When you're taking your pet pooch to the park at the end of October, you want your four-legged friend to look as frightening as possible. Halloween is for all creatures, big and small, after all. While puppers are generally pretty adorable — and not in any way scary — that will all change when it dons a terrifying spider or pumpkin (maybe not so much) costume courtesy of Big W's new range of Halloween-themed petwear. This way, your dachshund can go trick-or-treating as a dangerous dinosaur, your jack russell terrier can run around the backyard in a witchie tee or your shih tzu can snooze in a ghoulish sweater. They're all super-affordable, too, with costumes starting from $8 and bandanas from $4. A heap of hair-raising costumes are currently available (including various sizes and colours) for pets and the full Halloween range also includes costumes for humans (big and small) and decorations, such as pumpkins, gravestones, buckets and skulls aplenty. While Big W has dubbed the line its 'petwear', so far it's all for dogs. That said, if you can somehow manage to get your cat into a vest or sweater, then you might just be able to get them into a dinosaur suit. [caption id="attachment_785479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leo the Cavoodle[/caption] Big W's Halloween petwear is currently available to purchase online, with contactless home delivery and pick up available.
Jeff Koons is anything but coy. We know that. His oeuvre consists of enormous neon balloon animals, nightmarish cartoon characters, and graphic sexual acts; sometimes a single artwork will feature all three. He's a middle-aged multi-millionaire who employs hundreds of assistants to make his works, he was married to an Italian porn star, and was once described by Stephen Colbert as "the world's most expensive birthday clown". With all that in mind, his bare butt being plastered across the pages of Vanity Fair shouldn't be much of a surprise. And yet you can never really prepare yourself to see a nude 59-year-old man splayed across what can only be described as a torture apparatus. Nor should you ever have to. But, part of a larger feature (yet to go online) about an upcoming Koons retrospective at the Whitney Museum in New York, an unforgettable image of Koons naked presumably comes as proof of the artist's determination and commitment to his craft. "Koons, at 59, has already begun a strict exercise-and-diet regimen," reads the article. "[Now] he will have a shot at working undiminished into his 80s, as Picasso did." Though it's an admirable crusade, we can't help but get creepy Patrick Bateman vibes off the whole thing. It's suspiciously easy to imagine this well-established neo-pop artist waking up in his silk sheets each morning and reciting the following mantra. "I live in a townhouse on the Upper East Side with my wife and six children. My name is Jeff Koons. I'm 59 years old. I believe in taking care of myself with a balanced diet and rigorous exercise routine, but more than that I believe in giant inflatable rabbits." Aside from Picasso and fictional serial killers, Jeff Koons is compared to many great artists in this latest feature. Courbet, Duchamp, and Brecht all get a mention, and of course the founding father of pop art himself, Andy Warhol. Though Koons is undoubtedly as well-known as many of these artists, he's equally as controversial. Both praised and criticised for his kitsch and mass-produced work, Koons has a troubled history with the art world despite his widespread commercial success. Hopefully this feature and forthcoming exhibition do him some favours in the popularity stakes. Now readers will see he's just like them! He works out naked and loves Pink Panther erotica just as much as the next guy. Via Huffington Post and Gallerist.
Sixty years ago, biscuit history was made. Back in 1964, the winning combination of malted bikkies filled with chocolate cream and covered in textured chocolate first hit Australian shelves — and, much to the delight of tastebuds across the country, Tim Tams were born. Since then, what might just be the nation's favourite biscuit has come in all manner of flavours (including both Gelato Messina- and Jatz-riffing versions), inspired a hotel suite and earned fame around the world. But Lune working Tim Tams into one of its pastries? That's new. To celebrate the bikkie's 60th anniversary, Lune Croissanterie has joined forces with Tim Tam's maker Arnott's to create a twice-baked Tim Tam pain au chocolat. The must-try bakery item features Tim Tam biscuit frangipane and chocolate ganache inside, and also chunks of Tim Tams on top. If you're keen to sink your teeth into one, you've got a month to head to one of Lune's Melbourne and Brisbane venues. "We are so honoured to be part of this special 60-year celebration. I am *this* close to fulfilling my dream of becoming the Tim Tam Genie!" said Lune Owner and Founder Kate Reid, announcing the collaboration. "We all have such fond memories with Tim Tam, and so we really wanted to create something that befits such an Aussie icon." The Tim Tam pain au chocolate is on the Lune menu across October 2024, from Tuesday, October 1–Thursday, October 31, at all stores in the Victorian (Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale) and Queensland (South Brisbane and Burnett Lane) capitals. Taking cues from the beloved biscuit shouldn't come as a surprise for the bakery's customers. Lune loves an edible mashup, turning fellow food items into pastries — as one of its other October specials, birthday cake croissants, also demonstrates. This year marks 12 years of Lune, too, which is why the chain is doing some celebrating of its own. Available from its Fitzroy, Armadale, South Brisbane and Brisbane CBD locations, its birthday cake croissants are inspired by the birthday cake from Milk Bar Store in New York, and feature birthday cake frangipane and birthday crumb in a twice-baked tradition croissant. On top: vanilla buttercream and — because it wouldn't be a birthday without them — sprinkles. Among the sweet dishes, the October specials range also features cinnamon buns (made with sugar, cinnamon and crushed walnuts, and finished with cream cheese glaze and roasted walnuts) and passionfruit coconut cruffins (featuring passionfruit sugar, passionfruit coconut whip, passionfruit jam, coconut flakes and meringue shards). Lune is also going savoury with its everything croissant, complete with herb paste, chive cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning among the ingredients. As always, different options are available at different stores — and only some shops take pre-orders. Lune's October 2024 specials are available from Tuesday, October 1–Thursday, October 31. Different items are available from different stores, with Lune operating at Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale in Melbourne, and South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane — and from everywhere except the Melbourne CBD, you can also order them online. Images: Pete Dillon.
What is pickleball, you ask? Well, we had the same question before visiting the new National Pickleball League courts in South Melbourne. We discovered that pickleball is like a larger version of bat tennis — that dear old game we used to play back in primary school. The difference is that you use a plastic wiffle ball and the court is a bit bigger. But not nearly as big as a tennis court so you've got less chance of pulling a hammy. The sport was invented back in 1965 as a children's game in the US but has recently grown to be a hugely popular phenomenon. It's gone the way of ultimate frisbee and quidditch. According to the Pickleball Australia Association, there are now over 140 pickleball clubs all over the country, with that number rising. Yeah, it seems to be a thing now. Capitalising on that, the National Pickleball League has set up a heap of courts in its new pickleball space, The Jar. Here, you can now book a court with some mates or join the league itself, that's set to play its first 24-team season in March 2024. And this isn't your average community sports tournament. There is proper prize money up for grabs, with the winning team getting $50,000. But you don't have to be a pro to just rock up to the South Melbourne pickleball courts and hit a few wiffle balls around with mates. You'll find the National Pickleball League's The Jar at 29 White Street, South Melbourne. It's open 6am–10pm from Monday–Thursday, 6am–7pm on Fridays and 7am–6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more info.
If you managed to nab a ticket to Paul Kelly's Making Gravy tour in Melbourne last year, then you were one of the lucky ones. If you weren't and have been lamenting ever since, you can stop. The songwriting legend has just announced that he'll be performing the show all over again this December, in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. As in 2017, you can expect to hear a stack of songs from Kelly's four-decade long career. Listen out for all the hits, from "Dumb Things", from the album Live, May 1992, to "Love Never Runs On Time" from Wanted Man (1994). The Christmas classic "How To Make Gravy", first released in 1996 on an eponymous EP, is on the menu, too. Chances are, you'll also hear some tunes from Kelly's new album, Nature. Due out on 12 October, it features poems by Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Phillip Larkin, alongside original poems and songs. Last year, his 23rd studio album, Life is Fine, topped the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the first of his albums to do so. Kelly won't be hitting the road alone: he's inviting a bunch of special guests. He'll be joined by Angus & Julia Stone, playing tunes from 2017 album Snow, Alex Lahey at all shows, with Angie McMahon and D.D Dumbo joining the lineup in Sydney, and Mojo Juju jumping on board in Melbourne and Brisbane. All three shows are outdoors and all-ages. Paul Kelly Making Gravy presale tickets will be available from 2pm on Monday, August 20. General sales will kick off at 10am on Thursday, August 23. Paul Kelly Making Gravy will hit Sydney's Domain on Saturday, December 15; Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday, December 14; and Brisbane's Riverstage on Friday, December 21. Image: Cybele Malinowski
Boozy things are great and all — but it's the low- and no-alcohol sips that are in soaring high demand these days. Melbourne's already home to Australia's first permanent booze-free bar and bottle shop, and it also played host to a zero-alcohol pop-up bar by Dan Murphy's earlier this year. Heck, we've even had local rockstars launching their own signature no-alc bevs. And now, we're getting the country's first-ever, major low- and no-booze drinks festival. Coming at us courtesy of Revel — the same minds behind Pinot Palooza and cheese fest Mould — Picolo is set to make its debut on Saturday, February 11, 2023, transforming Port Melbourne's Timber Yard into a drinks showcase of not-so-boozy proportions. It's out to spotlight all the hottest new drops making a splash on Australia and New Zealand's 'no-low' drinks scene; from craft beer and vino, to spirits-style creations and alcohol-free cocktails. Across two sessions (12pm, 5pm), guests will be able to sip their way through goodies from 30 different producers, with big flavours and innovation the main order of the day. Expect pours from familiar names like Lyres, Heaps Normal, Four Pillars, NON, Sobah, Banks Botanicals, Giesen and Better Beer, with plenty more to be announced. Also on the day's drinks list: a live cocktail competition featuring bartenders from some of Melbourne's best-loved cocktail haunts, including HER, Pearl Diver and more. Competitors will each whip up their own signature cocktail using products showcased on the day, to be judged by beverage experts including 2022 Australian Bartender Nick Tesar (Bar Liberty), Swill Magazine editor Myffy Rigby and drinks writer Mike Bennie. In between sips, you can enjoy artisan bites from the Mould Cheese Collective stand, DJ tunes, a roller-skating rink (courtesy of booze-free bev company T.I.N.A.), food pop-ups, giveaways and games — including Heaps Normal's 'beersketball' challenge. Tickets to Picolo will clock in at $35, which gets you all your tastings and a Revel wine glass to keep. And of course, there's no need to rein it in since there'll be absolutely no hangover awaiting you the next morning. Catch Picolo at The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne, on February 11, 2023. Tickets are on sale from 9am on November 17 — find them online.
You've listened your way through multiple seasons of Serial. You've tuned your ears to plenty of other similar podcasts, too. And, when you've been sat on your couch, you've watched your way through the seemingly non-stop array of shows about real-life cases as well — whether you're more interested in lurid stories such as Tiger King, or shows with a more personal focus like I'll Be Gone in the Dark. If all of the above applies to you, you're clearly a fan of true-crime tales. It's a great time to be interested in the subject, because more and more cases gone by keep getting the podcast or small-screen treatment. Dropping on Stan on Sunday, November 29, After the Night is the latest. And, if you feel like you've already seen and heard every story there is — especially regarding US crimes — this one focuses on an Australian serial killer. Known as 'The Night Caller', Eric Edgar Cooke terrorised Perth in the early 1960s. He's known to have murdered eight people, and he also assaulted and tried to kill many more, but local police took their time in connecting him to his horrendous acts. As created and directed by Perth-born filmmaker Thomas Meadmore (The Spy Who Fell to Earth), After The Night explores the details across a four-part series — spanning Meadmore's own return to Perth and also featuring interviews, including with two men wrongly convicted of Cooke's crimes. Viewers can expect a true-crime investigation with plenty of twists and turns — which is exactly what the genre always promises, of course. Here, though, you'll also watch your way through a series that ponders not only Cooke's heinous deeds, but the quest for justice they inspired and the impact the whole ordeal has left on the local community. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqQSfltwvuk&feature=youtu.be After the Night will be available to stream via Stan from Sunday, November 29.
