"Hear that? That's nothing. Which is what I, as a speaker at today's conference, have for you all." Ah, if only all presenters could be as honest as Will Stephen, CollegeHumor.com staff writer and editor, who presented a pretty spot-on parody of his fellow speakers at a recent TEDxNewYork event. The content is one thing, but it's Stephen's manner — the intonation, the weighty pauses, the glasses adjustment, the 'revealing' question thrown out to the audience — that makes this so great. If you weren't paying attention, you'd swear he'd just imparted a deep and essential truth vital to the global progress of humanity. Via Mashable
For those following a vegan diet, plenty of obvious items are off the menu: meat, dairy products and eggs in particular. So is anything made with gelatine, given that the substance is derived from collagen from animal body parts — which rules out many a sweet treat, too. Gummy and jelly lollies are definitely usually made with gelatine; however, with its newest release, The Natural Confectionery Co is giving vegans an animal product-free alternative. Already known for completely avoiding artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners, plus high-fructose corn syrup as well, the company is now launching a gelatine-free, vegan-, vegetarian- and flexitarian-friendly version of its fruity jelly lollies. If that's your next snack taken care of, you'll find packs of Vegan Fruity Flavoured Jellies in supermarkets from mid-August — starting with Coles and independent stores, then hitting Woolworths from mid-September. They'll cost you $4 for a 200-gram packet, which boasts five varieties of lollies inside: apple, blackcurrant, peach, pineapple and raspberry. The new addition to The Natural Confectionery Co's range comes in response to demand. "We couldn't ignore the requests from Aussies asking for a vegan-friendly option," explains Lauren Fildes, the Cadbury-owned company's Marketing Director for Candy, Biscuits and Meals. If you're a fan of the brand's other types of lollies — its snakes, fruity chews and sour worms, for example — you'll have to cross your fingers that they eventually get a vegan version as well. [caption id="attachment_779206" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Peter O'Connor via Flickr[/caption] Find The Natural Confectionery Co's Vegan Fruity Flavoured Jellies in Coles and independent supermarkets from mid-August, and in Woolworths from mid-September — costing $4 for a 200-gram pack.
How many times can James Cameron break his own record? How many shades of blue can shimmer across the screen in one movie? Will Avatar's 13-years-later first sequel also dazzle the Oscars, as its predecessor did? Will Avatar: The Way of Water influence everything that comes after it, special effects-wise, also as the initial flick did, too? They're just some of the questions that the mere existence of this Avatar follow-up sparks. Here's another: will you get Eiffel 65's 1998 hit 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)' stuck in your head, even though it surely isn't in the film? Audiences will start finding out the answers to these queries in mid-December, when Avatar: The Way of Water hits cinemas worldwide — and Cameron has dropped a full trailer for the movie in the interim. This is Avatar: The Way of Water's second sneak peek, following an earlier look back in May — but this is one of those films that you might only truly believe exists once you're sat in a theatre watching it, because it has been in the works for that long. If you saw Cameron's initial entry in this sci-fi franchise back in 2009, you'll undoubtedly be buying a ticket. Indeed, given that the original Avatar quickly became the highest-grossing picture of all time — a record this one will try to break — it's highly likely that you did and will. Amid blue-hued CGI-filled waters and skies, and surrounded by the franchise's blue-toned Na'vi people, Avatar: The Way of Water steps back into the story of the Sully family, aka Jake (Sam Worthington, Fires), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana, The Adam Project) and their children, on the habitable moon Pandora. This time around, staying safe and alive remains a focus, as trouble keeps finding the Sullys, battles mount and striving to keep together also requires their focus. Also set to feature: Sigourney Weaver (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Stephen Lang (Don't Breathe 2), Cliff Curtis (Reminiscence), Joel David Moore (Bones), CCH Pounder (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) and Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement. If the two sneak peeks so far have you excited about re-entering Avatar's blue-heavy world, get ready for more where that came from. A third movie is due in 2024, a fourth in 2026 and a fifth in 2028. Check out the latest Avatar: The Way of Water trailer below: Avatar: The Way of Water releases in cinemas Down Under on December 15. Images: Photos courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Just as not all movies are created equal, neither are all stints on screens. The big, in budget and attendance, stick around. The small, in audience awareness but not in artistry or effort, might not stay that long. Such a cinema environment sees many gems fall by the wayside in the battle for viewer hearts and minds – many that rank among the year’s best, too. So which 2014 films should you have perhaps taken a chance on instead of just seeing the latest shiny blockbuster? Here’s ten that local box office performance tells us you most likely missed, but really shouldn’t have. THE BABADOOK Jennifer Kent’s debut feature is one of the best among Australian efforts, horror films, and haunted house fright fests — both of this year, and of all others. Alas, in a nation that rarely embraces anything spooky on the big screen en masse, it came and went quickly, though what it lacked in local attention it is now making up for in international acclaim. Such recognition is mere window dressing for a movie that allows its equally touching and terrifying content to make its own statement as it charts a single mother’s troubles when her six-year-old son finds fear in a formidable figure that springs from the page into his bedroom. The style, the story and the scares can now continue off-screen, too, courtesy of a crowd-supported production run of the pop-up book at the centre of the chills. Read our full review. ALL THIS MAYHEM Great dramas are made of the same ingredients as this stunning homegrown true tale, a rise to fame, a fall from grace, seeking glory at all costs, and getting mixed up with the wrong things among them. In Eddie Martin’s documentary, all this and more is wrapped up in a roller-coaster ride that starts in the Melbourne suburbs, reaches the heights of the international skateboarding scene, and comes crashing towards its conclusion with the tragedy of what might have been in different circumstances. For those unfamiliar with the story of brothers Tas and Ben Pappas, the film offers the best account you’ll ever experience. For those aware of the details, devastation still emanates from a feature suitably straightforward in structure and shattering in sentiment. Read our full review. FORCE MAJEURE While audiences flocked to Gone Girl’s twisty take on marriage and masculinity, a Swedish couple holidaying in the French Alps with their kids spawned the same musings in just as cynical and striking a fashion. Force Majeure begins with a seemingly impending avalanche, in the face of which, a man runs away as his family looks on. Watching the aftermath as the central pair fight in public yet drift apart in private is not only astute but also amusing in its insights. Writer/director Ruben Östlund has crafted an acerbic comedy of discomfort that says everything about the most intimate of interpersonal relations, with a mastery of form to match the complexity of theme. Read our full review. MY SWEET PEPPER LAND One feminist western – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, which also earns many other descriptors, too – is starting to appear at Australian festivals and in niche screening runs; however, this year also brought another to local screens. Writer/director Hiner Saleem and actress Golshifteh Farahani combine to chart a teacher’s fight for independence in male-dominated Kurdistan, both excelling with the material. Also fuelling the narrative is a policeman’s quest for a new existence free from his gun-slinging past. In this tale of two outsiders endeavouring to establish their own identities and exert power over their own dominion, all the tropes unravel amid a desolate landscape, and given the parallels with the nation’s sociopolitical climate, the film ranges beyond its adopted genre. Read our full review. THE MISSING PICTURE Wading through the past to get a grasp on his – and Cambodia’s – present, filmmaker Rithy Panh attempts to fill in the gaps in his own and well as the collective memory. With the assistance of sculptor Sarith Mang, he assembles figurines and dioramas of clay and wood to restage scenes from his childhood, the fleetingly beautiful and the inescapably brutal among them. The documentarian earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film for his efforts, his latest offering continuing his prolonged fascination with the state of his country. As modest as it is meticulous, and as moving and illuminating, too, this is a picture that shouldn’t be missed. Pun intended. THE DARK HORSE Stories similar to the real-life circumstances of Genesis Potini have been seen before on screen, steeped as they are in a relatable arc of redemption. What James Napier Robertson’s film perfects is the mindset of the troubled chess prodigy turned coach to marginalised youth, in every expressive image and atmospheric sound, and in a tone that never loses hope – just like its inspiration. Formula might seethe through the underdog story, but so does authenticity. The feature swept the recent New Zealand Film Awards for its earnest and emotional efforts, with acclaim rightfully thrown the way of star Cliff Curtis and supporting actor James Rolleston (worlds away from the work he is best known for, his titular role in the charming Boy). Read our full review. THESE FINAL HOURS When this Australian apocalyptic effort made its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2013, it set audiences ablaze with excitement for its fresh cinematic talent and its invigorating approach to the end of the world. Fast forward to a year later, and the flames spluttered when Zak Hilditch’s debut earned a general release, a response that doesn’t reflect the skill and style of the movie. Nathan Phillips plays against type in a story not of special deeds but of looking beyond a selfish, self-serving mindset. As his protagonist, James, journeys from nihilism to humanism upon a road trip through Perth’s suburban streets — motivated by the lost, lonely girl he decides to help — he evokes a quiet awakening not just for the character but for a new Australian classic. Read our full review. SON OF A GUN Not even the lure of Ewan McGregor enticed patrons into theatres for Julius Avery’s first feature, another film coming out of Western Australia. As a veteran criminal masterminding a jailbreak, then caught in a web of mobster manipulation, the Scottish actor rightfully commands attention — but so do his co-stars, Australia’s own Brenton Thwaites as the innocent immersed in underworld dealings, and Swedish actress Alicia Vikander as the obligatory love interest. Yes, there’s no escaping the film’s fondness for standard crime caper cliches as it navigates prison hierarchies, daring heists and dalliances with Russian gangsters, but its embrace of its genre exceeds what could’ve just been an ordinary assembly of average parts. Avery also shows a knack for set pieces and a confidence with pace and tone that keeps everything moving beyond the familiar. Read our full review. NYMPHOMANIAC Lars von Trier doesn’t make films to cater for all tastes, to be certain. Danish cinema’s enfant terrible earned the label after making many a feature considered unpalatable by broader audiences. Four hours of his work may be an endurance test for some (and that’s the short version of his latest effort); however, his frank dissection of female sexuality demands to be seen. Lust eclipses love as the driving mechanism in the experiences of Joe as she grows from a girl into a woman, ever-aware of her carnal impulses. Some chapters hit the mark better than others, just as some performances — from a cast that includes Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg sharing the lead role, as well as Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf and Jamie Bell — suffer the same fate, yet the end product is never anything less than engrossing. Read our full review. OUT OF THE FURNACE A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it run in Australian cinemas excuses many from failing to cross paths with the latest feature from Crazy Heart writer/director Scott Cooper. Though he again steeps his story in the struggles of those striving for something more but continually restrained by their circumstances, here he places his stumbling characters in the midst of small-town malaise, post-war apathy and generational inertia. Excellent work from Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson lies at the core of an intimate, intricate effort played out with a brooding look and feel from start to finish. Also strong is the sense of conviction that helps patch over thematic similarities with other films.
According to all reports, climactic temperatures are on the up. So, how best to keep ours down? Air conditioning has been the favoured solution for years, but is it really the most satisfactory? It's a drain on the household budget, it'll leave the air drier than the jokes in an Oscar Wilde play, and it'll make you the natural enemy of asthmatics, athletes and singers. What's more, despite keeping things cool at home, air conditioning contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases. Architects, designers, engineers and scientists the world over are busy in their labs and studios developing more sustainable and attractive methods for making homes and workspaces livable. In Italy, recycled plastic is being turned into insulation; in Germany, maximum airtightness is minimising temperature fluctuations; in the United States, one man has combined heating and cooling his place with building gigantic ice sculptures. 40,000 Plastic Bottles Hold onto your soft drink bottles; you'll need 40,000 of the plastic kind to model your home on this zero energy beauty, titled Tvzeb. Designed and developed by Traverso-Vighy Architecture in conjunction with the University of Padua's Department of Technical Physics, it's hiding in the woods in north-eastern Italy, just a few kilometres outside the World Heritage listed city of Vicenza. The bottles were transformed into a 90mm layer of insulating polyester fibre, which combines with a heat minimising structural design and reflective glass to keep the elements at bay. Plants. Hundreds of Them. Inside. This is model and activist Summer Rayne Oakes' Brooklyn apartment. She keeps temperatures at an equilibrium by living in a vertical garden, with 220 plants filling her kitchen, living room and bedroom. Keeping them alive doesn't require any sacrifice of her hectic eco-awareness promoting schedule. An automated subirrigation system does the job. Pump it Up Minnesota artist Roger Hanson builds gigantic ice sculptures and keeps his home comfy using geothermal heat, which takes advantage of the Earth's stable temperatures. For cooling, a pump sends water underground, where warmth is removed; for heating, the opposite occurs — water is pumped up from the hot surface layer of the Earth's crust. Passive House The Passive House, or Passivhaus, as its German and Swiss originators call it, is all about extreme energy efficiency. To qualify, a building must meet some pretty stringent standards, including a maximum hourly air leak of only 0.6 times its entire capacity and an annual energy consumption no higher than 120kWh/m2. This is achieved through a 'passive solar' design and airtightness as close to 100 percent as is manageable. About 30,000 Passive Houses can be found in the world, most of them on the European continent. Follow the Sun Australian couple Luke and Debbie Everingham have designed and built a rotating house. Located on the Nowendoc River in the Manning Valley, it's powered by an engine that's only slightly bigger than one you'd find in a washing machine. Access to both sun and shade is optimised and construction costs are on par with those of building a regular home. Caveman Style The troglodytes had it figured out all those thousands of years ago. American couple Curt and Deborah Sleeper built this house into a sandstone cave in Festus, Missouri. Before their purchase of the space, it functioned as a roller-skating rink and concert venue, where the likes of Tina Turner and Bob Seger made appearances. The need for air conditioning is eliminated via a blend of natural insulation, thoughtful design and geothermal heat. Back to Basics Architect Giles Blunden knows about living in hot climates. He spent his childhood in the Australian outback before moving to the American South. In 2000, Natural Home magazine awarded him Home of the Year for this house, which is situated in North Carolina's first co-housing neighbourhood, Arcadia. A moderate temperature is maintained through old-fashioned methods: cross-ventilation, high ceilings, fans, a tin roof and eaves. According to Blunden, “Many of these features are just common-sense things that people have forgotten.” In the Treetops Artists Beth Kraminstein and Roy Levy wanted to live and work in their place without depending on air conditioning. So the environmentally conscious architects at Jersey Devil conjured this one up for them. Cross-ventilation is achieved through three garage doors and seventy carefully positioned windows. A new wing has been built to sit in the treetops, maximising the cooling effect of ocean breezes, while insulation is achieved through a blend of concrete, corrugated steel and Galvalume steel. Go Underground No, it's not a scene from The Lord of the Rings, it's a real-life, tall person's home, to be found in Vals, Switzerland. Certainly inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world, this Hobbit Hole is the product of the combined efforts of Christian Muller Architects and SeARCH. Temperatures are kept at a civilised level by virtue of its being underground, but the oval design allows plenty of sunlight to shine through and affords mountain views. Find Some Fans If an architect-designed house is beyond reach, or you can't see yourself catching up with Gandalf underground, you can always opt for a simpler solution: fans. Think of your home as you would your MySpace page. There are loads of unusual ceiling fans on the market these days, and if you want to get really serious about it, you can always consider a mega whole house cooling package, offered by businesses like Breeze Power.
