For everyone who can't make a trip to IKEA to buy furniture and homewares without eating meatballs, but also doesn't eat meat, the Swedish retailer has added both vegetarian and plant-based versions to its range in recent years, including Down Under. But what if you feel the same about the chain's hot dogs? Enter IKEA's plant dogs, which have just hit Australian stores. Let's be honest — getting through a visit to the brand's warehouse-sized outlets doesn't just involve shopping, and also deciding that everything in your house could use a facelift, but also working up an appetite while browsing and buying. Accordingly, it usually entails tucking into one of IKEA's famed bites, whether you're sitting down for those meatballs mid-shop or nabbing a hot dog on the way to the car. Obviously, the original meaty hot dogs that've been on offer for more than four decades aren't going anywhere; however, these new plant dogs expand the range. They're made from rice protein, plus carrot, onion and apple — and they'll set you back $2 a dog. IKEA is working to make 50 percent of the meals in its restaurant meals plant-based by 2025, with offering plant dogs the next step in that direction. In Sydney only, on four individual dates, the brand is also busting out a plant dog truck to hand out freebies. You'll find it at IKEA Marsden Park from 2–6pm on Tuesday, May 28 and at IKEA Tempe from 11am–3pm on Wednesday, May 29. After that, it's popping up at Centenary Square in Parramatta from 12–4pm on Thursday, May 30 and at Dolphin Court at Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach, from 11am–3pm on Saturday, June 1. To nab a free taste — your choice of a plant dog or plant balls — from the yellow-hued truck at its Sydney stops, you will need to show your IKEA Family membership (and if you're not already a member, you can sign up for free online). IKEA's plant dogs are now available at its Australian stores — head to the chain's website for further details. The IKEA plant dog truck is popping up across Sydney from Tuesday, May 28–Thursday, May 30 and on Saturday, June 1.
You like gin. You drink G&Ts on a regular basis. But how well do you know the botanicals you're drinking? Bombay Sapphire has teamed up with a group of artists, chefs and bartenders to take you on a sensory adventure of where its botanicals are sourced. During the two-hour experience, aptly named Project Botanicals, guests will be given the global botanical tour — just pretend you're sampling coriander in Morocco and picking cubeb berries in Java. An important part of the sensory experience is the food and drink. Four dishes, cooked by Studio Neon chef Aaron Teece, will be paired with four cocktails created by some of Sydney's favourite bars. It's not just a standard food and drink pairing, though — the tasting experience will be interactive. You'll pick lemons, which are actually lemon cheesecakes, under a grove of trees in Spain while sipping on a drink created by Sydney's Mjolner. Next, wander down backstreets in China drinking Bar Moncur's liquorice-laced Jasmine Bloom and eating duck pancakes. You'll then travel across the globe some more before ending in Morocco with a lamb tagine and a vibrant cocktail from Union Electric. Throughout the immersive journey a 360-degree audio-visual artwork, created by Australian musician and producer Ta-ku together with award-winning animator Sam Price, will be playing around you. The multi-dimensional artwork, composed of music made exclusively for the event and a vivid light installation, will shift with each jump to a new location and hopes to alter perceptions of taste. Each session will run for two hours at the following times: 8.30pm on Thursday, 6pm and 8.30pm on Friday, 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 8.30pm on Saturday and 1.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.30pm on Sunday.
A new chapter is being written in the annals of Melbourne cafe culture. Opening this week on High Street in Prahran, Fourth Chapter is serving up breakfast and lunch every day of the week, and boasts a menu we can't wait to try. The sunny new spot is owned by chef Sarah Whitfield, whose other venture, Trei Cafe, has become a Glen Waverly staple. This time she's teamed up with her sister, Jessica, and the results look absolutely stellar. Their all day breakfast menu includes such appetising options as baked rhubarb, apple and blackberry porridge, paleo toast with avocado and lemon, and that old Melbourne favourite, smashed avo, served on pumpkin sourdough with pesto and haloumi. Of course those all pale in comparison to the standout items: peanut butter s'more waffles with salted caramel, grilled banana and marshmallow. Peanut Butter S'more Waffle // Grilled bananas, marshmallow & salted caramel ✌🏼️ #Melbourne #Cafe #Lunch #Breakfast #BreakfastInMelbourne #Smores #FourthChapter A photo posted by F O U R T H C H A P T E R (@fourth_chapter) on Jun 3, 2016 at 3:05am PDT In addition to their sizable list of breakfast options, Fourth Chapter also offer a small number of lunch dishes from 11am. Think Southern fried chicken bao with pickled cabbage and sriracha aioli, and a pulled beef brisket cheeseburger with chilli mayo, American cheddar and sweet potato fries. Their beverage fare includes the usual mix of coffees and teas, along with kombucha and an array of extravagant smoothies. We're particularly taken with the strawberry shortcake variety, made with coconut mylk, almond crumble and strawberries, along with maca, chia, maple and whipped coconut cream. Fourth Chapter is located at 385 High Street, Prahran. For more information visit www.fourthchapter.com.au.
While wine and deep fried drumsticks might not seem like the most obvious of pairings, it’s certainly been a winning combination for Fitzroy fried chicken joint Belle's Hot Chicken. Since opening on Gertrude Street last year, Belle's has clocked up plenty of praise for its spicy, Southern-style fried chicken, but also has found itself becoming something of a hot spot for lovers of natural wine. Inspired by their surprise success in the fermented grape realm, Belle's have announced Bar Clarine, a spinoff natural wine bar set to open right next door. Natural wine – for those of you out of the loop — is wine made with minimal chemical or mechanical intervention, allowing for a more natural appearance and taste. The wine list at Belle’s features a number of local natural wines from producers such as Bill Downie, Tom Shobbrook and Patrick Sullivan. Bar Clarine is likewise expected to offer a broad variety of natural Australian wines, as well as a smaller selection from France, Italy and Spain. The food, on the other hand, will be a different beast entirely. Belle’s chef Morgan McGlone will concoct a French-inspired menu of light, seasonal market food, with plenty of cured meats, cheeses and terrines — and not a skerrick of hot chicken in sight. The teeny Bar Clarine will share an internal entrance with Belle's, and is expected to be able to seat around 20-25 people. It's currently expected to open in the first week of April. Via Good Food.
Continuing in the tradition of online services that ensure you never have to leave your living room, a brand new website and app is launching in Melbourne that will deliver groceries right to your door. Inspired by their success in Germany, ShopWings launched in Sydney in April, and now they're expanding to our fine city. The service lets you select your groceries over the web or the brand new app, before dispatching one of its shoppers to do the busy work for you and deliver within about two hours. Basically it’s like The Iconic, but for food. After entering your postcode, visitors to ShopWings can browse offerings from Aldi (other grocery chains will inevitably follow). From there, it’s simply a matter of filling your virtual shopping cart and heading to the checkout. The delivery fee comes in at a flat $8.90 — although in order to entice customers, your first use of the service is free. Once you’ve paid via credit card or PayPal, ShopWings guarantee delivery within two hours. They currently deliver to addresses in Southbank, South Yarra, Hawthorne and Fitzroy, with plans for expansion week by week to include most postcodes within a few months. Of course ShopWings isn’t Australia’s first online grocery service. Both Coles and Woolworths already offer home delivery, while Grocery Butler has been operating since mid-2013. Where this new operation aims to stand apart is in the quality of their service. ShopWings shoppers will even get in touch with you from the grocery store if an item you selected is out of stock, so that you can pick an alternative rather than going without dinner. Test out ShopWings over here, or download the app from the Google Play store — it'll be available in the App Store for iOS in the coming weeks. Image: ShopWings.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 14, 2018 — This Saturday, February 17 the city will welcome White Night, an all-night arts festival that runs from 7pm till 7am. While the city stays up all night, so will Supafish — it's been granted an all-night licence so it can serve drinks and play tunes until the sun comes up on Sunday. Say g'day to the Yarra River's newest resident, Supafish — a 300-capacity floating pop-up bar in the form of a giant futuristic fish. It's the brainchild of DJ Grant Smillie (Melbourne City Brewing Co, and LA's E.P. & L.P.) and Andrew Mackinnon (from marketing communication agency The Taboo Group), and is set to drop anchor just metres from the boys' previous collaboration, Ponyfish Island. Launching early December, Supafish will be settling in for the long, hot months of summer, slinging cocktails and Mexican fare daily up until February 26. At 38 metres long, this one's a little smaller than The Arbory's just-launched floating summer bar Arbory Afloat, though there's certainly no missing it, what with the huge glowing eyes and neon ribcage made from galvanised steel and recycled materials. The team's set out to create an immersive experience, from top to toe. Nick Peters and Matt Lane — who are behind Mexican eateries Hotel Jesus and Mamasita — have taken the reins on the food offering, so you'll be noshing on punchy plates like ceviche and huitlacoche (which is a type of corn fungus) quesadillas. Meanwhile, a range of refreshing tap cocktails run from margaritas and espresso martinis through to signature kombucha infusions, and Smillie himself is curating the summer's music program. Supafish will open daily from 11am till 1am, until February 26.
If you thought seafood was best suited to sultry summer days, Port Melbourne's favourite seafood restaurant might change your mind. The Aussie-born chain Kickin' Inn already has 12 NSW restaurants under its belt, with this first in Melbourne opening back in 2021. Kickin' Inn took over the former Rose Hotel site and has cured those lingering winter blues with a signature offering of seafood tossed through punchy house-made 'Kajun' sauces. For the uninitiated, Port Melbourne's Kickin' Inn offers an all-in, bibs-and-gloves experience, where diners do away with cutlery and get their hands messy with bags full of prawns, mud crab, pipis and shellfish — using only the tools that your god gave you. The Cajun-inspired house sauces — here, dubbed 'Kajun' — are more than mere support acts, with the venue boasting five flavour-charged secret recipes. If feasting is on the agenda, you'll find an abundance of snacks to kick things off. These include baby octopus, mozzarella cheese sticks, freshly-shucked Sydney rock oysters and wings galore. After that, you've got some big decisions to make. Choose your main event from a slew of ocean-fresh goodies including Alaskan king crab, pounds of peeled prawns, a pile of baby octopus, blue swimmer pieces, or a mess of mussels and pipis. Pick a matching sauce, whack in some additions like corn or chorizo, and dial up the heat level as high as you dare — keeping in mind the 'inferno' option is only halfway up the scale. Meanwhile, a separate lunch menu features more solo-friendly feeds from a prawn spaghetti to a mini mixed bag of seafood served with rice. It's one of the tastiest and most fun seafood restaurants in Melbourne.
The 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival is already slated to start with a Jungle trek, take audiences on a retro sci-fi trip and showcase a hefty dose of Cannes titles. But that's just the first act — there's way (way) more where that came from. This year MIFF will screen 358 films in total, representing 68 countries, and including 251 features, 88 shorts, 17 virtual reality experiences and 12 talks. Phew. Taking over 13 venues across Melbourne from August 3 to 20, the 2017 festival — the event's 66th — also boasts 31 world premieres and 135 Australian premieres. That's quite the batch of numbers, but cinephiles only need remember one more: how many films you can cram in over the fest's 18-day run. Leading the charge among the complete program is closing night's Gurrumul Elcho Dreaming, which will enjoy its world premiere at MIFF. The documentary explores of the life and music of Aussie artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, formerly of Yothu Yindi, and ensures that this year's festival is bookended with local flicks. Elsewhere, fellow Australian picks span street art documentary Have You Seen the Listers?, Melissa George and Ewen Leslie in The Butterfly Tree, and a virtual reality peek into asylum seeker life in VR short Inside Manus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJweqjIWtbg Other new titles include the Jon Hamm and Geena Davis-starring Marjorie Prime, about holographic recreations of deceased loves ones; Beatriz at Dinner, featuring Salma Hayek, Chloe Sevigny and John Lithgow; Lucky, which sees Twin Peaks' Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch appear together on screen; and Beach Rats, this year's Sundance US Dramatic comp director winner. An IMAX screening of Terrence Malick's 40-years-in-the-making documentary Voyage of Time, the David Wenham-directed walk-and-talk effort Ellipsis, and Swedish indigenous drama Sami Blood are also on the bill, alongside a triple dose of Hong Sang-soo thanks to Yourself and Yours, Claire's Camera and On the Beach at Night Alone, as well as the world premiere of Ben Elton's newbie Three Summers. Of course, MIFF isn't just about screening films — it's also about showcasing the talented folks behind them. One of the best movies of the year so far, the Armie Hammer-starring romance Call Me By Your Name, comes to MIFF with Italian director Luca Guadagnino in attendance, while iconic Aussie filmmaker Jane Campion will introduce a screening of her new TV mini-series Top of the Lake: China Girl. Plus, diving deeper into its themed strands, this year's festival will also feature a program of '80s and early '90s Australian films directed by women, a tribute to The Party filmmaker Sally Potter's cinematic output to date and a selection of animal docos (expect chicken, rats, dolphins and more). Getting into genre territory, MIFF's usual Night Shift lineup jumps from real-life serial killer thrills with My Friend Dahmer to Takashi Miike's Blade of the Immortal to the US-made, Colombia-set The Belko Experiment from Jungle filmmaker Greg McLean, with plenty of others in between. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi2KRS_hinE All of the above joins a sizeable selection of already-revealed, excitement-worthy flicks, including The Killing of a Sacred Deer from The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos, '90s-set AIDS activism drama BPM, Palme d'Or winner The Square, Robert Pattinson crime flick Good Time, Michael Haneke's Happy End and the Andy Samberg-produced Brigsby Bear. Plus, more RPatz in The Lost City of Z, Aussie actress Emily Browning playing a Melburnian in New York opposite Jason Schwartzman and the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz in Golden Exits, swoon-inducing queer romance God's Own Country, transgender drama A Fantastic Woman, New Zealand horror amusement park-based Spookers, and Aussie efforts Ali's Wedding, Australia Day and That's Not Me are also on the stacked bill.
