Instruction manuals are often hard to read while trying to complete a task such as fixing a car or, perhaps, (on a more delicate scale) fixing a human. But multitasking may become much easier for surgeons, and the rest of us, as we'll soon be able to see instructions and displays by just putting on Freaunhofer's new data glasses and looking up. The days of rummaging through the pages of a mechanical handbook while belly-up under your car could be over. For those of you who read M.T. Anderson's, Feed, your worst nightmare is coming true. (Okay, this is a slight exaggeration, seeing as the glasses are not implanted within our brains. Still, our techonology is closer than ever to the power the 'feed'.) OLED microdisplay allows you to see not only the real world but also a wealth of virtual information completely controlled by your eyes. The photodiodes work as a camera, tracking the user's eye movement, while the OLED pixels display the document within the glasses. A simple glance at the back or forward arrow will change the page to the users liking. The page is displayed to the user at about 1 metre in height. Researchers presented the system at the electronica trade fair in Munich in November 2012. Fraunhofer Institue for Optronics developed the device with COMEDD and near-the-eye technologies specialist TRIVISIO.
The brightest offering of the bunch, Windsor Castle, comes from the same school of thought as the Carlton Club — everything looks better with taxidermy. Sporting a kooky exterior coat of pink and lime-green paint, and a kookier interior of antlers, tusks and peacocks, this southern gem is really trying to make you take notice. That's not a bad thing though — you should. Come summertime, you'll want nothing more than to abscond to its suburban wilderness and bask in the light of its neon pink elephants.
While Fitzroy's Johnston Street stretch has no shortage of options for working out and getting fit, its newest addition promises to be a little different to most. Nestling into a light-flooded space above The Cruelty Free Shop, Universal Practice is an all-encompassing yoga, pilates and meditation studio with a scientific edge, run by a team of fully qualified physiotherapists. In Universal Practice's second venture, the main studio boasts both a collection of pilates reformer beds and an assortment of specialist physio equipment, while the yoga room features a ropes wall — allowing students the use of props to deepen their focus on alignment. In addition to physiotherapy treatments and individualised pilates sessions, a broad range of classes is on offer, spanning from yoga asana and ropes yoga to reformer pilates, meditation and even deep-focus Yin sound bath sessions. Designed by Genevieve de Campo of de Campo Architects, the new space has a similar look to the team's original Richmond studio — which opened in 2016 — but with a more relaxed vibe to suit its Fitzroy address. Expect a feel-good vibe, fitted out with soaring warehouse ceilings, pale oak finishes and huge windows overlooking Johnston Street. Plus, to celebrate the launch, Universal Practice is offering a week of free reformer pilates, yoga and meditation classes to all visitors at their new Fitzroy digs. Jump over to the website to check out the timetable and reserve your spot. Find Universal Practice at Level 1, 124 Johnston St, Fitzroy, or check out their website.
Mirada in Spanish means a glance or gaze and it’s certainly worth running your eye over this year’s La Mirada Film Festival program. The festival brings a scintillating selection of new release Spanish and South American films to ACMI and Cinema Nova this week. From a romantic comedy with UFOs (Nacho Vigalondo’s Extraterrestre) to a thriller about a beauty queen caught up in Mexican drug wars (Gerardo Naranjo’s Miss Bala), to a quest to capture the essence of haute cuisine through music (Felipe Ugarte’s documentary Mugaritz BSO), the program is full of surprises and delights. There is also a bit of celebrity sheen to proceedings, with sessions selected by international luminaries such as Wes Anderson and Gael Garcia Bernal, and a retrospective of Spanish film curated by Pedro Almodovar. With Spanish music and tapas too, La Mirada is making a serious tilt at the title of coolest film festival in town.
The UK city of Kingston upon Hull (better known as Hull) made big news this weekend as over 3000 locals and visitors walked the streets naked, painted in four different shades of blue. While this sounds like something Tobias Fünke would inadvertently find himself in the middle of, the nudity was all in the name of art — specifically, for New York-based artist, Spencer Tunick's latest installation. The artwork, appropriately titled Sea of Hull, is a celebration of the seaside town and its relationship with the sea. The 3200 blue participants, which came from 20 countries, traipsed across many of the city's most historic sites for installation and photographing. They even posed on the Scale Lane Bridge, an award-winning swing bridge that crosses the River Hull. The installation is the largest of its kind to be staged in the UK, beating Tunick's previous installations in Gateshead (2005) and Salford (2010). A photo posted by The Best Picture of the Day (@zumapress) on Jul 10, 2016 at 12:09pm PDT A photo posted by La Vanguardia (@lavanguardia) on Jul 9, 2016 at 9:53am PDT Tunick's newest piece was commissioned by Hull's Ferens Art Gallery, who will highlight this piece in their 2017 program. Next year will be a big one for the city, as Hull has once again secured the bid for UK City of Culture, which they also hosted in 2013. The award is given every four years to a city that demonstrates the belief in the power of culture, and Hull City Council is promising to deliver a 365-day program of transformative cultural activity in 2017. Having staged over 90 installations, Tunick's art has encouraged mass nakedness worldwide, including his nude shoot for diversity in front of the Sydney Opera House back in 2010. Other such locations — apart from New York, of course — include the Dead Sea, Mexico City and Cleveland, Ohio. Via SMH.
Five Points is a beacon of traditional bagel simplicity — it makes the closest thing to a 'real' NY bagel in Australia. Paring down its offering to just bagels and coffee, this minimalist eatery scores full marks in every category. Its rendition of the classic smoked salmon ($11.90) and reuben ($10.90) numbers are dreamlike, and even the slightly non-traditional tuna and sweetcorn ($9.90), and turkey and brie ($11.90) bagels, feel old-school and dependable. Each bready ring is a balanced, chewy and, where necessary, zesty breakfast or brunch. The lovely little cafe floats atop the crest of a hill along Little Collins Street, managing to capture NY deli flavours, while swapping out the hustle and bustle for an air of serenity. Five Points is simply one of the best ways to start your day.
Chef Shane Delia's Collingwood restaurant site has shifted through a few incarnations in its time, continually evolving beyond the playful Biggie Smalls kebab joint he debuted back in 2015. And now, it's about to unveil its latest, as Maha Bar is reborn as Maha North. The Smith Street venue will officially reopen under this new guise from Saturday, March 18, following a gentle makeover and some culinary tweaks. It's returning as a brasserie-style venue that heroes Middle Eastern-inspired eats and a wine-led drinks offering in equal measure. A subtle refresh of the space is giving Euro wine bar vibes, a little heavier on turquoise and gold accents, with marble high-top benches and a few extra mirrors helping to open up the narrow room. Led by Delia and Head Chef Niko Pasieka, the revamped food offering boasts plenty of Maha DNA, celebrating bold Middle Eastern flavours across a menu that spans both familiar favourites and new creations. It's a share-friendly lineup, kicking off with bites like kataifi-wrapped king prawns, wagyu kefta sided with macadamia hummus and fried flat bread, duck fesunjun bourek buns, and a braised tomato dish of grilled merguez sausage, mussels and herbed labne. Sink further in with options like Lebanese garlic dumplings featuring poached leek and spiced chicken, or the Wagyu rump cap elevated with creamy harissa; and wrap things up with a selection of Maha North's hand-crafted chocolates. Or, lock in a shared banquet for $75. Meanwhile, the refreshed wine focus takes cues from sibling Maha East, with a 150-plus curation that's not afraid to be a little adventurous. BYO is available on Wednesday nights and Sundays, and bi-monthly tasting events will dig even deeper, pairing showcased drops with specially matched menus and winemaker chats. Fans of Maha's cocktail game are also in for a treat with a lineup of sips that features signature gems — pomegranate sour, we're looking at you — alongside a rotation of brand-new additions. Find Maha North at 86 Smith Street, Collingwood. It's open from 5pm–late Wednesday to Saturday, and from 12pm–late Sunday. Images: Pete Dillon
The beloved Cameo Cinema will once again showcase some of the summer's most talked-about films on its magnificent outdoor movie screen under the stars. Kicking off for the 2022–23 season from Friday, October 28 and screening through the rest of spring and summer, this outdoor film-watching spot will give cinema lovers the chance to relax in deckchairs and beanbags, with craft beer, homemade choc-tops and freshly popped popcorn in hand, for another year. If that's not worth the drive out to Belgrave, then we just don't know what is. Featuring on the big screen will be a selection of new flicks, starting with Bros and Black Adam to welcome the openair cinema's return. Other upcoming highlights include Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Menu and Die Hard. More flicks, both recent and classic, will join the lineup as well as spring and summer go on. It doesn't hurt that the Cameo concessions are a cut above what you'll find at your local shopping centre multiplex. It has craft beer and boutique wines — and dogs are welcome here, too. The bar opens an hour before the film starts each night — and remember that sessions are at the mercy of the weather.
If all this social isolation has left you keen to kick start some positive lifestyle changes, helping to save the planet seems like a pretty good place to start. After all, there's nothing like being cooped up indoors to inspire a newfound appreciation for blue skies, clean beaches and big, green open spaces. As a whole, Aussies have been gathering some momentum in the war against plastic waste in recent years, embracing bans on single-use plastic bags, swapping out plastic straws for sustainable alternatives and championing the humble reusable coffee cup. But, if you're feeling a little overwhelmed and unsure where to begin your own journey to a waste-free life, we've found a new local read that'll help put you right on track. Penned by ocean-lover and avid enviro-warrior Kate Nelson — aka Plastic Free Mermaid — I Quit Plastics And You Can Too is a practical guide to ditching disposable plastics and living more sustainably. And, given that Nelson broke up with single-use plastics over a decade ago, it's safe to say she's something of a guru on the topic. Whether you're keen to follow her lead completely, or simply want to learn how to live a little lighter, consider this book your new encyclopedia. It's chock full of handy, helpful information, served alongside manageable tips and how-tos aimed at reducing your plastic use, easily. Small, everyday changes can do big things for the environment. You'll discover how to cut down on waste, while shopping, cooking, cleaning and living with a more planet-friendly, plastic-free mindset. And Nelson shares lots of easy-to-implement strategies along the way, with more than 60 recipes to help de-plastic all areas of your life — from bodycare to breakfast. This is one online purchase the oceans will definitely thank you for. You can grab a copy of 'I Quit Plastics And You Can Too' for $26.25 from Booktopia. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
The Bridge Hotel is all about raising the standards of what a typical pub experience should be. With its European-inspired interior complete with a cobblestoned laneway and refined twists on pub grub, the Bridge Hotel has been a favourite for locals and visitors alike for years. Made up of a collection of distinct, but interlinked, spaces across two levels, a night out here can be an intimate affair with friends or a partygoer's ideal spot for a dance and a few drinks. The pub has been mixing things up a little of late with $13 espresso martinis all day on Fridays, a new weekday happy hour and its host of Saturday offerings. To celebrate, it's giving away a special Absolut Vodka cocktail experience to seven lucky duos. In one of the pub's private spaces, you'll take a memorable cocktail making class with the Bridge Hotel's resident mixologist. Here, you'll learn to make three different cocktails using Absolut, including the much-loved Skipping Girl Sour — a tangy blend of Absolut Citron, Coco Lopez, pineapple juice and a mint garnish. Obviously, you'll get to drink them, too. Through all this, you'll be snacking on a special selection of canapés and charcuterie boards (it's always important to keep the stomach lined). And after the class is done, each duo will be able to invite friends in for drinks and complimentary nibbles. So grab your cocktail-loving pal and enter — you'll find all the details below. [competition]665986[/competition]
All truth, no fiction: if that's how you like your movies, then you'll want to hit up the Australian International Documentary Conference when it returns to Melbourne for 2025 from Sunday, March 2–Wednesday, March 5. Each year, this celebration of factual filmmaking hits up the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Federation Square to talk about the format and screen flicks — and its latest lineup is mighty impressive. The event's timing means that each year's Oscar-nominees for Best Documentary Feature are often a big highlight in a variety of ways, including via screenings and getting their filmmakers chatting. Black Box Diaries director and subject Shiori Ito, plus Sugarcane co-directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, are both on the speaker list — and you can watch their powerful docos on the public program. Some sessions throughout AIDC are only for conference delegates, with pass details varying. Thankfully, the public screenings let you snap up individual tickets to catch documentary must-sees on the silver screen. With Black Box Diaries, Ito chronicles her investigation of her own sexual assault after the police declined to prosecute the culprit. In Sugarcane, NoiseCat also tells a personal tale — one of intergenerational trauma linked to one of the Catholic Church-run Indian residential schools in Canada, after unmarked graves were discovered. Or, also connected to AIDC's 2025 theme 'future telling', you can check out the innovative About a Hero, Oscar-shortlisted Hollywoodgate and hybrid documentary The Wolves Always Come at Night.
