Two gigantic Australian billboards were hijacked this week, now sporting seriously gnarly tatts. Located in Sydney's George Street and Melbourne's St Kilda Junction, the 16m x 6m billboards have been emblazoned with giant tattooed lions by longtime team-up Aussie artists The Yok and Sheryo in collaboration with LYNX. The two artists were invited to use their own unique styles and expression to transform the men's brand's latest outdoor campaign. Marking phase one of LYNX's brand new 'Expression Series', the billboards were completed over four days; with a limited run of t-shirts and posters available through Facebook. This isn't the first time the pair have worked together; The Yok and Sheryo have exhibited and painted their fantastical creatures everywhere from Mexico to NY, Atlanta, LA, Miami, Africa, Belgium, London, Europe, Seoul, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Cambodia. So why the massive lions? The Yok has seen his fair share of expression-fuelling travel, moving to Africa from Australia and finding an addictive freshness in his newfound environment (lions included). "I moved to Kenya when I was 25 and I lived there for a year and a half; I think that had a real dramatic effect, it was a really rewarding experience" says The Yok in the behind-the-scenes video. "I really value that feeling, so maybe I'm always trying to chase that feeling again. It's kind of like being a kid and everything's new. "I remember when I saw my first lion in Kenya. Such an amazing animal to see close up; they're just so powerful-looking. I can't really describe what it is to look at a lion in the face, but they're an amazing creature." https://youtube.com/watch?v=zNQyWPUqdF0 LYNX aren't stopping at two gigantic billboards; the next phase of the 'Expressions Series' will see typographer Luca Ionescu and a photographer collaborate on a mystery project to be announced later in the year. LYNX's project aims to help Australian guys express themselves authentically, supporting creators who stay true to their vision but might not always have the opportunity to do so. Check out LYNX's 'Expression Series' over here and stay tuned for the next project announcement later this year.
In self-portrait after self-portrait, Frida Kahlo was no stranger to giving the world a window into what made the artist tick. The Mexican painter didn't just create art — she bared her soul, especially in pieces where she stares back at audiences. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image has a similar intimate aim in mind, as aided by some of the icon's depictions of herself, as well as a treasure trove of her personal belongings. When it arrives Down Under in 2025, this will be Australia's latest celebration of Kahlo after the Art Gallery of South Australia's 150-work Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution showcase of Mexican modernism in 2023, and also Sydney Festival's multi-sensory Frida Kahlo: Life of an Icon the same year. That's quite the spread of places around the country that've been dedicating walls and halls to the artist, with Bendigo now joining them. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at the Bendigo Art Gallery from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13. [caption id="attachment_966475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.[/caption] Many of the artworks and items that'll feature have never been seen in Australia before. In fact, some were sealed for 50 years in her family home when Diego Rivera ensured that the site would become a museum after Kahlo passed away in 1954, and that her most-personal items were stored in the bathrooms away from public eyes. Objects such as clothes and makeup will make the trip to regional Victoria, as will mementoes and photographs. Accordingly, attendees will be peering at traditional Mexican garments, including a headdress from the Oaxaca region, that were worn by Kahlo; Revlon cosmetics, such as lipstick, nail polish and an eyebrow pencil; and hand-painted medical corsets that she donned following spinal surgeries. Appearances Can Be Deceiving, a self-portrait drawing that provides a view through her clothing to her corset x-ray style, is also a highlight. [caption id="attachment_966474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] La Casa Azul. Photograph by Sebastián Monsalve. © Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera Archives. Bank of Mexico, Fiduciary in the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museum Trust.[/caption] Arriving direct from the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico, Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image is exclusive to the Bendigo institution, so you'll need to make the trip if you're keen to explore what the artist's belongings and style says about her art. "This remarkable collection rarely travels outside Mexico, and has never before been seen in Australia. Kahlo's much-loved home, Casa Azul, now the Museo Frida Kahlo, was the embodiment of her art, philosophies and design influences," explains Jessica Bridgfoot, Director of Bendigo Art Gallery. "Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will shed a light on Kahlo's carefully crafted appearance in the world, and how her vibrant clothing, poetic use of makeup and adornment constructed her captivating public image, and also addressed global political issues, cultural identity and how her physical disabilities both defied and defined her." [caption id="attachment_966476" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cotton blouse embroidered with glass beads; satin skirt with chain stitch and floral motif embroidery; holán (ruffle) and guatemalan waist-sash. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] "Frida Kahlo: In her own image originates from the extensive investigation of Frida Kahlo's personal objects, found in trunks, wardrobes, drawers, bathrooms and cellars of the Casa Azul," adds Perla Labarthe Alvarez, Museo Frida Kahlo's Director. "The exhibition is a unique opportunity to learn about the Kahlo's life in a classical Mexican house which encompassed not only her personal world but so much of Mexican life and culture. These endearing objects help us understand the story of this complex artist with all her humanity, resilience and creative power." [caption id="attachment_966477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo, by Guillermo Kahlo, 1932 © Frida Kahlo Museum[/caption] [caption id="attachment_966478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Revlon compact and powderpuff with blusher in 'Clear Red'; Seal-fast nail varnish top coat; Lastron nail varnishes in 'Frosted Snow Pink' and 'Frosted Pink Lightening'; lipstick in 'Everything's Rosy'. Before 1954. Photo: © Museo Frida Kahlo - Casa Azul Collection - Javier Hinojosa, 2017.[/caption] Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image will display at Bendigo Art Gallery, 42 View Street, Bendigo from Saturday, March 15–Sunday, July 13, 2025. Head to the gallery's website for further details. Top image: Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © NickolasMuray Photo Archives.
If you're into theatre, Poppy Seed is a festival to keep an eye on. It's one of only a few events that support and fund theatre in Melbourne — indie producers who take part are catapulted into recognition with the three-year-old festival growing in popularity and weight each season. 35 theatremakers are part of this year's month-long event, taking place between November 8 and December 9. This year's gala kicks the festival off with Alexithymia, a performance by Citizen Theatre and A_tistic. It's made up of three shorter pieces that explore life as a woman with autism and tests the audience's emotional intelligence. Jean Tong's Romeo Is Not the Only Fruit is a tongue-in-cheek, politically satirical musical representation of what it means to be a queer woman of colour in today's world, and features a 'Dead Lesbian chorus' — you'll have to go along to find out what this entails. Hyperlocal performances are a highlight of this year's festival. BREAD CRUMBS sees Ruby Johnston and Benjamin Nichol bring the traditional fairytale narrative to a Dandenong setting where it explores the impact of domestic violence and gender roles in the form of a sinister black comedy. And set on Flinders Street, Lost: 5 showcases five short monologues exploring the persistent issue of homelessness in the CBD. Finally, there's Tandem, presented by Gravity Dolls. It's circus-meets-gameshow, as actors respond to the audience's decisions and actions to win each game. An example? Giant acrobatic Jenga, and Twister (but with performers acting as the mat). Poppy Seed takes place in four locations across Melbourne: Meat Market in North Melbourne, South Yarra's Irene Mitchell Studio, The Butterfly Club in the CBD and Chapel off Chapel in Prahran. Each show is $22–35, with bundles and gala tickets available through the website.
Fancy a frolic in the flowers before colder weather arrives? The Ballarat Begonia Festival is just the place, with the Ballarat Botanical Gardens featuring three days of begonias, sustainability and community good vibes from March 8–10. Throughout the festival, visitors can expect a host of free activities, entertainment and educational experiences for all ages. Headlining this floral extravaganza in 2025 is The Last Numbat – a large-scale, interactive performance installation controlled by 14 people at a time. Sharing a message of connection, community and environmental awareness, this is the first time the enormous marionette will be presented on Australia's east coast. Also on the program is a who's who of environmental educators, eco-conscious chefs and award-winning gardeners. Everyone's favourite green thumb Costa Georgiadis will bring his infectious enthusiasm for sustainable gardening, while admired horticulturalist Millie Ross will share her unconventional approach to gardening. Plus, lauded local chef Liam Downes showcases his paddock-to-plate philosophy, highlighting the region's culinary delights. Beyond the main stage, a special begonia display features more than 500 rare and unique varieties, the Garden of Giggles offers free puppet and comedy shows for kids, and the gardeners' market reveals a treasure trove of plants, flowers and garden gifts. Of course, there's also a great selection of food trucks, plus refreshing drinks served from The Boronia Bar.
Brunswick, say hello to Joey Smalls. A little older (and somewhat wiser) than her rowdy CBD brother bars New Guernica and Chuckle Park, Joey Smalls is set up for relaxing summer days in her cosy courtyard or snug winter nights in a booth. In other words, you probably won't be on the dance floor spilling your vodka sodas all over everyone here. This is a much more casual affair. At Joey Smalls, the design seems to sit somewhere between American diner and modern Melbourne, though the final result makes it hard to say. A cave-like formation surrounded by polished wood and an Americana specials board results in a strange mix of styles — but it works. An excellent roster of DJ's will likely be playing a range of soul, funk, house or hip-hop most nights of the week with the odd special event or performance. Huxtaburger are supplying the food with the simple burger menu that Melbourne knows and loves. There are a few surprises thrown in too, such as the okonomiyaki fries ($15), which are covered head to toe in Kewpie mayo, bonito, special okonomiyaki sauce and a sprinkling of seaweed. Regular Huxtaburger prices apply with a burger setting you back $9.50-$12 depending on how fancy you want to be. Interesting local and imported beers are available by the bottle and on tap. The cocktail menu, while not exactly unique, is full of cheerful classics that won't break the bank. The Chilli Coconut Margarita ($15) and Passion Palomo ($15) are both tasty options to go with, but it's the wallet friendly Smoke 'n' Stormy ($10) — a twist on the classic Dark and Stormy — that is the crowd favourite. Licensed until well past your bedtime, Joey Smalls is a welcome addition to Sydney Road.
Chapel Street got a taste of old-world European romance when Matteo Bruno (Hana, The Meatball & Wine Bar) opened the doors to his latest project in May. Named after Bruno's 93-year-old nonna, Ines Wine Bar is one of the most charming watering holes around, Euro-style street seating and all. Inside, the team at Techne Architecture have pulled together a warm, laidback mix of walnut, Italian marble and aged brass accents, to match a soundtrack of classic tunes from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles. In short: it's a space designed for unwinding. Having most recently honed his smarts at Ides and intimate Japanese spot Kappo, sommelier Raffaele Mastrovincenzo has designed a wine list of around 80 Italian, French and local varieties, with a Coravin system allowing for more interesting by-the-glass sessions. That said, Ines' cocktail game is equally strong, with Italian mixology whizz Stefano Cinelli showing off his knack for the classics — you're just as likely to find yourself dropping in for a sazerac or old-fashioned. Plus, buy a bottle of your favourite spirit and they'll even keep it safe behind the bar for your subsequent visits. Meanwhile, in the culinary corner, it's Euro accents all the way. Think a daily-changing selection of crostini, cheese and charcuterie boards, freshly shucked oysters and the croque signore, riffing on a French classic with the addition of aged prosciutto.
