Don't hold back: one of the biggest acts in electronic music for the past three decades is returning to Australia. Superstar DJs The Chemical Brothers have a new album about to drop in September, and have just announced three Down Under dates for February and March 2024 to unleash their latest round of block rockin' beats live. And, as their massive Coachella sets demonstrated earlier in 2023, they're certain to put on one helluva show. The Chemical Brothers have locked in three Aussie shows, starting their next visit in Brisbane before hitting Sydney, and then doing their only Victorian gig of this tour at A Day on the Green in Geelong. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons will play Riverstage with Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd in support, and Sydney Showground and Mt Duneed Estate with the pair as well as The Presets doing a DJ set. It isn't just their astonishing Coachella set that proves The Chemical Brothers are a must-see live act. Every tour — including their last stint Down Under back in 2019 — always matches a spectacle of mindbending visuals to the duo's iconic tunes. For this one, the setup will include tracks from their tenth studio album For That Beautiful Feeling, which drops on Friday, September 8. Accordingly, expect recent singles 'No Reason', 'Live Again' (featuring Halo Maud) and 'Skipping Like a Stone' (reteaming The Chemical Brothers with Beck after 2016's 'Wide Open') — and also a wealth of songs from a back catalogue that spans back to 1989. No, it wouldn't be a Chemical Brothers gig without 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl', 'Block Rockin' Beats' and 'Galvanise' getting a whirl. The pair's current setlist also includes everything from 'Go', 'Swoon' and 'Star Guitar' to 'Setting Sun', 'Chemical Beats' and 'Escape Velocity'. Holroyd joining Rowlands and Simons on the tour is always a given, as The Chemical Brothers' long-standing opening DJ. THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2024: Tuesday, February 27 — Riverstage , Brisbane with Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd Thursday, February 29 — Sydney Showground, Sydney with The Presets (DJ Set), Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd Saturday, March 2 — Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong at A Day on the Green with The Presets (DJ Set), Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd The Chemical Brothers are touring Australia in February and March 2024, with pre-sale tickets available from 2pm AEST on Wednesday, September 6 and general sales from 1pm AEST on Friday, September 8. Head to the tour website and A Day on the Green website for further details.
Come September 24, Belleville is launching their inaugural Southern Fried Sundays feast. Described as a maple-drenched brunch/lunch of epic proportions, the poultry fiends have answered all of your deep-fried desires — and your morning-after-a-big-night-out needs. There'll be baskets of buttermilk-brined fried chicken that you can 'paint' sauce onto, plus waffles of both the japaleño cornbread and bacon and cheddar varieties, smothered in maple syrup. If you're really hankering for a feed, the Southern Style Spread will be right up your alley. Comprised of chicken skin butter garlic bread, leek and ham hock greens, roast potatoes, two types of waffles, and southern fried chicken with maple, buffalo and ranch dips, this whopping meal won't leave much room in the old tum tum. You'll have to forge on though, because the crew will also be putting on their favourite Southern Comfort cocktails and Pepperberry Bloody Marys to help wash down their hefty offerings. Mosey on down to Belleville between 11:30am to 5:30pm on Sunday — just so you can cradle your belly in contentment as you waddle back out.
National Reconciliation Week is here for 2022, running from Friday, May 27–Friday, June 3 — and The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation and Australian clothing label Deus Ex Machina have just the threads for the occasion. Collaborating to raise awareness about the ALNF's efforts to transform and empower First Nations communities around the country via literacy, language and education, the two organisations have teamed up on a new range of 'Literacy Is Freedom' t-shirts. And, as well as adding to your wardrobe, they'll help you support Indigenous Aussies as well. On sale from today, Friday, May 27, the limited-edition shirts come in black and white, both featuring the same 'Literacy Is Freedom' logo on the front. Printed upon 100% cotton, that design emulates the colours and format of the Aboriginal Flag. But, it's the fact that 100% of the profits from the tees are going to the ALNF's work with First Nations communities that's even more exciting. To launch the shirts, the ALNF and Deus Ex Machina have launched a campaign featuring a heap of familiar faces — including ALNF ambassadors — all decked out in the new gear. Doing the honours: everyone from AFL legends Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin through to ex-footballer and ABC News Breakfast sports reporter Tony Armstrong, plus Baker Boy, Casey Donovan, Brooke Blurton, Isaiah Firebrace and Hugo Weaving. The list goes on, with Michala Banas, Isaiah Firebrace, Benjamin Law, and Chloe Zuel and the cast of Hamilton all involved, too. And, so are Miriam Margolyes, Tim Minchin, Asher Keddie, Vincent Fantauzzo, Virginia Gay, Jesinta Franklin, Nathan McGuire, Luke Carroll, Clare Bowditch, Eddie Perfect, Zoe Norton Lodge, Alan Brough, Narelda Jacobs and Zindzi Okenyo. If you're now keen to slip on a tee and help a fantastic cause, you'll find them on sale for $59.99 from David Jones online, in-store at select David Jones locations, and in-store at Deus Ex Machina Camperdown and Good Ways Deli Redfern. "We need collaboration, bravery and commitment if we want to pave the way for a brighter future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities," said ALNF Co-Founder and Executive Director Kim Kelly, launching the shirts — and the campaign. "We are excited to be partnering with an iconic Australian brand, standing with us and supporting our goal to give every single Australian a voice through literacy, language and education. Reconciliation is everybody's responsibility, and it's an important time for us all to reflect on what we can do to be part of the change. The simple act of buying and wearing this powerful t-shirt contributes to the creation of a fairer and more just Australia," Kelly continued. Deus Ex Machina and The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation's 'Literacy Is Freedom' shirts cost $59.99, and can be purchased at David Jones online, in-store at select David Jones locations, and in-store at Deus Ex Machina Camperdown and Good Ways Deli Redfern. For more information about the ALNF, head to its website.