Forged over six decades so far, Robert De Niro's resume contains multitudes. 2025 marks exactly 60 years since his uncredited on-screen debut in Three Rooms in Manhattan — and if a New York-shot French drama seems an unlikely pick for his first-ever movie, it's a case of De Niro starting to build his wide-ranging filmography from the outset. Comedies, thrillers, musicals, horror, dramas and action fare all have a place among his work. His name instantly brings a particular genre to mind, though: gangster flicks. For one, The Godfather Part II, he earned his first Oscar. For Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon), he made a helluva early impression in Mean Streets, then was spectacular in 90s masterpieces Goodfellas and Casino, plus in 2019's The Irishman. With Barry Levinson, another director that he's collaborated with again and again, De Niro one-ups his past organised-crime movies in a specific way, however, including Once Upon a Time in America and The Untouchables. The Alto Knights is a tale of two IRL mob bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. Neither figures are new to the screen. They're not even new to Levinson's pictures, after both popped up in Bugsy back in 1991. But here, the Academy Award-winning Rain Man filmmaker and directing veteran — helmer of Diner, The Natural, Good Morning, Vietnam, the first episode of iconic police procedural series Homicide: Life on the Street and two instalments of Dopesick, too, and more — focuses on the pair's relationship as the two childhood pals become fierce rivals. And to stress the connection between Frank and Vito, and draw attention to the parallels between the duo, he has his Sleepers, Wag the Dog, What Just Happened and The Wizard of Lies star play both men. De Niro doing double duty for one of his go-to filmmakers. De Niro leading a gangster picture with a script by Nicholas Pileggi, the crime reporter who wrote the non-fiction books Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family and Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, then co-penned the screenplays for their movie adaptations Goodfellas and Casino with Scorsese. De Niro in a mobster flick produced by Raging Bull, Goodfellas and The Irishman's Irvin Winkler. That's the recipe behind The Alto Knights. It was Winkler who had the idea for De Niro to portray both Frank and Vito, Levinson tells Concrete Playground — and the choice is one of the feature's best moves, especially when the actor is literally facing off against himself. When he's in Frank's shoes, De Niro is all about attempted respectability, as someone who sees diplomacy as the best way to rule the Big Apple's criminal underworld. Switching to Vito, he's the hot head who'll do anything, and bring down anyone, to regain the top job. Costuming, hair and makeup help, but De Niro makes both roles distinctive as the two men, who both grew up as Italians in NYC hanging out together around the titular social club, find themselves battling it out after Vito takes control of the Luciano crime family, then flees to Italy following a run-in with the law, then returns for the throne Frank is now perched on. As has proven true across many of Levinson's movies, since the chatter-heavy Diner with Kevin Bacon (MaXXXine), Mickey Rourke (The Wheels of Heaven), Steve Guttenberg (High Potential), Daniel Stern (For All Mankind), Paul Reiser (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F), Tim Daly (Life & Beth) and Ellen Barkin (Poker Face) gave him his directorial debut, there's a storytelling element to The Alto Knights. With the film structured around Frank telling this tale to viewers, add another familiar component to the picture's setup. The narrative shared is one not just about friends turned foes, or about power struggles between mob bosses both vying to sit at the top of the mafia ladder, including the impact upon those around them — Debra Messing (Bros) plays Frank's wife Bobbie, Kathrine Narducci (Godfather of Harlem, and De Niro's past co-star in both The Irishman and A Bronx Tale) is Vito's counterpart Anna and Cosmo Jarvis (Inside) portrays Vito's righthand man Vincent Gigante — but of a moment that changed America and organised crime within it forever. That's one of the reasons that Levinson was so interested in hopping onboard, he advises. And of getting De Niro acting opposite himself as the film's two lead characters, it helped that the two-time Oscar-winner (for Raging Bull as well) and seven-time nominee beyond his two victories (for Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Awakenings, Cape Fear, Silver Linings Playbook, The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon) is "one of the great actors in the history of cinema" and "has great instincts as an actor", he notes. Speaking with Levinson, we dived into the decision-making behind that pivotal casting, digging into Frank and Vito's connection, and the organic nature of De Niro's performance. On Casting De Niro as Both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese This is a film with history, not only because it heads back to the 50s — and to the decades around it. But if The Alto Knights had made it to the screen before now, those twin De Niro performances mightn't have been at its centre. "Well, it came about — originally this goes back, I guess people have been trying to do a movie about Frank Costello for years," Levinson explains. "And Nick Pileggi got involved and was working on something, and I came onto the project. And somehow we were talking about Vito, and he was a character in it, but the idea was 'well, why don't we just follow what took place?'." "That they were best friends as kids, they hung around The Alto Knights place, and as they grew older, best friends, they started to grow apart. One was much more ruthless and spontaneous in doing things. The other one was much more deliberate, almost a corporate sensibility about how to run the mafia. And then the clash of the two," he continues. "And so when we began to really get that together, Nick's writing, and we had a draft of it, we gave it to Irwin Winkler. And Irwin Winkler liked the draft and he said 'what about Bob playing both roles?'." "And I was thinking for a second, and I went 'well, that's s an interesting way to — we are talking about one of the great actors in the history of cinema, so it's not like this is impossible for him to do. Let's see what he thinks'." "And he responded well, and then that's how that all came about." On What Appealed to Levinson About Digging Into Costello and Genovese's Connection in The Alto Knights, Especially After Featuring Both Figures as Characters in 1991's Bugsy When Frank and Vito last played a part in a Levinson movie more than four decades ago, they weren't the focus. Bugsy hones on its namesake, with Warren Beatty (Rules Don't Apply) as Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. But because Bugsy had his own key childhood link to Charles "Lucky" Luciano, they're all in the same slice of the mob world. Before Vito and Frank's stints at the apex of the Luciano crime family, Lucky was in the job first. (In a film that also flashes backwards, NCIS and Mayor of Kingstown alum Amadeo Fusca plays him in The Alto Knights.) A Frank- and Vito-centric film interested Levinson "because we were watching the mafia as Vito took over, and then because of having to leave the country and turning it over to Frank, it began to change," he says. "And that change led to a feud between the two of them, basically because of Vito wanting control again. You go 'well, that's a great conflict. That's a story to explore'." "And then: 'what happened because of that?'. It wasn't like it was just two guys and one killed the other or whatever, maybe. It changed the whole, in the sense it brought the hearings on organised crime, that all came about because of the incident that takes place in the film." "And you'd say 'well, this is an interesting arc of the mafia and what happened. That's a story that's interesting'. That was basically 'can we tell that story?'." On the Direction That You Give Someone When They're Playing Two Different Characters in the Same Film How do you guide someone as a director, if you even need to in the case of an actor of De Niro's calibre and experience, when they're tasked with portraying two completely different characters and giving two completely different performances in the one movie? And how does the process of building the two parts work? "He has great instincts as an actor," Levinson calls out to begin with. "And as we would go along in the process leading up to the filming of it, you're talking about one character, you're talking about the other character, this piece of information, that piece of information — you just start adding that. Bob absorbs it." "Then you're going through the whole process of makeup. 'What does this one look like? What does that one look like? How do we do this? How do we handle that?'. And then that starts coming in — and then 'what is the rhythm of the way they talk to one another?'. One is slow, much more deliberate. The other one is faster, quicker, more sort of dangerous in the way that he throws ideas around. And then you start putting these pieces together," Levinson adds. "And then, of course, in the process of the shooting, we would sit down in Bob's trailer and go over the scene and tweak it a little bit and tweak it a little bit. And 'hey, what about this?'. And then you add to it and you keep building for it. And at the end of the day, after you build all that, you want to create the spontaneity. And that's what Bob can do — he's not mechanically going through one character or another." "There's a spontaneity about them that it feels like these two guys are talking to one another, and they're making up things as they go along, rather than 'I say my line, now you say your line'. It just feels more organic." The Alto Knights opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Overseas travel is at the top of many Australian bucket lists right now. And if you're the kind of traveller who prefers fewer stopovers, there's some exciting news on the horizon from Qantas. Dubbed Project Sunrise, the Australian airline has unveiled plans to introduce a fleet of twelve Airbus A350s, which are all capable of flying direct from Australia to London and New York. Direct flights are currently available from Darwin to London, however, for those on the east coast of Australia, this still means factoring in a layover to your journey. Qantas has announced that with these new aircrafts, direct flights will be available from the east coast as well, starting with Sydney-to-London and Sydney-to-New York flights in late 2025. Qantas first toyed with the idea of direct flights from Australia's east coast to New York and London back in 2017, however after two trial flights in 2019 decided to delay the decision. "The A350 and Project Sunrise will make any city just one flight away from Australia," said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. "It's the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance." With time in the air set to exceed the current 18-hour flight time of the Darwin-to-London route, the new aircrafts are also being designed with comfort in mind. The A350-1000s will carry 239 passengers compared to other airlines' average of 300 passengers, and will feature a designated comfort zone in the middle of the cabin where people can stretch their legs. [caption id="attachment_852120" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A350 wellness zone render[/caption] Alongside this announcement, Qantas has also revealed it will add 40 new A321XLRs and A220 aircrafts to its domestic fleet late next year. These new planes will gradually replace the Boeing 737s and 717s as they are retired. "The A320s and A220s will become the backbone of our domestic fleet for the next 20 years, helping to keep this country moving," continued Joyce. According to Qantas, this new fleet of aircrafts will create over 1000 jobs and Joyce says the aircrafts will help reduce emissions "by at least 15 per cent if running on fossil fuels, and significantly better when run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel". This will play a role in Qantas' commitment that it made in 2019 to reach net-zero by 2050. If you fly Qantas regularly and you're committed to sustainability, you can also sign up for its Green Tier rewards program which unlocks rewards and benefits to customers who complete at least five sustainable activities across six areas in their lives. Qantas' direct flights from Sydney to London and Sydney to New York are set to take to the air in late 2025. For more information, head to the Qantas website. Images: Qantas
Over the past month, Arnott's has been unveiling a new recipe for one of its famed bikkies every week. As part of the snack expert's Big Recipe Release, it has unveiled its Monte Carlo, four-ingredient Scotch Finger and Iced VoVo recipes, as well as a twist on its Tim Tam: a salted almond Tim Tam brownie. This week, it's thrown us another curveball. The recipe isn't for one of its sweet snacks; instead, like the Tim Tam brownie, it uses one of its sweet snacks. The key ingredient this time is Nice biscuits, which you'll use as a sugar-dusted base for a silky but classic cheesecake. Obviously, the new recipe still ticks another very important box: giving everyone currently working from home — or just spending more time indoors than usual — something different to bake. Australia's oldest baker will continue to release a new recipe for one of its famous biscuits every week until social distancing regulations are lifted. Next up, will it be the Mint Slice? Pizza Shapes? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, though, here's the classic Nice cheesecake recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/CAeYW1GgwSs/ CLASSIC NICE CHEESECAKE 1 250 gram packet of Arnott's Nice biscuits 125 grams melted butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 250 gram packets of cream cheese, at room temperature 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup caster sugar Method BASE: Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease a 20 centimetre (base measurement) springform tin. Place Arnott's Nice biscuits and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor, then process until biscuits are finely crushed. Add melted butter, then process until combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared tin — and, using the back of a spoon, press over the base and up the sides of the tin until it is spread evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until needed, to ensure a firm crust. FILLING: Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl, then beat until well mixed. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Pour mixture over the biscuit base. Bake for 50 minutes, or until set. Turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake in the oven with door ajar until it has completely cooled — as this will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking. TIPS: Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to your cream cheese mixture for extra flavour. Replace the cinnamon with mixed spice for a twist. Serve with your favourite berries and double cream. If you don't have a food processor, you can crush the biscuits it the old-fashioned way — by placing them in a zip lock bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Top image: Arnott's