Winter is well and truly upon us, but that doesn't mean you need to lock yourself away. Melbourne's cultural calendar is as jam-packed as ever, with endless activities to coax you out into the cold. From ice skating in the CBD to getting dressed up and watching the ballet to hearty long lunches, there's no shortage of fun to be had in this city, which has a way of looking especially beautiful in the rain. And the best part is, you can do all of these very weather-appropriate activities with a drink in hand. So you don't miss out on any of these winter happenings, we've partnered with Tanqueray to bring you some top activities to tackle this season. HIT THE ICE AT FED SQUARE'S WINTER VILLAGE Nothing says winter quite like strapping on your skates, and there's no better place to do it than at Federation Square's Winter Village. This seasonal pop-up in the very heart of the Melbourne CBD includes an ice rink and a charming igloo village, as well as hot chocolate and dessert stations. After carving it up out on the ice, treat yourself to a late-night martini at nearby Juniper haven Gin Palace on Russell Place. Alternatively, 1806 on Exhibition Street boasts a killer cocktail selection. The gin-based options range from the classics (negronis and dry martinis) to something a little more special like the Red Snapper — a gin-based take on a bloody mary with sherry. SIP PRE-SHOW COCKTAILS BEFORE CATCHING A MUSICAL Hamilton won't arrive on our shores until 2021, but you can still get your Lin-Manuel Miranda fix this winter with Bring It On: The Musical. On stage at the Athenaeum Theatre from Thursday, July 11–Sunday, July 28, the Tony-nominated production will have you cartwheeling in the aisles as you relive your younger self's favourite movie. If you want to bring a little high-brow to this decidedly low-brow night of fun, stop by Melbourne institution Eau de Vie on Malthouse Lane for a pre-show cocktail. The Opera-inspired Carmen 23, made with Tanqueray No.10, fino sherry, rosemary and rosewater sounds fitting, don't you think? [caption id="attachment_722852" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] HAVE AN ARTY AFTERNOON THEN GO FOR A LAVISH LUNCH They're often described as the eighth wonder of the world. And, for the next few months at the National Gallery of Victoria, you can see them with your own two eyes. In town as part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, the ancient Terracotta Warriors are presented here alongside new works by celebrated contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang — a powerful contrast of Chinese art old and new. When you're finished, why not grab a tipple and a bite to eat at The Barre next door at the Arts Centre? The food is seriously moreish — think squid ink linguine, tuna loin tataki and charcuterie boards — and it's all perfectly suited to enjoy with a Tanqueray No.10 and tonic. TUCK INTO A LUNCH DEGUSTATION THEN HEAD TO THE BALLET Enjoy a feast fit for a king, or maybe a hare and Mad Hatter, at fine dining establishment Lûmé in South Melbourne. Its recently relaunched long lunch degustation is the perfect thing for a chilly Saturday afternoon, with barbecue pork glazed in black banana, pumpkin molé tart and calamari with coconut, cucumber and chrysanthemum as just some of the options on offer. To drink, you can't go past the Negroni Fizz made with Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla, mandarin orange and vermouth. Keep the whimsy going by taking in the Australian Ballet's magical production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, running at Arts Centre Melbourne from June 8–22. CELEBRATE WORLD GIN DAY What better way to kick off winter (aka gin season) than with a whole day dedicated to your favourite spirit? World Gin Day falls on Saturday, June 8 this year — the start to the Queen's birthday long weekend. So, in honour of this spirit and Australia's undying love for it, hit the streets and head to a Melbourne bar or restaurant for tastiest gin cocktail you can find. For an inventive tipple that can be enjoyed with some equally inventive bites, head to Saké on Flinders Street for the Berri Kawaii — this vibrant mix features spicy yuzu kosho shaken with sake and house-made berry jam. Or, if you'd like your gin served with a killer view on the side, head to Arbory Bar to sip a gin bramble, with creme de mure, lemon, blackberries and lemonade — you can order this as an individual drink or in a jug if the whole gin-loving crew has tagged along. But, if you'd rather keep things simple, make tracks to Garden State Hotel for a classic Negroni. Top Image: Gin Palace.
Public transport just stepped up a notch in France. Are you done with hair-pullingly long off-course commutes, but don't have the sweet funds for a ride of your own? The French city of Grenoble has found the perfect middle ground between two evils — electric, tiny, publicly-owned car sharing. Driven by Toyota's brand new, three-wheeled, Tron-like i-ROAD electric vehicle, the French city is trialling a new car sharing program called Smart City; designed to bring public and private transport together in one big planet-saving exercise. The City of Grenoble has teamed up with Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, EDF Group, Toyota and Citélib to put these ultra-compact, sustainable automobiles on the road amongst its current car sharing program. Basically, Grenoblians (yeah? Maybe Grenoblites?) pick up the Toyota EVs at one station and drop it off at another, kind of like NYC's Citi Bike or London's Barclays for cars. The tiny, tiny electric cars take up less space than those terrible, terrible pollution-happy 4WDs, so parking and traffic congestion loosen up while air quality increases. Two people can sit in tandem, if you're feeling like giving the Goose to your Maverick a lift. Even if you already own a car, the initiative is meant to get commuters to switch vehicles for the last leg of the journey into the CBD problem zone. Nice one, Grenobliers. The Toyota i-ROAD cars will zoom around Grenoble within the car sharing program for the next three years. Plans to bring the cars to Japan are underway, but no talks for programs in Australia or New Zealand have been had yet. And although these gloriously '90s-looking colour ranges... ...are slightly too similar to this... ...we're all for investing in sustainability, saving the planet one multicoloured faddish gizmo at a time. Via Inhabitat.
As Australians gear up for a postal vote on the issue of same-sex marriage, Melbourne City Council is showing its unequivocal backing of marriage equality by lighting up the Melbourne Town Hall in rainbow colours for the next two nights — just as it did in the wake of last year's Orlando nightclub shootings. Along with the municipal building's temporary makeover on Wednesday, August 16 and Thursday, August 17, the Council has also arranged a message in support of marriage equality to be screened up on Swanston Street's Young and Jackson Hotel's iconic rooftop sign for an hour from 11am today, and on rotation between Monday, August 21, and Sunday, September 17. We'll see even more of its endorsement in the coming weeks too, with local businesses offered window stickers backing the campaign. It all comes after Melbourne City Council last night endorsed a motion to campaign in support for marriage equality and to promote respectful dialogue surrounding the debate, with Lord Mayor Robert Doyle AC clear about the message they're hoping to send out. "When I think of Melbourne I think of equality," Doyle said. "I want Melbourne to take pride in its tolerant, welcoming, diverse culture. I believe all of our residents should have the opportunity to marry, if they wish." Melbourne City Council's a long-time supporter of marriage equality, having unanimously voted to back same-sex marriage back in 2015 and called on the Federal Government to legislate for it.
Moon Dog may have some brand spanking new digs in Preston, but its OG home is still welcoming punters on Duke Street, Abbotsford. The Brewery Bar might take on a pretty lo-fi appearance — it looks a little like the hard rubbish-filled shed out the back of your mate's Reservoir share house — but don't mistake it for a small-time operation. Moon Dog is already pumping out millions of litres of beer each year, and it's constantly growing. Sink into the thrift store couches and get comfortable because there are a lot of great drinks to sample. There are ten taps on offer, pouring classics like Old Mate pale ale and Love Tap double lager, and seasonal favourites like Cake Hole black forest stout, Splice of Heaven pine-lime ice cream IPA and Thunder Lips yuzu red IPA. Not to mention a wide-ranging, and ever-changing, selection of specialty brews and single kegs, plus cider, wine, spirits and cocktails for those after something that's not beer. Meanwhile, there's always free popcorn, a van serving (really good) woodfired pizza out the front, and regular free events like bingo nights and brewery tours. If this is the exact vibe you're after for a little shindig, the bar also has a Ballroom Oasis right next door that's available to be booked out for functions — to make all your hipster warehouse wedding dreams come true.
Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, you can't go on a holiday (locally or overseas). But, you can start dreaming. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. Among all of the dream jobs that everyone wishes they had, picking the globe's top stretches of sun, surf and sand sits up there with taste-testing new gins and trying out every bar and eatery in Tokyo. That particularly proves true whenever a new list of the world's best beaches is revealed — although, Australians can always pretend by heading to one of the high-ranking spots on our own shores. In FlightNetwork's just-announced 2018 lineup of the planet's best beaches, which ranks 50 idyllic locations, six Aussie spots made the cut. And, in news that will come as no surprise to anyone, the Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach came in at number two. It's the latest accolade for the picturesque Queensland favourite, which also came in second last year. Blinky Beach on Lord Howe Island also made the list, coming in at number 30, while Hyams Beach in New South Wales' Jervis Bay placed at number 33. Western Australia was responsible for two more of the country's top spots — with Lucky Bay at 35th and Cable Beach at 34th — and Tasmania's Wine Glass Bay rounded out the Aussie offerings at 44. If you're wondering which coastal oasis beat them all to first place, that'd be Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos. On a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, the picturesque spot has a shipwrecked boat on its sands, crystal clear waters and sunny weather approximately 275 days of the year. Alongside the World's Best Beaches, FlightNetwork released a list of the World's Top 50 Untouched Beaches — featuring Tasmania's Wine Glass Bay at fourth and Binalong Bay at 19th — and the World's Top 50 City Beaches, where Sydney's Bondi Beach got top gong, Surfers Paradise Beach came in at 11 and NSW's Manly Beach at 12. The picks were made by more than 1200 travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies, aka folks who work in the travel and beach trade, and therefore know their stuff. Thinking about taking your own trip to Whitehaven Beach? Check out our Outside Guide to the Whitsundays. Image: Damien Dempsey via Wikicommons.
Bluesfest has lifted the lid on its first artist announcement for 2018, and heading the stampede is a pair of legendary musical figures: Lionel Richie and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, who will play with his band The Sensational Space Shifters. Plant's performance at the five-day Easter long weekend festival just outside of Byron Bay will mark 50 years since he first performed with Led Zeppelin, so the gravity of the performance is sure to be pretty huge. Other acts taking to the stage Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm over the weekend include Aussies Tash Sultana and John Butler Trio, Swedish duo First Aid Kit and what will surely be a captivating set by José González. Bluesfest returnees Joe Louis Walker, Dumpstaphunk and Eric Gales are on there too. Anyway, here's the full lineup. Better start making Easter plans because tickets are already on sale. BLUESFEST 2018 LINEUP Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters Lionel Richie The John Butler Trio Tash Sultana The New Power Generation Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers First Aid Kit Jose Gonzalez Morcheeba Gov't Mule Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real The California Honeydrops Eric Gales Bobby Rush Dumpstaphunk Joe Louis Walker Rick Estrin & The Nightcats + more to be announced. Bluesfest 2017 will run March 29 to April 2 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. More details and ticket info here. Image: Andy Fraser.
For the past four years, gin lovers across the country have tripped over themselves to get their spirit-loving fingers on a bottle of Four Pillars' Bloody Shiraz Gin — and that's before they've even had a sip of alcohol. The limited edition shiraz-infused concoction really is that good, so we thought you'd like to know that the next batch goes on sale this Saturday, June 1. If you haven't come across the gin before, it's basically what it says on the label: gin infused with shiraz grapes. This gives the spirit a brilliant deep cerise colour and some sweet undertones (without a higher sugar content). That, along with its higher alcoholic content — 37.8 percent, compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin — makes the Bloody Shiraz Gin a near-perfect specimen. It can be used in cocktails where you'd usually use your regular gin, but we reckon it's best if you keep it simple with a G&T. Four Pillars created the game-changing gin back in 2015 when it came into a 250-kilogram load of shiraz grapes from the Yarra Valley. Experimenting, the Victorian distillers then steeped the grapes in their high-proof dry gin for eight weeks before pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin, and hoping like hell it would turn out well. It did. This year — after selling 50 percent of the company to beer behemoth Lion in March — Four Pillars has acquired more grapes from other Victorian wine regions to make more of the gin than ever before. Still, you'll need to move fast — last year's batch has completely sold out. The gin will go on sale for $85 this Friday, June 1 at selected bottle shops, in the Four Pillars online store and its Yarra Valley distillery (where the bar will be doing tastings). If you're lucky, you'll also be able to find it served at bars around the country. Godspeed. The 2019 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin will go on sale around the country for $85 on Saturday, June 1. Head to the Four Pillars website to buy a bottle.
