If you’re getting a little sick of braving rowdy German bier halls only to vomit up your pretzels and beer on a passing beer wench, the Arbory has a classy alternative to Oktoberfest. It’s called Notøberfest and it’s a slightly more meaningful and mature version of the German bier festival with an emphasis on supporting the arts community instead of inhaling various sausages in bread (although there's always a place for that). The Arbory is that cute little bar down near Flinders Street Station that overlooks the Yarra and they’re really pushing the boat out (pun intended) for this festival. Beloved Australian artist Reko Rennie, an Indigenous installation specialist of the Kamilaroi tribe, has created a series of neon sculptures to represent the gumtrees growing along the river. Other featured artists bring work to the Arbory include Uptown Brown, Jordy Doust and Projectionists and roving artists, as well as music by Citizien Sex, Tommy Showtime X DJ Maars, Vince Peach, Sikander, Chico G and Whiskey Houston. But really the best part of the Notøberfest is the chance to get to Arbory and suck down a nitro espresso martini (which they’ve got on tap because priorities) and catch the wandering Euro Yum Cha trolley (what? What is that? Reveal your secrets to us, Euro Yum Cha trolley). And if you can’t fully let go of the whole Oktoberfest thing, you can take the edge off at the Wurst Yoder Smoker cook-off on the final weekend of the festival. But don’t worry, it’s still fancy — hello nitro-charged beer. Notøberfest runs from October 16 – 25 at Arbory Bar and Eatery, Flinders Street Station, 1 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. Open from 7am until late, free entry.
Gather the troops — and your stretchiest clothing — for a solid ten days of sipping and sampling. It's March, and that means the dinner plates are out for the city's biggest excuse for eating and drinking itself silly: the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Running from March 4-13, there are over 290 events on offer over the ten-day festival, so whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking for something new to learn, do or taste, there’s a smorgasbord of events to try. This year's festival hub is all about dairy products (read: the best products) and the events cover everything from bacon to cheese to mussels to locally-brewed beer. We’ve chosen two hands-worth that are not only exceptionally hunger-inducing, but that you can actually still get tickets to.
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.
As the nights become longer and summer makes its stifling presence known, it's becoming more and more clear the type of diet Melbournians will be having over the next few months. While Brisbane and Sydney may be taking to the beach more often to share a bowl of acai, goji berries, and organic yoghurt, we're concerning ourselves with big American BBQ, endless gelato, and greasy potato cakes. It's finally getting fashionable to overindulge. With that in mind, please say hello to Grand Trailer Park Taverna — Melbourne's newest novelty American eatery located right in the (soon to be clogged) heart of the CBD. Opening earlier this week on the corner of Bourke and Exhibitions Streets, the Grand Trailer Park is brought to us by Pawn & Co's Josh Lefers and Dani Zieni from the Dandenong Pavilion. Fitted out with renovated caravans, this space is home to a range of burgers, desserts, cocktails and — wait for it — spiked milkshakes. Hold back your gags, please — these treats will be way different from that time you tried to make a Beer Spider (trademark pending). Here, you'll be able to choose from four stellar selections: Makers Mark Bourbon, salted caramel and maple bacon; Kinder Surprise, Frangelico and Baileys; marshmallow, blue heaven and vanilla vodka; or peanut butter and jelly and Captain Morgan's Rum. But it doesn't stop there. The food is just as crazy impressive with burgers boasting killer names like The Chunk - Double Double, The Ivan Drago and Cynthia Benson. Our favourite is the Francis Underwood. Though it doesn't have the much-loved ribs the infamous House of Cards character is known for, it does have a bit of that distinctive Southern charm. Get this: alongside the fresh Australian beef, American cheddar and mustard, it has a potato, mac and cheese croquette. In case, after all that, you're not feeling like a ball of saturated fat and shame, they also offer a range of desserts that are well worth the trip. They even offer three — count 'em — types of waffle stacks. One stuffed with Nutella parfait, whipped cream, strawberries and Nutella sauce, another filled with peanut butter parfait, cream, strawberries and salted caramel sauce, and the last a giant Nutella-based offering that serves four and comes with your very own jar of Nutella on the side. If that's not enough they also serve mini waffle cones of ice cream coated in Wizz Fizz because YOLO. Some say overeating doesn't lend itself well to the warmer months, but we can see ourselves spending a lot of time here very soon. Photos via Grand Trailer Park Taverna and Jimmy's Burgers.
Pinchy's lobster-loaded linguine normally sets diners back a cool $48. But if you visit this CBD restaurant on a Thursday night, you'll score over 50% off, getting the dish for just $20. It's a proper bargain. In May this year, the Bourke Street lobster and champagne bar received a big makeover, getting a new look, new chef and new menu. This pasta dish, packed with lobster and lifted by miso butter, tomatoes and basil, is a recent addition to the Pinchy's menu, but has already become a fan favourite. This change — and the pasta deal — was inspired by all of Melbourne's recent restaurant closures. Director Jeremy Schnick notes that: "With the constant cost-of-living pressures, nearby closures, the ongoing difficulties of CBD operation (particularly during winter), and a huge increase in wage costs post-Covid, the decision was clear for me." "I found an amazing new Executive Chef [Barret Jones] and together we decided we needed to give guests something larger and distinctive in our delicious menu offering — something they can feel more value in, and slow down to spend time eating with friends or a loved one, appreciating what's in front of them." And what better way to take in all the changes than with a generous bowl of lobster pasta for just $20? Images: Jana Langhorst.
Johnston Street continues to be one of Melbourne's coolest strips — packed with some of the city's top bars, cafes, restaurants and boutique stores. But the sheer amount of places to drop by can be really overwhelming. You'd need days to properly explore all of its best bits. Knowing this, three neighbouring businesses — JUDE, Shop Gal and Addict — have joined forces to create a mini-shopping trail that includes free styling sessions and a ramen workshop — an unlikely but still brilliant pairing (that's also very Johnston Street). [caption id="attachment_982871" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Addict[/caption] Starting at 6pm on Thursday, December 5, you'll first drop by JUDE — an independent fashion label championing Melbourne-made and gender-neutral clothing — to get free styling advice and do a spot of Christmas shopping. You'll then take a few steps down the strip to Shop Gal — Melbourne-based designer Tara Whalley's boutique fashion store that's home to her own colourful creations as well as a heap of other local designers' wares — for more styling tips and shopping opportunities. This is a must-stop spot for those looking to add a bit of colour and pattern to their summer wardrobe. [caption id="attachment_982877" align="alignnone" width="1920"] JUDE[/caption] The final stop is Addict — a cafe and ramen haunt — where punters can join a hands-on ramen workshop ($20) that comes with a complimentary cocktail. Either spend the rest of the night drinking and eating here or head back to JUNE and Shop Gal for more shopping. As a special treat, the teams have also created a limited-edition JUDE x TARA designer tote bag filled with goodies from all three stores. These will be available for purchase exclusively on the night, which is running up until 9.30pm. The event is free to attend, but booking is essential. [caption id="attachment_982870" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shop Gal by Tara Whalley[/caption]
The sun's a-shining and our love affair with the G&T is about to fire up for another year. But this season, that gin in your glass could be more local than ever before. Patient Wolf, Melbourne's newest small-batch gin producer, is about to launch its first creation. It's been a long time coming, as Matt Argus and Dave Irwin, the duo behind the Brunswick boutique distillery, will tell you. The pair has spent the past three years travelling the world, learning from some of the best in the gin biz and perfecting this first batch, which has been made with the help of their custom-built Müller copper still. What they've crafted is a smooth and beautifully-balanced premium dry gin. It's a new-school riff on the classic London dry style, with botanicals like elderflower and ruby grapefruit mingling with more adventurous additions, such as Central American tonka beans. These guys are nodding to tradition while embracing innovation, and keeping things small — each run will be capped at just 220 bottles. A recipe for success, it seems, given that half of Patient Wolf's first batch had been snapped up, just two days after launching a Pozible online pre-order campaign. But even if you miss out this time, fear not – sky-high demand has seen Argus and Irwin jump straight onto batch number two, with pre-orders for this also open.
How's this for a way to blow off steam at the end of a working week? Abbotsford will next month become Melbourne's official home of casual and competitive axe throwing, which is exactly what it sounds like. Maniax is the brainchild of Stephen Thomas, who first came across the sport while living in Canada. "My wife and I used to go every week to watch the league," he told Concrete Playground back in June 2017. "Down this back alley in Toronto there's this small warehouse with a bunch of targets set up, and a fire burning out the front. Everyone was right into it, and it was a really cool atmosphere." Upon returning to Australia, Thomas opened Maniax Sydney, and it soon proved to be a bit of a hit. "Think of it as an alternative to bowling or lawn bowls," he says. "We get birthday parties, hens parties, bucks parties, even family groups. Then midweek, we do corporate team building sessions. Google, Spotify, Australian Navy, Commonwealth Bank, IKEA, Qantas, you name it, they've been in." For Maniax Melbourne, Thomas has secured a warehouse just east of Hoddle Street, around 100 metres from Collingwood Station. "We've got six dedicated throwing areas, so we can take six separate groups at a time," he says. "It's going to have a very rustic, very industrial feel with lots of iron and wood." Thomas also plans to partner up with local bars and restaurants. "In Sydney we've got a guy called the Pig Baron who comes and sets up a pig on a spit," he explains. "Then afterwards we send them round to the local craft brewery for a few refreshing ales after the axe throwing." When we remark that axes and alcohol should probably be kept separate, he laughs. "It's a good combination in the right order," he agrees. "Axe throwing first, then the beer afterwards. Always in that order." Admittedly, not everyone has been as keen on the idea of axe throwing. Maniax had already been approved by the City of Yarra, but was then forced to go through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after a member of the public lodged an appeal. Now, more than eight months after we first spoke to Thomas, the venue has the go-ahead and will open in the week commencing March 19. So how does it work? You'll need a group of at least eight people to book an axe throwing area (at $50 a head). Then you'll have two hours to practice your aim and battle it out against your mates in an elimination comp. Once it's up and running, Thomas has big plans, including league nights like the ones they've set up in Sydney. "We hope to eventually have a Melbourne champ and a Sydney champ and be able to fly the Melbourne champ up to Sydney or vice versa and have an Australian champion," he says enthusiastically. "And because we're actually part of the National Axe Throwing Federation in Canada, our league members qualify for the National Championships in Canada. I'd love more than anything to see us find an Aussie champ and then fly them over to Canada to compete." Maniax is set to open at 21 Russell Street, Abbotsford on March 21. Bookings are now open at maniax.com.au/melbourne.
The minds behind Northcote's Tinker, Collingwood's Terror Twilight and Smith Street sandwich spot Hi Fi made a foray into the inner-northwest when Convoy — a bright daytime diner overlooking Queens Park. Convoy boasts a retro-leaning, timber-filled fit-out by female-led practices Studio Esteta and My Friend Tom, with a spacious streetside deck and garden and plenty of natural materials used throughout. The cafe is plating up both familiar favourites and new imaginings. It's expectedly creative and considered — you might find smashed avo on toast with pickled carrot and black olive caramel; cinnamon scroll pancakes with cream cheese icing and orange zest; or a steak frites roll with herb butter and mustard mayo. The kitchen's take on eggs benedict is also a fave of ours. It features a toasted Turkish roll topped with ham off the bone and apple and fennel slaw. You've also got the Turkish eggs that have been elevated with sujuk and a bright lemon yoghurt. Along with your usual coffee options, you'll find a range of shakes and smoothies including the enlivening green smoothie with spinach, banana, mango, passionfruit and honey. Or you can amp up your day with something from the cocktail list, where classics like mimosas and bloody marias sit alongside a rose martini and a 'Wake Me Up Before You Coco' with tequila, Aperol, triple sec, coconut milk and lime. Images: My Friend Tom. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne for 2023
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.