Daniel Craig might be done saying "Bond, James Bond" after bowing out of the 007-focused franchise with No Time to Die, but he hasn't finished playing Blanc, Benoit Blanc yet. After first stepping into the Southern investigator's shoes in 2019's Knives Out, then sliding back in in 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, he'll slip into the part again in 2025's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Yes, every three years we get a Knives Out movie, or so the trend is playing out. The sleuthing saga's writer and director Rian Johnson announced both the new flick's name and that it'd release in 2025 via social media. "I love everything about whodunnits, but one of the things I love most is how malleable the genre is. There's a whole tonal spectrum from Carr to Christie, and getting to explore that range is one of the most exciting things about making Benoit Blanc movies," the filmmaker who also brought audiences Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and TV's Poker Face (which has been renewed for a second season) noted. The next Benoit Blanc mystery, the follow-up to Knives Out and Glass Onion, is called Wake Up Dead Man. pic.twitter.com/pdDXRDmwcI — Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) May 24, 2024 That's all there is details-wise for now, however, with no news about the setting or who Blanc will be pointing the finger at — aka which famous names will play Wake Up Dead Man's suspects — unveiled as yet. And, exactly when in 2025 the flick will hit, and also whether it will reach cinemas before arriving on Netflix, also hasn't been revealed. But, the streamer is teasing that this will be Blanc's "most dangerous case yet". So far, Johnson has plunged his detective into a familiar scenario twice, but always ensured that the end result was anything but routine. His trusty setup: bring a group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, then watch on when one thing that always occurs in a whodunnit happens. That'd be a murder, in a formula that Agatha Christie also loved, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does this clearly Christie-inspired franchise. The cast across Knives Out and Glass Onion has been impressive. Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers), Ana de Armas (Ghosted), Jamie Lee Curtis (Haunted Mansion), Michael Shannon (The Flash), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma), Don Johnson (The Collective), Lakeith Stanfield (The Changeling), Christopher Plummer (Departure), Katherine Langford (Savage River) and Jaeden Martell (Mr Harrigan's Phone) all featured the first time around. In the second flick, Edward Norton (Asteroid City), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things), Leslie Odom Jr (The Exorcist: Believer), Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) all co-starred. If you saw either — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how this movie series works from there. There's a standout setting, that big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. There's obviously no trailer yet for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, but there is a video announcing the title, which you can check out below — alongside the trailers for Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will release sometime in 2025 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Images: John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
Two excellent TV comedies about show business hardly makes a trend, let alone heralds a golden age, but it's currently a fantastic time for smart, astute and extremely funny series about standing behind microphones. In 2021, Girls5eva and Hacks premiered in America within a week of each other, deservedly winning fans immediately. In 2022, they've both returned for their second seasons in the US and Down Under (via Stan and TVNZ On Demand) with the same timing. Accordingly, if you only want to watch shows about talented ladies chasing their starry dreams right now, that's firmly on the cards. If you're keen to dive deep into what makes something funny — how comedy evolves, shifts and swings; the differences between easy and well-earned laughs; the courage it takes to truly lay yourself bare during a standup set; and how comedy is received when it's coming from women rather than men, too — that's Hacks' remit. As the goofier and sillier but still wonderfully savvy Girls5eva does, it carves into the entertainment industry's treatment of women, and doesn't hold back from depicting the bleak reality. It's scathing, in fact. This Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner's specific target, though: the world of comedy. In season one, Hacks pushed Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) together. The former is a veteran comic with a long-running Las Vegas residency, while the twentysomething latter reluctantly took a job as Deborah's assistant after thinking she was going to make it big in Los Angeles, then getting herself into trouble via an ill-thought-out tweet. The end result could've been cliched from start to finish. The series does indeed focus on a chalk-and-cheese pair who don't get along, slowly discover that they have more in common than either will admit, and try to navigate the unwelcoming realm that is comedy for women with each other's help. But, crucially, that whole concept is the premise, not the joke. Hacks doesn't laugh at its mismatched, wittily spiky central duo, but at everything they're stuck facing. The series' first season quickly cemented itself as one of 2021's best new TV shows — one of two knockout newbies starring Jean Smart last year, thanks to the aforementioned Mare of Easttown — and it's just as ace the second time around. It's still searingly funny, nailing that often-elusive blend of insight, intelligence and hilarity. It retains its observational, wry tone, and remains devastatingly relatable even if you've never been a woman trying to make it in comedy. And it's happy to linger where it needs to to truly understand its characters, but never simply dwells in the same place as its last batch of episodes. Season two is literally about hitting the road, so covering fresh territory is baked into the story; however, Hacks' trio of key behind-the-scenes creatives aren't content to merely repeat themselves with a different backdrop. Those guiding hands — writer Jen Statsky (The Good Place), writer/director Lucia Aniello (Rough Night) and writer/director/co-star Paul W Downs (The Other Two) — started Hacks after helping to make Broad City a hit. Clearly, they all know a thing or two about moving on from the past. That's the decision both Deborah and Ava had to make themselves in season one, with the show's second season now charting the fallout. So, Deborah has farewelled her residency and the dependable gags that kept pulling in crowds, opting to test out new and far-more-personal material on a cross-country tour instead. Ava has accepted her role by Deborah's side, and is willing to see it as a valid career move rather than an embarrassing stopgap. That said, last year's episodes also left the series with a potential wrecking ball: an email Ava wrote about Deborah while drunk, high, and upset about being slapped and insulted. Penned in anger and filled with extremely personal details about the comedian, it was sent to LA producers who wanted to hire Ava to mine Deborah's life for a new show about an insufferable woman in power. That destructive stream of text isn't season two's entire focus, but it's also inescapable, as much as Ava wants it to just disappear — as does Jimmy (Downs), Ava and Deborah's shared manager. But Hacks has always been willing to see that actions have consequences, not only for an industry that repeatedly marginalises women, but for its imperfect leading ladies. The brilliantly biting Smart continues to turn in awards-worthy work in Hacks' second season, and Einbinder still wears Ava's entitled chaos like a second skin. But there's one added bonus: now Deborah and Ava are lived-in characters, rather than newcomers to audiences. It's a pleasure to see both actors dive deep into what makes their on-screen alter egos tick, clash and occasionally get along; indeed, many of season two's best moments explore the whirlwind that ensues when Deborah and Ava fight but still clearly care about each other. Also upping the ante: being stuck on a tour bus on the road, decked out with a luxe bedroom for Deborah but condensing Ava's bunk to the tiny space above the onboard tanning bed. There, with fellow assistant Damien (Mark Indelicato, With Love) and new tour manager Weed (Laurie Metcalf, The Dropout) in tow, everyone's feelings bubble and boil in the resulting pressure cooker. Those supporting players — Deborah's daughter DJ (Katlin Olson, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), business manager Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Candyman) and personal blackjack dealer Kiki (Poppy Liu, The Afterparty) included, as well as Jimmy and his high-maintenance assistant Kayla (Megan Salter) — don't get as much time to shine this time, though. That's the one difficulty that Hacks' sophomore batch of episodes have, but it's also the best kind of problem. There's still so much depth to Deborah and Ava's stories and their dynamic, and so much to unpack about them separately, together and in the world of comedy, that pushing the spotlight elsewhere is always going to prove tricky. The only solution: renewing Hacks for a third season, and hopefully more beyond that. Check out the trailer for Hacks season two below: Hacks' second season starts streaming via Stan in Australia from Friday, May 13, beginning with two episodes, then dropping further instalments weekly — and on TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one. Images: Karen Ballard/HBO Max.
Following in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's footsteps isn't easy, but someone had to do it when What We Do in the Shadows made the leap from the big screen to the small. New format, new location, new vampires, same setup: that's the formula behind this film-to-TV series, which is now streaming its fifth season via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Thankfully for audiences, Matt Berry (Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown), Natasia Demetriou (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and Kayvan Novak (Cruella) were enlisted as the show's three key bloodsuckers in this US spinoff from the New Zealand mockumentary, all in roles that they each seem born for. The trio play three-century-old British aristocrat Laszlo, his 500-year-old creator and partner Nadja, and early Ottoman Empire warrior Nandor, respectively, who all share an abode and the afterlife in Staten Island. In cinemas, the film version of What We Do in the Shadows already proved that the concept works to sidesplitting effect. Vampire housemates, they're just like us — except when they're busting out their fangs, flying, avoiding daylight, sleeping in coffins, feuding with other supernatural creatures and leaving a body count, that is. On TV, What We Do in the Shadows has been showing that there's not only ample life left in palling around with the undead, but that there's no limit to the gloriously ridiculous hijinks that these no-longer-living creatures can get up to. Based on every season so far, including season five, here's hoping that this vampire comedy continues forever. It was true as a movie and it's still true as a television show: What We Do in the Shadows sparkles not just due to its premise, but when its characters and cast are both as right as a luminous full moon on a cloudless night. This lineup of actors couldn't be more perfect or comedically gifted, as season five constantly demonstrates. Berry's over-enunciation alone is the best in the business, as is his ability to play confident and cocky. His line readings are exquisite, and also piercingly funny. While that was all a given thanks to his Toast franchise, Year of the Rabbit, The IT Crowd, Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace history, What We Do in the Shadows is a group effort. Demetriou and Novak keep finding new ways to twist Nadja and Nandor's eccentricities in fresh directions; their characters have felt lived-in since season one, but they're still capable of growth and change. Some ensemble comedies only shine when their talents combine. Some let one or two stars do all of the heavy lifting. As stellar as Berry, Demetriou and Novak each are, What We Do in the Shadows is the sharehouse ideal of a TV comedy: everyone contributes no matter if they're together or alone. That includes Harvey Guillén (Werewolves Within) as Nandor's long-suffering and ever-dutiful familiar Guillermo, and Mark Proksch (The Office) as energy vampire housemate Colin Robinson. At the series' outset, Guillermo could've just been a tagalong offsider and Colin that exhausting friend everyone has, but with vampire-centric spins. Guillén and Proksch are now not only scene-stealers — especially the former's looks to-camera and the latter's deadpanning — but the source of some of the show's savviest jokes and the subjects of a few of its best episodes. With its game cast making everything they touch a comic gem, TV's iteration of What We Do in the Shadows has never been afraid to take risks as its episodes have soared by. In season four, that meant watching Colin grow up again from a baby — and it was hilarious. Over its run, the show has also seen Guillermo discover that he descends from the undead-hunting Van Helsings, a precarious history given his usual companions. He still desperately wants to be a bloodsucker himself, however. Indeed, that continuing conflict is season five's starting point, with a bitten Guillermo not quite sinking his teeth into anyone yet, worrying about why and also struggling with keeping his possible transformation a secret from Nandor. If Nandor finds out that Guillermo has been turned by his convenience-store cashier pal Derek (Chris Sandiford, Moonfall), wounded pride and a fractured friendship won't just be the end result. As the familiar discovers, being given the chomp by anyone other than the vamp he serves is a faux pas punishable by death — his own, and his master's out of deep shame — in otherworldly circles. This plot strand is season five's new direction for Laszlo, too, as he commits to helping understand why Guillermo isn't feasting on necks like a typical bloodsucker. As he experiments and assists, Nadja endeavours to battle a hex. She also learns that a Little Antipaxos neighbourhood exists right there in Staten Island, gaining a tonic for her frequent homesickness. Season five's storylines get Colin draining souls on the local campaign trail, running for the borough's comptroller purely to feed during debates and other political events. Plus, The Guide (Kristen Schaal, The Bob's Burgers Movie) makes her presence known — more than that, she'd like to be seen as one of the gang — after her time as an envoy to the Vampiric Council, then aiding Nadja with running her vampire nightclub. Visits to the mall and to space, staging a pride parade with perennially clueless neighbour Sean (Anthony Atamanuik, Little Demon), trying to get Nadja's ghost laid: that all happens in early episodes across this latest season. So does What We Do in the Shadows' best staple, aka this supernatural crew bickering, bantering and roasting each other. Case in point: season five finds occasion for Laszlo and Nandor to squabble over whether wit and charm or hypnotism is the best way to bend humans to a bloodsucker's will. What We Do in the Shadows' characters are so well fleshed-out now, and so delightfully performed, that having two of them argue and attempt to one-up each other remains gleaming comedy. The show's writers aren't slumbering. Sharpness and silliness still combine in gags everywhere — about Laszlo learning that he's Kim Cattrall in a Sex in the City quiz, just for starters, and in having Nadja's spirit ask speed-daring partners "how do you feel about taking the virginity of a dead ghost?" as well. Spending eternity with someone, or a quintet of seasons to-date, means loving hanging out with them, though, and this show is understandably mesmerised. Check out the trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season five below: What We Do in the Shadows' fifth season streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand.
We're going to bet that you've left some (okay, maybe more than some) of your Christmas present shopping to the last minute — or at least too last minute to safely order online. And it doesn't help that so many people are so hard to shop for, whether they're super fussy family members or friends who seemingly have everything they could already want. If you're looking for something special, or unusual, then these are Melbourne's best local shops you should scope out. Words: Hannah Valmadre, Shannon McKeogh and Lauren Vadnjal
A fresh incarnation of the former Pontoon site and casual sibling to Stokehouse above, this laidback, all-day spot is a go-to for Mediterranean eats and beachside sips. Hugh and Pete van Haandel (sons of Stokehouse precinct owner Frank van Haandel) are steering the venue's latest guise, built around a pasta-heavy food offering that fuses European flavours with Aussie flair. Breezy coastal-inspired interiors and timber finishes are played against the backdrop of sand and sea, and there's been a strong focus on sustainability, both throughout the build and driving the ongoing offering. Food at Stokehouse Pasta & Bar bears similar DNA to the restaurant upstairs, yet with a much more casual lean. It's especially primed for seaside snacking sessions, with the likes of white anchovy and olive gildas, king prawns with nduja, bolognese arancini, and a mixed salumi plate. Move into pasta territory for plates like ricotta gnudi with pumpkin, a crab and chilli spaghetti, and cannelloni with broccoli ricotta and tomato; or dive into mains like the classic fish and chips, or a veal schnitty. Hefty, group-friendly shared options include a 600-gram whole Murray cod with peperonata, and a giant rib-eye paired with gremolata. And star Group Pastry Chef Ash Smith is putting on a show for dessert, with the likes of cannoli with lemon, ricotta and pistachio, and a house tiramisu. Also out to save you some coin is Stokehouse Pasta & Bar's wine list, where the lineup trips from Australia to Europe, with pours to suit palates both simple and adventurous; while cocktails span from the classics to signature offerings like the Stokehouse Spritz — a delicate blend of Amaro, orange, white peach and jasmine soda. Images: Interiors by Tom Blachford, Food and Drink by Arianna Leggiero.
