It's not quite Melbourne International Film Festival time just yet; however that hasn't stopped Victoria's premiere cinema showcase from teasing movie buffs with a glimpse of the film fun set to come. Think local, sci-fi and delightfully quirky, because this year's fest — MIFF's 65th — is kicking off with the world premiere of The Death and Life of Otto Bloom. There's a reason that the feature's title mentions the character's end before his actual existence; played by Xavier Samuel, he's experiencing his life in reverse. Neuropsychologist Dr Ada Fitzgerald (Rachel Ward) is called in to determine if he's a psychic, time traveller, madman or living proof of Einstein's theory of relativity. We know you're dying to know the answer, and you can find out at MIFF's opening night on July 28. Sure, it all sounds a little like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, however don't expect the first feature from Melbourne writer/director Cris Jones to simply rehash its Brad Pitt-starring predecessor. In fact, 2014's The Infinite Man and Predestination already proved that Aussie filmmakers can handle intriguing concepts like time travel and multiple versions of the same person with the best of them, so consider The Death and Life of Otto Bloom the latest effort in a growing local group of science fiction-leaning content. That's not all the news MIFF has up their sleeve so far, with the full program for their youth-focused Next Gen strand also doing the rounds, as well as details of a special virtual reality storytelling seminar with Eric Darnell, the writer/director behind the animated Madagascar series. With all this on offer — and the complete lineup still more than a month away — we've just got one thing to say: bring on the end of July. The 2016 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from July 28 to August 14. Tickets for opening night go on sale at 9am on May 18, with the full 2016 program revealed on July 5. Keep an eye on the festival's website for further information.
No one likes a boring lunch, or spending hours meal prepping — though we all know how quickly the cost of midday food splurges can add up. Those lunch dramas will soon be a thing of the past, with nifty food app MealPal arriving in Melbourne. The brainchild of ClassPass co-founder, Mary Biggins, and Katie Ghelli (formerly of ZocDoc), the meal subscription service has proved a hit across the USA and UK since first launching in Miami, in January 2016. It launched in Sydney in May this year, and now, having dished up over two million meals to time-starved office workers, the MealPal concept is heading to Melbourne. Through the website or app, subscribing members are able to order a daily lunch meal from the huge selection of great local restaurants, schedule a convenient time to skip the queues and pick it up, and enjoy a tasty feed for blissfully minimal effort. Use it Monday to Friday, and the service clocks in at less than $8 per day. More than 100 of Melbourne CBD's lunchtime go-tos are already on board, including Empire Steak, Sumo Salad, PappaRich, Mr. Burger, Belleville, Henrietta's Chicken Shop, Famish'd and more. Sign up here. Image: Empire Steak.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. Last year, more than 8000 garages opened their doors to bargain hunters, and they're doing it for the sixth time on October 24. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. Register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
The 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival is already slated to start with a Jungle trek, take audiences on a retro sci-fi trip and showcase a hefty dose of Cannes titles. But that's just the first act — there's way (way) more where that came from. Tonight unveiling this year's full lineup, MIFF has announced it will screen 358 films in total, representing 68 countries, and including 251 features, 88 shorts, 17 virtual reality experiences and 12 talks. Phew. Taking over 13 venues across Melbourne from August 3 to 20, the 2017 festival — the event's 66th — also boasts 31 world premieres and 135 Australian premieres. That's quite the batch of numbers, but cinephiles only need remember one more: how many films you can cram in over the fest's 18-day run. Leading the charge among the complete program is closing night's Gurrumul Elcho Dreaming, which will enjoy its world premiere at MIFF. The documentary explores of the life and music of Aussie artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, formerly of Yothu Yindi, and ensures that this year's festival is bookended with local flicks. Elsewhere, fellow Australian picks span street art documentary Have You Seen the Listers?, Melissa George and Ewen Leslie in The Butterfly Tree, and a virtual reality peek into asylum seeker life in VR short Inside Manus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJweqjIWtbg Other new titles include the Jon Hamm and Geena Davis-starring Marjorie Prime, about holographic recreations of deceased loves ones; Beatriz at Dinner, featuring Salma Hayek, Chloe Sevigny and John Lithgow; Lucky, which sees Twin Peaks' Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch appear together on screen; and Beach Rats, this year's Sundance US Dramatic comp director winner. An IMAX screening of Terrence Malick's 40-years-in-the-making documentary Voyage of Time, the David Wenham-directed walk-and-talk effort Ellipsis, and Swedish indigenous drama Sami Blood are also on the bill, alongside a triple dose of Hong Sang-soo thanks to Yourself and Yours, Claire's Camera and On the Beach at Night Alone, as well as the world premiere of Ben Elton's newbie Three Summers. Of course, MIFF isn't just about screening films — it's also about showcasing the talented folks behind them. One of the best movies of the year so far, the Armie Hammer-starring romance Call Me By Your Name, comes to MIFF with Italian director Luca Guadagnino in attendance, while iconic Aussie filmmaker Jane Campion will introduce a screening of her new TV mini-series Top of the Lake: China Girl. Plus, diving deeper into its themed strands, this year's festival will also feature a program of '80s and early '90s Australian films directed by women, a tribute to The Party filmmaker Sally Potter's cinematic output to date and a selection of animal docos (expect chicken, rats, dolphins and more). Getting into genre territory, MIFF's usual Night Shift lineup jumps from real-life serial killer thrills with My Friend Dahmer to Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal to the US-made, Colombia-set The Belko Experiment from Jungle filmmaker Greg McLean, with plenty of others in between. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi2KRS_hinE All of the above joins a sizeable selection of already-revealed, excitement-worthy flicks, including The Killing of a Sacred Deer from The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos, '90s-set AIDS activism drama BPM, Palme d'Or winner The Square, Robert Pattinson crime flick Good Time, Michael Haneke's Happy End and the Andy Samberg-produced Brigsby Bear. Plus, more RPatz in The Lost City of Z, Aussie actress Emily Browning playing a Melburnian in New York opposite Jason Schwartzman and the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz in Golden Exits, swoon-inducing queer romance God's Own Country, transgender drama A Fantastic Woman, New Zealand horror amusement park-based Spookers, and Aussie efforts Ali's Wedding, Australia Day and That's Not Me are also on the stacked bill. The Melbourne International Film Festival runs from August 3 to 20, with tickets on sale from 11am on July 14. For more information, visit the MIFF website.
Get on down to Melbourne's most iconic retail precinct and party like its 1991. This September, Melbourne Central is celebrating its quarter century — and what better way to do so than by turning back that famous clock? As part of the Rewind '91 festivities, Melbourne Central and Concrete Playground are teaming up on one hell of a promotion. Simply enter below and you can go in the running to win an outrageously decadent prize that includes: - One night's accommodation for two at St Jerome's Hotel on the Melbourne Central roof. - Front of the line access to a new virtual reality experience that takes viewers back to the late 1800s when the iconic Coops Shot Tower was still in use. - A tour of Melbourne Central's hidden nooks and crannies with local history-buff Dale Campisi (September 24 or 25). - Two tickets to Melbourne Central's VIP Birthday Event (September 7). - $250 worth of Melbourne Central shopping vouchers. [competition]586681[/competition] Now you've entered, enjoy this hit of nostalgia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzeqSDvNNm0
Normally the words 'YouTube sensation' trigger an instant shudder of revulsion as the abominable lovechild of Bieber and Nyan Cat twerks into your imagination, but that's where it also began for British trip-hop trio London Grammar who will be gracing our shores in March — after last July's cancellation. Ever since the release of 'Hey Now', which clocked up over a million views in just under a month, the indie darlings have gone from strength to strength. With a platinum debut album If You Wait, three songs in this 2014's triple j Hottest 100 (including a top ten spot for 'Strong') and rave-reviewed appearances at festivals worldwide under their collective belts, the trio are set to continue their love affair with the Australian public when they hit up the Festival Hall on March 14. Fronted by the preternaturally talented Hannah Reid, whose vocal range has seen her compared to the likes of Florence Welch and Adele, London Grammar had to cancel their tour last year after Reid was struck down with pneumonia. This national tour has been long-awaited by Australian fans, many of whom were lucky enough to catch their memorable set at Splendour in the Grass just a few short years ago. Supported by Until the Ribbon Breaks + Wet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nMEHJPuggHQ
You'll be simultaneously throwing shapes and ramen in your mouth this spring, as Melbourne's Supernormal prepares to host Melbourne's first ever Ramen Rave with New York’s new-wave ramen guru Ivan Orkin on October 28, as part of this year's Good Food Month. Now the world’s largest food festival, GFM will see more than 240 events, masterclasses, tastings and one-off indulgences taking place across the city and regional Victoria from November 1-30, including the highly-anticipated Ramen Rave. For one night only, Orkin will be serving up his signature shio ramen alongside Supernormal's Andrew McConnell, who'll be matching his favourite in-house snacks — including matcha soft serve. There'll be highballs and sake aplenty, karaoke in the basement, while local DJs Andras Fox and Zach PM get the actual rave going. Sweets, lollies, cakes, dessert and all things sugary run the show at this year’s Good Food Month. The toothache begins with Sweetfest, a mini-festival of sugary delights at North Melbourne's Meat Market on November 28-29, featuring Instagram-happy cake monarch Katherine Sabbath, dessert queen Philippa Sibley, confection wizard Pierre Roelofs and more. Plus, during GFM, there are no less than eight hectic high teas to choose from. Hardcore sweet tooths, prepare to meet New York City's Big Gay Ice Cream legends and dulce de leche injectors Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff, as they launch two new books with an Ice Cream Social and make the ultimate fairy bread ice cream sandwiches with Melbourne food truck My Two Mums at the ever-popular Night Noodle Markets. Due to popular demand, the Birrarung Marr markets have been extended to a whopping 18 nights across November 12-29. Expect old favourites such as Chin Chin, Bao Stop and Hoy Pinoy with newbies. Good Food Month tends to attract some pretty big chef hats, and this year you'll be able to feast on expertly smoked mussels from top chefs David Moyle of Franklin Restaurant and French chef Florent Geradin in Eclade de Moyle. Learn the Peruvian ropes with Diego Muñoz, watch Melbourne's top chefs make their mentors' specialties into Cinema Nova movie snacks, then watch the bigwigs of the culinary industry debate The Future of Food, in a lively panel between editor-in-chief of Lucky Peach Chris Ying, Pulitzer prize-winning LA Times food critic Jonathan Gold and award-winning Attica head chef Ben Shewry. GFM's ever-popular returning event series will be back with plenty of citywide feasting experiences, from Hats Off Dinners to the Eat Art series. Take a culinary tour of the graffiti capitals of the world with Easey's, take an American 'Dude Food' Walking Tour, learn how to make bagels at home with 5 & Dime, see Huxtable take on Ms Collins, see Saint Crispin take on Gelato Messina, then find the very best in food goodness at Australia’s largest charity kitchen in Abbotsford, by FareShare — where you can volunteer. Check out our top event picks of Good Food Month 2015.