Take an after-dark stroll along Gertrude Street in Fitzroy and you'll find your whole world lit up in lights. Returning to the northside thoroughfare from July 15 to 24, the Gertrude Street Projection Festival will once again see a stretch along the 86 tram route transformed into a dazzling outdoor art gallery. Now in its ninth year, GSPF has well and truly hit its stride, lighting up everything from shopfronts to footpaths to the Atherton Gardens. In total, this year's program features 38 different projections from new and established artists, on display from 6pm until midnight. Once you've wandered up and down the block a few times, you can also pay a visit to the festival hub – that is, The Catfish – where you'll find everything from immersive sound installations to rockin' late night dance parties.
Smith Street is collecting good things at the moment. Jimmy Grants, Gelato Messina, Smith Street Alimentari — the list goes on. But there have been some keepers there for a while, quietly luring food lovers to the grungy Collingwood street. One of these keepers is Panama Dining Room. High above the street — some serious stairs are involved, short dresses and heels make for an awkward entrance — you'll find this loft-style dining room and bar. With huge windows there are views worth the hike alone. The bar section can get rather rowdy but the dining room remains separate allowing seclusion for optimal enjoyment of both the drinkables and eatables. The dining room menu is laid out for a three course affair. Starters like anchoiade dip with crudites ($13) and salmon rillettes with herb salad and toast ($10) stand in to whet the appetite. When it comes to the entree you can start big with the divine and gooey Australian burrata — a soft-centred mozzarella — served with salsa rossa, grilled focaccia, olive oil and rocket ($15). Seriously, do it. Or if you're feeling a little more reserved you can go for a delicate warm prawn and smoked octopus salad with kipfler potatoes, green olives and espelette pepper ($16). Mains come in the form of pillow-soft citrus infused potato gnocchi served with fresh peas, tomatoes, leek and almond puree and parmesan crisps ($26.50), or hearty chargrilled grain-fed porterhouse steak (medium rare) with a porcini, truffle and confit garlic butter, duck fat chips and watercress salad ($33). Now, to the sweeter side of things. A flourless chocolate cake served with cherry compote and milk chocolate ganache ($14.50) is a decadent choice, while a bite-sized option comes in the form of a salted caramel praline macaron ($4.50 each). You can also go for a cheese platter of two, three or four cheeses. The Beeler Hoch Ybrig from Switzerland is strong with a sweetness to it, while the Woodside Figaro from SA is a crumbly soft goats cheese with a rich texture and flavour. The wine list is lengthy. Starting with a selection of Italian Prosecco and finishing on 25 year old Pedro Ximenez, you'll find something to match perfectly with your meal. Go for the food, stay for the view.
There's no shortage of bright lights in Tokyo, but one particular patch of grass is currently shining more vividly than most. Indeed, located next to an inner-city mall until November 5, a pop-up plastic greenhouse is positively glowing — all in the name of combining agriculture, technology and design in a fun and immersive fashion, and with a swelling soundtrack to match. The interactive installation might be called Digital Vegetables, but no one in its vicinity will feel like they're being forced to consume something they don't want. Rather, trying to avoid The Garden Square outside Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi is futile — the lure of technicolour illumination paired with symphonic music is something you can't ignore. A project by creative firm PARTY, Digital Vegetables combines its greenery-filled structure with plenty of incandescent bulbs, and asks visitors to not only watch, but touch, play, wander, listen and drop their jaws in awe. As attendees walk through the free-to-enter space, they're encouraged to gently roam their hands over the cherry tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, radishes, carrots and cabbages blossoming in the soil inside. With patrons getting hands-on with the growing plants with each touch — and taking in not only their texture, but their scent — the LEDs and sounds respond. [caption id="attachment_644147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] While the bright lights part of the piece may seem straightforward, the display includes animated projections of fresh produce twinkling up and down the greenhouse's ceiling. On the music side of things, sound designer Ray Kunimoto actually recorded real plants (that is, the sounds that emanate from rubbing their seeds, touching their leaves and eating their fruit). He then mixed them with orchestra instruments such as the violin, trumpet, oboe, flute, piano, harp and clarinet, and created a melody. Basically, if you've ever wanted to control your own multi-sensory, multi-coloured light show — and you happen to be in Japan at present — this is your chance. If you've ever wanted to use a veggie garden as a musical instrument, here's your opportunity as well. Unsurprisingly, the results are overwhelmingly gorgeous. Seeing folks audibly exclaiming in wonder (when they're not staring up and taking a constant stream of snaps, that is) is all part and parcel of the experience. https://vimeo.com/238703497 If you're in Tokyo, Digital Vegetables is now open outside Tokyo Midtown until November 5. For more info visit digivege.jp. Images: Sarah Ward and Kenta Hasegawa.
Less is traditionally more in the tiny homes that have boomed in popularity over the last few years. This is not the case with Stella the Stargazer, an exceptional pop-up that will tour regional Victoria over the next six months. Stella's unique approach to luxury is considered and environmentally sensitive. The distinct interior design headed up by Port Fairy-based Ample champions upcycled and repurposed materials, including the use of corrugated iron and Victorian hardwood in the construction process. An indulgent, annular shower is surrounded by adjustable glass louvres designed to envelop you in the natural surroundings. Plus, there's an outdoor fire pit that doubles as a barbecue. Glass sliding doors open onto the modular deck with openair seating, and you'll find plenty of local wares featured throughout; from Dindi Naturals toiletries, to threads from Weave Home Australia, Society of Wanderers and Grampians Goods Co. [caption id="attachment_879299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Ample, Brook James[/caption] But the crowning jewel of this enchanting tiny palace is a roll-out, queen-bed-sized sleeping platform that's primed for stargazing on calm evenings. Provisions boast a local lean, with guests enjoying a curated welcome hamper of cheese and charcuterie, a bottle of wine and breakfast provisions — showcasing regional bread, bacon, eggs and granola. Famed chef Alejandro Saravia (Farmer's Daughters, Victoria by Farmer's Daughters) can also ensure you don't have to venture far, with a DIY dinner experience available to add to your stay. The evening's menu runs to the likes of Farmer's Daughters pork terrine served with Snowy River black garlic chutney; a warm roasted pumpkin on a bed of creamy stracciatella; and Cherry Tree Organics roasted lamb shoulder served with roasted carrot and marjoram. Currently, the limited-time tiny stay by Visit Victoria is situated at the idyllic Blue Gables vineyard in Maffra, but she'll move on from Thursday, December 15, and head to the Great Ocean Road for the end of summer. [caption id="attachment_879298" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Ample, Brook James[/caption] Stella the Stargazer will make her home in Maffra, Gippsland, from October 14–December 15, 2022. She'll then stop in a new location along the Great Ocean Road from February 3–April 6, 2023, before moving to the Grampians from April 17–June 18, 2023. Rates are $330 per night Monday–Thursday, and $390 per night Friday–Sunday.
Spirits fans, this one's for you. One of Melbourne's best bars, Beneath Driver Lane, is joining forces with award-winning WA distillery, Republic of Fremantle for an exclusive pop-up. Republic of Fremantle is taking over the bar as a special guest, until 25 June, with new bottles, a limited-release cocktail menu, live blues music and the first sips of their multi-award-winning product on the east coast. Until now, if you wanted to taste this stuff, you had to either fly to Perth or buy online. This pop-up is the official launch of the brand in Melbourne, and it sounds extremely delicious. Republic of Fremantle is Western Australia's leading producer of spirits, and one of only a handful of distilleries in the country to produce their own base spirit from wine (in this case, Verdelho grapes harvested from 100-year-old vines in the Swan Valley). This gives Republic's spirits a unique flavour, and it's seen them scoop plenty of awards, including a gold medal at the coveted ADI International Spirits Competition. [caption id="attachment_902981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Head Brewer Tom Hutchings from Republic of Fremantle[/caption] "We're excited to be working with Republic of Fremantle on this exclusive preview of their range of spirits. The Republic Gins have a distinctive flavour profile, while their Signature Vodka has a really good texture and backbone," Beneath Driver Lane's Venue Manager Kealan Brady says. The pop-up will be running every day until 25 June, and cocktails will be shaken to the sound of live blues on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Entry is free, booze costs extra. Images: Supplied
In case you hadn't noticed, it's already December, and that means Christmas is just a few weeks away. And if you're anything like us, you were probably planning on leaving all your seasonal shopping until the last, panic-filled minute. Instead, why not check out the Craft Christmas Market this weekend? Featuring handmade items from some of the most creative makers from all over Victoria, it's the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the gift-giving time of year. For a change. Hosted in C Shed at the Queen Victoria Market between 9am and 4pm on Sunday, December 13, this year's Christmas Market will feature the very best of ceramics, jewellery, clothing, bags, accessories and homewares, as well as all manner of other trinkets and goodies that you don't necessarily need, but most definitely want. And since you're already out shopping for other people, you may as well pick up a few things for yourself, right? Tis the season, after all.
Lovers of mountains and adrenaline junkies, meet your new bucket-lister. An old-school ski resort in Switzerland's Kandersteg Mountains is giving you a way to get your thrills and your incredible panoramas at the same time. It's an epic bobsled (better known in Europe as rodelbahn) that twists and turns down nearby mountains for 750 metres. Introducing Mountain Coaster. Frequenters of attractions Jamberoo Action Park or Merimbula's Magic Mountain might already know the drill — both parks are home to bobsleds that have featured in many a South Coaster's childhood. But the Mountain Coaster experience is looking far more spectacular. Rather than cruising around open hillsides, it plunges you down steep slopes and deep into some of Switzerland's most famous wilderness. In fact, its territory is smack bang in the centre of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is renowned for its extraordinary High Alps and numerous glaciers. Actually, you'll find the biggest glacier in Eurasia right here. Watch some of the runs on YouTube, they're nuts. Once you've conquered the Mountain Coaster, you might want to consider taking matters to scarier heights with the Alpine Coaster. Also found in Switzerland, it's the highest rodelbahn in the world and takes you through a kilometre of curves, waves, jumps and bridges, including a giddying 520-degree spin. Via Infinite Legroom. Image: Aleš Novotný.
There are certain things that shouldn't find themselves blended into milk. Salmon, for instance. Wine, also. But Vegemite is up there as one of the aw hell no's of the shake ingredients — until now. An Australian-owned cafe is serving Vegemite shakes in Los Angeles. Dear sweet mother of Benedict Cumberbatch. Just opened at 456 North Fairfax in LA, Paramount Coffee Project have expanded their Surry Hills cafe to the City of Angels. Hoping to bring an authentic Australian cafe experience to the States, the PCP team teamed up with their mates Russell Beard (Reuben Hills) and Mark Dundon (Seven Seeds) for the American venture. The menu was a bit of a mystery until now, and this little gem will sort the culinary soldiers from the civilians. According to Good Food, PCP's serving up a Vegemite and butterscotch shake to give the locals something to tweet about. "We've had a few asking WTF Vegemite is," Beard told GF. "They're digging it though." Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get the whole sweet, salty thing. This might be like that time Cadbury tried to smuggle Vegemite in their chocolate blocks. Interesting in theory, interesting for the first taste, horrific for the rest. Well, we'll just have to book a flight to LA and take a serious heap of time off to make sure. Via Good Food. Image: Wiki.
Fancy yourself a citizen of the world? An ambitious new startup could help you make it so. Roam is a co-living service that gives you access to communal living spaces in countries around the globe. With spaces currently available in Bali and Miami, and with further locations in Madrid, Buenos Aires and London set to open soon, Roam isn't designed for holidaymakers, but rather "location-independent people" looking for a way to combine work and travel, and to find a community in a city that's not their own. You can book for a week (US $500) or a month (US $1800), although residents are encouraged to stay longer in order to promote "better friendships and a stronger community". Once you've signed up, you're free to come and go as you please, and can book into different locations through their online system. "With new opportunities for location-independent work, we can now mix careers and travel in ways that haven't been seen before," reads a statement on the Roam website. "Over time, we want to have our spaces mix and integrate newcomers with the surrounding community and its longstanding local institutions and culture." The properties are large, with 38 rooms available in Miami and 24 in Bali, respectively. Each room is fully furnished, with its own private bathroom along with a queen or king size bed, while residents share communal spaces like living areas and kitchens. [caption id="attachment_571002" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Roam Ubud, Bali[/caption] The whole premise is built around giving people the freedom to live a nomadic lifestyle but still maintain their careers at the same time. Each property has high-speed internet and a co-working space for optimal productivity. Certainly sounds better than working from a hostel bunk bed, battling shitty Wi-Fi just to send an email. For more information about Roam, visit roam.co. Via Co.Exist.