Amar Singh, the legend behind some of Sydney and Melbourne's most forward-thinking Indian restaurants, opened Bibi Ji on the Carlton end of Lygon Street in May 2024. Much like Daughter in Law in Chinatown, Bibi Ji is home to Singh's much-loved brand of 'inauthentic' Indian food. Inspired by street food snacks in India, but reimagined for a contemporary Australian audience, Singh's dishes are all about big flavours served up in an easy-to-share manner. To start, for example, you'll find the likes of a vegan chutney platter, spicy chicken bites, and zingy dahi puri among a heap of other snacks. You could easily treat Bibi Ji like an alternative sip-and-snack bar, stopping by for a few drinks paired with reimagined street eats. But it would be a shame to miss out on the extensive list of curries. Here you'll find Aussie staples like butter chicken and tikka masala, plus plenty of lesser-seen options, most of which are vegetarian. Beyond the curries, tandoori chicken cooked on the bone, lamb seekh kebab, achari prawns and paneer tikka are streaming out of the in-house tandoor oven. When stopping by, we were also pretty blown away by Bibi Ji's set menu. For just $55, you get to experience Singh's version of a South Indian tradition: thali. You start off with a huge banana leaf covered in chutneys and papadums, before a stack of entrees get dropped off at the table. Once you're about done with these, staff will come by with a selection of curries that are then dropped onto the banana leaf with a good pile of rice. If you want more curry, all you've got to do is ask for another complementary serving. And if you want it even cheaper, you can get the $35 option that comes without entrees. It's one of our favourite set menus in Melbourne. A healthy selection of classic and Indian-inspired cocktails and mocktails is available, as well as a long list of beers, whiskies and wines. When it comes to vinos, you can expect an entirely Victorian selection that covers your usual suspects as well as a few natty options. Design-wise, Bibi Ji could not be more different than the space's previous occupant, Cafe Notturno, which was there for an impressive 45 years. This 80-seat Indian diner is fully embracing the more-is-more aesthetic. The ceilings are covered in a kaleidoscope of draped fabrics, the walls are either tiled, mirrored, or covered in bright paintings, a few big birds of paradise plants are dotted around the restaurant, and the bar is a symphony of colourful tiles, marble, and shimmering plastic garlands. It's hard not to crack a smile when first walking into Bibi Ji. And we don't expect you'll lose that grin at any point during the dining experience. Images: Jana Langhorst
It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. But after a three-year hiatus, it returned with a bang, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, adding plenty of glamour to the seaside like only Stokehouse can. The Van Haandel Group opened the first two stages of the beachside precinct. Fish and chip kiosk Paper Fish followed by ground floor venue Pontoon. But while the 400-capacity casual beachside bar and eatery was an exciting opening, it was certainly no match for the hardcore anticipation that has surrounded the relaunch of the one and only Stokehouse Restaurant, that finally opened in December 2016. The new building was designed by architect Robert Simeoni which, as well as having a five Green Star rating for sustainability, looks pretty epic due to half of it being covered by a sand dune. After doing a stellar job on Stokehouse's previous 2010 refurbishment, Pascale Gomes McNabb returned to fit out the new restaurant space, which includes a 12.5-metre oval bar and room for 130 diners. Chef Jason Staudt is on the pans, and his menu kicks off with starters such as roasted southern calamari with caponata and tarragon, beef tartare with Oscietra caviar jacket potato and a premium oyster service. Mains include local rock flathead served with spaghetti squash and fish collar nduja, a Gundagai GLQ 5+ lamb tomahawk with puntarelle and sweetbread and a steamed wild barramundi with pickled dill blossom. Be sure to stay for dessert and enjoy a strawberry Eton mess with forage frais and black pepper meringue, or a selection of cheeses with condiments and lavosh. Alternatively, dine downstairs to Stokehouse Pasta & Bar if you're feeling in the mood for carbs over seafood — or just a few cheeky seaside cocktails. Images: Emily Weaving. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pasta in Melbourne for 2023
This year's Oscars belonged to one man, much like the last year in cinema has. It doesn't happen all that often, but the best film of the past twelve months dominated the Academy Awards — as did the filmmaker behind it. By winning Best Picture, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite became the first movie in a language other than English to do so. Let that sink in: it's the first film to score the top prize in the Oscars' 92-year run. By winning four trophies, all of which went to Bong thanks to his work as the movie's director, co-writer and co-producer, Parasite also became this year's most awarded feature. Given that before 2020, a South Korean film had never even been nominated for an Oscar — not even in the Best International Feature category — Bong well and truly made history. What a delight it was to see him so overwhelmed by the recognition, whether paying tribute to Martin Scorsese, a filmmaker he himself studied in film school, or thanking Quentin Tarantino for championing his movies from the get-go. How relatable it was, too, to hear Bong reveal his post-Oscars plans several times: "I will drink until the next morning". Still, while Parasite deservedly came out on top, 2020's ceremony spread the love across a heap of worthy films. A whopping 14 features won gongs, ranging from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Judy and Rocketman's respective renderings of showbiz history to Taika Waititi's 'anti-hate' comedy Jojo Rabbit — with the latter making him the first Maori person to win an Oscar. Among the other highlights: Janelle Monae and Billy Porter wowing everyone with a lively song-and-dance number right out of the gate, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig demonstrating that they would've killed it if they'd emceed the host-less ceremony, and Chris Rock mentioning how vaginas are missing from the director's nominees this year. Among the oddities: Eminem taking to the stage to sing his 2003 Oscar-winner 'Lose Yourself' for some unknown reason. That's the ceremony done and dusted. Now, if you haven't already, it's time to enjoy all the flicks that just received shiny accolades. From the second movie to nab an actor a prize for playing the Joker, to two Netflix films you can stream right now, here are all of the winners that you should add to your viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE Won: Best Picture (Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-ho, producers), Best Director (Bong Joon-ho), Best Original Screenplay (Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won), Best International Feature Film Our thoughts: "Bong Joon-ho has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it... This isn't just a killer picture on all of the standard levels, however. Contemplating society's growing class collisions and inequities, Parasite also makes a killer statement." Where to watch it: In cinemas, still — and it's also available to rent or buy on DVD. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsL_spv4yEw ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Won: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Brad Pitt), Best Production Design (production design: Barbara Ling; set decoration: Nancy Haigh) Our thoughts: "Incessantly keen to splash his affection for celluloid history across the screen as always, Quentin Tarantino is in his element recreating Hollywood's golden days, its big names and LA's gleaming sights, and nodding to westerns once again. But, befitting a flick about weathering seismic personal, cultural and societal shifts, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is a glorious character piece first and foremost." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwRL0u87nbc 1917 Won: Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins), Best Sound Mixing (Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson), Best Visual Effects (Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy) Our thoughts: "The storytelling gimmickry is obvious, jamming in chaos and peril across a wealth of scenarios, but the overall impact is inescapably immense and heartbreakingly intense. What Dunkirk did for a pivotal World War II event, 1917 does just as commandingly for an entire earlier war." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C61wB6DTwiA JUDY Won: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Renee Zellweger) Our thoughts: "Stepping into a famous figure's shoes might be one of acting's most difficult feats, especially when that person is cinema royalty, but Renee Zellweger doesn't ever feel like she's just impersonating Judy Garland. Rather, she wears Garland's ruby slippers as if they're her own — and they fit perfectly." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-Lg-_KFHU JOKER Won: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Joaquin Phoenix), Best Original Score (Hildur Guðnadóttir) Our thoughts: "Joker is unflinchingly bold and brilliant in one inescapable fashion, as it was bound to be when it cast its lead. All skin, bone and sinew as he cavorts, frolics and chortles, Joaquin Phoenix is in stunning, mesmerising, awards-worthy form yet again. His raspy cackle isn't easily forgotten; neither is his off-kilter demeanour." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHi-a1n8t7M MARRIAGE STORY Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Laura Dern) Our thoughts: "While Marriage Story does indeed tell the tale of a marriage, this devastatingly astute and empathetic drama does so within a portrait of the relationship's dying days and its rocky aftermath... In his ever-perceptive way, Noah Baumbach hones in on figures whose lives are a shambles, then watches as they natter their way forward — revealing their fragile core while revelling in the minutiae of their existence." Where to watch it: On Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MCOpNti_pQ LITTLE WOMEN Won: Best Costume Design (Jacqueline Durran) Our thoughts: "Greta Gerwig works wonders with her script and her actors — tasks that might seem easy, but still bear her fingerprints — however she also directs a visually sumptuous film. Little Women sparkles with warmth and charm, not only when dresses catch alight and catastrophic haircuts inspire laughs, but across tender and heartbreaking moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m36QeKOJ2Fc AMERICAN FACTORY Won: Best Documentary Our thoughts: The first film produced for Netflix by Barack and Michelle Obama, fly-on-the-wall documentary American Factory tackles a subject of paramount importance — not just to the former President and First Lady's own country, but worldwide. Across three years, directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert chronicled the operations of a Chinese-owned plant in Ohio, crafting an eye-opening portrait of the human impact of the global economy. Where to watch it: On Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl9JS8-gnWQ TOY STORY 4 Won: Best Animated Feature Film Our thoughts: "Reflective, sweet, sensitive and virtually guaranteed to wring a response out of even the most cynical of viewers, Toy Story 4 is a classic Pixar piece... At its best, this saga is as imaginative, amusing and fun as it is thoughtful, with bright, bouncy animation to match — and, returning to the heights of the first film, the franchise is at its best again here." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTm5DWgL-MU ROCKETMAN Won: Best Original Song ("(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again — music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin) Our thoughts: "There's a vibrant spark to Rocketman as it charts Reginald Dwight's transformation into Elton Hercules John. A glorious tone, too, which couldn't work better. Showing how fantastical the ups and downs of fame, fortune and rock stardom can be by sashaying through a sea of surreality, the result is a winning marriage of form and feeling." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI JOJO RABBIT Won: Best Adapted Screenplay (Taika Waititi) Our thoughts: "Waititi's irreverent, irrepressible sense of humour is usually a delight (see: his aforementioned films, plus What We Do in the Shadows and Thor Ragnarok), but Jojo Rabbit is at its best when it actually dials back the gags, mockery and pointed current-day parallels, and instead hones in on its central trio in less overt moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3h9Z89U9ZA FORD V FERRARI Won: Best Film Editing (Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker), Best Sound Editing (Donald Sylvester) Our thoughts: A car-racing film that branches beyond speeding vehicles driving in circles around a track, Ford v Ferrari is more than just a dramatised account of two automotive companies battling it out in a prestigious race, too. With particular thanks to Christian Bale's performance as British driver and engineer Ken Miles, this is a celebration of smarts, hard work and ingenuity — and one that's engaging, thrilling and superb on a technical level as well. Where to watch it: In cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOdDd4NEeg BOMBSHELL Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker) Our thoughts: "Bombshell is the slick, shiny version of a ripped-from-the-headlines story, which earned global attention when it broke back in 2016. Airbrushed to buffer away blemishes and avoid tricky spots, it's watered down to deliver an easy, glossy, simplified narrative. " Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. Top image: Parasite.
If you had to pack up and run for your life, what would you grab? Clothes? Food? Phone charger? Australians and New Zealanders are in one heck of a lucky situation, we haven't had to throw essentials in a bag and flee because of war, genocide or unbridled violence. But nearly 100,000 people from the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa have had to do just that — this year alone. Refugees don't have the luxury of packing ten Louis Vuitton suitcases of unnecessary crap for their travels. They travel light, for the road is incredibly dangerous. It's only necessities that refugees throw into their bags before getting the hell out of their home country: medication, little food, phones, maybe a toothbrush. To get an insight into exactly what refugees are travelling with, the International Rescue Committee and photographer Tyler Jump asked an artist, a mother, a family, a child, a teenager and a pharmacist, who are all refugees from war-torn areas like Syria and Afghanistan, to show us what they'd managed to bring with them on their journey — what they'll need on the road to a (hopefully) more peaceful future. All images and quotes were originally published by Medium. A FAMILY OF 31 From Aleppo, Syria “I hope we die. This life is not worth to live anymore. Everyone closed the door in our face, there is no future.” 1 shirt 1 pair of jeans 1 pair of shoes Toiletries 1 diaper, 2 small cartons of milk and some biscuits Personal documents and money Sanitary pads A comb A TEENAGER Iqbal, 17, from Kunduz, Afghanistan “I want my skin to be white and hair to be spiked — I don’t want them to know I’m a refugee. I think that someone will spot me and call the police because I’m illegal.” 1 pair of pants, 1 shirt, 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of socks Shampoo and hair gel, toothbrush and toothpaste, face whitening cream Comb, nail clipper Bandages 100 U.S. dollars 130 Turkish liras Smartphone and back-up cell phone SIM cards for Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey AN ARTIST Nour, 20, from Syria “I left Syria with two bags, but the smugglers told me I could only take one. The other bag had all of my clothes. This is all I have left.” Small bag of personal documents A rosary (gift from his friend; Nour doesn’t let it touch the floor) A watch (from his girlfriend; it broke during the journey) Syrian flag, Palestinian charm, silver and wooden bracelets (gifts from friends) Guitar picks (one also a gift from a friend) Cell phone and Syrian SIM card Photo ID 1 shirt A MOTHER Aboessa, 20, from Damascus, Syria “Everything is for my daughter to protect her against sickness. When we arrived in Greece, a kind man gave me two jars of food. Another man gave us biscuits and water when he saw my baby.” Hat for the baby An assortment of medication, a bottle of sterile water, and a jar of baby food A small supply of napkins for diaper changes A hat and a pair of socks for the baby Assortment of pain relievers, sunscreen and sunburn ointment, toothpaste Personal documents (including the baby’s vaccination history) Wallet (with photo ID and money) Cell phone charger Yellow headband A BOY Omran, 6, from Damascus, Syria 1 pair of pants, 1 shirt A syringe for emergencies Marshmallows and sweet cream (Omran’s favorite snacks) Soap, toothbrush and toothpaste Bandages A PHARMACIST Anonymous, 34, from Syria “I had to leave behind my parents and sister in Turkey. I thought, if I die on this boat, at least I will die with the photos of my family near me.” Money (wrapped to protect it from water) Old phone (wet and unusable) and new smart phone Phone chargers and headphones (plus extra battery charger) 16GB flash drive (containing family photos) Via Medium. Images: Tyler Jump/International Rescue Committee.
Chimac Plus is a classic Korean barbecue joint, brought to life with an elegant interior and dim lighting which set the mood for an intimate and tantalising feast. The all-you-can-eat menu includes a meat selection of pork belly, soy-marinated pork scotch, oyster blades marinated in soy, a range of bulgogi and fried chicken wings in wonder soy — all complemented with classic sides like kimchi, spicy fish cakes, pickled onions and steamed rice. From the a la carte menu, try the fried chicken coated in a sticky and sweet chilli paste or the mad chilli chicken (hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot and hot they warn). For a barbecue set, look no further than the 'Show Me What You Got' option, which includes oyster blade steak, beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi, soy chicken and plain pork belly and soy wings. You can add extra meat on your own accord. There is also a Kor-Mex menu (Korea meets Mexico, duh) that includes takor (think tacos, quesadillas and burritos with your choice of beef, spicy pork and chicken or kimchi). Pair this with some loaded fries and enter a brave new world of Korean cuisine. Wash it down with some Korean or Japanese beer or some Korean rice wine. If you're off the booze, try a bong bong or two (a Korean grape drink) which is delightfully fizzy. All up, Chimac Plus is the perfect place for a chill catch-up with serious and fun cuisine. Images: Tran Nguyen
Melbourne has fallen a little in love with omakase, a Japanese philosophy derived from the phrase 'leave it to the chef'. From omakase served in subterranean spaces to untraditional, flame-filled menus — omakase is certainly having a moment in Melbourne. Carving out its own unique offering is Aoi Tsuki, a pint-sized, 12-seat omakase bar nestled on a busy section of Punt Road. Traditional Japanese, this is not. But, for head chefs Tei Gim and Jun Pak, this is the best way to enjoy food — a regularly rotating 20-course menu, underpinned by a deep respect for seasonality. It's an intimate, sumptuous experience that celebrates the creative and the contemporary — without pretension. When Concrete Playground visited, the culinary lineup ran to the likes of a well-balanced Miyagi oyster, chawanmushi refreshed with spanner crab, and a standout abalone dish paired with a thick, rich abalone sauce and vinegar-spiked rice. The highlight of this smart exploration of contemporary Japanese comes in the form of a nigiri series: ika (squid) dusted with lime zest, two-day dry-aged snapper from New Zealand and bluefin tuna marinated in soy, laid upon expertly-crafted sushi rice. Tuna belly is elevated with caviar, thinly-sliced wagyu is paired with shavings of foie gras, and a swordfish nigiri stars fermented yuzu chilli. Also of particular note: a clever execution of seared paradise prawns, along with grilled Hokkaido scallops married with miso cream. Aoi Tsuki's experiential dining adventure clocks in at $235 per person, with a paired sake flight or a tidy drinks menu available to add on. Images: Griffin Simm, Tran Nguyen, supplied.
The Carlton Wine Room had quite the shake-up when it reopened in 2018 — even if it did keep the same name — with new owners, a new look and a revamped offering. Wine is certainly still the star of the show here, but the food is anything but a mere second thought. The menu is designed to complement the 100-strong, ever-changing wine list and leans into European bistro territory. Small bite-sized snacks and a wide variety of cheese boards kick things off, but unlike most Melbourne wine bars, the larger plates are here in spades. It can be tough to work through all the dining options, hence why we opt for the $95 set menu every time we visit. Like with the wines, we let the team tell us what we should be eating.