How do you find a single missing person in a country of over a billion? That's the terrifying dilemma faced by a desperate father, after his 12-year-old son goes missing. A sobering portrait of a pandemic concern in poverty-affected India, Richie Mehta's film works thanks to his unexaggerated approach to the subject matter. There's not a hint of melodrama here, and the tale is all the more compelling for it. For a film set half a world away, Siddharth hits very close to home. The film takes its title from the name of the missing boy, who in the opening scene we see being loaded onto a bus by his father, Mahendra (Rajesh Tailang). Siddharth is on his way to Ludhiana, hundreds of kilometres away, where he's due to start work in a trolley factory. Child labour is illegal in India, but commonplace nevertheless. And for the family of four, no longer able to survive on Mahendra's meagre wages as a street corner zipper repairman, the second source of income will be crucial. When Siddharth fails to return to Delhi for the Diwali festival a month later, the assumption is that he simply couldn't secure passage home. But as time passes without any word, Mahendra and his wife, Suman (Tannishtha Chatterjee), grow increasingly concerned. When they finally call the owner of the factory, he tells them that the boy ran away more than a fortnight ago. Unable to believe Siddharth wouldn't simply return home, the fear then becomes that he has been kidnapped. Based on a first person anecdote Mehta — a Canadian filmmaker of Indian descent — heard while travelling in Delhi, the story examines multiple social issues facing India. Recent statistics show that nearly 40,000 children disappear in the country each year, many of them sold into slavery or prostitution or forced out onto the streets to beg. Indeed, the problem is so endemic, so normalised, that at one point someone suggests that Mahendra simply have another child. Such callous pragmatism extends to the police force and child protection agencies, overworked and undermanned as they are. But so too does it extend to Mahendra himself, who is soon confronted with the financial cost of continuing the search for his son. It costs him a month's savings just to pay for a train ticket to Mumbai. Suman blames him for sending Siddharth away, and it's easy to agree with her. But then again, did he even have a choice? The grim economic reality of the family's situation is the stark spotlight under which Mehta's film unfolds, and ultimately makes it that much more confronting. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wNMDwpMrxmQ
Pork is the indisputable king of the menu at Windsor's cosy new tonkatsu restaurant, Ton & Co., where owners Jason How and Andrew Poon are giving this humble meat some very royal treatment. Ton & Co's menu pulls inspiration from Japan's traditional tonkatsu dish — a pork cutlet that's crumbed and deep fried — pushing the concept to new levels using specialist techniques chef How picked up heading famed Malaysian meat eatery ANTE. Cuts are selected based on the age of the animal, then carefully cured and aged for around four days to hit optimum flavour and juiciness. In the lineup, you'll find a pork striploin — topped with onion gravy or teamed with Japanese curry and rice — plus a super lean tenderloin and the signature 400-gram pork tomahawk, all coated in fresh panko crumbs for that must-have crunch. Main dishes include the likes of baby back pork ribs, poached honey miso salmon and a Hokkaido-style pork belly rice bowl, best matched to modern twists on Japanese sides, such as the chilled potato salad and furikake-seasoned fries. Meanwhile, the drinks offering is filled with drinks that beg to be teamed with some crispy fried meat — think sake, a tidy mix of local and Japanese brews, and a largely Aussie lineup of wines. Find Ton & Co. at 118 High Street, Windsor, open Tuesday to Sunday.
You've been putting in the hard yards at the office all week. It's been early starts and late nights, and you can't remember the last time you hit the gym. The days just never feel long enough. Winter is traditionally a season of hibernation, a time to say yes to staying in and hiding from the cold with a bowl of carbonara in hand. But one too many nights like this feels good for neither the body nor the mind. To get you moving and recover some of that energy, we've teamed up with M.J. Bale to put some boredom-busting activities at the top of your winter to-do list — and provided some suggestions of what to wear while you're out and about. Read on to stay active this winter and look great doing so. [caption id="attachment_721066" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Visit Melbourne.[/caption] GO FOR A BUSH WALK When the temperature dips below 18 degrees, the couch might feel like the only place to be. But trust us on this one. Hitting the trails for a day of fresh air and lush surrounds is an unbeatable way to get the blood pumping. Plus, the cooler months mean you can throw on tons of layers and still finish your hike with minimal sweat. Genius. Head to your nearest national park or scout out a lush coastal walk and enjoy some well-earned tech-free time in the great outdoors. Where: Strap on your walking shoes and try Sydney's Aboriginal Heritage Walk in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Melbourne's Great Ocean Walk, Brisbane's Buhot Creek Circuit in Daisy Hill Conservation Park and Perth's Bells Rapids Walk Trail in Swan Valley. Wear: The water-resistant and breathable Flannery Gilet ($199.00) layered over natural fibres to crush the cold. [caption id="attachment_721067" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Pasta Emilia.[/caption] TAKE A COOKING CLASS Has the new season of MasterChef sparked your inner gastronomic fire? Then wave goodbye to microwave dinners and say hello to gourmet home-cooked feasts that'll blow your mates' socks off. By joining a cooking class, you can have an expert teach you elusive techniques, like how to fold the perfect ravioli or whip up a bowl of authentic baba ganoush. Plus, on top of learning the tricks of the trade, you'll meet some new faces and enjoy the fruits of your labour over a celebratory glass of vino. Now that's how all school days should end. Where: Get cooking at Pasta Emilia's hands-on pasta making workshop in Sydney, craft heart-warming Middle Eastern dishes at Free to Feed in Melbourne, master Vietnamese soups and noodles at Golden Pig in Brisbane and learn how to make Japanese bar snacks at Salt & Company in Perth. Wear: The Depp Stain Repellent Tee ($59.95), because you don't want to carry your culinary masterpieces home on your clothing. [caption id="attachment_721068" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Handsome & Co.[/caption] GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY AT A SHORT COURSE There's no better detox from sitting at a desk all day than making something with your hands. Combine that with the task of learning a new skill, and you're guaranteed to give your brain a healthy gear-shift. Maybe this is the year you finally give pottery a crack, learn how to make your own jewellery or nail the basics of welding. And you never know where your new skills could take you. Here's your chance to explore a passion project or side hustle that could one day see you ditch your nine-to-five job. Where: Let your creative juices flow at The Pottery Shed's Basic Throwing Class in Sydney, try Handsome & Co's Introduction to Furniture Making in Melbourne, learn to throw clay like a pro at The Ceramic House in Brisbane and make your own gourmet cheeses at The Cheese Maker in Perth. Wear: The Tortuga Denim Shirt ($129.95) puts you in something durable while you hone a new craft. [caption id="attachment_721114" align="alignnone" width="2048"] B. Lucky & Sons.[/caption] PLAN SOME FRIENDLY COMPETITION AMONG FRIENDS A night of booze, banter and tasty nosh is how most of us choose to catch up with our mates. But, who doesn't love some healthy competition? Shake up your social routine and test your skills with an evening of group-friendly novelty games. Plenty of venues across the country host mini golf, arcade games and everything in between. All you need to do is gather your mates, pick your arena and get playing. Where: Bring the crew together at Maniax Axe Throwing in Sydney, try your hand at mini golf and karaoke at Holey Moley in Melbourne, revisit classic arcade games at B. Lucky & Sons in Brisbane and race a mate in your own go-kart Grand Prix at Kart World in Perth. Wear: Keep things casual and warm in the Buchanan Merino V-Neck Knit ($149.95). [caption id="attachment_721113" align="alignnone" width="2016"] SportUp.[/caption] JOIN A SPORTS TEAM No, this won't be anything like your memories of high school gym classes. Signing up to a sports club as an adult means social matches and light-hearted fitness with celebratory drinks at the pub afterwards. Grab a few mates or co-workers, and join as a team or go it solo for a chance to expand your network. The best bit? Regular matches mean you'll be held accountable for turning up to that 6am training session (yes, even when it's dark and pouring outside). But at least you'll have the rest of your team suffering alongside in solidarity. Where: Find your fitness tribe with dodgeball at Urban Rec Sydney, shoot hoops at Social Sport in Melbourne, give indoor netball a crack at Sport Up in Brisbane and go for a spot of social badminton with Badminton Buddies in Perth. Wear: The Sports Bag ($99.95) gives you both handle and shoulder strap options. Discover more action-ready wear for winter on the M.J. Bale website.