Already boasting Yellowface author Rebecca F Kuang and Roman Empire scholar Mary Beard on its program, and tapping into two huge facets of 2023 in the process — one of the most-talked-about books of the year and one of TikTok's biggest memes — the 2024 All About Women festival has dropped its characteristically packed full lineup. Now in its 12th year, the Sydney Opera House event will span 24 sessions with 40-plus artists, and will again make its chats and panels available both in-person and online. All About Women explores gender, justice and equality, doing so as a concise one-day event on Sunday, March 10 after expanding to two days in 2022 and to three in 2023. Kuang heads to Sydney to chat about her satirical novel, which dives into cancel culture, cultural appropriation and diversity in the world of publishing — and Beard is coming to the Harbour City fresh off the release of her latest book The Emperor of Rome to explore misogyny, power, murder and gossip. From there, held as the week of International Women's Day wraps up, All About Women will see Grace Tame join a discussion about who controls women's bodies, which will also feature Indigenous social activist Tanya Hosch, tattoo artist Madison Griffiths and documentarian Tara Rae Moss. Miles Franklin-winning author Anna Funder will unpack the patriarchy, Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier's Marisa Meltzer will step through the beauty industry's changes, and Consent Laid Bare's Chanel Contos has porn and consent on the agenda. A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing scribe Jessie Tu is part of a panel about "sad girl" novels, The Wren, The Wren's Anne Enright will talk about her latest book, and stylist Aja Barber will examine fast fashion. Or, there's Barkaa and Steph Tisdell unfurling who gets to be an anti-hero in pop culture, plus Osher Günsberg in a discussion about parenting gender roles. [caption id="attachment_936209" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Currie-Richardson[/caption] Plus, life behind bars, influencer culture, storytelling as a way of creating social change, mothering on the margins and the role of gossip all feature in their own sessions. Among the workshops for folks attending physically: mindful journalling, candle-making, femininity through dance and supporting someone dealing with gender-based violence. Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas's Chip Rolley has put together the 2024 program alongside Clementine Ford, Nakkiah Lui and Bri Lee, each of whom have co-curated specific sessions. [caption id="attachment_929572" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Packman[/caption] All About Women 2024 takes place on Sunday, March 10 at the Sydney Opera House, and also stream online. Tickets for the full program go on sale at 9am on Thursday, January 18 with pre sales from 8am on Wednesday, January 17 — head to the event website for more details. All About Women images: Jaimi Joy / Cassandra Hannagan.
When the cinema powers-that-be finally decided to turn long-running and immensely popular stage musical Cats into a movie, they probably felt like the cat who got the cream. But once the film actually came into existence — once its first trailer hit, really — they likely felt more like they'd made a huge mess in the litter box. Thanks to awful CGI, terrible performances and a completely silly concept that was never going to work going to work on the big screen, Cats doesn't equate to movie magic. It certainly doesn't ascend to cinema's Heaviside Layer, either. And now the Tom Hooper-directed flick has the industry's least-wanted gong to show for it, plus a few extra not-so-shiny trophies. From its nine nominations at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards — the event's 40th ceremony — the musical picked up six prizes, including Worst Picture of the past 12 months. The Razzies also coughed awards Cats' way for Rebel Wilson for Worst Supporting Actress, James Corden for Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hooper for Worst Director, and both Hooper his co-writer Lee Hall for Worst Screenplay. As for the singing moggy-focused movie's sixth gong, it was given for Worst Screen Combo for "any two half-feline/half-human hairballs/cats". Also recognised were John Travolta for Worst Actor for both Trading Paint and the Fred Durst (yes, that one)-directed The Fanatic; plus Hilary Duff for Worst Actress for The Haunting of Sharon Tate — none of which hit cinemas Down Under. Rambo: Last Blood picked up the award for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, as well as another in the new category for 2019: Worst Regard Disregard for Human Life and Public Property. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws1YIKsuTjQ The Razzies doesn't just point out everything terrible in cinema from the past year — it also gives a Redeemer Award, too. Someone who once won a Golden Raspberry gets a prize for turning things around, and this year that that someone is Eddie Murphy. He's a Razzie favourite, winning Worst Screenplay in 1990 for Harlem Nights; Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Supporting Actor for Norbit; and Worst Actor of the Decade in 2010 for The Adventures of Pluto Nash, I Spy, Imagine That, Meet Dave, Norbit and Showtime. Now, he has the Redeemer Award for his excellent performance in Dolemite Is My Name as well. Check out the full list of nominees and winners below: GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2019: WORST PICTURE Cats The Fanatic The Haunting of Sharon Tate A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: Last Blood WORST ACTOR James Franco, Zeroville David Harbour, Hellboy (2019) Matthew McConaughey, Serenity Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood John Travolta, The Fanatic and Trading Paint WORST ACTRESS Hilary Duff, The Haunting of Sharon Tate Anne Hathaway, The Hustle and Serenity Francesca Hayward, Cats Tyler Perry (as Medea), A Madea Family Funeral Rebel Wilson, The Hustle WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR James Corden, Cats Tyler Perry (as Joe), A Madea Family Funeral Tyler Perry (as Uncle Heathrow), A Madea Family Funeral Seth Rogan, Zeroville Bruce Willis, Glass WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jessica Chastain, X-Men: Dark Phoenix Cassi Davis, A Madea Family Funeral Judi Dench, Cats Fenessa Pineda, Rambo: First Blood Rebel Wilson, Cats WORST SCREEN COMBO Any two half-feline/half-human hairballs in Cats Jason Derulo and his CGI-neutered "bulge" in Cats Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry (or Tyler Perry) in A Madea Family Funeral Sylvester Stallone and his impotent rage in Rambo: First Blood John Travolta and any screenplay he accepts WORST DIRECTOR Fred Durst, The Fanatic James Franco, Zeroville Adrian Grunberg, Rambo: First Blood Tom Hooper, Cats Neil Marshall, Hellboy (2019) WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL X-Men: Dark Phoenix Godzilla: King of the Monsters Hellboy (2019) A Madea Family Funeral Rambo: First Blood WORST SCREENPLAY Cats, screenplay by Lee Hall and Tom Hooper The Haunting of Sharon Tate, written by Daniel Farrands Hellboy (2019), screenplay by Andrew Cosby A Madea Family Funeral, written by Tyler Perry Rambo: First Blood, screenplay by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone WORST RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY Dragged Across Concrete The Haunting of Sharon Tate Hellboy (2019) Joker Rambo: First Blood RAZZIE REDEEMER AWARD Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum and Toy Story 4 Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers Will Smith, Aladdin
It's cold in Norway during winter. That shouldn't come as a surprise — and, given that it's both set and shot in the Scandinavian nation, neither should the thoroughly frosty look of The Snowman. From the film's opening image, nearly every frame is dusted with the kind of iciness that only comes from particularly chilly climes. And yet, when a cop connects a series of seemingly random murders, her big discovery stems from the fact that it's snowing when each death occurred. Viewers can be forgiven for groaning loudly when this revelation is made. Faced with a screen full of white flakes for two long hours, if you find yourself thinking "isn't it snowing almost constantly?" then you certainly won't be alone. If you also start to wonder how observing the weather passes for smart police work in the world of the movie, or who thought that'd make an interesting plot point, that's understandable too. Then again, the hero of The Snowman goes by the name of Harry Hole, so perhaps it's best not to expect too much of the movie around him. Spied sleeping in the snow more than once, Harry (Michael Fassbender) is the type of grizzled drunk of a detective that gets away with being intoxicated and unreliable because he's supposedly brilliant — not that The Snowman dedicates any time to explaining why that is. After his latest bender, he partners up with aforementioned snow-spotter Katrine (Rebecca Ferguson) to investigate the slayings of a spate of Oslo women. When the duo aren't piecing together obvious clues, Harry is wading through his snowstorm of a personal life, involving his kindly ex (Charlotte Gainsbourg), her teenage son (Michael Yates) and her new plastic surgeon boyfriend (Jonas Karlsson). Bad storytelling, bad monikers, bland characterisation, by-the-numbers backstory, barely interesting procedural drama: there's an avalanche brewing in The Snowman, and it's of the generic and cliched kind. Indeed, the Nordic noir does come with its own intriguing case to solve, though it has nothing to do with the on-screen narrative. Rather, the mystery surrounds how such a dull flick sprang from such promising pedigree. Directed by Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), scripted by Peter Straughan (Frank), Hossein Amini (Drive) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), and based on a best-selling book by Jo Nesbø (Headhunters), it's not as though the production is short on talent. A whole series of Nesbø's novels actually revolve around the unfortunately named Harry, although don't expect a whole series of films to follow suit. With Scandinavian crime a hit on the page, on TV and in cinemas, The Snowman is clearly designed to start a new detective franchise, but the final product will surely cause those hopes to melt. At least Fassbender proves suitably frosty, playing his part with a solemn demeanour and never threatening to thaw out. Alas, it's still not nearly enough to make audiences actually care about his character or anything that he does against the icy Norwegian scenery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jBaPtX6NYY
Seems we can't get enough of giant floating ducks. But this one could power an entire city. Hoping to make the city of Copenhagen carbon neutral by 2025, a crack team of British artists and designers (Hareth Pochee, Adam Khan, Louis Leger, Patrick Fryer) have pitched one quacker (sorry) of a multipurpose, sustainable energy-producing tourist attraction. Shaped like a giant sea duck and geared up to dabble in Copenhagen Harbour, the proposed 12-storey high structure has been envisioned in lightweight steel, covered top-to-webbed-toe in solar panel plumage. This futuristic duck's not just a planet-saving device though, it has public art aspirations. Collecting the sweet, sweet sunshine during the day for conversion, the 'energy duck' would become an art installation at night with LED lights snuggled within the solar panels. The LEDs are designed to march in time to the hydro turbines within the duck, choreography that reminds the city that sustainability is working while they promenade. Art-meets-sustainability design at its most novelty, the duck is one of the resulting proposals from the Land Art Generator Initiative, a genuinely great project fusing art and design for alternative solutions to renewable energy production. But why a colossal sea duck? First and foremost, the design gives a big nod to the city's local wildlife, whether the local ducks accept their new oversized friend or not. But there's science afoot in this ducked-up idea. According to designboom, the entire design hinges around the different H2O elevations within and without the floating vessel. The duck will store that sweet collected energy in its belly. When the city needs a little power boost, the base of Ol' Quacky is flooded to trigger the necessary amount of electricity for a national grid. Want to get a little closer to the supercharged aquatic adventurer? You'll be able to board, wander through and chill out in the duck's innards, checking out those wondrous PV panels and enjoying the fact that you're hangin' in a duck. Of course, the duck is still just a proposal, but as far as giant floating ducks go, this one seems the most permanent and planet-saving we've seen yet. Via Time and designboom.
Remember Piccolina's epic Gelato Project? Well, it's back for an even bigger, better third iteration. If you missed this last year, it's an eight-week partnership between Melbourne's much-loved gelateria and eight innovative local chefs, inviting this group of kitchen heroes to take over the specials board. The Piccolina Gelato Project will once again see eight Melbourne chefs each have a crack at impressing the masses with their gelato game. A different name will step up to the plate each week, teaming up with Piccolina's Sandra Foti to create three special flavours that capture the spirit of their respective restaurant — along with a healthy dose of personal flair, of course. That's 24 new flavours dropping. [caption id="attachment_905508" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Chef Coskun Uysal[/caption] This year features a diverse line-up of culinary superstars, from Ross Magnaye (Serai) and Nornie Bero (Mabu Mabu) to Charley Snadden-Wilson (Clover Wine). Others on the lineup include Ella Mittas (Author Ela! Ela!), Nagesh Seethian (Manzé), Ellie Bouhadana (Hope St Radio), Coskun Uysal (Tulum) and Brigitte Hafner (Tedesca Osteria). Piccolina takes a bit of a punt with this one. They give each chef free creative reign to drop flavour bombs on unsuspecting customers. For Uysal, that involves tapping into his Anatolian-Turkish heritage, with creations like chicken and milk pudding, and melon Raki sorbet with feta cheese and mint oil. "I strive to entice people to step outside their comfort zones and explore something different," Uysal says. "Although the flavour combinations may be unconventional, they work harmoniously." [caption id="attachment_891171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Piccolina, Social Quarter[/caption] Keep an eye out for Bero's week too: she's planning to use native ingredients like wattleseed, peppermint gum, rosella and quandong. "Given our core brand values of creativity, integrity and originality, we're thrilled with what the chefs have come up with and feel they have really taken it to the next level," says Piccolina founder, Sandra Foti. Roll into any Piccolina outpost to find these inventive desserts from Wednesday, June 21 to Tuesday, August 15. Images: supplied.
The gin-making superstars at Four Pillars are at it again, this month unveiling their first new creation to hit shelves since 2016. The latest addition to the Yarra Valley distillery's much-lauded barrel-aged program is the Sherry Cask Gin, which has just spent over a year in former sherry barrels, to lend a rich, intense character to the final drop. It's rounded out with notes of crushed coriander, pine needles and star anise, and infused with a small amount of Amontillado sherry to give some length and sweetness. According to the experts who made it, this one works well neat, or with sherry and orange bitters in a classic Tuxedo cocktail. Also launching this month is the 2018 edition of Four Pillars' Chardonnay Barrel Gin, which used to go by the name of Barrel-Aged Gin. This time around, the spirit's enjoyed a full 12 months in chardonnay barrels, giving characters of ginger and spice, and an oak-driven sweetness. The Four Pillars team is recommending this one over ice, or with a sprig of rosemary and a drop of honey. Both gins are available online or at selected independent retailers.