Since the State Government announced some ambitious (and unprecedented) plans to expand Melbourne's rail network back in May 2016, there has been much talk about the $11 billion Metro Tunnel project. The tunnel will see five new stations added to the CBD and its surrounds, which were last year named and given an initial design. Now, Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan has lifted the lid on the latest renders for the new stations, to be known as North Melbourne, Anzac, Parkville, State Library and Town Hall. The five stations aren't slated for completion until 2025, though with plans as grand as these, it's not hard to see why. According to Ms Allan the focus was on designing stations that were easy to navigate and spacious, but that still looked the goods. The stations and their surrounds are the result of a collaboration between top architects Weston Williamson, Hassell, and Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners. [caption id="attachment_670797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] State Library Station[/caption] And they look nothing like Melbourne Central. Design highlights include a glass feature roof above the Grattan Street entrance to the proposed Parkville Station, a soaring brick archway for North Melbourne Station, and, at Anzac Station, a huge architectural canopy to protect passengers moving between trains and trams. Meanwhile, in the CBD, State Library and Town Hall Stations will each feature grand entrances, leading to redesigned laneways lined with cafes and retail shops. The stations will also spawn a stack of new open space, including parks, bike zones, plazas and a pedestrian underpass running beneath St Kilda Road. [caption id="attachment_670796" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anzac Station[/caption] Just to catch you up, the Metro Tunnel will see two new nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will be located in Parkville, North Melbourne, CBD North, CBD South and the Domain, and create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. Construction of the Metro Tunnel has already closed parts of St Kilda Road and Grattan Street and we're sure more routes will be affected in the next few years. We'll keep you updated on that front.
On a sunny Chapel Street corner, Abacus has managed to nail that all-day eatery vibe that often proves so elusive; its lofty, leafy space is bright and charming by the light of day, and manages to be cosy enough to make the dinnertime crowd feel right at home. What's on offer is a farm-to-fork experience that's steeped in seasonality, locality and isn't afraid to test out a little technique. The kitchen mills its own flour and even keeps its own bees. By day, that all translates to a menu of bright and innovative brunch fare that pushes the envelope way beyond the usual smashed avo and corn fritters, there are blue swimmer crab crumpets, or you could dabble in a ballarat breakfast with thick-cut bacon, Irish style sausage, pigs head and snout terrine paired with a native bush tomato relish and poached egg. There's Ona coffee — done well, mind you — though you won't need much more encouragement than those sparkling surrounds to steer towards one of the breakfast cocktails. By night, a lineup of contemporary Australian mains and elegant share plates play rather nicely with couple of wines or cocktails, from a smart, largely local drinks list. Somewhere in the middle? Nab yourself a knock-off and some real estate by the sliding floor-to-ceiling windows, and you've got a front-row seat to some of the best people-watching South Yarra has to offer. Updated May, 2023. Appears in: The 13 Best Cafes in Melbourne for 2023 Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne for 2023
“Will you be ready for THE CATCH?" This is the intriguing question posed by Heineken just one week out from the release of the 24th James Bond film SPECTRE, and it’s referring to something pretty darn special. To celebrate Heineken's 18-year partnership with the iconic 007 franchise, they're offering a select group of lucky fans a chance to experience the intriguing and prestigious world of James Bond. Sure, that could technically mean you have to infiltrate villain lairs and have various tuxedo scuba suits on hand for 24 hours, but we’re pretty confident it’s referring to the fun stuff: parties filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. Throughout November and December, Heineken will be hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that are so mysterious participants won’t know what’s in store until they’re suddenly whisked away and thrown right into the middle of the action right as it happens. You won’t know where. You won’t know when. Will you be ready? To be in the running, fans need to sign up via the Heineken's The Catch website and have your mates locked, loaded and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Helipads and jet skis aren’t essential, but they’ll certainly come in handy...
No longer do ravenous souls roam the mean streets of Melbourne on a wild-eyed search for their favourite food truck. Thanks to Welcome to Thornbury, Melbourne's first permanent food truck trailer park, some of the tastiest names in mobile food vending are parked in the same place Wednesday through Sunday each week. Dreamed up by the legends at Mr Burger, Welcome to Thornbury is located at 520 High Street, just a hop, skip and a jump from Croxton Train Station and the 86 tram line. Once a used car yard, the renovated, 4000-square-metre venue features both indoor and outdoor seating, and hosts as many as six different food vendors and 700 hungry patrons a night. The Welcome to Thornbury calendar, that you can find on its website, promises a rotating list of trucks and a number of themed food events each week. It's also got its own in-built 200-seater bar where you can grab cocktails, wine and beer by the bottle or on tap. And because of it's overwhelming popularity over the years, the crew also opened up Welcome to Brunswick back in 2021 — replicating the winning formula for Brunswick locals.
This CBD watering hole might come from the same crew behind globally renowned cocktail destination The Everleigh, but the two are absolute worlds apart. Wild child Heartbreaker is an American-style dive bar through and through, oozing cool-kid attitude and promising good times aplenty. We're talking red neon signs, black leather booths, a pool table and a jukebox chock full of old-school rock 'n' roll. With a 3am closing time Thursday through Saturday, no less. Refreshment options include a solid slew of both local and US craft beers, with a tidy tap rotation serving up plenty of hits from the likes of Hop Nation, Grifter, Philter and Stomping Ground. The fridge is a goldmine, too, starring the likes of Mountain Culture's Double Red IPA ($18) and The Mill's Mosaic Pale Ale ($11). A strong selection of whisky, mezcal and tequila is primed for rocking nights out, while the cocktail lineup showcases the full range of Everleigh Bottling Co batched sips — from famed classics like the negroni ($21) and martini ($21), to sparkling creations like the gin-infused Fruit Cup ($18). Appears in: The Best Bars in Melbourne for 2023
It's summer in Melbourne — and you would pity the fool who wasted these glorious days. While in winter we may huddle in dark corners, cradling a glass of wine and some form of hot comfort food, summer nights are about seasides and sunsets, cocktails and cool breezes. Whether you want to sip a spritz next to the beach or get into a bottle of something crisp on the banks of the Yarra, here are the best waterside bars to grab a cold one and settle in for a splendid summer afternoon or evening.
Located at 80 Collins Street, Lillian Brasserie is situated within Society — a multifaceted dining experience opened by renowned restaurateur Chris Lucas. The venue includes the Society Dining Room and Lounge, but it is Lillian, its French brasserie, which really sets this place apart. The interior is all sweeps and curves, with private booths and fringed overhead lamps sending the eye this way and that as the highly skilled waiters weave in and around their guests without any fuss. In the evenings, with the lights dimmed and the conversation humming, the room gives off the air of a classic Parisian dining room — with all the frivolity and joie de vivre centred around the various dishes. Lillian Brasserie's menu is heavily seafood focused, and begins with an offering of shucked oysters and prawns. The snacks include hand-cut potato chips and lobster and leek croquettes with a fresh herb emulsion. For an entree, try the cured salmon with house pickles and the burrata with pickled figs and walnuts. The pasta menu is vegetarian friendly with the parmesan gnocchi served with pumpkin, zucchini and ricotta being a huge hit. For a main, try the confit duck with cassoulet for a truly French offering, or the spiced pork sausage with smoked bacon and lentils for something a little heartier. The woodfired grill is where Lillian Brasserie really flexes its muscles, and the grass-fed sirloin with pink pepper bordelaise is the pick of the menu. If you're looking to share with a few sides, look no further than the spice roasted whole crown of chicken, pairing it with some woodfire roasted greens and potato chips. The wine list is impressive too, with over 10,000 bottles in the Society cellar. This is the kind of Melbourne French restaurant you visit when you're really looking to treat yourself. Appears in: The Best French Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
After creating an instant hit with inner-north food truck park Welcome to Thornbury, the 100 Burgers Group backed it up for round two. The team continued its northside foray back in 2021 with a venture in collaboration with famed Sydney-based brewery 4 Pines. Together, the duo opened a 450-person food precinct, brewery and beer garden in Brunswick. Located on Sydney Road, Welcome to Brunswick is a little smaller than its Northcote sibling indoors, but outside it boasts a much roomier, park-like outdoor zone, decked out with loads of lush greenery, paintings by local artists and a solid spread of both sunny and shaded areas. And yes, it's all as dog-friendly as it sounds. The food offering comes courtesy of a rotating food truck lineup, with up to four vendors on-site each night. Expect regular appearances from favourites like Mr Burger, The Bao Project, Woking Amazing, Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks and Nem n Nem, all backed by dishes from The Hall next door — that you can also order from. Meanwhile, the beer lineup features entirely 4 Pines beers, brewed in the on-site brewery. Signatures like the summer ale, pale ale, pacific ale and kolsch star alongside the brewery's seasonal Keller Door releases, that might include the likes of a Margarita Gose and the El Dorado IPA. An environmentally sensitive design by Breathe Architects is heavy on the recycled and reclaimed materials, including kegs that've been up-cycled into stools. Welcome to Brunswick's commitment to sustainability also includes composting 100 percent of its organic waste (including all of its bowls and plates) and using solar panels, with a long-term aim of producing all of its energy on-site.
When you think about the beginnings of Melbourne's third-wave coffee movement, it can probably be traced back to St Ali. Not just a boutique, local roaster of rich, cult-inducing coffee beans, St Ali was also something much more — an industrial-style cafe on a South Melbourne back street serving brunch that was as good as its brew. With its coffee, it also brought forth a cafe culture that Melbourne hadn't seen before and will probably never see the last of again. Being the archetype for similar institutions, it is easy to forget that St Ali didn't take its design from other cafes — other cafes took their design from St Ali. That said, the concrete floors, exposed lighting and communal seating are comforting, if not typical by 2023 standards. It's a small reminder that it's been doing this for no less than twenty years. This is no more apparent than when you visit St Ali. With a mill of staff — at least four on the coffee machine at all times — it's not hard to see that this is a well-oiled machine, especially when it comes to its signature brews. With a coffee menu almost as big as the food offering, you can choose from the current house blend, 'next level' coffee, a daily filter or an 18-hour cold drip. With quality beans from Colombia and Honduras, treat your senses to the ultimate coffee experience and try a few black and milk blends with a coffee-tasting plate. Brunch dishes are suitably placed for all-day dining, with the chilli scrambled eggs with creme fraiche, spicy nduja and sourdough being a go-to choice, along with the 24-hour marinated veal loin kebab with cucumber and red onion salad. Then there is the dish almost as old as St Ali itself: 'My Mexican Cousin'. The secret recipe corn fritters with poached eggs, haloumi, tomato salsa, relish and salad remain a stalwart of the St Ali menu; dozens of the golden, crispy beacons are rolling out of the kitchen at any one time. With this, the specials board is extensive and changes day-to-day, and the cake display houses one of the most perfect gluten-free brownies in existence. While the space is full of chatter and clinking cutlery any day of the week, the weekends see every table full — a small wait is standard but accepted, and always worth it. Despite the saturation of the city's cafe scene and local coffee roasters providing stiff competition, St Ali has survived the movement to remain a pure Melbourne institution. While this can be put down to its cult-like status, the truth is that — in this town — good coffee and consistently incredible food get you a long, long way. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Coffee in Melbourne
How does chicken salt work? What's the deal with cereal puffing guns? What is the future of meat? If you're into your food and drink in a nerdier way than most, you'd better book yourself a ticket to New York this Halloween. The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) is about to open in Brooklyn on October 28 — with exhibits you can eat. Food's had its fair share of pop-up museums and major exhibitions worldwide. There's even museums dedicated to individual foods like cheese, chocolate and Spam (yep, The Museum of Spam is opening in 2016). But after furiously fundraising for years, New York's first museum focused on food will find a permanent bricks and mortar space in Brooklyn this year. "Our mission is to change the way people think about food and inspire day-to-day curiosity about what we eat and why," says the MOFAD website. With a series of rotating exhibitions, visitors will be able to see, touch, smell and taste food, while learning about the culture, history, science, production, and commerce of food and drink. Think tastings, live demos, hands-on activities, talks, debates, heated roundtables. It's a whole multisensory, interactive museum experience to get to the bottom of noshing. How did the search for spices drive the age of exploration? What is the socioeconomic role of street food in cities? Where does soil come from, and why does it matter? How is breakfast cereal made? What is the impact of coffee on world trade? The idea is to enable people to make better, more informed food choices for themselves, their communities, and the environment, through kickass museum interactivity, like this cereal puff installation MOFAD did last year. "Why isn't there a museum devoted to food at the same level of something that's like the Natural History Museum or the Smithsonian?" MOFAD president and founder Dave Arnold asked CNN. "If I want to learn about you, I'm going to go to your house and we'll break bread. We'll have dinner. Then I feel like I'll know who you are. And it's that idea that we can experience cultures through what we eat and how we eat and the history of how we eat. That (idea) needs a museum because you can't eat on TV. You can't read about food and have tasted it." MOFAD's first exhibition, according to NPR, will focus on the flavour industry and the modern quest to manufacture smell and taste. You can probably assume it'll touch on ol' wafty Subway. The Museum of Food and Drink will open its permanent site on October 28 in Brooklyn, site yet to be revealed. For more info, check out the website. Via NPR. Images: MOFAD, Dollar Photo Club.