Avocado on toast is back, not that it ever went anywhere. But there's a bit of urgency around tucking into the brunch staple right now, all thanks to Australia's massive avo glut. Yes, it's as straightforward as it sounds: we have too many avocados, we're not eating enough and only smashing avo onto some heated bread en masse will get us through. Obviously, tackling the country's current avo oversupply problem isn't just about eating avocado on toast for every meal. Still, Australia does have a huge amount of avos to consume. According to a report by specialist agribusiness bank Rabobank called The 'Avolanche' of Australian Avocados, this year's avocado supply is up 26 percent on the past year per capita — which is 22 avocados for every Australian. Remember the days when we were told that tucking into smashed avo breakfasts was to blame for young Aussies not being able to buy houses, because we were apparently spending too much money on avocado and not enough saving for a home? No one should've ever been floating that ridiculous argument, but you won't hear it now. Instead, the Avolanche report advises that Australians need to devour more avos — and not just this year, but for the next five years. The reason for the glut? A significant maturing of avocado trees in the past season, particularly in Western Australia and Queensland, which has sparked a bumper crop. So, avos are now everywhere at the shops, and prices have been falling to entice us all to eat them. In WA alone, Rabobank says that avocado production is up 265 percent on last year. That's a lot of guacamole needed for a lot of nachos, a lot of avo smoothies, and a lot of salads with green slivers in them — or just a lot of avo for however you like to eat it. If you need a few more figures to explain just why there really are so many avos, Australia's avocado production for 2021–22 is estimated at 124,000 tonnes, too — and we brought in another 12,500 tonnes in imports. Those numbers are forecast to go up as well, with domestic avocado production expected to expand by 40 percent — or 50,000 tonnes — before 2026, reaching 173,000 tonnes of Aussie avos. RaboResearch associate analyst Pia Piggott advised that Australia will need to significantly up its avo exports to manage the oversupply issue, so it's not just up to us to eat our way out of this avo onslaught. That said, if you were thinking about having smashed avo this weekend, for brekkie tomorrow or just right now after reading the word 'avocado' a heap of times in this article, you now have a very good reason to. For more information about Rabobank's The 'Avolanche' of Australian Avocados report, head to its website.
Gareth Sansom is one of Australia's most respected painters who, over the past 60 years, has merged his admired pop culture perspectives with the lurid, the erotic and the philosophical. Across his paintings, collages and watercolours, Sansom displays a strong sense of self-investigation, frequently including disguised self-portraits and blurring the lines between the abstract and the actual. On display at NGV Australia starting in mid-September, Gareth Sansom: Transformer explores the entirety of Sansom's celebrated career, presenting more than 130 of his paintings, photographs and paper works – including many that are yet to be seen by the public. Sansom studied at RMIT University during the early 1960s before rising to popularity as an avant-garde artist drawing inspiration from the likes of Pablo Picasso and Jean Dubuffet. His works are held in numerous private and public collections, including New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Australia. Image: Gareth Sansom, Figure studies triptych (1990), courtesy the artist.
The Perserverance Hotel’s menu might not be a shining example of local innovation, but on the second Sunday of every month you can complement your pub grub with some of the craftiest wares this side of the city. Blackbird Market sees the Brunswick Street establishment get more fittingly Fitzroy with stalls peddling jewellery, bicycle accessories, PJs, zines and vintage clothing. Slide your pins into some reflective legwarmers from Melbourne’s most sartorially discerning cycle store CycleStyle, get an inky hit of culture from the latest copy of Spook Magazine and pick up the requisite nick nacks from grandmas florals, then dump them all into a plush leather satchel by Sarah van Oosterom. Since it’s still technically a bar there will be DJ tunes plus plenty of tasty liquids on tap to encourage financial nonchalance. But at least you’ll still feel good about your purchases later on in the afternoon.
The word 'dari' meaning 'bridge' in Korean is the foundation for Hardware Lane's newest Korean eatery: Dari Korean Cafe. Melding together Australian and Korean cafe culture, Dari boasts a large array of Korean sandwiches and sweet treats typically seen on the streets of Busan and Seoul. Owner and founder Yoon-Ji Park wanted to showcase the flavours from her childhood, where she grew up working and living in Korean restaurants, and show Melburnians a different type of Korean food. "I wanted to replicate the flavours of my childhood from Korea here in Melbourne," says Yoon-Ji. "So many people see one side of Korean food in Australia, but there is so much more out there." At Dari, skip your morning coffee and opt for one of the many drinks made with malted rice or job's tears (a grain native to Southeast Asia). Order the hot job's tears latte, similar to Korean yulmu-cha, brewed with soy milk — or versions made with sweet potato or pumpkin, which are boiled down with milk and honey. For those summer months (or warmer winter days), Dari also offers Hong Cho (a fermented Korean vinegar drink, with a similar to taste to kombucha) which Yoon-Ji imports from the capital. At lunch, Dari offers grilled and cold sandwiches, with vegetarian and dairy-free options available. But they're not the sort of sangas you'll find at your local corner store. [caption id="attachment_729225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Idol Sandwich by Julia Sansone[/caption] The Mexican Salad Bun features layers of cabbage, ham, egg, mayonnaise, ketchup and Sriracha in a Japanese-style milk bun, while the Idol Sandwich is a take on the inkigayo sandwich, which has been made famous by K-pop stars on the South Korean TV show Inkigayo. A recent viral sensation, the sandwich is said to have been created by the show's stars using ingredients from the broadcasting studio's cafeterias. It's made from a unusual combination of strawberry jam, slaw and egg salad — and, if you're unsure about how good it will taste, you can get lost in a YouTube rabbit hole watching videos of people making and eating it. For those cooler days, the grilled sandwiches are the go, with ones stuffed with bulgogi beef and spicy pork with ssamjang mayo. Then, if you're not already full, try the sweet soy and rice cake toast for dessert — it has a similar consistency to Japanese mochi. The thick slices of white bread are layered with rice cake and condensed milk and drizzled with sweet soy and honey. At dinnertime, Dari currently serves up a simple menu of savoury pancakes, bulgogi plates and hot pots, but, in the future, Yoon-Ji hopes to expand this. Find Dari Korean Cafe at 27–29 Hardware Lane, Melbourne. It's open for lunch from Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–3pm and 11am–2pm and for dinner from Thursday–Saturday, 5.30–10pm. Images: Julia Sansone
Lygon Street and its surrounds might once have been wall-to-wall, old-school Italian joints — and famously so. But a new wave of residents are slowly but surely shaking up the demographic. Tortilla and tequila bar Taquito, famed ramen joint Hakata Gensuke and even all-vegan pub the Green Man's Arms have settled happily into the neighbourhood. And, next up, it's time for modern east Asian eats, courtesy of newcomer Lagoon Dining. This one's the debut joint venture from a trio of hospitality young guns and Ezard alumni – Chris Lerch, Ned Trumble and Keat Lee – along with business partner Susan Wyles. The 80-seat restaurant has made its home right in the heart of this iconic strip, taking over the space that once housed the Lygon Food Store. The menu is grounded in traditional Chinese sensibilities, though you'll also spy plenty of other Asian influences, as well a few clever riffs on Chinese food concepts plucked from further abroad. Pull up a seat at the bar and snack your way through options like popcorn chicken teamed with white pepper togarashi and curry leaf, pork and cabbage dumplings, and xinjiang-spiced lamb ribs. Raw dishes might include the likes of a 'hot and numbing' beef tartare, while a wok selection stars combinations like mapo tofu knots with mustard greens and shiitake. Larger offerings come in the form of charcoal-roasted char siu pork matched with tare sauce and spring onion relish, and steamed market fish paired with Hunan-style salted chilli. A banquet menu clocks in at $70 per person. Meanwhile, sommelier Ben Skipper has headed up the drinks lineup, designing a broad-ranging rotation of craft beers – from local Cavalier pilsner to NZ's Garage Project White Mischief — as well as spirits and aperitifs. The wine list is a considered trip across the globe and the cocktail offering's set to change up regularly. Right now, the house sour is a blend of Plantation rum, pineapple and sugar cane, while the spritz teams umeshu, yuzu soda and sparkling wine. Find Lagoon Dining at 263 Lygon Street, Carlton. It's open from 5pm till late Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 12pm till late Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Images: Nikki To.
Melbourne's north has a new go-to for those wanting to make authentic Italian at home. Gnoccheria is a takeaway pasta shop with handmade gnocchi, as well as other pastas, lasagne, pizza bases and more. It's located in Coburg and run by the folk behind Take Me Home, which has been selling its wares to gourmet delis, supermarkets and local farmers markets (where they regularly sell out by 11am) for over ten years. With its new brick-and-mortar store, the team is making fresh gnocchi all day long. There are up to 20 different gnocchi flavours available at a time, spanning classics such as potato, three cheese and spinach and ricotta to varieties like truffle honey, saffron and burnt butter, and carrot and turmeric. Some even more left-of-centre flavours include pepperberry and parmesan, wild nettle and an activated charcoal number. The shop has all of the fixings for creating your very own Italian feast, too. Sauces, flavoured butters for gnocchi frying (think confit garlic, fennel and sage) and passata are all on offer — the latter is made using San Marzano tomatoes and basil from the family's organic Gippsland farm. Apart from all the gnocchi, there are other freshly made, organic pastas up for grabs, including pappardelle, cavatelli and orrechiette, as well as a whole heap of lasagne varieties. Expect Moroccan lamb, organic beef and pumpkin and sage, with gluten free and vegan options available, too. Pizza doughs, flours, oils and specialty salts also make the menu. And, if the gnocchi-making and huge display counter don't inspire you to make a hearty Italian dinner, the portrait of co-owner Felicity Giuliani's big Italian family tucking into a pasta feast will surely do the trick. Gnoccheria by Take Me Home is now open at 89B Harding Street, Coburg. Opening hours are Monday through Friday from 9am–5pm.
Irish-French singer Camille O’Sullivan left a burgeoning career as an architect after embracing the cabaret on display in Berlin and Dublin. Since then she’s won international acclaim for her singular interpretations of the songs of artists like Nick Cave, Kurt Weill, Tom Waits and Jacques Brel, drawing on the German tradition of “art song”, and the narrative music of Weimar composers. In O’Sullivan’s modern incarnation, this tradition manifests itself in radical retellings of classic songs — her rendition of Nick Cave's 'The Ship Song' is well worth a listen. On tour in Australia, for her show at the intimate Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre O’Sullivan will be playing songs from her album Changeling, including works from Radiohead, David Bowie and Arcade Fire.
In a pleasant surprise for anyone who works in the arts, the Victorian Government this week had some good news for the creative industries. Instead of gutting arts funding (as the Federal Government did earlier this year with cuts to Australia Council funding), they've announced that they'll contribute a further $3 million to transform the Collingwood Technical School on Johnston Street into a creative hub — essentially ensuring the project's completion. Ahhh it's such a rare and delightful treat to be able to relay news about arts funding that doesn't suck. Let's take a second to drink this moment in. Okay, the details. Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley this week pledged a further $3 million to the already promised $4 million to the project, which will join another $4 million worth of philanthropic donations (totalling $11 million smackos) to make the hub a reality. The money will go towards developing an arts precinct in the unused and semi-derelict site on Collingwood's Johnston Street. Though the old school has been closed for over ten years, Circus Oz, which will share the site with the new creative hub, set up shop there in 2010. The brand new precinct will include 976 square metres of green public space, venues for exhibitions, community areas for artists to collaborate and affordable studio and rehearsal space. The site clocks in at 6400 square metres and will be open at the end of 2018. The project is being spearheaded by social enterprise entity Contemporary Arts Precincts (CAP), which was set up by Creative Victoria to deliver the project. CAP CEO Marcus Westbury says the new precinct will ensure the creative industries aren't forced out of the inner suburbs due to rising rents. "It will offer secure, affordable tenancies and innovative programs to incubate, support and showcase emerging to mid-career artists," Westbury said in a statement this week. Damn right. And a hot tip for local artists: they're running a tender process for permanent tenants in the next few months. So keep an eye on the Creative Victoria website for more details. Image: Heritage Council Victoria.