It's truffle season in Australia which is heaven for truffle lovers (and a fungus minefield for everyone else). Most restaurants run truffle specials during the colder months for the short-lived season but Mister Bianco in Kew is going all out: they've got three exclusive truffle-themed events coming up. The first is a truffle cooking demonstration and dinner on Friday July 28, in which Joe Vargetto is bringing back Giuseppe's Cooking School to run guests through the basics of cooking with this most indulgent of ingredients. You'll get to watch his truffle masterclass then eat the results along with matched wines. Next up is a special Truffle Dinner on Tuesday, August 8. This is the ultimate truffle dining experience: four courses, all showcasing local Buxton black truffles, each matched with cocktails and wine. A seat at the table will set you back $189. Dishes include raviolo with a caramel truffle butter centre, which sounds absolutely insane in the best possible way. Lastly, we have the Truffle Farm Drive on Sunday, August 20. This one's pretty epic: guests meet at Mister Bianco, then take a bus out to Utter (the home of Buxton black truffles) for a day on the farm, foraging with the truffle dogs and tucking into delicious truffle-infused treats. This one's limited to 24 guests, and you can opt to meet the group at Utter, if that's easier. For more information on all these events, check out Mister Bianco's events page. Images: Supplied
In the week leading up to Splendour in the Grass 2016, we dared to dream of blue skies and mild weather. The Bureau of Meteorology warned us the weather in coastal regions can be changeable but in the end we proved that if people want it enough, we can influence the weather with our thoughts alone. In the middle of winter (and after last year's Splendour in the Mud disaster) the last thing we planned for was balmy, 26 degree days and pleasantly crisp nights, but that's what we got (cue frantically buying up sunscreen, bucket hats and water vessels from highway petrol stations). Australia's biggest winter festival (and one of the country's biggest festivals in general) has become a well-oiled machine in recent years (for the most part, but we'll get to that). This year's lineup, from legends The Cure, Sigur Ros and The Avalanches to newcomers Kllo, Sampa the Great and Jess Kent, was more varied than ever — with a strong local flavour and something for every age group. This seemed to solve a lot of the timetabling problems as well as they produced one of the least clashy schedules we've had yet (praise be). But the weekend wasn't without incident. On Friday night, and to a much lesser degree on Saturday and Sunday night, long bus delays and general anarchy at the bus rally points saw off-site punters waiting for hours in the cold to get home and they were not happy about it. After social media erupted on Friday night and Saturday morning, Splendour released a statement the next day saying, "We had a significant change in the number of people getting dropped off and collected ... which threw our traffic plan into disarray." And they did fix it, eventually. Monday morning wasn't much better, thanks to a few bungles on the freeway. Camping punters waited in car lines for up to seven hours trying to get out of the campsite when they would really rather have been in bed. We only hope they sort it out for next year. Luckily, everyone was pretty well-behaved — and the po-po were pleased with our collective behaviour, citing only 323 drug related arrests (less than one percent of attendees) across the entire festival. Snaps all round, everyone. So what of the nosh and mosh scene for this year? We chomped and stomped our way through Splendour 2016, here's a little snippet of the best bits. EATS Like many festivals, the food lineup at Splendour is getting better each year and truly deserves a heading of its very own. Gone are the days spent subsisting on stale chips and soggy hot-dog buns, the SITG food offering is gourmet AF. Sydneysiders were suprised to see a recreation of The Unicorn pub right in the middle of the festival, from the brains behind Mary's, Porteno and Young Henrys. This pop-up pub would mark the entrance to The Very Small Suburb, with fellow locals Gelato Messina, Doughnut Time and Bourke Street Bakery peddling their wares to hungry punters. Single O, coffee roasters from Surry Hills, enjoyed lines around the (makeshift) block because if there's one thing hungover folk need, it's real coffee and lots of it. They were joined by Noosa's ever popular Nimo's Schnitzels, Sydney's Tsuru food truck serving up their fluffy pork belly bao buns, Govindas famous vegetarian fare (kofta balls will bring you back to life after a big one), best-in-show winners Brazza BBQ from the Gold Coast with their Brazillian chow and French fry cones, and everyone's favourite Hungarian festival treat, langos. And for dessert? Australia's insanely popular Doughnut Time even got their holey mitts on a Splendour stand — and it was bloody popular. Or you could have stood in line at the giant pink inflatable poo emoji (hilariously titled Mr Poopie by Cool Shit artists Hungry Castle) and grab a toilet ice cream. You heard me. But the real MVPs? Get Toasted, Byron Bay's OG toasted sandwich food truck, cranking out their insane mac and cheese toasties. The GT team served up their crispy, buttery life-saving sandies with more chirpiness and kind words than anyone has a right to expect at midnight on the third day of a festival. Hot tip for next Splendour, don't waste time with supermarket snacks — save up and ready yourself for a culinary tour of the festival grounds. [caption id="attachment_582301" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Dro Carey[/caption] BEATS THE CURE What can be said about the Cure apart from lines of love-heart eye emojis? They're a band almost beyond critique and their tenure as the most relevant, long-serving players in rock is still deserved. Their physical vessels may have aged, but Robert Smith's voice has not and they're still as tight as a drum. They casually slayed a 2.5-hour set, breaking only occasionally and briefly to suck down essence of youth (and water, maybe). Tears flowed freely and 'Friday I'm in Love' was screamed to the stars. THE STROKES The Strokes played their only Australian show at Splendour and rounded out the first day of the festival with the veteran ease you'd expect, mixing fan service with some of their newer cuts and of course, encoring with 'Last Night'. If there is a better way to fall asleep than with Julian Casablancas' voice reverberating around your head, we haven't yet found it. THE AVALANCHES The Avalanches were the legendary wildcard of the lineup — and one of the most anticipated sets of the whole event. They haven't played a festival in over a decade and while the group has rocketed back into prominence recently thanks to their huge comeback album, Wildflower, they're as yet untested in the modern context. The result was little bit thrown together — including, y'know, lyrics read from an iPhone for 'Frankie Sinatra' — and there's something a wee bit unsatisfying about a sample-based show amongst a sea of live music. But we still loved it. Depending on how close you stood to the sound desk could have affected your experience, and we hope more intimate shows are ahead for this iconic crew. SIGUR ROS Icelandic angels Sigur Ros may have been the quiet hero of the whole festival. They didn't perform at the amphitheatre (which is a slight, in our opinion), but the Mix Up tent was more intimate and, thanks to a well-timed clash with Flume, the crowd was slightly older (imagine a lot of actual lighters in the air, coffees clutched to sensible skivvies and wet eyes). They brought their technical prowess to bear alongside their dramatic showmanship (there was a spine tingly-dingly moment when main man Jonsi held a sweet note for an inhumanly long time) and it was spectacular. They played a medley of their well-knowns and not-so-well-knowns to a backdrop of captivating, trippy visuals — quite possibly some of the best visuals of the festival, or were we just exhausted and emotional? We'll never know. JAMES BLAKE James Blake's music was made for festivals, not necessarily for the headbangers or kids who just want to see Flume, but for everyone who was after some texture in the lineup. Blake packed out the amphitheatre and from behind a synth, delivered his brand of crisp, complex, emotional music. His live show was impeccably timed, building in rhythm and intensity before unloading goosebumps on the crowd with feels-heavy hits 'Limit to Your Love' and 'Retrograde'. [caption id="attachment_582304" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Kllo at the Tiny Dancer Stage[/caption] UP AND COMERS The SITG lineup always delivers some quality (and we mean quality) local talent. In fact, the pointy end of the lineup, usually housed at the Tiny Dancer stage, proved some of the most enjoyable surprises of the weekend. Melbourne cherubim Kllo destroyed the Tiny Dancer stage with their tight beats and clear vocals (their catchy AF single 'Bollide' sent shivers up collective spines). Brisbane boy and electronic muso Feki delivered a banging, dancey set, very different from his usual chill, and had the TD crowd frenetic at dusk on Sunday (check out his souped-up remix of James Blake's 'Retrograde' here). Melbourne producer Paces was joined by Guy Sebastian (can people stop robbing Shannon Noll of his due already?) to perform their Like A Version cover of LDRU's 'Keeping Score' (check out this vid of LDRU getting into it side of stage). While it's a disappointing to see only one woman and one female guest vocalist (Santigold and Avalanches guest vocalist Eliza Wolfgramm) in the first dozen acts on the lineup, the women who did make it absolutely nailed it. Big, official props to Melbourne's Sui Zhen and Banoffee, the OG babes Tegan and Sara, Courtney Barnett, Sampa the Great, Little May, Brisbane darling Emma Louise, Ngaiire, Kacy Hill, Lucy Cliché, Montaigne, Jess Kent, Wafia and all the other women grinding to make it in the music industry — you were splendid. Images: Luke Dalton.
Not going overseas this winter? Luckily, you'll still have the chance to take a bite out of some Big Apple arts and culture, as Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria plays host to an exclusive exhibition showcasing works from New York's prestigious Museum of Modern Art. Debuting today and set to run until October 7, MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art will feature over 200 modern and contemporary masterpieces, many on their first ever visit to Australia. Taking over the entire ground floor of NGV International, it's certifiably huge. The exhibition will present pieces from all six of MoMA's curatorial departments, meaning the works will span Photography, Film, Architecture and Design, Painting and Sculpture, Drawings and Prints, and Media and Performance Art. You'll catch works from all of the big names of the 19th and 20th century art world, including Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe, Diane Arbus and Andy Warhol. Capturing the spirit of more recent times, will be pieces from the likes of Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker, Olafur Eliasson, Rineke Dijkstra and Camille Henrot. Examining over 130 years of innovation, MoMA at NGV sets out to explore all the major art movements, with the exhibition spread across eight themed sections. Here are a few of the big-name works on display. [caption id="attachment_672010" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roy Lichtenstein: Drowning girl (1963)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_672008" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Warhol: Marilyn Munroe (1967)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_672011" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo: Self portrait with cropped hair (1940)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_672012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Salvador Dali: The persistence of memory (1931)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_672013" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kara Walker: Gone: An historical romance of a civil war as it occurred b'tween the dusky thighs of a one young negress and her heart (1994)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_672014" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shigetaka Kurita et al.: Emoji (1998–99)[/caption] Needless to say, the partnership with MoMa is a pretty huge coup for both the NGV and Australian art lovers. "The collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria provides a unique opportunity to see extremely important works from nearly every area of our collection in an exhibition that simultaneously explores The Museum of Modern Art's history as well as the history of modern and contemporary art in general," said MoMA Director Glenn D. Lowry. As an added bonus, NGV members who are hitting New York while the exhibition is running will score free admission to MoMA, and vice versa. MoMA at NGV runs from June 9 until October 7, at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Grab tickets here. Images: NGV/Tom Ross.