Grand Slam fever has gripped the city once again as the Australian Open kicks off a blockbuster 2022 edition, running from January 17–30. The world's tennis stars will descend on Melbourne Park over the next two weeks, along with thousands of punters there to watch the on-court action unfold live each day. While this year's tournament features some density limits and ticket caps as a result of the current COVID-19 situation, nothing can dampen spectator spirit — nor their appetite, it seems. As always, the AO's off-court happenings are causing a stir of their own, with a bumper program of food and drink pop-ups promising to keep tennis-goers well-fed, quenched and happily entertained in between matches. Here are our top menu picks to check out at this year's Australian Open: ATRIUM BAR & EATERY BY BEN SHEWRY Even the star chef behind renowned fine diner Attica is bringing some of his magic to Melbourne Park in 2022. Ben Shewry's greenhouse-inspired sit-down eatery Atrium is serving a swag of top-shelf fare; think, chicken liver parfait, pepperberry hot chips, a reimagined souva platter featuring wattleseed hummus, and Port Phillip mussels cooked in Mac Forbes riesling. Even afternoon tea is sorted, with house-made treats like buttery croissants and Portuguese tarts. And there's a menu of crafty cocktails, too, including the Match Point — a caffeinated concoction of Grainshaker vodka, coffee liqueur and wattleseed macadamia orgeat. HAWKER STALL A joint effort from favourites Gingerboy, Robata, Longrain and Lucy Liu, this pop-up's set to transport you to the hawker centres of Asia. Chow down on bites like chicken yakitori matched with a cucumber salad, Japanese sweet potato fries dusted with furikake, and a Chiang Mai hot dog finished with lashings of tamarind relish and kewpie mayo. CITY ITALIA Three of the city's go-to Italian joints have teamed up to create a nonna-worthy food hideaway at this year's AO. The City Italia pop-up is slinging dishes like house-made lasagne from Pepe's Italian & Liquor, Marameo's fusilli cacio e pepe and even some award-winning pizza from the legends at 400 Gradi. BIG ESSO BY MABU MABU The latest venture from Indigenous cafe and food business Mabu Mabu, Big Esso is making a pop-up appearance courtside. Its menu fuses native ingredients and traditional Torres Strait flavours with a twist of modern flair; so expect plates like lemon aspen fries, island-style coconut-cured kingfish served with taro crisps, and a riff on the HSP starring kangaroo tail. BEACH HOUSE Embracing the flavours and vibes of a balmy Melbourne summer, pop-up precinct the Beach House is set to be one of Melbourne's Park's breeziest culinary pit-stops. Here among the white sand and striped umbrellas, you can unwind with a variety of summery eats and drinks; from fish burgers with crushed edamame courtesy of Pipi's Kiosk, to loaded acai bowls from Oakberry. Also here, Aussie distillery Grainshaker has its own bar pouring signature spirits and cocktails, while the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne bar is your go-to for all things fizz. ROCKPOOL BAR & GRILL Rockpool Bar & Grill has your courtside fine dining fix sorted, hosting an exclusive restaurant pop-up in collaboration with David Pynt's famed Singapore eatery Burnt Ends. Whether you opt for the set three-course menu or choose an a la carte adventure, you're in for a real treat. Think, spanner crab tart finished with Yarra Valley salmon roe, beef carpaccio with horseradish and baby beetroot, Pynt's own Jamaican chicken, and a peach melba dessert. PENFOLDS BISTRO AND PENFOLDS RESTAURANT Famed winemaker Penfolds is hosting not one, but two dining experiences for this year's Grand Slam-goers. The Bistro is the more casual affair, where a two-course menu offers options like tuna tartare with salmon caviar and nori crackers; hand-rolled macaroni; and dry-aged steak with a bone marrow dressing; all paired with top-notch wine, of course. Otherwise, sit down to an even classier four-course feast in the Restaurant, complete with a choice of two Penfolds vintages to match each dish. Top Images: Penfolds Bistro, Rockpool, The Atrium Terrace, Beach House
The past couple of years have left us all feeling a little jibbed on the travel front, especially when it comes to jetting off overseas. But finally, things are looking up, bookings fill us with a little less dread and that long-forgotten pastime of international air travel is back on the menu. And if you've been particularly hankering for a trip to the USA, United Airlines just made it even easier to get your well-deserved holiday fix. The airline has kicked off new flights between Australia and the States, leaving East Coast punters totally spoiled for choice. Newly partnered with Virgin Australia in a codeshare arrangement, United is now flying Sydney to Houston and Brisbane to San Francisco. Other services that have recently launched or resumed include direct routes from Melbourne to San Francisco and to Los Angeles, and daily direct flights from Sydney to both of those US cities as well. It's a huge win for East Coast travellers keen to jet off on a far-flung adventure without the fuss of any pesky stopovers adding extra hours and effort to the trip. And of course, it means improved access to other Aussie cities, too. United is also upping the frequency of a bunch of its existing Aussie routes. In fact, by the end of 2022, the airline will be flying more than 40 direct US flights from Australia each week, across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That means you've got more options for a speedy Stateside jaunt than ever before. Of course, thanks to the new team-up with Virgin, Velocity Frequent Flyer members can not only earn points on their United flights, but they've got access to benefits like priority check-in and boarding, and extra baggage allowance when they fly. And if you really want to up the ante for your USA getaway, there's the United Polaris business class service, where you can revel in the luxury of comfy lie-flat seats, generously sized entertainment screens and cute suitcase-inspired amenity kits filled with skincare goodies from Sunday Riley. [caption id="attachment_882756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Polaris[/caption] United Airlines has expanded its flight offerings between Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and multiple US cities. For all the details and to book a flight, see the website.
A retail importer with more than 30 years experience, Peter Karas opened Mercantile Home with his wife Carolyn Hayes back in 2015. The store champions beautiful designs and quality products through a curated range from Australian designers and top European brands. You never really know what you'll find inside, from chic ceramics designed in Canberra by Brian Tunks of Bison Home, to silent, monochrome wall clocks from Huygens, and cutting-edge Bavarian crystal glassware, courtesy of longstanding German designers Nachtmann. Don't worry if those labels sound a little fancy, Mercantile Home also stocks simpler gifts and knick-knacks, like beeswax wraps, quirky shopping bags, candles, reusable takeaway coffee cups and cute greeting cards made in South Australia by Emma Kate Co. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
After the year we've had, some relaxation time is just what we all need. And while putting on a face mask or body scrub is a great way unwind, a good skin care routine — with natural, locally sourced and cruelty-free skincare products — can often be hard to come across or too expensive. Body Blendz is an Australian owned skincare company that produces vegan skincare products that are not tested on animals — and it's offering a huge discount on its whole range this week. Its selection of face masks and body scrubs are designed to improve circulation and reduce inflammation and blemishes on your skin. The brand's best seller is its range of coffee scrubs designed for full-body exfoliation. The coffee scrubs come in four varieties: coco luxe, sugar glow, coffee buff and vanilla blush. Up until Tuesday, December 29, you can pick up 30 percent off everything on the Body Blendz store. Just head online, select what you want and then enter the discount code 'END2020' at the checkout to receive the discount. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