One of Melbourne's old-school boozers has been given a new lease on life, with the reincarnation of The Oxford Scholar. The heritage-listed Swanston Street pub has once again opened its doors, sporting a new contemporary fit-out complete with a plant-filled courtyard and an assortment of bars and dining spaces. The latest iteration of the 160-year-old venue has been imagined by March Studio (Section 8, Jimmy Grants), as a modern riff on an old English pub. And it's destined to revive its status as a well-loved uni haunt, with a swag of student specials and two floors of function spaces reserved exclusively for RMIT staff, student and alumni. A modern assembly of warm timber, exposed brick and industrial elements has been used to create an inner-city haven that's primed for lunchtime feeds, after-work drinks and everything in between. [caption id="attachment_725268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Bennetts[/caption] From the bar, you'll find a crafty tap rotation of beers and ciders, alongside local wines, classic cocktails and an impressive collection of gin. Meanwhile, the kitchen's dishing up a seasonal menu inspired by flavours from across the globe. Drop by for bites like haloumi fries matched with house-made baba ghanoush or Korean-style beef ribs starring pickled cucumber and mayonnaise. Larger plates might include the likes of a soy-glazed salmon poke bowl, a smashable seafood souvlaki loaded with prawns, calamari, lettuce, fries and garlic yoghurt, or a burger featuring cola-braised ribs and onion rings. Pub favourite — such as a classic parma and bangers and mash — also make an appearance. [caption id="attachment_725271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] What's more, if you're a student or a staff member at RMIT across the street, you can look forward to a neat 15-percent-off eats and drinks, using the Oxford Scholar app. Locals will also score a ten percent discount. Find The Oxford Scholar at 427 Swanston St, Melbourne. It's open from Monday–Friday, 8am–midnight; Saturday, midday–1am; and Sunday midday–11pm. Images: Peter Bennetts and Eugene Hyland.
If you're looking to blow off some steam post-lockdown, you'll soon have a brand-new outlet for unleashing that pent-up frustration. Popular axe-throwing venue Maniax is opening the doors to its second Melbourne outpost, this time in the CBD. Launching on Friday, November 19, the new site marks the group's sixth Aussie venue, spread across a 700-square-metre subterranean space on Elizabeth Street. Boasting room for 300 punters at full capacity, it's got a series of single and double axe-hurling lanes, as well as extra space for kicking back with a drink in between throws. An on-site kitchen will be serving a menu of pizza and grazing platters, though you'll also be able to order in takeaway from nearby restaurants. And, since launching axes at targets can be thirsty work, the Maniax bar will be pouring a range of Viking-themed cocktails and craft brews to match. [caption id="attachment_830783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] One of Maniax's existing locations.[/caption] As with its siblings, the venue's designed to be enjoyed by axe-throwing junkies and total novices alike, manned by highly trained staff who'll happily coach you in the art of hurling weapons. Throwing is open to anyone over the age of 13. There are various sessions to choose from, depending on your skill level — ranging from the speedy one-hour Quick Chuck through to a date-night package featuring coaching for two. Annual memberships are also available. And once you've got a few throws under your belt, who knows? You might even be tempted to flex your newfound skills by joining the Maniax Axe-Throwing League. Find Maniax at 121 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, from November 19. Bookings are available over at the website.
If you're looking to get out of town, soak up some nature and indulge your green thumb this long weekend, we've found an event with your name written all over it. The Yarra Valley Autumn Plant Fair and Garden Expo is set to bloom this Saturday, April 23–Sunday, April 24, serving up a weekend of expert talks, demos, plant stalls and more. Taking over Romantic Nursery in Wandin, this leafy affair will feature a jam-packed program of guest speakers, ranging from local growers to award-winning horticulturalists. They'll be sharing tips, tricks and insights on everything from garden tools and trees to urban gardens. Your own plant collection is in for a boost once you browse the Autumn Plant Fair, stocked with over 5000 varieties in total and slinging plenty of rare leafy treats. A special curation of rare and precious varieties will also be up for grabs at a dedicated plant auction on Sunday. Rounding out the weekend and enhancing your plant shopping experience, there'll be a selection of food stalls and local booze. And you can bring your pooch, as long as they stay on lead.
It's been seven years since Smith & Daughters landed on Brunswick Street — and for seven years the vegan restaurant has smashed plant-based dining perceptions with its limitless culinary creativity. But now, the Smith & Daughters team is embarking on a new venture, which will see one of the largest vegan dining hubs in the world open its doors to Melburnians. Both the original Fitzroy Smith & Daughters venue and its sibling spot — all-vegan delicatessen Smith & Deli — are set to pack up and move into a new Collingwood home. From November this year, the combined offering will span across a 500-square-metre ground floor site on Cambridge Street, which was formerly occupied by Bar Rosella. The lofty space will encompass a deli-cafeteria, restaurant and food store. Smith & Daughters co-founder and celebrated chef Shannon Martinez is spearheading the move, which she acknowledges is no small feat in Melbourne's current lockdown. "I know it seems like a crazy time to start something new, here we are in lockdown! But it feels like it's now or never," she told Concrete Playground. "They [Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli] deserve this growth. With the move and with this new space, we'll be able to take them to the level they really deserve." [caption id="attachment_824521" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ashley Ludkin[/caption] While the current Smith & Deli is known for its New York deli vibe, this refreshed iteration will take cues from European delicatessens. Expect a homely yet stylish aesthetic complete with plenty of timber panelling and — for the first time — a dine-in offering. There'll be a menu of grab-and-go eats, alongside a tight selection of top-quality pantry essentials, ready-made meals, and other goodies like cheese and pastries. Meanwhile, a cafeteria-style eatery is set to showcase a rotating offering of hot and cold dishes, complete with a carvery — inspired by the vegan kebab pop-up Smith & Daughters hosted earlier this year. Patrons will be able to slide trays along the canteen with fresh fruit and mueslis on offer at breakfast, or an array of hot dishes and salads at lunchtime and dinner. A daily-changing deli plate comes loaded with a main, two sides, a dessert and a beverage from the curated drinks list, which celebrates a rotating pick of wine and beer. The 80-seat restaurant is a little more high-end, with a seasonal menu steeped in a vast spread of Mediterranean flavours and an aesthetic inspired by Vivienne Westwood. Expect an open kitchen with ringside seats, where you can settle in for a surprise food lineup guided by that day's fresh ingredient haul. A wood-fired oven is also on Martinez's wish list. [caption id="attachment_824522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ashley Ludkin[/caption] "People don't realise how good Melbourne and Australia's vegan food scene is, there's some really cool shit happening now," Martinez said. "Hopefully having this massive vegan hub with fresh produce and great food ... will help show everyone else." The roomy new space means Martinez will also have capacity to launch a Smith & Daughters wholesale offering, with plans to install a commercial production kitchen you'll be able to watch in motion through the full-length street windows. This new incarnation of Smith & Daughters will also be spreading the love as enthusiastically as ever, celebrating local suppliers like Northside Fruit & Vegetables. There'll even be a new line of signature homeware products crafted in collaboration with Emma Abrahams from cult jewellery label Heart of Bone. "It felt like with everything that everyone's had to deal with this past year, people really need something to look forward to — a cool project like this to bring everyone together," Martinez says. Smith & Daughters' new venue is set to open at 107 Cambridge Street, Collingwood, from November this year. Top Images: Ashley Ludkin
Christmas is coming, and so is the anxiety that comes with needing to grab prezzies for partners, mates and the fam. You can always get some hi-fi stuff during Black Friday sales or throw cash at them, but buying one-off or limited-edition wares from local makers has got to be up the top of the list of things to get as a gift. Enter, the Smith Street Studio Christmas Market Pop-Up. For just one day — from 10am–5pm on Saturday, November 23 — the studio is hosting a heap of independent lifestyle, fashion and beauty brands that'll be selling all kinds of merch. [caption id="attachment_979126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elas Crochet[/caption] The community-focused holiday pop-up will feature the recently-launched beauty brand By Katia, scents from Ficifolia, handmade accessories from Elas Crochet, staple wardrobe pieces from Studio Marlene, luxe silk pillowcases from Night Babe, jewellery from Minimum Studios and Smudge, and sensual care from BRUXA. You also don't need to use this as a gift-buying opportunity, simply rocking up to see what you want to get yourself. [caption id="attachment_979125" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Minimum Studios[/caption] Top images: Smudge
UPDATE Monday, July 19: During Lockdown 5.0, Kickin' Inn is relocating its messy mixed seafood feasts to your house, with pick-up and delivery available via Menulog. Your food even comes packed with butchers paper, bibs and gloves, so you can recreate the signature Kickin' Inn experience at your own kitchen table. Plus, right now you'll score 25 percent off a range of special items (peeled prawns, baby octopus and mussels, included) when you use the code 'KICKIN25'. For more details on Victoria's current restrictions, see the Department of Health and Human Services website. If you thought seafood was best suited to sultry summer days, Port Melbourne's newest restaurant might change your mind. The Aussie-born chain Kickin' Inn already has eight NSW restaurants under its belt, and now it's adding its first Melbourne venue to the family. Kickin' Inn takes over the former Rose Hotel site this Friday, June 18 and promises to cure those lingering winter blues with a signature offering of seafood tossed through punchy house-made 'Kajun' sauces. For the uninitiated, Kickin' Inn offers an all-in, bibs-and-gloves experience, where diners do away with cutlery and get their hands messy with bags full of prawns, mud crab, pipis and shellfish using only the tools that Jesus gave you. The Cajun-inspired house sauces — here, dubbed 'Kajun' — are more than mere support acts, with the venue boasting five flavour-charged secret recipes. If feasting is on the agenda, you'll find an abundance of snacks to kick things off including battered squid tentacles, jalapeno cheese bites, freshly-shucked Sydney rock oysters and wings. After that, you've got some big decisions to make. Choose your main event from a slew of ocean-fresh goodies including whole crayfish, pounds of peeled prawns, a pile of baby octopus, blue swimmer pieces, or a mess of mussels and pipis. Pick a matching sauce, whack in some additions like corn or chorizo, and dial up the heat level as high as you dare — keeping in mind the 'inferno' option is only halfway up the scale. Meanwhile, a separate lunch menu features more solo-friendly feeds from a prawn spaghetti to a mini mixed bag of seafood served with rice. Kickin' Inn Melbourne is launching with some opening specials this Friday, June 18 — for one day only, enjoy 10 percent off all mixed seafood bags, and a tasty two-for-one offer when you order a half-pound of prawns. Find Kickin' Inn Melbourne at 309 Bay Street, Port Melbourne, from June 18. It's open 11am–9pm Sunday to Thursday, and 11am–11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Step inside a great hotel and the staff will make you feel welcome. Check in for a stay at QT Melbourne and you'll now be greeted by a very special (and adorable) employee: Russell the wellness dog-cierge. The accommodation chain's Victorian site has announced a partnership with Guide Dogs Victoria to enlist the help of a four-legged friend at the hotel — bringing cuteness, joy and companionship to patrons. If you know where QT Melbourne is located, then you'll know where this cute pooch gets his name. Russell Street's newest resident trained as a guide dog, but it was decided that he's better suited to aid with wellbeing due to his affectionate and friendly nature. While his job at the hotel from Thursday, February 27, 2025 involves being charming, greeting guests and leading walks, he also gives the venue a walking, tail-wagging tribute to the work done by Guide Dogs Victoria, even if he hasn't been dispatched to assist people with blindness or low vision. Consider this your latest reason to book in a staycation if you're a Melburnian — and great motivation to pick where to slumber on your next trip to the Victorian capital if you're located elsewhere. "We're incredibly proud to welcome Russell to QT Melbourne," said the hotel's General Manager Kristen Foat. "His presence represents not just a commitment to our guests' wellbeing, but also a deep appreciation for the important work Guide Dogs Victoria does in the community. Through this partnership, we're able to give back in a meaningful way while creating an environment of joy, connection and compassion." For more pup-centric fun, QT Melbourne is also launching a trio of experiences for or involving pooches, all of which will donate their proceeds Guide Dogs Victoria. Fancy bending and stretching on a rooftop with puppies in training to be guide dogs? Monthly Pups & Poses sessions have you covered. Keen to drop by with your own barking bestie instead? Puppacinos are on offer, as are pup staycations. You'll be heading to Deli QT, the hotel's sandwich bar, for a pup-friendly sip from 8am–3pm Monday–Saturday. And during pet-friendly sleepovers, your pooch will be able to get snacking thanks to the in-room menu for dogs. Russell joins QT Melbourne, 133 Russell Street, Melbourne from Thursday, February 27, 2025 — head to the hotel's website for bookings and more details.