When Australian audiences embrace our own films, we tend to do it in a very big way. Last year, Lion had viewers everywhere in tears. In the years prior, we were turning out in droves for The Dressmaker and Mad Max: Fury Road. And, even when local efforts aren't setting the box office alight, our homegrown flicks are still tearing up cinema screens with a showcase of Aussie talent. The Babadook, Snowtown, Mystery Road, Goldstone, Tracks, These Final Hours, 52 Tuesdays, Holding the Man, Sherpa, Hounds of Love, Jasper Jones, Ali's Wedding — they're just some of the ace Australian films that've reached theatres in recent years. In 2018, they'll be joined by these ten movies you need to put on your viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYKBG1znk4A SWEET COUNTRY An Australian western set during the late 1920s in the Northern Territory, Sweet Country boasts plenty of well-known talent, including Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Matt Day and Ewen Leslie. It's the director behind the movie that should grab your attention, however, with his long-awaited second fictional feature absolutely essential viewing. In an impassioned race-relations drama that finds the struggles of the past painfully still relevant to Australia in the present, Samson & Delilah's Warwick Thornton crafts a searing piece of cinema about an Aboriginal stockman, a cruel station owner and the fallout when they cross paths. Make no mistake, it'll be gathering a heap of shiny trophies when Aussie awards season rolls around at the end of 2018. In cinemas January 25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMrhANU1-X4 CARGO He's already played Tim from The Office, Bilbo Baggins and John Watson — and now, Martin Freeman takes on the guise of a father trying to save his baby during the apocalypse. Based on Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke's Tropfest short of the same name, the South Australian-made film plunges into dystopian sci-fi territory amidst Australia's sparse landscape, and takes locals such as Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes and David Gulpilil along for the ride. Oh, and for added thrills in what proves an involving, gorgeously shot, environmentally and Indigenously-minded addition to a well-worn genre, there's zombies as well. A hit at last year's Adelaide Film Festival, it's destined for Aussie cinemas and Netflix. Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNndmppBgwM HAVE YOU SEEN THE LISTERS? There's only one way to respond to the question posed by the title of Aussie documentary Have You Seen the Listers? The answer, of course, is yes. If you've walked along a city street in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, you've seen Anthony Lister's work at least once, even if you didn't realise it. Directed by All This Mayhem's Eddie Martin — with the same flair for an engaging story told with insight and authenticity — the film charts his graffiti and art career, and the about-face he faced in Brissie when the council that once paid him to paint decided to take him to court for vandalism. Compelling and moving in equal measure, and candidly personal too, it's a portrait of chasing a dream, finding success and then coming down the other side. In cinemas April 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY8KFlOm7qo BREATH Returning to Australia's film industry after nearly two decades, Simon Baker doesn't just feature in Breath, the adaptation of Tim Winton's best-seller of the same name. He also ventures behind the camera, making his directorial debut. In both guises, he impresses — particularly, as the feature's guiding force, in coaxing illuminating performances out of standout young stars Samson Coulter and Ben Spence. In a visually, emotionally and tonally assured effort, the pair play surf-obsessed teens who come to idolise Baker's ageing ex-professional wave-rider, and grow close to his retired skier wife (Elizabeth Debicki). In cinemas May 3. [caption id="attachment_653802" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jennifer Kent's The Babadook[/caption] THE NIGHTINGALE Don't worry, Jennifer Kent's second feature won't have you peering under beds, being scared to look in cupboards and thinking twice about pop-up books. Instead, The Babadook director is trading one kind of thrills for another, this time telling the tale of a young woman in Tasmania in the early 19th century. A quest for revenge drives the narrative, with Game of Thrones actress Aisling Franciosi, Their Finest's Sam Claflin, and Aussies Ewen Leslie and Damon Herriman helping to bring it to life. When Franciosi's 21-year-old convict witnesses the death of her family by soldiers, her vengeance begins, as does her journey through the wilderness with an Aboriginal tracker. Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u4P4Isv6Zk 1% If Sons of Anarchy was made in Perth, it might look like 1%. Diving into the depths of warring motorcycle gangs, and exploring both internal and external turf wars, it has all of the familiar elements: gritty aesthetics, violent altercations, power struggles, a clash of generations and the club's second-in-charge facing off against his veteran leader all included. And yet, with Ryan Corr and Matt Nable both putting in memorable performances, and Abbey Lee and Aaron Pedersen also among the cast, the debut feature from Stephen McCallum rides its own trail through the brutal bikie genre. Nable also wrote the script, while the film itself started doing the rounds of international festivals late last year. In cinemas August 30. HOTEL MUMBAI In 2008, Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was attacked by terrorists. At least 167 people killed. Making his first feature, Australian writer/director Anthony Maras recreates the horrific incident, which understandably proved harrowing for locals and tourists alike. And, he's doing so with a familiar face to Aussie cinemagoers, with Dev Patel helping lead a noteworthy international cast after doing such a stellar job in 2017 hit Lion. Also on screen: Red Dog: True Blue's Jason Isaacs, 52 Tuesdays' Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Call Me By Your Name's Armie Hammer. In cinemas November 22. [caption id="attachment_585206" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Filmmaker Abe Forsythe[/caption] LITTLE MONSTERS After attacking the Cronulla riots with a sense of humour that made clear the stupidity of racist thinking and hateful actions, Abe Forsythe has a zombie comedy in his sights for his next film. Yes, Aussie filmmakers really are loving the undead this year. Called Little Monsters, it follows a musician who agrees to chaperone his nephew's school excursion, the kindergarten teacher he falls for in the process, a kid's TV entertainer who forms the third part of their love triangle, and the shuffling, brain-eating masses trying to munch on the children. Down Under's Alexander England stars opposite 12 Years a Slave Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and Beauty and the Beast's Josh Gad. Release date TBC. [caption id="attachment_653812" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Undertow[/caption] UNDERTOW Slated to debut at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival as part of the fest's Premiere Fund, Undertow tussles with grief and obsession as a mourning woman begins to stress about her husband's connection with a pregnant teenager. Namechecking Black Swan and Wish You Were Here as influences on its crowdfunding page, the film is clearly stepping into the psychological thriller realm. Actress-turned-debut feature filmmaker Miranda Nation both writes and directs, and Laura Gordon (Joe Cinque's Consolation), Josh Helman (Wayward Pines) and Olivia de Jonge (Better Watch Out) star. Release date TBC. [caption id="attachment_653809" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Slam[/caption] SLAM An Australian-made and -set effort by Indian-born filmmaker Partho Sen-Gupta (Sunrise), Slam wades into complex — and all-too-topical — territory. When Ameena (Danielle Horvat), a young hijab-wearing Aussie of Palestinian origin, disappears after attending a slam poetry night, the media is quick to paint her as something more than a missing person. For her brother Ricky (Adam Bakri) and mother Rana (Darina Al Joundi), it's an expectedly tense time filled with easy labels and suspicions. Complicating matters is the personal struggle of the police inspector assigned to the case (Rachel Blake), who has just returned to work after losing her soldier son. Release date TBC.
For many a traveller, Singapore means three things: shopping centres, strict rules and stopovers. But, break out of the predictable itinerary, and you'll discover a more exotic side to this five million-strong island state. Beyond the CBD, tree-lined streets lead to diverse neighbourhoods, and each home to a distinctive culture. From beachside Katong, where Peranakan chefs serve up fiery laksa among heritage-listed architecture, to Little India, which is infused with incense, strung with flower garlands and draped with hand-woven silks, there's plenty more to be discovered beyond the aforementioned three S's. Here's Concrete Playground's less obvious guide to exploring Singapore. [caption id="attachment_571546" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Katong[/caption] STAY There's no better recovery from a long flight than a long soak. And with an oversized bathtub next to your bed (and within full view of a 46-inch LED TV) in a Peranakan Club room at the 229-room Village Hotel Katong (a 15 minute drive west of Changi Airport) you can do just that. When you're done, prowl about in 41 square metres of cool, white and blue space, splashed with Peranakan-patterned furnishings, including feature tiles and an enormous floor rug. There's also a roomy outdoor pool, a gym and a restaurant, serving up marathon multicultural buffet breakfasts and dinners. (Peranakan, by the way, refers to the descendants of Chinese people who moved to the Malay archipelago between the 1400s and 1600s and developed a famously rich culture, combining Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arabic and European influences.) [caption id="attachment_573954" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Village Hotel Albert Court[/caption] For a stay full of character on the edge of Little India (about 30 minutes west of Changi), check into Village Hotel Albert Court. The airy, marble-lined lobby is a step back into the colonial era. Order a martini and take a seat on a plush red lounge in the front bar, and you'll feel like you're in a James Bond film. The pre-war feel continues in the greenery-filled, sculpture-dotted courtyards and the classic rooms, furnished with dark wood and fitted with shutters. Some are arranged around a spectacular sunny atrium, and if you're staying above ground level, you'll be travelling via an external, glass-walled, Willy Wonka-style lift. Need to reenergise after a long, steamy day? Smash out some kilometres in the gym and relax in the twin jacuzzis — one warm and one cool. Ask about the 'Far More Perks' package for a bunch of extras, like free cocktails and canapes, private lounges, late checkout, city tours, laundry and access to a Changi Airport lounge. DO A stay at either hotel lets you in on some pretty special cultural experiences, which allow you to see Singapore through a local's eyes. If you're in Katong, it's well worth getting on the Village Hotel's heritage walking tour — if not just to get your bearings. A fun, friendly guide will lead you through nearby Joo Chiat neighbourhood. Once a coconut palm-filled seaside retreat, Joo Chiat is now full of colourful, ornate shophouses and, as of 2011, is protected as Singapore's first Heritage Town. A hawker food court, an eatery advertising 'sexy desserts', a dog-friendly cafe and an eatery dedicated to chocolate are all en route, with your journey finishing with a visit to a Peranakan heritage home and a dumpling-making workshop. Alternatively (or in addition), the Little India walking tour covers little-known Hindu temples, hidden-away street art and secretive alleyways. [caption id="attachment_574235" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Southern Ridges Walk by Kimon Berlin via Flickr[/caption] Once you've dosed up on heritage, get your art fix at the new Singapore National Gallery, which became Asia's biggest visual arts institution when it opened on November 24, 2015. It occupies a whopping 64,000 square metres across two monumental buildings — the former Supreme Court and City Hall — joined by a 'canopy' of fine metal mesh, supported by giant columns resembling tree trunks. Eight thousand Singaporean and Southeast Asian artworks are shared between two permanent galleries, and there's oodles of space left over for international travelling shows. Check out the fire truck-red grand piano in the atrium. For an island that has a reputation for being built-up, Singapore has a heck of a lot of parks. The 156-year-old, 182-acre Singapore Botanic Gardens stay open until midnight and are home to the largest orchid collection in the world. There's even one particularly delicate species named after Margaret Thatcher. At HortPark, in the southwest, you'll wander through 21 themed gardens, including one filled with butterflies. For a longer walk, take on the ten-kilometre Southern Ridges hike, an adventure through coastal panoramas, lush rainforest canopy, a 36-metre high undulating bridge called Henderson Waves and Singapore's second highest peak, Mount Faber. EAT AND DRINK At the 2013 Hawker Heroes Challenge, no amount of swearing could change the results when chef Gordon Ramsay lost to 328 Katong Laksa, a tiny joint decked with plastic seats just a stumble away from the Village Hotel Katong. Yet, while Ramsay sells at Michelin-starred prices, a few bucks will still buy you a huge bowl of steaming deliciousness here. After all, laksa was created by the Peranakans, as a fusion of their Chinese and Malay cooking. To get the low-down on where else locals queue for food, jump on the hotel's Makan Bus Culinary Tour. At a diverse array of tucked-away eateries, you'll sample numerous tasty and eye-opening morsels; try everything from fried chicken and frogs' legs to soup at the rather charmingly and perhaps too-honestly named Pig Organ. Surprisingly, vegetarians can be catered for at every stop. Back in Little India, the island's most flavoursome curries are served beneath Banana Leaf Apollo's chandeliers. Headliners include fish head, butter chicken and mango prawn, all of which wash down tidily with an icy cold beer — or a mango lassi. For the finest chilli crab in the land, grab a table at Wing Seong Fatty's. Founded in 1936, it's been a favourite with international pilots since World War II and, these days, is run by father-son team, Fatty and Skinny. Fatty's been trying to retire for years, but just can't leave the wok alone. Finally, head to Indochine's rooftop bar for a relaxed pre- or post-dinner bev. Despite being in the touristy Marina Bay area, it's worth a visit — firstly, because it's on top of one of Singapore's chronically Instagrammed Supertrees and, secondly, because the epic views across the city are like a scene out of Blade Runner. [caption id="attachment_574226" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kai Lehmann via Flickr[/caption] LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Singapore is around an eight to eight-and-a-half hour flight from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. A number of airlines fly to Changi Airport, with return fares with QANTAS starting at $800. Jasmine travelled to Singapore as a guest of Far East Hospitality. Top image: JUJUlianar via Flickr.