One of the best performances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes from the man who was first charged with getting villainous, but now leads his own spinoff series as a complex and playful hero. While Tom Hiddleston's acting talents are well-established far beyond playing the God of Mischief — see: The Deep Blue Sea, The Hollow Crown, Only Lovers Left Alive, High-Rise, Crimson Peak and The Night Manager, for instance — the MCU has been all the better for his involvement for more than a decade. A scene-stealer in 2011's Thor, his parts in film after film kept getting bigger until streaming series Loki arrived. Amid Disney's rush of greenlighting shows for Disney+, starting this one couldn't have been easier; as Thor: Ragnarok in particular demonstrated, adding more Hiddleston has always been a winning move. When it slid into queues in 2021 as just the third series in the MCU's small-screen realm, following WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki proved that more Hiddleston in a six-part TV show was also a delight. Immediately one of Marvel's standout shows, it came as no surprise when this stint of time-hopping trickery confirmed that it was returning for a second season in that run's final episode. Now back for another half-dozen instalments from Friday, October 6, Loki becomes the first of Marvel's television entries to earn a second go-around. That isn't an achievement that it takes for granted. Picking up exactly where season one left off, Loki season two sticks to some familiar beats but also makes its own leaps, and remains fun, funny, lively and smart in the process. It feels more lived in, too, a description that rarely applies to any franchise about caped crusaders and their nemeses, gods, multiverses and temporal chaos, this one among them. Audiences may know and love Loki, including in his small-screen guise as an alternate version of the movies' scamp who turns time cop to save the world, but the figure himself isn't as swiftly recognised when Loki's second season kicks off. Although nothing has changed about him visually, the first season's climactic showdown with Time Variance Authority creator He Who Remains (Jonathon Majors, Creed III) has had repercussions. Now, the Norse rogue is glitching. With multiple timelines in play thanks to fellow Loki variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), the series' eponymous character is being pulled between different worlds. "It looks like you're being born, or dying, or both at the same time," observes Agent Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson, Haunted Mansion). He isn't wrong. Time is an inescapable concept in the MCU, especially as it keeps expanding and sprawling. 2023 marks 15 years since Iron Man started the franchise, with The Marvels set to notch up its 33rd film when it reaches cinemas in November. On streaming, five other Marvel shows have joined the fold since Loki's debut season, beginning with 2021's Hawkeye; then spanning 2022's Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law; and seeing Secret Invasion already drop in 2023. In the mechanics of the superhero saga, the MCU stresses the same message that Loki now is: as time keeps elongating, jumping here, there and everywhere is inevitable. Once Loki and Mobius are back in their entertaining old rhythm, they need help getting time under control. Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku, Black Mirror) takes up the battle to save timelines beyond the sacred timeline, plus the people living their lives within them, while Loki and Mobius seek help from TVA tech go-to Ouroboros aka OB (Ke Huy Quan, American Born Chinese). Bringing Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Quan into another temporal jumble is as great on-screen as it sounds on paper, even as he's saddled with mentioning time, manuals, looms and pruning repeatedly. There's a weightier air to Loki season two as Loki, Mobius and Hunter B-15's arcs deepen, plus more meaningful emotional paths, but the boilersuit-clad OB is a gloriously energetic addition. Also fun: when Loki flits around, inserting its main duo into different places and times on various legs of their mission. The MCU's penchant for cycling through genres instalment by instalment pops up here in miniature; where the broader saga can be a thriller in one flick (Black Widow, for example), a comedy in others (the Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man vibes), dive into horror elsewhere (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and spin coming-of-age stories as well (the Spider-Man movies), this series goes from 70s-set London spy antics to a 19th-century Chicago caper and an existential stop at McDonalds in the 80s. The bouncing around doesn't just serve the narrative or suit the tone, but also fits Hiddleston and Wilson's central pairing. Loki does the odd-couple buddy dynamic swimmingly no matter where Loki and Mobius are, and gains another of Marvel's most engaging performances from Wilson as a result. Getting Loki falling in love with himself, aka Sylvie, was as Loki a move as there ever was in season one. In the show's return, their relationship is still complicated. Also, Sylvie remains on a quest to vanquish the man who sparked the TVA, this time via his variant Victor Timely (also Majors). The season has everyone looking for Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Summerland) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), too. And, it has a He Who Remains/Timely/Kang the Conqueror problem. As the big bad for the MCU's phase five and beyond — the next Avengers movie due in 2026 is called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty — the latter as pivotal in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The domestic violence allegations against Majors since that film now cast a shadow, unsurprisingly, as does knowing that recasting could happen. There's no doubting Loki's look, though; it's up there with the Hiddleston-and-Wilson banter and Quan's verve as one of the season's highlights. The colour palette, the technology, the outfits, the retro sheen: it all works a charm. Marvel is obsessed with linking its array of on-screen chapters as it constantly grows and stretches its cinematic universe, which isn't about to change from here. With its aesthetics, plus Hiddleston and Wilson's excellent work — and Quan's, Martino and Mosaku's as well — Loki keeps making the opposite argument, however. If ever there's a segment of the MCU that could happily stand alone and thrive, it's this one. Of course, that isn't the show's route, but leaving viewers wanting more isn't the given that it once was for this franchise as time has passed. Check out the trailer for Loki season two below: Loki season two streams via Disney+ from Friday, October 6. Images: © Marvel Studios 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Chunky Monkey, Clusterfluff, New York Super Fudge Chunk. These are just some of the more popular flavours of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream — a leading cause of happiness around the world since 1978. While doctors in the future will no doubt tell us otherwise, we can’t think of many things better than gorging on a giant tub of sweet, sweet ice-cream on a warm summer day, except for maybe getting some friends together and going to the movies. Well, it turns out Ben & Jerry’s can help us there as well. Starting on November 30 and running until late December, the 10th Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema, erected right by St Kilda Beach, will combine recent releases like Interstellar, Whiplash and The Drop with some more nostalgic picks, including Labyrinth, The Breakfast Club and a sing-along screening of Grease. We're even presenting our very own session of Fury on Sunday, December 6. Having started out on top of the St Kilda Sea Baths, Openair Cinema has now moved down to the lawns by the water, allowing plenty more space for bean loungers, picnics and general unwindulaxing. Festivities start daily at 6.30pm, with live music squeezed in before the film (plus plenty of time to suss out the bar and stock up on snacks). Best of all are the Sunday ‘Sundae’ Sessions, which kick off at 5pm with additional music, games on the lawn and unlimited free Ben & Jerry’s for all. For session times and more information, check out the event website.
The Laneway Greens family has expanded, with owners Adrian and Luke Cala bringing their sustainable, healthy fare to a second Richmond venue. Following the success of their 12-seat CBD eatery on Flinders Lane, which opened back in 2015, the boys are now taking on Swan Street as they continue their ultimate mission to reconnect diners with the food they're eating. Launching last week, the new all-day canteen boasts a grander space and a beefed-up offering, though the focus remains firmly the same, from top to toe. Built on the notion that quality, seasonal food should be accessible to everyone, the menu heroes ingredients produced transparently, sustainably and with minimal impact on the environment. Ora King, which supplies the restaurant's salmon, is certified by the Global Aquaculture Alliance and has an environmental footprint of less than 0.01 percent, while producers like Mungali Creek Dairy, Slaters Farm rain-fed rice and Keehoes cultured vegetables are part of a local biodynamic farming co-op. Even the store itself mirrors that ethos of sustainability and minimalism, built with locally made, durable materials and designed with a mind to diners coming together over food. An outdoor dining area is coming too — it should be ready to go by November 17. As with the original, the menu runs from supercharged smoothies to bowls, both sweet and savoury — think free-range pork with spring greens and barley, and a stuffed roasted sweet potato loaded with house-made tzatziki and root vegetable slaw. If you often grab your lunch to-go from the CBD store, you'll be happy to know that the Swan Street space has room for 60 diners and, unlike its sister venue, also offers a range of booze, including a tight lineup of on-tap organic wines as sourced by distributor Campbell Burton (The Builders Arms Hotel, City Wine Shop). Beer includes craft brews from Victoria's Mount Peninsula, Queensland's Balter and NZ's Garage Project, and single origin filter coffee by Fitzroy's Industry Beans. Laneway Greens is now open 7am – 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 10pm Saturday and Sunday at 89a Swan Street, Richmond. For more information, visit lanewaygreens.com.au.