For wannabe wizards and witches, the most magical place in Australia right now is located in Victoria. After boasting the country's only run of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, then playing host to a natural history exhibition based on the Fantastic Beasts films, the state is now temporarily home to a new Harry Potter-themed experience. This time, you can walk around an illuminated woodland filled with nods to the Wizarding World, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience finally arriving Down Under. Accio joy, clearly. Think: Lightscape, which is returning to Melbourne in 2024, but all about the world that's sprung up around the Boy Who Lived on the page, screen and stage. So, with Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience taking over The Briars Community Forest in Mount Martha until June, attendees can enjoy a nighttime stroll an hour out of Melbourne. Entering the Forbidden Forest is clearly the big attraction, as lit up with dazzling lights, all while also spying creatures from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies. A hippogriff features, as do nifflers and unicorns. You also have the chance to pose for a photo mid-wand duel, and to summon up a patronus spell as well. Accordingly, visitors here aren't surrounded by all things Wizarding World after dark in a forest; they can be join in like every aspiring Hogwarts student has always wanted to. Sounds and special effects also help bring the experience to life, as aided by award-winning behind-the-scenes folks. Expect to spend around 90 minutes being immersed in the all-ages event — plus however long you need at the onsite shop afterwards buying merchandise. That's part of the village at the end of the trail, where you'll also be able to grab a bite and something to drink. Wands crossed for butterbeer, obviously. Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience has hit Australia after seasons in the UK, Europe, the US and Singapore, with Warner Bros behind it just like the films and upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Also helping conjure up the fun is events platform Fever, adding to a recent Australian slate spanning Banksy and NBA exhibitions, plus the Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience. Find Harry Potter — A Forbidden Forest Experience at The Briars Community Forest, Mount Martha, until Sunday, June 9, 2024. Head to the event's website for tickets and further details.
Argentina might be a hefty 11,000 kilometres away, but this weekend that won't stop you from snacking like you're a local on the streets of Buenos Aires. Argentinian-born chef Dan Szwarc (San Telmo Group) is bringing his popular empanada kitchen to Brunswick's Baketico for a weekend of pastry-filled goodness. On Saturday, February 12, and Sunday, February 13, Dan's Empanada Bar will be taking over the kiosk to serve a menu of authentic Argentinian treats and his own original creations. Drop by from 10am to score empanadas filled with combinations like creamed corn and cheddar, braised chicken with basil, and roasted cauliflower and pine nut. They're cooked to order and served piping hot for you to enjoy at Baketico's outdoor tables, or you can stock up on take-home products, ready to bake or fry for dinner. If you've ever tried an alfajor, Argentina's go-to sweet treat, you'll be pretty excited about the dessert offering, too. Dan's slinging his take on the dish — traditionally, a soft biscuit loaded with rich dulce de leche — along with alfajor helado, a dulce de leche ice cream sandwich glazed with dark chocolate. [caption id="attachment_842581" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baketico[/caption]
Enter the enchanting speakeasy-style cocktail lounge adjacent to Naught's gin distillery, and you'd be forgiven for assuming you're deep within the inner-city reaches. But in fact, the moodily-lit bar, with its elegant sense of drama and standout cocktails, makes its home around 25 kilometres northeast of the CBD, in the leafy suburb of Eltham. The brainchild of former teacher Chris Cameron, Naught has been quick to make a splash in the gin world, having scooped a swag of local and international awards since its first gin release in 2020. In December, the Australian Dry Gin scored both the Champion New World/Contemporary Gin and Champion Victorian Gin trophies at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. Now, the label is proving itself as a serious player in Melbourne's cocktail bar scene, with this sultry drinking den kitted out by Studio Y (Lumé, Nick & Nora's and Pearl Diver). Designed to transport you well beyond its pocket of suburbia, the space is a glamorous one, featuring striking wallpaper, touches of velvet and an imposing sculptural work of dried native botanicals suspended from the ceiling. Pull up a seat at the bar or in one of the deep leather booths, and admire the gleaming copper of the attached distillery while you sample Naught's creations at play. The bar's signature cocktails are crafted on either Naught's Australian Dry, Sangiovese or Overproof Gin, with the much-hyped Classic Dry also set to join the menu upon its release. Here, there's a focus on the classics, backed by a lineup of subtle reworkings and clever signature sips. Take a trip back in time with an Aviation or a raspberry-spiked Clover Club, or re-energise with Naught's take on the espresso martini; made with macadamia and toasted wattleseed liqueur, and coffee by Eltham's Craftwork Roasting. Also earning buzz is the HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A — a blend of the Australian Dry Gin, orgeat, fresh pineapple and bitters, named after the state fish of Hawaii. Elsewhere, you'll find a three-gin tasting flight, a couple of house G&T's and a top-notch martini offering. A tight crop of hyper-local beers and wines also make an appearance. Meanwhile, the share-friendly food menu will see you matching your sips with the likes of a loaded grazing board; the chicken, leek and truffle terrine; buffalo mozzarella with Pedro Ximénez balsamic and red-gum-smoked sea salt; and tins of caviar paired with crème fraîche and crisps. Find Naught Cocktail Bar & Distillery at 2/32 Peel Street, Eltham. It's open 5–10pm Thursday, 5pm–12am Friday and Saturday, and 2–10pm Sunday.
When Sleater-Kinney, aka Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, take to the stage Down Under in May 2024, they won't just be touring their latest album. And they aren't simply making their first trip this way in eight years, since 2016, either. Started under the riot grrrl movement, the group will also celebrate 30 years since forming, plus just as long since they recorded their self-titled first record in a single night in Australia. That album has been followed by ten more studio releases, with Little Rope their latest. That gives the duo — after Janet Weiss left the band in 2019 — plenty to play through on a five-city visit to Australia and New Zealand. The tour commences in Auckland, then heads to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, hitting up theatre-sized venues. "For all intents and purposes, Sleater-Kinney got its start in Australia. We recorded our first album and played our first-ever shows there," said Brownstein, announcing the Down Under leg of the tour. "Because of that, Australia feels like one of the band's spiritual homes, and returning there always feels like a homecoming, a reunion." [caption id="attachment_941986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Sleater-Kinney have a stack of US dates locked in before hitting Australia and New Zealand, and will then make their way around Europe in August. Everywhere they play, fans can expect tunes from Little Rope — including singles 'Hell' and 'Say It Like You Mean It' — likely alongside past tracks such as 'One More Hour', 'Worry with You' and 'Jumpers'. As well as their three decades together — with a hiatus between 2007–13, between 2005's exceptional The Woods and 2015's No Cities to Love — Tucker has stints with Heavens to Betsy, Cadallaca, The Corin Tucker Band and Filthy Friends to her name, while Brownstein co-created and co-starred in Portlandia. Carol, Transparent, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Irma Vep are also on Brownstein's filmography. [caption id="attachment_941987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Sleater-Kinney Little Rope Australian and New Zealand Tour 2o24: Wednesday, May 15 — Powerstation, Auckland Friday, May 17 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Sunday, May 19 — Forum, Melbourne Tuesday, May 21 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thursday, May 23 — Metropolis, Fremantle Sleater-Kinney are touring Australia and New Zealand in May 2024, with ticket pre-sales from 10am local time on Wednesday, February 21 and general sales from 10am local time on Friday, February 23. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Justin Higuchi via Wikimedia Commons.