In the mood for seafood by the sea? This summer, you can get your fix when the much-loved Apollo Bay Seafood Festival returns to deliver a huge weekend of ocean-fresh goodness from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19. The Great Ocean Road food fest kicks off with a Friday night program of local feasts — including a dinner at Sandy Feet heroing seafood and bush tucker, and a nine-course degustation teamed with sensational views at The Perch Lavers Hill. The famed Harbour Day celebrations return from Saturday morning, descending on Apollo Bay Harbour for a jam-packed serve of food pop-ups and cooking demos — led by the likes of sustainable seafood chef Peter Hilcke and Rosa Mitchell of Rosa's Canteen. A seafood market will be slinging everything from abalone sashimi and octopus skewers to paella and piping hot scallop pies, while live tunes will have you kicking on until late. And passionate seafood aficionados will find themselves in great company on Sunday, as Richard Cornish and Hilary McNevin host the Conversations On the Edge panel. Hear from fishermen, chefs, ocean activists, First Nations experts and more as they share big ideas around how we can live more harmoniously with the ocean and its creatures. The day's chef lineup in particular is a cracker, featuring names like Brae's Dan Hunter, Jerry Mai (Pho Nom) and River Cottage Australia star Paul West.
UPDATE: JULY 14, 2020 — Aside from the pizza and tiramisu — which are delicious — Capitano in Carlton has drinks available for pick up and delivery. You can have a look at the full menu and order online here. The folk from Bar Liberty have proved themselves as masters of transformation with their newest offering. Their refurbishment of the dark Beaufort is a wonder to behold. The now light and bright interior features burgundy and cream walls, olive green banquettes, wooden tables and art deco light shades. You can sit up at the bar or down on the tables. The terrazzo floor tiles are beautiful. Perhaps they — in conjunction with the high ceilings — create a space where people feel the need to yell each other. It's loud at Capitano, but nothing a couple of acoustic boards wouldn't fix. The menu seems simple at first glance, with some cured meat starters, vegetable sides, pizzas, two pastas and two 'big plates'. But the dishes are not. A veal parmigiana with the bone in ($65) is expensive for its size, but complex and an interesting take on a classic. And the vesuvio with vodka sauce ($24) piques our attention immediately. If you haven't yet encountered it, vodka sauce is a bit of a classic in Italo-American joints, and this is an exceptional example. Served over al dente twirly pasta — vesuvio is named after Mount Vesuvius in Campania — this vodka-spiked tomato sauce is creamy, smooth, with just the right amount of richness. It feels like coming home to a cosy spot in front of the fire on a rainy night. But if you came for the pizza, you'll be happy with the pizza. The base is sourdough, fermented for 48 hours, and has just the right amount of chew. Plus, they don't go overboard on the toppings. Choose from a classic cheese pizza ($18) — to which you could DIY with new season onions, fennel salami, mortadella or anchovy — or go for one of the more complex options, the Tomato Pie ($18), for example, is incredibly tasty, with plenty of marjoram, garlic and cheese. Banjo Harris Plane — the venue's co-owner and sommelier — has created an enviable 100-strong wine list with excellent pours by the glass from Italian winemakers, and more local, but Italian, varieties. There are also eight cocktails ranging from sparkly spritzes to aperitivos, through to the dolce, which include a drinkable tiramisu ($20) — made with dark rum, marsala, coffee, biscuits and milk. Sadly they'd run out of the edible tiramisu ($15) by the time we got to dessert, but the large flat discus-like ones that passed our table looked impressive. That and the vodka sauce are good reasons alone to make a return visit. Images: Kate Shanasy.
Paris and Abu Dhabi might seem worlds apart in many ways, but come November they'll share a pretty significant cultural bond, as the Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors to the public. Set to launch on November 11, the museum will be unlike any other in the United Arab Emirates, pitched as "a universal museum that focuses on shared human stories across civilisations and cultures." It's a stunner, too, designed by acclaimed French architect Lean Nouvel and boasting a 7500-tonne, 180-metre high dome ceiling, set with close to 8000 metal stars. The intergovernmental project is globally significant, pulling together a diverse, 600-strong collection of artworks and artefacts from 13 of France's top cultural institutions, spanning prehistoric times to the present day. In a forward-thinking move, they'll be displayed chronologically, rather than with a focus on place, shining a spotlight on cross-cultural interconnectedness. According to the museum's director, Manuel Rabaté, the goal was to create "a place where visitors can come to understand their own and others' cultures. Its ground-breaking architecture complements a presentation of exceptional treasures that represent a snapshot of humanity's creativity, and paves the way for new discussions." Images: Mohamed Somji.
UPDATE, MARCH 18: Due to concerns around COVID-19, Disney has announced that The Woman in the Window will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, May 14, 2020. At present, a new release date has not been announced — we'll update you when one has been revealed. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. They start off in text, drawing in readers with their mysteries, twists and psychological thrills. They focus on women in murky situations, and make that fact known in their titles. Then, after literary success, they jump to the big screen. That's the path that Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train both took — for better in one case, for worse in the other — and now it's The Woman in the Window's turn. Based on the 2018 novel by AJ Finn, The Woman in the Window follows Dr Anna Fox (Amy Adams), a psychologist who also suffers from extreme agoraphobia. After befriending Jane Russell (Julianne Moore), the woman who lives across the street, she cries foul when her new pal disappears — but neither Jane's husband Alistair (Gary Oldman) nor the cops (including Widows and Child's Play's Brian Tyree Henry) are willing to listen. As well as firmly falling into clear genre — aka mystery-thrillers that reference women in their monikers — The Woman in the Window is obviously taking some cues from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. And, in the just-released first trailer, director Joe Wright (Atonement, Hanna, Darkest Hour) doesn't shy away from that comparison. Whether it's worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as one of Hitchcock's best films or suffers a fate closer to The Girl on the Train won't be discovered until the movie releases in May, of course. But, The Woman in the Window has amassed a wide-ranging cast, with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Avengers' Anthony Mackie and Wyatt Russell (Overlord) all popping up. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0hTmzISOlQ The Woman in the Window was due to open in Australian cinemas on May 14, 2020; however it'll now release on a yet-to-be-revealed date — we'll update you when one is announced.
Fast food doesn't seem all that speedy when you're sat in your car, queued nine vehicles deep and trying to get through a drive-thru that's at a standstill. For folks who want their finger lickin' good fried chicken as soon as possible, with minimal waiting and hassle, KFC has a new solution — its first drive-thru-only store. Moving away from the usual one-lane drive-thru model, the chain has just opened a five-lane drive-thru-only concept in Newcastle. The first spot of its kind in the world, it features three lanes for the pick-up of online and app purchases, as well as two lanes for regular drive-thru transactions. Customers can order and pay in advance, then whiz through and pick up their food, or choose on the spot and and then collect their chicken. The idea reflects the growth on online ordering, and endeavours to respond to the rise of home delivery services such as Deliveroo and UberEats. It also nods to an obvious truth — for many folks, eating in at a suburban KFC doesn't often cross their minds. For Broadmeadow customers who choose to order by the KFC app or website, they'll receive a four-digit code with their transaction, which they'll then enter on a touchscreen when they drive up. Whichever way Newcastle residents decide to ask for their fried chook, they'll still need to wait for it to be cooked — but the whole concept is designed to speed up the time between asking for a two-piece feed and snatching those drumsticks through the drive-through window. Of course, if you need something to listen to in your car while you wait, KFC has that covered as well. Last year, it launched KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. You can find the drive-thru-only KFC at 80 Lambton Road, Broadmeadow. It's open from 10am–midnight daily.
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, you don't need to alter your plans in 2020. While heading to the shops looks a bit different in these COVID-19 times — and going out for a meal is on hold indefinitely — Betty's Burgers is serving up plenty of prawns for the occasion. Combining four juicy fried prawns, the chain's special garlic mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato, Betty's new prawn roll is available for takeaway from its restaurants spotted across Australia. If your stomach is already rumbling, you can tuck into one for $15 — or order a meal for you and your housemate and get two rolls and two serves of fries for $35. You'll need to get in quickly, though, with the prawn roll only available for a week from Thursday, April 9–Thursday, April 16. And, if it's anything like the chain's lobster roll, expect it to sell-out — fast. Known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes), Betty's foray into prawns is also a celebration of its beachy roots. While you can now grab a Betty's burger at over 20 locations across Australia, including six Sydney outlets, four Melbourne spots, four Brisbane outposts, one Toowoomba eatery and one location in Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. Over the Easter long weekend, Betty's Burgers stores are open from 11.30am–9pm daily, with the following stores temporarily closed: Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street in Victoria. The rest of the chain's stores are open for takeaway and most of them offer delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo. To check what options your local has, head to the Betty's Burgers' website or download the app for iOS or Google Play. Betty's Burgers' prawn roll is available at all Australian stores — except Coomera and Pacific Fair in Queensland, Central Station and Market Street in NSW, and The Glen and Exhibition Street — for takeaway for a limited time. To order, download the Betty's Burgers app for iOS or Google Play. If you choose to pick up these burgers, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
When naming the world's highest-pressure occupations, one traditionally thinks of heads of state, air traffic controllers and emergency room surgeons. Kindergarten teachers would probably put their hands up, too, but one area that’s generally overlooked — mostly because it’s hidden away by design — is the kitchen of any Michelin-rated restaurant. These temples of fine dining and avant garde cuisine play host to the most talented chefs in the world, and to cook alongside them is — as one character in Burnt explains — like working with Yoda. But the privilege comes at a cost. Their genius seems almost inextricably bonded with arrogance and rage, an exacting expectation of excellence that permits no error or half-measures. Egos clash, tempers flare, reputations are made and ruined and all the while the wealthiest one percent sits just metres away, oblivious and impatient. To see Burnt is to finally peer behind this temple’s curtain and experience just a semblance of the chaotic magic within. The film stars Bradley Cooper as Adam Jones, a disgraced chef in search of his third Michelin star — the highest rating a restaurant (and hence its chef) can secure. Penniless and jobless, Jones is at rock bottom; a recovering addict of every imaginable vice and shucking one million oysters as part of a gruelling personal penance. Redemption beckons, however, so he procures a London restaurant from his friend Tony (Daniel Brühl) and attempts to assemble a team of the most talented cooks and sauciers available. The stakes may seem low, but placing an addict in a high-pressure environment haunted by both the demons of his past and the debilitating fear of future failure creates levels of Sicario-like tension throughout this film that rarely drop below ten. To make a non-wanky movie about a chef is an achievement in itself, but to also make it suspenseful is definitely worthy of praise. For the food lovers, Burnt features an absolute bucket load of cooking, mixing, sharpening, experimentation and close-up food porn — perhaps more than any other recent offering along similar lines (including, for example, Jon Favreau’s Chef). It’s also guilty of more montages than Teen Wolf 2, but — in its defence — they’re not making two minute noodles here. To watch beef brisket cooked sous-vide would be like watching water boil, in that — well — that’s exactly what it is, so the editing choices are forgivable. The dialogue is mostly snappy and the kitchen scenes are fast-paced and volatile, making the delicate creations they produce seem all the more inconceivable. In all, Burnt is something of a culinary action movie, and while several of its characters are admittedly lacking in narrative depth (most notably Sienna Miller as Jones’s gifted saucier), it’s still a cracking film and a fascinating glimpse into a rarely-seen world.