Northside lunch fiends are in for a treat this week, as the buzzy stretch of Smith Street welcomes its newest eatery. From the team that brought you nearby cafes Terror Twilight and Tinker, Hi Fi is set to make its anticipated debut this Thursday, January 27. Kieran Spiteri and Ben Argentino's newcomer is a homage to great coffee, food and tunes; a modern riff on the neighbourhood deli delivering a winning combination of crafty sandwiches and old-school vinyl. The inspiration? That super popular takeaway pop-up Terror Twilight hosted in collaboration with Meatmaiden back during October's lockdown last year. Here, it's imagined as a seven-day, takeaway-only lunch destination, slightly smaller than its Collingwood sibling but rocking a similar look and vibe. Bread-based goodies headline the menu, with a concise yet considered lineup starring the likes of a panko-crumbed fish burger housed in a steamed potato roll, and the wickedly stretchy mushroom and taleggio toastie. A bagel comes stuffed with jalapeno cream cheese, red onion, and salt and vinegar seasoning; and sides include the likes of curly fries and slaw. Plus, you can throwback to childhood with one of the next-level shakes — think, choc sea salt, ginger malt or salted caramel, with a shot of espresso if you're feeling a bit grown-up. Celebrated local producers including Cobb Lane, Five and Dime Bagels, and Dench Bakers will be heroed throughout the menu, and you can look forward to a series of signature house-made sauces making an appearance, too. Meanwhile, Hi Fi's own contract-roasted coffee heads the list of caffeinated options, with a batch brew and cold brew offered alongside a milk blend and a single origin. And your first taste can be a free one, with the venue handing out complimentary coffees right through opening day on January 27. As for the tunes, they'll speak to the owners' shared love of great music, running to an eclectic, oft-changing rotation of vinyl. As Argentino says: "Music is a big part of our hospitality group's tapestry. We're all about good tunes. Our intention was always to make Hi Fi a real muso hang out". Find Hi Fi at 316 Smith Street, Collingwood, from 9am on January 27. It'll open daily from 9am–3pm.
'Ale' isn't just that word that has become interchangeable with 'beer' over the years. It's a specific type of brew, made using a warm fermentation technique that results in a particularly sweet and full taste. And, it's exactly what Wolf of the Willows specialises in. This Mordialloc brewery doesn't completely eschew hops, as some folks who focus on the bitter tipple do, but it sure does love its small-batch, hand-crafted ales. Wondering where to start? Wolf of the Willows literally started with an XPA back in 2014, and its blend of malt, passionfruit and citrus is still a firm highlight. Pick up Wolf of the Willows' beers via its online shop — where you can also nab yourself a beanie, t-shirt, hoodie, cap, glass and stubby holder, too.
The familiar flavours of Asia have been given a Melbourne-inspired revamp, for newly hatched CBD eatery Goldie Canteen. From its funkily dressed home at the entrance of the new Novotel Melbourne Central, this vibrant all-day diner is dishing up a playful mod-Asian offering, proving it's not afraid to break with tradition. Helmed by Executive Chef Michael Smith (former head chef at both Tonka and Mamasita), the menu's packed full of bold flavours and tweaks on classics. Breakfast hits include the likes of a scrambled egg, mushroom and fermented soybean toastie ($9), and peking duck-inspired brekkie bao ($7), while an all-day offering of crepes features fillings like banana and Nutella, or Chinese doughnut with egg and spring onion. [caption id="attachment_712945" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Also keeping the fun running from morning till night is a lineup of baos — think, crispy chicken with Sriracha kewpie and pickled veg (two for $15) — dumplings and toasties, the latter stuffed with the likes of char siu pork ($12), panko chicken ($12) and braised beef ($12). Another, sandwiched with a glorious combination of peking duck, hoi sin and noodles ($14), is sure to delight everyone's inner child. [caption id="attachment_712954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Things are just as creative in the drinks department, with a range of bubble tea concoctions, both non-alcoholic and booze-infused. After-hours bao sessions call for sips like the Peach Surprise ($16), blending peach nectar, bourbon and black tea, or perhaps the Goldie Signature ($16) — with plum wine, lychee liqueur, peppermint, apple and a sprinkle of gold flakes. Kidults — and inner children — will also be excited Ocean Bomb's range of Pokémon-themed sodas, which are plastered with Pikachu, Pokéballs and Psyduck. Find Goldie Canteen + Brews at 399 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. It's open from 7am–8pm daily. Images: Kate Shanasy.
Paul Manser really puts himself into his writing. When reading the self-penned adventures and misadventures of the Melbourne-based travel scribe, you experience the destination and surrounds from his singular POV. The scenes he often sets have a shambolic, gonzo feel as though something is about to go terribly awry, with Paul giving huge main character energy as both narrator and observer. Things often do go terribly awry and those breakneck narrative zags make for great stories, many of which are featured in his recently published collection of travel mini-memoirs Life Plans On Dive Bar Napkins, a series of stories that include a profane interlude at San Francisco's disgracefully under-recognised Hunky Jesus Contest, stinking out Pamplona due to an unfortunate case of missing luggage, and other incidents that imply Paul is fortunate to be alive and/or not incarcerated. If you are planning a trip to Los Angeles in the coming months and would be interested in some sound, sensible advice on what to do, please do not read the following guide that Paul Manser kindly compiled for us. [caption id="attachment_875641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The author Paul Manser on a bike[/caption] PAUL MANSER: Los Angeles is the suggestive, shapely leg that slips out from beneath conservative Middle America's full-length skirt. It is the kind of leg that shows enough skin to let you know there are good times to be had, but that you could have your bank account cleaned out for your indiscretions. Not just a city built for good times, LA is also a magnet for aspiring movie stars who are drawn to the city like a mosquito, drunk on summer's blood, is to a caravan park's fluorescent blue bug zapper. You jump in an Uber and before you know it, you're listening to the CV of an out-of-work actor who played a lactose intolerant lifeguard in Baywatch for two episodes in the 90s, as they take you the long way from Santa Monica to West Hollywood just to make a few extra dollars. With so many people waiting to be 'discovered', it can be a little hard to find the real Los Angeles these days; the city the locals live. To help, here's my guide that you may (or may not) want to follow: [caption id="attachment_875639" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Santa Monica pier by Vincentas Liskauskas via Unsplash[/caption] WHERE TO GO On my first visit to LA I was told don't drink the tap water, avoid hiking Runyon Canyon in flip flops and don't ever, under any circumstances, be out in Downtown LA after dark unless you are so enamoured with acupuncture you're willing to let a teenager poke you with a blunt knife for the contents of your wallet. However, things have changed. These days Downtown LA is so cool the ice wouldn't melt on the sidewalk in a mid-afternoon heatwave. With some of the most innovative restaurants in the city like 71Above, amazing rooftop bars like Upstairs at The Ace, boutique designer hotels and an abundance of skinny-jeaned, bushranger bearded locals, downtown LA is now the place to go to eat, get rowdy and find a drinkable coffee the day after — which is no mean feat in America. [caption id="attachment_875643" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Upstairs at The Ace, The Ace Hotel Los Angeles via The Ace Hotel[/caption] WHERE TO DRINK If New York is the city that never sleeps, LA is where the beautiful people doze in seal-placenta face masks before spending their days doing hot yoga, discussing the latest colonic hotspot and looking fabulously bored poolside at one of the many party hotels of West Hollywood. While the city is undoubtedly glamorous, any self-respecting traveller with a thirst to quench will forgo the latest Insta-famous rooftop restaurant to trawl the city's bars of yesteryear. Sunset Boulevard's infamous Viper Room, Whisky a Go Go and Rainbow Bar and Grill have seen stars come and go and given birth to many a road trip playlist's favourite band, including Guns 'N' Roses. Don't assume that because the venues are a little less polished, that your night will be devoid of celebrities, although the high-profile patrons may be less 'washed' and more 'washed up' these days. That is not to say that you won't be rewarded for seeking out a more sophisticated drinking environment. Located in