Life on the streets of Melbourne is tough for bright-eyed, bushy-tailed restaurants. New eateries appear just as quickly as they disappear — a reflection of Melbourne's high expectations for quality food, organic atmosphere and something uniquely special. We're a difficult crowd to impress. So if a restaurant can stay busy and bustling for over 30 years, they're clearing doing something right. Whether it's a distinct atmosphere or authentic, rich cuisine, these are the restaurants Melburnians have been visiting (and revisiting) for decades. Image: France-Soir by Brook James.
Over the past twelve months, Concrete Playground's film critics have watched a truly obscene number of movies. Blockbusters, indie titles and arthouse flicks from around the globe, if it's been projected onto a screen anywhere in this country we've gobbled it up – along with approximately ten truckloads full of popcorn. And while there are certain films we'd much rather forget (looking at you Fantastic Four), there have also been plenty of great ones. Presented in alphabetical order, here are our ten favourite movies of the year. AMY Amy, by director Asif Kapadia, is an overwhelmingly tragic and absorbing portrait of the life (and death) of famed jazz singer Amy Winehouse; a documentary steeped in disquiet because, just as it was with Kapadia's previous film Senna, you know it ends in a crash. With its remarkable catalogue of personal videos, voicemails and recording sessions, Kapadia has crafted an extraordinarily moving tribute to a prodigious talent whose life seemed somehow unavoidably foredoomed. - Tom Glasson Read our full review. BIRDMAN Filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance, Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Birdman is a cinematic ballet, one where the way the story is presented is just as critical as the story itself. Narratively, its chronicle of redemption is a simple one, but like all good tales the simplicity of plot is offset by characters possessed of deep complexity. This is a film that almost commands repeat viewings, if only to marvel at its mechanics – and yet Birdman offers so much more than form. Darkly comedic, intellectually challenging and emotionally confronting, it’s a tantalisingly original piece of cinema that rightfully garnered multiple Oscars, including the top gong, at this year's Academy Awards. - TG Read our full review. EDEN If you're thinking about French electronic music, then you're probably thinking about Daft Punk. Writer-director Mia Hansen-Løve understands this, and doesn't shy away from their success in her portrait of the scene during the early 1990s. In fact, they're the counterpoint to the struggles endured by Eden's main character, Paul (Félix de Givry), as he chases the same dream over the course of two decades. Suffice it to say, he doesn't quite enjoy the same trajectory as his helmet-wearing friends. The film does, however, offer an astute account of trying and not quite succeeding that's equally hopeful and realistic. - Sarah Ward Read our full review. EX MACHINA Before Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson found themselves on opposite sides of the good-versus-evil divide in Star Wars: Episode VII, they battled over something else in the sci-fi realm. In Ex Machina, artificial intelligence and a humanoid robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander) spark a clash between Isaac's tech company CEO and Gleeson's computer programmer, after the former invites the latter to help test his newest creation. One of the best modern appropriations of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein ever made, Alex Garland's directorial debut is precise and probing in its themes, visuals and mood. - SW Read our full review. INSIDE OUT Pixar gets back to the top of their game with this wonderfully inventive tale set inside the human mind. Like all the studio's best movies, Inside Out can be enjoyed by just about anyone, with plenty of cerebral grown-up gags mixed in with the animated slapstick. It also features some of the most gorgeous visuals they've ever put up on the screen. But it's the film's emotional intelligence that earns it a spot in the Pixar pantheon alongside Up and Toy Story 3. Not content simply to make us cry, director Pete Docter instead examines why we cry, delivering a poignant life lesson that applies no matter how old you may be. - Tom Clift Read our full review. LOVE It's two and a half hours long, full of graphic sex and the whole thing is shot in 3D. In case you couldn't guess, Gaspar Noe's Love won't appeal to every taste. But even those who hate it would be hard pressed to deny that it's one of the most daring movies released in quite some time. Say what you will about his apparent predilections, but Noe is clearly a master of his craft. And if nothing else, Love is worth seeing just so you can argue about it. Is it a scathing critique of misogyny and male insecurity, or is it guilty of those very issues itself? Ultimately, you need to see it to decide. - TC Read our full review. MACBETH Few filmmakers can take something as distinctive as Shakespeare and turn it into a creation that feels wholly like their own. Justin Kurzel might follow in the footsteps of fellow Australian Baz Luhrmann in achieving this feat, although his Macbeth has little else in common with everyone's favourite version of Romeo + Juliet. In the Snowtown helmer's hands, the tale of an ambitious soldier willing to do whatever it takes to become king is stripped down to its most bleak and brutal elements. Yes, it rages with sound and fury. Yes, it's moody and brooding, both in emotion and in its aesthetic. Yes, Michael Fassbender steals the show in the title role, though Marion Cotillard threatens to do the same in every scene she's in. - SW Read our full review. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD In an era when most blockbusters follow the same predictable path, Mad Max: Fury Road charts a course in a very different direction. A barebones narrative forms the basis for the film, essentially a two-hour car chase through a bizarre desert wasteland, where warlords rule with an iron fist and flamethrowers double as guitars. Director George Miller makes fantastic use of practical effects, crafting action that is both bombastic and possesses a genuine sense of danger – something that films loaded with CGI often struggle to achieve. And that's to say nothing of the movies' unexpected feminist streak, with Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa stealing the whole film right out from under Max's feet. - TC Read our full review. SICARIO Since the beginning of the Mexican Drug War in 2006, it’s estimated more than 100,000 people have been killed in cartel-related violence. Sicario (Spanish for ‘hitman’) is a gritty, confronting and appropriately brutal examination of the US’s complicated and often deleterious engagement with this conflict. While its doleful theme of ‘this is just how things are’ doesn't deliver anything particularly new on the topic, Sicario showcases two powerhouse performances from its leads — Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro — and delivers a relentlessly tense, immaculately constructed piece of cinema from start to finish. - TG Read our full review. THE LOBSTER If you were going to get turned into an animal, which one would you choose? This line of thought pops up in The Lobster, although it's actually one of the least interesting things about the English-language debut of Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. The writer-director behind Dogtooth and Alps, Lanthimos uses a light sci-fi premise and a high-profile cast to ponder society's obsession with pairing people off, maintaining monogamous relationships and adhering to an amorous status quo. The result is a savagely funny yet heartbreakingly tender film that also features what might be the most memorable use of Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue's 'Where the Wild Roses Grow' we've ever seen. - SW Read our full review. Honourable Mentions: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Magic Mike XXL, Mommy, Tehran Taxi.
It's not your imagination — there really has been a heap of stunning new hotels open in Australia this year. Australia's hotel scene is already stacked with some remarkable stays, both in the major cities and in the regional corners of the country. And as our tourism economy has continued to boom, the last six months has seen more boutique and luxury chain hotels open on our shores. From boutique hotels with lush gardens to a wine lovers' dream stays or vibrant 'choose-your-own-adventure' lodgings, there are some seriously impressive (and incredibly designed) new hotels awaiting your arrival — whether on an interstate trip or a sneaky staycation. Read on to find out which 2018 hotel openings to pencil into your travel calendar as soon as possible. [caption id="attachment_671141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] W Brisbane[/caption] W BRISBANE, BRISBANE Brisbanites should be well aware of the CBD's riverside stretch that's synonymous with bland buildings and a hurried expressway. But with the arrival of W Brisbane — marking W Hotels' first foray back into Australia before it opens hotels in Sydney and Melbourne — the northern bank has received a much needed spruce. Offering views across the water to Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland and GOMA, the five-star hotel boasts 312 designer rooms equipped with ten-gallon drum baths and in-suite cocktail stations. On the fourth-level, you'll find a pool with some funky geometric décor. There's also a 150-seat restaurant from celebrated restaurateurs Three Blue Ducks. Looking out over Brisbane River, guests can enjoy signature dishes like spanner crab scramble, congee with pulled pork and hay smoked salmon kedgeree. W Brisbane is location at 81 North Quay, Brisbane. Make a reservation here. [caption id="attachment_660519" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharon Cairns[/caption] PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL, SYDNEY When Paramount House Hotel was first announced back in August of 2017, the hotel promised it wouldn't be your standard luxury hotel, but rather an immersive experience that would embed patrons into the culture of Sydney's inner city suburb of Surry Hills. All we can say is that it's delivered on that guarantee. Set in a 1940s warehouse above Paramount Coffee Project, the 29-room hotel features soaring ceilings with exposed brickwork and rafting and even has a rooftop gym and cafe. And while there's luxury copper finishes, Jardan sofas and premium kilim rugs from Pakistan, the appeal of the place is less tangible in its nature. It's both the vibe and history of the surrounding community that make Paramount House Hotel special. Paramount House Hotel is located at 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills. Make a reservation here. UNITED PLACES, MELBOURNE Positioned opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens, United Places' remit was to create a home away from home. And its success is immediately apparent, with the outside greenery extending into the 12 luxury suites, creating a space that you'll never want to leave. Each offers hardwood floors and polished kitchens, while terraces with sweeping city and parkland views round out the cosy living spaces. While you're there, you'll get to have a taste of Melbourne chef Scott Pickett's latest restaurant, Matilda. Pickett's contemporary Australian cuisine is produced entirely over open flames and hot coals — and you won't have to leave your room to enjoy it, with the high-end meals delivered directly to your suite. Dining at the restaurant is an experience in itself though, so we'd recommend heading in one night, too. United Places is located at 157-159 Domain Road, South Yarra. Make a reservation here. THE COLLECTIONIST, SYDNEY From rooms inspired by wine vintages to rooms that a spy might book for the night, Camperdown's The Collectionist is set on offering patrons something different. The place has a rather unique approach, in that it lets you pick which one of its 39 rooms you want to spend the night in when you check in. Billed as a 'choose-your-own-adventure' hotel, it's meant to be a highly individualised experience, with patrons touring the rooms and getting their access code via SMS. The hotel has collaborated with seven designers and 13 artists to create the innovative experience and each space features its own distinctive colours, textures and mood. While there's no restaurant on-site, the lobby hosts daily social drinks from 4–8pm. The Collectionist Hotel is located at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown. Make a reservation here. OVOLO INCHCOLM, BRISBANE If you're the type who appreciates a bit of old-world glamour, then Brisbane's new Ovolo Inchcolm is the hotel for you. A former residence and medical centre, the 1930s building has been returned to its roots — albeit with a distinctly modern twist — presenting a charming art deco fit-out. But the hotel doesn't get lost in the past in every aspect. The addition of Salon de Co, a sprawling bar and restaurant, serves up modern rhubarb martinis or goji berry and vodka combos. Meanwhile, chef Anthony Hales' menu adds a bit of mystique with a sparse list of ingredients to keep diners guessing. The rooms, suites and a split-level loft dial back the theme a touch, but with a free minibar, and bookshelves loaded with timeless novels, you might find yourself dreaming of a simpler time. Ovolo Inchcolm is located at 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill. Make a reservation here. WILLIAM INGLIS HOTEL, SYDNEY Named after Australia's renowned thoroughbred company, William Inglis and Sons, Western Sydney's latest hotel is a sure thing if you're after a mini Sydney staycation. As part of the Sofitel's MGallery collection of boutique hotels, the William Inglis Hotel's centrepiece is its fresh rooftop bar boasting a pool and stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Warwick Farm. Once you've built up an appetite, head downstairs to the Newmarket Room, a paddock-to-plate restaurant led by chef Sercan Kesici. Whisky fans will be at home here, too — the mezzanine's 1867 Lounge serves high-end cocktails and boutique wines. William Inglis Hotel is located at 155 Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick Farm. Make a reservation here. MITCHELTON HOTEL, NAGAMBIE Set in the scenic Goulburn Valley wine region in Victoria, this recently opened accommodation is as good as the on-site winery. Featuring a palette of moody, rural tones designed by acclaimed architectural practice Hecker Guthrie, the Mitchelton is a wine lover's dream escape. Chef Daniel Hawkins (POW Kitchen, Newmarket Hotel, Stokehouse) helms restaurant The Muse, which serves ethically farmed produce found throughout the Nagambie Lakes district. Boutique chocolate producers The Ministry of Chocolate run the decadent café, while Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art displays works from 15 Indigenous communities from across Australia. If you're lucky enough to stay here, you'll get a full selection of Mitchelton Wines as soon as you step inside the door. Mitchelton Hotel is located at 470 Mitchellstown Road, Nagambie. Make a reservation here. FELIX HOTEL, SYDNEY Airport accommodations are normally pretty drab, but the lively Felix Hotel is bucking this trend with a truly first class stay. Inspired by the 1960s Golden Age of air travel — that is, before budget airlines made you pay for water — the seamless experience starts from the get-go with guests heading straight to the top-level penthouse to check-in. From here, overlooking the runway, guests can enjoy the rooftop cinema, a 24-hour general store and a colourful cocktail bar that'll undoubtedly be a departure from the monotonous airport hotels that you've grown accustomed to. Felix Hotel is located at 121 Baxter Road, Mascot. Make a reservation at here. THE BYRON AT BYRON, BYRON BAY While The Byron at Byron may not exactly be new, this year's massive revamp makes it worthy of a place on this list. Having shut up shop for six weeks to undergo the renovations, renowned interior designer practice Luchetti Krelle — and executive chef Matthew Kemp — led the extensive face-lift of the restaurant, bar and accommodations. Working closely with a range of local artists, the enhancements manifest themselves quickly. There's a fancy copper island bar and a verandah that blends into the lush surrounding forest. Kemp's restaurant serves seasonal cuisine with Asian, modern Australian and European flourishes, while the rooms and suites are warmly furnished making for a homey resort stay. The Byron is located at Byron at 77-97 Broken Head Road, Byron Bay. Make a reservation here. WEST HOTEL, SYDNEY It's hard to ignore the West Hotel's 'Chanel handbag' façade, which according to designers Fitzpatrick + partner, was the visual representation of the hotel's entire space and vibe. Set on the Darling Harbour waterfront, the 182 designer rooms feature bold furnishings aimed at judicious travellers who seek out luxury. With botanical motifs abound, there's also an openair atrium serving as an oasis from the busy city streets below. The restaurant, Solander Dining, embraces sustainable seasonal produce from across New South Wales, while the accompanying bar is the perfect spot to enjoy some boutique drops while seated at a mesmerising emerald-green terrazzo marble counter. West Hotel is located at 65 Sussex Street, Sydney. Make a reservation here. And there are more where those came from, too. Melbourne is set to score a new luxury Jackalope Hotel on Flinders Lane, a new Art Series hotel will open at Brisbane's new Howard Smith Wharves precinct, and W Hotels will be opening hotels in both Sydney and Melbourne in 2020.