Renovating a house is stressful, as no shortage of television shows keep stressing. Trying to flip a house when you've been hexed for snatching back a $100 bill from a child? That sounds disquieting, and it also looks eerie and sinister in the just-dropped full trailer for The Curse. Forget the usual series about household makeovers, buying real estate, blitzing backyards and building dream houses — even though it's about a couple who hosts their own home reno program, this isn't that kind of show. Indeed, no one has watched an entry in bricks-and-mortar genre quite like this spoof, which gets Emma Stone (Cruella) and Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal) playing a focusing on home improvement on-screen — and having some bad luck. An initial teaser arrived in September, and now a full trailer has hit for the A24 effort, which looks like far from your average series on this topic. Unsurprisingly, Fielder doesn't just star but also co-created, co-writes and co-directs. In the first sneak peek, the Safdie brothers' collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never set the unsettling mood — and yes, not just the talent that made Good Time and Uncut Gems sound so unnerving but the sibling filmmakers behind both flicks are also involved in The Curse. Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer) co-stars, co-created, co-writes and co-directs, with Josh Safdie an executive producer. Fielder and Stone play Asher and Whitney Siegel, who host a show on HGTV — American pay TV network Home & Garden Television — called Fliplanthropy. Newly married, they're trying to have a baby, but find their plans disrupted after that incident with a kid in a carpark. Cue The Curse's title, obviously. Benny Safdie plays their producer, with Barkhad Abdi (Little America), Corbin Bernsen (White House Plumbers) and Constance Shulman (Search Party) also featuring. Like everything almost everything of late, it seems — Close, Beau Is Afraid, You Hurt My Feelings, Past Lives, smash-hit Australian horror movie Talk to Me, fellow TV series Beef, the return of iconic Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense to cinemas, the Nicolas Cage-starring Dream Scenario, Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, wrestling drama The Iron Claw — The Curse hails from A24. In Australia, it'll stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Check out the trailer for The Curse below: The Curse will stream from Saturday, November 11 via Paramount+. Images: Beth Garrabrant and John Paul Lopez/A24/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
They played the first game of their 2023 Women's World Cup campaign in Sydney. They took on Denmark there in the round of 16, then England in the semi-final loss. The next reason that the Matildas will hit the Harbour City: a match against China PR on the way to the 2024 Paris Olympics, and also for goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and coach Tony Gustavsson to take to the Vivid stage. The duo are on the already-packed Vivid Sydney 2024 lineup for a Vivid Ideas session at Sydney Town Hall on Monday, June 10. At Champions of Change: Mackenzie Arnold and Tony Gustavsson, the pair will have plenty to talk about — all things Matildas, of course, including the team's achievements over the past year, the challenges along the way, the squad's impact, the pressures and the coach-athlete dynamic. What has the last 12 months been like for the Matildas? How does it feel to represent your company on the global stage? What do the Matildas' successes — and the love showered their way — mean for women's sport? They'll all get a mention, too. Arnold and Gustavsson's addition to the Vivid lineup comes after Amy Poehler recently also joined the bill, to discuss her career and the upcoming Pixar sequel Inside Out 2.
The Scandinavian crime fixation currently sweeping non-Nordic nations shows no signs of abating, every piece with big screen potential — TV series, book or otherwise — seemingly earning a filmed adaptation. Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q series provides the latest instance, a four-instalment-to-date police procedural setting a duo of detectives in search of answers to dead cases. The Keeper of Lost Causes is the first feature to result. All the usual elements exist in director Mikkel Nørgaard and writer Nikolaj Arcel's version of the novel. (They're both veterans of the burgeoning genre with resumes that encompass television's Borgen and the Swedish-language The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as evidence.) An odd couple, an against-the-odds task, brooding backstories, a pretty prey and a cat-and-mouse game with the perpetrator furnish a feature that stays within the confines of the expected — except for one significant deviation. As well as tracking the law enforcement quest to uncover the truth, the film gifts viewers with the victim's perspective, her tale told as a parallel to the investigation. So it is that the taciturn Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) and lively Assad (Fares Fares) trawl through discarded clues about the disappearance of personable young politician Merete Lynggaard (Sonja Richter), long considered a suicidal jumper who consigned herself to a watery end five years prior. The inter-spliced chronicle of Merete's plight provides a different account, one that the police must piece together as they delve deeper into her mystery. Though the choice to reveal what would've otherwise been a considerable source of dramatic tension is questionable (albeit, a decision that remains faithful to the book), The Keeper of Lost Causes evokes the requisite ominous atmosphere through its appearance and performances. The customary grey aesthetic colours every scene to cement the creepy mood, just as the main pairing fittingly bristles with discomfort even as Mørck and Assad work towards an accord. Cinematographer Eric Kress impresses in the film's shadowy imagery, a feat also achieved by Kaas and Fares. Adopting a chalk and cheese approach to their portrayals, the two actors bounce off each other with an earned rapport that makes their standard contrasting characters all the more interesting. Indeed, as beholden to formula and the familiar as The Keeper of Lost Causes is, Nørgaard endeavours to invest intrigue into the assembly of predictability the movie becomes. Where it all threatens to come undone is in the feature's inability to overcome its overt status as a set-up for further films. In an episodic manner obviously better served on television, The Keeper of Lost Causes wallows in the establishment more than the outcome. What eventuates is an entertaining enough initial chapter in a what will hopefully evolve into a more satisfying saga. https://youtube.com/watch?v=68sO1s9Hy70
With the return of Finders Keepers market in July, so too comes the return of our inner art and design guru. It pulls us towards eye-catching prints, impeccably designed ceramics and irresistibly quirky earrings — all of which are locally made. In its eleventh year, Finders Keepers is bringing back its high-quality collection of stalls with a few exciting additions and a continued focus around independent and up-and-coming artisans. And bonus — it's returning just in time to pick up some last-minute Christmas in July gifts. New stalls worth stopping by include artist and Finders Keepers Melbourne Indigenous Program recipient Amber Days, playful jeweller Jamie Mumford, textile label Free to Fall and ceramicist Hanging Rock Studio. Art and design run the show at Finders Keepers, and over the years the market has bolstered other mediums of expression — food and music. The 2019 festival will see food stalls from just around the corner, like Ghost Kitchen, Cookie Doh Co. and Bao x Waffle, plus out-of-towners bringing their craft to the city. One of many to look forward to is the Byron-based The Chippery, which does great things with the humble potato. If you're looking for something a bit more hefty, grab a burger from Ron's Handburger. Needless to say, seek and you will find. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by choices, you can take a look at the Finders Keepers online directory for a comprehensive look at the stalls and the sitemap to find where they'll be on the day. Finders Keepers Autumn/Winter Melbourne will run from Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14. The market will be open from 12pm–9pm on Friday, 10am–5pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday. Entry is $5 and tickets are valid for all three days. Images: Samee Lapham.
Named after the Breaking Bad character Hank Schrader, Hank's Bagelry in Armadale is the kind of place that's full of the classics, but also awash with exciting variations to indulge in. It claims to be "out to bring a hearty dose of New York to the leafy streets of Armadale," achieving this in style — with a classy heritage interior that includes nods to the New York subway. The bagels here are chewy and melt in the mouth, with an authentically New York zest full of bite and flavour. Start out by ordering a classic shake, with flavours such as Malteser and Nutella, to wash down a side of cookies, including chocolate, Anzac, white chocolate and macadamia. Then select your bagel, be it plain, onion, seeded, blueberry, challah, sourdough or the gluten free option. Then comes the fun stuff. Fillings. There are ten combinations to choose from, starting with a chicken schnitzel, iceberg, agile, pickled onions and Swiss cheese creation, before moving on to the fancier gin cured salmon option, with beetroot, herbs, red onion and cream cheese. Vegetarian bagel lovers can enjoy a harissa roasted pumpkin bagel with almonds, feta, hummus, feta and rocket or a green goddess aioli, cucumber, cream cheese, rocket and avocado number. If you're after something more filling, the lamb and rosemary meatloaf with pistachio pesto, provolone and cream cheese should keep you going for a New York minute. For a little extra authenticity at Hank's Cafe and Bagelry, enjoy some filtered coffee with your bagel, while a side of crinkle cut hot chips is highly recommended. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Bagels in Melbourne for 2023
Back in May, when Australia started to look past social distancing and public gathering rules to a less-restricted future, Falls Festival announced it was powering ahead with plans for its New Year's festival. But a couple of months is a long time in 2020 — and today, Wednesday, August 26, the event has announced that it will not longer be taking place this year. In a statement released via Facebook, festival organisers advised that "given the current status of things and border restrictions in place, it won't be possible to hold Falls Festival in our regular New Year's timeframe". It's worth noting that the post doesn't say that the next iteration of Falls is completely cancelled, however. "Consider this a raincheck, and please know we will be back with more information as it comes to hand," the statement notes. As for what that entails, Falls will "work with government stakeholders and key agencies to get Falls Festival back in the calendar". Clearly, given the way the past few months have shaped up — including with Victoria's reimplemented restrictions — there are a hefty range of factors to navigate. https://www.facebook.com/fallsfestival/photos/a.103842988679/10158800587688680/?type=3&theater If it had gone ahead in its usual December/January slot in 2020/2021, the summer festival had planned to implement some big changes. Usually taking place at Tassie's Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, North Byron and Fremantle, it was set to feature an all-Aussie lineup this year — which, with Australia's borders currently closed and even travel between just Australia and New Zealand "still some time away", seemed the smart choice. It also had the added bonus of helping Aussie musicians, many of which have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. When the festival does go ahead, it's still fair to expect that it might look a little different — at least in terms of punters numbers. Falls Byron usually has around 25,000 attendees, while Falls Lorne has 9000, for example, figures that seem particularly large in today's social-distancing world. Last year, the music festival was impacted by the bushfires, with the Lorne leg cancelled one day in because of extreme and hazardous weather. Falls Festival will no longer go ahead in December 2020/January 2021. We'll let you know if and when more details are announced.
Since 2007, Korean designer Yvette Yang has been exploring the boundaries between image and text with 'fashion font'. Each year, she creates a new typography out of the season's fashion statements, mixing and matching ideas by hand to maximise the chance of discovering successful graphics. The designs are carefully compiled collages made up of jackets, pants, dresses, skirts, shirts, shoes, hats and jewellery that have been clipped, flipped, cropped and rotated. Yang's project aims to imbue the alphabet with a meaning derived from images, rather than from the arrangement and rearrangement of letters, as well as to record changes in fashion over time. 'Image is message . . . One alphabet delivers various messages,' her website states, 'as it contains many different items and trends.' 'Fashion font' has appeared in a high school textbook in South Korea and in publications far and wide, including Italy's Out of the Box and China's Modern Weekly. Yang has taught 'font image creating' workshops to students in Seoul and collaborated with Vogue South Korea on a font to present Chanel's 2009 collection. All five of the alphabets that she has put together since 2007 can be viewed in detail on her official site. Images: Fashion Font [Via PSFK]
There was plenty to get excited about when Rising was first announced in March earlier this year. Now, the 12-day twilight festival has revealed a unique line-up of specially-curated culinary events featuring an all-star line-up of Melbourne's most renowned and loved chefs. 1800 Lasagne's Joey Kellock, Hector's Deli's Dom Wilton, Smith & Daughter's Shannon Martinez (and recently opened Lona Misa), Atlas Dining's Charlie Carrington and Anchovy's Thi Le are just some of the big names creating pop-up and once-off dining menus for Rising. [caption id="attachment_795675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joey Kellock's brick and mortar 1800 Lasagne restaurant.[/caption] Headlining the gastronomic offering is David Moyle (ex-Longsong), who will lead the food program at The Lighthouse. The glass-walled restaurant will be perched at the top of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and set against The Wild's dense bamboo forest. If you manage to snag one of the 130 seats on offer, you'll be treated to Moyle's bespoke three-course menu with matched wines by Jess Ghaie of Blackhearts & Sparrows. While the exact menu is still under lock and key, it promises to include dishes smoked to order with a small army of onsite smokers expected as special guests. Two pop-up kitchens will also host nightly once-off collaborations with some of Melbourne's biggest names. Shannon Martinez will takeover 'kitchen one' with the likes of Wilton, Kellock and Ian Curley (of Kirk's Wine Bar) depending on the evening. In 'kitchen two' Lee Ho Fook's Victor Liong will team up with co-head chef Chase Kojima of CHUUKA, Carrington will partner with former-Middle Eastern restaurant Bar Saracen, and Le brings a fresh menu in collaboration with a surprise interstate chef. [caption id="attachment_810907" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew McConnell's menu at Meatsmith.[/caption] Elsewhere during Rising, Meatsmith's Andrew McConnell will team up with butcher Troy Wheeler to bring a special menu to Birrarung Marr. Enjoy char-grilled snacks like slow-cooked beef short ribs with pickled daikon radish, and fried chicken sandwiches within view of the illuminated 200-metre long eel installation. Fancy Free, the roving pop-up bar by ex-Black Pearl bartenders, will be in attendance at Golden Square. Rising is set to house 133 different projects and events involving more than 750 Victorian artists across 12 evenings, from Wednesday, May 26–Sunday, June 6. You can check out all the events and get tickets via the Rising website. Tickets for The Lighthouse are $90 per person for a three-course set menu and entry to The Wilds.