Alright, it's time to get out of hibernation and back out in the world. No more flirting with frostbite, the sun has started to seep back in and Melbourne has some stellar attractions to help you celebrate. So, shut the laptop screen, break the Netflix cycle, swap your uggs for sneakers and breathe in that fresh spring air as you take on some city adventures this week. To help with your itinerary, we've partnered with Mitsubishi in celebration of its new Eclipse Cross and put together a list of places for you to discover Monday to Sunday. From one of the best brekkie rolls in Melbourne to an out-of-town sculpture park, it's time to put the spring back in your step and plan your next adventure. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: ART ON THE PENINSULA Explore this out-of-town sculpture garden, then stay for dinner in its restaurant. Cure your Mondayitis by heading down to PT Leo Estate, which boasts an impressive 134-hectare patch of land on the Mornington Peninsula. The family-owned property includes a sculpture garden that's easily one of the best in Australia, with 50 eye-catching works from both domestic and international artists. In addition to this, you're provided views of the Western Port Bay and a 110-seat restaurant where you can feed your growling belly after you've had a sufficient gander. The food is the work of culinary director Phil Wood and centres around seasonal and regional produce, so you know it's good. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25: CAFFEINE AND MANDELA Learn all about the extraordinary Nelson Mandela at Melbourne Museum. Make this Tuesday a brew day and head on down to Assembly in Carlton for a true caffeine indulgence. The store specialises in rare blends and uses high-quality brewing equipment to deliver a second-to-none drop. Once you've got your caffeine fix, take a stroll around the Carlton Gardens and finish at the Melbourne Museum. Be sure to visit MANDELA My Life, an exhibition which showcases the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela through a series of film and audio archives, alongside a vast assortment of artefacts. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: HUMAN BODY EXPLORATION Get to know the human body among a casual 150 cadavers for just $15 during the Royal Melbourne Show. The Body Worlds Vital exhibition rolled into town on August 13 and brought with it 150 real bodies, donated for the benefit of public education. Don't panic though, they're not decomposing corpses. These bodies have gone through the process of plastination, preserved through a process that replaces body fluids with polymers. The Body Worlds exhibitions were founded by scientist/anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens and physician/conceptual designer Dr Angelina Whalley, and the bodies have seen their fair share of world travels. You'll see distress and disease as well as health represented, with the Australian tour concentrating on contemporary diseases and ailments — and how we can live with vitality. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: RAMBLR LUNCH Sneak away from the office for a Chinese-inspired bolognese pita pocket. Chapel Street is one of Melbourne's not-so-hidden gems — and Ramblr, one of its golden nuggets. And the casual fine diner has increased in value exponentially since it started opening for lunch. Since the weekend isn't too far off, it's time for some gourmet treats. Inspired by flavours from around the globe, there are plenty of unique dishes on offer — like burnt pumpkin ramen, kimchi toasties and Chinese-inspired bolognese pita pockets. The team, also from Leonards House Of Love, has created an absolute flavour haven with an atmosphere to match. With no bookings required, you can waltz right in and enjoy a lunch you're bound to remember. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28: MARKETS AND BREAKFAST Brekkie roll in hand, make your way through the bustling markets. It's hard not to smile when walking into the bright yellow atmosphere at Good Egg, and even harder once you have one of the amazing bacon and egg rolls in hand. These guys know their way around an egg or two. And the good times just keep getting better with the South Melbourne Market just over the road — here, you can pick yourself up something nice for making it through the working week (even if it was a short one). SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29: THE ARCHIBALD Catch the Archibald Prize-winning portrait while it's in Victoria. The weekend is here; it's time to take things up a notch and go for a long drive out of the city. An hour-long cruise down the Princes Freeway, and find yourself at Geelong Gallery, which happens to be the exclusive Victorian venue to host the winning portrait of the 2018 Archibald Prize. With an onsite cafe, you can sip a coffee while you assess the winning piece by Yvette Coppersmith — a self-portrait that seeks to address the issues of female representation. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: HITCHCOCK CLASSICS See 'Spellbound' at the Lido, then quash the suspense with a glass of champers. Jump back in time to 1945 to see Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound. The film is screening on Sunday at 4pm, as part of Lido Cinema's Hitchcock Retrospective. Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck star in this action-packed thriller that is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat. While you'll find the classics like popcorn, chocolate and lollies, the snack bar also serves up a full toastie menu, dumplings, a cheese platter and even miso soup. We'd also recommend a comforting choc top during the film to soothe your nerves during the thriller — select from the likes of boysenberry, salted caramel, choc mint and more. Where to next? Make the most of every week with Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and navigate to your next destination here.
First established during the 1850s gold rush, The Avoca Hotel — nestled in the Pyrenees wine region — relaunched in 2010 and embarked upon a new dynasty. Now widely recognised for its extensive wine list from the region's vineyards and the pub's subsequent support of its local community, The Avoca proudly wears a stream of accolades for its wines, hospitality and food. If you're not a wine person, there's also a huge range of local, regional and hard-to-find imported brews — and by no means is the food here an afterthought. Working closely with a wealth of local farmers and growers, The Avoca champions the region's produce while its kitchen garden also supplies several of the herbs and vegetables that make their way onto your plate. There are plenty of traditional food options but, for the adventurous eaters out there, it's not uncommon to see hares, eels, kidneys or even brains highlighted on the menu. After your feed, take that well-lined stomach on a cellar door tour of the region's wineries, including Blue Pyrenees Estate, Taltarni, Mount Avoca and more. Top image: Visit Victoria
Melbourne's South Wharf has an all-day Japanese bar serving up freezing cold brews, creative cocktails, share plates and even breakfast seven days a week. Citizen's major draw here is its cocktail menu ($18-20), which offers Japanese sake, umeshu, gin and whisky concoctions. Fans of sours will be happy to find a matcha version — mixed with Nikka gin, ginger syrup and egg white — or the Jasmine Yuzu, combining yuzu gin, jasmine tea, honey and egg white. There's also the Canteen Spritz (Nikka whisky, prosecco and elderflower syrup) and the Bubble T (souchong tea, amaro, Cointreau, lime and milk) to choose from, among others. The bar has also partnered with Asahi to bring Melburnians sub-zero beers, which have been chilled to -2.2 degrees. A succinct wine menu is also on offer. As to be expected, Japanese-inspired snacks are available alongside the drinks menu. There are miso eggplant chips ($12), prawn and chicken chilli dumplings ($16) and crispy barramundi wings with seaweed mayo ($16). For more substantial eats, go for the pork tonkatsu sando ($17) or one of three brown rice bowls, including a beef short rib number with kimchi and miso barbecue sauce ($26) and the grilled koji tofu with asparagus and yuzu ($21). For dessert, there's a matcha ice cream sandwich ($11) and a miso chocolate brownie ($11). Open from 7am weekdays and 8am on weekends, diners can also nab coffees and typical Aussie brekkies here — think Dr Marty's crumpets with miso honey ($10), along with ham and cheese croissants ($9), baked eggs ($14) and BLTs ($12). But this daytime vibe quickly disappears come evening, when the neon-lit bar comes alive to transport punters to Tokyo for a night.
UPDATE, December 17, 2022: White Noise screens in Australian cinemas from Thursday, December 8, and streams via Netflix from Friday, December 30. We're all dying. We're all shopping. We're all prattling relentlessly about our days and routines, and about big ideas and tiny specifics as well. As we cycle through this list over and over, again and again, rinsing and repeating, we're also all clinging to whatever distracts us from our ever-looming demise, our mortality hovering like a black billowing cloud. In White Noise, all of the above is a constant. For the film's second of three chapters, a dark swarm in the sky is literal, too. Adapted from Don DeLillo's 1985 novel of the same name — a book thought unfilmable for the best part of four decades — by Marriage Story writer/director Noah Baumbach, this bold, playful survey of existential malaise via middle-class suburbia and academia overflows with life, death, consumerism and the cacophony of chaos echoing through our every living moment. Oh, and there's a glorious supermarket dance number as one helluva finale, because why not? "All plots move deathward" protagonist Jack Gladney (Adam Driver, House of Gucci) contends, one of his words of wisdom in the 'Hitler studies' course he's taught for 16 years at College-on-the-Hill. Yes, that early declaration signals the feature's biggest point of fascination — knowing that eternal rest awaits us all, that is — as does White Noise's car crash-filled very first frames. In the latter, Jack's colleague Murray Siskind (Don Cheadle, No Sudden Move) holds court, addressing students about the meaning of and catharsis found in on-screen accidents, plunging into their use of violence and catastrophe as entertainment, and showing clips. In the aforementioned mid-section of the movie, when White Noise turns into a disaster flick thanks to a tanker truck colliding with a train — because its driver was distracted, fittingly — you can bet that Murray's insights and concepts bubble up again. Before there's a tangible calamity blowing in, life is still mayhem, as Baumbach stresses in White Noise's opening third. The professors natter all at once, with Jack and Murray even joining forces for a rapturous session on Hitler and Elvis Presley's commonalities — Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, this isn't — that's one of the film's tour-de-force scenes. Chatter awaits at home, too, where Jack's fourth wife Babette (Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women) sports important corkscrew hair and mothers a blended brood spanning his kids Heinrich (Sam Nivola, With/In) and Steffie (May Nivola, The Pursuit of Love), her daughter Denise (Raffey Cassidy, Vox Lux), and their shared boy Wilder (debutants Henry and Dean Moore). Recalling Steven Spielberg's fondness for small towns and family dynamics, White Noise is both cosy and intricate in its everyday details (and oh-so-80s). The fact that everyone is always spouting and blasting something, again all at once, speaks volumes; little here, be it good, bad, sudden or expected, can be escaped. Baumbach keeps close to his source material, so much so that DeLillo's voice lingers in the dialogue; however, the director is no stranger to perceptively unpacking intimate bonds himself. Indeed, each one of his features across more than a quarter-century so far — including breakout flick The Squid and the Whale, quarter-life-crisis gem Frances Ha, the similarly arrested development-centric While We're Young, coming-of-age caper Mistress America and the adult sibling-focused The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) — has done just that. Only White Noise boasts "The Airborne Toxic Event", though, which tests its characters and relationships through apocalyptic horror, a frantic evacuation, and detouring ambitiously and hilariously into madcap National Lampoon's Vacation-esque territory. That ominous feathery plume makes the fear of death physical, as scary movies have for a century-plus. And, it makes it unavoidable, no matter how much the film's motley crew would rather divert their attention anywhere else. Also, it briefly turns it comical in a 'what else are you going to do but laugh?' manner. How does humanity, en masse and individually, trick ourselves into forgetting that our time alive is finite, fleeting, fickle and fragile — and that it could fade to black at any second? White Noise is that question in anxious filmic form with a satirical and savage bite. Accordingly, Murray waxes lyrical about grabbing groceries, and also about being someone who either kills or dies, while Jack and the teenage Denise start noticing the usually perky Babette's secret pill-popping. The Gladneys' patriarch and matriarch already proclaim how they couldn't live without each other as bedroom talk, but they're really ruminating on what it'll mean when they simply can't live. Buying and medicating your way away from that train of thought, and ignoring warnings and doctors, are all firmly in the movie's sardonically scathing sights. So is seeing how danger, terror and death inevitably bring people together — and, although set in the 80s, working with a novel penned in the 80s, the striking pandemic-era parallels sting (masks, conspiracy theories and all). In Baumbach's hands, White Noise is anything but unadaptable, but it is jam-packed. The themes, ideas, emotions, neuroses and tones flow as fast as all the talk — itself overflowing with big-thinking yet also screwball dialogue with a zippy rhythm — and then there's the always colour-saturated production design and costuming, the hypnotic choreography of bodies and vehicles, and the dream cast. Both Driver and Gerwig have already shown their sublime talents under Baumbach's guidance before, and both perfect the crucial-but-rare skill of conveying a world of character minutiae via their presence. Driver's size instantly makes him tower over the Gladneys' mania, just not as much as that black cloud, and soar over his college discussions. Gerwig, missed on-screen for six years while directing Lady Bird, Little Women and the upcoming (and Baumbach co-written) Barbie, is the face of soldiering on until you aren't or can't — equally warmly and heartbreakingly so. Impressive turns by Cassidy and Sam Nivola as the eldest two of the precocious children stand out, too, and Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang), André 3000 (High Life) and Lars Eidinger (Irma Vep) also make an imprint in small appearances. Again, there's a lot to White Noise. Again, that's all by design, stems from the page, happily comes with built-in lurches and veers, and a hefty part of the point. (Life is a lot, death is a lot and confronting is a lot, after all.) As Danny Elfman's (Wednesday) score adapts nimbly to the many changes in mood, and cinematographer Lol Crawley (The Humans) helps make everything a spectacle, bearing life's transience keeps proving wildly careening, spiralling, amusing and entertaining. And when the closing credits roll, fancy footwork breaking out to LCD Soundsystem's 'New Body Rhumba' in an infectiously engaging display, a clear message has beamed in through the static: everything in life, like in supermarkets, has an expiration date, but knowing that fact means enjoying what you have while you have it. Top image: Wilson Webb/NETFLIX © 2022.