Melbourne's annual winter festival RISING sprawls over a lot of the CBD, but the official hub is Night Trade. And this year, the free-to-enter art, food and music labyrinth is taking over the Capitol Arcade and surrounding alleyways from Saturday, June 1–Saturday, June 15. It's where you go to get fed, plan your next move while grabbing some drinks, get a psychic reading, and gawk at incredible art installations, light shows and live performances. [caption id="attachment_958059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] One standout installation comes from UK artist Jeremy Deller, who has converted one of the laneway shops into an exhibition that's said to made for the goths and ravers. Expect to find a video grotto, spinning druids and other visual artworks within the small space. Next door, you can feed your inner artist at RISING's Sip and Paint ($39 per person) where a different artist will help you sculpt, paint, create and drink the night away. On the calendar is Magic Steven, Sammaneh Poursh, Geoffrey Watson, Xanthe Dobbie, Ned Middleton and Tobias Richardson. Elsewhere at RISING's Night Trade, party-loving healer Sue Thompson is holding psychic readings, LA artist John Kilduff is performing a live version of the cult public access TV show Let's Paint TV — a physical and mental breakdown of painting, cooking, singing and treadmill-based synth workouts — and DJs are playing a huge range of sets. There will even be a pop-up karaoke room where you can sing your favourite hits with a bunch of strangers. Those keen to pay for some live gigs can also hit up Night Trade's Stage Door, where the team are hosting a series of artists and parties. Each of these performances only cost $20, so it's an easy and cheap way to experience some of RISING's best bits. When it comes to bevs, you can hit up the Night Trade lounge bar that's been given an 80s underwater ambient theme. Pair this with Momo Station's Nepalese dumplings; Kim Sing's dim sum and noodles; Union Kiosk's jaffles; Los Amantes' Mexican street food; or The Alley Edition's hot chips and snacks — perfect for a cold night out in the city. Night Trade is always a must-visit at RISING, not only for these formally announced offerings, but because of all the surprise events and pop-up performances that will inevitably grace the space without any notice. [caption id="attachment_958058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption]
When is a hot cross bun not a hot cross bun? When it's a doughnut instead. And of all the sweet treats we've seen in the lead-up to the Easter holiday, this might be the one we want to sample the most. Easter Bunny, consider yourself briefed. The drool-worthy rings of spiced doughy goodness are the latest creation from Shortstop Coffee & Donuts. Alcohol soaked dried fruit is mixed through a sweet and spiced dough, before being fried and covered in a milk and honey glaze. If that's not an Easter miracle, what is? The hot cross doughnuts can be ordered via Shortstop's online store. Alternatively, Prahran-based gift delivery service LVLY have partnered with the intrepid doughnuteers and will happily ferry a box to a colleague, friend or loved one on your behalf, complete with personalised message and an optional floral arrangement. Of course, that's assuming you're not just ordering them for yourself — which, if we're being honest, would be a damn shame. You can currently pre-order through LVLY for delivery between Monday, March 21 and Thursday, March 24. Fair warning though: this probably isn't a great idea for anyone who's given up junk food for Lent, especially so close to the finish line. LVLY deliver to Melbourne's inner suburbs. A box of five Shortstop hot cross doughnuts will cost $38 including delivery, and can be ordered through LVLY here.
All the countless hours you’ve spent agonising over filters and hashtags are finally about to pay off. In a promotional exercise for their latest production Meme Girls, Malthouse Theatre are giving away free tickets to some of Melbourne’s most influential social media users. The giveaway is open to anyone who has cultivated more than 5000 followers on either Instagram or Twitter. If that’s you, simply email boxoffice@malthouse.com.au with your name and social media handle, and you can bag two tickets to the Wednesday, April 22, show. But you're not just scoring free tickets for nothing. Malthouse will encourage audience members to tweet and Instagram throughout the performance. It’s a bold move, one that theatres have trialled in the past to no small amount of controversy. Malthouse themselves made headlines in 2012 when they designated special 'tweet seats' for social media users. The LA Times technology blog attributes the first instance of live theatre tweeting to a 2009 staging of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore in Kansas, during which audience members in the 100 special seats of the final performance could access tweets from the show’s artistic director about the production, scenery and story unfurling on stage while tweeting their own questions and comments. Arguably one of its most successful and interesting uses was for director Ivo van Hove's media reportage-inspired Roman Tragedies at Adelaide Festival 2014, where audience members were encourage to tweet and become part of the show — The Lifted Brow even wrote an 'almost live review'. Whether live social media use works for Meme Girls remains to be seen. The show itself is the latest tongue-in-cheek work from actor and theatre-maker Ash Flanders, and has been described by Malthouse as “a love letter to the bizarre and addictive women of YouTube who broadcast their lives into the abyss.” So we're in the right online social territory. It could work. It might even be the best night to see it. Malthouse's season of Meme Girls runs until May 2. People with less than 5000 social media followers are also welcome to attend on April 22 — by buying a ticket at the Malthouse website. By Tom Clift and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Imagine a Melbourne canteen where you can eat doughnuts all day and fried chicken all night. Add beer and you've got the latest Melbourne opening to cover all guilty pleasure bases. Yep, it's a real thing; Raph Rashid (of Taco Truck and Beat Box Kitchen repute) is opening a hub of so-called dude food inside his insanely popular permanent endeavour All Day Donuts. Bringing a menu of southern-style fried chicken and "burros" (Rashid's interpretation of a burrito) to ADD of a nighttime, Rashid's street food menu will be served every evening from 5pm under the moniker Juanita Peaches. According to Good Food, Rashid was actually supposed to open JP first, but got "sidetracked by doughnuts". Beer and wine are also on the menu, handpicked by Rashid's buddy Matt Skinner and perfect to pair with your crunchy pieces of golden fried chicken or a glistening doughnut dinner (yep, they'll be available after 5 too). An entire dinner of beer, fried chicken and doughnuts? Don't tell Mum. Find Juanita Peaches inside All Day Donuts at 12 Edward Street, Brunswick, open Thursday to Saturday 5-10pm. Via Good Food. Image: All Day Donuts.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer Sundaying. So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Werribee Park, an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tortes and terrines, offensively good wine, quaint puppet shows, furious outdoor chess, casual bongo drum lessons — So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of some of France's best: Emile Simon, The Dø, La Femme and Francois and Atlas Mountains will crank out live sets on the lawn this year. Formidable. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi.