downtown LA, The Wolves is a spectacularly overindulged Parisian-style cocktail bar featuring Tiffany glass ceilings. The dark, moody bar features more wood and dark leather than you'd find in a friendly neighbourhood BDSM swingers club. The Wolves draws an eclectic crowd on the weekends with a cocktail list as long as the security line at LAX, but if you really feel adventurous let one of the bartenders guide your evening. That way at least you'll know who to blame when you wake up in the morning full of regret. [caption id="attachment_875652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wolves at Downtown LA, image via The Wolves[/caption] WHERE TO EAT While sucking down a wheatgrass and kale smoothie next to Billie Eilish as she chews on a raw vegan lasagne at Crossroads Kitchen might seem peak Los Angeles, you're probably going to need something more substantial (and a bit greasier) to soak up the booze. Try the ramen burger at Tatsu Ramen (if it is on the menu at the time.) A glorious artery-clogging delicious patty of beef sandwiched between to ramen noodle buns. Five stars. WHERE NOT TO STAY Last time I stayed in LA, I awoke to sunlight piercing the soft mustard surrounds of a hotel room that self-proclaimed three stars, but that would soon be on the receiving end of a biting TripAdvisor review I was penning in my mind. Four paragraphs alone were to be dedicated to reporting the hotel owner to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague over the fluorescent purple shower curtain that would burn holes into the retinas of small children. Then I decided that a negative review was not enough. No. A parody webpage dedicated to a hotel room that went missing in the 1970's was more fitting. It would include photos and satirical descriptions for how best to recognise the room. "ATTENTION: Be on the lookout for a hotel room with a burn mark in the two-tone green carpet resembling a snake making love to The Leaning Tower of Pisa. A stain that looks like the outline of where a jockey had been murdered with an ice cream scooper. And a bible with a series of stunningly accurate genitalia drawn throughout." Honestly, I'd tell you where this hotel was in LA, but I don't want to be sued. So maybe just avoid every hotel in the city to be safe and stay in an Airbnb instead. This guest house looks pretty good: WHERE TO BE SEEN LA is one of those cities where you go not only to see, but to be seen. With more instantly recognisable faces big screen packed into a few square miles than anywhere else in the world, paparazzi-dodging-people-watching can resemble a bloodsport at times. But what fun is merely watching others get all of the attention? Where can you go to not only watch others, be a part of the action yourself? Chateau Marmont is a place of celebrity legend. It's where Led Zeppelin rode motorcycles through the lobby in the 1960s and one of the first places to ban Lindsay Lohan from entry. These days drinking poolside at Chateau still offers up a decent chance of lounging next to brutally hungover, non-communicative, blood-shot eyed celebrity. If the Chateau sounds like the spot for you, maybe pack a pair of reflective Ray-Bans so you can get a good look at everybody, without coming across as some crazed stalker. AND, WHERE TO ESCAPE TO Los Angeles is a hot mess. The city is impossible to cross at peak hour and realistically you shouldn't attempt using the public transport unless contracting dysentery is on your bucket list. Sometimes it's a city you just need to get away from. But where to? While the internet is plastered with images of celebrities escaping to sun themselves on the beaches of Malibu, those looking for a piece of old Hollywood glamour should head inland to Palm Springs. A playground for the icons of Hollywood in the golden age of cinema, Palm Springs was the place that fabled celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin came to escape Los Angeles. A sun drenched desert Oasis, these days travellers come to Palm Springs to admire its mid-century modern architecture, for mammoth music festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach and relax and people watch poolside in one of the many impeccably styled hotels which appear to have jumped straight out of a photo-spread in a design magazine. [caption id="attachment_875657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palm Springs by Cody Board via Unsplash[/caption] Paul Manser's book Life Plans On Dive Bar Napkins is available from various book stores or you can order it from Dymocks. For more of Paul's travel tales visit his website. Main image by Jake Blucker via Unsplash.
Uniting Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio on the same feature-length film for the first time ever, Killers of the Flower Moon felt like a culmination before a frame had been shot, let alone seen. Scorsese and De Niro have worked together for five decades, with a wealth of highlights such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas, Cape Fear and Casino to their names. Scorsese and DiCaprio have done the same for two, starting with Gangs of New York. Marty and Bob have known each other since they were 16, too, and it was the latter who told the former about Leo 20-plus years back after De Niro and DiCaprio made This Boy's Life together. Finally, then, one of cinema's golden triangles has connected all of its sides, apart from De Niro and DiCaprio playing themselves in Scorsese's 2015 comedy short The Audition. Doing the linking: a tale of murder, greed and betrayal that tells of the atrocities committed against the Osage Nation a century ago, relaying a chapter of US history that's conveyed on-screen with all the gutwrenching horror and heartbreak that it demands. And, as this story unfurls, watching Killers of the Flower Moon feels like joining the dots in another way as well. Even if Scorsese hadn't enlisted his two favourite actors, plus phenomenal Certain Women star Lily Gladstone as the film's heart, soul and spirit — and also continued his frequent collaborations with editor Thelma Schoonmaker, now-late composer Robbie Robertson and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto — the 26th feature on his resume ties together much that's recurred throughout his filmography for more than half a century. Killers of the Flower Moon is a kind of gangster movie, as Goodfellas, Casino and The Irishman also are. It's unshakeably a crime flick, boxes that Mean Streets and The Departed also tick. Viewers can see the threads to the iconic filmmaker's past works about faith and spirituality, including The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun and Silence. Greed and corruption have long featured across Scorsese's work, as seen in everything from Gangs of New York to The Wolf of Wall Street. This is a relationship drama as well, which brings The Age of Innocence to mind. As the movie makes plain almost immediately, and then repeatedly across its 206-minute running time, it's also more unsettling than Shutter Island. Ask Scorsese if Killers of the Flower Moon feels the same way to him, as Concrete Playground did, and he explains that piecing together threads that've been weaved throughout his career wasn't what overtly appealed to him. "I never thought of it that way," he notes. Instead, he advises that it was both the real-life stories and journalist David Grann's 2017 non-fiction novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI that steps through them that caught the filmmaker's interest. [caption id="attachment_923847" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marion Curtis / StarPix for Apple[/caption] In Scorsese's instantly engrossing and deeply haunting film, those accounts of Indigenous Americans slain by white men chasing oil-fuelled wealth — and power and control, too — filter through the romance of World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio, Don't Look Up) and Osage Nation member Mollie Kyle (Gladstone, Reservation Dogs). The pair meet when he seeks a job from his cattle rancher uncle William King Hale (De Niro, Amsterdam) upon returning from combat. Sparks fly immediately and their love is real, but Hale's pushing of Ernest in Mollie's direction isn't driven by wanting his nephew to be happy and follow his feelings. And, as too much surrounding the self-proclaimed 'king of the Osage' Hale does, it has consequences with a body count. Scorsese shared his thoughts on making his latest masterpiece with Concrete Playground during an international press conference for Killers of the Flower Moon, where he also answered questions about the biggest challenge in bringing the film to the screen, casting Gladstone, teaming up De Niro and DiCaprio, and how he approaches faith in his work. Not covered: the Oscar-winning director's new Letterboxd account, but you can check that out for yourself, then watch your way through his movie picks — such as what he recommends pairs well with his features. ON HOW KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON CONNECTS WITH SCORSESE'S PAST WORK "I just was attracted to the material, but then really became attracted to it because when we were doing research and meeting all the Osage people out in