The team at Doughnut Time have been absolutely killing it. In the year since cutting the ribbon on their first permanent store in Brisbane, the hand-dipped artisan doughnut chain has become one of our favourite spots to indulge our overdeveloped sweet tooth. They've opened a dozen additional locations across Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne, and in the past week alone have launched both a vegan variety and collaborated on a glazed doughnut burger (no, really) with Brisbane burger joint Ze Pickle. But that's nothing compared to their latest announcement. Brace yourself. Doughnut Time now offer home delivery. If you're anything like us, you probably just fell out of your chair, spent the next few minutes twitching and drooling on the ground, before finally regaining enough motor function to type the words "want doughnut time now" into Google. Assuming that's the case, you'll now know that, at the time of this writing, the Doughnut Time online delivery page is currently down due to an excess in demand. Which, let's be honest, isn't really all that surprising. Sorry to get your hopes up. This has been a real roller coaster of doughnut-related emotion, hasn't it? Once they've replenished their stocks, Doughnut Time will offer delivery in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and The Gold Coast via Sherpa Couriers. For more information and to order a batch of your own, head to this link and just keep hitting refresh.
Whether you missed out on a Splendour ticket or are gearing up to see your fave acts twice, you'd better be quick if you want to get your mitts on some sideshow tix. Splendour's official sideshows have almost sold out, but there's a bunch with a skerrick of tickets remaining. Jump on them. Jump on them now. All up, eleven official shows are planned, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne (but there are a few locked in for Adelaide and Perth too). You'll be able to catch James Blake, who exploded onto global stages at the wee age of 22 with his debut EP CMYK and is now working on his third album, Radio Silence. You might well want to spend some time at the arenas (Sydney Olympic Park and Hisense Arena) finding out why The 1975 is one of the world's most sought after acts. There's Jake Bugg, who became the youngest ever bloke to enter the UK charts at number one back in 2012 when he was just 18. And you'll want your whistling skills handy for this next one. Peter, Bjorn and John (they're a Swedish trio, if you hadn't guessed), are responsible for one of 2006's catchiest tunes, 'Young Folks'. Without further ado, here are the Splendour sideshows you should be slinging your dollars towards. NOTE: This is all very 'at the time of writing' so if something sells out in the meantime, we're sorry for getting any hopes up. By Jasmine Crittenden with Matt Abotomey.
Three and a half hours south of Perth, Margaret River can feel approximately a million miles from the grime and bustle of the city. It’s a famous wine region, with sandy, loamy soil and climactic conditions which have allowed it to rise from a completely unknown wine area to world renown in just a few decades. There are standouts to suit every mood and taste, though Cabernet Sauvignon is a particular specialty. Beyond the vineyards, it’s got plenty more to offer. You like sweeping coastlines and rugged natural beauty? There’s quite a bit of that. Cool cafes and relaxed yet modern outdoor dining? Not a problem. A sense that you’re somewhere quite special? Oh yeah, they’ve got that too. Can't wait to pack your bags? Enter WineMarket's West Coast Wine Adventure giveaway for the chance to win an indulgent trip for two to Perth and the WA wine country. FRIDAY 8am Breakfast at the Providore An organic hilltop cafe that grows much of its own ingredients and does a nice line in fresh, contemporary, seasonal fare, this is the ideal place to start your day. Pick up a couple of things (perhaps some olives from their own grove) for a picnic as well. 12pm Go vineyard hopping around Cowaramup You can barely throw a rock without hitting an outstanding vineyard here. Good options include Xanadu, which has some great reds and offers cellar door exclusives. McHenry Hohnen has won rave reviews for its cabernet blends and Voyager Estate is one of the region’s big names – you can’t go wrong with either a tour of their beautifully manicured site or an in-depth tasting featuring their Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot amongst others. 5pm Return to your accommodation for dinner Many of the best vineyards and restaurants in the region double as boutique accommodation, so you may as well make the most of it if you’ve snagged a spot at such a place. Leading lights include Windmills Break, a boutique B & B with on-site fine-dining, while the award-winning Forest Rise Eco Retreat offers not just airy chalets with sky ceilings in a stunning setting but a top-notch chef and gourmet hampers. If you want to save money for wining and dining, however, Margaret River YHA has everything you need and is centrally located. 8pm Wind down at the Muster Bar and Grill From the team behind popular Perth wine bar Must, the inspiration here is celebrating the region’s produce and championing local winemakers. It’s as good as that sounds, and you’ll find offerings from Margaret River vineyards like Lenton Brae and Fermoy Estate by the glass as well as everything from bar snacks to hearty dinner fare. SATURDAY 8am Margaret River Bakery Start your day at this small but buzzing cafe and bakery which boosts quirky decor. Grab something like a granola with fresh fruit or a pancake stack to fuel up for a trip to the spectacular south edge of the region. 10am Visit The Berry Farm In an area known for its beautiful produce, the Berry farm offers you the opportunity to taste some of the best. Enjoy brunch in a beautiful garden setting and stock up on the likes of boysenberry jam and whisky marmalade. 12pm Marvel at Caves Road This stretch of the Margaret River region is home to some of the most stunning limestone caves in the world. You can do self-guided tours at the aptly named Mammoth Cave and Lake Cave and then continue south to Jewel Cave. 3pm Climb the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse This is an absolute must. Climb the winding stairs and let the howling coastal winds ruffle your hair at the summit. It’s an interesting historical site and Australia’s most Westerly point, but above all else it’s just flat-out spectacular. 7pm Dinner at Leeuwin Estate After making your way back to the main strip, you can get dinner at this classy cellar door. Feast on tiger prawns, scallops, oysters and abalone, all locally sourced and delicious, and a perfect match for a bottle of their world-class Chardonnay. SUNDAY 8am Wander through the Margaret River Heritage Trail Get up close and personal with the area’s abundant natural beauty on a morning wander through this series of trails. You don’t need to be a seasoned hiker to tackle one of the paths. The River Walk, for instance, is a leisurely and scenic 2km stroll, while the slightly longer Bridge Walk offers the opportunity of a refreshing morning dip. 10am Brunch at Millers Ice Cream Farm Cafe Billing itself as a ‘cow to cone’ operation, this much-loved local offers sodas from Margaret River beverages, coffee from locals Yahava, breakfast toasties and two dozen flavours of ice cream that are literally produced from dairy down the road. An ideal, relaxed start to the day. 12.30pm Explore art and wine at Vasse Felix Head north to this award-winning Cowaramup hotspot. This was the region’s first commercial vineyard and it’s still going strong. There’s not only a cellar door and an art gallery here but an acclaimed fine diner (head chef Aaron Carr is the reigning chef of the year in the West Australian’s Good Food Guide) and a stunning location. Expect inventive and refined Modern Australian. 2pm Take in the vineyards of Yallingup and surrounds There’s another great cluster of vineyards in the pretty northwest corner of the region, many of which offer great Shirazes and cracking Semillon blends. Try Howling Wolves, red wine champions Windows Estate or the feted boutique Juniper Estate, where you can sample some of your purchases by the creek. For a change of pace, check out some of the area’s many small art galleries. 7pm Trust the chef at Knee Deep You’ve made enough gruelling decisions for one weekend with choosing wines to take home and whatnot, so why not put yourself in the hands of a two-hatted chef who takes the reign with a five-course tasting menu. The selections are constantly evolving to utilise the freshest produce but could include lamb breast or cured ocean trout. They're also a five star rated winery, so have one for the road. Then round out your weekend by making the quick trip down to the ocean, where you can watch the waves roll in and plot your return visit.
Back in 1982, Melbourne played host to one of China's most important ancient artworks: a collection of statues known as The Terracotta Army. Crafted between 221–206 BCE and first discovered in the Shaanxi province in 1974, it made its international debut at the National Gallery of Victoria — and now, 37 years later, it's returning for the NGV's 2019 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. Dubbed Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, the five-month exhibition will feature eight warrior figures and two life-size horses from The Terracotta Army, alongside two half-size replica bronze chariots that are each drawn by four horses. They were created during the reign of China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang and were buried near his tomb more than 2200 years ago. The pieces coming to Melbourne only represent a fraction of the entire work, which numbers more than 8000 figures in total. If you're wondering how big of a deal the statues are, the answer is very. The Terracotta Army is considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century and has also been described as the 'Eighth' Wonder of the World. Displaying at the NGV from May 24 to October 13, 2019, the selected pieces will be accompanied by more than 150 other ancient Chinese treasures sourced from museums and Shaanxi archaeological sites. Expect to rove your eyes over priceless gold, jade and bronze artefacts that date back more than 3000 years, charting China's artistry across the country's formative period. Looking to the present as well as the past, the NGV's winter season will also celebrate acclaimed Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. His work is no stranger to Australia — in 2014, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art hosted its own showcase — however, his Melbourne exhibition will feature all new pieces. With Cai known for his large-scale installations, The Transient Landscapewill include 10,000 porcelain birds suspended in a spiral formation, in an artwork that links to The Terracotta Army. Specifically, it'll create a 3D version of a calligraphic drawing that depicts Mount Li, which is where Qin Shi Huang and his terracotta warriors were buried. Another of Cai's new works will feature a porcelain sculpture of peonies placed in the middle of a 360-degree gunpowder, with his entire show taking inspiration from Chinese culture and philosophy. The world-renowned talent will also help design Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, making the two concurrent exhibitions as immersive as possible. 'Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality' and 'Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape' will exhibit as part of the NGV International's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presentation, running from May 24 to October 13, 2019. For further details or to buy tickets, visit the NGV website. Exhibition images: Sean Fennessy and Tobias Titz photography. Images: The terracotta army, Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum, Xi'an.