Filipinos may drink the most gin in the world, but they're not simply lovers of this botanical libation. While San Miguel makes the region's most popular, easy-drinking beers, Manila's emerging craft beer market has swiftly become the talk of the town. When it comes to craft beer, Manila is way ahead of the pack and on the level of Hong Kong and Japan as a leader of the craft beer revolution in Asia. While the country's capital alone houses over ten microbreweries already, a few smaller breweries are also popping up in the southern islands, including Cebu and Palawan. Filipinos are going for the range, brewing everything from deep stouts and bold IPAs to tropical, fruity beers and highly alcoholic ginger beers. If you're a craft beer fanatic heading to Manila, we've got your back — here's which beers to drink and where to find them. [caption id="attachment_618703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katipunan Craft Ales.[/caption] WHERE TO DRINK You're spoilt for choice with Manila's nightlife, which rivals New York City in its love of late-night partying and all-hours dining. It seems there's always a new joint popping up, and this is especially true of the budding craft bar scene. It's always a party at Big Bad Wolf, with live acts a constant accompaniment to their craft brew offering. Beers to keep an eye out for here are Summer Sessions blonde ale by Craftpoint and 'Signal No.1', a stout made by Katipunan Craft. Both are Manila-based breweries so you know the brews will be fresh as. Another, simply called The Brewery at the Palace, serves up its own brews from gorgeous copper tanks visible from the restaurant floor. The rustic interior well matches the old-world-looking brewing equipment and the beers are as impressive as the place makes them look. They're brewing up some serious beers here, including an alcoholic ginger beer at a surprising seven percent ABV. The Perfect Pint is your go to for an ever-changing, extensive craft beer list and fusion Filipino-Western food that goes all too well. If you're lucky enough to find Pedro's Procrastination pale ale on tap, don't pass it by. These brewers were inspired by the craft beer scene in Hong Kong and turn out some of the most impressive brews in Manila. Out of all of the craft beer joints in the city though, Kabisera is not to be missed. They're serving up authentic Filipino pulutan, or drunk food, and craft beer in a relaxed, well-designed dining room playing some killer tunes. The menu of street food, including fish balls and kwek-kwek (deep fried quail egg) is a great drinking accompaniment, as is the sisig bangus (sizzling fish) and array of noodle dishes. Kabisera houses all of the usual craft beer suspects, along with speciality brews from the southern islands, including Cebu's Cebruery and Palaweño Brewery — Palawan's first and only craft brewery. [caption id="attachment_618701" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nipa Brew.[/caption] WHAT TO DRINK When in Manila, keep an eye out for these locals in the craft brew scene: Pedro Brewcrafters Katipunan Craft Ales Craftpoint Brewing Co. The Brewery at the Palace Baguio Craft Brewery Palaweño Brewery Cebruery Turning Wheels NIPA Brew
Flume is teaming up with LA-based, Australian-born visual artist Jonathan Zawada for a blink and you'll miss it multimedia pop-up in Surry Hills this December. Named after the ARIA chart-topping musician's sophomore album Skin, for which Zawada created the cover art, live graphics, related videos and merchandise, the free exhibition will be open at Special Group Studios on Devonshire Street from Wednesday, December 7 through to Sunday, December 11, and will feature a series of new video works created exclusively for the show. "I've always been a huge fan of Jonathan's work so it's been a privilege to have him involved in the visual aesthetic around Skin, from the album art to the live show and merch," said Flume. "Visually I'm interested in the contrast of organic and synthetic, Jonathan's work so cleverly depicts this so it's been a natural fit for the music. I love the way he embraces technology to twist and contort things from the real world in alien ways." The pop-up will feature eight never-before-seen videos that combine fantastical animation by Zawada with ethereal sound design by Flume. Alongside these will be a series of large scale silk prints that further highlight the pair's unique creative partnership. You can check out Skin from December 7 to 11 at Special Group Studios, 270 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Keep your eyes on social media for more information closer to the opening date.
Start saving your pennies and cordoning off your calendar. The team behind the Melbourne Festival have unveiled their chock-a-block lineup, and as always, there's a hell of a lot to like. Spanning music, dance, theatre, film, visual art and much, much more, this year's festival will take place from October 4–22 at more than two dozen venues around town. As in previous years, the festivities will begin with Tanderrum, a ceremony by the five clans of the Central Kulin Nation. It's one of several works by Indigenous artists on the program — others include The Season, a stage comedy by Tasmanian playwright Nathan Maynard, and Our Place, Our Home, a free music showcase featuring musicians from Indigenous and refugee backgrounds. Music is, as always, a massive part of the program. Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre will co-present the Australian premiere of Tom Waits' cult musical Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets, while Oscar-nominated film director Rithy Panh collaborates with composer Him Sophy on Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia, an orchestral performance about life under the Khmer Rouge that combines song, film, dance and voice. Meanwhile the festival's centrepiece, A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, takes audiences on a decade-by-decade walk through the history of American music reinterpreted through a radical queer lens. On stage, standout works include already-announced headliner Tree of Codes, which combines the talents of choreographer Wayne McGregor, visual artist Olafur Eliasson, musician Jamie xx and the Paris Opera Ballet — it's the visually stunning ballet we really, really hoped would come to Australia. There's also 7 Pleasures, a sensual dance work from Danish choreographer Mette Ingvartsen featuring 12 dancers kitted out in nothing but their birthday suits; and Backbone, a frenetic circus show from Adelaide's acrobatic sensations Gravity and Other Myths. Other highlights include Under Siege, the Yang Liping Contemporary Dance company's critically acclaimed take on Farewell My Concubine featuring a blend of ballet, hip hop, kung fu and Peking opera; and a special screening of Voyage of Time, the highly anticipated new film from master auteur Terrence Malick narrated by Cate Blanchett with a live score by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. "We have searched the world for the most courageous, visionary and ambitious artists: artists who are actively taking on the biggest subjects with flair, excitement and drive," said artistic director Jonathan Holloway in a statement. "This year's Festival is the result of collaboration without compromise, of great people bringing out and amplifying the best in other great people."
Ours is a generation for whom concept hotels are a wildly popular and sometimes baffling reality but hey, just lean into it. Here's a good'un that's caught our eye in central Spain: the Hotel Aire de Bardenas. The concept, executed with see-through bubble rooms, lets you sleep in the desert without roughing it — although the question of 'Do you trust the Spanish desert is not littered with creeps who want to watch you sleeping?' lingers in the air. The Hotel Aire de Bardenas is comprised of a series of bubble rooms connected by bubble tunnels and serviced by Michelin-tyre-man style bubble butlers (alright, so we made up the last one but theming provokes imagination). The bubbles don't offer much privacy but they certainly are Instagrammable (which is the whole point right?) and the views are predictably amazing. Architects Emiliano Lopez and Monica Rivera say the design is more than a gimmick and responds to the context of the site; it allows guests to take in the desert's stunning landscape but protects them from the harsh sun, wind, dust and heat that characterise a desert. #BalloonRooms #airedebardenas #hotel #luxury #balloon #sky #life #peace A photo posted by Serhat özdek (@serhatozdek) on May 25, 2015 at 9:32am PDT Amazingly enough, this isn't the world's only bubble hotel — France's version Attrap'Rêves lies outside Marseilles. While we dig the bubble life, we can't help but think windows offer the same protection — FYI the hotel also has beautiful rooms with traditional walls, ceilings and said windows. So if you're looking for a weird and wacky activity to do while cruising through the deserts of central Spain, consider dropping $200 a night to stay in a bubble under the stars. Wandering the desert has never been so luxurious. Keen to put yourself in a Spanish desert bubble? Check out the Hotel Aire de Bardenas for more info. Via The Creators Project. Images: Hotel Aire de Bardenas, Instagram.
Jameson, the legendary distillers of one of Ireland's most famous whiskeys, are calling on eager filmmakers from around the world to pick up a pen and finally write out that short film script they've been thinking about. Now in its sixth year, Jameson First Shot is fostering the creative endeavours of young filmmakers — giving those who may find it difficult to break into the film industry a shot at the big time. It's a stepping stone for filmmakers who don't quite have their foot in the door yet — for those who want to break into the industry, but haven't had the chance to. It's a platform that gives talented individuals an opportunity to realise their ambition and potential, and a way for them to tell their stories. If you're an aspiring filmmaker, head to the First Shot website and submit a seven-page short film script. If your script is chosen as the winner, your film will be produced by a team of professionals that includes Dana Brunetti — he's the man responsible for Captain Phillips and The Social Network, and the brains behind getting House of Cards onto Netflix, something the world should be endlessly grateful for. Dominic West (best known for his role as Detective McNulty in The Wire) will also be the star of your film, taking the lead acting role. Winning First Shot gives filmmakers an opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in show business. Last year's winner, Jason Perini, had the opportunity to direct and work with Maggie Gyllenhaal. "The most exciting part of the filmmaking process was just watching Maggie act — her face was a special effect," he says. "What had the biggest impact on me was the result of really creative and collaborative people working together. All the crew and cast were so dedicated to making the film I had envisioned in my head. I don't think I will ever experience such ease and dedication again." Since filming wrapped, Perini has gone on to direct his debut feature film, Chasing Comets. "I never anticipated that within less than a year of winning, I'd be directing my own feature film," he says. [caption id="attachment_568922" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Trigger productions.[/caption] To enter the competition, write an original piece of work, with the final draft being no more than seven pages in length. Base your script around the great, unexpected things that can happen when you get rid of your fear and invite life in. For a complete set of guidelines and a script template, head here. It isn't everyday you get the chance to have your passion project turned into a reality, so sit yourself down with a delicious whiskey and get writing. Entries close at 5pm on Monday, June 1.
The next time you're taking a late night stumble stroll down Chapel Street, try popping in on Tokyo Tina. The beloved Japanese eatery have transformed their bar area into an after-dark destination, serving tasty treats and liquid refreshments well into the early hours. The name? Thundercat Supper Club. Because presumably the owners really liked '80s cartoons. After launching back in the last week of September, Thundercat Supper Club is now open from 10pm until late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights — making it the perfect non-kebab option for revellers looking for a feed. Because let's face it: unless you really like garlic sauce or massive hot dogs, your late night dining options in that part of the world are pretty bloody limited. The menu at Thundercat consists of favourites from the Tokyo Tina kitchen, including karaage chicken ribs, a Japanese-style charcuterie platter, dumplings and DIY beef bao. Those after drinks can choose from a selection of whiskies, martinis and beers, as well as more outlandish options such as nitro-infused shots of Hibiki Harmony whisky with cherry blossom, and Vida mezcal with shiso and sanch berry. The venue will also play host to entertainment, with a focus on hip hop. "We're excited to welcome our new pet Thundercat Supper Club to the family," said Tokyo Tina's Simon Blacher. "It’s our delivery of late night hip hop, whisky and really good booze food." Thundercat Supper Club is located at 66A Chapel St, Windsor. For more information, check them out on Facebook.
Musicians dream of many things: playing packed-out gigs, releasing a hit album that rockets up the charts, and attaining Kanye-levels of fame and fortune, just to name a few. Getting your own beer has to be on the list as well — and that's a rockstar achievement DZ Deathrays now has covered. No, bandmates Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley haven't cooked up a batch of homemade ale (well, that's not what they're unleashing upon the world right now, at least). And no, there's no rum involved, even though the duo both hail from Bundaberg. Instead, the ARIA-award winning Brisbane outfit has teamed up with the fine folks from Sydney brewery Young Henrys to make their very own brew. If Queen and Pearl Jam can have their own tipple, why can't they? Called Pils 'n' Thrills (Wellington's Garage Project will be raising a few eyebrows, they've already released a beer called Pils 'n' Thrills), DZ Deathrays' beverage of choice is a Czech-style pilsner complete with a stripped-back, classic, compact malt bill and a surprisingly hoppy palm to the nose. If you don't speak beer speak, that means that it's flavoursome, tasty and refreshing, i.e. all the things you want in a pint. Of course, Pils 'n' Thrills is a limited-edition affair, so you'd best head to your local stockist to get your fix quick smart. Then, next time you indulge in one of life's simple pleasures — aka enjoying an ice-cold beer while listening to your favourite band — you can do it with DZ Deathrays' very own drinks in your mitts. For more information about Pils 'n' Thrills, check out the Young Henrys website. Image: Luke Henery.