Melbourne comes alive in summer. Outdoor bars and restaurants fill up with people taking advantage of longer days, parks and gardens are gloriously green and the city's arts and culture venues host a huge range of events. Yes, you can certainly run away to beaches for spectacular nature-filled getaways. But summer is as good a time as any for a city break — and we've curated the ultimate way to do it in Melbourne, whether you're a first-time visitor or you know the Hoddle Grid like the back of your hand. [caption id="attachment_658995" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stano Murrin[/caption] FRIDAY Begin your Melbourne city break with a sundowner at Bar Triana. Located within the AC Hotel Melbourne Southbank, this sophisticated bar offers up views over the city alongside a truly impressive selection of gin. Melbourne is known for its world-class arts and culture institutions, but we recommend you dive a little deeper into the city's lesser-known haunts like The Butterfly Club. This cosy theatre, bar and welcoming space is hidden down a CBD laneway. Once you find the entrance, head inside for a smorgasbord of weird and wonderful theatre. Get tickets to whatever is on and go along for the ride — you won't regret it. For something a bit more orthodox (but just as intimate), head to Bird's Basement for an evening of live jazz. Like The Butterfly Club, you shouldn't worry yourself with what specific artist is performing — just book a table and let the music sweep over you with a cocktail in hand. SATURDAY If you're one of those mysterious morning people we've heard so much about, we suggest taking a stroll to The Shrine of Remembrance for spectacular sunrise views. Take your time wandering around this incredible space and look out over the city, watching it wake up and come alive. From here, head to the shops and grab your picnic essentials before nabbing what is arguably one of the best barbecue spots in all of Melbourne. On the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens and right on the Yarra River, you'll find a host of free-to-use barbecues overlooking Melbourne's skyline, and is an ideal spot to soak up some sun. If you're looking escape the sun, you won't need to go far. This spot is conveniently located right by Melbourne's celebrated arts precinct where you'll find all kinds of brilliant things to do. See an exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria or catch a matinee at the Arts Centre, Melbourne Theatre Company or Melbourne Recital Centre. For a pre-dinner drink, make a beeline to The Westin Melbourne's Lobby Lounge. Settle in to a plush club chair in this grand Collins Street space as you indulge in an aperitivo — and maybe a dozen oysters — before dinner. On the menu? Clever and creative Modern Australian at Lollo, a welcoming culinary space with a menu overseen by celebrated chef Adam D'Sylva. Lollo draws inspiration from Melbourne's multicultural heritage to serve up globally inspired dishes that showcase local and seasonal produce. [caption id="attachment_711646" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Josie Withers for Visit Victoria[/caption] SUNDAY Start your Sunday off by catching the tram to the South Melbourne Market. Grab a coffee from Pieno di Grazia and a freshly baked croissant from Agathé Pâtisserie before browsing the aisles featuring wares from local makers and producers who have made this bustling market a unique destination that highlights the city's diversity. Once you've eaten and shopped your way around the market, hire a bike from the AC Hotel to have one last Melbourne jaunt. Take to The Capital City Trail for a cycling journey that winds past Melbourne's most iconic landmarks. You can attempt the full 30 kilometres or just do a portion of the trail — whether that's Southbank to Burnley Gardens, Moonee Ponds Creek to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre or Abbotsford to Parkville. Whichever you choose, it's the perfect way to end your Melbourne city break. Looking to make the most of your next city break? Find your home away from home with Marriott Bonvoy. Book your stay not at the website. Top image: Dmitry Osipenko (Unsplash)
Well before Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale was turned into a TV series, it was transformed into an opera. And this October, the show will make its Australian premiere as part of the inaugural Yarra Valley Opera Festival. Among the historical buildings and landscaped gardens of Olinda Yarra farm, you'll experience Offred's story taken to new dramatic heights, thanks to Melbourne-based opera company Gertrude Opera. The work was originally created by Danish composer Poul Ruders and librettist Paul Bentley and, since premiering in Denmark in 2000, The Handmaid's Tale opera has appeared in the UK, the US and Canada. We can safely say there will be no Talking Heads in this version. If you don't yet know the story by way of your high school reading list or SBS On Demand, here's the gist: a handmaid, Offred is sent to a barren household, where, once a month, she is forcibly inseminated in the expectation that she'll bear a child for The Commander, Fred Waterford. The Yarra Valley Opera Festival will take place over ten days, from October 12–21. Other highlights include the Gala Opening Concert, Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte sung in English and an evening combining opera trivia and dinner.
Here's a night out to take a chance on in 2023: the return of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. My my, how can you resist seeing this Greek-set onstage party on its latest tour of Australia, whether you're a musical fan, an ABBA devotee or perennially keen to indulge in 70s nostalgia. The stage show's comeback was first announced in 2022 and locked in for a Sydney stop, but now it has just added Brisbane and Melbourne dates as well. By now, the hit production is well-known around the world, including from previous Aussie runs. It has spawned not one but two movies, too. And, its tale of a young bride-to-be's quest to find her father before her wedding will liven up Sydney Lyric from May, QPAC's Lyric Theatre in Brisbane from August and the Princess Theatre in Melbourne from October. Here we go again with one of the biggest jukebox musical hits of the past quarter-century, as seen by over 65 million people worldwide so far. This restaging of the popular 2017 production will unfurl its romantic chaos — and 22 ABBA tracks — with Elise McCann playing Donna Sheridan, after she played Ali in the 2009 season. Sarah Krndija (9 to 5 The Musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical and Friends! The Musical Parody) steps into Sophie's shoes, while Martin Crewes (Handa's The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour), Drew Livingston (War Horse) and Tim Wright (New Amsterdam) play her three potential dads. The story, as theatre audiences have enjoyed since 1999, follows 20-year-old Sophie, who is about to marry her fiancé Sky on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. It's her dream for her dad to walk her down the aisle, but courtesy of her mother Donna's old diary, she learns that her father could be one of three men: Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin or Harry Bright. [caption id="attachment_890628" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Bisso[/caption] Calling all dancing queens, obviously — with that track, the titular number, and everything from 'Money, Money, Money', 'Thank You for the Music', 'Super Trouper' and 'The Name of the Game' to 'SOS', 'Does Your Mother Know', 'Waterloo' and 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' featuring (and 'Take a Chance on Me', 'The Winner Takes It All' and, of course, 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do', too). The new Australian run hails from producers Michael Coppel, Louise Withers and Linda Bewick, plus Helpmann Award-winning director Gary Young, choreographer Tom Hodgson and musical supervisor Stephen Amos. MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL 2023 DATES: From Wednesday, May 24 — Sydney Lyric Theatre, Sydney From Sunday, August 6 — QPAC Lyric Theatre, Brisbane From Wednesday, October 4 — Princess Theatre, Melbourne MAMMA MIA! The Musical tours Australia from May 2023. For further details or to buy tickets, head to the production's website. Images: James D Morgan.
As the minds behind (and owners of) much-loved Fitzroy North haunt Neighbourhood Wine, Simon Denman and Almay Jordaan have some pretty good experience for opening a sequel venue. With the their original venue so well-loved, it's safe to expect a winning formula now that their new wine bar Old Palm Liquor has opened its doors in Brunswick East. Once again, the duo's created a comfortable, laidback destination that's on the right side of comfortable and classy, but not stuffy. But where its sibling has a jazzy, old-school lounge thing going on, Old Palm evokes feelings of some retro rumpus room, through a comfy mix of terrazzo flooring, a splash of vintage beige tilework and a healthy dose of timber veneer in the front section of the bar. And while the front is quite dark and moody, the back has lots of leafy foliage, natural light, a fireplace and a scattering of old-school light fixtures that round out the living room aesthetics. True to form, wine is a huge part of the offering here, as is an emphasis on good value, top-quality, largely minimal intervention drops from winemakers like Konpira Maru, Das Juice and Yetti & the Kokonut. Expect a carefully sourced lineup plucked from all over the world, alongside a 12-strong range of tap brews – perhaps a citrus and rhubarb sour from Collingwood's Molly Rose Brewing — and a crop of house-bottled cocktail creations, served fresh out of the freezer at minus-20 degrees. On hot days, you can cool down with sips like the signature venetian spritz — made with a biodynamic prosecco, orange and a green olive. As for the food, it's a generous menu of top-notch produce cooked over hot coals on the wood-fired grill, alongside a slew of snackier dishes that feature a bit of Jordaan's South African heritage. After-work drinks sessions might include the likes of beef tartare enlivened with biltong spices and Nardin anchovy, grilled sardines with chakalaka (a South African spicy tomato dressing), or flatbread served ready to drag through some sumac and labneh. On the heartier side, you'll spy the likes of a cider-brined pork chop matched with confit young garlic, pickled carrot and mint, and a veg-friendly assembly of tamarind eggplant, Japanese mustard greens and pickled mushrooms. Done with decisions? There's also a four-course shared feast option for $75pp, which'll take you through a diverse spread of the menu's best. Find Old Palm Liquor at 133 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. It's open from noon until midnight Tuesday to Sunday. Images: Julia Sansone.
Despite being the only pub in Melbourne to be awarded one chef hat from The Age Good Food Guide eight years running, The Grand Hotel's dining room is still somewhat of a word-of-mouth secret. It might have to do with subtle, unassuming entry that sits off the hotels lounge bar, or perhaps the opulent silk curtains and dark chocolate walls that hide it away from the rest of the world. But really, The Grand's dining room is a discovery that one can only be shown, and not told. Private dining in all of its brilliance, The Grand's dining room reminds you why the classics are what they are. Stained glass windows, bentwood chairs and linen tablecloths bring a sense of occasion, with service as cheeky as it is attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. However, do not mistake this endearing luxury — it is named The Grand for a reason, after all — for out of date tastes; with the raucous, infectious noise of fellow diners, this dining room is a contemporary Melburnian's nirvana. The Grand's elegant Italian fare has earned itself a swathe of accolades over the years, with thanks to a fine dedication to honest, hearty produce. Again, classics are handled with an appreciation and willingness to explore diversity of flavour. The oven-baked hapuka fillet (with Jerusalem artichoke, purple carrot and herb salad; $36) is a stunning mix of high quality ingredients, while the grilled baby chicken (with charred radicchio, artichokes, cherry tomato and black cabbage; $32) is a crowd-pleaser that showcases spatchcock in an innovative light. The Grand's pasta is additionally made in-house and changes daily, with the pumpkin tortellini with pepitas, parmesan, butter and sage ($18) a stand out. A visit here is not complete without experiencing the The Grand's infamous bombolini, which are unlike any you'll experience elsewhere in the city. A dessert that holds the unique ability to remain loved despite endless variation, these Italian doughnuts are filled with ricotta pastry cream and can be finished with anything from pistachio ice cream and orange, to homemade honeycomb and caramel ($16). It'll depend on the timing of your visit, but there will be no disappointment. The Grand Hotel's dining room highlights how well the gastro-pub concept can succeed. Step inside and you'll be hard pressed to remember you're in the middle of suburban Richmond, such is the atmosphere of passion and excitement. Enjoy the finest Italian delicacies and a memorable experience.