New York City has the High Line; Paris has the Promenade Plantée; Osaka has the glorious Namba Parks. In dense urban environments, it's always heartening to see green public spaces built on the bones of obsolete industry (both the High Line and Promenade Plantée are built along sections of disused elevated railway tracks). And now Melbourne has joined the list of 'cool urban metropolises who don't compromise on green space', all thanks to its very own elevated public park. As first announced back in 2016, Melbourne Sky Park is a 2000-square-metre public park in the heart of the city, bordered by Collins and Flinders Streets (directly across from Southern Cross Station, with a nice view of the award-winning space slug rooftop). Launching in stages, with the first section welcoming visitors since October last year and the second still due for completion, it comes complete with a green lawn, a landscaped garden and built-in outdoor seating — plus wi-fi, power outlets and USB charge points. With a name that pulls no punches, Sky Park adds a much-needed green space to the south end of the CBD, taking the city's solid rooftop culture and making it greener, bigger and — literally — more alive. For those keen to climb up, it's accessible during from Monday–Friday between 8am–6pm via a spiral staircase on Collins Street and glass lifts nearby. [caption id="attachment_561367" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] A render of Sky Park's proposed final design.[/caption] The park has been designed as part of a joint venture by Aspect and Oculus studios on the principles of biophillia, which is a fancy way of saying the health and well-being value of public parks stem from the instinctive bond between humans and other living things. Basically, if it's green and alive, we're down with it. Sky Park is part of a larger development, Lendlease's Melbourne Quarter, a brand new city precinct that includes new offices, homes, shops and hospitality spaces across an entire city block. Aiming to connect people with nature and improve liveability, the project unveiled its first building, One Melbourne Quarter, last year, with more to come. Melbourne Quarter isn't just for residents or workers either. When it's complete, over half of the new 'hood will be free for the public to enjoy, with the Sky Park adding sorely needed open green space to the inner city. But it's not the only environmental addition. As well as Sky Park, Lendlease have also announced plans for a new laneway to connect Collins and Flinders Streets, a neighbourhood park and Melbourne Square, a public plaza which will be the most significant public space developed in the CBD since Federation Square in 2002. Melbourne Sky Park is now open at One Melbourne Quarter, 699 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Camping is a wonderful idea — reconnecting with nature, surrounding yourself with peace and quiet, and breathing in fresh, non-city air. It's the perfect escape from urban life. But, the logistics of camping take a lot of work. Packing all that stuff, then unpacking all that stuff. Erecting the tent and praying that the thin synthetic material is enough to protect you from an impending storm or the swarming mosquitoes out to get your blood. Thankfully, glamping, the luxurious older sister of that activity, provides a classy alternative to simply roughing it outdoors. Combining nature's beauty with the mod cons and comfort of a hotel means you can have your wilderness experience... and that goose-feather down quilt, too. Check out the best places to go glamping in Victoria (just a short drive from Melbourne) for when you want to reconnect with nature but still be properly comfortable. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Spas in Melbourne The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia The Best Natural Hot Springs in Victoria [caption id="attachment_647578" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Balgownie Estate, Bendigo Spend your next weekender sipping top-notch wines on an outdoor lounge on your own private deck and soaking up sunset-flooded rural views — all smack-bang in the middle of lush vineyards at Balgownie Estate. The winery's large collection of tents are kitted out with rugs, lighting, furnishings, air-con, tea and coffee, and bar fridges. There are three tent types on offer at this Victorian glamping site — choose between the Bell Tent, the Bell Tent Twin and the Safari Tent — the latter of which is probably bigger than your CBD apartment, boasting a four-poster queen-sized bed, ensuite and kitchenette. Happy Glamper, Mornington Peninsula This is a really unique glamping experience: you pick your own campsite along Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and the Happy Glamper team will set everything up for you right there. Arriving before you, they'll install one of their large canvas tents — which comes with a bed, lounge chairs, board games, magazines and a spread of other things. And when you're done, they'll pack it all down and clean up — lush. The mobile glamping company even helps with big gatherings — if you make a big, multi-tent booking, the team's willing to go far beyond their usual patch in the Mornington Peninsula. Either head to a beachside campground or a block of private land, and your bespoke experience will appear. The fine print? You'll need to book your campsite separately — either find your own or opt for one of the recommended sites. The Peninsula Hot Springs, Fingal The Peninsula Hot Springs' latest addition is a series of luxury glamping tents, allowing visitors to spend the night onsite, mere steps from the geothermal baths, saunas, pools and other wellness offerings. The Victoria glamping retreat is a classy affair, with the tents nestled amongst the natural environment, boasting thermally-heated concrete floors, custom-made furniture and beds decked out in plush linens. Guests are treated to private ensuites and walk-in robes, complimentary breakfast, and access to the precinct's many wellness experiences. All that's left to decide is how much pampering can you fit into a weekend. Slumber Safari, Werribee Open Range Zoo Does a rhino get bed hair? Are giraffes grumpy in the morning? What does a lion eat for breakfast? Spend a night in your safari-styled tent at the Werribee Open Range Zoo and find out all of these niggling questions that no amount of Googling can ever answer. The zoo's overnight Slumber Safari experience will have you hanging with the wildlife, enjoying all the creature comforts of a luxury lodge complete with comfy bed and private bathroom. Also included are delicious snacks, dinner, a safari tour, animal encounters aplenty, some complimentary bubbly and two full days of zoo access. Plus, a hot brekkie the next morning on your own private deck. [caption id="attachment_792422" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shannyn Higgins Photography[/caption] Cosy Tents, Daylesford Goose down quilt? Check. Bose speakers? Check. Barbecue, esky and communal fire pit for adventurous campfire cooking? Check. Stunning views across Hepburn Shire? Check, check, check. The Cosy Tents glamping retreat is the perfect weekend getaway to explore the smorgasbord of gourmet food, wineries and award-winning restaurants in the region. Oh, and it's located heavenly close to Daylesford, aka one of the spa capitals of Australia. At this glamping sites near Melbourne, choose from a wide range of bell tents in various sizes, all set with ample distance between them, but close enough to create a little glamping community, too. There's also a swag of different add-ons and packages you can choose from to amp up your getaway, including Netflix movies and loaded brekkie boxes. Pebble Point, Great Ocean Road The Twelve Apostles is a must-see when touring The Great Ocean Road. But few people know about the hidden glamping site located behind these cliff tops and rock formations. There are six safari tents at Pebble Point, which may not look out over the ocean but offer do offer countryside views that are nothing to gawk at. Besides, they're super close to the beaches situated at the end of the Great Ocean Walk. Rooms come with king beds, ensuite bathrooms and access to the communal kitchen area and barbecue site. But keep in mind: the tents aren't heated. It can get fairly cold on the Victorian coast in winter, so be sure to bring your thermals and woolly jumpers. The beauty of these comfortable-yet-simple glamping tents is that you won't be breaking the bank, while still getting all the best bits of sleeping amongst Australia's unique wildlife and natural scenery. When it comes to the best glamping in Victoria, Pebble Point is right up there. [caption id="attachment_734997" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] The Inverloch Glamping Co, Inverloch Book into one of The Inverloch Glamping Co's luxury bell tents and you can spend the night sleeping under the stars, just a quick hop from the beach. The company's eco-resort and glamping site features both cosy beach cabins and a range of luxury bell tents, as well as a communal camp kitchen overlooking the ocean. The tents make for a stylish, comfy beach escape, boasting queen-sized beds, heating/cooling systems, USB ports and speakers. There's some primo stargazing to be done out here, and the region is brimming with hiking trails, cycling tracks and scores of other nature opportunities. BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park, Castlemaine Castlemaine is only getting better with age, as day-trippers increasingly venture out to the Goldfields region — halfway between Bendigo and Daylesford — throughout the year. And the Gardens Holiday Park has been a popular place to stay for many years — whether it's people parking up their caravans at powered sites, setting up tents in the campground or booking out a small studio. These can be great for those on a budget, but if you want to stay in the area with a little more luxury, you can also book one of the crew's glamping accommodations. Here, you'll find a six-person safari tent, three neighbouring two-person bell tents, plus a two-person glamtainer which is basically a converted shipping container. All of these sites give you privacy as well as access to all the barbecues, pizza oven and coworking space. You can find Abbott's Bakery products at all major supermarkets — and discover more tasty sandwich recipes via its website. Top Images: Peninsula Hot Springs
Bistro Gitan is a little pocket of France situated in South Yarra. Although a contemporary French bistro, it takes influences from other surrounding European countries. Named after the gypsy travellers of Europe, Gitan certainly has an eclectic offering. A collaboration between L'Hotel Gitan's Jacques Reymond and his children, Bistro Gitan boats a more relaxed and warmer atmosphere. With Italian, Spanish and Mediterranean influences, it's a very Melbourne interpretation of a modern French bistro — like you're sitting in a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Paris (or, you know, somewhere). Typically French dishes like buttery escargots, croque monsieurs and liver parfait sit alongside kings sashimi and a Victorian southern ranges 230g eye fillet with choice of sauce. Sides of pomme frites, veggies and, of course, baskets of bread and butter are also available as are weekly specials, which are written in European fashion on the blackboard. The wine list is worldly, with drops from Spain, France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand — which are available by the glass, the pichet or the carafe, as well as a lengthier list of wines available by the bottle. it's easily one of the best French restaurants in Melbourne and well worth a visit for any food lover. Appears in: The Best French Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
Debauched banquets from Bompas and Parr, immersive art sleepovers at Cradle Mountain and all the demon purging and ceremonial death dances you could want in a festival. Now in its third year, Dark Mofo continues to evolve to be darker, weirder and wilder than before. Aligned with the winter solstice and running June 12-22, MONA's annual June festival celebrates the Neolithic tradition over ten hedonistic days of eclectic and unpredictable art, performance, music and happenings around Hobart, concluding with the annual nude solstice swim at dawn after the longest night in Australia. Last year's festival attracted more than 130,000 Mofos over ten days, with about a third coming from interstate. Ever the supporter of bizarre extravaganzas, Hendrick’s Gin, an official partner of MONA, will bring its weird and wonderful flavour to Dark Mofo this year with the installation of its legendary Parlour of Curiosities in Dark Park. Here, festivalgoers will discover a treasury of tipples, daring and intimate performances, as well as an eccentric revelry of otherworldly wonders and delightfully dark surprises (we're not giving much away). Picture an abandoned circus situated in the depths of a forbidden forest, full of dark and mysterious wonders. Then find yourself a crispy beverage and lose yourself, off you go. Thanks to Hendrick's Gin, we are giving one CP subscriber the chance to attend Dark Mofo with a friend as VIP guests of Hendrick's. The prize includes: 2x tickets to Dark Mofo 2x return flights (departing Saturday, June 20, and returning Sunday, June 21) 1 night's accommodation at the 4 star Best Western in Hobart. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and phone number. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au The giveaway will be drawn at 10am on June 19, 2015, and the winner will be notified by phone.
"I had to believe that people wanted to watch a pilgrim horror movie set in early New England, but I didn't think that it would be like this," says Robert Eggers. Indeed, the first-time filmmaker couldn't have predicted the reaction to his debut effort, a labour of love that took four years to research and finance, plus another year to make, shoot and edit. Since The Witch premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and won the dramatic directing award in the process, audiences and critics alike have been buzzing. Given that the film paints a nightmarish vision of a family haunted by loss and overcome with fear, complete with a creepy presence in the woods and some sinister livestock, there's certainly plenty to talk about. There's the feature's approach, for example, with Eggers taking pains to faithfully recreate the movie's setting, period and language. The writer/director laughingly describes himself as "an annoying bearded hipster, but instead of making pickles, I'm going into the past", after all. Then there's the many interpretations of the tense and atmospheric effort, with The Witch hailed by feminists and Satanists alike over the past year. With the film releasing in Australia, Eggers spoke with Concrete Playground about his inspirations, his commitment to authenticity, the responses to the movie and its place in the horror genre. ON DRAWING UPON THE CREEPY NEW ENGLAND WOODS FROM HIS PAST "I grew up in New England and you know, these rural New England towns are sort of full of the past. It can't be ignored — there's all these dilapidated colonial farmhouses and graveyards in the middle of the woods. And like many New England kids that had a house in the woods, I felt like the woods was also haunted by the past. "I was always very interested in witches. The earliest dreams of mine that I can remember are about witches. So I wanted to make an archetypal New England horror story, something that would feel like a nightmare from the past. Like an inherited nightmare, an inherited puritan nightmare that would sort of awaken ancient half-forgotten fears, and articulate the idea of New England's mythic past that I had as a kid." ON PLUNGING THE FILM BACK TO PURITAN TIMES (AUTHENTICALLY) "I love the past, and I love antiques, and I love learning about how people lived and the history of how things were made. When I went to the Globe Theatre reconstruction in London, to their museum, they had a doublet that was made out of a kind of silk that is so insanely perfect. And no one knows how to make silk like that any more — the people who made that have all died and it can't be done "Things like that are very interesting to me. So, I can fetishiSe objects and that makes me happy personally. But authenticity doesn't mean good design or good filmmaking at all. Some films that I love aren't authentic in any way, they're just good. "With this film, I really felt that if the witch was going to be real, if the evil witch was going to be real for an audience and she was going to come across as a given the way she did for these New England Calvinist puritans, we needed to go back to the 17th century and really be immersed — and really believe and be in their mindset. And without the attention to detail across the board, we wouldn't have been able to invest as an audience." ON GETTING SIMULTANEOUS SNAPS FROM SATANISTS AND FEMINISTS "I was just trying to tell a story about how this kind of family from this period would actually have believed witchcraft to be. In doing that, I discovered a lot of different things. Feminism was bursting out of the pages of history, and while I didn't intend to make a film about female empowerment, it seems that if you're telling a witchcraft story, that's kind of what you're doing — and I'm pleased with that, very pleased with it. "I aimed for archetypal storytelling. And if they work at all, then archetypes are always reconstituting again. I mean, lots of people are talking about lots of different kind of feminist issues. There are Satanists who like the film. I got an email from a Calvinist pastor who loved the film. I've had people ask me if I was thinking about Syrian religious refugees. Whatever you want to read into it, I'm happy with it." ON THE WITCH'S PLACE IN THE HORROR LANDSCAPE "I think that most horror films aren't this boring, you know? We tend to like to romanticise the past and say, 'Well Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist and The Shining, well you know those are those great films.'. And we remember them, but we don't remember the trillions and zillions of horrible movies that sucked. "As a first time filmmaker, I think some of my influences are maybe too clear. I think this film smells like The Shining in a strong way, but I think that some of the effectiveness of certain parts might not exist without that. That's a film that I watched a ton in my mid-twenties when I was trying to really to make something which sustained tension." The Witch is now showing in Australian cinemas.
You can probably work it out by the name, but Krabby's Crab Boil is all about fun. And crabs. There's no dress code here, no need to book ahead and definitely no first dates — unless, of course, you don't mind that the first impression you give is of you covered in sauce while trying to suck out all the last bits of delicious crab meat. There really isn't a graceful way to do this. And the Krabby's crew isn't expecting you to be all clean and fancy, either. Here, it's all paper bibs, plastic gloves and beaming smiles. The idea of a crab boil comes from the American South, where everything is tossed in a pot together and slathered in sauce. Then, when it's boiled and ready to be devoured, everyone digs in together. It's old-school communal dining done with no more than a hefty pair of shell-crushing scissors and the ten fingers your mother gave you. The menu here is long, so we'll only manage a taste, but appetisers include delicious bowls of crab chowder, perfectly salted buckets of soft shell crab and mountains of deep-fried crispy Krabby chips. The seafood buckets are where this place comes alive, though (and everything goes to die) and include serves for one or two people. However, the executive combo could easily outlast three. As you might have guessed, there is a mix of everything in these, and they have customisable options, including prawns, green mussels, clams, scallops, smoked pork, baby abalone and fried fish. Oh, and crab, with mud crab, snow crab and blue swimmer crab all available. Team your bucket up with a range of sauces, including black pepper, laksa, chilli mayo, or the must-have Cajun spice. This is the perfect place to introduce kids to the wonders of the sea, as well as catch up with that loud and boisterous group of mates who won't get in anywhere else. Images: Hue Studio
Northcote's High Street is in no short supply of great bars and restaurants, but Ruckers Hill stands out as one of its greatest — not for being all showy and full of theatrics, but for providing a proper local neighbourhood drinking and dining experience that is both polished and casual. David Murphy (ex-Bistro Thierry, Bar Nonno, 1800 Lasagne and PM24) opened the wine bar and bistro in mid-2023 taking inspiration from the Parisian 'bistronomy' movement, which emerged in the '90s as an antidote to the posh, Michelin world of French haute cuisine. Bistronomy is more about the vibe: a combination of bistro atmosphere and fine-dining techniques, at a price to suit the average wallet. And that's exactly what you get here. Murphy plates up fairly classic French fare — with a sprinkling of local and international influences — in quite a timeless style. He makes it look easy and relaxed, but the quality of what comes over the pass can only be achieved with real skill and passion. Few can whip up a Bordelaise quite as silky and rich as the one that comes with the steak, and he somehow manages to make the Jerusalem artichoke and gruyere cheese souffle pack a proper punch without it being sickeningly cheesy and overly salted. It might sound simple, but few spots nail these kinds of things quite like Murphy. The scallops with cauliflower, pancetta and caramelised champagne vinegar, and the local snapper served with green peas and sauce Américaine are also bangers, while his signature pork belly with ginger, apple and dry sherry is a must-order. Regulars won't let Murphy take this one off the menu, so you'll likely find it year-round (even if a few elements change here and there as the seasons change). Old-world vinos are also championed here — rather than the natty wines we see at most new wine bars — and can either be sampled in the front wine bar or in the bistro out back. The wine list focuses on regionality, offering a well-curated (and easily navigated) exploration of European vintages, while its cocktails feature both classics and more innovative creations made by the bar team. Ruckers Hill is certainly built for long dinners (especially when you order the brilliant $79 five-course set menu), but its top-tier wines and an impressive selection of snacks also make it a proper sip-and-snack destination. Not only would we call this one of Melbourne's best French restaurants, but also one of the city's top wine bars. And with such reasonable prices, it's hard not to become a regular.