In 2013, a factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing approximately 1130 workers. The building, named Rana Plaza, housed five garment factories and more than 3000 workers, all working under inhumane and unsafe conditions. Ever since, ethical clothing has been a big question mark hanging over the fashion industry. Living wage, fair labour conditions, sustainability, tracing raw materials back to their source, corporate transparency and accountability all blend to make one complicated and bleak tapestry. But each year since the accident, more and more is done to help consumers make more sophisticated and informed ethical choices. There's even an app to steer you in the right direction. It can be devastating when your favourite brands don't pass the ethics muster — but don't worry, you won't have to start sewing all your own clothes just yet. There are still some fashion companies, both large and small, that are trying to be ethical — and they're doing a damn good job at it. Here are our top five local picks. ETIKO Etiko is the poster child of ethical fashion. The Melbourne-based brand has been trading since 2005 and are certified fair-trade and halal. They consistently blitz the competition whenever ethical ratings are assessed, but their products remain quite reasonably priced (a basic tee will set you back $30 and a pair of Converse-esque canvas sneakers cost around $90). Although the pervading stereotype is that ethical/fair-trade/handmade products are expensive, it's not surprising that Etiko can deliver good quality, ethical garments. International aid and development org Baptist World Aid Australia's 2016 fashion report estimates that to achieve a living wage (that is, an income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs) in Bangladesh, the base cost of a t-shirt would go from 66 cents to around a dollar. We can definitely afford that. [caption id="attachment_572501" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Audrey Blue[/caption] AUDREY BLUE Audrey Blue is up there with Etiko as a shining example of sustainable, ethical fashion. The company exclusively uses Global Organic Textile Standard certified cotton from India. Like Etiko, they're all over every stage of production, from manufacturing all the way down to raw inputs, and can prove a living wage is paid to workers at both stages. They also spruik a more sustainable approach to consuming fashion, encouraging their customers to buy classic, flattering, low-maintenance pieces designed to last for many seasons instead of throwing them away for more current styles (a fab piece of style advice, as far as we're concerned). STUDIO MÜCKE Studio MüCKE is the project of RMIT student Ellie Mücke that aims to solve the problems she observed while coming up in the fashion world. What she saw was wasteful attitudes towards materials, and seasonal fashion trends creating a cycle where perfectly good garments get replaced every few months. Studio MüCKE aims to address the implicit engineered redundancy in fashion by using upcycled and recycled materials and running their studio on 100 percent renewable energy. Every piece is made in-house, meaning it's produced both ethically and locally. They've also adopted a practice of customising and designing for the user to avoid wastage (because we all know the feeling of turfing something because it looked great in-store but terrifying in the harsh light of our bathroom). KITSU One of the factors to consider when trying to buy ethical is where the products are being made. The closer to home an item is produced, the fewer kilometres it has to travel to make you look fab. So the fact that Kitsu jewellery is not just insanely cute but also handcrafted in Melbourne is music to our squiggly, pastel-styled ears. The label produces a range of sweet jewellery, including loopy earrings and marbled rings, bracelets and necklaces. Cute, weird, ethical and supporting local artisans? Yes puh-lease. VEGE THREADS Vege Threads is living, breathing, thriving proof that there's a big, hungry market for ethical fashion in Melbourne. They employ 100 percent Australian production, use locally-sourced and environmentally sound dyes and fabrics, have accreditation from Ethical Clothing Australia, donate a portion of all proceeds to a Balinese charity, and pack their products in recycled materials too. And if that isn't enough for you, their collections are unbearably chic (but still classic), trans-seasonal and perfect for layering so you won't have to pack anything away for winter. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes — thank you Vege Threads for proving that it can be done without compromises. HONOURABLE MENTIONS There are a few big retailers that, despite how time-consuming and complicated it may be, still manage to stay ethical. It may surprise and delight you that a mammoth company like Zara (owned by parent company Inditex) is one of these retailers — and, in fact, since the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster and implementation of the Bangladeshi fire and building safety Accord agreement, they've been making strides to improve their ethics rating. They score well on labour conditions, guaranteeing living wage, and have signed up to the ACT agreement and the Better Cotton Initiative (both aimed at improving conditions for workers at various stages of production). However, according to the Good On You ethical fashion app, they don't do so well on environmental policies. If you're looking to shop Australian brands, Cue is certified by Ethical Clothing Australia for their Australian-made range of clothes, and Cotton On do alright as well. They were signatories of the previously mentioned Accord agreement, Good On You rate their labour policies as "robust" and, and 2016 fashion report commends them for the traceability of their materials and awarded an overall grade of B+ in 2015. It's a solid start and hopefully, with consumers demanding more transparency, these brands will continue to improve. Top image: Vege Threads. Want to shop more sustainably as well? Find out where to buy more Australian sustainable fashion here.
Although Wabi Sabi Salon is located in Collingwood, this is one for both northsiders and southsiders alike. Wabi Sabi also have an outpost in St Kilda called Wabi Sabi Garden, meaning that no one has to cross the river. These guys love authentic food with a fusion twist. And they also dig local produce sourced daily from the markets. The menu is varied, featuring anything from tempura oysters, to sweet potato chips with yuzu sour cream, to wagyu beef sashimi and twice-cooked pork belly. There is also a range of sashimi and sushi on offer as well — platters are a good way to go. Highlights from the sharing menu include the pan fried teriyaki broccolini with chickpeas and toasted seaweed, while the octopus carpaccio is light and delicate and comes with red onion, ponzu, sesame oil and dill. Other highlights include the pumpkin stuffed mushroom tempura with teriyaki balsamic and pumpkin seeds while the spiced lamb meatball with cheese and red miso is a curious dish packed with flavour. If you're a traditional style stew with opt for a vegan or mixed oven and a warm sake to back it up. The ramens include a tan tan ramen in chicken bone, sesame broth and spicy chicken meat, while the vegan option is a mushroom and seaweed base with spicy soy meat. For an after dinner treat opt for a blue cheese and a cool sake or the seasonal homemade ice cream.
Sunshine, rain, cold or boiling hot weather, Melbourne has a new all seasons rooftop. Opening high above the cities favourite video bar, Loop, this new venue — officially named Loop Roof but affectionately dubbed Looptop (see what we did there) — has quickly become a must visit bar this summer. Succulents line the edges of the rooftop oasis, perfectly framing the magnificent view over busy Meyers Place. Elbow your way into one of the tight booth seats with a group of friends or pounce on one of the many garden tables and relax in the sunshine. In preparation for Melbourne's classic 'four seasons in a day' weather, Looptop has been fitted with gas heaters and a large awning shielding the seats from possible downpours, making it the erfect rooftop bar for all seasons. Looptop's drinks menu features a huge range of top-notch cocktails, though it's the hard iced tea selection that stands out. Our pick for the best hard iced tea is the awkwardly named, but delicious tasting, Sunset Sparkle ($19) – made with Wyborowa vodka, Pomme Verte, T2 Lychee Sunrise tea syrup, fresh lemon, grapefruit peel and an edible gold spray giving it the advertised sparkle. Each hand-crafted tea syrup is created in-house using tea from T2, and features a different ice cube full of delicious ingredients that are designed to melt and release more flavour into your drink as you go. If you are looking to cool down quickly make sure you try the alcoholic snow cones (yes, really, snow cones). These icy treats are reminiscent of a sweet 7/11 Slurpee, but with some delicious (and potent) summery adult flavours. Our favourite snow cone has to be the Ketel One vodka, watermelon shrub and lime ($10), with the gin, tangy lemon and ginger a close runner up. It's childhood nostalgia with an adult twist. The tight bar menu leans towards the seafood crowd with marinated grilled baby octopus served with a tangy hot sauce ($15), crabmeat beignets in a crispy beer batter ($15) or — for the vegetarians — stuffed mushrooms with walnuts, chilli and blue cheese ($10). With hot days and night on the horizon, we are anticipating many more trips up the stairs to this new gem in Melbourne's rooftop crown. Images by Lois Romer.
Angled away from the bustle of Footscray's main streets is Rudimentary, a fresh cafe made from disused shipping containers in an abandoned car park. It's so fresh, in fact, that you can spy the chefs strolling from the kitchen to the garden with a pair of scissors in hand. It's the first venture into Melbourne's cafe scene for Desmond Huynh and team who have melded and plastered the four shipping containers together, forging an open, sunlit cafe. They're not the first to do it (think Grace Cafe in Fitzroy) but they've blended it with a community-style garden, where visitors can lock their bikes to planter boxes and smell the lavender before taking a sprig home. Whimsical only begins to describe Rudimentary's vibe. Chefs have free reign of the outdoor herbs before they head back inside to dish up modern Australian fare with Vietnamese influences. [caption id="attachment_517969" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ruby Wang[/caption] Inside, forest greens, mustards and creams all await you. And these aren't even the edibles. They are the tasty chairs that may have had a previous life in a 1970s boardroom, but now swivel around the cafe's communal table. We'd recommend nabbing one of these so you can ogle the portions of grub that you couldn't choose between. Order the Nurungji porridge ($23) with scorched rice, kimchi, spicy bamboo and a sous vide egg, or Bubble & Squeak ($24) featuring eggplant ontop of corn fritters, poached eggs and hollandaise. The greasy breakfast bun ($17) is also a fine choice for those hangover days when nothing makes you feel better than the brilliant combination of bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato relish, mayo and a fried egg. Baristas use Small Batch coffee, extracting fine drops of that caffeinated nectar of the gods. A filter brew, homemade sodas and a selection of teas are also on the menu. But we can't forget to mention the boozy options, too. Try the bloody mary and mimosa or get stuck into some of the many beers and ciders available. There's absolutely nothing rudimentary about this beloved Melbourne café. Updated May, 2023. Appears in: The 13 Best Cafes in Melbourne for 2023 Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne for 2023
Deck the halls and unpack the plastic tree — the festive season is well and truly upon us. And while that whole Christmas tradition stuff is nice, we're not going to deny what we're most excited about: a whole stocking-load of new films. Along with the cricket and stampeding through shopping centres, going to the movies is one of our favourite Boxing Day traditions. After all, what better place to recover from your post-Christmas food coma than in a nice, dark, air-conditioned cinema? Of course, not all of the end-of-year titles measure up. That’s why we’re reporting in with our annual Boxing Day Battle Royale, to ensure that you get maximum bang for your Kris Kringle gift voucher buck. Or you could just go see Star Wars for the sixth time. That's also a totally valid option. JOY See it if: you can't get enough J-Law in your life. We give it: 3.5 stars Jennifer Lawrence stars in the latest film by David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook), a fictionalised account of the rise of a real-life home shopping network star. Joy is a rags-to-riches tale of a battler trying to improve herself and her situation. Wrestling Russell's current patterns and preferences into a canny character study, the film watches on as a woman fights for agency and control, despite constantly being told that she should take care of others and rein in her go-getting ways. Weaving in surreal soap opera segments, it's an astute and engaging dissection of the power of selling a fantasy. Read our full review here. SUFFRAGETTE See it if: you want to be inspired. We give it: 3.5 stars Sarah Gavron's Suffragette may play out somewhat conventionally, but that doesn't make its impact any less resounding. Carey Mulligan is fantastic as Maud Watts, a downtrodden washerwoman in early 20th century London who becomes involved in the fight for women's suffrage. It's a timely tale that will no doubt strike a chord with many modern viewers, reminding us of how far we have come and how much further we still have to go. Just don't expect much Meryl Streep. Despite being a major part of the marketing campaign, she's in the film for less than five minutes. Read our full review here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9p0qnj4OC4 THE BELIER FAMILY See it if: you love a good coming of age tale. We give it: 3.5 stars A box office smash in its native France, The Belier Family is an immensely charming holiday crowd-pleaser. The film tells the story of 16-year-old Paula, who acts as an interpreter for her deaf parents and brother in the running of the family dairy farm. But her future becomes uncertain when her music teacher encourages her to apply to a prestigious singing school in Paris. The film is overlong, a tad melodramatic and gets bogged down at various points in underdeveloped side-plots. But the family drama remains compelling — and surprisingly poignant — throughout, as does the remarkable performance from singer-turned-actress Louane Emera. THE GOOD DINOSAUR See it if: you're hoping to get in touch with your inner child. We give it: 2.5 stars In their stories and themes, Pixar often play in the same territory over and over. And yet, when it comes to visuals, they rarely do the same thing twice; each new Pixar movie might feel somewhat similar, but they always look different. The Good Dinosaur, the animation studio's latest effort, demonstrates both extremes. The tale of a dinosaur and his primitive human friend trying to make their way back home, the film takes a routine narrative that pales in comparison to the animated splendour that surrounds it. It's not often that the background proves more engaging than the figures at the centre of the frame, yet that's frequently the case here. The photorealistic details evident in images of fields, mountains, waterfalls, trees and other natural features are the real stars of the show. Read our full review here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhVDSzj2Lrw YOUTH See it if: you want something pretty to look at. We give it: 2.5 stars Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel wonder about days gone by, while Rachel Weisz and Jane Fonda deliver verbal tirades designed to awaken the ageing men from their apathy. All four spend their time in an expensive Swiss spa, and in a film as visually luxurious as their lush surroundings, Paolo Sorrentino's Youth unravels — its seasoned cast and opulent images its obvious selling points. Musings about life, love and legacy have rarely looked as exquisite, even if the movie's charms remain somewhat surface level. It's a decadent picture about watching the world go by, rather than really experiencing it. Read our full review here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqe1kFb0xTk PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT See it if: you're an art addict yourself. We give it: 2 stars Audio snippets from the eponymous art addict are all that keep this unremarkable doco afloat. Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland struggles with tone, never quite knowing whether to interrogate the gossip that surrounded Guggenheim's personal affairs or to simply recount the rumours. It still makes for pleasant-enough viewing, particularly for art addicts themselves — but it just never manages to fully do Guggenheim justice. In fact, it's only her vocal presence that stops the movie from amounting to little more than an interesting video of a Wikipedia listing. Read our full review here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arhMMJx7tCU DADDY'S HOME See it if: you're a sucker for punishment. We give it: 1 star Apologies to fans of Will Ferrell, but watching Daddy's Home is one of the more agonising experiences we've had in a cinema all year. Ferrell stars as a dweebish music exec married to an improbably tolerant wife (Linda Cardellini), who is forced to compete for the love of his step-children when their cool but irresponsible biological father (Mark Wahlberg) rolls back into town. Cue a mind-numbing comedy that mixes kindergarten-level humour with weirdly adult sex gags and feels about three times as long as its 96-minute runtime. Stand-up comic Hannibal Buress manages to scrape a few laughs here and there, but otherwise it's slim pickings. Do yourself a favour and steer well clear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNkSYE6HiOE ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROADCHIP See it if: ...yeah, we've got nothing. We give it: N/A Look, we're going to level with you here: we didn't actually see this. Life's too short. But if you want to go out and spend your hard earned money on a ticket for a film about a group of wise-cracking rodents, feel free to let us know what you thought. If you're looking to steer well clear of cinemas on Boxing Day, take a look at our list of the year's ten best films that hardly anyone saw here. Words by Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.