Putting a modern spin on the classic French bistro, Chris Lucas' Maison Bâtard celebrates Bastille Day with a series of French-inspired experiences spanning the four-level venue. To mark France's biggest day on Monday, July 14, the crew will be setting up outside the restaurant from early morning. Handing out 100 freshly baked mini batards, a cousin to the baguette, these individually wrapped delights are available for free from 8–9am or until sold out. Of course, we Aussies love our bread. However, according to some reports, the French consume around 320 baguettes every second or 10 billion annually. Ooh la la! Maison Bâtard is also ringing in La Fête Nationale with a special lunch menu that delivers solid value, or as the French say, bon marché. For $39 per person, choose from a selection of mains — le cheeseburger, soupe à l'oignon, or hand-cut eye fillet tartare — and enjoy alongside a glass of matched burgundy wine. When evening comes around, things get a little more indulgent. For $99 per person, dine on a two-course dinner inspired by three beloved French regions renowned for their culinary exploits. With each course matched to the wine, you'll have the chance to reflect on the character and terroir of the region's wares. The Bourgogne menu features French onion soup and a beef bourguignon pie, paired with pouilly-fuissé or bourgogne pinot noir. The Champagne selection includes pork and pistachio pâté en croûte, and rotisserie chicken with green olives matched with Moët & Chandon, Pharrell Williams Edition. Finally, the Loire Valley menu delves into the 'Garden of France', serving cured salmon with gribiche, and a cheese soufflé with pear and hazelnut, paired with wines from Vouvray and Chinon. Both lunch and dinner seatings include tempting optional extras, like pommes frites, oysters, and sticky date madeleines with crème de café. For those keen to celebrate Bastille Day early, Maison Bâtard's Le Club is hosting a supper-and-show series on Thursday, July 10. Seated in the sultry space beneath the restaurant, expect an evening of modern jazz with Raleigh Williams and her band, La Nuit. Meanwhile, a French-inspired menu and wine list provide the ideal accompaniment to this pre-holiday celebration. Maison Bâtard's Bastille Day series is happening on Thursday, July 10 and Monday, July 14, at 23 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information. Images: Griffin Simm / Alex Drewniak.
When it comes to choosing a type of wine, we've got our decision-making process down. If it's a lunch wine, we'll make it a white. Steak for dinner? Red it is. Hot days may call for a rosé. But now a group of Spanish entrepreneurs are set to throw a spanner in the works and disrupt the clear wine colour scheme we've grown accustomed to as the natural way of things. They've created a wine that's bright blue. We were so over rosé anyway. This futuristic new wine is called Gik, and it's been created by six young Spanish go-getters in collaboration with the University of the Basque Country and Azti Tecnalia (the food research department of the Basque Government). The wine's electric blue colour looks a lot like regret (aka Blue Curacao cocktails of the 00s), but, according to Eater, is actually made from an undisclosed blend of red and white grapes sourced from vineyards in Spain's Basque region. It gets its bright blue colour from the addition of anthocyanin (a pigment found in grape skin) and indigo (a dye extracted from the Isatis tinctoria plant). The wine is a sweet, easy to drink drop, and is evidently trying to shake up the traditional wine game. "Try to forget everything you know about wine," says a statement on the Gik website. "Try to unlearn the hundreds of protected wine designations of origin, the complex and demanding service standards and everything that sommelier said at a tasting course to which you were invited." The wine was launched in Spain last year and will be stocked in retailers in France, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany over the next few months. It may be a while until we see blue wine on our dinner tables yet though. Via Eater.
Perhaps your 2023 is off to a gorgeous start. Maybe you've broken your resolutions already. Whichever fits, a ray of sunshine is coming your way if you like Gelato Messina's decadent specials, the chain's frosty treats in general and all things red velvet. Behold Messina's new red velvet hot tub, aka its latest OTT creation — which is arriving just in time to add something sweet to your Valentine's Day. Messina's hot tubs are the brand's extra-special, always limited-edition treats. No, the word 'hot' doesn't reflect the required temperature. Indeed, in this case, the tub comes with layers of cream cheese gelato with red velvet cake and red velvet fudge, all to be eaten cold. On top: toasted red velvet cake crumbs, plus piped cream cheese chantilly. While the dessert is timed for the supposedly most romantic day of the year, who you share it and your Messina love with is up to you. Grab a spoon with your significant other, go all in for Galentine's Day instead, or treat yo'self to multiple days of pink- and red-hued gelato, cake and fudge — the choice is obviously yours. Tubs cost $40 each, and you'll need to place your order online on Monday, January 30. Because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand now staggers its on-sale times — so folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.15am, and New South Wales customers are split across three times depending on the store (with tubs from Bondi, Miranda, Randwick, Circular Quay and Surry Hills on sale at 9.30am; Darlinghurst, Brighton Le Sands, Parramatta, Tramsheds and Manly at 9.45am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 10am). Wherever you live, you can then pick up the red velvet hot tubs between Saturday, February 11–Tuesday, February 14. Fans of Messina will know that the gelato fiends are quite fond of making these kinds of indulgent — and supremely tasty — specials, after previously serving up everything from its the chain's take on the Viennetta, Iced Vovo gelato and lamington sticky scrolls to a scoopable Ferrero Rocher flavour, Basque cheesecake gelato and fairy bread cookie pies. Gelato Messina's red velvet hot tub will be available to order from on Monday, January 30, from 9am local time in Queensland and the ACT, 9.15am in Victoria and between 9.30–10am in New South Wales.
A longtime festival favourite among foodies, the Good Food & Wine Show, is back for its 2022 run. And, like always, the event packs a flavourful punch — there's the Good Food Village, which showcases artisan producers (with tastings galore); the Riedel Drinks Lab and its roll call of vino masterclasses; and The Kitchen by Harris Scarfe and its supercharged list of hospo heavyweights sharing their tips, tricks and favourite recipes. Here at Concrete Playground, good food and wine is our religion. We're up on the latest openings and frequent the delicious mainstays, we try out the hot-ticket ingredients (be it yuzu or alc-free liqueurs) and we happily attend events celebrating the tip-top of Aussie producers, dining venues and culinary talents. So, bringing it all under the one roof — with tickets for just $28 (or $35 with a tasting glass to keep) — is a sure-fire way to have us racing to plan a tasty itinerary for the day. After successful weekenders in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, the annual extravaganza is set to hit Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from October 21–23. This year is truly not one to be missed — read on for our picks at this year's shows. NOODLE SMACKDOWN AND DINNER INSPIRATION As someone who learns best by seeing things in action, I can guarantee you I'll be spending most of my Good Food & Wine Show at The Kitchen by Harris Scarfe. There'll be a bunch of live cooking demonstrations courtesy of well-known chefs sure to equip you with new kitchen tricks and some much-needed dinner inspiration. With so many incredible options available, it's tough to decide which class to attend. So far, I've got my eyes firmly fixed on Brendan Pang's Noodle Smack Down Street Food demonstration. Courtney Ammenhauser, Branded Content Manager A CHEESY WONDERLAND The food show is always a cheese wonderland, and tasting your way up and down Cheese Lane (and then up and down again) is a delicious way to spend your day — just mentally prepare yourself for those cheese dreams afterwards. Here are three little words that should get nearly everyone excited: cheese, chocolate and sparkling. This Good Food & Wine Show masterclass — hosted by cheese expert and owner of Smelly Cheese Project Valerie Henbest — is dedicating 45 minutes to the not-so-common pairing of cheese and choccie (with a glass of bubbles on the side), and is sure to tempt a crowd. You'll want to nab a ticket, stat, if you don't want to miss it. Sarah Ward, Associate Editor CULINARY STARS AND BIG, BEAUTIFUL BAROSSA REDS Since wine always tastes better when you know a bit about whatever the heck it is you're sipping, I'll be heading to the free palate appreciation classes at the Riedel Drinks Lab. The sessions are led by resident wine guy Nick Ryan and involve some expert tutelage, as well as tastings. In the midst of winter's chill, the class dedicated to big, beautiful reds is calling out to me. Libby Curran, Staff Writer A TICKET ESPECIALLY FOR THE WINE LOVERS First things first, I will definitely be nabbing myself a Wine Lovers Ticket. If you're into your fine drops, the extra dollars are well worth it — you'll take home a Riedel magnum tasting glass and an expert-selected bottle of vino, get exclusive access to back vintages and a tote bag to haul your goodies around in. The highlight in my eyes? Is it Really Better to be Single?, the punny wine-tasting masterclass that will have Nick Ryan chatting through the ins and outs of blending (and shining a light on why it's one of the most important skills in a winemaker's toolbox). A stop by the Good Food Village for a refuel by way of tastings and my day is made. Grace MacKenzie, Branded Content Manager EVENTS WORTH CROSSING THE DITCH FOR Confession: this is a hypothetical recommendation as I'm stuck over here in New Zealand and can't head to the show. But it may surprise Aussies to know that here in Aotearoa we are fanatical about MasterChef Australia. And no contestant has had an impact on me or my mother more than Brendan Pang during his tenures in 2018 and 2020. We were women obsessed. So, seeing him in real life whipping up dumplings and street eats during the Noodle Smack Down Street Food masterclass is absolutely worth booking flights across the ditch for. While I'm at the show, I'd definitely head to the Wine and Dine Tasting Room for Perfetto! Italian Food and Varietals, which combines two of my greatest loves: pasta and wine. Learning how to effectively match bold local drops to the diversity of Italian cuisine is almost as good as heading away on my own Euro-summer vacation. Almost. Sarah Templeton, New Zealand Editor Ready to start planning your tasty day out? Head to the website to explore the full lineup and book tickets. Top images: Jessica Wyld and Joseph Byford (last image)
Filling the shoes of now-closed CBD institution Ezard, is the first Melbourne outpost of Sydney's much-loved Mediterranean restaurant Nomad. Owners Rebecca and Al Yazbek have transformed the Adelphi Hotel's lower ground floor into Nomad's new 100-seat southern iteration, replicating the ethos of the original, while championing a whole new menu filled with local produce. Celebrated executive chef Jacqui Challinor has been working closely with Nomad Melbourne's new head chef Brendan Katich (Gingerboy, Ezard) to develop the eatery's signature offering, centred around house-made cheese and charcuterie (think, duck mortadella and trout basturma), and the kitchen's prized wood-fired oven. Fans will find just a handful of menu mainstays, backed by a lineup of brand new dishes, with plenty of locally-sourced meat and veggies cooked over flames among the mix. You're in for plates like baked jersey milk ricotta with ortiz anchovies and fire-roasted peppers, barbecued spatchcock finished with harissa and toum (Lebanese garlic sauce), and the dry-aged pork cutlet teamed with a salsa of golden raisins and capers. Dessert might see you tucking into wood-roasted pineapple cake elevated with yoghurt sorbet and rose el hanout. Otherwise, the $95 feasting menu features a generous parade of nine dishes to share. A sprawling wine list focuses on homegrown drops, with Victorian wineries and smaller producers given lots of love. And an extensive all-Aussie pouring list will rotate regularly, offering the chance to sample new wines with every visit, including premium creations served via Coravin. [caption id="attachment_832917" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharyn Cairns[/caption] Top Images: Interiors, Sharyn Cairns