Whether by chance or the greatest promotional tie-in for a movie release in recent history, a glorious full moon shone over the First Man premiere in Sydney. An impressive enough sight going in to the cinema, it held a near-magical allure on the way back out. Even now, some 50 years since the first manned lunar landing and a lifetime of technological advancements beyond, to look up and consider the deed still feels unreal; an impossibility requiring far too much luck, daring and genius for anyone to even consider it. And yet…the Eagle did land. Directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land), First Man is at once the story of mankind's greatest ever technological accomplishment and the enormous sacrifices required to achieve it. Set against the backdrop of extreme US/Soviet tensions, First Man chronicles the NASA side of the infamous space race and highlights the extraordinary challenges precipitated by such a Herculean task. How, for example, do you come up with a list of requirements for something that's never been done before? Who is the right person for the job when your greatest understanding of what that job is is little more than a guess? This was precisely the challenge facing the newly established space agency in 1958 as it set out to find seven willing, qualified and extraordinarily capable candidates to undertake the first ever manned flights into space. One of those individuals was, of course, Neil Armstrong, whose portrayal in First Man by Ryan Gosling conveys an introverted and emotionally repressed family man possessed of unyielding skill and determination. Inevitably, films based on real world events at once benefit from, and are challenged by, an audience's knowledge of what ultimately happens. The inevitability of catastrophe in disaster films, for example, contributes to a powerful and compounding tension that can become almost unbearable. The key to maintaining drama in these films is to focus on the human stories at their core and shine a light on the details lesser known. How, though, do you find an unknown detail in perhaps the best-known story of the last century? That humans landed on the moon is far from a surprise twist, and that the first man to do it was Armstrong is such a given it's used as the title of the film. And so First Man, penned by Josh Singer (Spotlight), spans the eight physically and emotionally gruelling years of Armstrong's life prior to his iconic small step, beginning with an excruciatingly tense and near-fatal solo test flight into the earth's upper atmosphere. Singer's screenplay is tantalisingly layered, offering little by way of dialogue yet enormous scope for nuanced performances in the hands of an accomplished ensemble. Chazelle's direction is likewise sublime, especially during the film's more kinetic scenes where you feel just as drained and challenged as those on screen. The claustrophobia of the tiny capsules, the relentless g-forces of an out-of-control gyroscope, and the deafening silence of space, combine to assault the senses in the best possible way, aided by a level of sound design that will surely prove the frontrunner come awards season. On the performance front, The Crown's Claire Foy grounds the tale (as much literally as symbolically) as Armstrong's wife Janet, reminding us of the significant sacrifices made on all sides of this story. Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll and Ciarán Hinds round out the impressive troupe, with Stoll's performance in particular painting Armstrong's eventual co-pilot Buzz Aldrin in a surprisingly blunt and unlikeable light. Gosling's scenes with Clarke, too, prove some of the film's best; a meaningful friendship borne of fierce competition, and a closeness that permitted acknowledgements of extreme grief, fear and uncertainty without ever giving voice to the words. In the end First Man is, despite its scale and subject matter, an intimate character portrait rather than a history lesson. It eschews the traditional pomp and grandeur of NASA control room scenes for dimly lit kitchens and moonlit walks, yet remains every bit the space odyssey such a tale commands. Filmed for IMAX, it should be seen the same way – an honest, tense and compelling picture that reminds us exactly why we love going to the movies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSoRx87OO6k
There's a good reason that nearly every tour of Europe stops in Dubrovnik — the city is bloody beautiful. Inside the medieval walls of the Old Town, you almost feel as though you're wandering through a movie set (albeit a sweaty one with a lot of stairs). You can (and should) do the main attractions anyone who's been on a eight-day sailing tour of Croatia can tell you to do — walk around the city walls, have a drink on the cliffs outside the city walls at Buza bar I or II, do a Game of Thrones tour — but there's plenty of ways to do Dubrovnik your own way. We've compiled a list of the best ways to spend your time in the seaside Croatian city to make sure your visit is an unforgettable one. If you've been thinking about booking that European holiday, do it now. Swapping your Australian winter for a European summer is a great way to make your 2017 something to look forward to. In partnership with Topdeck, here is the first instalment of our Less Obvious city guides. Episode two: Dubrovnik. DRINK DINGAC AT D'VINO Unlike France or Italy, you never really hear anyone going on about Croatia's wine — but you should. This little country produces some killer drops, most notably on the Pelješac Peninsula, which just about an hour and a half north of Dubrovnik. Ask anyone who knows even the tiniest bit about wine, and they'll tell you to try some Dingač. Repeatedly. Dingač is the wine region, but generally they're talking about the much-lauded red wine variety Plavac Mali. Best place to try some of the stuff is at D'Vino in the Old Town. You can sit on the stairs, order a cheese platter and try the wine with a Dingač tasting paddle. SWIM IN A HUGE CLEAR BLUE LAKE For this one you'll have to take the ferry over to the island of Mjlet, which takes about an hour and a half. We promise it will take to you the most godly, most serene of waters. A huge chunk of Mljet is taken up by a national park, which includes two lakes. Veliko and Malo Jezero (literally meaning Large and Small Lake) both have incredibly clear blue water which you will definitely want to float around in until infinity. To get there, get the ferry to Polače (not Sobra — it's a big island), buy a ticket to enter the national park, grab a map and hike over to the lake. Once you've made it, you'll probably want to jump into the ridiculously blue water ASAP. Then you can wander around the lake, stopping at suitable nooks to rest under shade and take a dip wherever you please. This one is a day trip, as there's only one ferry (the Nona Ana) in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The timetable is here, but you can only buy tickets at the dock, so best to get there at least half an hour before the ferry departs to do so. SHOOT HOOPS WITH A VIEW OF THE OLD CITY Why pay to walk the city walls when you can shoot hoops from practically the same vantage point? Anyone can wander into this rooftop court — although it's oddly shaped and not at all a regulation-sized basketball court, so you won't be able to hold official competitions. There is, however, a sorta hidden entrance to the Gornji Ugao Tower, a restored medieval fort inside the city walls from the 15th century. EAT CROATIAN BARBECUE ON A ROOFTOP TERRACE If this place existed in Australia, it would get mad hype. It's not trendy by any means, but it's got all the makings of an inner city success: a rooftop, a barbecue and wine by the carafe. They cook basically everything on the charcoal grill here, which (happily for your nose) is located on the open air rooftop terrace overlooking the city you will be dining in. You can't go wrong with seafood, but it's worth trying their ćevapi, which is a minced meat morsel not unlike kofta. There's some epic queues at dinnertime, so it's best to get there really early or really late. Also, the best bit: it's called Lady Pi-Pi because there's a sculpture of a boss lady peeing out the front. See above. [caption id="attachment_590356" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Peter Northall.[/caption] LEARN SOME VITAL LOCAL HISTORY AT THE WAR PHOTO MUSUEM Your lack of knowledge about Yugoslav history will probably never be more apparent than when you visit Dubrovnik. The city still lives with a vivid memory of the Yugoslav People's Army's two-month siege on the city — it only happened in 1991. The best place to get a sense of what happened is to visit War Photo Limited. Their permanent collection includes images of Dubrovnik under siege as well as iconic work from photojournalists covering the breakdown of Yugoslavia and the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. EAT A BREAKFAST BUREK ON THE ROCKS Look, not all burek were created equal — but pretty much all were created insanely delicious and that's all we need to know. Basically every second person is walking around Dubrovnik eating a burek out of a paper bag, and you should definitely be one of them. Best is the breakfast burek (which is only differentiated from lunch and dinner burek by time of day, not contents) because you get to eat cheese encased in pastry and it's a legitimate breakfast. Buy one (or two) from literally anywhere and walk it out of Ploče Gate and down some stone stairs to eat it on the rocks as the sun comes up. TAKE A DIP AT DANCE While our idea of a beach is one with sand, Croatians apply the definition to basically any bit of coastline you can hop into the water from. Dubrovnik's 'beaches' therefore aren't necessarily known as being amazing, but when the temperature rises and the Old Town becomes a hot, sweaty mess, you'll definitely want to find one. Avoid Banje Beach (it's overcrowded and run by a beach club meaning you have to pay for a chair), and head out of Pile gate to fine Danče beach. It's quiet, traversed mostly by locals and has rocks and slabs of concrete so you can lie down and soak up the Croatian sun. Visit Europe (including Dubrovnik) with a Topdeck trip and make 2017 a year to remember. Book early (that means now) and save up to $999. Top Image: Juan Carlos De Martin via Flickr.
Part of the charm of the Melbourne's wildly successful Flour Market is its unpredictability. We're never quite sure when they're going to announce the next one and we're never certain we'll be able to get there before all the good stuff sells out. Of course, getting up early on a Sunday to queue for croissants is a little overrated — especially when it's electric blanket weather. So in what can only be good news for inner-city pastry fiends, Flour Market has announced they'll be doing a weekly pop-up inside Melbourne Central throughout June. Melbourne Central's level two link bridge above Lonsdale Street might not have as much vibe as Fitzroy Town Hall — but it will certainly have the all the doughy goods. For the five Thursdays in June, Flour Market will be setting up shop on the indoor bridge from 3-7pm. They'll be selling a selection of baked treats from a rotating selection of eight artisan Melbourne bakers each week. All the market regulars will make an appearance, including Shortstop, Tivoli Road, Pidapipo, Cobb Lane, Agathe Patisserie and more. And although the pop-up will technically be trading until 7pm, we recommend getting their early as these precious goods have a tendency to sell out.
The start of the working week just got a little bit more bearable, thanks to the gang at Brunswick Street social club Little & Olver. Hot on the heels of their successful December opening, the bar and live music venue has put the finishing touch on their kitchens — and to celebrate, they’ll be serving Monday night dinner to the hungry folk of Fitzroy for nothing. Free food. Every week. We’ll just give you a moment to let that sink in. The L&O kitchens will be run by head chef Stacey Tuara, formerly of Meatmaiden on Little Collins Street. A veteran of the fine dining world, Tuara has put together a seasonal grill menu that caters to both meat lovers and herbivores (a big surprise considering Tuara's former meat-lovin' kitchen). Spiced crumb chicken, pork belly, maple roasted parsnip and five-grain salad are just a few of the dinner options that jump out at us — although if we're being honest, we’ll probably just opt for the $2 happy hour ribs. Mondays will feature a rotating menu, from dumplings one week to pulled pork sliders the next. And have we already mentioned it’ll be free? FREE. You're going to need a drink. Luckily, the team have developed a brand new cocktail menu, one that includes jugs of iced tea infused with whisky, vodka, tequila and gin. L&O's new food and drinks menu marks the latest step in the venue’s reinvention, reborn from the ashes of the old First Floor nightclub. In addition to the kitchens and cocktail options, Little & Olver recently unveiled their garden bar, and appear to be pushing for a slightly classier atmosphere in general. That said, they’ll still be running First Floor’s regular club nights, including Warehaus Parties and Closet. This Saturday will see them host Sydney DJs Cosmo's Midnight for their only Melbourne show, while they’ll also bring in Melbourne’s Zanzibar Chanel over Easter. Find Little & Olvr at 393 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. Now open Mon - Sat from 5pm till late.