The solar battery industry is still very much in its infancy, but already there's an Aussie upstart taking the challenge to a major brand. The Brisbane-based, Indigenous-owned AllGrid Energy is currently offering its ten kilowatt-hour home battery at a rate significantly cheaper than Tesla's much-touted Powerwall, which is due to enter the local market next year. Like the Powerwall, the AllGrid GridWatt system stores power collected by solar panels, and according to the company can reduce your reliance on the national power grid by up to 75 percent. The system costs $12,000, which they say comes in at about 30 per cent less than the Tesla option – although due to its reliance on old lead acid gel batteries, the system must be installed outside. AllGrid currently services Queensland and South Australia, and sees remote indigenous communities as a potential area for growth. "Obviously as an Indigenous company working with Indigenous communities, it’s a really big area of traction for us," AllGrid marketing manager Deborah Oberon told The Guardian. The company plans to train Indigenous electricians to help install the units, with the hope that they could be used to replace costly diesel generators. "Once Tesla's system is available in February, that will be the moment that the game really starts to change...with the coverage and publicity that a company like Tesla get, we’re really confident the market will heat up," said Oberon, further predicting that 2016 would be "the year that storage really starts to kick off in Australia." For more information about AllGrid, visit their website. Via The Guardian. Image via Dollar Photo Club.
Flying Lotus has quite the hefty portfolio. Between collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock and Thundercat, the LA producer's five albums experiment with every last genre from hip hop to jazz. In between his own work, FlyLo has produced music for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, film scores and even has a radio station dedicated to his work on the video game Grand Theft Auto V. He also casually raps every now and again under the alias Captain Murphy. Heading our way for Laneway Festival, FlyLo will break out his 3D visual show Layer 3 — fully improvised live by his own graphics team; a fusion of technological innovation and experimental beatmaking. FlyLo's visit down under will support the release of his 2014 album You’re Dead!, so things will inevitably get pretty frantic. Supported by Silent Jay & Jace XL + Sean Deans ft. Cazeaux O.S.L.O.
Australian musicians, wish you could play for more people, more often? People with houses — or rooms or sheds or backyards — wish you could see more music, more often, and closer to home? Bingo. A new online start-up platform by the name of Parlour Gigs is making your wishes come true. That’s the both of you. And indie acts like Thelma Plum, Grand Salvo and Caitlin Harnett are already taking advantage of it. Here’s how it works. (Hint, if you use Airbnb already, you’ll have some idea). Musicians, jump on the site, hit the 'I want to play' button and fill out the form. People with houses, jump on the site, hit the 'I want to host' button and fill out a form. If the Parlour folks are happy with your superior form-filling skills (i.e. you sound pretty talented or your place looks music-friendly), they’ll hook the two of you up. Tickets are then sold to the general public via the Parlour website. The man behind the initiative is Matt Walters, a singer-songwriter from Melbourne. "[Parlour's] not dissimilar to the Airbnb model; cutting out the middlemen and allowing people to negotiate and stage gigs where they like,” he told Tone Deaf. "From being signed to a major label, to touring with some incredible international artists, I've certainly experienced all the ups and downs the music business has to offer. "But for some time now, I’ve felt a change coming on. Of course, with the traditional music model well and truly behind us, there is more emphasis than ever on playing live... For most musicians — especially those up and coming — it's hardly worth it. The experience of playing a great show can be a reward unto itself, but at the end of the day artists, like all working people, need to get paid for their work." Get started on Parlour over here. Via Tone Deaf. Images: Parlour.
Eggs, milk and animal products in general are officially off the ingredients list, at a brand new edition of the Flour Market bake sale. Launching in Melbourne next month, Wholey Day is the sweet, doughy spinoff that vegans have been waiting for: a seasonal market featuring the best local vendors of wholefood, raw, organic, vegan and gluten free treats. Let the face stuffing commence. The Flour Market team have been teasing the new initiative via social media, throwing up images of drool-worthy snacks such as ACE Mylkbar's raw cookies and an insane vegan cacao ganache brownie made by Citizen Cacao's Georgie Castle. Both vendors will be on the floor at the market, along with numerous others to be announced in the coming weeks. The Queen of Melbourne's raw choccy scene, Georgie Castle of Citizen Cacao never fails to bring the vibes w the likes of... Posted by Wholey Day on Saturday, 2 April 2016 In the meantime, Flour Market's latest regular edition to due to go down on Sunday May 15 at Collingwood Town Hall in Melbourne, from 9am until all the goodies have been gobbled up. For more information about Wholey Day check them out on Facebook.
Famed graffiti artist Banksy has unveiled a number of new artworks in response to the Syrian migrant crisis, including one piece featuring late Apple founder Steve Jobs. Sprayed onto the wall of 'The Jungle,' a refugee camp in Calais, France, which is currently home to thousands of people facing an uncertain future, the most significant of the new pieces depicts Jobs in his trademark black turtleneck, with an early generation Mac in one hand and a bag thrown over his shoulder. A photograph of the artwork on Banksy's website is accompanied by a caption that reads "the son of a migrant from Syria," in reference to Jobs' biological father who emigrated from Syria to the United States in the years following the Second World War. "We’re often led to believe migration is a drain on the country’s resources but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant," said the anonymous artist in a statement to the British press. "Apple is the world’s most profitable company, it pays over $7bn a year in taxes – and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs." Authorities in Calais have pledged to preserve the mural behind glass or transparent plastic to ensure that it is not defaced or stolen. "It is very good and it has a message," said Mayor Natacha Bouchart to local newspaper Nord Littoral. Other pieces left by Banksy during his recent trip to the port city include a silhouette of a child with a telescope looking out over the ocean towards the UK, and an image of shipwreck survivors clinging to a raft and signalling desperately to a passing yacht on the horizon. The latter work is an homage to The Raft of the Medusa by 19th century artist Theodore Gericault, and is tagged on Banksy's website with the caption "we're not all in the same boat." Banksy has been focused on the Syrian refugee crisis for some time now. In September, he pledged to send the timber and fixtures from his pop-up amusement park, Dismaland, to Calais, where they could be used to build shelters for migrants. Via ABC News.
Cyclists in the city could soon find themselves with their heads in the clouds, with the State Government's chief infrastructure adviser examining plans for a bicycle highway in the sky. The radical proposal, which is being considered by Infrastructure Victoria, would aim to decrease congestion and free up room for public transport via the construction of an 'elevated veloway' that would allow cyclists to travel above the traffic. Sounds great right? Maybe so. But don't go investing in Lycra just yet. The advantages of the proposal are fairly straightforward. In addition to freeing up space on the roads, separating cyclists and motor vehicles would (you'd imagine) reduce the number of collisions between the two. Melbourne's cycling infrastructure isn't too crash hot at the moment — and obviously, the more we can do to encourage people to give up their cars for a healthier, more environmentally friendly form of transportation, the better. Those are the pros. The big con, unfortunately, is the price tag. According to The Herald Sun, the proposal would run the government up a bill of $100 million (take a guess from their headline, 'Bicycle highway plan for Melbourne would be very costly, report warns', as to whether they're for or against the idea). Furthermore, an assessment commissioned by Infrastructure Victoria found that while the long shot plan had its benefits, it would be unlikely to make a significant contribution to the state's overall transport needs. According to Sacha Fenton, a spokesperson for Roads Minister Luke Donnellan, Infrastructure Victoria is yet to make any final recommendations to the government. "While [Infrastructure Victoria] looks at options, we're focused on our priorities," she said. "We're establishing the $100 million Safer Cyclists and Pedestrians Fund to invest in new, dedicated cycling and walking facilities across Victoria to help keep bikes and pedestrians away from traffic. "This investment will see an increase in separate bike paths and lanes on principal priority bicycle networks and routes to help protect cyclists from traffic." Via The Herald Sun. Image: Yarra River Business Association.
Fans of stunning audio design and generally beautiful things, listen up. There's a father/son duo in Seattle who want to take your money and turn it into a stunning, stunning wood turntable. You've never played 'Norwegian Wood' like this. Silvan Audio Workshop is one of Kickstarter's latest gems, unearthed by Stoney Roads and seemingly worth every last cent in your piggy bank. Created from individual slices of wood, and audio components from English turntable specialists Rega — including a glass platter for your record, one beautiful tonearm and a low vibration, low noise belt drive — these Silvan turntables are all constructed by hand by the Walters. The Silvan comes in three different models: the Archer, the Champion and the Sampo (increasing in quality of parts as you spend more, obviously) and they'll even align the cartridge and set the counterweight so you can plug in and play. The turntables range from $750 up to $2250, so they're pretty exxy. But hey, handcrafted walnut decks were never going to come cheap. "Our vision is to make one-of-a-kind objects of art that will be the centrepiece of any home entertainment system," says the Kickstarter schpiel. "We believe that if your music is unique, if it has soul and life and beauty, the things you use to play it should have all the same character. Mass-produced just isn’t good enough." Silvan are looking for $14,000 to fund their workshop, so they can crank out more turntables in an more efficient space with less sawdust in every crevice — and get a little publicity while they're at it. Plus, they don't live in the same town, so schleppin' back and forth to your dad's house gets pricey. At the time of writing, they've raised $6,152 so far, from just 44 backers. Perks range from stickers and posters for teeny donations, and whole turntables in the $2250 realms. UPDATE 25/2: It's been brought to our attention that a company called Audiowood has been doing an undeniably similar design since 2009. Maker Joel Scilley told us, "The copy's concept is the same down to the same parts used, glass platter, spike feet, etc. My original design is the 'Audiowood Barky Turntable'. Silvan Audio knew the design already existed and are presenting it as their design... I've asked them to stop stealing my intellectual property, and to remove their Kickstarter, and so far they have refused. " Silvan Audio issued this statement yesterday on Facebook: "It's been a very big day, with coverage from a bunch of places (Hello, Boing Boing, Alternative Press, and Engadget! Thanks for the coverage!) and a good conversation with a great guy named Joel Scilley. Joel has a company called Audiowood, and he makes incredible things. One of them is a turntable very much like what we're making, so he's a bit put out that we'd be making what we're making. "It might cost us some support (this whole thing could rub some of you the wrong way, and we completely respect that), but regardless of the impact, we owe you the respect of being completely open and transparent. We added an FAQ to the page today with this info, but we want to be even more proactively honest with you: we're doing something very similar to what Audiowood has been doing for a while. We were pointed to Joel's work during the build of our first turntable, and we still think it's absolutely awesome. Our initial idea was "original" in that we weren't copying anything we knew of when we set out, but of course it's no more of an Original Idea to us than it was to Audiowood or anyone else who's brainstormed or made something similar at some point. (Google the back cover of Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Wood" at some point.) "Ultimately, what we're jumping into is the market of using factory parts in custom plinths. (Rega parts, specifically, because they're radically easy to work with, the quality is great, and the construction is very straightforward.) Audiowood is in that market, and others — hobbyists as well as resellers — are as well, making cool things from all kinds of materials. Our hope is that the world is big enough that all of us can continue to do a thing that we've really enjoyed so far without getting in each other's way. "We don't have a corner on or a legal claim to Rega's parts, and we certainly don't have a claim to trees either, so our intent is honest and completely friendly competition in an area we arrived at sincerely and really believe we're completely free to work in. "Some of you might be disappointed, or you'd rather support the guy who actually got into the shop and mass produced this idea first, and that's completely fine. The last thing we want is to damage Joel Scilley's business — he seems like a really good guy doing good, honest work. For those who want to enable us to go after an idea we also came by honestly, we appreciate the support." Check out the Silvan Audio Workshop Kickstarter page here. Check out Audiowood over here. Via Stoney Roads.
Park City, Utah is getting a hit of Australian coffee culture, with the tourist hotspot set to become home to the first international cafe by home-grown coffee roasters Campos Coffee. The Sydney-born coffee shop has announced that it will open its first US store in Park City in mid-December, ensuring locals can finally enjoy a halfway decent flat white. Sorry not sorry, Starbucks. "We've considered the US market for more than ten years, but never found the right fit for us," said Campos founder and president Will Young in announcing the brand's stateside expansion. "As soon as we visited Park City, we knew it would be a perfect extension of the Campos Coffee brand." Park City is known for its tourist economy, driven by multiple ski resorts as well as the annual Sundance Film Festival. "Walking around, you can see the whole town has an active, inclusive and diverse community that cares about the environment," said Young. "Add to this a significant dedication to the arts, such as the Sundance Film Festival, and the decision was made." Campos, which currently has seven stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, is following in the footsteps a number of Australian coffee brands who have set up shop in the United States. Most recently Paramount Coffee Project opened up a base in Los Angeles. Look for Campos Coffee in Park City, Utah from mid-December.