How many of you can thank MasterChef Australia for your culinary awakening? Remember the first time you laid eyes on that glorious croquembouche and thought, "hot damn, I suddenly know what I want for my birthday and all birthdays evermore"? Even after ten seasons, MasterChef Australia continues to surprise us with weird flavour combos (thank you, Mystery Box) and increasingly wacky contributions by competitive guest chefs. So, in honour of the series that launched a thousand wonky dessert towers, we've rounded up ten of Melbourne's most unexpected dishes for those times when you want a culinary experience but don't want to demolish the kitchen. MEAT FRUIT, DINNER BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL A list of unexpected dishes would not be complete without Heston Blumenthal, the world's kookiest cook. The meat fruit has been around since the 1500s. And Heston's modern Meat Fruit has been around for a while, too, persisting in spite of the vulgar images conjured by its name. But, we digress. The Meat Fruit at Dinner by Heston is a wad of chicken live parfait and mandarin jelly, served with grilled bread ($38). Somehow, he makes it work — though how we could not say. And the thing is, the controversial Meat Fruit is only an appetiser, so that's really only the first surprise of many. [caption id="attachment_671355" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Shewry[/caption] ANT LAMINGTON, ATTICA Ben Shewry of Attica, one of MasterChef Australia's favourite guests, keeps you on your toes. Sure, it might look like he's just serving you up a lamington sprinkled with chocolate bits — but don't think you'll get off that easily. Those chocolate bits are actually spicy ants. Interesting? Yes. Delicious? You betcha. Likely to turn up anytime soon on your Krispy Kreme? Don't count on it. To experience a mouthful of ants, you'll have to nab a sitting at Attica in Ripponlea, which isn't that easy. Bookings open at the start of every month, and if you manage to get in, it's handy to bear in mind that an ant lamington isn't even the weirdest (or tastiest) thing you'll experience at chef Shewry's hands. LAMINGTON JAFFLE, BAD FRANKIE If you're after a spin on the lamington with fewer ants involved, turn to Bad Frankie in Collingwood. From its cute little bar just off Smith, it's serving up childhood favourites with a twist. The humble jaffle is transformed into a legitimate culinary delight and one of the most unexpected combos is the lamington dessert jaffle ($8). It has jam and cake filling, wrapped up in bread, fried, and coated in chocolate and coconut. Special mention also goes to the butter chicken jaffle ($8) that comes minus the chicken, too. While it's not super crazy, the kitchen has done what all of us dream to do — getting rid of the solids and drinking the sauce. [caption id="attachment_598217" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jo Rittey[/caption] ROAST CRICKET NOODLE SALAD, JETHRO CANTEEN Jethro Canteen famously made headlines last year for its alternative menu featuring cricket salad and camel's milk (among other things, of course). If you want something a bit different on your eggs benny, head over to Richmond and grab a side of crickets ($6) with your eggs. Or try the Vietnamese roasted cricket noodle salad as a main ($19), made with glass noodles, wombok, cucumber, crushed peanuts and tomatoes. Insect eating, officially called entomophagy, will only get more mainstream, so get ahead of the trend and put all thoughts of A Bug's Life out of your head. And for the record, the crickets are crunchy and delicious. [caption id="attachment_637921" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] DESSERT, SUPERNORMAL Don't let the name trick you — Supernormal is anything but normal. But while the entire Japanese menu is outstanding, we'd like to draw your attention to its dessert offering for maximum gasp-factor. It's chock-full of odd combinations of flavours from both east and west. We recommend the Japanese shaved ice (called kakigori, $16), served with toffee apple and hibiscus — what does hibiscus taste like? You'll soon find out. Alternatively, try the kakigori ($16) at sister restaurant Supernormal Canteen, here it comes with crème caramel, dulce de leche and popcorn. There are no rules for these desserts, so it's best to just sit back and trust. After all, Supernormal is home to one of our city's famous desserts – the peanut butter parfait. GREEN MATCHA BURGER, MATCHA MYLKBAR Matcha Mylkbar already has a reputation for its colourful menu and rainbow coffees. Blue algae, green matcha, pink beetroot, and yellow turmeric lattes aren't so unexpected on the outrageous Melbourne coffee scene. But, what's unexpected about Matcha Mylkbar's colourful creations are that they actually taste good. It's not a novelty that'll fizzle out, but a genuinely delicious alternative drink for people who don't do caffeine (or dairy). The algae latte ($9) is our favourite but only if you like sweet drinks. And the Matcha burger ($22) is in a league of its own — the salty, crunchy protein patty is the perfect companion to the slightly sweet matcha bun and generous slices of avo. CRAB CRUMPETS, HOLLA For most people, crustaceans and breakfast don't logically pair. Our sensitive western tastebuds and unsettled pre-coffee stomachs aren't ready for the the strong flavours of the sea. But hear us out on this: the crab crumpets at Holla are a stroke of genius. The crunch, the rich flavours, and the protein are a great way to start the day. And Holla's crumpets are not your on-special supermarket Golden six-pack. The crispy morsels come with soft shell crab, two poached eggs, avo and bacon crumb ($24) — it isn't what you might expect on to turn up on your crumpets, but it's so tasty we can suspend our disbelief. SAUTÉED PEARL MEAT, FLOWER DRUM Flower Drum is one of Melbourne's fanciest Chinese restaurants, so make sure you dress for the occasion. The menu is packed with traditional meat and seafood dishes that will boggle your noggin with unfamiliar combinations. But the pearl meat ($28 per person) appetiser is as unexpected as it is delicious. It's a simple dish of pearl meat sautéed with spring onions, garlic chives and asparagus. What makes it interesting is the texture of the pearl meat — it's like an oyster but with more substance. If you've never eaten it before, this is the place to do it. OYSTER ICE CREAM, BRAE Speaking of molluscs, Brae's oyster ice cream has rocketed to near-iconic status over the last few years — well, as iconic as an oyster can get. In an ever-changing environment that changes with seasonality, this item is always on the menu. Listed officially as the Iced Oyster, the dish comes immaculately presented and sprinkled in a rich green powder. The ice cream itself is sweet and salty and weird and will genuinely make your taste buds say, "wait, what?". The oyster ice cream is one of the more unlikely combos in Dan Hunter's repertoire, but the rest of the menu has a few surprises, too — the biggest one being that you won't know what you're eating until you get there. After all, a magician never reveals his secrets (or his menu, apparently). [caption id="attachment_625090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Grey[/caption] HOKKAIDO BAKED CHEESE TART, HBCT This savoury-sweet dish is a three-cheese shortcrust-encased tart. The cheese, while made with local produce, is based on the distinct taste and texture of the dairy products of Hokkaido. What cheese Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts uses exactly, is a trade secret. Whether you should eat this dish as an appetiser or for dessert, is also up for debate. But what's known for sure is these tart's popularity. Malaysia has gone nuts for it, and, since it launched its first store here in late 2016, Melbourne has been, too. Catch the latest season of MasterChef Australia from Sunday to Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten.
With its latest movie-fuelled event, Immersive Cinema is hoping that you've never felt like this before — and that you love Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a much-adored 1987 romantic drama. The second part is easy. As for the first, you might've actually stepped into this interactive Dirty Dancing experience back in 2019 when it first came to Australia. Who doesn't want to have the time of their life twice, though? For its second Aussie stint, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience is only heading to Melbourne, taking over the Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, 2023. If Francis 'Baby' Houseman can take a trip to Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills with her family, you can hit up the venue — and the Victorian capital if you're not a Melburnian — to get whisked away to the next best thing. Here, attendees will get plunged into the world of Dirty Dancing. Taking over the outdoor venue, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience won't just screen one of Swayze's biggest film roles, but will recreate the world of the popular film. That means that attendees will travel back to 1963 in spirit, check into the flick's setting, and enjoy a day of painting classes, volleyball, croquet, mini golf and — of course — dance lessons. You can probably also expect a stint of carrying watermelons, and definitely a dance showcase. And yes, it all ends with an evening screening of Dirty Dancing on the big screen. You'd be just a fool to believe that's all that's on the agenda. Actors and dancers will roam around like the wind and, food- and drink-wise, Americana-style eats will be available at 12 different dining spots, while seven pop-up bars will sling summery cocktails — all on offer for those with hungry eyes (and stomachs). Also, there'll be a dedicated watermelon stand, plus a picnic area among the rose bushes. You'll also be able to wander through recreations of Kellerman's famous fictional spaces. That includes the staff quarters where Baby Houseman gets her first taste of dirty dancing, as well as the studios where she learns all the steps from and starts swooning over Johnny Castle. Wherever you head, nobody will be putting Baby in a corner. Like the film version of Kellerman's, the event is also an all-ages affair — and everyone is encouraged to dress up like it's the 60s, but appropriate footwear for dancing is a must. Also, because no one had phones back in the 60s, it's a technology-free experience as well. The only screen that matters: the big one showing the movie, of course. Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience will take over Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, 2023. Ticket presales start at 10am AEDT on Monday, November 28, with general public tickets available from 10am on Wednesday, November 30. Images: Mushroom Creative House.
Whey isn't just something that's mentioned in nursery rhymes. It's part of the cheesemaking process, and can be used to produce whey cheeses, too. So, it's essential to make ricotta — which you might want to keep in mind while you're attending the That's Amore Cheese Ricotta Festival. For one day, from 10am–3pm on Sunday, May 1, the Thomastown spot is going creamy with delight over all things ricotta. As you walk in, you'll get a hot serving of ricotta calda straight from the vat. Then, enjoy live music as you discover the versatility of ricotta with a menu of four-cheese ricotta gnocchi, ravioli, porchetta rolls, fresh cannoli, antipasto and more cheesy delights to feast on. Plus, there'll also be a range of local produce available for you to take home. If your stomach is already rumbling (and understandably so), you have two ticket choices. For $12, you'll get access to the festival, plus a hot ricotta on entry — and then you'll pay for whatever else you'd like to eat and drink. Or, for $40, you'll also receive servings of gnocchi, salsiccia, and a Cannoleria cannolo.
Spring, plus light- to medium-bodied red wine: what a pairing. It's the duo that not only sits at the heart of Australian wine-tasting festival Pinot Palooza, but has helped the vino-swilling event become such a hit. The weather is sunny, the tipples are heady, and sipping your way through a heap of the latter is on the menu — including in 2023. Earlier in 2023, the beloved wine fest announced that it was not only returning for 2023, but also settling back into that coveted spring timeslot. Now, it has locked in venues and put tickets on sale. The Melbourne-born wine tasting festival will celebrate its 11th year by hitting up Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane again. To close out winter, it'll also make its debut in Perth. On offer at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth, Sydney's Carriageworks, Brisbane Showgrounds and The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne: more than 50 winemakers slinging their wares. Pinot Palooza will spread the party over three August days in Western Australia, as well as three October days in the Sunshine State. In New South Wales and Victoria, it'll be a two-day affair. In its decade of life until now, the fest has welcomed in thousands of vino lovers. Indeed, an estimated 65,000 tickets were sold globally before its 2022 events. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the popular celebration was shelved for two-and-a-half years, before making a comeback last year. The response? More than 12,000 folks heading along around the nation. 2023's vino-sipping fun will cover organic, biodynamic, vegan and low-intervention wines, and more. Set to share their tipples among producers from Australia, New Zealand and further afield: New Zealand's Burn Cottage and CHARTERIS; Small Island, Ghost Rock and Meadowbank from Tasmania; M&J Becker from NSW and Moondarra from Victoria. The food lineup will feature cheese, salumi, terrines, patê, olives and other perfect vino accompaniments, with Tasmania's Grandvewe Cheese and Victoria's Mount Zero among the suppliers. And, while Pinot Palooza is a standalone fest only across the east coast dates, in Perth it's part of an already-announced collaboration with cheese festival Mould. PINOT PALOOZA 2023: Friday, August 25–Sunday, August 27: Centenary Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth Friday, October 6–Saturday, October 7: Carriageworks, Sydney Friday, October 13–Sunday, October 15: John Reid Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28: The Timber Yard, Port Melbourne Pinot Palooza will get pouring around Australia from August–October 2023. For more information and tickets, head to the event's website.
If you're craving snacks in Melbourne's CBD at 2am, you no longer have to do the walk of shame to the Swanston Street Macca's or eat dirty dumplings on Little Bourke Street (again). That's because the Grossi family — the very same Grossis who have a slew of award-winning restaurants on Bourke Street — has opened Arlechin, a new bar that is shaking up Melbourne's bar scene by offering cocktails and fancy finger food from 5pm until 3am. You'll find this new late-night dining venture just behind Bourke Street down Mornane Place, an alleyway that has been tarted up with fairy lights and a large mural, the bins and outdoor toilet removed. The bar is halfway up the alley, the door marked by a lone candle in a jar. Push open the black steel doors and walk into a small 40-seater space that looks like it picked up design tips from an Italian confessional or a castle wine cellar on its way to Melbourne. The statement vaulted ceiling is covered in cork tiles, which are lit by spotlights and dramatic hanging lights, and black steel walls outline the space, with the occasional gap revealing the seemingly endless bottles of wine hidden behind them. It looks like somewhere you'd share midnight secrets — hidden in a booth off to the side — so it's kind of disappointing when a black-clad staff member directs you to one of the bar tables and stools cluttered around the open space. But it's probably best to save your secrets for another venue, as the loud music, which occasionally delves into club house vibes, doesn't really facilitate whispering. What the venue does facilitate is drinking — and eating — well. The guns from Romeo Lane consulted on the cocktail list, and it shows. Although the cocktails are often on the sweeter side, they always hit the spot, like the Bee's Fix ($19), which tastes like a fancier version of eggnog. The cocktails are all reasonably priced, too, between $16–$20, which is unexpected when the short list of wines by the glass also hovers around the same price. There's an extensive list of wines by the bottle, for those looking to confess their sins long into the night. The menu is just what you'd expect from a Grossi bar, traditional meets fun on snack-sized plates – although, unlike the cocktails, the food doesn't always hit the sweet spot. The saffron risoni with bone marrow ($12) is subtly moreish; the jaffle bolognese ($10) tasty, but not the rich bite of comfort we were expecting; and the sloppy joe ($6) is an underwhelming twist on the classic with cod. At only a few months old, Arlechin feels comfortably Melbourne, settled into the town in a way that bodes well for its longevity. Although there are a few kinks to iron out, we have no doubt that generations of Melburnians will wash up in the bar in the early hours of Sunday morning in years to come, ready to confess their Saturday night sins over cocktails and a sneaky plate of midnight pasta.