Oklahoma, the Osage Nation, in Gray Horse. They gave us a big dinner, and people got up and spoke about their ancestors, their great-grandfathers and grandmothers, and uncles and aunts, and that sort of thing, who were affected by this, who were killed during that period — and the fact that they never said anything about it, the generation of today and their parents, they kept it quiet. And now this book came out by David Grann, and now a film's being made. So naturally they had some caution as to me directing the film because of the nature of the films I've made in the past, like the violence in Goodfellas, etcetera. But it took a few meetings, and it took some conversation, and just basically being open-hearted with each other and trusting each other, with Chief Standing Bear and myself, and some of the other members of the Osage community. When I discovered that most of it really hinged on this love story between Mollie and Ernest, that's when I locked in on the project for real, in a sense. I was going another way at first. But in going the other way, meaning from the outside in, from Bureau Investigation in, I found that it was too reminiscent of films that I'd made in the past. It would've been good, I think, but I'd already been there — but what really got me was that what if this trust is betrayed through love? That has to do in the marriage, has to do with these two people who really love each other, and the husband is very weak. I thought that was interesting. And I have a feeling that relates more to The Age of Innocence than to some of my other films." ON THE CHALLENGES OF MAKING KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON "I think the biggest challenge was balancing the narrative parts of the story with the emotional aspects. I think what I mean by 'the narrative parts', there are some plot points that had to be connected — and that is with the Bureau of Investigation coming in and trying to figure out who was doing what, and what Bill Hale eventually did, and what he eventually accomplished, and what he tried to accomplish, and how he tried to clean up his steps, clean up everyone around him by getting them killed or whatever. But the real core of the picture was between Mollie and Ernest. And so, the emotional core of the film really had to revolve around them because all the plot points could be easily, easily absorbed as long as they connected. If it was just done on a narrative plot, it would be good, I think. But in my mind it would've been more like films that I've seen like police procedurals, which I enjoy watching, but I don't know if I could make. So, the biggest challenge was balancing the emotional complexity of the relationship between Mollie and Ernest, knowing that the two of them were in love, basing this on information we got from the Osage people themselves, who were descendants of them. They pointed out to us: "don't forget — this isn't a matter of straight villains and victims; these people were all either best friends or in love, and yet all this happened." And so that was the biggest challenge: to keep balancing that." ON CASTING LILY GLADSTONE "Ellen Lewis, who does my casting, had worked with Rene Haynes. They had worked on a television series that had a lot of Native American actors in it [2017's Godless]. And so she put out the feelers there, Ellen, and ultimately saw Kelly Reichardt's film Certain Women. In that film, Lily has quite, quite a sequence in it. Before the COVID pandemic hit, we were really concerned about could we get somebody who could play Mollie effectively. And Ellen, whom I've worked with since Goodfellas, since 1989, she said to me, 'I think we might be okay'. And she showed me Certain Women, the film. I thought that Lily was marvellous in it. Then we got to meet, but we could only meet on Zoom because the pandemic was beginning. And from that one Zoom call, we had to wait another almost year before we could come back together again on another Zoom, get Leo on the Zoom, discuss Mollie, discuss all of that. But during that year we worked on Mollie's character. And the whole point being, of course, that their story, Mollie and Ernest, is sort of a metaphor for the entire picture, the entire world that we're depicting and this horrendous situation that occurred at that time. So what I found from Lily was perfect cinema face. I mean, she could be saying nothing, but you feel everything going on behind her eyes, and in the positioning of her face, the way she moves. But there's so much going on inside of her, and it's reflected in a very still way. She doesn't have to provoke it. She also is very strong on Native American views and activism, and helped us steer the project as best we could in the proper direction in terms of Native Americans and European Americans." ON FINALLY GETTING ROBERT DE NIRO AND LEONARDO DICAPRIO TO SHARE THE SCREEN IN A SCORSESE FEATURE "With them, the thing is that I've known Robert De Niro since we were 16 years old. So he knows where I come from, and he knows my old friends, and I know his. And we found that when we started working together on Mean Streets and particularly Taxi Driver, we found that we shared the same sensibilities, or similar interests — and also that he was a fearless kind of actor. And the key element, aside from being a genius actor, was that we trusted each other. I trusted him for many different reasons, beyond the creative issues because there were a lot of political issues, too, at that time: making films for studios, studios would take the film away from you, actors would come in and re-cut them. He would never do that. He would never insist on something if I didn't feel it was right. We had an understanding that all he needed from me was to really listen to him and sometimes show me what he wanted to try. And we got to trust each other very strongly on that. Years go by, we wound up making Raging Bull and The King of Comedy. And then it took a while again before we got to make another picture: Goodfellas. But then, we hadn't worked for 19 years before we worked on this film — before we worked on The Irishman, I should say. And he had introduced me to Leo DiCaprio 20 years ago. He said 'he's a very young actor, and he's very, very good'. And I got to know Leo, and we did Gangs of New York together. But on The Aviator, a film we did after, I found similarities, in a way. I don't say same style — a very different style — but he had the openness, and he had the trust. And he had a crazy fearlessness in the same way as De Niro. Despite the fact that we're 30 years difference, there is that trust and enjoyment working together. Really, there's a love there between the three of us. So, it also happened that suddenly they came together on this movie." ON SCORSESE'S APPROACH TO FAITH IN HIS FILMS "I think, first of all, it's not an immediate dismissal of other faiths. As much as my roots are in Roman Catholicism of the mid-20th century here in New York, I have my differences with that. But I also, in supporting my own faith, or trying to support my faith, I found it interesting to learn about other religions, other faiths, philosophy as much as possible, taking it seriously. I don't mean superstition. And yet, even in superstition, the very act of the ritual itself reflects faith. For example, if you take Roberto Rossellini's film Stromboli, there's a great sequence in it where they fish for the tuna — and before they fish for the tuna, they all say a prayer, and then there's the slaughter of the tuna. It reflects something that is a need for spirituality in having to survive as a human being. The lack of spirituality. They need spirituality going deep down into the roots, primeval roots, before you can even find the sustenance to continue to live, you see? And so, somehow that is a gift: to find the food. That's a gift from god. And so for me, that's always something that is to be respected. People feel that way about the world around them, and to be respectful of the world around them. It's more like a blessing of being alive despite all the problems. I find that with many different groups of people, and many different ways of thinking. For me, it comes down to respect and dignity for what other people believe. You may not believe that, but it comes down to that. I think a world that's like in this film, it's a world of corruption that has no roots in morality or spirituality. They [Hale and company] think they do. You can say 'well, they have religion', but that's not spirituality, you see, and so anything goes. The most important thing is winning. The most important this is getting as much money as you can, especially if some civilisation is on its way out anyway. 'As much as I love them,' Bill Hale says. 'I love them. They're great people, but they're gonna die off.' So, this is something that fascinates me and makes me think 'is that part of me, too?'. In other words, am I capable of that kind of behaviour? I'm not saying killing. I'm talking about complicity in it, by being quiet about it. So that's where all of it comes together. I think maybe that's why I was attracted to it." Killers of the Flower Moon opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 19. Read our review.
