm-filled seaside retreat, Joo Chiat is now full of colourful, ornate shophouses and, as of 2011, is protected as Singapore's first Heritage Town. A hawker food court, an eatery advertising 'sexy desserts', a dog-friendly cafe and an eatery dedicated to chocolate are all en route, with your journey finishing with a visit to a Peranakan heritage home and a dumpling-making workshop. Alternatively (or in addition), the Little India walking tour covers little-known Hindu temples, hidden-away street art and secretive alleyways. [caption id="attachment_574235" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Southern Ridges Walk by Kimon Berlin via Flickr[/caption] Once you've dosed up on heritage, get your art fix at the new Singapore National Gallery, which became Asia's biggest visual arts institution when it opened on November 24, 2015. It occupies a whopping 64,000 square metres across two monumental buildings — the former Supreme Court and City Hall — joined by a 'canopy' of fine metal mesh, supported by giant columns resembling tree trunks. Eight thousand Singaporean and Southeast Asian artworks are shared between two permanent galleries, and there's oodles of space left over for international travelling shows. Check out the fire truck-red grand piano in the atrium. For an island that has a reputation for being built-up, Singapore has a heck of a lot of parks. The 156-year-old, 182-acre Singapore Botanic Gardens stay open until midnight and are home to the largest orchid collection in the world. There's even one particularly delicate species named after Margaret Thatcher. At HortPark, in the southwest, you'll wander through 21 themed gardens, including one filled with butterflies. For a longer walk, take on the ten-kilometre Southern Ridges hike, an adventure through coastal panoramas, lush rainforest canopy, a 36-metre high undulating bridge called Henderson Waves and Singapore's second highest peak, Mount Faber. EAT AND DRINK At the 2013 Hawker Heroes Challenge, no amount of swearing could change the results when chef Gordon Ramsay lost to 328 Katong Laksa, a tiny joint decked with plastic seats just a stumble away from the Village Hotel Katong. Yet, while Ramsay sells at Michelin-starred prices, a few bucks will still buy you a huge bowl of steaming deliciousness here. After all, laksa was created by the Peranakans, as a fusion of their Chinese and Malay cooking. To get the low-down on where else locals queue for food, jump on the hotel's Makan Bus Culinary Tour. At a diverse array of tucked-away eateries, you'll sample numerous tasty and eye-opening morsels; try everything from fried chicken and frogs' legs to soup at the rather charmingly and perhaps too-honestly named Pig Organ. Surprisingly, vegetarians can be catered for at every stop. Back in Little India, the island's most flavoursome curries are served beneath Banana Leaf Apollo's chandeliers. Headliners include fish head, butter chicken and mango prawn, all of which wash down tidily with an icy cold beer — or a mango lassi. For the finest chilli crab in the land, grab a table at Wing Seong Fatty's. Founded in 1936, it's been a favourite with international pilots since World War II and, these days, is run by father-son team, Fatty and Skinny. Fatty's been trying to retire for years, but just can't leave the wok alone. Finally, head to Indochine's rooftop bar for a relaxed pre- or post-dinner bev. Despite being in the touristy Marina Bay area, it's worth a visit — firstly, because it's on top of one of Singapore's chronically Instagrammed Supertrees and, secondly, because the epic views across the city are like a scene out of Blade Runner. [caption id="attachment_574226" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kai Lehmann via Flickr[/caption] LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Singapore is around an eight to eight-and-a-half hour flight from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. A number of airlines fly to Changi Airport, with return fares with QANTAS starting at $800. Jasmine travelled to Singapore as a guest of Far East Hospitality. Top image: JUJUlianar via Flickr.
With the end of Summer almost in sight, it's time to make the most of those long lazy afternoons. And what better way to do that than with a few cold drinks in a relaxed, comfortable outdoor setting — AKA, a lush beer garden. So we've rounded up the best lesser-known beer gardens in the inner north, where you can soak up some rays and brews this summer (without struggling to find a place to sit).
After Kate Reid's booming croissant business outgrew its tiny, Elwood shopfront, they moved to bigger and better digs in Fitzroy, with the baker launching Lune Croissanterie 2.0 with brother, Cameron, in 2015. The queues these buttery baked goods have been pulling ever since are testament to their cult status, with Melburnians more than happy to trek across town and forego weekend sleep-ins, just to get their hands on Reid's creations. While the croissant reigns supreme here, featured in various forms of twice-baked, filled, sweet, or savoury deliciousness, the rest is well worth a look in too. Think traditional French-style Danishes and pain au chocolate, sitting alongside more adventurous treats, like the signature cruffins. Inside the sprawling Rose Street warehouse is a sleek retail space and a handful of bench seats, where the less impatient punters can tuck straight into their pastry purchases, matched with a Small Batch coffee. And just as impressive as the textbook-perfect pastries is the bakery itself is a central glass studio, set permanently at the optimal croissant-crafting temperature. This is where the magic happens, on display for all to witness. And for a unique dining experience to tempt even the most avid of croissant fans, there's the Lune Lab. This hosts intimate degustation sittings, where diners are treated to a flight of three different pastries, running from oven-fresh classic croissants to Reid's latest envelope-pushing inventions. Images: Visit Victoria/Josie Withers.