It's called the Museum of Old and New Art. As that name makes plain, it fills its walls and halls with examples of pieces that've been around for some time (and then some more) alongside fresh creations. And yet, Tasmania's must-visit Mona hasn't ever hosted an exhibition that only looks backwards — until September 2023 rolls around, that is. Fresh from unleashing another Dark Mofo upon Hobart, complete with an astonishing array of weird and wild wonders, the arts institution has unveiled its big summer plans to see out 2023 and welcome in 2024. Spanning the bulk of spring this year and autumn next year, too — running from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024 — are three exhibitions: Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Heading to Australia after showing in a different iteration at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World is responsible for the venue's debut display of only old art. It'll also be the biggest-ever showcase of jewel-like icons and related treasures that Australia has ever seen. Devotional objects depicting saints, virgins and other Christian holy subjects will be in the spotlight — more than 140 of them — as Mona dives into spiritual and aesthetic traditions covering centuries, what drives human behaviour and our motivations as earthbound beings. "Visitors certainly need not be religious believers to enjoy the sheer beauty and emotional power of these artworks. While painting an icon may begin from an act of piety, the resulting object also lives as a work of art far beyond its original purpose," explains Mona curator Jane Clark. "We can look at the icon as a 'window into heaven', as believers believe, but also as a looking glass, through which we may glimpse the deeper purposes — deeper than awe and transcendence, than culture or a higher power — that are served by human creativity." [caption id="attachment_908036" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Proskynetarion or Pilgrim's Memento of the Holy Sepulchre within the City of Jerusalem. Palestine, c. 1795. Collection Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Hobart.[/caption] With Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Mona will also become a temporary home to French artist Jean-Luc Moulène's debut Australian exhibition. Four newly commissioned sculptural objects will feature, alongside some of Moulène's earlier works. So, get ready for new pieces using wax, metal, Triassic sandstone and timber from Tasmanian underwater forests, plus piles of coloured cans and large-scale video projections. "Jean-Luc Moulène has been described as mercurial, experimental, erudite and poetic. His ideas evolve through a deep and considered engagement with material, form, and process. The resulting objects are at once mysteriously beautiful, and forthright about the means of their making," notes Mona curator Sarah Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo Credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image Courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Completing this trilogy — Mona's second in a row, after opening three showcases simultaneously in 2022, too — is Hrafntinna (Obsidian). Thanks to Sigur Rós vocalist Jónsi, attendees will get a volcano experience inspired by Fagradalsfjall in Iceland, which erupted in 2021 after almost eight centuries of being dormant. This immersive and sensory installation is designed to make visitors feel like they're entering a lava-spewing rupture's depths, using music, sound, smell and almost total darkness. Nearly 200 speakers will vibrate, while a hymn-style composition that takes its cues from Icelandic choral music will play. "Jónsi was compelled by the thought of experiencing this incredibly rare event. He wanted to recreate the phenomenon and capture the essence of what it might feel like to be deep inside the volcano, despite the obstacles of distance and logistics," says Wallace. [caption id="attachment_908031" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles.[/caption] Jean-Luc Moulène and Teams, Heavenly Beings: Icons of the Christian Orthodox World and Hrafntinna (Obsidian) will all display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Hobart, Tasmania, from Saturday, September 30, 2023–Monday, April 1, 2024. Top image: Hrafntinna (Obsidian), 2021, Jónsi. Installation view, Obsidian, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, 2021. Photo by Pierre Le Hors. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / Los Angeles. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Imagine if you could see a full lifetime's ageing process happen before your very eyes, sped up just enough that its imperceptible changes became perceptible. But not in an Indiana Jones Nazi uber ageing kind of way; rather, in a tasteful, filmmaker Anthony Cerniello kind of way. In the video below, Danielle, a tiny girl looks at us with a bored-yet-slightly-curious gaze, blinking occasionally. A few seconds later she's changed, only we can't quite tell how — a little broader in the forehead, a little more space between her eyes and eyebrows, maybe? You'll find yourself looking for those minute changes throughout the video. Don't skip through, though — the illusion will be totally ruined. This is because what looks like a lifelong timelapse of one woman's face is actually a very clever and meticulous blending of a whole collection of different portraits, all taken from a single family. Cerniello used faces from the family of his friend Danielle and employed high-tech methods throughout the process: after having photographer Keith Sirchio take shots of all the young cousins and relatives of different generations who looked alike, Cerniello scanned them using a drum scanner and selected those whose bone structure was most similar. Next he enlisted the talents of animators Nathan Meier, Edmund Earle and George Cuddy to meld the shots together, complete with realistic blinking and a convincing suggestion of breathing. Mark Reveley created the musical score, which adds a feeling of depth to the visuals; what we're witnessing, after all, is a whole life passing by. As the signs of ageing appear in faint traces of strain and wrinkles, we can't help but imagine the ups and downs of this virtual person's existence, and sympathise. It's a beautiful short film and a very cool use of technology to assist in making art. Via Colossal
Short of physically volunteering your time, there aren't many ways you can help those in need over lunch. But Sydney-based social enterprise food company Two Good is trying to change that, with their buy-one, give-one lunch delivery model. After launching in Melbourne in September last year, Two Good has continued to deliver delicious salads through Deliveroo in the two cities — and for every one sold, a meal is donated to domestic violence shelters in both. They're not just any old salads either. After working with Yotam Ottolenghi and renowned Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell last season, the Two Good guys — Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty — have teamed up with Melbourne's Ben Shewry of the 33rd best restaurant in the world Attica to create a lunch option that far surpasses any soggy salad you were planning on making in your office's kitchenette this afternoon. The kimchi, chicken and soba noodle salad will be available to order for lunch through Deliveroo for $14 each Tuesday starting today, which is a pretty standard price for a salad in this town. And, considering for each salad you order Two Good will donate a meal to a domestic violence shelter in your city, it's an incredibly low-cost way to feed yourself and help someone who needs it. Meals are donated to shelters around NSW and Victoria. What's more, Two Good also employ women from the shelters they work with in NSW, and are looking to do the same in Victoria in the near future. If you want to buy a salad, you can place an order through Deliveroo between 11am and 2pm in Melbourne and Sydney. For more information on Two Good, go to twogood.com.au.
You might have heard of Ippudo — perhaps on your travels to Japan, or just when you've been in Sydney. The legendary ramen chain can be found around the world, but it's finally expanded to Melbourne, having just opened up some new soupy digs in the QV building. So start planning some long slurpy city lunch breaks, because there's be a lot to get your stomach around. But first, a little background. Ippudo has long been a reigning global gold standard of the Japanese dish (and a winter go-to the world-over). Since Shigemi Kawahara opened his first humble ramen store in Hakata, Japan in 1985, he's splashed out and launched scores of stores across Japan, the US, and Europe. It arrived in Australia in 2012 with one Sydney restaurant, before adding three more outlets in the same city. And now, six years on, Ippudo has opened two new fronts: one in Perth and Melbourne. So what's happening in the shiny new Melbourne restaurant? The emphasis is on the tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen that has garnered Ippudo legions of fans — but there's also a variety of equally as tasty options for those who want something else. You've got the signature Shiromaru Motoaji, creamy tonkotsu ramen ($15), but you can also opt for Karaka-Men, mixing things up with spicy miso paste topping ($16). If you're not up for ramen (for some reason), you can go for the beef sagari yaki served with fried enoki mushrooms ($17.50) or the grilled eel don for $13.50. Also, don't leave without giving the global best-selling pork buns a red hot go or three ($5 each, or three for $13). The interior is all clean wooden lines, red and white accents and warm, lantern-esque lighting, making your heart feel as warm as your soup-filled belly. The ramen king Kawahara has said that Ippudo just wants to "spread smiles" with his fare — and if this ramen can't do that, nothing can. Interior shots: Simon Shiff.
In its entire concept, Sydney Opera House's All About Women has always pushed girls, ladies and women to the front. So, the fact that the 2023 version of its key feminist festival will feature riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill couldn't be more perfect. That in-conversation event is just the beginning of the event's program, however, with the complete bill also going big on high-profile guests — such as child actor-turned-I'm Glad My Mom Died author Jennette McCurdy and human rights barrister Jennifer Robinson. Former iCarly star McCurdy will chat through her experiences, including growing up in the spotlight, finding her independence and the events that led to her New York Times best-selling memoir, in an Australian-exclusive conversation. After successfully representing Amber Heard in Johnny Depp's UK libel case, Robinson will feature in a panel called 'The War on Women', about fighting for both rights and lives, alongside Egyptian American journalist Mona Eltahawy, Pakistani author and journalist Fatima Bhutto, and Mununjali Yugambeh and South Sea Islander Professor Chelsea Watego. Running from Saturday, March 11—Monday, March 13, All About Women's 2023 festival marks its 11th, and sees the event held across three days for the first time ever — growing again after it only just expanded to two days in 2022, in fact. And, in another significant change for this year, the event's lineup is guided by four festival co-curators. Doing the honours: author, podcast presenter and gender equality advocate Jamila Rizvi; Gamilaroi academic and Tell Me Again author Dr Amy Thunig; feminist social commentator, novelist and writer Jane Caro AM; and Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks and Ideas Chip Rolley. Their full program includes 25 events featuring 60-plus international and Australian artists, thinkers, and storytellers, starting with an evening of storytelling, poetry, dance and music for the fest's Opening Night Gala, hosted by Clare Bowditch and featuring actor Eryn Jean Norvill (The Picture of Dorian Gray), "mother of African contemporary dance" Germaine Acogny, Iranian Australian singer and instrumentalist Gelareh Pour, and Fatima Bhutto. And, it also spans Cult Classic author Sloane Crosley chatting about modern dating with journalist Maddison Connaughton — and a romance and reality TV-focused discussion between Bachelorette Brooke Blurton, Just The Gist podcaster Rosie Waterland, and Gamilaroi and Torres Strait Islander writer and actor Nakkiah Lui. In a session about neurodivergence in women and gender-diverse people, 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, Heartbreak High's Chloe Hayden, and research psychologist and activist Dr Jac den Houting will talk with Thunig — and a panel examining trying to achieve justice in sexual abuse claims, and the trauma the process can bring, will feature sexual assault law reform advocate Saxon Mullins, criminal lawyer Katrina Marson, Yorta Yorta woman and survivor advocate Amanda Morgan, and lawyer and author Bri Lee. Or, attendees can look forward to Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies scholar Kylie Moore-Gilbert hosting a session on the women-led revolution in Iran, as joined by Pour, scholar and poet Dr Saba Vasefi, and author and journalist Shokoofeh Azar; plus a panel about the body positivity movement's struggles to be genuinely inclusive, featuring Wadjanbarra Yidinji, Jirrbal and African-American former model Sasha Kutabah Sarago, body love activist and podcaster April Hélène-Horton aka The Bodzilla, fashion editor and queer rights activist Deni Todorovič, disability rights campaigner Elly Desmarchelier, and comedian and broadcaster Tanya Hennessy. The list goes on, covering Clementine Ford exploring the history of demonising single women, a session on women's activism through a First Nations lens, diving into starting a family in a modern world, unpacking gendered emotions, and turning Eltahawy's FEMINIST GIANT newsletter into a panel. The Girlboss movement, making tough decisions, the shame often imposed on women and girls, leading movements, a Bikini Kill gig: they all get their time in focus, too. Just like in 2022, the festival will host its sessions in-person for Sydneysiders, and will also live-stream to viewers both around Australia and worldwide — which is ace news if you live outside of the Harbour City. [caption id="attachment_875442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Debi Del Grande[/caption] Top image: Jacquie Manning.
Before there was a Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were Fantastic Four movies. The first two to earn a big-screen release arrived in 2005 and 2007, with the latter hitting the year before Iron Man kicked off the MCU. Now, add the Stan Lee- and Jack Kirby-created superhero quartet to the list of characters who are being brought into the Marvel fold. The next Fantastic Four is set to reach cinemas in 2025 as part of the franchise's sixth phase. That Disney has been planning to bring Fantastic Four into the MCU isn't new news. In fact, it's been on the cards for a few years, enabled by the Mouse House buying 20th Century Fox. But since it was announced, it's sparked a whole heap of speculation about casting Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm — aka Mister Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disney (@disney) Exactly who'll be getting fantastic this time around has just been revealed, with Disney dropping the news for Valentine's Day 2024 in the US. It's a starry list, starting with Pedro Pascal — who adds the MCU to his resume alongside the Star Wars realm (thanks to The Mandalorian) and game-to-TV smash The Last of Us — as stretchy group leader Richards. He's joined by Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), who'll bend light as one of the Storm siblings; Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), who'll get fiery as the other; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), who is no one's cousin here, but will instead get huge, rocky and super strong. Directed by WandaVision, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Succession's Matt Shakman, the new Fantastic Four is now set for a Thursday, July 24, 2025 release Down Under. [caption id="attachment_885020" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Last of Us via HBO[/caption] Pascal and company are taking over from two past big-screen takes on the superhero team. In the 2005 and 2007 movies, Ioan Gruffudd (Harrow), Jessica Alba (LA's Finest), a pre-Captain America Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers) and Michael Chiklis (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) starred. Then, in 2015, Chronicle filmmaker Josh Trank gave the group a spin — still outside of the MCU — with Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Kate Mara (Black Mirror), a pre-Black Panther Michael B Jordan (Creed III) and Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers). As everyone who caught this year's Super Bowl trailers knows — so, everyone — Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, Faraway Downs) are also joining the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine, and also thanks to Disney purchasing Fox. Since dropping on Monday, February 12, the debut trailer for the film has become the most-watched trailer ever. There's no trailer for the new Fantastic Four yet, obviously, but you can check out the sneak peeks for the past three Fantastic Four movies below: Fantastic Four is set to release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Top images via HBO, Apple TV+, Netflix and FX.