It's time to kick off your boots and relegate cardigans to the back of the cupboard: summer is almost upon us. When it comes to sunshiny good times, we're kind of experts here in the land of Oz. From coastal escapades and balmy starlit parties to adventures through our epic and varied landscapes, we've got plenty of awe-striking experiences to discover when the weather is fine. Many of these splendid excursions are best enjoyed with a rejuvenating tipple. So, if you're after a fresh beverage to colour your summer, why not check out the flavourful range from new-to-the-scene Mosey Fruity Beer. These zippy brews provide the refreshment of a poolside beer enlivened with fruity, tropical tang. To spruce up these three classic summer experiences, just add a few cans to your bar fridge or moveable feast. GRAB YOUR MATES FOR A PARK HANG AND CHEESE BOARD It's safe to say that, after the last few years, we appreciate picnics in the park and group hangs like never before. Whether you're chilling with your best mates every other day or are in dire need of a catch-up, a romp around the park in the sunshine is sure to boost the communal serotonin. If you want to elevate it to a fancy affair, delegate menu items to construct an epic picnic. Naturally, you'll need cheese — from crumbling fetas to sharp cheddar, nut-based vegan delights and explosive blobs of burrata, a well-appointed cheese board is a luxury that can be enjoyed by the masses. Make sure each member of the picnic party adds to the spread. You'll want to tick off cured meats, pickled veg, fresh fruits, nuts and every chip and dip imaginable. And of course, there are the drinks. Locate a glorious patch of grass where booze consumption is allowed and load up your portable mini bar — making sure to add a blueberry Mosey Fruity Beer to the collection. It imbues the classic crispness of a lager with the summer-fresh essence of ripe blueberries for a flavour combination that'll sit happily in any picnic mix. If you prefer your picnics with some background beats, Mosey's got you sorted with a bop-heavy playlist ready to go. GET THE FAM TOGETHER FOR A POOLSIDE BARBECUE As the days grow longer and the breezes warmer, Aussie families naturally congregate by the barbecue for practice runs before the big Christmas bash. While we aren't all blessed with a sparkling backyard pool, there's surely a distant aunt or pretty-much-family-at-this-point friend with a chlorinated or salty oasis for you to dive bomb. So, don your cossies, dig the noodle out of storage and stock your chilly bins ready for an epic family get together. Fun is the aim, so be sure to come ready for a few rowdy matches of backyard cricket, an ultimate frisbee sesh and competition-heavy shoulder wars in the pool. These festive occasions with the cousins you haven't seen in yonks inevitably involve impressive chargrilled feasts. The lime Mosey Fruity Beer is the perfect complement to rich cuts of lamb, stacks of potato bake and the essential pavlova finisher. Any beer bitterness is stripped away, so you can enjoy the citrusy hit of lime alongside the warming palate a crisp lager is known for. The brew is just as well paired with a plate of fresh prawns — what more could you ask of a family feast under the summer sun? And in case you're lacking in the tunes department, Mosey has a premixed playlist that will keep the vibes high. END THE WORK WEEK WITH BEVVIES AND A VIEW On struggle street as you limp towards Friday afternoon after a massive week of work? Hold onto the promise of knock-off drinks with the work gang. We all know how demoralising it can be when you're stuck toiling away while the weather is blissful, especially if you take a peek at the 'gram and see folks of leisure surfing waves or soaking up the sunshine in luxe holiday destinations. But, rest assured, your time will come. Start the weekend early with celebratory Friday arvo drinks and snacks. You'll want to seek out the most scenic spot for your well-deserved session to eke the most out of the fading afternoon light. If your office has a balcony — or you work somewhere with a slick bar area or cute garden — stake out your chill-out station. Then, pass around a few cans of passionfruit Mosey Fruity Beer to get things started. It's an easy-drinking brew with a summery sweetness that'll delight drinkers of all sorts, regardless of whether you're into sessionable lagers or extravagant cocktails. Match this sweet refreshment with some salty good times in the form of fried chicken or a simple-yet-crowd-pleasing bag of chippies — and an equally punchy playlist. C'mon, you've earned it. Armed with a four-pack of Mosey Fruity Beers, you'll be ready to make summer yours. To find out more about the juicy bevs, head to the website. Images: Chester Newling
Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer keeps exploding through awards season, making a big impact at the 2024 Golden Globes and now leading the just-announced Oscar nominations. The Cillian Murphy-starring biopic of Robert Oppenheimer has picked up 13 nods from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, leading this year's contenders for Hollywood's night of nights. And yes, its Barbenheimer partner Barbie also earned a swag of recognition — but not in two pivotal categories. The Margot Robbie-led, Greta Gerwig-directed spin on the famous doll collected eight nominations; however, Robbie is absent in the Best Actress field, as is Gerwig among the helmers. As one of the movie's producers, Robbie is in the running for a Best Picture gong, though, while Gerwig and Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) received a Best Adapted Screenplay nod. Barbie's other nominations include Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling and Best Supporting Actress for America Ferrara, as well as two entries for Best Original Song. Falling in-between Oppenheimer and Barbie numbers-wise: Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon, the two films with the two most-likely Best Actress contenders. For the former, a glorious riff on Frankenstein that earned 11 nominations, Emma Stone could win her second Oscar after La La Land. For the latter, aka Martin Scorsese's latest masterpiece with ten nominations, Lily Gladstone is the first Indigenous American to be recognised in the field. Oppenheimer, Barbie, Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon are also among the ten movies competing for Best Motion Picture. Their company: American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers and Maestro, as well as Poor Things and The Zone of Interest. History was made in this category, too, with three female-directed films in contention for the first time ever. That said, only one woman is among the Best Director nominees, with Justine Triet following up her Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or win with an Oscar nomination — competing against Nolan, Scorsese, Poor Things' Yorgos Lanthimos and The Zone of Interest's Jonathan Glazer. While deserving movies miss out among every list of awards nominations, 2024's Oscar highlights include both Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest earning so much attention beyond the Best International Feature Film field — which Anatomy of a Fall wasn't submitted for — complete with their shared star Sandra Hüller receiving a Best Actress nomination for the first. The Boy and the Heron's Best Animated Feature nod, El Conde's for Best Cinematography, Godzilla Minus One's for Best Visual Effects and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar in the Best Live-Action Short Film all also stand out. Among the notable omissions, Saltburn, Ferrari, Priscilla, All of Us Strangers and The Iron Claw didn't receive any love, May December missed all of the acting categories and Leonard DiCaprio wasn't included among Killers of the Flower Moon's picks. Who'll ultimately emerge victorious will be revealed on Monday, March 11, Australian and New Zealand time, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting. Here's the full list of nominations: Oscar Nominees 2024: Best Motion Picture American Fiction Anatomy of a Fall Barbie The Holdovers Killers of the Flower Moon Maestro Oppenheimer Past Lives Poor Things The Zone of Interest Best Director Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Annette Bening, Nyad Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall Carey Mulligan, Maestro Emma Stone, Poor Things Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Bradley Cooper, Maestro Colman Domingo, Rustin Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple America Ferrera, Barbie Jodie Foster, Nyad Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Sterling K Brown, American Fiction Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer Ryan Gosling, Barbie Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things Best Original Screenplay Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet and Arthur Harari The