Walking into Conservatory in Melbourne's Southbank is almost akin to walking into the famous dining rooms at the grand railway stations of Paris. It's luxurious. It's intimidating. And you'll be left wondering what the hell you did to deserve being there. If opulence isn't your thing, dig your heels into the lavish white carpet, spin yourself around and head right on out before you catch a glimpse of the chocolate fountains. But if it does, you've found your place. Conservatory opens its marble archways for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving up an all-you-can-eat buffet throughout. And it isn't just your average cheap, all-you-can-eat kind of experience. This Melbourne buffet is luxe. For lunch, look towards wild-caught Queensland tiger prawns, Sydney rock oysters and blue swimmer crabs marinated in a sweet chilli dressing. Yes, you can pile your plate high with as much fresh seafood as you can manage. Alternatively from the land, you'll find dishes like grilled beef rump with lemon olive oil, roast chicken with field mushrooms and penne with pork fennel sausage and chunky tomato sauce. Pair it with a curried mussel and potato salad and you've got yourself a feast to suit your surroundings. From the dinner menu, expect to see dishes akin to crispy roasted pork loin, lamb leg roasted with honey mustard, thyme and parsley roasted pasture-fed beef rib eye or a selection of assorted sushi. Move around the buffet to also find a heap of curries and naan bread that comes straight out of the tandoor oven — be sure to watch on as the chefs make this fresh to order. For sweets, head straight to the dessert bar which is always manned by one of the chefs. Here, you'll find chocolate cheesecakes, custard vanilla and rum chouquettes, coffee opera cakes and those famous chocolate fountains. If you're lucky, the chefs will also be toasting creme brulees to order. It can be mighty difficult to pace yourself when hitting a buffet like this, but these desserts are definitely worth saving room for. You've also got an impressive (but still accessible) wine list that best be perused after you've made it over to the buffet for your first round of nibbles. Cocktails include house inventions such as a Rusty Toolbox with scotch, Grand Marnier, apricot brandy and sprite as well as all your classics. Crown's Conservatory is a classy joint (with a strict dress code), but it is also an all-you-can-eat buffet where you can truly pig out, working hard to get your money's worth.
Victoria's answer to Dark Mofo, WinterWild, is returning to Apollo Bay for two weekends this August. While last year's after-dark winter arts festival was structured around the death and birth, this year's theme is 'visions and ecstasies'. Creeping into the coastal shire on the eastern side of Cape Otway, the festival will take place on the weekends of August 16–18 and August 30–September 1. Each weekend will begin with braziers on the beach, before unleashing a vivid program of music, performances, feasting and workshops — all focused on the idea of peering into the darkness for inspiration, revelations and surprises. Standout events on the program for the first weekend, running from August 16–18, include Visions of Excess, which combines kaleidoscopic visuals with the music of Black Heart Death Cult and Flyying Colours; a suitably psychedelic tribute to Jimi Hendrix; and, following on from last year, another immersive (and haunting) blend of projections, lights and sounds in the quarry. Two weekends later, across August 30–September 1, WinterWild will celebrate the music of David Bowie; pair a definitely-not vegan-meal with burlesque and puppetry at the decadent Feastiality; and make shapes outside, by the water and in the cold evening air, at Moon Garden. For those eager to make the trip twice, The Redemption unfurls across both weekends — with the theatrical production playing for free in two parts, involving the citizens of Apollo Bay, and happening by the harbour. Or, if you're keen to completely dive in, you can opt for the two workshop programs, dubbed 'The Left Hand Path' and 'The Right Hand Path'. WinterWild will run across two weekends, Death from August 10–12 and Birth from August 24–26. To see the full lineup and purchase tickets, head to winterwildapollobay.com.au.
The trouble with going to the opera in Sydney is, once you're there, you can no longer see the Sydney Opera House. No stawlwart sails, no gleaming cream tiles, no spiky little silhouette. And what's the fun in that? But for one month of the year Sydney has their theatrical cake and eats it too, when Handa Opera on the Harbour sets up at Mrs Macquarie's Point. The floating outdoor opera comes with an eye-popping view of Sydney's natural and artificial bounties, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge beyond. This year Handa Opera on the Harbour is going Egyptian for Verdi's Aida, a love triangle of epic, war-starting proportions. With Gale Edwards directing, the set by Mark Thompson includes the giant rotating head of Queen Nefertiti, live camels and plenty of fireworks. The 30m x 28m stage, 2.5 times larger than any you'll find indoors in Australia, is partially built at White Bay then trucked to Fleet Steps in the Royal Botanic Gardens, where it's lifted onto pylons and completed. The cranes actually form part of the mise en scene in this instance, with the production set in a period where ancient Egypt is decaying and a new world being built (with some more surreal and Devo-esque touches adding to the spectacle of the thing). The orchestra is housed directly beneath the stage, in an area apparently dubbed 'The Underworld'. Made possible by the continued funding of philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, the previous three years' shows — La Traviata, Carmen and Madama Butterfly — have proved monumentally successful. At a time when opera is struggling to attract audiences, Opera on the Harbour not only sells tickets but lures in thousands of opera newbies. You don't need to understand opera to understand what makes the occasion great. Aida is on from March 27 to April 26 at Mrs Macquarie's Point. For more information and to book, visit the Opera Australia website. Images: Prudence Upton and Hamilton Lund.
Chinese food is often connoted with dirt-cheap meals, tired, worn décor and non-existent service. Flower Drum defies, and has been defying this stereotype since 1975. Internationally recognised for authentic Cantonese cuisine and exceptional service, Flower Drum's menu emphasises fresh seafood and meats with a creative modern twist. You'll find all the Cantonese classics at this lavish restaurant from silky duck wontons to steamed tofu, and delicate pieces of crab to tender Peking duck. Flower Drum's interior reflects the restaurant's notoriety: lush red carpet, delicate wood carving in every corner and attentive, smartly dressed waiters. This little Melbourne celebrity is perfect for a special occasion or a classy night out. We sampled the Flower Drum lunch banquet, which started with delicate seafood rice paper rolls, stuffed with scallops, king prawns, mussels, calamari and garlic, chives and Chinese broccoli. It was followed by sang choi bao and Peking duck pancakes. The mains included a wok fried barramundi fillet which was full of spice and a crispy skinned chicken which oozed lemon juice. The saute eye fillet was the main event and was stir fried with mushrooms and soy. Dessert was a splendid baked chestnut crumble and banana fritter with ice cream. Flower Drum is a proper Melbourne dining institution. Service has always been impeccable (expect the staff to come clean crumbs of the table with those old school brushes) and the food really won't disappoint. It's a no-brainer for those wanting classic Chinese fare in classy surrounds.
Moon Dog's three-storey, 800-person, wild west-themed bar in Footscray's former Franco Cozzo building had quite a few unforeseen delays in the lead-up to its opening. But it eventually came to be, and it is one of the most impressive bars in Melbourne's west. Guests can find bars on each level pouring Moon Dog beers and seltzers from over 100 taps. Three-time Australian Bartender of the Year Chris Hysted-Adams was also brought in to design the cocktail list and shots menu. This includes an old-school pickleback shot, a regularly changing old fashioned that'll be served in a barrel for four people and a layered tequila sunrise slushie. A mechanical bucking bull takes centre stage down on the ground floor, where people can compete in actual tournaments with prize money. There's also a secret little Pianola Bar, an arcade, pool tables, a private dining space, a barrel-ageing room, and a stunner of a dog-friendly rooftop that's littered with cacti and fake desert rocks. The Moon Dog crew has completely packed this space out. Then you've got the food, which is all Tex Mex-inspired. The team is pumping out buffalo chicken ribs, double-decker tacos, roasted pumpkin mole and a Western barbecue bacon burger. Everything at the new Moon Dog Wild West in Footscray just screams unabashed fun. Images: Arianna Leggiero
JumpFromPaper, a fashion company straight out of Taiwan, want you live out your dream of a Saturday morning cartoon world with their range of trippy accessories that look they’ve have jumped right out of the TV and onto your shoulder. Just look at them. Don't you just want to take this backpack called 'Adventure' and going exploring around the city? And this 'Summer Breeze' rounded bag somehow begs you to put on a crisp white tennis skirt and do some loosely choreographed exercise. You may just give a stranger in the street an existential crisis with this little cartoon-like 'Spaceman' backpack. They've even got a range for you dapper gents out there. Honestly, how are these three-dimensional? Trouble is, once you have one, it may be near impossible to stop holding your own artistic fashion shoots. Look at these whimsical ladies on their way to the movies. And if your girlfriends all get one then there's really no other option but to form a girl band, so you can have whacky photos like this as your album cover. Shipping to Australia you can get anything from wallets for $30 to backpacks for $139. You'll be paying for something that looks like it's made of a single sheet of paper, but we guarantee your inner child will thank you everyday. Images: JumpForPaper.
This Easter weekend marked the end of an era for one of Melbourne’s most beloved institutions. After 75 years of constant operation, the iconic Astor Theatre posted a sad "That's all folks," and finally closed its doors. But luckily, they won't stay closed for long. After much speculation, the Palace Cinemas group have confirmed they've bought the Astor. Palace Cinemas are the knight in shining celluloid cinephiles have hoped for. The Melbourne-based national chain is leasing the cinema, and continuing The Astor’s operations largely untouched. Palace’s custodianship would see The Astor to continue operating as a single-screen, 1150 seat auditoria, with programming of both new release and classic films to continue and showing on 35 and 70 millimetre prints — many bought from longtime operator George Florence. Palace Cinema's CEO, Benjamin Zeccola, is determined to keep the identity of the Palace intact for nostalgic reasons. "I am in love with the ambience and unique sense of cinema at the Astor, it reminds me of the Metro Malvern Cinema where I grew up and the loss of which still saddens me," he told The Age just a few months ago. "Palace Cinemas are keenly aware of the importance in preserving The Astor experience and, to that end, we see the business operating very much as it does today: one cinema, the continuation of the brilliant programming and maintaining the building in the art deco style in direct consultation with Heritage Victoria." Such a prospect is welcomed by everyone that has enjoyed the magic of movie-going at The Astor over the past 32 years. Whether catching a double feature of films missed upon their first release; dressing up and singing along to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Grease or The Blues Brothers; or watching one of the many retrospective seasons focused on great directors or undersung masterpieces — all while devouring one of the venue’s famous choctops — The Astor has offered audiences a cinema experience unparalleled not just in Melbourne, but in Australia. Stay tuned to the Astor's Facebook page for more developments.
If you plan to head to Shira Nui, be sure to book ahead, as this place often has a waiting list a month in advance. Opened twenty years ago by chef and owner Hiro Nishikura, Shira Nui is the type of restaurant where looks can be deceiving. Consistently considered in the top two or three Japanese restaurants in all of Melbourne, the humble interior of the restaurant serves to highlight the quality of the food while not overwhelming it. This place is serious about food yet fun and charming, with chef Hiro the life of the party. It's famous for its grilled oysters, and the bento boxes are favourites among locals, but you really can't go past the sushi and sashimi. The sushi selection includes salad rolls for vegetarians, California rolls, pan-fried salmon and even oyster sushi on request. But if you're after something more substantial, try the seared salmons served with a powerful shichimi powder, which is only lightly seared so the middle is still raw. Alternatively, the yakiniku beef with rice, scallions, and sauce is a delight. Be sure to follow the soya or no soya rules here, as the chefs have put a lot of thought into how the meals should be eaten, and remember each piece of sashimi is cut just to size to be the perfect mouthful. Pair it all with a few rounds of sake, and you'll be in for a delightful night out at Shira Nui — that is if you can get a seat. You can only book by phone so make sure you plan accordingly.
The Harbour City doesn't lack art highlights all year, every year, but every two years the New South Wales capital plays host to the Biennale of Sydney. 2024 is one such year, with a hefty lineup taking over the city from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 under the theme Ten Thousand Suns. White Bay Power Station is opening to the public for the first time in over a century for the Biennale, which is a huge highlight of the program. Of course, so are the 96 artists and collectives contributing 400-plus pieces across the event. Australia is represented, naturally, as is everywhere from Aotearoa New Zealand, Indonesia, India and Japan to Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, the UK and the US. International talents include Andrew Thomas Huang, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Pacific Sisters, Martin Wong, Frank Moore, Maru Yacco and Anne Samat. Among the Aussies: Gordon Hookey, Tracey Moffatt, Serwah Attafuah, William Yang, VNS Matrix, Kirtika Kain, Joel Sherwood Spring and Juan Davila. Also, 14 First Nations artists have been commissioned by Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, one of the Biennale's partners, to make new works just for the event: Mangala Bai Maravi, Doreen Chapman, Megan Cope, Cristina Flores Pescorán, Freddy Mamani and Dylan Mooney, as well as Orquideas Barrileteras, John Pule, Eric-Paul Riege, Darrell Sibosado, Kaylene Whiskey, Yangamini, and Nikau Hindin in collaboration with Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, Kesaia Biuvanua and Rongomai Gbric-Hoskins. [caption id="attachment_945078" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Citra Sasmita, Timur Merah Project X: Bedtime Story, 2023, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Australia-Indonesia Institute. Timur Merah Project IV: Tales of Nowhere, 2020, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by UOB for Children Art Space MACAN Museum Jakarta, Indonesia 2020. Courtesy the artist and Yeo Workshop, Singapore. Photo by David James.[/caption] Expect to enjoy Mooney's mural tribute to Malcolm Cole, the queer queer First Nations dancer and activist who created history by leading the first-ever Aboriginal float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in 1988 — and also Sibosado's riji (aka pearl shell) designs in neon. Both feature at White Bay Power Station, as does VNS Matrix's exploration of women and technology via banners. Chau Chak Wing Museum joins the Biennale of Sydney footprint for the first time, which is where Mangala Bai Maravi and Wong have pieces — one continuing to preserve tattooing patterns used by her people, India's Baiga group; the other being celebrated posthumously with nine paintings that focus on queer sexuality, as well ethnic and racial identities. At White Bay Power Station and Artspace, Indigenous weaving and jewellery making are in the spotlight via Riege. Also at the latter venue, Gbadebo is displaying new ceramic works that continue her interrogation of her family's past and America's history of slavery. And over at the Art Gallery of NSW, Hookey and Yacco will have works on offer. The lineup also spreads over to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, which is where pieces by Moore and Kain feature — and to UNSW Galleries, where Sherwood and Elyas Alavi will be found. Whoever is showcased where, they're pondering heat, power, light, summer, joy, strength, the changing climate and everything else that the sun brings to mind. And, they're part of a lineup that also includes artist talks, art tours, workshops, music and more. [caption id="attachment_945080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Top images:Installation view, Ten Thousand Suns, 24th Biennale of Sydney 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring art by Pacific Sisters (foreground) and Robert Gabris (wall) photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee // Daniel Boud.