Leading Aussie winemaker Handpicked uses grapes sourced from across the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Barossa Valley, Tasmania and more to create its diverse stable of drops. But, its most recent project has made a home right in the heart of the city: a glam cellar door located within the new 80 Collins precinct. It's a grand affair, too, with three floors encompassing a premium cheese, charcuterie and wine bar, as well as a retail space complete with 'tasting pods' and an experience room. Open daily for breakfast through to those after-dinner vino sessions, the cellar door has fare for any time of the day, but also works as an elegant tasting bar where you can dig into Handpicked's varied portfolio of sustainably-made wines. Inside, celebrated architectural and interior design firm Design Office has created a stately space that's heavy on the American oak and filled with locally made and designed furniture pieces. If wine is on the agenda, you can sample some of Handpicked's latest and greatest with a tailored wine tasting or wine flight, or one of the expert-led wine workshops that'll be taking over the experience room on the regular. And, with an extensive range of both regional and single-vineyard wines, there's a drop here for just about everyone, whether you're enjoying in or picking up something for home. [caption id="attachment_803633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nastia Gladushchenko[/caption] Like the vinous delights, the food offering boasts a strong focus on regionality, headlined by a cheese selection to impress even the most avid of dairy fiends. Expect everything from Tassie's Pyengana clothbound cheddar, to a truffle-infused brillat-savarin out of Burgundy. The charcuterie situation is also one to write home about, with a global array of cured meats available sliced to order, alongside additions like cornichons, olives and quince paste. Lunchtimes and snacking sessions call for a mix-and-match spread of the gourmet deli goodies; maybe some Ortiz anchovy fillets and Espinaler canned mussels served with artisan sourdough, or olive bread slices topped with combinations like scorched heirloom tomato, buffalo yoghurt and basil. Drop by for breakfast and you'll find small-batch Merna crumpets finished with the likes of lemon curd and crème fraîche, or smoked trout with Meredith goat's cheese and Beechworth honey. And if you want to get really fancy, pre-order yourself something from the impressive caviar selection to level-up that after-work wine tasting session. The Handpicked Cellar Door joins other high-profile 80 Collins Street residents including Alejandro Saravia's Farmer's Daughters and the soon-to-open Chris Lucas, Martin Benn and Vicki Wild venture, Society. Find Handpicked Cellar Door at 80 Collins Street, corner Pink Alley and Benson Walk. It's open from 8am weekdays and from 11am on weekends. Images: Tony Mott and Nastia Gladushchenko
Board games are back in vogue and Fitzroy's newly opened Queen of Spades has got all your tabletop games needs sorted. Following a successful pop-up stint in 2016, owner David Quin found the café and bar a permanent home on Smith Street this past July, quickly becoming a hit amongst locals. We aren't just talking Connect 4 and Jenga here, but an assortment of board and card games that caters to everyone – from those just after a simple game of Uno, as well as seasoned 'tabletopers' battling in advanced games such as Settlers of Catan, The Princes of Florence and A Game of Thrones. Queen of Spades knows that outwitting your opponents can be strenuous work and they've got you covered with expertly made coffee and an evening menu that features a range of hearty burgers, deep-friend crumbed brie and Georgian meatballs. Staff are always on hand to keep you topped up – as well as settle any disputes over the rules.
At the end of 2023 we sadly bade farewell to Baby Snakes, one of the best wine bars in Melbourne. But just as soon as the team packed up, a trio of Melbourne hospo veterans stepped in to create a new bar in its wake. Jacob Bell (Whitehart), Jerry Poon (The Operatives) and Amber Hahipene (Section 8) have revived the space with some splashes of paint, new floors, house plants and more refined decor. Where Baby Snake edged towards dive bar, Misfits is considerably sleeker and more put-together. The new bar isn't losing any of the community feels, as it hosts workshops, panels and live recordings, alongside a weekly selection of local and international DJs. The team even uses the square behind Misfits for laneway parties, local arts and community festivals. Hahipene notes, "we want Misfits to be a platform for new talent, a stomping ground for the local community and a home to people who love music and hospitality." Bevs are an all-round affair as opposed to specialising in just one spirit or type of booze. Plenty of wines are up for grabs, plus limited-release beers and some cocktails. Those wanting a feed are also free to get pizzas delivered from the downstairs Slice Shop Pizza. A casual affair, this space remains. Just with a little more spit and polish. Find Misfits at 30 Chambers Street, Footscray, open 5–late on Thursday to Saturday, and 3–11pm on Sunday. For more information, head to the venue's Instagram page.
Dark Mofo, the Museum of Old and New Art's Hobart winter arts festival, has done what everyone thought impossible — it's managed to lure people to one of the coldest places in Australia in the most freezing months of the year. (Which is no easy feat — that place is cold.) And as a big pat on the back for both bringing in a heap of extra cash to the Tassie economy (and just being downright incredible), the Tasmanian Government yesterday announced a new five-year funding agreement to support Mona and the festival. Dark Mofo will receive a whopping $10.5 million over five years to continue to grow and throw the festival until 2021. This cash splash doesn't come without some caveats though. As part of the funding, Dark Mofo will have to deliver a regional program each year and invest at least $250,000 of that money to support Tasmanian arts-based organisations. Plus, they obviously want them to increase the number of visitors to Tasmania over winter, grow festival attendance and up the media exposure too. Seems like a no-brainer for the Tassie Government. Because while it seems arts funding is sadly getting cut left, right and centre around the country, we can see why they want to invest in this program. Last year's Dark Mofo returned an estimated $46 million to the economy and created about 400 new permanent and short-term jobs. On top of the funding news, Dark Mofo also announced their 2017 dates: June 8-21. The festival, which started in 2013, is centred around celebrating the winter solstice — or the longest night of the year. Image: Rosie Hastie, courtesy Mona Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
When it premiered at Sundance in January this year, Spaceship Earth wouldn't and couldn't have seemed as topical as it does at present. The documentary's subject: Biosphere 2. If the name isn't familiar, it refers to a biodome in the Arizona desert that played host to eight inhabitants for two years in the early 90s — all isolating themselves from the world by choice, in the name of silence, to see if a closed-off, fully self-sustaining vivarium could work. Yes, it sounds like pure sci-fi. We can guarantee that this is 100-percent reality, however. Exploring a tale that has to be seen to be believed, filmmaker Matt Wolf takes viewers through the unusual and fascinating experiment — wth the help of a treasure trove of archival material, as well as present-day interviews from many of the folks involved at the time. While it would've been very easy to play up the outlandishness of the whole project (indeed, as seen in media clips from the era, many an onlooker did), this doco approaches Biosphere 2 and the passionate people who made it happen with thoughtfulness and appreciation, in what proves a supremely interesting and engaging film. And, if you'd like to check it out, you can do so for without paying a cent as part of the new Visions, Speculations and Dystopias: A Deep Dive Into Spaceship Earth event hosted by The Capitol in Melbourne. There are multiple components, all free and all online — and streaming the movie is one of them. You'll need to RSVP to get sent the details, and then you can view it at your leisure in the lead up to three virtual events. The first, a watch party, takes place at 7.30pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 4. After that, you can catch a panel about whether humanity should leave earth, as held at 5.30pm AEDT on Thursday, November 5, and then check out a masterclass with Spaceship Earth's director Matt Wolf at 10am AEDT on Friday, November 6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGvYFB6GHRY
The Gertrude Street Projection Festival has lit up Fitzroy for ten years in a row. But, this year, it's changing things up. Instead of going for ten nights, 2018's festival — which is usually held in winter — will run over just two nights in conjunction with Melbourne Fringe. According to organisers the Centre for Projection Art, this condensed format will allow for "creative development and careful research". But, you'll be happy to note, everything else seems to be much the same. On the evening of Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22, light projections from will once take over Gertrude Street and Atherton Gardens. And, best of all, it will still be free. This year's feature artist is local installation artist Kate Geck, who has created a large-scale kaleidoscopic projection piece that will be shown on community housing estate Atherton Towers. The full artist program is yet to be announced but the projections — which last year illuminated everything from shopfronts to footpaths to the trees in the gardens — will be turned on from 6–9pm each night. Plus, on Friday, there will be DJs and live music happening in the gardens. We recommend having a wander and then finishing up with a $10 negroni at Archie's All Day. Gertrude Street Projection Festival Mini will take place on September 21 and 22 from 6–9pm. Image: Theresa Harrison.
How far would you go to keep a roof over your family's head? That's the question posed by 99 Homes, the blistering new moral melodrama from writer-director Ramin Bahrani. Set in Orlando, Florida during the height of the 2010 foreclosure crisis, it is perhaps the most compelling film yet made about the global economic downturn and the everyday people whose lives it tore apart. Forget serial killers wielding machetes. This is a horror movie for the modern age. Trading his spandex and web-shooters for a toolbox and blue collar, Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield plays protagonist Dennis Nash, a construction worker and single parent forced to move his family into a motel after they're thrown out of their home. Adding insult to injury, the only work Nash is able to find is as a day labourer for Rick Carver (Michael Shannon), the same ruthless real estate broker who evicted him in the first place. But Carver soon sees potential in the desperate young father and invites him to take a greater role in his business. But what will it take for Nash to sell his soul? 99 Homes is Bahrani's fifth feature effort, although it's the first to receive a significant release here in Australia. Still, those who have seen his earlier work, including Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo and At Any Price, will recognise his signature motifs. He's an unapologetically earnest filmmaker with a strong social conscience, taking major issues that dominate headlines and using them as a basis for intimate human stories. During the film's numerous eviction scenes, he employs handheld cameras and a low, pulsating score, creating an atmosphere of overwhelming helplessness. Watching Carver throw Nash and his family out of their home will likely leave viewers feeling nauseous – although not half as nauseous as they'll feel later in the film, when Nash begins evicting families on Carver's behalf. After a few years languishing in superhero limbo, Garfield recaptures the stellar dramatic form seen in The Social Network and Never Let Me Go. Every compromise Nash considers the actor makes us understand, forcing us to ponder what we'd do in the same situation. Laura Dern is likewise strong in the admittedly thankless role as Nash's kind-hearted mother. Both, however, are overshadowed by Shannon. With the same simmering intensity he brought to Take Shelter and Boardwalk Empire, the Oscar-nominated actor is captivating whenever he's on screen. A callous big screen capitalist in the vein of Gordon Gecko, Carver is at once repellent and uncomfortably persuasive – characteristics best exemplified in a monologue midway through the film in which the e-cig smoking realtor gives us a glimpse into what drives him while raining rhetorical fire down on everyone from federal regulators to homeowners themselves. It is, quite simply, one of the best written, best acted scenes you'll see in a cinema this year. That's not to say that Bahrani's screenplay isn't also without its weak points. Nuance isn't exactly his strong suit, and there are stretches of the film that feel rather histrionic. More frustrating is the ending, in which the writer-director strips away any sense of moral ambiguity in favour of a simpler, less interesting conflict between right and wrong. Yet even in the moments where the narrative falters, the weight and sincerity of Bahrani's intention are enough to carry you through. That, along with the phenomenal work of one of the finest actors working today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfttvNCIJvE
At two locations in Victoria, and over in New Zealand as well, the Peninsula Hot Springs crew have made bathing in relaxing warm water reason enough to book a holiday. Now, the team wants travellers to think about hitting the outback Queensland town of Cunnamulla in the same way. The spot has just become home to Cunnamulla Hot Springs, which the local Paroo Shire owns but Peninsula Hot Springs Group is running. If your idea of bliss is a lengthy soak in a stunning location, you have a new getaway spot to pop on your agenda, then. Perched right by Warrego River for the ultimate in scenic surroundings, Cunnamulla Hot Springs boasts seven geothermic pools. First announced in 2023, it launched at the beginning of February 2024. The $11.7-million, five-star site — which came to fruition with contributions from both the federal and Queensland state governments — is the largest-funded project that the Paroo Shire Council has ever undertaken. Getting Peninsula Hot Springs Group to look after day-to-day operations means capitalising upon its expertise honed elsewhere, however. As well as Peninsula Hot Springs, of course, it has Metung Hot Springs in East Gippsland to its name, plus Aotearoa's Maruia Hot Springs. In Cunnamulla, bathers slip into pools surrounded by native trees, and featuring mineral- and vitamin-rich water taken from and heated naturally by the artesian basin underneath. Learning about the latter around your soak is also part of the experience — calming your body and feeding your mind at the same time. Each of Cunnamulla Hot Springs's bathing spots sport different temperatures, so you can get steamy, opt for a stint in the chilled plunge pool or both. One has been specifically built to be shallow, so that folks sitting in it can gaze at the stars in the most immersive way possible. In the state-of-the-art complex, a sauna and a steam room is also part of the setup, as is an area for salt scrubs and clay masks. Fancy taking a dip by sunrise or sunset? That's on offer as well, to make the most of day's cooler temperatures. Dawn bathing starts at 6am, while a twilight soak is on offer from 5–9pm on weekdays. Patrons aren't merely surrounded by Cunnamulla's landscape as they sit; everything about Cunnamulla Hot Springs has taken its cues from its environment, with Cox Architects on design duties. Think: earthy colours, and using stone and ironbark timber among other natural materials — plus the thermal waters, of course. When it was announced last year, Cunnamulla Hot Springs was named as a highlight on the Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide, which is filled with things to do inland in the Sunshine State. Queensland isn't just about beaches, rainforests and the tropics, even if that's what it's best known for. So, the bathing venue joins everything from starlight river cruises in Longreach and Winton's Australia Age of Dinosaurs Museum through to the Southwest Queensland Indigenous Cultural Trail and a heap of national parks (and other outback spas and baths, including in Julia Creek, Bedourie, Quilpie, Mitchell and Yowah). If you're now planning a trip to Cunnamulla, it's around a nine-hour drive west from Brisbane, with flights via Rex, and also boasts an outback river lights festival; the Artesian Time Tunnel, which explores the Artesian Basin's history; and safari-style glamping — among other attractions. Find Cunnamulla Hot Springs at Lot 5 Ivan Street, Cunnamulla, Queensland — head to the venue's website for bookings and further information. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