Continuing the theme of this year being the absolute worst, the world lost a music legend today when it was announced that Prince had passed away in his home in Minnesota. He was 57 years old. "It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning," read a statement from his publicist this morning. Tributes have been flowing in on social media for hours. US President Barack Obama described the singer-songwriter as a "creative icon", while Snapchat has unveiled a Purple Rain filter that lets users add purple raindrops to their photos. Here at home, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews tweeted his condolences, and mentioned that the spire at the Melbourne Arts Centre will be lit purple in Prince's honour. Doves are crying in Victoria. RIP Prince. Tonight the Arts Centre's spire will be lit in honour of the purple one. pic.twitter.com/Vd9N1SiAu1 — Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) April 21, 2016 The Arts Centre previously took on a purple hue when Prince performed at the venue in February, as did the sails of the Sydney Opera House during a show there that same month. Many landmarks in the United States have also been lit purple, including Target Field, home to Prince's hometown baseball team the Minnesota Twins. Fitting that it's raining in Minneapolis today. pic.twitter.com/s5KFurDhHi — Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 21, 2016 Via Junkee. Image: Kate Ballis and Tom Blachford for Arts Centre Melbourne.
The Sydney-born social enterprise Welcome Merchant has been supporting small businesses run by refugees and asylum seekers in Australia for over four years now. The wonderful organisation has provided people in need with a platform and space to sell their goods while also teaching them a heap of business skills. And in the leadup to Christmas this year, the team is taking over Melbourne CBD's Section 8 on Saturday, December 14, with a heap of market stalls. Aheda's Kitchen and Sebastian Pasinetti from OKO Cafe will both be pumping out a range of dishes in the beer garden throughout the afternoon, while Rick Fean plays a mix of hip hop, Afro-pop and electronica tunes. When it comes to shopping, you'll find sustainably made, African-inspired clothing and accessories from RJ Dradi the Label; kids' toys and books from Small Fires Play; and plenty of clothing from Juan Du. This pop-up market brings together entrepreneurs from a diverse range of cultures, who'll be selling all kinds of unique goods. Who knows, you might just find your next go-to beauty brand or local artist on Tattersalls Lane. Get down from 12–5pm to support these local businesses, grab some drinks from Section 8's bar and groove to some live tunes. A good time for a good cause.
How does a three-course Japanese BBQ showdown with an Americana twist sound? Local barbecue food truck legends, SmokeyBoiz, are teaming up with The B.East in Brunswick East for 'Banzai BBQ' on July 8. It's a no-holds-barred afternoon of delicious meat, drinks specials, live music and good times. If you've ever tried a Smokeyboiz' pork belly bite, braised in Dr. Pepper, smoked, then slathered in candied jalapeno barbecue sauce, you'll know these boys don't mess around. And that's before you throw in The B.East's New Orleans-inspired cocktail menu. Tickets start at $70, and that gets you three courses: Tonkatsu pork croquettes, a succulent smoked beef brisket and a cheeky flambé dessert. It's a mash-up of Japanese and American-style southern BBQ, with a double scoop of kitsch thrown in. There'll be cocktail specials running throughout the day, too. Doors open at 12pm. Book your tickets and form an orderly queue. Images: supplied.
Historically, 'beautiful' is probably not the first word you'd pick to describe your local butcher shop. But then again, Victor Churchill isn't your average meat store. For Sydneysiders, the name is a familiar one, with the butcher's OG Woollahra site an eastern suburbs staple since opening in 2009. Anthony Bourdain famously once called it ' the most beautiful butcher in the world'. But these days it's Melbourne's turn, after the Victor Churchill stable expanded to include a southern flagship on Armadale's High Street. Opened in 2021 in a former bank, the Armadale store more than ' meats' your expectations of a butcher, boasting a specialty charcuterie counter, wine bar, grocery corner, retail booze offering and lunch counter, along with its premium curation of meat products. It's an undeniably dapper space, too, clad in warm timber, green marble floors and chic copper accents, with dry-ageing meat hung theatrically as if in a gallery. The brand is a family affair, founded and run by Anthony Puharich and his fourth-generation butcher father, Victor. And together they've built some serious pedigree, with their wholesale business Vic's Premium Quality Meat a longtime supplier of top Melbourne restaurants including Attica, Flower Drum and Grossi Florentino. Here at the Armadale outpost, Victor Churchill is continuing its legacy of serving top-quality protein sourced from leading Aussie producers. As with its sibling, the store also does away with the traditional physical butcher's counter, in an effort to make the shopping experience more inviting and personal. The aforementioned wine bar is an intimate, 12-seat space at the back of the venue, where you can settle in for a glass of vino, a cocktail and dinner. Here, a Josper charcoal-fuelled rotisserie, charcoal oven and basque grill guides a menu filled with top-notch meat, charcuterie and seafood. Think, steak tartare, prawn cocktail and lobster pulled fresh from the tank. Meanwhile, your picnicking endeavours are serviced by the bumper charcuterie counter, that is stocked with an ever-evolving selection of house-made patés, terrines and snags, plus savoury goodies whipped up by the house pastry chefs. While you're there, you can shop a considered retail curation of seasonal produce, pantry staples and wine. And you probably shouldn't leave without grabbing one of the signature lunchtime rolls, loaded with rotisserie chicken or hot roast beef. Images by Pete Dillon.
Sometimes it seems like all the vegan food is north of the river, but that's not strictly so. Sister of Soul has St Kilda and the bayside area covered with its all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner vegetarian and vegan menu. With dishes like polenta jenga, tofu tikka masala and a black bean burrito, this is a surefire way to get your vegan fill after a session at the beach. Just make sure you save room for its version of a jaffa cake with chocolate and orange marmalade. If you're swinging by Sister of Soul for breakfast, the halloumi burger with halloumi and mushrooms, roquette, onion jam and tomato relish is an inspired choice. For something lighter, try the blueberry and açai bowl with fresh fruit and chia seeds, nut clusters and flaked coconut. [caption id="attachment_710001" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Appears in: The Best Vegan Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
From naturally-occurring wonders to marvels of architecture and design, this great nation of ours has no shortage of photo-friendly locations. Year after year, tourists and locals alike flock to Australia's most famous destinations, looking to capture that picture-perfect shot. Now, with just a few weeks left in the year, Traveller have revealed a list of the most snapped places in Australia. And while none of the locations are particularly surprising, they do serve as a reminder of just how goddamn crazy beautiful this country is. 5. MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND (MCG) A photo posted by artinayar (@artinayar) on Aug 16, 2015 at 1:03am PDT The most iconic sporting ground in Australia, when you consider how many people are regularly packed into the MCG throughout the year, its inclusion on the list makes a lot of sense. That said, we can't help but wonder if it would have appeared even higher if Instagram had waited until after the Boxing Day Test to release their rankings. 4. BONDI BEACH A photo posted by Adam Bull (@bulladam) on Dec 3, 2015 at 3:12pm PST Synonymous with Australian beach culture, Bondi offers Instagrammers the perfect opportunity to casually show off their tans against a backdrop of crystal waters and sandy shores. With an oceanside cinema, food pop-ups and a brand new dining precinct on the way, we don't expect to see Bondi drop off this list anytime soon. 3. SURFERS PARADISE BEACH A photo posted by Sharon Lewin | Australia (@thenomadictraveller) on Dec 1, 2015 at 12:52pm PST Pipping their NSW rivals to the proverbial post, Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast beat out Bondi as Australia's most Instagrammed beach. And with photos like these, it's rather hard to argue. Paradise indeed. 2. DARLING HARBOUR, SYDNEY A photo posted by Nimesh Yadav (@nimeshnimze) on Dec 3, 2015 at 5:37pm PST A bustling harbourside hub smack bang in the centre of Sydney, Darling Harbour has long been one of the city's biggest tourist destinations – and that was before they opened up their giant new urban playground. Just make sure you don't get your eye taken out by an errant selfie-stick. 1. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE A photo posted by Tom Rex Jessett | Australia (@trex.photography) on Dec 1, 2015 at 1:01pm PST What a shocker! To the surprise of absolutely no one, the top spot on the most Instagrammed list goes to the most famous landmark in the country. From the dazzling displays seen during Vivid Sydney to the sobering site of the sails lit up in the colours of the French flag, the Sydney Opera House remains the number one place in Australia that inspires visitors to whip out their camera phones. And frankly, it's hard to imagine that changing any time soon. Via Traveller. Top image: Alan Lam via Flickr
Anyone familiar with Neil Perry, the pony-tailed chef at the helm of Rockpool Dining Group, will know of his affection for Asian cuisine. It is a passion that has been successfully translated into his Spice Temple ventures first in Sydney and then Melbourne. With more than 50 dishes on the epic menu, Perry — together with executive chef Andy Evans — has pushed the fusion aspect of Chinese food without losing traditional flavours. The focus shifts away from Cantonese-style food and instead explores regional Chinese provinces including Sichuan, Yunnan and Jianxi. The extra spicy dishes are highlighted in red either as a warning to those intolerant of fiery mouthfuls of food or a beacon to those who love burning sensations. The dishes, to be shared, are monumentally large, even for two people. Divided between salads and cold cuts, hot entrees, noodles, dumplings, seafood (live from the tank and pre-prepared), poultry, pork, lamb, beef and veggies, Spice Temple's variety is impressive. "Tingling" and "hot and numbing" pop up frequently on the menu, an indication of the tongue-burning content within. Fish drowning in heaven facing chillies and Sichuan peppercorns sounds (and looks) like a dish made only for the brave. Tea smoked duck breast with pickled cabbage and Chinese mustard is a formidable fusion, old school yet unusual. For the next hit, the fried pork cutlet with pickled red onion is to die for, however it is only available on Fridays and Saturdays. The highlight is a beef fillet in fire water, a fancy way of saying wagyu beef strips in a chilli broth with peppercorn, which is volcanic in taste and appearance. To cool the fire, and a recommended necessity, steamed Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and fried garlic are a great juxtaposition to the spice. For dessert, the mango mousse with condensed milk chantilly will soothe those scorched taste buds. If you're keen, there are two comprehensive banquet options or, if you're visiting during the day, an extensive yum cha lunch menu. Images: David Griffen
Maya Newell has joined the Tropfest judging panel on the eve of the 2016 festival. The director of the critically acclaimed documentary Gayby Baby will join actors Mel Gibson, Simon Baker and Rebecca Gibney, The Dressmaker director Jocelyn Moorhouse and Moulin Rouge! cinematographer Don McAlpine. Together, they will help decide the winner of the world's largest short film festival, which will take place this Sunday in Sydney's Centennial Parklands. Newell is the second last minute inclusion to the judging panel, following the surprise addition of Gibson – who is of course best known for his career as an actor and director as well as this long list of horrible public statements. Newell and her film were in the spotlight last year when the NSW government banned schools from screening the movie during class time. Jerks. Gibson, meanwhile, said he was "thrilled" to be joining Tropfest. "I know what it’s like to be starting out in this industry, in Australia, and what a big difference a break can make to a career," he said. "Tropfest has been doing an incredible job over the last 23 years as a platform for young filmmakers, and I’m absolutely delighted to support the great work Tropfest is doing." The panel of local actors and filmmakers will decide which of 16 short filmmakers takes home the festival's top prize, which includes $10,000 cash, a trip to Hollywood to meet with industry executives, a Nikon D800 digital camera along with $2000 worth of accessories, and a Hyundai Tuscon for a year. The festival also revealed its live music slate, featuring rock duo Winterbourne, DJ and singer KLP and The Preatures' vocalist Gideon Bensen. The announcement comes following a period of uncertainty for the iconic festival, which had a brush with death late last year after founder and festival John Polson discovered what he called "a terrible and irresponsible mismanagement of Tropfest funds" by a third party agency. The festival was briefly cancelled before receiving a financial lifeline from CGU insurance, although there are still some questions over the event's long term future. Polson recently announced that he had started a Pozible campaign to help ensure the festival remains free, although it has so far only raised a fraction of its intended $100,000 target. Maybe Mel can help. Tropfest will take place on February 14 in Centennial Parklands, with gates opening from 3pm. It will be broadcast around the country from 9pm AEDT. For more information go here. Updated: Saturday February 13.