Sydney foodies, we're spoilt for choice at every turn. New top-notch eateries are cropping up faster than ever before. If you're struggling to keep up — and who isn't? — never fear Taste of Sydney 2016 is the four-day foodie festival to get to up to speed on the cream of the culinary crop. Setting up residence in Centennial Park from March 10 to 13, Taste of Sydney in partnership with Electrolux is all about bringing diners and chefs together. Ticketholders will be treated with nosh from some of Sydney's top restaurants, including Middle Eastern street food from the crew at Glebe's Thievery, Porteno's famously hearty fare, Biota Dining's sustainable modern Australian dishes, nel.'s fine dining dishes, plus fire-cooked noms from Firedoor. Also joining the deliciousness will be Kitchen by Mike, MoVida, Sake, and the newly opened Kensington Street Social, among others. But we can't wait until then. We annoyed the Thievery team to give us a recipe, NOW. NOOOOOOW. So they relented and told us how make their mouthwatering baba ghanoush with sheep's milk yogurt, pinenuts and burnt butter. You can make it too! Thievery's Baba Ghanoush with Sheep's Milk Yogurt, Pinenuts and Burnt Butter 2 eggplants 25g tahini Juice of one lemon 1 clove of garlic 25g olive oil Salt and pepper (to taste) For pinenut burnt butter 75g pinenuts 120g unsalted butter For sheep's milk yoghurt dressing 100g sheep's milk yoghurt ¼ clove of garlic 15ml extra virgin olive oil Chervil leaves, to garnish Lebanese bread Method Prick the eggplants with a fork all over. Over an open flame, using tongs, grill the eggplant whole under tender and soft. Juices should bubble and start to flow. Alternatively, roast in oven at 190 degrees until tender and soft. Cut eggplants in half, length ways, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients to the eggplant flesh in the bowl. Using a whisk, gently combine all the ingredients together, keeping the texture thick to avoid turning the eggplant into a paste. Season to taste. On medium heat, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan until butter starts to turn an amber colour with a nutty smell. Just before beurre noisette (brown butter) add the pinenuts, tossing until noisette stage is achieved. Remove from heat. Set aside and keep warm so that butter does not solidify, allowing the pinenuts to infuse the flavour. Finely grate ¼ clove of garlic. Add sheep's milk yoghurt and olive oil, combining all ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste. Place baba ghanoush in a serving bowl. Dollop sheep's milk yoghurt dressing around the baba ghanoush. Using a spoon, mix the pinenut burnt butter and spoon over the top. Garnish with chervil leaves and serve with warm Lebanese bread.
There's something about food trucks that will never go out of style. It's quality food, but instead of being artfully plated up on ceramics, the chefs lean down and hand you your meal in a paper tray. Sydney-based Eat Art Truck was one of the first to really take off, with its American barbecue street food infused with fine dining and bright, colourful trucks that feature the work of local artists. Specialities on the menu are the eight-hour smoked pulled pork bun, the slow-roasted beef brisket bun and the crispy fried chicken bun. There are nachos, salads, fancier dishes like the kingfish entrée, and desserts like flourless chocolate cake. Once a month an artist will paint a piece on the side of the truck, and at the end of the month the piece is auctioned off for charity — so folks get a serving of culture along with their fries. To celebrate the launch of the KitchenAid Mini in Australia, we created a Mini Dinners video series, asking two of our favourite Australian chefs to throw a dinner party. Brenton Balicki, one of Eat Art Truck's founding chefs, cooked us up a feast. He has a fine dining background, having spent years working at the iconic Japanese restaurant Tetsuya before moving on to Quay. When Eat Art Truck owner Mo Moubayed came to Brenton with the idea for the truck, it sounded like a challenge, so he got on board. He likes the relaxed nature of the truck in contrast to the precision of fine dining. "Fine dining is something you have to put in your calendar," he says. "But at the truck you can get the same quality food and we can share that fine dining experience without needing the fine dining environment." Brenton's professional background instilled in him the importance of good produce, so when he cooks at home he regularly takes trips down to the Sydney Fish Markets, where Australia is lucky enough to have some of the best produce in the world. "It's difficult to come up with the right outcome without the correct equipment — that includes the right produce." For his dinner party, Brenton rode down to the Sydney Fish Markets and picked up some kingfish, fresh vegetables and beef from the nearby Vic's Meat Market. It's a one-stop shop. Playing to his strengths, Brenton decided to cook up some of his specialities. All three of these dishes have appeared in some form on the Eat Art Truck menu. For entrée, beetroot-cured hiramasa kingfish, served on a plate that was given to him by Tetsuya Wakuda for his 19th birthday. It's his favourite thing to cook with. "The name really says it all — it's the best fish you can get. It's farmed in South Australia on a strict diet and grown in cold water, which is what gives it a high fat content." For the main course, a classic Eat Art Truck burger. "Everyone claims their burger recipe is the best. That's because when you make it yourself you can decide exactly what goes in there, you have more control over the flavour that you like." For dessert, he kept it simple with a flourless, sugarless chocolate cake made with almond meal. It's an easy dessert that anyone can whip up. Take a few minutes and watch Brenton plate up his Eat Art Truck food — and get inspired, his recipes are coming soon. Watch our Mini Dinner with Liam O'Driscoll, head chef at Sydney's Big Poppa's. He cooked up three courses of the rustic Italian food his Oxford Street restaurant is famous for. Images: Samantha Hawker.
Fancy three-course meals and fine dining degustations are all good and well, but sometimes all you want is a nice cheesy, cheesy toastie — and that's where Toasta & Co. deliver. The operators behind two of our fave Melbourne food trucks — toastie vendors Toasta and schnitzel kings Von Crumb — have fired up the grill at their very first brick and mortar store. Follow the crumbs and listen for the sizzle of the sandwich press. Cheesy goodness awaits you. Located at 181 Adderley Street, West Melbourne, Toasta & Co. was born out of demand. "The trucks focus mainly on private events now, which has made it really tricky for the public to come see us," says Toasta & Co. creator Rebecca Feingold. "So the drive behind the brick and mortar was really the demand of the customers, which has been great." Our baby blue 😇 181 Adderley St, West Melbourne: 12-8pm. A photo posted by TOASTA (@toastafoodtruck) on Jul 26, 2016 at 5:26pm PDT Yes, you demanded it, and now here they are, with toasties ranging from the timeless cheese and bread combo to more extravagant sangas filled with tomato and kale cashew pesto, pastrami, dill pickle and sauerkraut, and pulled pork, caramelised onions, BBQ sauce and mac 'n' cheese. They also have a dessert option made with sweetened mascarpone and stewed rhubarb. Oh hell yes. But while the humble toastie is obviously their signature dish, Toasta & Co. is more than just a one-trick pony. They also offer various Von Crumb schnitzels, along with pastries, soups, salads, baguettes and desserts, which includes bread and butter pudding. Their coffee, meanwhile, comes courtesy of Proud Mary, while their bar is stocked with a small selection of wines as well as beers by Hawker, Feral and Bridge Road Brewers. "We're a one-stop shop," says Feingold. "Coming into the warmer months we'll also be having Bloody Mary and toastie mornings on the weekend." It's not the first dedicated toastie cafe to open in Melbourne either — a gourmet toastie drive-through, Cheese & Bread opened up in Preston back in May. When it comes to that simple combo though, the competition can never be too crowded. Toasta & Co. are open this week Wednesday to Sunday from noon until 8pm. From next Wednesday, their operating hours will expand to 7am until 8pm. Keep your eyes on their website and Facebook for more information.
They say eating cheese before you go to bed will give you nightmares, but that doesn’t seem to bother the people who’ve organised Cheese Please, a twilight cheese festival coming to Melbourne on Friday, February 19. OK so that was a cheesy (woo!) introduction to what is undoubtedly the best damn news you’ve heard all week — a cheese festival is coming, a festival of cheese, an event where you can go and eat cheese and drink wine all night, which is incontrovertible proof that we’re all dead and Melbourne is heaven. And it’s not just any home-brand cheddar block either. The Australian Grand Dairy Awards are presenting the festival and only the finest cheeses will be on display — not a Kraft single in sight. Small-scale, family-owned producers will display alongside your favourites (Mersey Valley, we’re comin’ for ya) and all the cheese on offer will be prize winners of the Australian Grand Dairy awards. As well as much cheese there will also be much like-cheese-but-not. Like-cheese-but-not goes by many names — dips, yoghurts, cream, butter, desserts — and there will also be some very-much-not-cheese like beer, wine and food trucks. Very good. The event is technically free but you do have to ‘win’ tickets by registering and applying for them. This is probably because they know if it was open to the public we’d swarm the place in seconds, like agile 28 Days Later zombies, and tear it apart looking for cheese (they’ve certainly got our number). To get you in the mood, check out their website (aptly named Legendairy) for some truly inspirational recipes and cheese pairings — spiced oatcake with sour cherries and camembert anyone? You can register for tickets here. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
As if ringing in the new year isn't exciting enough, January, as always, will also bring with it the dazzling, vibrant carnival that is Sydney Festival. Turning the city into a creative playground for a full three weeks, the Festival brings a (very generous) dose of culture to the sizzling days and balmy nights of Sydney summer. Today the festival has unveiled its 2018 program — and it's an absolute cracker, packed with hundreds of events ranging from mind-boggling circus to cutting-edge theatre and awe-inspiring musical performances. Whatever art experience you're after, you'll find it in Sydney between January 6–28. While this year doesn't have an installation quite as interactive as Snarkitecture's giant ball pit or the House of Mirrors (which is currently on display in Melbourne), Sydney Town Hall will become a shrine to 50,000 of Japan's unwanted plastic toys with Hiroshi Fuji's large-scale work Jurassic Plastic. It looks like a kid's paradise but there will be adults-only nights too. Four Thousand Fish will be an immersive work where participants will help create ice sculptures of fish and then return them to the harbour to commemorate Barangaroo and the Warrane women. On stage, we ecstatic to hear that Tree of Codes will be coming to Sydney after performances at Melbourne Festival; the visually stunning ballet — which we really, really hoped would come to Australia — combines the talents of choreographer Wayne McGregor, visual artist Olafur Eliasson, musician Jamie xx and the Paris Opera Ballet. [caption id="attachment_642587" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jurassic Plastic, shot by Keizo Kioku[/caption] On the musical side of things, not only are Opera in the Domain and Symphony Under The Stars back for another year of dreamy music performed under the open night skies, there are also a host of gigs, most notably from NZ's Aldous Harding and Argentinian three-piece Fémina plus a tribute to The Go-Betweens' 16 Lovers Lane album and an otherworldly concert performed entirely underwater called Aquasonic. Five iconic Harry Siedler buildings will also host a series of talks and concerts, blending architecture and music on the program. Theatre buffs, meanwhile, should nab tickets for Barber Shop Chronicles. Offering a juicy peek into the vibrant life of barbershops across the world, this delightful show took British audiences by storm. Burlesque aficionado? Don't miss iconic Aussie boylesque troupe — and Syd Fest regulars — Briefs in all its glamorous, saucy glory in sci-fi spectacle Close Encounters. Don't miss My Name Is Jimi, where, Jimi Bani will call up four generations of his family to take you on an evening of music, dance and comedy at Belvoir. Head over to Parramatta's Circus City to catch the always-impressive Circus Oz in top form with Model Citizens, a satire that lampoons the suburban Aussie dream with impressive physicality and a foot-tapping soundtrack. Also in the environs is Highly Sprung, a soaring performance by Legs on the Wall, which tells the story of inner-city residents through the media of trampolines and other physical art forms. Punters will get a chance to have a go on the trampolines and even take part in an aerial workshop in-between shows — all for gratis. You can also sign up for a flying trapeze workshop for $49. In addition to the many ticketed events, there is also a panoply of free offerings, from art exhibitions and thought-provoking talks to interactive installations. As always the Meriton Festival Village will have heaps to offer between shows — dance to your fave song in a transparent, glitter-filled cube, swim in a shipping container pool, go for a spin on a karaoke carousel or join a 10-minute dance party in a shipping container. Whether you're in it for the inspiration, a shock, or just a whole lot of fun, this year's festival is sure to delight. Sydney, you're in for a summer treat. Sydney Festival will run from January 6–28, 2018. For more information visit sydneyfestival.org.au. By Yelena Bidé and Lauren Vadnjal. Image: Tree of Codes, shot by Joel Chester Fildes.