This part of the multiverse mightn't boast chefs controlled by raccoons, talking rocks and hot dog fingers, but it has turned a mind-bending movie spanning all of the above into one of the year's big awards contenders. Everything Everywhere All At Once is one 2022's very best movies, too, and it might soon have some shining trophies for its troubles from the 2023 Golden Globes. Awards season is upon us again, because the end of the year doesn't just mean all things jolly and merry — and the beginning of the new year isn't just about fresh starts and resolutions you likely won't keep, either. The Golden Globes will unveil its latest batch of winners on Wednesday, January 11 Australian and New Zealand time, but its just-announced list of nominees features plenty to get excited about, including a heap of 2022's must-see movies and TV shows. While the Oscars cover films and the Emmys focus on television, the Golden Globes spread its gongs across both formats, meaning that big-screen hits like Elvis and Top Gun: Maverick have scored some love, and so have small-screen favourites such as Severance and Wednesday. Topping the nominations on the movie side is standout Irish comedy The Banshees of Inisherin, including nods for stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. School-set sitcom Abbott Elementary — think Parks and Recreation, but in a Philadelphia public school — leads the TV contenders. Reuniting Farrell, Gleeson and their In Bruges director Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin nabbed eight noms, with Everything Everywhere All at Once picking up five, including for actors Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Next on the list, Damien Chazelle's Babylon and Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans each turned their love letters to cinema into five nominations. On the small screen, Abbott Elementary picked up five nods, followed by The White Lotus, DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, The Crown, Pam & Tommy and Only Murders in the Building with four each. Other highlights include Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery scoring a nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Daniel Craig for Best Actor in the same category; Emma Thompson's Best Actress nod in the same genre for Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; both Decision to Leave and RRR among the non-English language picks; and Angela Bassett receiving some Best Supporting Actress love for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And, there's The Bear picking up two noms (including for lead Jeremy Allen White) in the TV fields, Diego Luna's Andor nomination, Zendaya's Euphoria nod and Better Call Saul's final season being recognised, too. Although there's plenty to celebrate among this year's contenders — including a hefty showing for Australians, including Baz Luhrmann's Best Director nom for Elvis, and Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman and Elizabeth Debicki all picking up acting nominations (for Tár, Bablyon, The Son and The Crown, respectively) — the Globes are sadly back to ignoring women directors. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list of nominations: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Avatar: The Way of Water Elvis The Fabelmans Tár Top Gun: Maverick BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Cate Blanchett, Tár Olivia Colman, Empire of Light Viola Davis, The Woman King Ana de Armas, Blonde Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Austin Butler, Elvis Brendan Fraser, The Whale Hugh Jackman, The Son Bill Nighy, Living Jeremy Pope, The Inspection BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Babylon The Banshees of Inisherin Everything Everywhere All at Once Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Triangle of Sadness BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Lesley Manville, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Margot Robbie, Babylon Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu Emma Thompson, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Diego Calva, Babylon Daniel Craig, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Adam Driver, White Noise Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin Ralph Fiennes, The Menu BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Inu-Oh Marcel the Shell With Shoes On Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Turning Red BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE All Quiet on the Western Front Argentina, 1985 Close Decision to Leave RRR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once Dolly De Leon, Triangle of Sadness Carey Mulligan, She Said BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin Brad Pitt, Babylon Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once Eddie Redmayne, The Good Nurse BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Baz Luhrmann, Elvis Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Todd Field, Tár Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin Sarah Polley, Women Talking Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, The Fabelmans BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Hildur Guðnadóttir, Women Talking Justin Hurwitz, Babylon John Williams, The Fabelmans BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Carolina' by Taylor Swift, Where the Crawdads Sing 'Ciao Papa' by Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 'Hold My Hand' by Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice, Top Gun: Maverick 'Lift Me Up' by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 'Naatu Naatu' by Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj, RRR BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Better Call Saul The Crown House of the Dragon Ozark Severance BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Emma D'Arcy, House of the Dragon Laura Linney, Ozark Imelda Staunton, The Crown Hilary Swank, Alaska Daily Zendaya, Euphoria BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Jeff Bridges, The Old Man Kevin Costner, Yellowstone Diego Luna, Andor Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Adam Scott, Severance BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Abbott Elementary The Bear Hacks Only Murders in the Building Wednesday BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Jenna Ortega, Wednesday Jean Smart, Hacks BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Donald Glover, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jeremy Allen White, The Bear BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Black Bird DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story The Dropout Pam & Tommy The White Lotus BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Chastain, George and Tammy Julia Garner, Inventing Anna Lily James, Pam & Tommy Julia Roberts, Gaslit Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Taron Egerton, Black Bird Colin Firth, The Staircase Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven Evan Peters, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble Daisy Edgar-Jones, Under the Banner of Heaven Niecy Nash, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION F. Murray Abraham, The White Lotus Domhnall Gleeson, The Patient Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird Richard Jenkins, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL-COMEDY OR DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Julia Garner, Ozark Janelle James, Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL-COMEDY OR DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES John Lithgow, The Old Man Jonathan Pryce, The Crown John Turturro, Severance Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary Henry Winkler, Barry The 2023 Golden Globes will be announced on Wednesday, January 11 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
If one particular Bee Gees song was ever the answer on Heardle, the music intro spinoff from Wordle, every Australian would guess it instantly. That tune: 'Spicks and Specks', which has been gracing the ABC's music quiz show of the same name since 2005 — whenever the show has been on the air, that is. It'll start echoing from your television again from Sunday, August 7, too, which is when the national broadcaster is bringing back the beloved series. Back in June, the network announced that the show would return this year for ten episodes, but now it has revealed the actual date. Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will be back as well, hosting and taking on team captain roles respectively, while this new season also boasts an impressive list of guests. Hamish Blake, Denise Scott, Dave O'Neil, Luke McGregor, Rhys Nicholson, Nath Valvo and Zoe Coombs Marr will all return, while Casey Donovan, Montaigne, Emma Watkins, Dylan Alcott and Mama Alto will make their Spicks and Specks debut. And, that doesn't include the lineup of bands performing. If you're somehow new to the ABC hit, it answers an easy question. What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while flinging around trivia, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. From there, taking a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Spicks and Specks throws plenty of queries at its star-studded teams — pitting Aussie musos and comedians against each other. Yes, it's no wonder that the show has proven a hit several times over, and that it keeps coming back. It was a first weekly favourite when it initially aired between 2005–2011. Then, it was revived back in 2014, but with a new host and team captains. Finally, it started gathering its original lineup of Hills, Warhurst and Brough back together, first via a one-off reunion special, then with four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20, and then in its regular format since 2021. Obviously, Spicks and Specks has been enjoying more comebacks than John Farnham of late. For its 2022 run, it's also dropping clues to a new game in each episode. To play The Secret Song, you'll need to watch out to cryptic clues uttered by Hills during the regular questions and games, which Warhurst and Brough also need to pick up on — and doing just that could mean the difference between winning and losing. Until August 7 arrives, check out a sneak peek at Spicks and Specks' new season below: Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV and ABC iView from 7.40pm on Sunday, August 7.
If peering at an artist's work is the same as peering into their soul, then staring at a self-portrait is like peeking through a wide-open window. Perhaps Rembrandt believed this? The 17th-century artist certainly loved putting his likeness on paper, whether he was picking up a brush or pencil, or getting etching. Perhaps you can ponder this very notion at Rembrandt — True to Life, which is bringing the Dutch Golden Age master's works to Melbourne's NGV International to brighten up Australia's winter. From Friday, June 2–Sunday, September 10, the St Kilda Road gallery will be home to a wide-ranging exploration of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn's work — so expansive, in fact, that it's the most-comprehensive Rembrandt exhibition to display Down Under in 25 years. On loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, 1659's Self-Portrait is one of the star attractions, and one of around 80 images of himself he's thought to have made. Created when the artist was 53 (and three years after he'd declared bankruptcy), it sits alongside ten etched self-portraits. Combined, they let True to Life attendees chart how he saw himself, and conveyed his soul to the world, over three decades. Etchings comprise a significant portion of the NGV's ode to Rembrandt, with more than 100 from its own collection at the heart of the impressive retrospective. In addition to helping to detail his self-perception, they showcase his innovations as a printmaker and also illustrate how widely and deeply he splashed around his artistic talents. If you're heading to a Rembrandt exhibition, you want to see his paintings, of course, an instinct that the showcase capitalises upon. Thanks to pieces borrowed from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Louvre in Paris, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the Teylers Museum in Haarlem as well, the artist's prints are placed in context with his paintings. You'll see how they're connected no matter the subject or theme as True to Life steps through not just his portraits, but also his landscapes, scenes of daily life, depictions of religious motifs and nudes. Among his scenery-focused works, his largest landscape etching The three trees, which dates back to 1643, is a drawcard. From his pieces that hone in on the human form — never idealising them — Diana at the bath, an etching from 1631, is another highlight. Taking its cues from passages from the Gospel of St Matthew, 1648's well-known piece The Hundred Guilder Print is also on display as part of the exhibition's survey of Rembrandt's fascination with faith. His two largest prints similarly fall into the same category: The three crosses from 1653 and Christ presented to the people from 1655. Because the artist transformed them both by making continuous adjustments, True to Life shows them in two different states — early and late side by side. Images: Installation view of Rembrandt: True to Life on display from 2 June-10 September at NGV International, Melbourne. Photos: Tom Ross.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013 will go down as one of the most exhausting and absurd days in Australian parliament's history. There were retirements, there were bills proposed, and hijacking headlines and Twitter feeds across the country was the Labor Party's leadership spill, where the caucus sharpened their knives again to farewell Julia Gillard and give Kevin Rudd another chance to shake his sauce bottle all the way to election glory. The whole process played out like an elaborate film or TV plot, so we decided to take a look at the top five leadership battles the screen has offered and see how they compare. 1. Game of Thrones When the excellent #RuddWedding began trending, there was no way to look past the most popular show on television and its parallels with Australian politics. Whilst Red Wedding meme manipulators are casting Kevin as the murderous Lord Bolton, perhaps it would be more appropriate to stick Bill Shorten's head on his shoulders. Either way, we are down to a two-horse race for Australia's iron throne. 2. Rocky Whilst Rocky may have lost his first battle, professional fight against Apollo Creed, the Italian Stallion refused to go down, weathering the blows before rising to deliver a knockout blow and regain the prime ministership. Here is hoping that the plots continue to overlap and we witness a montage of Gillard training Rudd before they treat us to a Rocky III freeze frame ending. 3. Ron Burgundy vs. Veronica Corningstone Whilst Kevin Rudd may not sport Ron Burgundy's glorious moustache, he still held the leadership of his news team until Veronica Corningstone ambitiously took it from him. Ron fought to claim it back though, and whilst there will be no co-anchorship between Rudd and Gillard, we can still look forward to Anchorman 2. 4. Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort When ABC reporter Mark Simkin dipped into the pages of Harry Potter to cover the spill — stating "neither can live whilst the other survives" — he wasn't wrong. Gillard has remained true to her word and retired, making Kevin Potter the boy who lived, ready to take on his next nemesis. Whilst we wait for the battle, let us ponder on how much more enjoyable Question Time would be if everyone was wearing robes, clutching wands and shouting 'expelliarmus' at each other. 5. Sideshow Bob vs. Mayor Quimby In Springfield's political showdown of the century, Sideshow Bob rides to victory over Mayor Quimby on a wave of charisma and popularity. Rudd has the charisma and popularity; here's hoping he hasn't masterminded a rigged vote like Sideshow Bob did that would plunge Australian politics into an even larger comedic hole of errors. Bonus: Star Wars Filibuster Yesterday also saw a busy day on the international politics scene, as Democratic state senator Wendy Davis filibustered a package of laws that would restrict access to abortion in Texas. She was controversially cut short at ten hours on a technicality for speaking off topic, which earned her a third strike — at least we can say that the rules of baseball don't dictate Australian politics. Whilst her filibustering was far more topical than this offering, Patton Oswald's rant on Parks and Recreation certainly lightens the mood of defeat.