If you're one of those unfortunate souls that needs a good pair of glasses to avoid crashing into things all day, Seddon's Two Faces can be trusted to give you the best possible service. With much of the staff behind the business having a couple of decades of experience helping customers choose a distinctive pair of glasses, you can be sure you'll land a pair of frames that'll show your best features off to the world. Plus, most of the boutique's frames are handcrafted and released in limited numbers, so you can be confident in your unique new look. Featuring premium quality local and international designers like Oliver Peoples, Booth & Bruce and Roger Henley, Two Faces will have you feeling comfortable in your specs. Images: Parker Blain.
UPDATE Friday, December 23: Due to the delayed start to Victoria's balmy summer weather, the Cherry Picking Festival has been extended, now running until mid-January at the Wandin East location and until December 31 in Coldstream. The following has been updated to reflect the change. It's that glorious time of year again, when cherries are ripe for the pickin'. The Victorian cherry season is coming in hot, which means your next few months can be spent cruising through picturesque orchards and indulging in a diet of cherry-based everything. It's also the time when CherryHill Orchards hosts its annual cherry-picking festival, running from Saturday, November 26 until mid-January at its OG Wandin East orchard, and from Monday, November 14–Saturday, December 31 at its Coldstream location. Book in for a cherry-picking timeslot, and you'll have two hours to pick and eat your fill of delicious fruit straight from the tree, with any extra take-home haul charged by the kilogram. You can pack your own picnic to enjoy onsite, or let The Posh Palais take care of you with one of its all-inclusive 'Luxe Lounge in the Orchard' picnic set-ups. Also hitting the orchard through the festival will be a rotation of food trucks and a program of live tunes, which you can enjoy alongside scoops of CherryHill's famed cherry ice cream. Foodies can shop a range of packaged preserves (think, cherry vinaigrette, sweet cherry syrup and cherry barbecue sauce), and the bar will be stocked with an array of goodies to sip onsite or take home — from cider and shiraz, to cherry spritzers and cherry gin. And don't forget to try the cherry rosella bubble tea, made in collaboration with Top Tea. Looking to amp up your experience? CherryHill has teamed up with nearby Rochford Wines to offer a wine-tasting, cherry-picking and lunch package; while high-flyers can elevate their visit with a hot air balloon ride and champagne breakfast, thanks to a package offered in conjunction with Global Ballooning. Adult tickets clock in at $19.50 on weekdays, and $22.50 on weekends and public holidays, with packages and extras available to add on at the time of booking. [caption id="attachment_832415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Posh Palais' Posh Picnics[/caption]
To celebrate the new season of Bridgerton, Melbourne is cordially invited to the Bridgerton Masquerade Parlour. On Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, members of the Melbourne ton are invited to step into Regency-era opulence. You'll explore a luxurious, Bridgerton-inspired space filled with four guided pampering stations to help you perfect your masquerade ball look. Find your perfect jewellery and makeup colours with a professional colour analysis, be fitted for regency-inspired vintage gloves, and adorn your hair with Bridgerton-worthy accessories. Next, head to the mask maker, who will help you discover your ultimate Bridgerton archetype. Are you the Muse, the Bohemian or the Intellectual? Pose for photos throughout the parlour and even take home your own souvenir by capturing a fairytale portrait in the Masquerade Ballroom set. Rub shoulders with fellow ton people and promenade in style. The Bridgerton Masquerade Parlour is located in the heart of the city at 362 Little Collins Street. Entry is free and on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to head down early. It's the perfect way to get excited about the brand new season of Bridgerton, after Part 1 arrived on our screens on Thursday, January 29, and will be followed by Part 2 on Thursday, February 26. This season sees rising Australian star Yerin Ha take the lead as Sophie Baek, a masked Lady in Silver who captures the attention of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). As always, scandal, romance, and exquisite fashion abound. Whether you're a die-hard member of the ton or just in it for the drama (and the photo ops), the Bridgerton Masquerade Parlour is perfect for anyone craving a taste of Regency glamour in Melbourne's CBD. Watch Bridgerton Season 4, only on Netflix. Image Credit: Supplied
If you're on the hunt for some new-school fun to make the impending frosty months go faster, you can stop searching right now. Someone, somewhere, has dreamed up the impressive combination of bumper cars and ice-skating — and is bringing the concept Down Under. In an Aussie first, Bumper Cars on Ice will hit Docklands' O'Brien Icehouse for three days this November. Oddly, it will happen after winter's finished — but, knowing Melbourne's weather, there's a high chance there will still be a frost in the air. Not a whole lot of info has dropped just yet, though, from the photos, it looks like this unique activity will have you pinballing around an ice rink in a bubble-shaped bumper car, slipping and sliding into mates. Tickets will set you back $37.84, which gets you ten minutes on the ice and all-day access to ice skating, which will have DJs and a bar serving mulled wine (of course). Bumper Cars on Ice runs in sessions from 5–11pm on Friday, 1.30–11pm on Saturday and 12.30–6pm on Sunday. Adults only sessions run from 7–10pm on the two nights. Updated: September 3, 2019.
When you think of goods made out of recycled cardboard, the most common objects that would spring to mind would probably be cereal boxes, toilet paper or drink bottles. A fully-functioning bicycle would most likely not make the top of the list. Yet, now thanks to Israeli bike enthusiast, Izhar Gafni, it will certainly appear somewhere on that list. Gafni has created a bicycle made entirely of recycled cardboard, and all using only $9 of material. The bike functions just like a normal bike, is water resistant and can carry riders of up to a massive 220kg. Despite the material costing between $9-$12 for each bicycle, Gafni is looking to sell his product for $60-$90 a pop, depending on the extra addition of an electrical motor. Nevertheless, this innovative creation is believed to change the world of bicycles by being significantly more eco-friendly and well within consumer's budgets. The inspiration for the recycled bike came after Gafni saw news that an inventor had developed a canoe made from recycled cardboard. Even through the skepticism and doubt he received, Gafni persevered with his idea and three years later achieved what three different engineers had thought to be impossible. Gafni's recycled bicycle has since been made into four different prototypes including one with training wheels for children. He is currently working with investors to establish a company that can produce and distribute his bikes on a global scale.
Have you ever wondered what happens to beautiful, archaic train stations after the trains that run through them halt for good? Take a look at the some of the most gorgeous abandoned train stations from the around the globe to admire their classic beauty and discover some of the many secrets and stories hidden within their walls. Abkhazia The abandoned railway station in Abkhazia, Russia, is a historical relic of the former Soviet Union. A 185km railway line connected Russia’s North Caucasus Railway with Georgian Railways but was severed in 1992 following the war in Abkhazia. 54km of the railway was repaired in 2008, however, the operation was purely humanitarian and so this stunning structure remains untouched and hauntingly beautiful. Michigan Central Station Depot At the time of its construction in 1913, the Michigan Central Station Depot was the tallest rail station in the world. Located in the Corktown district of Detroit, this now abandoned station survived heavy military use during World War II and was almost closed for good in the '60s after maintenance costs became too high for the decreasing passenger volume. It was reopened in 1975 when Amtrak took over and initiated an enormous renovation program, however, the last train puffed past in 1988. Montzen Gare Montzen-Gare is located on the Eastern borders of Belgium and has become a hotspot for photographers wanting to capture the alluring beauty of its rusting trains, tracks and decaying rooms. The station was built by Russian prisoners of the First World War for the German Army but had to be rebuilt after a heavy bombing in 1944. The station also became available for passenger transport following the war, however it was abandoned for good in 1998. Mapocho Station Now used as an art gallery, the cavernous space of the Mapocho Station in Santiago, Chile was constructed between 1905 and 1912, and was once the heart and soul of Chile’s massive railway network. The grand building had its last train shudder to a stop in 1987, but it was restored to its former charm in the '90s. Today the station serves as the cultural nucleus of the nation with its spacious interior providing the perfect location for exhibitions, performances and many other cultural festivities. Manchester Mayfield Manchester's Mayfield station served as both a passenger and a goods station in its time and, since its demise in 2005, the abandoned space has been been slated for development into a city centre district, a National Express Coach Station or a super campus for civil servants. The space was originally constructed in August 1910 for suburban services and met its tragic end after the roadside building was guttered by a fire. Croix Rouge The unused station of Croix Rouge is an infamous Parisian phantom station, the only one which remains as it was when it was closed. Put into service as a terminus for line 10 in 1923, the station was amongst the non-essential stations closed in 1939 due to the mobilisation of Paris metro employees for the Second World War. The advertisements, seats and even station masters booth can still be seen on the platform. City Hall Subway Stop The City Hall Station in Manhattan was the original southern terminal of the first New York City Subway opened in 1904. The station lies beneath the public area in front of City Hall and was designed to be the showpiece of the new subway. The elegant architecture, coloured glass tiles and brass chandeliers meant that it was considered to be one of the most beautiful subway stations in the system. The passenger service came to a close in 1945. Buffalo Central Terminal A station designed to accommodate up to 3,200 passengers per hour (or 200 trains per day) is sure to be an impressive and eye-catching structure. And the Buffalo Central Terminal certainly doesn’t disappoint. The complex consists of a 17 storey office tower, four storey baggage building, a two storey mail building and the main concourse. It was opened to the public in 1929 and the terminal closed in 1979. Now in the hands of the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, a huge campaign is being undertaken to preserve and restore the terminal to its former glory. Anhalter Bahnhof The oldest of the abandoned stations in the list is the Anhalter Bahnhof station in Berlin, born in 1841. Starting from humble beginnings, the station developed to become one of Berlin’s biggest and finest, with its trains departing to Prague and Vienna. The station is not without its history as the it was involved in the deportation of about a third of the city’s Jewish population between 1941 and 1945. [Via Flavorwire]