In European rural communities, wine-making has been an inclusive experience for centuries. What better way to forge village connections than by the mass squashing of grapes and shared sampling of the results? Here in Australia, however, exorbitant distances mean that our quaffing usually happens a long way from the bottle’s source. Even if you are curious about setting up your own winery, it all looks rather pricey and tricky from the outside. Three guys in Melbourne want to change all that. They’re set on opening the city’s first interactive ‘urban winery’. And, through their Pozible campaign, they’re hoping to enlist your help. At Noisy Ritual, you’ll be able to take a hands- and feet-on role in the creation of people-powered, group-owned, premium quality wine, using old-school strategies — from the messy luxury of the mid-March stomp, to the squidgy fun of early-April pressing, to the spring magic of bottling — without leaving the Melbourne met area. The project came about when winemaker Alexander Byrne (of Lethbridge Wines) discovered a fermentation tank beneath the Thornbury house of schoolmate, Cam Nicol. “We decided then and there that we’d have to make use of it, because it was the only logical thing to do,” Cam says. “So, in autumn this year, Alex brought two half-tonne batches of shiraz grapes up from Geelong, from where he works. A few friends put in money to buy them, and we formed a basic winemaking syndicate. When it came to labour time, we’d have mini-parties, doing our stomping or pressing downstairs then coming upstairs, to eat and socialise.” Before that, Cam, a "music industry multi-tasker", was new to winemaking. “The process was a massively educational one for me,” he says. “I’d never known much about wine, so being involved in the making of it was a doorway into wine culture. It was something I’d always felt intimidated about and found it hard to converse about, because there’s a lot of assumed knowledge when you’re talking to people who actually know about wine.” Nervous whenever you sidle up to a wine-tasting counter? Not sure about deciphering the difference between a leather tone and a blackberry one? Noisy Ritual intends to have you demystified in a matter of months. Figuring that other people might benefit from the same learning curve, Cam suggested to Alex and another winemaking school buddy, Sam Vogel (Provenance Wines), that they take their neighbourhood operations citywide. Once funding is secured for Noisy Ritual, they’re planning on moving from Cam’s place to a bigger space, somewhere near Brunswick. In 2015, members (join up by pledging) will be able to take an active part in winemaking, in a party atmosphere fuelled by live music, DJs, wine tastings and food. To stem your loneliness in the lapses between the action, there’ll be special events and ample opportunities to drop in, to "taste the wine straight from the barrel, take some measurements, bend a winemaker’s ear or just give a barrel a hug". Images by Tajette O'Halloran.
Ah, Melbourne — sunny one minute, pouring the next. If it wasn't already hard enough to get outside and go for a run, it's much more difficult when your fingers and nose are close to freezing off. Of course, it's much easier to stay wrapped in a doona beside the heater — but no more excuses. We've got ten refreshing ideas to get you up and moving with some indoor workouts that are nothing like your average treadmill slog. PEAK GYMNASTICS, WINDSOR You could have been a world-class gymnast if you'd started training early enough. Well, press pause on Stick It and get down to Peak Gymnastics to stick it IRL. Running three times a week, the adult gymnastics sessions will work your core stability and flexibility on the high bar, beam, rings and trampoline. Classes are suitable for beginners and seasoned gymnasts — for a full workout, join a gymnastics-led HIIT class and even a gymnastics take on CrossFit. There's also open gym sessions if you just want to have a go at the equipment. While you may never achieve Olympic glory or score a perfect ten, you'll build up some serious strength and flexibility. And maybe even learn how to do a handstand. CHUNKY MOVE, SOUTHBANK One of Melbourne's most respected dance studios is opening its doors for a series of unique dance classes. No matter how unco you may feel, Chunky Move's fun and supportive classes will leave you feeling energised and more connected with your body. Experienced dancers have the opportunity to experiment with improvisation classes or learn Countertechnique to take their mobility and movement up a notch. Classes are taught by professional dancers that work in the industry, so you're in fantastic hands. It's a great opportunity to explore your creativity through movement — and get fit as you do so. ROLLERFIT, FLEMINGTON If you felt inspired by Ellen Page's roller derby skills in Whip It but you're not willing to lose any teeth attempting to recreate her moves, RollerFit is for you. Let your skates guide you towards greater strength, flexibility, endurance and balance, assisted along the way by accredited coaches. Dodge, weave and glide in a series of exercises designed to push your body to the limit. Oh, and it's also a hell of a lot of fun. As you draw on the muscle memory from your 80s or 90s childhood, you'll wonder why you ever threw out your rad retro skates. NORTHSIDE BOULDERS, NORTHCOTE Bouldering is the ultimate workout for the body and brain. By the end of a session, your arms will be shaking and you'll be content in your problem solving and strategic prowess. For bouldering beginners, picture indoor rock climbing with low walls, no ropes, plenty of matting and heaps of fiendish routes to climb. Chalk up and hit the walls at Northside Northcote — the new light-filled addition to the gym family — there are options for every level from freshie to fanatic. If you're keen to take your skills to the next level, keep an eye out for the Boulder Bootcamps which run fortnightly at Northcote, or Sunday School which is hosted weekly at the Lactic Factory. HEAVY HAULERS, DONCASTER Sure, the idea of dragging a tyre around a parking lot may not inspire you to get out of bed on a chilly day, but hear us out. Heavy Haulers uses resistance training to supercharge your strength, endurance and aerobic abilities. The measurable results and sense of accomplishment which accompanies this workout is sure to motivate you and get you back on track. Don't be put off by the mental image of Guinness Book of Records-style musclemen — this high-powered workout can accommodate all genders, ages and body types. MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL DANCE, BRUNSWICK Get your leotard and pointe shoes on — adult ballet is a fantastic way to work on your flexibility and control. Melbourne Classical Dance School's classes embrace new learners in any stage of life, with teachers ready to help you perfect your plies and learn the secrets of an A-grade arabesque in a supportive and non-competitive environment. Work on the fundamental techniques in the ballet classes or, if your goal is to become a prima ballerina, drop into an align and tone class. POLE AND AERIAL DIVAS, RICHMOND Have you seen FKA Twigs' Instagram lately? Her incredible aerial and pole skills are enough to make any couch potato dream of being able to dance with similar delicacy and strength. Enter Pole and Aerial Divas, who will show you the moves on the spinning pole, static pole or the suspended lyra hoop. The team runs six studios in Melbourne — as well as two specialised Aerial Divas studios — with classes tailored to boost your confidence, core stability and control. If you're not ready to hit the pole, try a Fly Yoga class where you can test some moves suspended from a fabrics sling, or a dance conditioning session to get those plies on point. [caption id="attachment_678290" align="alignnone" width="1920"] North Walls via Facebook.[/caption] NORTH WALLS, BRUNSWICK If anything's going to warm you up this winter, it's the shot of adrenaline that comes from climbing a big wall. Newbies need not fear, the North Walls team will guide you through the basics, while more experienced climbers can conquer those harder top-rope routes. With a cafe serving coffees and energy-extending treats, you also can reward yourself for taking your fitness to new heights. ALTERNATIVE WOMEN'S FITNESS, THORNBURY First things first: Alternative Women's Fitness is not a gym. It has no competitive macho vibes, no cheesy music, no treadmills and no same-same classes. Founder Sabina Turner envisioned a diverse community of supportive women working towards their individual fitness goals — and she's created just that. The Thornbury Clubhouse is a queer/trans-friendly space that champions diversity. If your idea of a great workout includes unique themes, rocking tunes and cool company — jump straight in with the low-impact burn of a Sculptallica class or the intense full-body blitz of a boxing session. If you've always been bored by yoga, let AWF change your mind with its fierce Furiosa yoga, inspired by the heroine of Mad Max: Fury Road — you'll come out refreshed and ready to face the world. F*IT, ASCOT VALE Barre? We'd prefer a bar. Luckily, fitness studio F*it features a smoothie bar by day and boozy bar by night. You won't have any trouble letting F*it tempt you into a workout because, alcohol. And trust us, that post-sweat-sesh cocktail will be well earned. The bespoke boxing classes will get you into peak condition — try Boom or The Wall to make you feel like Million Dollar Baby, or join All Shots for an explosive full-body workout. Lovers of a cheeky gym selfie, this place was made for you — the neon lights hit you at all the right angles, no filter needed. And, the bathrooms have fancy toiletries that'll seal the deal.
The 35th incarnation of Woodford Folk Festival — a temporary village of alternative lifestyle, music, art and performance — is finally happening this December and January. Over six days and six nights, more than 2,000 performers (and many, many more attendees) will bring this festival to life in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after a two-year pandemic-induced break. The festival will feature music from all over the globe including folk, rock, blues, First Nations performances as well as children's events, comedy, cabaret and talks on everything from social justice to science and innovation. You'll be able to wander through market stalls, encounter installation artworks and take part in workshops and activities at the Bushtime camping experience on Jinibara Country as you see out the year in with thousands of other festival goers. And that's all before the mammoth closing ceremony fire display on New Year's Eve that'll help you welcome in 2023. Keen to head along? The full Woodford Folk Festival program and tickets are yet to be released. For more information, visit the website. Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
While we all need to look after our mates on a night out, there are occasions when you know you need to make a hasty, unnoticed exit before the night gets ugly. Ghosting, the smokebomb, the Irish Goodbye — call it what you want, the subtle art of disappearing before your mates even realise you're gone is a skill. Whether you're an expert escape artist or you can't depart without catching the eye of a few, all you've really got to do to pull off a great ghost is queue up that Uber and get to the front door of the venue. We've put together a list of the easiest and hardest places to ghost from to help you out. You can thank us later. [caption id="attachment_520249" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Leah Hulst.[/caption] EASY: COLLEGE LAWN HOTEL College Lawn in Prahran has long been the sort of place you'd want to wander down to on a Sunday afternoon to sink a few pints and maybe watch a game. But when that afternoon turns to night, and you realise you've got work in ten hours or so, College Lawn also has you sorted for ghosting. Surrounded by main roads so you can access your escape vehicle in a jiffy, the large venue also has enough rooms and different areas you can sidle off to and make your exit from. You'd even be able to hop over the fence at the back without anyone noticing and calling foul. EASY: THE CARLTON CLUB The Carlton Club is another large, sprawling venue that encompasses enough random bits and bobs to distract your friends from your exit. Lead your group into the room with animals on the wall, get them to stroke said furry wall, then take your cue. They'll probably spend a fruitless few minutes looking for you before assuming you're on the palm rooftop bar or something and stop worrying. EASY: HOWLER Howler is the sort of place where you're not really sure if you're in a bar, a club, an art gallery or a ping-pong tournament facility. With all of that going on — music, theatre, fringe shows and storyslams — it should be easy enough to blend into the background, pretend you're doing an art piece and scamper. Or you could win huge at a game of ping-pong, do a victory lap and then never come back. EASY: MADAME BRUSSELS Madame Brussels has the benefit of the good old distraction technique, too, but this time it's of a different sort. All the staff here just look so swish when they're done up in their finest tennis whites, your mates will find themselves wondering where you even buy tennis skirts from, and what exactly Pimm's is as they sink another jug of it. Then voila, you're a distant echo and on the way to water and bed. EASY: THE RETREAT The Retreat arguably has one of the best beer gardens on the north side of town — perhaps even the whole of Melbourne. It often plays home to some noise-heavy bands playing their hearts out, so you summoning an Uber will go unnoticed amongst the loud guitars and smokers. It's a busy place and it's got your back when you need it; just duck around the enormous tree out the back and slip out easily. HARD: GERALD'S BAR Gerald's quaint, cosy interior is a prime date setting for a romantic night of red wine and pasta. However, when it comes to group hangs, the one entrance is very obvious and the warm lighting and close quarters means it'll be unlikely your actions will go unnoticed — the rule of thumb is that the smaller and sweeter the bar, the easier it'll be to hear your mates yelling, "Oi! Where ya going?" and the jig will be up. HARD: LOOP ROOF Loop Roof is an excellent summer night cocktail spot high above the Melbourne skyline, but it's also a tricky spot to escape in a hurry. It may seem all fine and dandy to start with when you've ordered your Uber and downed the rest of your drink. But when you realise that there are five flights of stairs you have to contend with and your balance isn't so hot tonight, that facade fades fast. You make your way down bit by bit, and listen out for your ride. Just tell 'em you're only one flight away. HARD: MARION WINE BAR Marion, Cutler & Co.'s neighbouring wine bar by the same owners, is another place you'll want to bring your Tinder date to so you can impress them. It's new, trendy, long rather than wide and all done up in minimalist white and brick. This makes for an A+ cool wine bar experience, but has D+ ghosting capabilities, considering everything you do will be more noticeable thanks to the narrow entrance, bright white walls, small tables and huge windows. But really, you shouldn't be ghosting on a date unless the situation is dire, so stick to catching up with friends here who'll understand when the night turns and you need to run. HARD: SUN MOTH CANTEEN Sun Moth Canteen is one of those small places hidden away in Melbourne's underbelly of cobblestone laneways — good for the secretive 'find it yourself' culture that our city enjoys, but bad for those hoping to make a quick escape into a waiting car on a main road. Also, if you happen to glance at the food menu and see that there is fried bread on it, good luck to you. Your inner carb fiend might just take the reins and forget about leaving. HARD: YAH YAH'S Yah Yah's is a mainstay in late-night joints that keep kicking 'til daylight comes back around. At this 'weekend club for zombies', don't be surprised if you find yourself still there as the next door café kicks into gear for the morning rush. Smokebombing from a place as resolutely banging as Yah Yah's is nigh impossible when there's a dance floor and tunes of such prowess, so ghosting here is something you may try, but quite possibly fail at. The entrance is also right next to the dance floor. Not helpful.