With the rise of the mp3 and the gathering of the cloud, the concept of physically owning your music has gradually begun to disappear. Yet for many music lovers, the tactile nature of analogue media still holds a powerful nostalgia. How else do you explain last year's record-breaking vinyl sales? But while the record may have experienced a bit of a resurgence as of late, what about the humble audio cassette? Well, it turns out there may be a market for that too. Inspired by the success of Record Store Day, Cassette Store Day is a celebration of all things magnetic tape and plastic. Its third iteration is set for October 17 — and for the first time, the southern hemisphere is getting in on the action. Australian label Rice Is Nice and New Zealanders Arch Hill Recordings will join Germany’s Mansions & Millions, America’s Burger Records and original UK founders Suplex Cassettes, Kissability, and Sexbeat in organising the 2015 edition, an international party marked by a slew of events, sales and releases. Last year saw such big name artists as Karen O and There Might Be Giants drop tapes for the occasion, among more than 300 others. Of course, not everyone is so enamoured with these chunky slabs of plastic. Last year Tone Deaf penned an article titled ‘Why International Cassette Store Day is Stupid’, arguing that the event is simply nostalgia taken too far. And look, the killjoys may have a point. Although vinyl fans insist that records sound ‘warmer,’ it’s a lot harder to make that argument for the compact cassette. Still, anything that gets people supporting local music stores is okay by us. Besides, who doesn’t secretly want an actual mixtape from their crush? CASSETTE STORE DAY AUSTRALIAN RELEASES Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit Summer Flake — Time Rolls By EP Bloods — Work It Out Ocean Party — Light Weight Step-Panther — Strange But Nice Dollar Bar — Paddington Workers Club Dollar Bar — Hot Ones Red Riders — Drown In Colour Demos The Finks — Lucklaster Fraser A. Gorman — Slow Gum Ouch My Face — Bunyip Raindrop — Crowded Brain EP Rice Is Nice Records — Vol. 3 Mixtape (various artists) Ft. Blank Realm (unreleased), Black Zeros, Tired Lion, Lowtide, The Living Eyes, Pearls, Love of Diagrams, Day Ravies, Us The Band, Zeahorse, White Dog, Weak Boys Wonrowe Vision — Triple Cassette Mortification — Scrolls Of The Megaloth Double Cassette Barrow-man — Dog Tales Betty & Oswald — King Of Bohemia Tutu and the Bodyrockets — The Ballad of Bonnie Bigfish Hills Hoist / Piqué — Cool Change / Kitty Image: Dollar Photo Club.
After hosting a sellout weekender in 2024 to celebrate its 15th birthday, Strawberry Fields is turning sweet 16 in 2025 with another three-day festival filled with impressive acts hitting the decks and the stage, all on the banks of the Murray River. When you're not catching Detroit Love featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann, Gilles Peterson, Chaos in the CBD and Interplanetary Criminal at Tocumwal in regional New South Wales this November, you'll be seeing Tommy Holohan, Malugi, Lady Shaka and ISAbella. They're a mere few of the 80-plus DJs and live acts on the just-dropped lineup. Other names on the bill across Friday, November 21–Sunday, November 23 include KOKOROKO, WITCH, and Circle of Live featuring Albrecht La'Brooy, Move D and Sebastian Mullaert — plus Dita, Wax'o Paradiso and Horse Meat Disco. Or, for more than three hours, Mama Snake, DJ Scorpion and Andy Garvey will play B3B. Aurora Halal, DJ Sweet6teen, Fafi Abdel Nour, DJ PGZ B2B Yikes and Karen Nyame KG are on the roster, too. Strawberry Fields is among the Australian music festivals that aren't just about who's providing the soundtrack, even though it clearly doesn't skimp on talent. This fest boasts a setup and setting worth spending a weekend enjoying no matter which acts are on the bill, with its location is a hefty drawcard all by itself. Having multiple stages pumping out tunes in leafy surroundings, and also a bush spa for a soak between sets, will do that. Festivalgoers clearly agree. As was the case in 2024, 95 percent of Strawberry Fields' tickets were already snapped up before the lineup dropped. If you were waiting to see who was on the bill first, though, more are going on sale from 9am on Friday, July 11. Folks lucky enough to nab a ticket can look forward to epsom salt baths, plunge pool sessions and sauna trips, then, plus hanging out in the festival's Mirage Motel space again, and hitting up an expanded range of workshops and talks — alongside onsite glamping and camping. Strawberry Fields' commitment to sustainability remains strong, too, with its rewash revolution system diverting over 300,000 single-use plastics from landfill so far, renewable energy powering the entire fest and all carbon emissions offset via Treecreds. Strawberry Fields 2025 Lineup DJ Afrodisiac Anu Aurora Halal Ayebatonye Baby J Bella Claxton Chaos In The Cbd Dameeeela Detroit Love (featuring Carl Craig and Moodymann) Dita DJ Friday B2B Sweetie Zamora DJ Pgz B2B Yikes DJ Sure DJ Sweet6teen Fafi Abdel Nour Gene On Earth Gilles Peterson Horse Meat Disco Interplanetary Criminal ISAbella Jenny Cara Josh Caffé Karen Nyame Kg Kirollus Kuzco B2B Quicksticks Kyle Hall Lady Shaka Malugi Mama Snake B3B DJ Scorpion B3B Andy Garvey Mazzacles Messie Mismeg Move D Myles Mac B2B DJ Possum Naycab Neptunes Trident Poli Pearl Regularfantasy Roka Sampology B2B Frank Booker Slothboogie Super Flu THC Tommy Holohan Toni Yotzi Vanna Wax'o Paradiso Wolters B2B Ned Bennett Zalina Live Asanti Beats Becca Hatch Bumpy Circle of Live (featuring Albrecht La Brooy, Move D, Sebastian Mullaert) Close Counters Corto.Alto D.D. Mirage Devaura Drifting Clouds Drmngnow / Bricky B Ella Haber Ella Thompson Empress Ferrari Party Flewnt Inkabee Jerome Thomas Juman Kokoroko Mathew Jonson Minyerra Moontide No News Rodriguez Jr. Serebii The Pro-Teens (MF Doom Tribute) Waari Wilson Tanner Witch Wrong Way Up Xpress Point Strawberry Fields 2025 takes place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 21–Sunday, November 23. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 11. Head to the festival website for further details. Images: Duncographic / Will Hamilton-Coates / Max Roux.
It was one of the best new shows on television — well, streaming — in 2022. It's the reason that everyone has been exclaiming "yes chef!" for the past six months. It's also the source of your beef sandwich obsession, deliciously so. And, it just picked up star Jeremy Allen White a shiny Golden Globe. That'd be The Bear, the first season of which ranked among the most stressful but stellar ways to spend four hours-ish last winter. Expect the show to repeat the feat when the chilly season hits this year, too, because that's when this dramedy gem will return for its second season. The Bear was renewed for season two before the show even made its way Down Under, after debuting in the US in June, then reaching Australia and New Zealand via Disney+ at the end of August. Whether audiences here will experience a delay again in 2023 is yet to be seen — hopefully not, given that it's now an established success — but either way, the series will return in America during our winter. FX's The Bear S2 premieres early summer, with 10 episodes. Only on @hulu. 🐻🥫#TheBearFX @TheBearFX pic.twitter.com/Y5QUBTlzcj — FX Networks (@FXNetworks) January 13, 2023 US network FX, which screens The Bear stateside, announced the news on social media — confirmed that season two will run for ten episodes. That's two extra servings of chaos surrounding Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (White, Shameless) and his culinary endeavours. While season one already saddled him more than his fair share of troubles and struggles, there's no way that season two is going to a cruisy dream for the kitchen ace. If you missed the first season, it jumped into the mayhem after Carmy took over The Original Beef of Chicagoland, his family's business, after his brother Mikey's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) suicide. Before returning home, the chef's resume spanned Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. Accordingly, trying to bring that fine-dining level of meticulous to a neighbourhood sandwich shop didn't go smoothly. That's just the beginning of the story, in a series that truly conveyed what it's like to work in the hospitality industry — including navigating a restaurant kitchen's non-stop intensity. Yes, the mood is anxious from the outset, with The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) starting the series as he definitely meant to go on, but still expertly managing to balance drama and comedy. Also a crucial part of the show: the rest of the impressive cast, such as Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Dropout) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend; Ayo Edebiri (Dickinson) as new sous chef Sydney; Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar; and Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. You've now got a few months to perfect your sandwich-making skills, ready for The Bear's second helping. Check out the trailer for The Bear season one below: The Bear streams via Disney+. We'll update you with an exact season two release date when one is announced. Read our full review of season one.
Been spending the first half of 2021 pondering the future? Given how the past year has panned out, that's only natural. But in the early hours of Friday, June 25, you might want to look to the skies as well — and feast your eyes on this month's noteworthy lunar sight. For folks located Down Under, this is when you'll see this year's 'strawberry' full moon. According to NASA, it could also be considered a super full moons, with different publications split on the matter. If you choose to deem it a supermoon, you'll know that they aren't particularly rare — one occurred back in April, and then another took place in May — but there are still plenty of reasons to peer upwards this time around. If you're wondering what else you need to know, we've run through the details below. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. June's full moon is called a strawberry moon not because it's pink or red — it isn't — but because that's when strawberries traditionally ripen in the northern hemisphere. Of course, it's currently winter in the southern hemisphere, but the name still sticks. And, if you're going with the supermoon school of thought, that name applies to a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. Again, they're not all that uncommon — whether or not you want to claim this one as a supermoon. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Friday, June 25. In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the moon will be full at 4.39am according to Timeanddate.com. In Adelaide, that time moves forward half an hour, so it'll take place at 4.09am — and in Perth, it'll be earlier still, at 2.39am. Those times refer to the exact full moon time. Of course, the moon will still be visible in the sky before then — and looking rather full, even if the exact minute hasn't arrived. So, if you'd prefer to take a gander at a more pleasant hour on Thursday, June 24 or even in the evening on Friday, June 25, that's understandable. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies. So, city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. If you can't get a clear vantage, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming from the skyline above Rome from 5am AEST on Friday, June 25 . The 'strawberry' full moon occur at 4.39am AEST on Friday, June 25 along Australia's east coast — although the moon itself will be visible in the sky all evening before that. For further information, including about timing, head to Timeanddate.com.