Breakups are usually associated with loss (and copious amounts of wine and Meg Ryan). But they can be profitable, too. And we’re not talking about ‘whatever-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger’, new age, Facebook-meme kind of profit. We’re talking about cold, hard cash. Well, that’s the idea behind a brand new service called Never Liked It Anyway, anyway. Dubbed ‘eBay for breakups’, it’s a platform that lets you sell everything that reminds you of your ex – without feeling bad, guilty or ashamed about it. The range of products on sale is mind-boggling, maybe even slightly unsettling. There are wedding dresses, engagement rings, mink shawls and even a bracelet with a coin from 35 B.C — all relics of past love ready for new owners. Because, out of sight, out of mind, right? It’s tough to forget your ex when your home is littered with his/her gifts. And, why burn them on a bonfire when you can turn them into your next shopping spree or dinner out or (depending on your ex’s generosity levels) holiday? Rather than just being any old online shopping platform, Never Liked It Anyway sees its job as bringing relief to the broken-hearted. “We started [it] to make moving on easier. It’s a place to shed the stories and the stuff,” founder Bella Acton told The Atlantic. Not only can you buy and sell on the site, you can tell your story, read the site's highly useful blog for tips on moving on, and read other tales of heartbreak. The site isn't just about making cash money out of closing a chapter, it's about looking forward to the next. The nicest bit of the whole site? The 'Break-Up Services' section, where you can procure a a 'Bounce Back Stack' (50 cards of warm fuzzies and advice to help mend your broken heart) or a 'Bounce Back Box' filled to the brim with things meant to 'get you back to fabulous': lip gloss, nail polish and a whole host of treat yourself goodies. Via Refinery29. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
It's been 11 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 has announced its 2016 lineup. Returning to Singapore, Auckland and the five established Australian Laneway go-to cities, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the previously leaked Hudson Mohawke and Purity Ring headliner announces, Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their unconventional stages. Odd Future's super outfit The Internet will be here, alongside Ninja Tune's bass monarch Thundercat and the return of Grimes (start losing your collective shit). Epic Scottish electronic crew CHVRCHES are headed back to Australia, with a few fellow return trippers — Baltimore dreamboats Beach House, American math rockers Battles are back with their new album, as well as Brooklyn's atmospheric foursome DIIV. Plenty of love for the onstage return of Big Scary after Tom Isanek finished up with #1 Dads, and there's sure to be a big ol' ruckus for Sydney wonderkid Flume back on stage. You'll be hard pressed to find a spot at Las Vegas hypecard Shamir's set, watching young Washington rapper GoldLink or the pretty, pretty Beatles-y Tobias Jesso Jr. Odd Future's Vince Staples is headed here too, following his OFWGKTA bud Tyler the Creator's ban from Australia. With beloved local artists like Hermitude, Violent Soho, The Smith Street Band and DMA's, this year's lineup is more eclectic than a Jenny Kee jumper. Enough talk, here 'tis. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Ali Barter* Banoffee Battles Beach House Big Scary Blank Realm** Chvrhces DIIV DMA’s East India Youth FIDLAR Flume GoldLink Grimes Health Hermitude High Tension Hudson Mohawke Japanese Wallpaper Majical Cloudz Methyl Ethel METZ Purity Ring QT Shamir Silicon Slum Sociable** Sophie The Goon Sax*** The Internet The Smith Street Band Thundercat Tobias Jesso Jr. Vince Staples Violent Soho * Exclusive to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne only ** not playing Fremantle *** Exclusive to Brisbane only ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL DATES AND VENUES FOR 2016: Saturday, January 30 — SINGAPORE (THE MEADOW, GARDENS BY THE BAY) Monday, February 1 — AUCKLAND (SILO PARK) Friday, February 5 — ADELAIDE (HARTS MILL, PORT ADELAIDE, 16+) Saturday, February 6 — BRISBANE (BRISBANE SHOWGROUNDS, BOWEN HILLS, 16+) Sunday, February 7 — SYDNEY (SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, ROZELLE) Saturday, February 13 — MELBOURNE (FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) + THE RIVER’S EDGE) Sunday, February 14 — FREMANTLE (ESPLANADE RESERVE AND WEST END) Tickets on sale September 30 at 9am from Laneway Festival. Image: Andy Fraser. Here's one for getting psyched up.
Want to see every last term you've ever searched on Google? Yeah, probably not. But just in case you're curious about the twisted inner workings of your browsing mind, Google is now letting you download all the searches you've ever made while you've been logged into your Gmail account. Every search. Tempted? According to The New Daily, Google's had this feature available since January, but they've kept pretty quiet on this one. In fact, no one really flagged it until blogger Alex Chitu was all,' ICYMI Google's got all your secrets so you might as well take a sneaky peek'. Google's even given you a step-by-step guide to airing out your online closet. "You can download all of your saved search history to see a list of the terms you’ve searched for," says this Google support page. "This gives you access to your data when and where you want." Remember (and this isn't really news to anyone), this also means that Google can also see your entire search history when they want. But you knew that, and pressed enter anyway huh? Not even an incognito window in sight. Here's how to look into the terrible recesses of your own shameful mind. And in case you were thinking Google's not on your side entirely here, they do flag the probability of 'sensitive data' within the folder; so you're really making your own bed here. How to download a copy of your past searches (if y'wanna): Visit your Web & App Activity page. In the top right corner of the page, click the Options icon and then click Download. Click Create Archive. When the download is complete, you’ll get an email confirmation with a link to the data. Big ol' heads up. Downloading your past searches does not delete it from your Web & App Activity page. So looking does not equal wiping. Want to learn how to delete your searches and browsing activity? Google's also got a support page for that. So where does your sordid information go once you've peered through your search terms? When you download your past searches, a copy of your history will be saved to your Google Drive as a ZIP archive. Then — if you're one to play with fire — you can download the files to your computer if you want a copy. Here's a pro tip. Don't download them while you're using someone else's computer, say a work laptop or a public computer. Or just don't download them at all. So there's that. Go ahead and peek into Pandora's Box. We're probably going to sit this one out — you can't argue 'in the name of journalism' for every questionable search. Via TDN.
Gone are the days when Australians were left to wonder about the precise genealogy of their toast. Following the trend set by the boutique coffee and chocolate industries, artisan bakers Brasserie Bread are upping their foodie street rep with the launch of their new single origin bread. Touted by the bakery as an Australian first, Brasserie's Single Origin Sourdough and Single Origin Sprouted Wheat will be made exclusively from wheat grown in the Southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, allowing consumers to track the journey of their bread from field to mill to sandwich. Brasserie co-founder Michael Klausen apparently spent five years searching for the perfect wheat, before finally forming a partnership with Flinders Ranges Premium Grain. "I wanted to buy flour straight from the farmer," says Klausen. "It took five years, but I finally found them and being part of the harvest this year was like a dream come true... This flour is an expression of the soil and climate it was grown in." Whether or not consumers can actually taste the difference, you've got to give Klausen credit for tapping into the zeitgeist. It's certainly not hard to imagine single source bread popping up on brunch menus around Sydney and Melbourne, probably with a little single source smashed avo on the side. Brasserie Bread is available in various restaurants around Sydney and Melbourne, as well as the Brasserie Bakery Cafe in Banksmeadow and the T2 Cafe in Sydney Airport. And if you're not yet sold on single origin bread, check out Brasserie's promotional video below. It’s inspiring stuff.
Indigenous singer Emma Donovan and The Go-Betweens co-founder Robert Forster are leading the charge for this year's White Night 2016 music lineup. The dusk 'til dawn arts and cultural bash recently revealed its complete music program, featuring more than 200 local and international artists — you shouldn't have any trouble finding a reason to stay up late. Delivering a combined 100 hours of live entertainment, the White Night music program will be split across four main stages located at different spots around the city. Trip the Light Fantastic will turn Birrarung Marr into a late night dancefloor, featuring beats by Sol Nation, Funk Buddies and the Quarter Street salsa band. Or if blues is more your thing, you can pop across the river and pay a visit to the Alexandra Gardens, where you'll be able to hear music by TK Reeve, The Screamin' Honkies, Chicken Walk and Miss Whiskey. Live on Lonsdale Street will keep the focus on Melbourne-based acts. In addition to Forster and Donovan there'll be sets by Thelma Plum, Ruby Boots, The Harpoons, Harvey Sutherland, Gold Glass and Briggs. The Bourke Street Mall, meanwhile, will take on the feel of a New Orleans street festival, with music by Donut, Horns of Leroy, Kylie Auldist and Dig We Must. In addition to the four main precincts, the Arts Centre will host a number of concerts throughout the night, while St. Paul's Cathedral will be the site of opera and classical music performances. White Night 2016 is happening on February 20, with the full program set to be announced soon. For everything revealed so far, visit www.whitenightmelbourne.com.au.
It's a highly controversial topic, one that fuels pub debates and brunch arguments around the country. Where is Australia's music capital? Is it Sydney? Is it Brisbane? Or is it our very own music-lovin' backyard? The music industry enthusiasts at the Society of Tastemakers & Elegant People (STEP) have run some excellent panel discussions for those in the music biz and those looking to break into it. Previous topics have covered areas such as ‘The Artist’, ‘The Critic’, and ‘The Managers’, but this time they’re focusing on all things live and local; discussing all the reasons why Melbourne IS Australia’s music capital. Guest panelists for the evening include Nick O’Byrne (band manager and program director of BIGSOUND), Woody McDonald (3RRR legend and booker of Meredith and Golden Plains), Mikey Cahill (senior music writer at The Herald Sun), Simon Winkler (3RRR music director), and Lucy Buckeridge (publicist for EMI and band member of Lowtide). On top of the riveting discussion that is sure to ensue from this creative lot, there will also be a performance by local lovelies The Harpoons, and a DJ set from Broadway Sounds. Image: Melbourne Music Week.