Often stereotyped as the beverage of choice of sleazy drunken pirates and pina colada-sculling schoolies (in its coconut-flavoured form), rum is enjoying a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Even Scottish post-rockers Mogwai have jumped on board, crafting their own limited edition single cask Demerara variety. Frankly, for a beverage literally made from distilled sugar, we’re surprised it’s taken this long to catch on. Now, a clever team of bartenders from Australia’s largest rum bar Substation No. 41 have announced the launch of their own craft blend. Named for its electricity substation origins, Substation No. 41 is an expansive paradise for aficionados of the golden spirit. Housed within the Breakfast Creek Hotel in Queensland, it carries over 400 varieties of the stuff. In a matter-of-fact, very Queensland fashion, its new golden dark masterpiece takes the name Substation No. 41 Rum, and is made from local sugarcane molasses. “We wanted to use natural Queensland ingredients to create a high-quality Australian rum with an exceptional taste,” says Stuart Griffith, one of the creators and senior bartenders. No one’s disputing the sunshine state’s rep as the rum capital of the country, so it all seems like a logical step for these subject matter experts. Aged for a minimum of two years in oak barrels, the Substation blend reportedly carries floral aromas, with a butterscotch-slash-oaky flavour and hints of spice, vanilla and caramel. You can pick up a bottle from your local Dan Murphy’s now. As far as consumption goes, you’ve got three options: shake it up in a cocktail, mix it with ginger beer, or make like Jack Sparrow and chug it from the bottle sip it neat.
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.
You'll never run out of juice in the Big Apple again, thanks to a new kind of public seating popping up around the city. Over the next 30 days, the Parks Department in Manhattan will unveil five solar-powered park benches that double as mobile charging stations for New Yorkers on the go. Developed by the MIT Media Lab, Soofa Benches come fitted with solar panels and a pair of USB charging ports, where pedestrians can plug in their phone or tablet for a much needed top-up. The first of the three person benches will be installed at Highbridge Park in the Bronx next week, with the rest due to pop-up over the course of the coming month. "We are super-excited about New York City," Soofa CEO and co-founder Sandra Richter told New York Daily News. "People are staying outside longer and using parks as their backyards. The Soofa benches are a perfect fit." Soofa Benches are already in use in a number of US cities, including Los Angeles and Boston. In addition to providing the public with a handy place to recharge, they can also keep track of park visitor numbers by counting Wi-Fi enabled devices as they go by. Via NY Daily News.
From 47 wild, WTF and wonderful finalists, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced their 204 Archibald Prize winner. Newcastle artist and former armed robber Nigel Milsom has taken out the coveted trophy (and a cheeky $100,000 prize) for his straight-up Edgar Allan Poe-like portrait of Australian author, barrister, and filmmaker Charles Waterstreet. Awarded the top gong at the Art Gallery of New South Wales's fancy award ceremony this afternoon, Milsom beat out 46 other finalists — including Bruno Jean Grasswill’s Packing Room Prize-winning portrait of Australian actor and The Castle legend Michael Caton. It's not the first time Milsom's cleaned up at a prestigious art competition; he won the 2013 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and the 2012 Sulman Prize, and casually, this is his third time in the Archibald. Unlike many subjects for the Archibald, Waterstreet has been in Milsom's life for longer than a portrait sitting. "I’ve known Charlie indirectly and directly since birth," says Milsom. "I was born in Albury around the corner from the Waterstreet Hotel, owned and managed by his parents. On Friday afternoons, my father used to sell them freshly caught Murray cod to earn extra money for materials he needed to complete a boat he was building at home, which later sank to the bottom of the Murray River during its maiden voyage one freezing afternoon. "My relationship with Charlie took on more significance a few years ago when he represented me and in the pursuit of justice stood up to what seemed an unfair, impenetrable brick wall. He put his head on the chopping block and restored my faith in the legal system. "Charlie is a very complex person. He isn’t just a law man. He’s a writer, a social environmentalist and is involved in film, photography and theatre too. Despite personal struggles with his own demons over the years, he has managed to dedicate most of his time to the welfare of others. My portrait is an attempt to depict him as a giant: part-man, part-mythical creature with hands that appear otherworldly, as though the anatomy of his hands has been designed to grasp unnatural disasters, naturally." The Archibald Prize exhibition opens to the public at the AGNSW on Saturday, July 18. To view all the Archibald, Sulman and Wynne finalists, head over here. Images: Archibald Prize, AGNSW.
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.
Tired of the classic drink and dinner date night combo? Us too. That's why we're always on the hunt for new things to do, scouring the city for not-boring Melbourne activities — ones that are guaranteed to take your next date way beyond done-before beers at the pub. Whether you're taking someone on a second date or doing your 100th with your significant other, we've got some killer (and, yes, cute) ideas for dates to go on this week, no matter how much money you've got to spend. Just think of us as your cultural wingman. You're welcome. FREE ENJOY ARTS, MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE AT FED SQUARE'S BUDDHA'S DAY Keeping things fun and casual in the date department? Head along to Melbourne's incredibly diverse Buddha's Day & Multicultural Festival — taking over Federation Square from Friday, May 19 until Sunday, May 21. The event will champion multiculturalism through the arts, music, performances, workshops and Buddhist ceremonies. And for a little extra pageantry this year, there will also be some big fireworks light displays on Friday (7.45pm) and Saturday (8pm). Across the weekend, you and your date can participate in cultural ceremonies, activities and performances — or just watch on from the sidelines. There will be guided meditations, including the popular Ch'an Meditation in the pop-up Lotus Flower Sanctuary. But if that isn't your jam, simply venture into the Mindfulness Forest to find a little inner calm in Melbourne's inner city. UNDER $50 SHOW YOUR ARTISTIC PROWESS AT THIS YOGA CLASS IN A DIGITAL GALLERY If your lover is a lover of art, they're bound to be impressed when you suggest a guided yoga flow class while immersed in large-scale digital art, curated sounds and a bespoke aroma. Multi-sensory art gallery The Lume is currently showcasing the works of Monet and his French impressionist contemporaries via an immersive display of room-sized moving images, aromas and sounds. But head along to one of the bi-weekly yoga sessions and you and your date will get to see the venue in a whole new light (and from a few new angles, too). Running Wednesday evenings (7pm) and Sunday mornings (8am) in conjunction with Happy Melon Studios, the 50-minute guided yoga classes will have you getting centred and zen as immersive large-scale visuals wash over you. The experience for each class will be designed around a different theme (such as Space and Underwater) and will feature corresponding imagery and matching soundscapes. TREAT THEM TO UNLIMITED, FRESHLY SHUCKED OYSTERS AT LILLIAN If you're celebrating something special, or just looking to celebrate your better half — head to Lillian Brasserie this autumn for unlimited oysters. Because a little aphrodisiac never hindered any date. Running every Tuesday to Sunday between 12pm–3pm, this Chris Lucas favourite is serving up bottomless salty molluscs for a bargain $44 per person. Slurp your way into the weekend by digging into as many Pacific oysters as you can handle, all freshly shucked to order. After you've treated yourself to some of the ocean's finest, you can look towards one of Lillian's daily specials, all spiked with European influences and priced at an easy $29.50. There's a confit duck leg with bacon, lentils and crispy kale, or a lighter option that pairs pumpkin, zucchini and ricotta with linguine. UNDER $100 BOND OVER A SEAFOOD TOWER AT ETTA'S NEW SATURDAY LUNCH SERIES The long, lazy weekend lunch is up there among life's greatest pleasures — and it's one that the team at Brunswick East's Etta will be celebrating right through winter. On Saturday, May 20, the renowned eatery kicks off its new Saturday feasting series, dedicated to top-notch seafood and champagne. The food lineup is set to change up weekly, though with shellfish season peaking, you can be sure of some sensational seafood no matter what. Each week's haul will be served as a tantalisingly stacked tower for $70 per person and enjoyed alongside the crackling fire from 12–2pm. And, since seafood and fizz are a match made in culinary heaven, Etta will be pouring out some primo champagne options to complement your lunch. Adding to the regular lineup of by-the-glass gems, there'll be a weekly-rotating champagne special pulled from the cellar just for the occasion. Etta's full wine list will be available, too — perfect in case you're in need of some liquid courage. ONE BIG BLOWOUT SWAP HOME FOR A FANCY MELBOURNE STAYCATION FOR THE WEEKEND If you're looking for a luxe weekend away in Melbourne, you're in luck. Victoria has delivered a swathe of brand spanking new hotels with all the luxe vibes of a southern White Lotus. One such hotel is The Royce, following a two-year renovation of their gorgeous heritage building. The Royce has opened in the most understated way possible – which is perfectly befitting the luxury hotel, formerly a Rolls Royce showroom but now aimed at high-end business clientele and weekend travellers looking for impeccable service, generous rooms and luxe amenities. The Royce is delightfully decadent, but never garishly so – and its spot on St Kilda Road in South Yarra delivers city fringe convenience with excellent location amenity for those keen on a morning run around The Tan or a late night cocktail on Chapel. Their press release may have described the "capacious lounge" adorned with a 2-metre wide chandelier and a 14-metre curved marble fireplace, but this is certainly no Burberry tote housing fold-up ballet flats. Top Image: Lillian, supplied.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and do that giant street artwork you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Sydney street artist and skateboarder Sid Tapia is no stranger to the concept of fear and overcoming it. In a career that started at age ten, he's hung out of train doors to tag them, skateboarded at a pro level and even founded his own label, Crown St. But it was in channelling a little 'Sine Metu' that Sid ultimately found his direction. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Sid's being a total legend and helping us give away a personalised street art piece by Sid himself on a free wall somewhere in Sydney. You'll get a high-res photo taken with the work and we'll frame it and deliver it to your door, so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Enter here to win.