Australian activewear and maternity wear brand Active Truth has just launched its new line of leggings, bike shorts and crop tops with the help of Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru designer Bobbi Lockyer. The hand-painted design featured on the limited edition Brolga line of activewear is currently available via the Active Truth website and shipping is free worldwide. Based in Port Hedland, Western Australia, Lockyer created the clothing line in order to celebrate strong women. "In our Dreaming about Brolga, she was a beautiful girl obsessed with dancing. Dancing was her only love and nothing distracted her," Lockeyer said. "I like to think of Brolga as a headstrong woman, passionate and determined, going for her dreams. This is why I chose to paint brolga feathers for this design, to symbolise women with our strengths, passions and show that we are going for our dreams." Lockyer also photographed the campaign herself, shooting some of the strong women in her life sporting the line out in the red dust and salt flats of her hometown. The activewear line is supportive of women of all shapes and sizes, available in sizes small through to 3XL. The Brolga line is also available in Active Truth's popular maternity wear range. These leggings can be worn through every trimester, as well as post-natal. Stevie Angel and Nadia Tucker, the duo behind Active Truth, have created a compression fabric that provides secure support and is especially designed to help ease some of the pains and strains experienced during pregnancy. The tights will stay in place throughout your workout, too, and the compression fit assists in reducing leg swelling and soreness to boot. All Active Truth orders come with a 30-day return policy and free express shipping and exchanges worldwide. The clothing company also offers customers the option to include their traditional First Nations place name when entering their address during the ordering process. Check out the full range of Brolga activewear and maternity wear here or you can browse the whole range of Active Truth activewear, maternity wear and swimwear online now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
In the high-stakes game of crispy bird, you might argue that Korean-style fried chicken rules the roost. Which means local chicken fiends are really winning this month, with the launch of the first Aussie store from much-loved Korean brand Guljak Topokki Chicken. Just a couple of weeks after fellow international chicken stars Bonchon landed Down Under with a new restaurant in Craigieburn, Guljak Topokki has also made its Aussie debut, opening its latest outpost in Emporium. Taking the group's stable to nine, the restaurant is out to deliver Melburnians an authentic taste of Korean street food culture. Chicken is one of the main events here, with the menu featuring variations like sweet chilli, kanpung (spicy garlic) and soy nurungji (Korean scorched rice) alongside a classic OG crispy number. Sharing the spotlight however, is a range of soup topokki — the traditional Korean dish of spicy rice cakes. Here, you can try it in a swag of different ways, from a sausage soup creation to a topokki paired with charcoal bulgogi. You can also customise the heat of these babies to suit your style, with the spice levels topping out at 'hot spicy', aptly labelled 'for spicy mania'. But if you're a sucker for sides, your favourite part of all this will be the dedicated self-serve 'banchan' station, heaving with a spread of classic Korean side dishes. We're talking seaweed-wrapped noodle bites, rice balls, fried shrimp, hot chips and soondae (a type of blood sausage). A bunch of combination sets let you sample from both offerings at once. And of course, there are plenty of crisp brews and fun-looking canned Korean bevs with which to wash it all down. Find Guljak Topokki Chicken at 08/287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne CBD. It's open 11am–7pm Sunday to Wednesday, and from 11am–9pm Thursday and Friday.
Returning to Australia with all the flair of a growling octogenarian swirling a glass of wine in one hand, the brilliantly manic Dylan Moran has announced his brand new comedy tour Off the Hook will be stopping at 12 locations across the country this July to August. The Irish comedian, who won our hearts as the creator and star of Black Books, is celebrated across the globe for his brilliant brand of rambling, brutally sharp stand-up comedy. Though you may hear Moran most frequently described as "curmudgeonly", the charm and intelligence of his manic comedy are hypnotic as he bombards audiences with his thoughts on everything from ageing and politics to kids, love and misery. Moran is coming to Australia straight off the back of a stint touring around the less likely locales of Kiev, Moscow and Kazakhstan — as well as becoming the first Western comic to perform in St Petersburg — with his surly ways winning him acclaim along the way. Bringing an always entrancing stage presence of slurring insights and bizarrely poetic complaints, broken by hysterical cackling and sips of wine, Moran's tour promises you comedy of the highest, most unpredictable kind. DYLAN MORAN'S OFF THE HOOK AUSTRALIAN TOUR Tickets on sale 10 March 10am Friday 10 July Riverside Theatre, Perth, WA Tuesday 14 July Civic Theatre, Newcastle, NSW Saturday 18 July Sydney Theatre, Sydney, NSW Thursday 23 July West Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, TAS Saturday 25 July Princess Theatre, Launceston, TAS Monday 27 July State Theatre, Melbourne, VIC Tuesday 4 August QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane, QLD Saturday 8 August Convention Centre, Cairns, QLD Tuesday 11 August Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT Saturday 15 August Royal Theatre, Canberra, NSW
Tonight, Melbourne will become the latest city to welcome Miznon, the world-famous Israeli street food eatery run by celebrity Israeli chef Eyal Shani. Founded in Tel Aviv, the restaurant also has branches in Vienna and Paris, and will land in New York before 2017 is out. Miznon is taking over a three-floor space at 59 Hardware Lane. Although all incarnations of Miznon bear the same name, each is unique, in terms of interior and culinary offerings. "Each of our restaurants is a different one," says Shani. "Because we see the pita as a translator of a mood, a culture, a people. We try to fit into the atmosphere, the will, the passion of the city ... Otherwise, I have no reason to open because I don't have the will to copy myself." There's a bar, a lounge and plenty of space on the top floor, which Shani describes as "like the machine of a big boat". While about 40 percent of the menu is shared across branches, 60 percent is new. Melburnians will be treated to a new way of making felafel, like a hamburger, which Shani describes as "unbelievable". Meanwhile, Miznon's classic beans, which are steamed, then sizzled with olive oil, lemon and garlic, will find a fresh life, in the many varieties available in Australia. "It's like each bean is carrying an atmosphere, so it's like you're eating the atmosphere of the country. They're so fresh and so crunchy," says Shani. Also on the menu is a Wagyu kebab, a slow-cooked terrine and a spicy, tomato-based dish made with local fish. To Shani, pita is quintessential way to serve food. "Why?" he says. "Because you can sell it in the street. You can take the energy of the street. You can sell it cheap ... If I were to put the ingredients on a plate, it'd be like a two or three-star restaurant." Shani first visited Melbourne two months ago, to "smell the city, to understand it". What struck him was a feeling of empowerment in the city. "The capitalistic system is not pressing the people ... the city doesn't belong to huge companies, but to people, to individuals, who have wishes and dreams, and are doing things on their own. I mean the skies are completely open." Find Miznon at 59 Hardware Lane. Open 11am-11pm, seven days a week.
Two months ago, Australia and New Zealand finally introduced the trans-Tasman bubble, which allows folks from either country to travel across the ditch without needing to go into quarantine upon arrival. During that time, the arrangement has been suspended on several occasions on a state-by-state basis — including during Victoria's recent lockdown, and in response to New South Wales' current outbreak — and now, with COVID-19 cases growing across Australia, NZ has put a pause on the bubble nationwide. Announced on Saturday, June 26 and in effect until at least 11.59pm NZ time (9.59pm AEST) on Tuesday, June 29, the suspension applies to quarantine-free travel from all Aussie states and territories. The initial timeframe will span 72 hours, which is NZ's usual first step. Whether it extends that period or not will obviously depend on coronavirus case numbers. "There are now multiple cases and outbreaks in Australia in differing stages of containment and the health risk for New Zealand in response to these cases is increasing," said NZ COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins in a statement. "As a result, the Government has taken the precautionary step of temporarily widening the current pause with New South Wales to include all of Australia." https://twitter.com/covid19nz/status/1408712957630902282 When NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the two-way bubble between Australia and New Zealand back in April, she noted that it could and would be paused if and when outbreaks occur — so none of the suspensions so far, including this one, are surprising. The NZ Government advised that this current pause will not only give it "time to get a better understanding of the developing situation," but will also enable it "to consider the potential implementation of a range of measures to make the bubble safer, such as the introduction of pre-departure testing for all flights from Australia to New Zealand." At the moment, Sydney's Bondi cluster keeps growing, with 112 locally acquired cases reported as at 8pm on Saturday, June 26. The Greater Sydney area is currently in a two-week lockdown, while positive cases — some linked, some not — have also been reported in Queensland, Victoria, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Whether you're an Australian on holiday in NZ or a New Zealander who has recently returned from across the ditch, anyone now in NZ who has been in Australia since Friday, June 21 is asked to monitor their health, and keep an eye on the exposure sites lists in various Australian states — such as NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the NT and WA. You're also requested to contact NZ's Healthline if you experience any symptoms. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
Dread doesn't get enough credit. It's the emotion of worried anticipation and, as unpleasant and unsettling as it may be, it's the backbone of any truly unnerving horror movie. While startling bumps might elicit momentary jumps, spending an entire film in a state of distress is another experience entirely. Unravelling the struggles of a family wrestling with loss, trauma and unexplained events, Hereditary serves up more than a few well-executed shocks — but it's the picture's unrelenting mood of apprehension and anxiety that marks Ari Aster's debut feature as a disturbing, discomforting masterpiece. Hereditary begins with a piece of text that no one likes to read: a funeral notice for the Graham family matriarch. Yet as the deceased's relatives prepare for the service, only 13-year-old Charlie (Milly Shapiro) appears visibly upset. If her mum Annie (Toni Collette) bears any sorrow about the passing of her own mother, it's channelled into the miniature dioramas she's busy handcrafting — recreations of her sprawling forest-adjacent house and events from her everyday life, including the dearly departed's final days. Still, all isn't particularly well in the slowly disintegrating Graham household. There's distance between Annie and her psychiatrist husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), while teenage son Peter (Alex Wolff) is happier smoking joints between his high school classes than interacting with his family. If the story so far sounds like a routine drama, that's Aster's wheelhouse in a way. In acclaimed short films Munchausen and The Strange Thing About the Johnsons, the writer-director probed the problems that reside behind blood ties — only to take seemingly commonplace scenarios, and then up the ante in a provocative and unexpected manner. In Hereditary, he plagues the movie's protagonists with weird occurrences, including strange words etched into walls, odd flashes of light, upsetting strangers and alarming seances. He is making a horror film, after all. But more than that, Aster doubles down on tragedy, stretches the characters' emotional limits and heightens their psychological strain, trapping the Grahams in a situation devoid of hope, escape or choice. There's a reason that one of the movie's most pivotal scenes, involving Annie unburdening her pain to a support group, expands upon the family's history of mental stress. As we've already mentioned, all of the above mightn't sound overly revolutionary, especially if you've seen Rosemary's Baby, The Shining or The Babadook, three films Hereditary recalls in the best possible fashion. In the same vein as many supernatural spookfests, the involvement of a mysterious woman (Ann Dowd) who tries to help Annie with her grief mightn't sound unusual either. But in a movie that embraces the bleakness of life, and the way that grimness can feel like an unshakeable curse, it's how Hereditary tells its sinister tale that lifts the picture well beyond standard scary territory. If Annie's tiny creations appear painstaking and precise, they've got nothing on Aster's level of meticulousness. Thanks to roaming, grey-hued cinematography, every frame of the film bristles with unease. Courtesy of a score heavy on saxophone and percussion, every sound rattles the nerves. And, with the movie taking the slow-burning approach to an intense and insidious extreme, dwelling in the Grahams' unhappy existence is a fist-clenching, teeth-grinding exercise in deep-seeded tension. One of the year's best flicks — frightening or otherwise —Hereditary has another trick up its sleeve. It's not a huge twist or an especially terrifying moment, although the film contains both. Simply put, the movie wouldn't and couldn't be the powerhouse factory of dread that it is without Collette. The Australian actor played with all things unnerving back in The Sixth Sense, but now haunts this picture like a woman possessed with a lifetime's worth of worry, fear and anger. While Shapiro and Wolff also play their parts to perfection, Collette's expressive face couldn't encapsulate Hereditary's horrors better. When she reacts with fright, pain, anxiety and terror, so does the audience. Keen to know more about this terrifying flick? We went behind the scenes with Hereditary director Ari Aster. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3__y-uPwbe8
There's something rather cool about being ahead of the curve when it comes to cinema, watching the latest and greatest flicks on the silver screen well before anyone else. And at Australia's biggest short film festival, you can do just that. The internationally acclaimed Flickerfest is celebrating its 32nd year in 2023, so you can expect an A-class lineup of cinematic delights. The annual event is Australia's leading Academy Award-qualifying short film fest, and it's backed with BAFTA recognition, too. Get a window into the cinematic mastery that has received both national and international acclaim, all acknowledged as the most inspiring, provocative and entertaining pieces to see. With thousands of submissions this year, and films gracing the screens of over 45 venues nationally, the Flickerfest Tour lineup will have something for everyone. [caption id="attachment_892786" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tarneit[/caption] This April, the Best of Melbourne Shorts brings a curated screening of eight award-winning short films from thriving Victorian filmmakers. The one-night-only event kicks off at 6.30pm at The Kino Palace Cinema, with a complimentary drink on arrival before the programme starts at 7pm. To give you an idea of what to expect, there's hilarity and timely commentary on followers and faith with Follow for Follow, an emotive tale of escaping violence in the Iris Award-winning Tarneit, a story of running to heal (or escape) old wounds in Blvck Gold and a simple-but-compelling tale of The Best Dumplings in Melbourne. That's just a taste of the wild and wonderful stories on offer. To see the full Flickerfest 2023 program and grab tickets, head to the website. Top Images: Follow for Follow, The Best Dumplings in Melbourne