Christmas movies and daytime television may suggest pulling off the perfect (or near to perfect as humanly possible) Christmas dinner is one of the seemingly simplest tasks of the season. That, friends, is bullshit. But, on the flip side, these days you don’t need a managerially trained brain, a through-the-generations-tried-and-tested menu and days upon days of free time to ensure your St. Nick celebrations are just that: a celebration. If you’re leaving your plan of attack to the last minute, here’s how to hit the mark, in style. THE MENU We’re hoping you have at least 24 hours of preparation time with this one, as you probably shouldn’t be hosting a dinner if you think Christmas day is a suitable time to go shopping. But, saying that, it’s definitely a case of earlier the better when it comes to getting the good quality meat in. Hudson Meats (available in both NSW and Vic), have a super simple online ordering form that takes a few minutes to fill in and offers a whole range of their genuinely delicious produce. Christmas cut-off will be dependant on individual butchers (the Sydney Surry Hills store, for example, tells us they’ll take orders up until Monday 22nd), but definitely call ahead as they will be totes biz. Queenslanders out there will do well to get in touch with Jack Purcell Meats: these guys have special maple-infused hams and turduckens available too. If, however, you’re opting for the supermarket frozen bird or pig, then all you need is a decent recipe. Google comes up with some brilliantly simple ones, but in the name of tradition, sometimes it pays to get a little help from our neighbours. British culinary icon, Delia Smith, or Saint Delia to many, offers a fail-safe turkey recipe that not only addresses the potential trauma of cooking with an audience but also guides you step-by-step until serve-up. Her five-ingredient chocolate torte is also mind-blowingly rich and just as simple. For veg, this recipe from another Brit, Jamie Oliver, has a built-in Woolies app so you can shop for the goods at the same time. Too easy. THE DRINKS Of course no Christmas is complete without breakfast Champers and (responsible) drinking. Anyone stockless out there needs to turn their attention to WineMarket. This national wine producer specialises in all kinds of alcohol from top-of-the-range Penfolds to pale ales and mixed cases in the single-digit price range per bottle. Plus, these guys have just launched their FastCase shipping, which on certain selections means delivery in as little as one day or less for Sydney metro and two days for Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide. The Christmas Stock-Up packages are unsurprisingly your best bet, as not only are there gold medal winners in there to tipple on but you can also get a free bottle of Mumm Champagne or Johnnie Walker Blue Label all for less that $100. But don’t let us take all the fun out of booze shopping; there are heaps of decent offers available as well as individually presented gift sets so any unexpected visitors or forgotten recipients (hey, it happens to us all), can get something nice, already packaged (for delivery cut-off times, see their website). THE TABLE Now all that’s really left is the table, and mark our words, this is just as important as the food and drink. But you don’t have to have a passion for interior design or flair for festive macramé to ensure your guests feel at home and happy. All it takes is a little creative thinking. If you’re entertaining in the double figures and have to push tables together, think about a T shape instead of one long table, as this allows conversation to flow better. We also suggest keeping all the food in the kitchen and serving up buffet style (leaving more room for glassware on the tables). For décor, simple is the best, especially for the time poor, so try to keep the theme easy. Avoid Christmas-themed crap at all costs, saving both money and time, opting instead for an ironed tablecloth and a beautiful bunch of flowers in the centre of the table. If you have nice napkins, pour yourself a glass of bubbly and iron them too (from damp). This speeds up the pressing process and honestly, ironed Manchester speaks volumes about your hosting skills. Personalisation also rules so write down everyone’s name on those extra gift tags lying around. Then simply tie them to something delightfully Christmassy, like a tree decoration (warning, baubles will roll), and hey presto: cute little place tags. And finally, Christmas crackers are undeniably fun, but they’re always full of something cheap and nasty. Why not do something a little more meaningful this year, and before dinner, take it in turns to say something you love about each other? It might seem a little corny, but hey, is there really a better time to share the love than old Noel? Now all that’s left is to turn the Sufjan Stevens Christmas playlist on loop, throw some tea lights around and wait for the guests to turn up. Christmas dinner done, without the fuss.
Walk into Melbourne's Napier Quarter, and you'll smell the aroma of coffee. Just don't expect to leave with a cup in your hand. The Fitzroy cafe is doing something that might seem at odds with today's always-caffeinated, always-on-the-go culture: it's phasing out takeaway coffees. There are two reasons for the Napier Street hangout's decision, and the first is exactly what you'd expect. At a time when reusable and recyclable takeaway cups are gaining prominence — including a world-first reusable cup made from recycled coffee cups — Napier Quarter is going one step further and eliminating the source of potential waste altogether. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgCQlWgES7/ As stated in Napier Quarter's December 18 Instagram post, the other reason is all about getting Melburnians to slow down and actually enjoy their chosen brew, rather than drink it in a hurry. That queue of people usually hovering around any cafe counter, waiting for their orders so that they can walk straight out the door? Soon, you won't find that here. Napier Quarter also announced that you'll now be able to enjoy a flat white in-house for $3.50. Find Napier Quarter at 359 Napier Street, Fitzroy. Image: Brook James. Updated: December 20, 2019.
Since you're reading this, we bet you love sippin' a cheeky marg — on a hot day, after a long day at work or when you're celebrating something special. It's a classic for a reason. But, like when reading a good crime fiction novel or watching the latest bingeable TV show, we love an unexpected twist from time to time. So, to celebrate International Margarita Day on February 22, we've teamed up with Patrón tequila to share these three recipes that'll help you mix things up. Whether you want to make the most of seasonal produce or test your tolerance for chilli, these tipples will do the trick. Want to leave it to the pros? Patrón is also giving away complimentary margaritas for the entire month of February at a bunch of bars around the city. Head here to claim your free tipple. PINEAPPLE MARGARITA Have your plans to escape to a tropical oasis been thwarted by border closures? We get it. But there's no need to cry — that's how you get sunscreen in your eyes. Instead, conjure those island vibes with this sweet concoction. Ingredients 45ml Patrón Silver 25ml Dekuyper Triple Sec 20ml lime juice Three cubes of fresh pineapple Method Muddle pineapple in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add all other ingredients in and add ice. Shake hard and double-strain into a chilled coupette. Garnish with a wedge of pineapple. SPICY MARGARITA We all know how well a classic margarita pairs with spicy food. Perhaps that's why we have two hands, so we can hold a margarita in one and a taco in the other. Here, you can cut out the middle man and get the spicy kick straight from your drink. Just don't use that free hand to text your ex. Ingredients 45ml jalapeño-infused Patrón Silver (see note) 15ml fruit or vegetable puree (blood orange, mango or fresh beet) 90ml lime juice Salt Lime wedge and sliced jalapeño to garnish Method Combine infused Patrón Silver with your choice of flavour puree and lime juice over ice in a shaker. Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Note: To make the jalapeño-infused Patrón Silver, add two whole jalapeños cut down the middle and deseeded into one bottle of Patrón Silver. Let rest for 12 hours. WATERMELON BASIL MARGARITA Lucky us. We get to celebrate International Margarita Day in the heart of summer, so we have excellent seasonal produce at our disposal, including watermelons, to jazz up our cocktails. Shake this sweet and colourful tipple up on the next sunny day and try not to boast too much to your poor mates shivering away in the northern hemisphere winter. Ingredients 45ml Patrón Reposado 30ml fresh watermelon juice or puree 30ml fresh lime juice 30ml agave nectar Three basil leaves (or basil simple syrup) Watermelon wedge or dehydrated lime wheel for garnish Method Combine all ingredients (except the watermelon wedge/lime wheel) in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a glass. Garnish with a basil leaf and wedge of watermelon or a dehydrated lime wheel. To score a complimentary margarita courtesy of Patrón throughout the month of February, head over here.
After a horror run over the last three years, another major cancellation has hit the Australian festival scene. This time, The Grass Is Greener has been forced to cancel its new Canberra and Geelong gigs, and four of its acts won't be appearing at the remaining Gold Coast and Cairns dates. 2023 was slated to be a big year for the fest, which made its debut in Cairns back in 2016. This year, it was due to expand outside the Sunshine State, including heading to Canberra and Geelong as part of its planned four-date run — and, it had locked in multiple international headliners. The festival has sadly had to scale back last-minute, citing a range of reasons including weather forecasts, rising costs and the event industry post-COVID. "The reason for cancellation doesn't rest upon a single factor. Rather, it's related to the culmination of multiple elements that have affected not only us but our industry partners and siblings across the entire event industry in the COVID/post-lockdown period," a statement from The Grass Is Greener team reads. [caption id="attachment_856350" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Curdin Photo[/caption] The statement continues: "From an event standpoint, especially heading into these new markets, a festival team relies on certain milestones to enable us to run events successfully. What's more, the weather warnings we're receiving from Canberra and Geelong have also played a large role in this decision. While the shows were selling slower than predicted, we still had full intention of seeing them through — loss or otherwise. However, when coupled with the chance that sites might not even be built due to the impending weather, we knew we had to make a call as soon as possible." While this is sad news for those in the ACT and Victoria, it's not all doom and gloom. The festival will still be going ahead in the Gold Coast on Saturday, October 22 and Cairns on Saturday, October 29 with the likes of YG, PNAU, Alok, Wafia, Boo Seeka and Wongo. ONEFOUR, Ty Dollar $ign, Zhu and Maya Jane Coles have dropped off the bill, however, and won't be playing the Gold Coast or Cairns. [caption id="attachment_856349" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] Refund information for folks with tickets for the two cancelled dates will be made available in the next 7–14 days, or Canberra and Geelong ticketholders can use their tickets to gain access to the Gold Coast and Cairns festivals. The festival's statement also mentions that tickets will be valid for YG's Melbourne sideshow on Monday, October 31. YG was billed to appear with Ty Dolla $ign at his Margaret Court Arena show on that date. Be sure to check the festival and YG's Instagram pages for up-to-date info on this sideshow. [caption id="attachment_812356" align="alignnone" width="1920"] PNAU. Image: Pat Stevenson[/caption] THE GRASS IS GREENER 2022 LINEUP: Alok Aluna Boo Seeka Brux Crush3ed Little Fritter Wongo Market Memories Mood Swing & Chevy Bass Pnau Sidepiece Sticky Fingers TDJ YG + more THE GRASS IS GREENER 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 22 — Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast Saturday, October 29 — Cairns Showgrounds, Cairns The Grass Is Greener has cancelled its Geelong and Canberra dates. It will now hit the Gold Coast and Cairns with reduced lineups this month. Head to the festival website for more information. Top image: Mitch Lowe.
So far, 2020 has dished up some tough times all round and you're probably busy hunting for ways to up your quota of good days. Sydney couple Jacob Leung and Sarah-Jane Ho certainly were, but they've now landed on the answer. The pair has dreamt up a nifty cure for the pandemic blues with their new feel-good online gift store, Good Day People. This local-loving business is reimagining the humble gift hamper, swapping out the standard bath soaps and boring bickies for fun, quality goodies, and finishing it all off with some bright, mood-boosting packaging. It's serving up a smart edit of gifts and themed gift packages you'd actually want to receive, heroing small Aussie businesses and doing some good for the environment at the same time. If you're forever left stumped by that fussy friend who's 'impossible to buy for', consider this a treasure trove. You'll find 36 different hampers at the moment, including one for 'Gourmet Greg' — packed with Drunken Sailor relish, Maya Sunny honey, a bottle of local wine, Olsson's sea salt and some Bramble & Hedge nougat — and, for 'Perky Pam', an assembly of Bottl(ed) cocktails, Grandvewe sheep whey gin, a pack of cowhide coasters from Mr and Mrs White and Hey Tiger Fairy Wings vegan milk chocolate. The 'Casual Clare' curation comes stocked with some Wondaree macadamias, Poor Toms gin and bottles of Strangelove tonic; while other hampers might star the likes of Noble's luxe maple syrup, batched negronis, Mayde teas, boozy treats from Love Can, a Horse watch, or Hey Bud's moisturising hemp facial mask. There's even a pack for 'Pregnant Polly' including some all-important booze-free rosé. With this lot, it's a safe bet you'll be making someone's day a very good one. Prices start from an easy $49, ranging up to $359 for the top-of-the-line collection. You can say goodbye to the cardboard box and cellophane situation, too. These gift hampers come packaged in your choice of five funky printed cans, splashed with bold colours and cheeky messaging. And as an added bonus, Good Day People also carbon offsets its deliveries, so that ol' planet of ours can have a good day as well. Check out the Good Day People online store to shop the full range of hampers.