The program for next year's White Night is here to make night owls of us all. The folks behind Melbourne's dusk 'til dawn cultural festival have once again put together a doozy of a lineup, packed with music performances, light art and giant inflatable rabbits. You'll find the colossal conies bounding around Alexandra Gardens. They're among a number of major installations at this year's festival, which kicks off at 7pm on Saturday February 18 and runs until 7am the following day. As in previous years, the city has been split into four different precincts, allowing nocturnal travellers to better plan their evening out. Punters travelling from the southside might want to start in 'Innocence Returned', which includes not just the Alexandra Gardens, but NGV International, the Arts Centre and Southbank as well. Highlights of this section include Echinodermus, an illuminated tree-like sculpture on the Southbank promenade, and Convergence, an interactive display incorporating projections, smoke jets and music in the Arts Centre forecourt. On the other side of the Yarra, 'Dancing in the Streets' stretches from Birrarung Marr to Collins Street. The riverside park will play host to live music throughout the night, with a lineup of artists (to be announced in January) designed to celebrate Melbourne's cultural diversity. Other standouts include the pointedly titled More Than 1 Nation, which will see the Degraves Street entrance to Flinders Street Station lit up with Indigenous artwork, and a plethora of moving image works at ACMI including a big screen mashup incorporating everything from Star Wars to Saturday Night Fever. White Night revellers who find themselves in the section of the CBD between Melbourne Town Hall and La Trobe Streets – dubbed 'Precipitation and Enlightenment' – will have their run of a pop-up cinema on Lonsdale Street, a psychedelic Seadragon's Lair in the State Library, and a 12-hour dance marathon on Collins Street. Finally, the 'Flames and Fantasy' precinct covers the Carlton Gardens, the Royal Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Museum. The museum plaza will be temporary home to a number of enormous sculptures including a giant Sonic Light Bubble, a fire-breathing Pyrophone Juggernaut and towering Nebulus, while the exhibition building will as in previous years be illuminated by a series of breathtaking projections. 2017 will also see White Night take its first steps out of Melbourne, with a separate White Night Ballarat program set for March 4. Image: Sonic Light Bubble, ENESS.
After five days of furious face-melting solos, indulgently excessive jam sessions and an unprecedented quota of covers, Bluesfest raised a plastic cup to a well-attended, well-enjoyed and well-rained on festival for 2015. Returning to the Tyagarah Tea Farm over the Easter long weekend, Bluesfest once again solidified its well-worn spot in the Australian festival game as one of the tightest productions on the calendar. It goes without saying, this isn't festival director Peter Noble's first time at the rodeo. Everything just works. After three major headliners pulled out early in the game (The Black Keys, Lenny Kravitz and Ben Howard), expectations for this year's Byron Bay blues and roots festival were a little all over the shop. But at the end of the day, most muddy Bluesfesters probably forgot they were playing in the first place; memories erased by the sheer rhythmic speed of Rodrigo y Gabriela, the old-soul might and power of Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard, and the somewhat random but nonetheless straight-up high-fiveworthy inclusion of Jurassic 5. Honestly, it probably took every Bluefest-attending journo every inch of self control not to use the phrase "rain didn't dampen spirits" in any post-festival write-up for this year's event. Boy, did we want to. Bluesfest 2015 welcomed its usual onslaught of autumn rain, creating bonafide mud swamps in the middle of the festival by Sunday. But this didn't stop the punters; Beth Hart enthusiasts braving the rain for one of the best Led Zeppelin covers ever burled, and Xavier Rudd's heaving tent of fans happily squidging through marshes of sludge for the set. If anything, the rain made legendary Spanish-style supergroup The Gipsy Kings' huge singalong rendition of 'Bamboleo' even more magic. Blending older legendary artists with new hotshots seemed to underpin the entire Bluesfest program this year — undeniably evident in the wide-ranging audience demographic too. Unsung soul hero Charles Bradley energetically howled and sexy-danced through his soulful set despite being 66 years old, while 31-year-old bright young hypecard Gary Clark Jr proved his reputation as one of the globe's best guitar players. If Bluesfest continues along this old/new programming balance, they're in for immeasurable years of new and returning ticket buyers. Bluesfest ain't goin' nowhere. And one last thing. After relentless discussion and noob shaming, we counted no less than six inappropriate headdresses at Bluesfest. Yeah next time, maybe not guys. Images: Andy Fraser. Words: Shannon Connellan.
Love a good glass of red? Well then, you're in luck. Following a series of pop-ups and bottling parties, people-powered urban winery Noisy Ritual have gone and found themselves a permanent home. Located on Lygon Street in Brunswick East, the new venue will pull triple duty as a cellar door, wine bar and event space, suitable for everything from weddings to exhibitions. They'll officially cut the ribbon on the evening of Friday, June 17 with a housewarming dinner featuring food by Pope Joan chef Matt Wilkinson. "Noisy Ritual will be a haven for people interested in wine, winemaking, food and music," reads a statement on the winery's website. "Stop by for a glass of wine in the bar, or take a bottle home. Sign up for a winemaking experience, come to one of our special events, or hire the space for your own occasion." Not a bad turn of events for a business that began with fermenting grapes in a Thornbury backyard. Turns out if you offer people the chance to stomp, press and bottle their own vino, they'll turn out in droves. Incidentally, 2017 Noisy Ritual memberships are currently available, and get you entry to three winemaking workshops, three barrel tasting sessions and six bottles from your very own vintage. Plus, you'll be able to go into the Noisy Ritual bar and order a glass of the wine you made with your own two hands (and feet). Noisy Ritual opens at 249 Lygon Street, Brunswick East on Friday, June 17. For more information visit noisyritual.com.au.
Public shaming, climate change, 'wife droughts', WWI love stories; they’re all on the programme for this year's Melbourne Writers Festival. Coming to the Wheeler Centre over August 20-30, this year’s event will be bringing us provocative authors and controversial intellectuals from all over the world, including Jon Ronson, Naomi Klein, Will Self, Louis de Bernieres — and that’s just a smattering. The festival's a few weeks away, you still have plenty of time to arm yourself with knowledge. Many of MWF’s 2015 guests have launched some pretty brave, important and confrontational books during the past few years. Get through these five between now and the 20th and you’ll be racing to the mic with your questions. SO YOU'VE BEEN PUBLICLY SHAMED BY JON RONSON Another day, another weird or ill-informed or not-clearly-ironic-enough or plain-stupid tweet, another social media frenzy, another sacking, another life in tatters. Welsh journo, author, filmmaker and radio presenter Jon Ronson has delved into the phenomenon of cybershaming and come up with the insightful, honest, hilarious yet frightening book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed. He travels around the world, interviewing high-profile shamees, and exploring the dangers of the democratisation of judgement and justice. @ MWF: Jon Ronson's 'Shame Culture' is on September 5 at 3.30pm. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING: CAPITALISM VERSUS THE CLIMATE BY NAOMI KLEIN Reckon you've heard everything there is to know about climate change? Let's face it, it's not until Naomi Klein has put her pen to a topic that we can really say it's had a thorough going-over. In 1999, she gave globalisation a serious shake-up with No Logo, and in 2007, challenged the so-called success of the 'free market' with The Shock Doctrine. In This Changes Everything, Klein argues that climate change isn't so much about carbon as it is about capitalism. If we're planning on the market saving us, we'd better make new plans quicksmart. @ MYF: Naomi Klein's 'Capitalism and the Climate' is on August 30 at 4pm, while 'An Audience with Naomi Klein' is happening on August 29 at 6pm. THE DUST THAT FALLS FROM DREAMS BY LOUIS DE BERNIERES Louis de Bernieres’ ninth novel, The Dust That Falls From Dreams, is an epic love story set against the background of the First World War. Rosie McCosh, a fiery, religious girl is in the middle of sparking a poetry-fuelled romance with her neighbour when he, his brothers and their 'Pals' are sent to various fronts. Their experiences are delivered through a patchwork of letters, journal entries and poems, as they struggle to come to terms with a brutally altered world. @ MWF: Louis de Bernieres will deliver the festival opening address on 20 August at 6.30pm. SECOND LIFE BY SJ WATSON Following up a debut novel that's sold more than four million copies, been translated into 40 languages and successfully tells the story of someone whose memories are erased every night is no easy feat. But SJ Watson's given it a good go with his sophomore work, Second Life. Like Before I Go To Sleep, this novel deals with a troubled protagonist, Julia, whose past is revealed to us bit by nail-biting bit. But her burden is tracking down the murderer of her sister, Kate. In doing so, she's drawn into the dark, dangerous side of online dating. @ MWF: SJ Watson will speak at Wicked Games on 22 August at 2pm, the Ned Kelly Awards on 22 August at 6.30pm and Dubious Consent on 23 August at 4pm. THE WIFE DROUGHT BY ANNABEL CRABB Annabel Crabb's The Wife Drought isn't simply a plea for a lightening of the working, parenting, house-keeping woman's load. It's also a call to widen the debate — to consider why a more flexible approach to employment and the division of duties isn't always readily available to men either. Crabb combines funny anecdotes and personal insights about the media, politics and her working life with some rather revelatory statistics. @MWF: Annabel Crabb will speak with Kate Grenville at Wives and Mothers on 21 August at 7.30pm. Melbourne Writers Festival runs August 20-30, head over here for the full program.
Fairy bread, but make it tropical. Aussie snags, but make them Balinese. Meat pies, but stuff them with beef rendang. These are but a few of the playful dishes that'll feature on a one-off set menu at the CBD's Makan on Thursday, September 5. To make this happen, sisters Tasia and Gracia Seger (Makan) are teaming up with MasterChef Australia's Michael Weldon, together giving beloved Aussie dishes an Indonesian makeover. It's a mashup unlike any other we've seen in Melbourne. For $120, you'll get snacks like keju crackers with Vegemite sambal, batagor dim sims with peanut dressing, beef rendang and jackfruit pies and urutan sausage sandwiches. This is followed by a cohu kingfish and chips, kangaroo satay, babi guling Sunday roast and Indonesian spiced charcoal chicken. Fairy bread served with brown butter ice cream and sri kaya jam rounds out this fusion feast. "We have always wanted to do a collaboration that celebrates both our Indonesian heritage and Australian upbringing, and we couldn't resist doing it in a way that brings together the more playful, nostalgic dishes we grew up on. So, when Michael suggested we do a fresh, spiced-laden take on Bunnings sausage sandwiches, South Melbourne Market dim sims and fairy bread, we instantly got excited," shares Tasia Seger. It's a shame this dinner is only running for one night, but it's sure to sell out. Be sure to score tickets as soon as possible. Images: Kimberly Liew.