Arts festivals courting controversy isn't anything new. Arts festivals weathering a backlash when their shows stir up a range of responses isn't, either. However, Edinburgh Festival's reaction to its planned staging of Così fan tutte might just be a first: they're offering patrons refunds before it even opens. The strange situation, reported by The Guardian, is a result of the fest's organisers programming Christophe Honoré's take on Mozart's and da Ponte's famous opera sight unseen and then checking out its world premiere at France's Aix-en-Provence festival. With the director setting his updated version in east African Eritrea during the 1930s — which was still colonised by Italy at the time — a layer of racial tension was always going to be evident. That it would be labelled a "brutal, shaming experience" with "a volatile, violent racism" by New York Times critic Zachary Woolfe obviously wasn't as expected. Woolfe's comments partially stem from Honoré's decision to use actors wearing blackface makeup to dress up as African mercenaries to try to test their lovers' faithfulness, as well the inclusion of a rape in its opening scene, plus other graphic depictions of violence and abuse. He certainly isn't alone in highlighting the tough nature of the performance — though his and other reviews have found positives as well. Opera Today's critic called it a "witty comedy" while noting that he overheard "offense expressed at the in-your-face exposition of racism". Opera News described it as "a dense exploration of desire and violence" that alerted the audience "to its own uncomfortable prejudices". In fact, Edinburgh's programmers used terms like "provocative", "sexually explicit", "stark" and "challenging" in their own synopsis, but obviously feel that wasn't warning enough. And the tale of Così fan tutte has always been considered a little problematic given its sexual politics. It is about a couple of guys donning disguises and trying to trick their fiancées into cheating on them to win a bet about the nature of women, after all — and its title does translate as "women are like that" as well. Pre-emptively giving customers their money back before they even get a chance to see what all the fuss is about seems a little extreme — then again, so does putting a clearly tricky piece in the festival without really knowing how it is going to turn out. Of course, arts festivals are designed to champion material that tests the limits — but whether Honoré's Così fan tutte is as boundary-pushing as suggested, Edinburgh is certainly charting new territory when it comes to apologising before the curtain has even been raised. Via The Guardian. Image: Aix-en-Provence.
Dodge laser trip wires. Hack computers. Crack the safe and go home with the gold. Pop Up Playground's newest immersive game, Small Time Criminals, takes you into every old school cops and robbers movie ever made. With the slogan "one last job before going straight", the game will be a dream come true for fans of Ocean's Eleven, The Pink Panther, Heat and The Score. The newly opened immersive simulation gives guests the run of a two-story building in Preston where they will find themselves in the throes of a 'real live' bank heist. You'll have the option to play as a team of master thieves or as detectives hot on their trail, though we find it hard to believe anyone will choose the latter. How often do you get to rob a bank without the inevitable consequence of Al Pacino hunting you down? Australian-based live games company Pop-Up Playground has been knocking out these types of genius concepts since 2011, with clients across Melbourne, New York, the UK and Copenhagen. They've worked with the likes of the Freeplay independent games festival and NY's Come Out and Play, so you can bet this one will be worth the pretty penny. Immersive theatre has continued to become increasingly popular across Australia — from The Hungry Ghost Walk app to Sydney's The Age of Entitlement, last year's Blackmarket performance around Kings Cross to an immersive Halloween Feast, we can't seem to get enough of the action. As far as Small Time Criminals goes, the day will combine live performers, digital puzzles and environmental challenges to keep players thoroughly in the game. From embezzlement to love affairs and murder, this immersion will make you feel as dangerous as it gets — as long as you don't get caught. Small Time Criminals will run at The Bank Immersive Theatre located at 641 Plenty Rd, Preston. Bookings are available from Thursdays to Sundays.
One of the most important donations in years for Australia's contemporary art scene, a millionaire Melbourne property developer has endowed Melbourne University with a $26 million gift of his epic private collection — and a place to exhibit them all. The Michael Buxton Centre of Contemporary Art (or the rather awkward sounding MBCOCA) is a brand new, purpose-built museum set to open in 2017 at the University of Melbourne's Southbank campus. An entrepreneurial developer with a keen interest in contemporary art, Buxton has collected more than 300 works in a variety of media over 30 years. "Our acquisition policy has… focused squarely on supporting living artists and working alongside them to foster and support their careers," he told ArtsHub. The collection provides valuable insight into the stylistic development of the 53 artists it includes; from the paintings of Howard Arkley and Mike Parr, to the photography of Tracey Moffatt and Bill Henson as well as the sculpture and installation work of Ricky Swallow and Patricia Piccinini, among others. By donating such a showstopper collection to an institution like the University of Melbourne, Buxton hopes to ensure its longevity. The new museum will serve as a major resource for students as well as the public in general. "We are educating future generations of students and serving as a resource for all Australians aspiring to understand or collect challenging contemporary art," he told The Australian. Plus, building the new museum opposite the National Gallery of Victoria and next to the Victorian College of the Arts will well and truly cement Southbank's reputation as the city's premier arts precinct. The Buxton family will remain involved, providing funds for the museum's construction and maintenance over the next 20 years. New works will also continue to be collected, ensuring the museum remains a dynamic, evolving collection of works by the biggest and brightest contemporary artists of today. See more of the collection on the Michael Buxton Collection website. Via ArtsHub and The Australian. Image credit: From the ABC, Stephen Bush, Shout on the hills of glory, 2008.
"There's nothing to watch" is something Melburnians can't reasonably utter in August. When the Melbourne International Film Festival rolls around for its 66th instalment between August 3 and 20, it'll bring with it a whopping 358 films in total, representing 68 countries, and including 251 features, 88 shorts, 17 virtual reality experiences and 12 talks. Indeed, this year's lineup offers up everything from tense wilderness treks to science fiction retrospectives and all-night marathons, plus all of the Cannes hits and virtual reality aplenty. And, that's just a taste of the jam-packed program that'll be taking over the city's screens. As for what else you should feast your eyes on while you're ostensibly living in a cinema come MIFF time, here are our must-watch recommendations. THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER If we could only see one film at this year's MIFF, this would be it. One of the Greek weird wave's leading voices, Yorgos Lanthimos makes the kind of movies that audiences either love or hate — Dogtooth, Alps and The Lobster — but if you fall into the first category, his films are compulsory viewing. Dark, absurd, scathing and insightful is his niche, which The Killing of a Sacred Deer promises to fit into nicely. Reuniting with Colin Farrell, and enlisting Nicole Kidman, Alicia Silverstone and Dunkirk's seafaring Barry Keoghan as well, Lanthimos' latest charts a strange friendship between a doctor and a teenager. Thoroughly intrigued. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNndmppBgwM HAVE YOU SEEN THE LISTERS? After making the best Australian documentary of 2014 — skating effort All This Mayhem — filmmaker Eddie Martin returns with another distinctively local story. This time, he's jumping into quite the creative juxtaposition in Brisbane, where street artist Anthony Lister was once encouraged to paint dozens of the city's traffic signal boxes, only to be taken to court by them on graffiti-related charges 15 years later. The tale that unravels between those two extremes is one of ups and downs, which Martin captures in candid detail. Whether you've seen his Brissie work, his large-scale gallery pieces or are new to Lister's output, this probing portrait is essential viewing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dEksjpe0Ds CELIA If rare chances to see seldom screened classic films is your idea of film festival fun, then coming-of-age horror effort Celia should definitely be on your MIFF list. Newly digitally restored by the National Film and Sound Archive, the Melbourne-set movie takes '50s communist paranoia, a rabbit plague and a grief-stricken nine-year-old, throws in visions of scary monsters, and comes up with a politically astute examination of growing up and navigating Australian suburbia. The debut feature from Aussie filmmaker Ann Turner, it screens as part of MIFF's ace Pioneering Women retrospective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fybwL9tY9qY FACES PLACES Trailblazer Agnes Varda is a genuine filmmaking treasure. The Belgian-born director made her first feature in 1955, was an instrumental part of the French New Wave, and turns in her latest documentary at the age of 89. Called Faces Places, it whisks the delightful Varda and street artist JR on a tour of rural France, with the duo not only taking photos — and driving around in a van kitted out as a mobile photography lab — but leaving them wherever they go. The end result shapes up as a snapshot not only of the countryside they're travelling through and its inhabitants, but of the pair at the centre of the doco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKaJ2fIVBfE IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD Think Japanese animation, and Studio Ghibli instantly comes to mind thanks to their gorgeous visuals, expert handling of story and emotion, and all-round enchanting vibe. In This Corner of the World isn't a Ghibli film, but saying that it feels like one really is the highest praise we can muster. Indeed, writer/director Sunao Katabuchi was an assistant director on Kiki's Delivery Service, however, his latest effort is all his own. Exploring the life of a teenager wed to a young naval clerk in Hiroshima, the World War II-set movie is as poetic as it is perceptive as it combines a coming-of-age tale with a personal account of times of combat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZX7HsIWty0 BEATRIZ AT DINNER Director Miguel Arteta and writer Mike White last joined forces on acclaimed TV series Enlightened, so saying that their latest collaboration is eagerly anticipated is a bit of an understatement. And, they're just some of the talented folks involved with Beatriz at Dinner, which stars Salma Hayek as the titular character, and also features John Lithgow, Chloë Sevigny, Connie Britton and Jay Duplass. As the name gives away, an evening meal is on the menu — and as anyone who has seen a dinner-set flick can predict, so is quite the social satire. Come for a great performance by Hayek, stay for a timely comedic look at the state of modern America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KLLkj84GAo LUCKY Twin Peaks fans, rejoice. MIFF mightn't be screening the best thing to hit TV this year, but it does have the big screen Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch collaboration you didn't know you needed. Directed by actor turned first-time filmmaker John Carroll Lynch (Zodiac), Lucky follows an elderly man's interactions with his fellow residents in a small desert town. It shouldn't come as a surprise that it was actually written with the now 91-year-old Stanton in mind. BPM Taking out two top awards at this year's Cannes Film Festival — the Grand Prix and the Queer Palm — BPM dives headfirst into the world of '80s AIDS activism. Drawing upon his own experiences as a member of advocacy group Act Up-Paris, Eastern Boys filmmaker Robin Campillo steps back into the fight for recognition, medical treatment and fairness, charting the changes that spring when a new member joins the group. Given the writer/director/editor's personal ties to the material, and the general topic, expect a film seething with passion, authenticity and urgency. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLQGWawyRmA TEHRAN TABOO It's not every day a filmmaker crafts an animated account of sexual taboos in Islamic society — and it's not every day that audiences get to see one either. The first film by Iranian-born, Germany-based director Ali Soozandeh, Tehran Taboo lifts the veil on the reality of life for three women coping with everyday oppression. Here, a sex worker, a trapped wife and a struggling musician share their stories, in a feature that shines an unblinking light on repression, corruption and double standards through the use of abstract animation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbsOq2uPDBI BOBBI JENE Named best documentary at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, and receiving awards for cinematography and editing as well, Bobbi Jene dissects the story of American dancer Bobbi Jene Smith. A star at the Batsheva Dance Company in her teens, her life proves significantly different a decade later as she endeavours to chase new dreams and find her place in the world. While that might sound familiar, it's the intimacy and honesty of Elvira Lind's doco that has won the film fans — and is helping this dance-focused portrait pirouette its way to the top of the genre. Still have some room on your mini-pass or passport? Don't worry, we have more picks. We've been buzzing about quite a bit of MIFF's program for a while now — and we've already seen some of it — but we'll try to keep it brief. From the international festival circuit, Sundance titles we've been keen on include Ingrid Goes West, Beach Rats, I Dream in Another Language, Marjorie Prime, Step, Patti Cakes, Tokyo Idols, Axolotl Overkill, 78/52 and The Nile Hilton Incident, while SXSW's Song to Song and Most Beautiful Island also have our tick of approval. And, we saw and loved Call Me By Your Name, A Fantastic Woman, The Party, On Body and Soul, Spoor, I Am Not Your Negro, On the Beach at Night Alone and God's Own Country at Berlinale. We've also been eager for Wonderstruck since it played at Cannes. Closer to home, we were bubbling over about The Untamed, Spookers, Mountain, In the Fade and Otherlife before this year's Sydney Film Festival — and about Ali's Wedding, Good Time, The Square, Austerlitz and Brigsby Bear afterwards. Queensland Film Festival's Claire's Camera, The Endless and Nocturama got us running to the cinema, while Melburnians can catch the Scandinavian Film Festival's Sami Blood at MIFF as well. Plus, don't forget opening night's Jungle and Michael Haneke's Happy End too. Yes, we've just added even more flicks to your MIFF must-see list — but you do have 18 days of cinema viewing to fill. The 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from August 3 to 20. To view the complete program and buy tickets, visit the MIFF website.