It might come as a surprise, given Australia's questionable internet speeds, but Melbourne has claimed the ranking of tenth smartest city in the world, with Sydney snapping at its heels in spot number 12. Headed up by international parking app company Easy Park, the 2017 Smart Cities Index analysed 500 cities worldwide, ranking the top 100. Other Australian cities that made the cut were Perth at number 41 and Adelaide at number 61. The key factors used in the study looked at digitalisation (including 4G connectivity, access to Wi-Fi hotspots and high smartphone usage) and knowledge-based mobility and transport (considering the prevalence of ride-share apps, smart parking and traffic sensors). Sustainability, online access to government services, and significant levels of citizen participation were also taken into consideration. Over 20,000 urban planning and technology experts were then asked to provide opinions about their own cities. Melbourne scored highest of all the countries for 4G connectivity, with Sydney and Perth making up the rest of the top three. Melbourne and Adelaide also ranked especially well when it came to citizen participation. Unsurprisingly, no Australian cities broke the top 20 for internet speed. While San Francisco topped the class with a perfect score of 10, Melbourne ranked number 26, with Sydney at 29 and Perth clocking in at 31. See the full table of results for the 2017 Smart Cities Index here. Photo via Wikimedia.
The first half of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby is every bit its director, and is to be endured rather than enjoyed. Set during America's economic boom of the 1920s, the action is cartoonish, the dialogue is almost devoid of nuance and the lavish parties appear dull despite all the sparkles in the world — a regrettable triumph of impeccable style over substance. Apologists may argue this merely reflects Gatsby's time and theme: a shallow, superficial facade to reflect its characters and their unapologetic opulance, but that is too convenient. Simple regard to Luhrmann's history reminds us that exaggerated spectacle is every bit his custom, not a carefully chosen device, and his fondness for juxtaposing period drama with modern music (the soundtrack was produced by Jay-Z) proves more distracting than entertaining. Matters improve immeasurably, however, in the second half when Luhrmann begins to explore his favourite theme of forbidden love twixt star-crossed lovers. Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom and Romeo & Juliet all hit their highest notes when the pagentry gave way to the intimate, and Gatsby is no exception. The stolen moments between its protagonist Jay (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Daisy (Carey Mulligan) are appropriately tender but ominous, presided over with a mix of fascination and regret by the film's narrator Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). To borrow from Fitzgerald, these few quiet moments are — compared to the 'rotten crowd' of the first hour — worth more than the lot of them put together. From a performance standpoint, the women definitely come out on top. Mulligan is utterly charming as Daisy, consistently allowing her character's fragility to worm its way to the surface before masking it with a disarming smile, and Isla Fisher is unrecognisable as the mistress of Daisy's husband Tom (played by Joel Edgerton in yet another impressive turn). Most captivating of all, however, is the statuesque Elizabeth Debicki, who commands the eye in every frame of film she occupies. In terms of the men, Maguire's doe-eyed exuberance is endearing enough, though at times it strays almost to the point of clowning, and Jason Clarke provides a nice cameo as Fisher's dim-witted husband. In the role of Gatsby, DiCaprio looks every bit the man whose smile "was one of those rare [ones] with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you come across four or five times in life", yet his performance feels largely wooden and unnatural. It's as if the words and accent are not his own, particularly in the first half where they seem so apart from his body as to invoke uncomfortable memories of Tom Hardy's Bane. Ultimately, it's far from the disaster indicated by some of its early reviews, particularly those that labelled it a 'two-hour music video', and there's no denying Luhrmann has a flair for engaging the senses with his extraordinary vision. That said, The Great Gatsby largely departs from the memory almost as quickly as it arrives, an impermanent and largely uncritical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's beloved take on the infirmity of the American Dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ozkOhXmijtk
With summer waiting just around the corner, it's time to start plotting how to cram those warmer months with as many openair live music experiences as possible. And here's some more musical goodness to add to your hit-list: the return of Arts Centre Melbourne's concert series Live at the Bowl. Returning to the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl from Wednesday, January 4–Saturday, March 11, the sonic celebration is set to deliver a hefty lineup of local and international talent to start your year off right. And it all kicks off with a couple of huge gigs from UK rockers Arctic Monkeys. Other international stars set to grace the stage include indie-folk legends Bon Iver, German DJ Boris Brejcha, New Zealand's Lorde and US singer-songwriter Kehlani, while Savage Garden's Darren Hayes is descending on the Bowl for a special solo show. [caption id="attachment_875625" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kehlani[/caption] The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's signature free concert series will also return, this time delivering a celebration of Tchaikovsky, a dedicated showcase of Melbourne artists and a performance of Prokofiev's Carmina Burana. The much-loved dance tunes-meets-classical music mash-up that is Synthony is back with a new show on February 17, paying homage to the past three decades of club sounds with tracks by Disclosure, Eric Prydz, Flume, Calvin Harris and more. [caption id="attachment_875626" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Midsumma Extravaganza, by Suzanne Balding[/caption] And on January 21, comedian Joel Creasey and RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under legend Kween Kong will host the star-studded queer fiesta known as Midsumma Extravaganza. Taking the stage for this huge night of fun, you'll catch comedians including Nina Oyama, Rhys Nicholson and Scout Boxall, as well as a sparkling cast of musical talent such as Courtney Act, Tina Del Twist, Kira Puru and Dolly Diamond. There'll also be a riotous tribute to the late drag icon Miss Candee, featuring an ensemble of 22 drag artists recreating the star's best-loved moments and songs. [caption id="attachment_875627" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MSO's 'Carmina Burana', by Mark Gambino[/caption] Live at the Bowl returns to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl from Wednesday, January 4–Saturday, March 11. To check out the full program of events and nab tickets, head to the Arts Centre Melbourne website. Top Image: Ian Laidlaw
Following on from the success of his Collingwood debut, acclaimed French boulanger Gontran Cherrier has opened a second Melbourne bakery in Hawthorn. Focusing on take-away bites — with a small sit-down space for those eager to eat in-store — it's the latest addition to the fourth-generation baker's growing pastry empire. For those new to Cherrier's tasty wares, he was sent to the prestigious Ferrandi Culinary School when he was 16, and then went on to study in Paris at the Les Grandis Moulin de Paris bakery and patisserie school. It's no surprise then that, after opening his first boulangerie in Paris in 2010, he has since swiftly expanded into Singapore, Japan, Korea and now two spots in Australia. Filled with light and featuring a stripped-back look, the new Glenferrie Road store boasts a hefty array of flaky, buttery deliciousness — including his classic offerings, as well as three new savoury danishes of the chorizo, tomato, smoked paprika and fetta; zuccini and fetta; and, egg, ham and gruyere varieties. With everything else staying the same, this means that the flour is still Gontran's favourite Label Rouge, which he sources from the french region of Auvergne, and the croissants are still small, dense and chewy. Maintaining the quality of the traditional product, Cherrier is known to then add unique and unexpected flavours into the mix, so if you want to try something a little out of the norm, the miso rye bread or lemon yuzu tart are good places to start. In Cherrier's mind, "freshly baked bread, made from French flour is one of life's greatest pleasures." This is something you're probably already well aware. What you mightn't know is that French flour is much more digestible than other alternatives, which means that it won't leave you bloated or uncomfortable. Recognising Glenferrie Road's community feel, the new boulangerie also hopes to collaborate with local businesses further down the line. Find Gontran Cherrier at 696 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Head to their website for further details.
What stars Selena Gomez (The Dead Don't Die), Steve Martin (It's Complicated), Martin Short (Schmigadoon!), the ageless Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), and the one and only Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up)? What's arriving to add a bit of murder, a new mystery to solve and plenty of laughs to your winter? That'd be season three of Only Murders in the Building, which has locked in a date for its eagerly awaited premiere: Tuesday, August 8. "Is this really happening again?" asks Oliver Putnam (Short) in the first teaser trailer for the new batch of episodes. "Well, you know, who are we without a homicide?" replies his neighbour, fellow murder-mystery buff and co-podcaster Mabel Mora (Gomez). Clearly, this hit sleuthing comedy will be back doing what it's always done, and well, since season one made it one of the best new shows of 2021 and season two put it in the best returning category in 2022. This time around, Mabel, Oliver and Charles-Haden Savage's (Martin) will still be bantering while solving a murder. Given that season two ended with another big death, the latter won't come as a surprise — and neither will the victim. From the initial sneak peek so far, season three will devote a fair amount of its focus to working through the events leading up to that killing, piecing together what happened, why, how and who's behind it. Enter Rudd and Streep, because this series does love adding names to its on-screen roster. Over both season one and two, Tina Fey (Girls5eva) has been a significant presence, Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves, and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) has also popped up. If you're yet to experience Only Murders in the Building's charms, it follows the odd trio of Charles-Haden, Oliver and the much-younger Mabel after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Fey); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second go-around, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Check out the first trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's third season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ from Tuesday, August 8. Season one and two are currently streaming. Read our full review of season two — and of the show's first season, too.
When Palace launched its 15-screen Pentridge Cinema in the revamped Coburg prison site back in 2020, it didn't just give Melburnians a new spot to see films indoors. Thanks to its pop-up outdoor setup, it also gifted the city another space to watch movies under the stars while the weather is warm. That sibling venue, aka Pentridge Open-Air Cinema, returns for its 2022–23 season from Thursday, December 15 with quite the lineup. Launching the program is what's set to be one of the biggest films of the year, even though it only opens in mid-December, with James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water screening alongside a trivia session and a best-dressed — read: blue-heavy — contest. It'll show for three nights in a row, in fact. but only the first one will feature the extra festivities. So far, the venue has revealed its lineup through until the end of February. Its season will run until Sunday, March 26; however, the rest of the bill won't be unveiled until closer to the date. The list of titles so far remains impressive, however, including Golden Globe-nominated Irish comedy The Banshees of Inisherin, 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, the Cate Blanchett-starring Tár, 1920s Hollywood-set Babylon and the certain-to-be-steamy Magic Mike's Last Dance. As we predicted before the cinema opened, this is clearly a great spot to watch prison flicks, with The Shawshank Redemption also on the new roster. Also either celebrating a theme or turning a night at the pictures into a party — or both — Moonage Daydream is screening on David Bowie's birthday, a session of Aliens includes sci-fi trivia, Titanic plays on Valentine's Day and the Isle of Dogs session is pet-friendly. Among the throwback titles, a heap are scoring best-dressed contests, plus more trivia. Start planning your outfits for Die Hard, Romeo + Juliet, Twilight, Grease, Clueless, Friday the 13th, Pulp Fiction, Scream, The Princess Bride, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Labyrinth now. Whatever you head along to see, you'll sit outside on a deck chair in the grassy courtyard, stare up at a big screen, soak in the summer evening air, and be surrounded by the precinct's 1850s-era walls. Palace will run a pop-up bar outdoors each night, selling snacks and drinks. You can also BYO picnic if you'd rather, but not booze. Pentridge Open-Air Cinema runs from Thursday, December 15–Sunday, March 26 at 1 Champ Street, Coburg. Head to the Palace website for further details and tickets.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that no-guarantees creative career you've always had in the back of your mind? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. From a very young age, we're all asked the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" We're told to pick one path, one profession, to neatly label the rest of your life. Our responses change as we grow up, from astronaut to engineer, princess to PR, and for Sydney-based Cole Bennetts, from Penguin Boy to renowned photographer taking the Prime Minister's portrait. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Cole's being a total legend and helping us give away the chance to be a photographed like the biggest names in the music business. Cole will work with you and a lucky friend to create a unique shoot for your own use, be it the ultimate profile pic or your next step to stardom — so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Enter here to win.