The Immigration Museum is celebrating all things hot and spicy at Chilli Fest, as part of their summer/autumn program focusing on food from across the globe, North South Feast West. From central America to the heart of Asia, chilli has brought a loving tear to many an eye and severe burn to the tongue. If you can’t get enough of the hot stuff, this mini-festival is for you. The courtyard at the Immigration Museum will be taken over by Burn City Smokers for the barbecue of your spicy dreams. They'll also be serving up chilli cocktails for the adventurous drinker and Cornutopia will be providing the goods for our vegan and vego friends. For those keen to recreate the cocktails, Fred Siggins will be hosting a cocktail making workshop for an additional cost. Hot sauce documentary Sriracha will be screening throughout the day for the once endangered condiment, and for those looking to set their mouth on fire, there will be a hot sauce tasting competition. Things are going to get intense. If you can’t stand the heat, you can cool off with some My Two Mums Ice Cream or a crisp beverage from the courtyard bar. On top of the fiery frivolities, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks will perform, and there'll be DJ sets by PBS’s Miss Goldie and DJ Sensi. You could say that’s one hot night out on the town. You could.
We thought we'd ceased to be wowed by 3D printing. Then this newbie shows up. A brand new printer introduced at the 2015 TED conference in Vancouver, Carbon3D takes 3D printing to the next level — pulling a brand new object out of a pool of goo. If you're thinking it sounds like something out of Terminator 2, Carbon3D CEO and co-founder Joseph DeSimone and his team were were indeed inspired by the straight-up terrifying T2 T-1000 robot. Oh god. Pulling printed items from photosensitive resin, Carbon3D doesn't use the regular, snail-like layering technique we've seen in 3D printers up until now. Instead, the Carbon3D uses light and oxygen to 'print' from resin. The printer shines a light on the resin, causing it to harden, while oxygen causes the resin to liquefy and become malleable to the printer's design. Apparently the printer makes objects up to 100 times faster than your regular 3D printer, with no frayed edges, no rough surfaces, only smooth 3D printed swag. Watch the video here: Yep, the creepy, creepy '90s-predicted future is nigh. Via Quartz. Image: Carbon3D.
Staying on a private island seems like something reserved for Beyonce, Jay Z and Blue somewhere in the Caribbean (and most definitely with some kind of a yacht). Because where do mere mortals even access entire islands, anyway? And do you have to be a millionaire to access one? These are all questions people who haven't had the pleasure of erasing all unwanted human contact from their lives for a period of time ask. All we know is that, in the words of Liz Lemon, we want to go to there. Enter Satellite Island. Just off the coast of Tasmania, the small 30-hectare piece of land in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel is every bit the idyllic alpine Tasmanian dream getaway you could hope for. And when you visit, it's totally, 100% only inhabited by you. The island has been owned by the Alstergren family for a few generations, but when Will and Kate inherited it six years ago, they decided to open it to the public for the first time. Which is great news for everyone else, because it's crazy beautiful. Sea cliffs drop down into that clear, fresh Tassie water, blue gums cover the landscape and you can see across to Bruny Island. Just take a look at where you could be sleeping. The island is yours to explore, with walking tracks, kayaks and fishing rods available for use. You can walk around the island in an hour and a half, so do that. Plus, Bruny Island is only a five minute boat ride away, so duck over there for all your cheese, wine and oyster supplies and come back and eat them on the deck as the sun goes down. Oof. Satellite Island is accessible from the Satellite Island private jetty at Middleton, about a 40 minute drive from Hobart. The manager will meet you to take you to the island. For more information, visit their website. Images thanks to Elise Hassey.
Liquor lovers, prepare yourselves for a spirited affair at Cumulus Up in Flinders Lane. Coming to the CBD bar at the end of April, the Australian Spirit Fair will celebrate some of the finest small batches in the business. If you're looking to whet your whistle, this is the perfect place to do so. Set to take place from 4pm on Saturday, April 30, the event will cater to drinkers of every persuasion. Fire Drum Vodka, Four Pillars Gin, Applewood Distillery and best whisky in the world winners Sullivans Cove are just a few of the producers who'll have a presence at the event — and yes, your ticket entitles you to a taste of everything on offer. You'll also get the chance to chat with many of the distillers about the best way to enjoy the boozy fruits of their labour. That's assuming you can string two words together, of course. Snacks will be available to purchase from the Cumulus Up kitchen to soak up some of the alcohol. They'll also be selling a selection of beers and G&Ts. The Australian Spirit Fair will take place at 4pm on Saturday, April 30 at Cumulus Up, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. For more information and to book tickets, go here.
You've just finished up in the clurb, you're headed home to solo feast on potato gems, when the call of nature moves from a low rumble to a panicked roar. Rather than exerting precious stores of your own personal energy, rather than politely asking a nearby establishment to use their facilities, you unleash a powerful gush of acidic gold on the nearest library wall, unsuspecting playground, residential rose bush. You wouldn't give it a second thought, you've got potato gems to demolish. But your neighbours and fellow residents would. And your local government and police force would. Taking cues from Hamburg's recently unveiled and straight-up genius solution to epic outdoor peeing stats, Gold Coast authorities are looking into bringing urine-repellent paint to the area, according to the Brisbane Times. Usually used on ships and designed to splash back any substance straight back onto the rogue slasher's shoes, the paint has been used heavily by fed-up residents in the German city's St Pauli nightclub district — complete with cheeky signs warning "Hier nicht pinkeln! Wir pinkeln zurueck" (Do not pee here! We pee back!). Now, looks like the walls of the Gold Coast could finally take their revenge. Gold Coast councillor Lex Bell told the Gold Coast Bulletin that Hamburg's idea had been passed on to the local authorities as a means to combat the area's high levels of public leak-taking. If Hamburg's example is anything to go by, drunken hotspots like Surfers Paradise would probably be targeted for trolling unknowing chumps draining the tank. Apparently it's not going to be a cheap process though, according to Reuters — it'll set the government back about $AUS700 to cover a six-square metre area. Yeesh. Maybe the ol' hosedown is cheaper for now. But it could be well worth it in the long run. Public pissers like their shoes dry as much as residents like their picket fences unsoiled. Just one question: what about the dogs? Via Brisbane Times.
Public transport could be about to get a whole lot more delightful thanks to pioneering auto company Local Motors. After last year unveiling the world's first fully functioning 3D-printed car, the US-based startup has continued to innovate, and this week introduced the world to a self-driving bus named Olli. Rolling out across Washington D.C., the electric shuttle can transport up to 12 passengers at one time, and is capable of travelling at speeds of around 20km/h. Also, it's ridiculously cute. The autonomous, 3D-printed vehicles can be summoned by D.C. commuters using a mobile app. Moreover, thanks to IBM's AI Watson technology, they're also capable of understanding voice commands. So basically it's like Uber, except your driver is a computer. If your first thought after reading that sentence was to freak out over an inevitable Terminator-style robot uprising, don't worry. Although Olli drives itself – and is capable of making decisions much faster than human drivers – all vehicles are monitored by real people at all times. Y'know, just in case. Assuming things go well in Washington, Local Motors are hoping to bring fleets to Las Vegas and Miami by the end of the year. They've also outlined a number of other potential uses for Olli...which you can hear about, below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymz4SYVr_EE Via Quartz.
Art has prevailed in the battle to fill a Melbourne rooftop with naked people. Spencer Tunick has staged his latest mass nude photography work on the top of a car park in Melbourne's inner southeast. Seventeen years after assembling 4500 naked volunteers for a snap near Federation Square as part of the 2001 Fringe Festival and eight years after he photographed around 5000 nude people in front of the Sydney Opera House during the 2010 Mardi Gras, the polarising artist amassed another contingent of naked (and pretty brave — it was less than ten degrees in Melbourne this morning) folk for a new work titled Return of the Nude. The shoot saw a few hundred Melburnians grace the rooftop covered in nothing by sheer red sheets — from a distance, the participants looked like a little like hooded handmaids. Footage from the shoots shows the subject standing underneath the sheet and lying naked on top of it. This is what it looked like: A post shared by Will Pristel (@wpristel) on Jul 8, 2018 at 3:43pm PDT A post shared by C A R L (@car.carrr) on Jul 8, 2018 at 7:05pm PDT A post shared by Chapel Street (@chapelprecinct) on Jul 8, 2018 at 8:10pm PDT A separate shoot over the weekend saw people painted blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink and purple. Tunick's newest work has had quite the tumultuous journey — first the New York artist was given permission to hold a mass nude photoshoot on top of the Prahran Woolworths car park as part of Chapel Street Precinct's Provocaré Festival of the Arts. But then the store said that it wouldn't like to participate. The supermarket then reversed its decision a week later after a petition spearheaded by the Chapel Street Precinct Association (CSPA), the festival's host organisation, gained some momentum in the community. The official photographs of the shoot is yet to surface, but are expected to be be released by Tunick soon. Images: Munich by Spencer Tunick; Melbourne by Provocaré Festival.