Even if you don't have plans to visit Spain in 2026, there's still the chance to feast on one of the country's most famous dishes. That's because Fitzroy's Anada is hosting a special lunchtime meal to mark National Spanish Paella Day, which takes place annually on March 27. Renowned for its dishes inspired by the peasant fare of Andalucia in Southern Spain, this once-a-year occasion features the restaurant's Paella de Marisco. Be sure to bring your hunger, as you'll be tucking into a saffron-infused seafood delight, headlined by king prawns, white fish, calamari and pipis. For lunch on Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, Añada is taking things up a notch, with each paella order served with a free glass of house red or white wine. Pairing Australian produce with traditional Spanish cooking techniques, Añada brings a new edge to this storied favourite. In Valencia, the dish's birthplace, making paella is the perfect excuse to spend quality time with friends and family. So, gather your closest pals for a midday meal and start dreaming about a Spanish adventure filled with paella, tortilla de patatas, jamón ibérico and loads more time-honoured cuisine. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Movies don't have pores, but How to Have Sex might as well. Following a trip to Greece with three 16-year-old best friends who want nothing more than to party their way into womanhood — and to get laid, too — this unforgettable British drama is frequently slick with sweat. Perspiration can dampen someone when they're giddily excited about a wild getaway, finishing school and leaving adolescence behind. It can get a person glistening when they're rushing and drinking, and flitting from pools and beaches to balconies and clubs. Being flushed from being sozzled, the stickiness that comes with expending energy, the cold chill of stress and horror, the fluster of a fluttering heart upon making a connection: they're all sources of wet skin as well. Filmmaker Molly Manning Walker catalogues them all. Viewers can see the sweat in How to Have Sex, with its intimate, spirited, like-you're-there cinematography. More importantly, audiences can feel why protagonist Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce, Vampire Academy) is perspiring, and the differences scene to scene, even when she's not quite sure herself. How to Have Sex also gets those watching sweating — because spying how you've been Tara, or her pals Em (debutant Enva Lewis) and Skye (Lara Peake, Halo), or lads Badger (Shaun Thomas, Ali & Ava) and Paddy (Samuel Bottomley, The Last Rifleman) in the neighbouring resort unit, is inescapable. Walker has been there herself, with parts of her debut feature as a writer and director drawn from her own time as a Tara, Em or Skye while also making the spring break and Schoolies-like pilgrimage from England to the Mediterranean. When the movie doesn't lift details directly from her own experience, it shares them with comparable moments that are virtually ripped from western teendom. One of the feature's strokes of genius is how lived-in it proves, whether Tara and her mates are as loud and exuberant as girls are when their whole lives are ahead of them, its main character is attempting to skip her troubles in a sea of strobing lights and dancing bodies, or slipping between the sheets — but not talking about it — is changing who Tara is forever. If a film called How to Have Sex had arrived in cinemas in the 80s, 90s or 00s, viewers would've known exactly what was in store from its title. Indeed, more than a few teen comedies of the era, American Pie especially, could've adopted the non-Google-friendly moniker. But Walker's picture isn't those flicks, despite starting with Tara and company almost dizzy with euphoria about wrapping up their exams, farewelling secondary schooling and dashing eagerly into their vision of adulthood. Rather, How to Have Sex is a portrait of the details that don't typically get seen and definitely aren't stressed when garnering laughs about coursing hormones is the aim of the game. As it unpacks consent and coercion in a real and raw way, Walker's feature is steeped in the confusion, the hurt, the quiet "yeah" that isn't a hearty yes, the peer pressure and rivalries, and the fact that sex is almost everywhere — in one based-on-reality sequence, oral sex is a basically a contest in front of a vast crowd — but any genuine and considered "how to" is far from everyone's thoughts. In its first half, there's a woozy buzz to How to Have Sex that matches the slinky outfits, glittery faces, neon lights and constant chase for the best holiday ever. Tara, Em and Skye are in Malia, Crete, but there's no time for sightseeing when there's shots after shots to down, dance floors to cut loose on, splashes to be had, and Badger and his crew to pursue. "Oi, smokeshow" is how the bleached-blonde fellow Brit first greets Tara from across their balconies. There's a goofiness to him that pairs well with her bubbliness; her "angel necklace" and his "hot legends" neck tattoo also appear to match. But Skye doesn't approve, in the way that besties who don't always want what's best for their friends can nix someone's crush because they're thinking about themselves. After dubbing Badger a clown, she suggests with forcefulness that Tara set her sights on the supremely confident Paddy instead. If you're not aware going into the movie that Walker is also a cinematographer, it's evident in every frame of a film that she doesn't actually shoot herself. Nicolas Canniccioni (A Respectable Woman) takes on that gig, but How to Have Sex is made with a meticulous sense of colour and light, as Walker's lensing on the also-visually expressive Scrapper similarly possessed. While the in-the-moment flavour to the imagery thrusting Tara's plight to the screen doesn't subside, the hues and the gleam reflect the delicate tonal rollercoaster her story takes. In its second half, then, all that shines, fluoresces and fizzes isn't shimmering with exhilaration. After Paddy takes her to the beach alone, and Tara drunkenly loses the virginity her mates have been just as adamant that she can't go home with, nothing looks or feels the same. How Tara regards herself, not clocking the myriad of reasons why her situation has been so many other teen girls' situation and the societal underpinnings behind that truth, also shifts shatteringly. The before, the after, the seesaw from hedonistic bliss to gutwrenching discomfort, the sensitive lack of judgement shown to both How to Have Sex's women and men, the utter unwillingness for the feature to never stop being frank: with them all, Walker beams as brightly as a glowstick that she's an exceptionally talented, perceptive and compassionate filmmaker. At the centre of the booze and the horniness, so does McKenna-Bruce; that they've both been collecting accolades and awards attention, including Cannes' Un Certain Regard Award and BAFTA nominations for Walker, plus the British Independent Film Awards' Best Lead Performance and BAFTA Rising Star prize for her main actor, is deeply deserved. Calling this a launching pad for McKenna-Bruce isn't accurate, though, because her How to Have Sex performance should always be mentioned whenever her name comes up from now on out. Brassy, energetic, vulnerable, insecure, disoriented, regretful, dread-filled, let down by a fantasy of growing up that's never real, still picking herself back up: her stunning portrayal has it all, and she shouldn't ever want to soar away from it. It isn't just teen-comedy antics that How to Have Sex eschews; this story would never be easy to tell or witness, and nor should it, but Walker clearly doesn't pour it into the standard dramatic template. As much as it brings them both to mind at times, her film isn't Aftersun-meets-Spring Breakers, either — two excellent pictures themselves — but it's as honest and potent, and also as intensely immersive. Charlotte Wells' tender father-daughter trip played like a haunting memory and desperate attempt to hold onto someone lost. Harmony Korine's bacchanalian crime-comedy jaunt to Florida was rendered with a dreamlike air. How to Have Sex stares unblinkingly, knowing how many women have stood in Tara's shoes, how many men in Paddy's, and how a definitive resolution where everything falls where it should is a rarity. Sweat is far from the only aspect, then, that's messily real.
It's only early days, but unassuming Fitzroy North newbie Good Times is already pulling queues. And it's not hard to see why. The laidback St George's Road eatery is doing a bang-up job of living up to its name, with cheerful, honest dishes and a comfy, home-spun vibe ticking all the right boxes for northside's savvy dining set. For Bryce Ritchie — who started Good Times along with fellow hospitality veterans and mates Sean McMeekin, Colin Mala and Jeremy Hines — it's all about keeping things simple and, most importantly, fun. The venue is only open Friday to Sunday and it has zero in the way of a website or social media channels. The space has been stripped right back, too, courtesy of the boys' own fast handiwork. [caption id="attachment_706155" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] It's lit by candles stuffed into bottles, while butcher's paper-covered tables and glasses filled with golf pencils inspire diners to unleash some creativity instead of whipping out their phones. The soundtrack's delightfully eclectic and, on chillier nights, you'll even find small bonfires warming up the back courtyard, with randoms getting acquainted over free marshmallows. From the kitchen comes a cheerfully simple, produce-focused offering, where pasta is the star of the show. You might tuck into a classic puttanesca or carbonara, or perhaps a bowl of fresh pipis tossed in white wine and herbs. A vegan ratatouille on rice is already proving a firm favourite, while platters of charcuterie, fruit and cheese are ideal for after-work drop-ins. [caption id="attachment_706136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Best of all, these good times are also easy on the wallet — you'll always find at least one $9 pasta in the mix, alongside $9 negronis, $9 craft beers and $9 carafes of wine. In fact, most of the menu clocks in at just a few bucks more than that, which is a good thing, considering this is the kind of place that'll have you coming back again and again. Find Good Times at 214 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North from 3pm–late, Friday–Sunday. Images: Kate Shanasy</em
Strength in numbers works a treat for fundraisers and benefactors alike. St Kilda's Theatre Works are putting on a fundraising party for four of Melbourne’s leading independent theatre companies and their latest productions. They aim to raise $20,000 for Elbow Room’s The Motion of Light in the Water, Uninvited Guests’ I Heart John McEnroe, Dirty Pretty Theatre’s Thérèse Raquin and Little Ones Theatre’s The House of Yes. Set to be a night filled with quirky and playful performances, this collaboration marks the second annual Abundance Fundraising Party. Hosted by Present Tense's Bryce Ives, expect comedy, cabaret and musical performance from a lineup of very special guests, including acclaimed US actress Jane Badler and Grammy award-winner Jeff Bova alongside Virginia Gay, Roderick Cairns, Beau Heartbreaker, Nicholas Renfree-Marks, Angela Hogan, Joseph Chetty and Luisa Hastings Edge. Along with some spectacular performances, guests will be treated to a glass of bubbles and canapes on arrival. Then you'll have the opportunity to bid on some pretty top notch prizes in the silent auction. You’re still welcome to make a donation if you cannot attend the event, but why miss out on all this frivolity? Get along to enjoy fantastic performances, nab prizes and — most importantly — support independent Australian theatre.
For over 20 years now, the annual Top Arts exhibition has brought together the stunning works of Victoria's emerging student artists in a showcase of the next generation of talent. Top Arts 2017 features the works of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) students who studied Arts or Studio Arts with the exhibition highlighting the diverse skills of students through painting, drawing, sculpture, multimedia and installation works. Held at the NGV's Ian Potter Centre, the exhibition will run until July 16, and displays the art of 47 students to an estimated 200,000 visitors with Top Arts proving to be one of the NGV's most popular annual exhibitions. Each year approximately 2000 hopeful student artists from all across Victoria apply for the opportunity to exhibit at Top Arts, with a shortlist of the leading 150 reached before the final exhibiting selection is made. Image: Brendan Hartnett next to his work Ennui (2016), oil, synthetic polymer paint, cement and charcoal on canvas, 125.4 x 180.0 cm. Shot by Eugene Hyland.