Once every year, a different kind of festival is held in Brisbane — one that doesn't market itself on glow sticks, or ironic henna, or even prolific recreational drug use. It's a festival more for the artists, their scene and the Australian industry itself: Bigsound. Over three days in September, an eclectic collection of musicians is given their shot to play not just some of Brisbane's best venues for some of its best crowds, but also for industry professionals, booking agents, and labels; the big-wig types that usually hang out exclusively in Sydney and Melbourne and are always searching for that 'new sound'. For the somewhat isolated arts scene of Queensland, Bigsound is the annual chance of a lifetime, and acts as a cross-section of Australia's up and coming. Although criticised in recent years for pushing a lineup that includes already represented and well established performers, Bigsound's 2016 bunch still has a few untapped talents and diamonds in the rough. Here are five new artists playing Bigsound this year, not to be missed if you want to claim 'knew-them-before-they-were-cool' bragging rights in years to come. MOSQUITO COAST Last year's triple j Unearthed High winners, Mosquito Coast are riding the Australian airwaves to 'household name' status, but given they are both only 18 years of age, they definitely warrant the title of a 'new' band. Playing music so beach-inspired its practically sunburnt, this duo is nothing if not very, very chill. Breezy guitar lines, hard to forget lyrics, friendly drums — everything you'd want on the radio on a day it's too hot to think. Their main track 'Call My Name' hit #101 on triple j's Hottest 100 this year, and if they keep doing what they are doing, they're guaranteed to sneak into Australia's biggest music pedestal next year. Oh Hello! on September 7. BEC SANDRIDGE Listening to Sydney's Bec Sandridge, it's hard to imagine that anyone else playing Bigsound will bring the same charm to the stage. To call this about-to-explode artist a 'girl-popper' is unfair — would you call Anna Calvi the same? Sure, Sandridge's got pop influences, and that makes it so fun. Her music's intrinsically complex and simultaneously easy to dance to. And on top of it all, Sandridge has a set of pipes you could shamelessly compare to Blondie, Nick Cave, Kate Bush, or maybe even Bjork. The Foundry, September 7. GOOD BOY Good Boy are Brisbane boys, and boy, are they good. Doing the whole dolewave thing, this trio unabashedly sing about living hard, below the poverty line, in the northern suburbs. With King Krule-like guitar lines, over Dick Diver-like lyrics, with a bit of that regional Queensland anger and edge to them, the boys know what they're all about. They've only been bumming darbs and singing about it for a year now, but they've already played Laneway Festival, and are looking at being the canonical band for 2016 Brisbane. Who knows, maybe it'll be the start of their career as Brisbane's next Go-Betweens? Oh Hello!, September 8. PRATEEK KUHAD Prateek Kuhad isn't exactly a fresh face — he's played SXSW, opened for Alt-J on tour, and has been a showcased musician not just in his home of India, but abroad. Despite all this, he's a fresh face for Brisbane. His minimalistic folk, and his punchy, almost quirky lyrics, give his songs a cinematic quality — he wouldn't be amiss juxtaposing a wide-shot for Wes Anderson film, for example. His music, be it his minimalistic combination of guitar and vocals, or his somewhat wider pieces — mandolin, tambourine — are all alike in their joyous momentum. September 7, Empire Hotel. MIDDLE KIDS Middle Kids (emphasis on kids, these guys have only been around since late February) are a Sydney trio- all about the music- tight harmonies and chill times. Dropping their EP Edge of Town, a distorted harmony of fragile vocals, steel guitar, and abyss inspired timbres, these kids might be young, but they are being seen and heard all over Australia. Playing Oh Hello! on 8 September, Middle Kids, have a good thing going-it's lo-fi, but it's kinda popping, with a little bit of folk, maybe an aftertaste of punk, there's something in their simple songs for everyone. Bigsound runs September 7-9 across multiple Brisbane venues. Find the whole Bigsound program on their website.
One of the few elevators in Melbourne with its own security team, the entrance for Naked in the Sky is hot property no matter what the season. Over the summer months gaining entry is a crowning achievement, so get there early to maximise sunset time with minimal disappointment. The joy of being so high is such a natural pleasure. From the balcony of Naked in the Sky, fill your lungs with the clean air Fitzroy never thought it had and take in the lay of the land. It's a refreshing escape from all the sirens and exhaust fumes of Johnston Street, while still maintaining prime position to watch a night of Brunswick Street fun unfold. The top-floor bar is cleverly divided into an indoor dining space and an outdoor drinking area. The partly-sheltered balcony loops the rooftop, making it a revolving conveyor belt of Fitzroy's hip crowd, primed for people watching. The panoramic terrace ensures a visually pleasing view from any perch, whether it is the tower-studded skyline to the south, down to Clifton Hill to the north or east up to the Kew hills. The exposed brick facade, with lanterns strung up high between the gables, gives the air of a Spanish fiesta — perfect for both a troop of 20 or an intimate affair with a backdrop of city lights. A selection of Spanish and Australian boutique beers sit along the 15-metre bar, as well as those brewed exclusively for Naked consumption. True to its origins there is also an extensive selection of house-infused vodkas such as Naked Bitch Chilli & Cherry, the Opium & Rose or the Alpine Chocolate & Sugarcane. To compliment your drinks is a sumptuous menu that puts ground level bar food to shame. Try the crumbed eggplant with honey and blue cheese ($9) or the meatballs in a cherry and thyme sauce ($14). The dining area offers a selection of Basque-inspired peasant comfort food, although there is nothing peasant about dishes such as the pan seared quail with pancetta and mushrooms ($16). Much like distilling batches of clandestine vodka, it can get pretty hot up there in the sky, although — despite the name — getting naked is not encouraged. Best save that for later on in the night.
21st Century Fox have taken their sweet time with this one. After 26 years of The Simpsons, the supreme rights owners of the show are teaming up with an a brewery to create an actual, officially-licensed Duff Beer. This news comes as particularly bittersweet to Ausralians, who enjoyed blissful years of novelty drinking with Woolworths' unofficial version of Duff — until it was tragically banned in 2014 for being too appealing to children. We're not the only ones to tried to live the dream, Colombia, Mexico and Germany are just two other starry-eyed Simpsons-loving countries who also created bootlegged Duff. According to the Wall Street Journal, it was this heaving market of fake Duffs and their inevitable lawsuits which pushed Fox to start brewing their own. Basically, if Fox had an official Duff on the market, they'd have a stronger legal foot to stand on and there'd be less of this: But don't get your hopes up too quickly. Outside Universal Orlando's Springfield theme park, the official Duff Beer will only be available in Chile for now (where Fox has been fighting a huge rise of unauthorised versions of the beer). But apparently a worldwide release is being considered, so you could be smashin' Duffs in the near future. Now, let's finally address the elephant in the room — what's Duff going to taste like? Let's be honest, Duff isn't exactly celebrated for being a top quality brew; it's the VB of Springfield. So Fox has been working with British brewmaster Paul Farnsworth to create a recipe to make fans and beer drinkers happy. “It’s a premium lager,” he told WSJ. “It’s got a very good balance of flavor and refreshment to it. It’s fairly deep golden in color. It’s got a hint of fruit to it. It’s got a caramel aromatic to it.” Caramel? We're not sure Moe would stock anything with "a caramel aromatic" but we'll go with for now. Via WSJ.
After his 1800 Lasagne delivery service rocketed into our culinary consciousness during iso, Joey Kellock made good on his plans for a bricks-and-mortar follow-up, opening the doors to his new Thornbury bar and eatery in November 2020. The warm, Italian-style haunt is low on pretension and filled with charming carryovers from its past life as an old-school pizza joint. A softly lit front bar is all exposed brick arches, timber panelling and curved high-top tables, leading to an intimate dining room through the back and cosy, vine-covered courtyard. [caption id="attachment_795675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joey[/caption] The food offering is short and sweet, kicking off with snacks like garlic bread and plates of salumi. Two of Kellock's legendary lasagne varieties have permanent spots on the menu — the beef and pork combo, and a vegetarian-friendly melanzane (eggplant) version — though you'll also find the odd special. Match your 1800 Lasagne feed with a ricotta, roast tomato and basil salad, or another option with cos, anchovy cream and grana. [caption id="attachment_795681" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 1800 Lasagne, by Parker Blain[/caption] The Italian vibe extends to the drinks offering, full of things to enjoy either with or without a hefty serve of lasagne in front of you. There's wine from the tap and the bottle, showcasing plenty of Italian varietals, alongside just a couple of beers — draught sours and lagers and bottles of Peroni. Balmy evenings might call for something from the five-strong spritz lineup, while cocktails run to the likes of an Americano, amaretto sour and classic martini. Images: Parker Blain Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pasta in Melbourne for 2023
Dust off your deckchairs and shake out those summer-lovin' picnic rugs because the lineup for A Day on the Green's November/December instalment has just dropped and phwoar, it's pretty darn good. Playing dates at various luxe wineries around the country, alt-rock superstars Garbage will make their triumphant return to Australia, joined by local legends The Temper Trap, The Preatures, Adalita and Tash Sultana in a lineup that champions some seriously killer frontwomen. Picture Shirley Manson, Isabella Manfredi and Adalita on the same stage — fingers crossed for an all-in song. This is the first time Garbage has played in Australia since 2013, and is culminating with their latest release Strange Little Birds. Take a moment to revisit their 1995 hit 'Only Happy When It Rains', because Thursday. The Temper Trap will also be playing their first shows since releasing their third album Thick As Thieves, which has been garnering some widespread airtime both locally and internationally. Early Christmas present anyone? A DAY ON THE GREEN 2016 TOUR DATES: Sat Nov 26 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley Sun Nov 27 — Leconfield Wines, McLaren Vale Tues Nov 29 — Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth (*Tash Sultana/Adalita not playing Perth) Sat Dec 3 — Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley Sun Dec 4 — Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton Tickets go on sale Monday, August 8 at 12pm, starting at $99.90 +BF from ticketmaster.com.
Music festivals aren’t usually the most pet-friendly of places. Or at least they haven't been until now. Bounding into Burnley Park in Richmond this Sunday, the excellently-named Dogapalooza is Melbourne's first ever music festival designed to be 100 percent pooch-inclusive. Presented by Oscar's Law, One Little Indian and Artemis Pet Food, Dogapalooza is a festival for both dogs and the people who love them. There'll be ethical food options, including vegan barbecue, as well as stalls selling boutique dog products and Dogapalooza merchandise. The event is BYO beer, wine and pre-mixed spirits — sorry, no hard stuff. The music lineup will feature local acts such as Tash Sultana, Monique Brumby, Harrison Storm, Amistat and DJ double act Cocoa Noire. In a perfect world, they'd also have managed to get Bow Wow Wow on board... but we guess you can't have everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMICD3aMZpw Great song. Whatever happened to those guys, anyway? Meanwhile, the best thing about Dogapalooza is that all proceeds from ticket sales are getting donated to local animal rescue groups, including Stafford Rescue Victoria, Paws Of Love, Melbourne Animal Rescue, German Shepherd Rescue Victoria, Puppy Tales Rescue, and Kayas Mission. Frankly, if that doesn't get your tail wagging, then we don't know what will. Now the bad news: tickets to Dogapalooza are already completely sold-out. Sorry guys. Turns out people really, really like puppies.