After almost two decades in the political wilderness (and also briefly prison), ultra-conservative politician Pauline Hanson has once again been elected to the Australian Federal Parliament. Thanks a bunch, Queensland. While we can't say we're looking forward to having Hanson back in the public arena, we think we may have at least found a bit of a silver lining to the whole shemozzle, in the form of a new Pauline Hanson-styled poutine at Belleville in the Melbourne CBD. Fittingly inspired by the flavours of her less-than favourite meal, the Halal Snack Pack, the 'Pauline Hanson' consists of beer battered chips topped with cheese, chilli sauce, mint yoghurt and rotisserie lamb. According to a post on Belleville's Facebook page, the dish will be available from this week until it finishes with a Royal Commission. So there you go. At least now you've got something delicious to eat as you watch the country collapse around your ears. Democracy, hurrah!
We all know that one day the singularity will be upon us and machines will rise up and take the planet. We know that. And yet when a super intelligent cooking robot wanders into our midst we welcome it with open arms — and that's probably because, even in the face of grizzly robot death, food is king. With that in mind, meet June the intelligent oven designed by a feisty gang of ex-Apple developers. June is incredibly advanced. Using image recognition technology, she can identify food types, weigh dishes and adjust cooking time to make sure your food is cooked perfectly (allowing you to have another wine and lose yourself in Game of Thrones without worrying about ruining dinner). She’s equipped with a touch screen with step-by-step instructions, a meal planner and recipe suggestions, a built-in digital scale, and push notifications. She also has (brace yourself) live HD video streaming from within the oven. Yep. We have a feeling that watching this fascinating live stream will become a household activity. And may opened-oven-door cakes never sink in the middle again. And although June looks like a wee microwave, she packs a powerful punch with the ability to preheat to approximately 180 degrees Celsius in four and a half minutes. And she has a NVIDIA Tegra K1 with 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, mostly likely making her more powerful than your laptop. Welp. The future is certainly now and we, for one, welcome our robot overlords. At least they know how we like our steak. Images: June Oven. Reserve your June oven here.
Giving back and scoring some sweet new threads sound too good to be true? Naysayers, HoMie is here to dispel your doubt. A pop-up store with a heart of gold, HoMie is an initiative of Homeless of Melbourne, who put a creative spin on social justice. Boasting both up-and-coming as well as established local designers, the store will donate a piece of clothing to a member of the homeless community for each item purchased. For co-founder Nick Pearce, this 'one for one' policy "is a new way of trying to reinvigorate that whole outdated op-shop scenario and bring in something new and diverse, and hopefully have a bit of an impact in the homeless sector". With its first-hand clothes, new fit-out and mix of paying and non-paying clientele, HoMie aims to create a dignified shopping experience for Melbourne's homeless. Their crew of dedicated suppliers will be going that extra mile too, donating their time and expertise to running workshops that focus on increasing employability and life skills for Melbourne's most vulnerable. Read our full feature on HoMie here. Find HoMie on Level 2 of Melbourne Central from June 29 until the end of July. Opening hours are Monday to Wednesday 10am-7pm, Thursday and Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm.
As if the fruits of the crowdsourcing revolution weren't clear already (hello Uber, hello Tinder) the new 'land-sharing' service, Hipcamp, is going even further and actually adding value to our environment — while finding you the perfect camping spot. Currently operating in the US (with eventual worldwide aspirations), Hipcamp is a service that connects campers with private land owners, meaning previously inaccessible, beautiful plots of land probably once flanked with "Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again" signs are now available to camp on. You can camp on ranches, farms, vineyards and land preserves. Think of it as Airbnb for people who don't mind pissing in the woods. While campers are an important cog in the Hipcamp machine, it's actually the landowners who are the crux of the thing. Over 60 percent of America is privately owned and Hipcamp aims to make undeveloped land useful, even profitable, by facilitating back-to-nature style camping on private land. The site operates just like Airbnb, providing you with plenty of information on amenities and activities, photos, prices, reviews, availability and (most importantly) lots of S'mores recipes. As well as giving campers access to remote, previously private camp sites, Hipcamp lets you experience these locations with someone who's both got your back in an emergency and will make sure you leave the land as you found it — the environmentally-conscious land stewards. In order to sign up, Hipcampers have to read and engage with a Leave No Trace agreement, the main point of which is obviously to leave no trace of your trip at the camping spot (duh). So if you're planning a road trip around America and you don't want to spend your nights in a murder motel, this is the app for you. Images: Matt Lief Anderson. Via Lost at E Minor.
If jungle vibes inside an inner-north warehouse sounds like your perfect outing, head along to Rumble in the Jungle on January 27. It's the first indoor plant sale for 2018 from The Jungle Collective, and the Abbotsford nursery is doing more than selling all kinds of weird and wonderful species. They're also turning up the radio and counting down 2017's best tracks. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here — and, from 9am, ace tunes as well. The Hottest 100 will be blaring as you wander through a sea of greenery. Keep your eyes extra peeled, as they'll be releasing some of the rare plants they've been growing over summer. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the day to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Be inspired by the gorgeous green warehouse and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces while soaking up some tunes. There's even a special deal for those who are keen to mark the occasion by dressing up, with $5 discount given to all shoppers wearing their favourite band t-shirt.
It's the news Australian film and television fans have been dreading ever since they signed for a geododging service and a Netflix account. The streaming media behemoth might've taken your cash and looked the other way for years — even when they launched here in 2015 — but now that they're operating in 190 countries around the globe, it seems like they're gearing up to stop users accessing overseas libraries. In a post that appeared on the Netflix blog overnight, Vice President of Content Delivery Architecture David Fullagar advised, "Those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are." Exactly how they'll shut out everyone using VPNs, proxy servers and smart DNS services hasn't been disclosed, though the statement does mention that "technology continues to evolve and we are evolving with it." So, if your account is almost permanently logged into the US service, your viewing options could be about to take a bit of hit. While Netflix-produced fare like House of Cards, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, Jessica Jones, Making a Murderer and A Very Murray Christmas are available everywhere, the American library currently has almost three times the number of titles than its Australian counterpart. Plus, plenty of content varies between the two; local comedy is quite popular on the Aussie version — or Netflix sure hopes it will be, seeing that their library is packed with it — for example. If you're a bit puzzled by this turn of events, particularly given that Netflix only recently trumpeted their plans to make sure everyone who subscribes to the service can access the same content regardless of the country they're in, that's understandable. They haven't really changed their tune — it's safe to assume that they're working towards that goal, which involves complex rights negotiations in each territory, by first locking down any loopholes that currently allow customers to circumvent geographic restrictions. Of course, just what will eventuate in the long- and short-term is anyone's guess, because Netflix has promised to stamp out geododgers before and then promptly done nothing about it. All Aussie customers can really do for now is watch this space — and maybe start thinking about signing up to Stan or Presto. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
If you're a sucker for punishment, or happen to be one of those undeterrable humans without any mortal fear of heights, you're going to love this. Airbnb have revealed their latest terrifying stay, a penthouse apartment at the end of Norway's famous Holmenkollen ski jump. At the end. Of a ski jump. Yep, seems people aren't content dangling from cable cars overnight, there's apparently a market for taking a nap hanging high over the ski fields. The clincher? Your checkout is by zipline, like a regular James Bond (or you can take the lift if you hate fun/prefer your pants unsoiled). Airbnb is providing one lucky, brave-ass couple the opportunity to spend a night in the admittedly beautiful Holmenkollen penthouse apartment, built where daredevil world champion athletes usually meet to prepare before a bowel-defying jump and will be used by skiers at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, held at Holmenkollen later this month (March, 14-15). The chosen Airbnbers will enjoy two nights in the fully-furnished, panoramic apartment, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting you gaze out over Oslo beneath the Northern Lights. This is particularly aimed at the hardcore skiers among you. The world’s first ski museum is right below you on the first floor. You can grab a pair of cross country skis and enjoy 1500 kilometres of fresh powder right outside your door — although only pros are allowed to use the ski jump, so don't think you're going to be pulling any tricks on your toboggan. Feeling peckish? The highest roof terrace in town is right above the apartment, and breakfast is served in the VIP lounge. All you have to do to enter the competition is tell Airbnb by 11.59pm on March 16 why you (and your most courageous friend) would like to spend the night. Best bit? Airbnb will fly the winners in from anywhere in the world outside of Norway. Head here to apply.
Independent artist-run record label Two Bright Lakes have been releasing exceptional, gamechanging music for the last eight years. Sadly TBL are calling it a day, but thankfully they'll continue to release music through a new venture, affectionately dubbed Little Lakes Records. To celebrate the end of an era, Two Bright Lakes are throwing one huge final bash at Schoolhouse Studios. Both current talent and TBL alumni will be performing on the night, with Kid Sam putting in an extra special performance. There'll also be troubadour extraordinaire Brendan Welch, the divine dance moves of Collarbones, and utterly gorgeous Melbourne group The Harpoons. The fun doesn’t end there, as Seagull, Nick Huggins, Hello Satellites and of course, Two Bright Lakes DJs, will celebrate eight glorious years of independent music. If you're a music fan, a TBL fan, or just a lover of damning the man with independent art, this is your party. Image: Two Bright Lakes.