The next time you're pulling your hair out waiting for a delayed train at Flinders Street Station, take a couple of deep breaths and then make your way down to The Arbory. Nestled between the railway line and the river, Melbourne's longest eatery and bar has been open for business since February, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as one of the tastiest cheeseburgers in town. But it's actually their latest beverage option that has really grabbed our attention. We're talking about nitro espresso martinis. On tap. The caffeinated cocktail is made with vodka, kahlua, sugar and organic Arabica espresso cold drip from South Yarra outfit Little Drippa. "It's very similar in many aspects to a classic espresso martini," says Arbory venue manager Tom Byrne. "When it comes out of the keg it's got a similar creaminess to it, but it's a darker colour and the foam that's created is almost stout-like. It's one of those things that you've just got to try." In addition to their boozy espresso dispenser, a second tap at the Arbory will pour a gin-based beverage made with Lillet Blanc, mint, basil, lemon verbena and soda water. Byrne likens it to their version of a mojito, "in the fact that you just want to drink it all day." "We've seen a few [cocktails on tap] around, but they're always pretty boring," said Byrne. "It's usually a Pimm's and soda...something very generic and standard that they just pump out. We were hoping to do something with a bit more skill and complexity. Really I just wanted to see if we could do it, and we've been thrilled with the results." The Arbory's new cocktails will be available from Saturday September 12, just in time for commuters to take advantage of the improving weather. And yeah, we can definitely see ourselves substituting the espresso martini for our regular morning coffee as we exit the station on our way to work. Although come to think of it, a double dose of vodka and kahlua probably won't lead to the most productive day at the office. The Arbory is located on Flinders Walk, Melbourne, behind Flinders Street Station. Image credit: Simon Shiff.
Sometimes, the semblance of reality can be just as powerful as reality itself. Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich has put this idea to the test (in the prettiest way possible). He’s built an underground swimming pool that looks like it’s filled with water. Built in 2004, the pool is a permanent installation at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan — after a stint at MoMA PS1 in New York. Standing above it, watching the sunlight filter through what seems to be shimmering liquid, viewers are pretty much ready to jump in. But, stepping closer, they soon discover that, what looks like a deep pool is a 10cm-high layer of water, encased in glass, and suspended over an empty space. Visitors can actually step into this empty space and look upwards — it’s a photographer’s dream. Consequently images of fully-clothed toddlers and adults in business suits seemingly submerged have flooded the Internet. The 21st Century Museum site reads, “While undermining our everyday assumptions about what we think to be obvious, the work invites our active involvement in its spaces — once we catch on to its deception — and produces a sense of connection between people looking at each other.” Erlich was born in Buenos Aires in 1973 and still lives there. He has exhibited all over the world, from London’s Barbican to New York’s Sean Kelly Gallery. Via Fubiz. Images: Leandro Erlich.
Melbourne's purveyors of fine stadium-ready electropop Client Liaison, have finally dropped their long-awaited video for newest single 'Off White Limousine' and it stars a pretty damn slick-looking Melbourne CBD. Directed by Zachary Bradtke (BANALARAMA) and Tobias Willis (KEWL), this little piece of storytelling gold is more akin to a short film, brimming with excess as it follows your favourite pair of pastel-loving hotshots through the streets of Melbourne. Expect six and a half lush minutes of sweeping Melbourne skyline shots, Collins Street motorcades, Flinders Street Station glimmers, St Kilda trams, extravagant suits, free-flowing Champagne labelled as Fosters, and assassination attempts, with none other than Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones' Hodor) acting as limo driver. Have a watch: Not shy of dabbling in a few different projects (Client Liaison followed the success of their debut record Diplomatic Immunity with the launch of a fashion range, Designer Line), the duo's also announced a foray into the limo biz. Yep, you'll soon be able to hire that soon-to-be-iconic, off-white chariot for affordably stylish jaunts in Victoria. They're taking expressions for A Limousine Service Courtesy of Client Liaison here. Client Liaison's Diplomatic Immunity Australian tour is selling fast. See the Client Liaison website for dates and venues.
Renowned Melbourne street artist Rone is no stranger to the intersection of beauty and decay, and you'll find this theme tying together much of what he puts his hands to. But his latest work really slaps you in the face with it — part exhibition, part installation, the artist's newest large-scale works are located inside an abandoned weatherboard house in the Melbourne suburb of Alphington. Dubbed The Omega Project, Rone has transformed each room in the house — including the kitchen, dining room and bedroom — into haunting mini installations. He spent weeks working his magic within an actual demolition zone, given free reign by developers to transform the last remaining house on the former Amcor paper mill site from an early-1900s weatherboard cottage into what he describes as 'a fantasy film set'. In striking contrast with the surrounding destruction, the space features the artist's signature Jane Doe portraits adorning the walls, while interior stylist Carly Spooner has gone all out with the chenille bedspreads and wood-grain telly sets to recreate the look of a classic, mid-century suburban Aussie pad. This isn't Rone's first time at the demolition zone rodeo, either — last year he held a solo exhibition Empty in Fitzroy's about-to-be-demolished Star Lyric Theatre. And, adopting the transience of the street art you spy splashed across the urban landscape, this exhibition isn't sticking around for long at all — catch it from Saturday, July 22 until Sunday, July 30 before it, too, meets the demo crew. The Omega Project by Rone will open to the public from July 22–30. RSVP to have the exhibition's exact location revealed to you via email. Find more info here.
Nothing leaves you feeling quite as accomplished as greeting the world early on a weekend morning, especially if it's for an activity that's way more fun and more delicious than your usual Saturday snooze session. To find yourself simply fizzing with Saturday morning good vibes, haul yourself out of bed nice and early so you can beat even the most eager crowds to the Queen Victoria Market. Behind the storied yellow facade of Melbourne's largest 19th century market, the produce sections open as early as 6am, with the specialty shopping stalls following suit at 8am. Hit the deli hall for a strong latte from the masters at Market Lane Coffee (who are also on Collins Street), teamed with a breakfast of warm borek (a pie-like pastry from the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia), courtesy of market favourite, The Borek Shop. That should leave you sufficiently fuelled for a morning spent perusing Queen Vic's many varied treasures. Its menu includes delights such as spicy lamb boreks, lamb kofta wraps and turkey, salami is egg pides if you're a meat eater. And if you're not, you are especially covered with an array of options including chickpea roundabouts, zucchini fritters, spicy vegetable gozlemes, bean salads, cheese boreks, falafel wraps and egg, cheese and spinach pides.
The legendary, controversial, performance artist who does 'nothing' is finally returning to Australia after a 17-year absence. The subject of two major projects at Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), and an already semi-announced residency at Pier 2/3 with Kaldor Public Art Projects, Marina Abramovic is heading our way this June. Beloved and equally criticised, 67-year-old Abramovic has been invited by both MONA's David Walsh and John Kaldor to create a two experiences for the public — a retrospective solo exhibition at MONA called Private Archaeology, beginning June 13 and running to October 5, followed on June 24 (through July 5) by Kaldor Projects’ Marina Abramovic: In Residence, with a series of exercises from the Abramovic Method happening over twelve days at Pier 2/3 from June 24 to July 5. On the one hand, the MONA show Private Archaeology will be a major exhibition showing her early foundational work with German artist and Abramovic's former lover and collaborative partner Ulay, as well as more recent work. The exhibition intends to anchor the artist's current work in a historic context, featuring those pivotal solo works that brashly explored the artist's physical and mental limits. With Abramovic the main curator of the show, the works are 98 percent confirmed according to Walsh — who apparently wants to be as surprised as the audience when the exhibition opens. "Christ died on the Cross for our sins. So the New Testament tells us. Hopefully, I’ll do something worthy of his sacrifice one day. I’ve got real potential when it comes to sin," says Walsh. "Marina Abramovic seems to operate for all us. Her sins, her excesses, her minimalist, egocentric actions define the boundaries of what it is to be human. I would do the stuff she does if I had the balls. And the brains. And the desperation to understand. I’d rather be represented by a sinner than a saint." On the other, Kaldor Projects’ Marina Abramovic: In Residence, will see the artist present for twelve days of classic Abramovic 'performances' (although she doesn't like to call them that). Leading on from the Serpentine Galleries exhibition 512 Hours, the artist's Sydney project will focus on audience participation with intense works like Counting the rice and her famous 'gaze' work — a play on her work The Artist is Present performed in New York's Museum of Modern Art, where you're asked to sit face-to-face with a stranger for a certain period (apparently Kaldor's still in contact with the stranger he sat opposite at the Serpentine). Abramovic will work with collaborator Lynsey Peisinger to create a series of spaces for exhibition visitors that invoke certain physical and psychological states. "In Sydney, for Marina Abramovic: In Residence, I will be like a conductor in the exhibition space, but it will be the public who take the physical and emotional journey," says Ambramovic. "We constantly like to be entertained, to get things from outside. We never take time to get in touch with ourselves... our inner self. My function in this new kind of performance situation is to show you, through the Abramovic Method, what you can do for yourself." There will also be artist residencies offered to 12 lucky Australian artists for the twelve day exhibition, all of whom will have mentoring from Abramovic herself. Best bit for the public? It's all free. This is a big time pull for Australia, with two of the country's leading private arts patrons, Walsh and Kaldor, both separately approaching Abramovic, and both landing a 'yes'. Kaldor approached Abramovic following her successful involvement in Kaldor Project's applauded group exhibition 13 Rooms at Pier 2/3 — the work, Luminosity, which saw a naked artist wall-mounted on a bicycle seat for long periods of time (and didn't star Abramovic herself). Walsh approached the artist after meeting her over five years ago in Amsterdam. But this isn't the first time Abramovic has been to Australia; before presenting Gold found by the artists with Ulay at the 1979 Biennale of Sydney, the artist spent a cheeky five months with an Aboriginal community in central Australia in the '80s (and raised a baby kangaroo and cuddled this sheep). Private Archaeology opens at MONA on June 13 and runs through October 5. Kaldor Public Art Projects’ Marina Abramovi?: In Residence at Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay opens June 24 and runs through July 5.
The sun is staying out longer, and it's time to start utilising all our glorious parkland again — Moonlight Cinema is back for another year. From December until March, this local favourite is the place to be for the most explosive action-packed blockbusters, the latest comedy releases and even the odd sing-a-long. Going on sale today, the December–January portion of the program is basically a hit list of the summer's biggest flicks. Guardians of the Galaxy and Interstellar will make for perfect viewing under the vast night sky. Ladies will be taking a leading role for a fair portion of the action with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt 1, Lucy, and the controversial Gone Girl. Then the latest comedy will be lightening the mood with Dumb and Dumber To, Horrible Bosses 2, and The Interview which sees Seth Rogen and James Franco basically going to war with North Korea. There are a few lesser known titles to watch out for too. The yet-to-be-released Birdman will see Michael Keaton poking fun at his days as the caped crusader alongside a stellar supporting cast, the heartbreaking Still Alice has Julienne Moore tipped for a Best Actress nomination, and The Gambler sees Mark Wahlberg front an adaptation of a '70s classic. Like every year, the gates open at 7pm and screenings kick off at 8.30pm when the sun goes down. Make sure to bring your own picnic blanket — and a full picnic while you're at it. While the cinema is totally BYO, there will also be an LA-style food truck on site boasting burgers with pulled pork brisket or Southern fried chicken. You can even go all out and get a New York-style chilli cheesedog. If that sounds too good to be true, check it out for yourself — in celebration of the launch, Moonlight Cinema are hosting a free pop-up picnic in Sydney's Martin Place right now. Run! Check out the full program at the Moonlight Cinema website. Tickets are $15-35 depending on whether you opt for the 'Gold Grass' option (where you are given the best spots and beanbags in the house).