New York City has the High Line; Paris has the Promenade Plantée; Osaka has the glorious Namba Parks. In dense urban environments, it's always heartening to see green public spaces built on the bones of obsolete industry (both the High Line and Promenade Plantée are built along sections of disused elevated railway tracks). And in 2018, Melbourne will join the list of 'Cool urban metropolises who don't compromise on green space' with its very own elevated public park. Lendlease has announced plans to develop a 2000sqm public park in the heart of the city, bordered by Collins and Flinders Streets (directly across from Southern Cross Station, with a nice view of the award-winning space slug rooftop). Melbourne Skypark (an apt title that really pulls no punches) is part of a larger development, Melbourne Quarter, a brand new city precinct which will include new offices, homes, shops and hospitality spaces across an entire city block. Melbourne Skypark will add a much-needed green space to the south end of the CBD, taking the city's solid rooftop culture and making it greener, bigger and — literally — more alive. The park is designed on the principles of biophillia, which is a fancy way of saying the health and well-being value of public parks stem from the instinctive bond between humans and other living things. Basically, if it's green and alive, we're down with it. Melbourne Quarter — which aims to connect people with nature and improve liveability — isn't just for residents or workers either. Over half of the new 'hood will be free for the public to enjoy, with the Skypark adding sorely needed open green space to the inner city. But it's not the only environmental addition. As well as the Skypark, Lendlease have also announced plans for a new laneway to connect Collins and Flinders Streets, a neighbourhood park and Melbourne Square, a public plaza which will be the most significant public space developed in the CBD since Federation Square in 2002. The world's most liveable city just got a whole lot more liveable. Melbourne Skypark will open in 2018.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer weekendery. The ever-popular So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Melbourne's Werribee Park Mansion for its sixth year running. If you haven't been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tortes and terrines, offensively good wine, furious outdoor chess, casual gypsy beats. So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of eclectic artists you may be yet to meet. There's '60s French pop-American art rock hybrid outfit The Limiñanas (think Serge Gainsbourg meets The Velvet Underground), Parisian funk-folk poet and musician Bertrand Berlin, and Nouvelle Vague, who are no strangers to the So Frenchy setup. Last, but in no way, shape or form least, there's six-piece ex-busker band Deluxe — they will be belting out their unique blend of pop, hip-hop, funk, soul and big band elements to get everyone up off their picnic rugs and dancing the blazes out of that lawn. If you're not the most organised of picnickers, So Frenchy is putting on the works again with their beloved picnic boxes and cheese plates from Ed Dixon. Filled with buttery pastry quiches, salad jardinière and goose egg meringue, the picnic boxes are one to preorder if you don't want to miss out. But So Frenchy won't let you go hungry; there'll be a huge banquet of seafood, crepes, macarons and ice cream available on the day. And of course, there'll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, Provence rosé, Bordeaux reds and whites, and special cocktails at the SFSC vintage caravan. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi.
First an app, now virtual reality. Icelandic queen of raising the bar Bjork has announced plans to pair her newest video with virtual reality headset, Oculus Rift. Working with longtime collaborator and director Andrew Thomas Huang, Bjork has made her new video for 'Stonemilker' — from latest (and leaked) release Vulnicura — available to view through the headset. If Bjork's bookshelf of previous videos is anything to go by, this is going to be one wild world to explore with the Rift. Bjork is no stranger to harnessing new forms of technology to complement her work. The singer released a special app in conjunction with her 2013 album Biophilia. Bjork's upcoming retrospective at New York's Museum of Modern Art, opening March 8, is sure to contain some pretty interactive elements with predictably mind-blowing technology. So why Oculus Rift, why now? In a recent interview with Fast Company, Bjork chatted about the OR endeavour, explaining apps are "punk", Oculus Rift takes things next level. "It can’t just be working with the gadget for the sake of the gadget. But also it’s about budgets," Bjork told FC. "You can do apps cheaply. Apps was kind of punk, actually. It was like starting a punk band again. Filming for Oculus Rift is not." So, will you be able to watch Bjork's new video on the Rift? Business Insider predicts Oculus Rifts will be available to consumers in 2015, and Oculus VR CEO, Brendan Iribe, told Dublin's Web Summit 2014 that a consumer-version of the company’s Rift VR headset is "close"; so you could be forking out your salary for one in mere months. Release dates for the 'Stonemilker' video are yet to be announced. Via The Verge.
Nestled between Flinders Street Station and the Yarra, Melbourne's longest bar has been killing it as of late. First, they blew our collective minds by serving espresso martinis on tap. Then they launched their own Oktoberfest-style festival dedicated to supporting local artists. Now, Arbory Bar and Eatery is battening down the hatches on their latest awesome venture: a bona fide floating bar. Moored on the Yarra's northern bank adjacent to the main bar, Arbory Afloat will be open for business from Tuesday, October 27 until Sunday, November 8, coinciding with this year's Spring Racing festivities. The seaworthy pop-up is licensed to serve up to 120 patrons, and has been decorated in a nautical style ''with an undertone of 1970's Palm Springs flair." The menu will differ from the usual Arbory fare, with chef Nick Bennett keeping the focus on fresh seafood — think caviar, oysters and New England lobster rolls — alongside charcoal-roasted skewers, including crusted tuna, wagyu beef and miso marinated eggplant. Just make sure you leave room for the Floating Island dessert, consisting of a poached meringue floating on white chocolate anglaise finished with fresh raspberries. Just roll us overboard once we're done. Above all, a floating bar needs a floating cocktail menu. The drinks list includes a selection of beers, wines and sparklings, plus a quartet of specially-crafted cocktails, including the Shrub Ahoy! (housemade strawberry shrub mix, Pampero Blanco Rum, soda and mixed berries) and the Nautical Rose (Lillet Rose, lemonade and fresh orange over ice.) Arbory Afloat will be open daily from 11am until late. We'll be paying them a visit, if only so we can be like:
Leave your table manners at the door, as Sydney's beloved crab shack comes scuttling into St Kilda. Dinner at House of Crabs promises to be a messy affair, but then again that's half the fun. We're talking hammers, bibs and seafood straight from the bag, as you suck down shellfish like it's going out of style. Opening March 4 in the basement of The Newmarket Hotel, House of Crabs takes its cues from crab joints in the American south. The menu features a mix of crabs, prawns and mussels served with Cajun, oriental, Mexican or lemon pepper sauce, along with snacks including smocked ocki tacos, lobster fries and Creole corn. They've also got steak and baby back ribs – although if you're in a restaurant called House of Crabs and not ordering seafood, we think you may have slightly missed the point. No word yet on whether the ice cream waffle sandwiches from their Sydney setup will be making the journey south, but we've got all our fingers claws crossed. The drinks list includes a healthy selection of cocktails, including Blackberry Mint Juleps, Alabama Slammers, Hurricanes and Frozen Margaritas. They also serve beer and a small number of house wines. House of Crabs will begin trading March 4 below 34 Inkerman Street, St Kilda. For more information check them out on Facebook or visit www.houseofcrabs.com.au/stkilda. Image: House of Crabs Sydney.
Whenever the Biennale of Sydney hits town, it always makes a splash. Returning for its 23rd event in 2022, the Biennale's next huge celebration of art won't be any different. On the bill this year: portraits made out of grass, mirrored pavilions, a 600-square-metre bamboo structure and the sounds of 15,000 animals. The 23rd Biennale of Sydney unveiled its full lineup at the beginning of February. And as proves the case every two years, it's about to be a great time to be an art-lover in Sydney. Running from Saturday, March 12–Monday, June 13, the complete Biennale program will present more than 330 artworks by 89 participants, plus 400 events, all linked to its central concept — which means 'stream' in Latin. In terms of what you'll be able to check out at venues such as The Cutaway at Barangaroo Reserve, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Circular Quay, Information + Cultural Exchange, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Art School in partnership with Artspace, The Rocks and Walsh Bay Arts Precinct including Pier 2/3 across the city, it's a varied bunch. A huge inclusion on the program comes from multidisciplinary studio Cave Urban, with the Sydney locals creating a work called Flow — which happens to be one of the largest bamboo structures ever produced in Australia. It's the studio's biggest-ever project, and will span 600 square metres through The Cutaway at Barangaroo. If all things shiny and mirrored appeal to you, Irish artist John Gerrard will be displaying a six-by-six metre LED wall on a polished mirrored pavilion, also at Barangaroo. AGNSW will also play host to a wallpaper work in its entrance by Barkandji elder Badger Bates, which'll be based on one of his linocuts of the drying Lake Menindee; and to Naziha Mestaoui's One Beat, One Tree, which made its debut during the United Nations Climate Conference in 2015, and encourages folks engaging with the interactive piece to plant a virtual tree. At the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, there'll be large-scale tapestries from American artist Kiki Smith and the display of a 365-million-year-old fish fossil from Canowindra for the first time, while Pier 2/3 will feature 100 3D-printed replicas of Tasmanian stone tools thanks to Trawlwoolway artist Julie Gough. Entry to the Biennale is free — and the event also includes a program of talks and experiences, called The Waterhouse, at The Cutaway at Barangaroo.
'The Voice' is coming to Bluesfest. Not the Delta kind, the only kind. Bluesfest have announced their second artist lineup for the 2016 festival. Living legend and eternal Sexbomb Tom Jones sits at the top of the bill, alongside Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Memories will be flooding (along with Bluesfest, if it rains again) with the appearance of Jackson Browne, alongside the The Decemberists. Things are going to get real Byron when The Wailers perform all four of Bob Marley’s albums Exodus, Survival, Uprising and Legend in their entirety. Returning Bluesfester Steve Earle is back with The Dukes, alongside Tweedy, Jason Isbell and Grace Potter. Add this motley crew to the first Bluesfest cornucopia of The National, City and Colour and UB40? You've got yourself a humdinger of a muddy, muddy weekend. Enough chatskies, here's who's playing. BLUESFEST 2016 SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT: Tom Jones Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds The Decemberists Jason Isbell Sturgill Simpson Tweedy Steve Earle and The Dukes The Wailers Grace Potter Lord Huron Nahko and Medicine For The People Vintage Trouble Lucky Peterson Emdee Blackberry Smoke BLUESFEST 2016 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT: The National City and Colour UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue Joe Bonamassa Tedeschi Trucks Band The Cat Empire Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real The Word Rhiannon Giddens Janiva Magness St. Paul & The Broken Bones Allen Stone The Selecter Shakey Graves Songhoy Blues + more Bluesfest runs Thursday, March 24 – Monday, March 28 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. Tickets from Byron Bay Bluesfest. Image: Andy Fraser.