Holdovers, David Hemingson Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer May December, Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik Past Lives, Celine Song Best Adapted Screenplay American Fiction, Cord Jefferson Barbie, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan Poor Things, Tony McNamara The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer Best International Feature Film Io Capitano, Italy Perfect Days, Japan Society of the Snow, Spain The Teachers' Lounge, Germany The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom Best Animated Feature The Boy and the Heron Elemental Nimona Robot Dreams Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Best Documentary Feature Bobi Wine: The People's President The Eternal Memory Four Daughters To Kill a Tiger 20 Days in Mariupol Best Original Score American Fiction, Laura Karpman Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Williams Killers of the Flower Moon, Robbie Robertson Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson Poor Things, Jerskin Fendrix Best Original Song 'The Fire Inside', Flamin' Hot, Diane Warren 'I'm Just Ken', Barbie, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt 'It Never Went Away', American Symphony, Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson 'Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)', Killers of the Flower Moon, Scott George 'What Was I Made For?', Barbie, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell Best Cinematography El Conde, Edward Lachman Killers of the Flower Moon, Rodrigo Prieto Maestro, Matthew Libatique Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema Poor Things, Robbie Ryan Best Film Editing Anatomy of a Fall, Laurent Sénéchal The Holdovers, Kevin Tent Killers of the Flower Moon, Thelma Schoonmaker Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame Poor Things, Yorgos Mavropsaridis Best Production Design Barbie Killers of the Flower Moon Napoleon Oppenheimer Poor Things Best Visual Effects The Creator Godzilla Minus One Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Napoleon Best Costume Design Barbie, Jacqueline Durran Killers of the Flower Moon, Jacqueline West Napoleon, Janty Yates and Dave Crossman Oppenheimer, Ellen Mirojnick Poor Things, Holly Waddington Best Makeup and Hairstyling Golda Maestro Oppenheimer Poor Things Society of the Snow Best Sound The Creator Maestro Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One Oppenheimer The Zone of Interest Best Documentary Short Subject The ABCs of Book Banning The Barber of Little Rock Island in Between The Last Repair Shop Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó Best Animated Short Film Letter to a Pig Ninety-Five Senses Our Uniform Pachyderme WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko Best Live-Action Short Film The After Invincible Knight of Fortune Red, White and Blue The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar The 2024 Oscars will be announced on Monday, March 11, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
The world's most-famous enigmatic smile is set to beam down on Australia in not one but two locations in 2024, all thanks to the team at Grande Experiences. The Melbourne-based company is the mastermind behind the immersive walkthrough art experiences that've been sweeping the country, both touring them and opening the nation's first permanent digital-only art gallery The Lume. And next year, it's turning its attention to both the Italian Renaissance in general and Leonardo da Vinci specifically — with Mona Lisa featuring prominently in both of its new showcases. Italian Renaissance Alive has already locked in a season on the Gold Coast from March, and will include da Vinci's works. In the same month, The Lume in the Victorian capital will go all-in on the artist and inventor. The site's major 2024 exhibition is Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius, with the gallery is calling its "most ambitious, immersive and breathtaking yet". That's quite the claim for a collection that follows a van Gogh celebration, a focus on Monet and his contemporaries and the current First Nations-centric Connection. It also isn't surprising. Connection now has an end date, and is set to close at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre venue on Sunday, February 4, just over a month before Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius arrives. The Last Supper will also enjoy the spotlight in a big way, because Grande Experiences' whole setup is making iconic, important and stunning works larger than life, surrounding attendees like never before. The Mona Lisa will also link in with the segment of the exhibition that's all about French optical engineer Pascal Cotte, who invented a multispectral camera and has peeled back the artwork's layers using his research. So, get excited about Mona Lisa Revealed, which will include an exact 360-degree replica — the only one in the world — as created thanks to Cotte's 240,000,000-pixel multispectral camera. That said, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius isn't just about its namesake's well-known works, with the 3000-square-metre multi-sensory gallery also exploring his inspirations and contemporaries. Thanks to the latter, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius and Italian Renaissance Alive will have more than a little in common. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and works by Caravaggio will feature at both. Melbourne will be home an experience that steps through da Vinci's journey, however, including Florence's streets, Venice's canals and Milan — as brought to life via sight, sound, scent, touch and taste. Also among Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius' highlights: 50 of da Vinci's "machine inventions", which will be on loan the Museo Leonardo da Vinci in Rome. Alongside the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and his anatomical drawings — and more — da Vinci is well-known for his flying machine concepts, with his 15th-century vision of human flight set to score The Lume's attention. This part of the exhibition will hero recreations made in Italy from the artist and inventor's sketches, and also using the materials and techniques he would've at the time. "Leonardo da Vinci's contributions to art, science and innovation are immeasurable and continue to shape our modern world," said Bruce Peterson, Owner and CEO of The Lume Melbourne, announcing Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius. "We aim to provide a unique and immersive experience that not only celebrates the genius of Leonardo but also underscores the relevance of his ideas in the contemporary landscape. As a pioneer in bridging art and technology, The Lume Melbourne is honoured to bring Leonardo's legacy to life in a way that engages, inspires and resonates with audiences of all ages." Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, from Friday, March 15, 2024 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information.
Purrfect news, feline fans: everything a dapper doggo can do, a cute cat can as well. While that's an accurate statement in general, as anyone who has ever shared their life with both a pooch and a kitty will know, it's also the thinking behind Melbourne's returning animal event. From the folks behind the Dog Lovers Festival comes the mouser equivalent: the Cat Lovers Festival. If you wear the 'crazy cat person' label as a badge of honour, stop to pat every moggie you meet while you're walking down the street or spend your all of your spare time watching cat videos (or all of the above), then you'll want to block out Saturday, October 26–Sunday, October 27, 2024 in your calendar. Expect the Melbourne Showgrounds to come alive with the sounds of meows, and expect pussy lovers to come out in force. On the agenda: feline-focused education and celebration. Before you go thinking about adorable kitties wearing glasses and sitting at desks, or popping streamers and wearing party hats (awwwwwwwww), humans will be doing the learning and rejoicing. Really, what's more informative and exuberant than entering the Pat-A-Cat zone and getting cosy with cats of all shapes and sizes — and possibly taking one home with you? If that doesn't tickle your whiskers, expect to meet more than 250 kitties, hit up a cat supermarket, listen to talks about felines, watch cat shows, see a Hello Kitty! performance and grab a bite to eat. Just remember: there'll be plenty of mousers in the Cat Lovers Show house, so you'll need to leave your own moggie at home.
Smith Street rejoice! The universe has heard your cry for more meat, cheese, wine and all things deli and has answered with an ambitious new butcher shop and eatery named Meatsmith (and politely asks if you would stop sending letters about the matter). Meatsmith is a collaborative effort between chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell (of Cumulus Inc., Supernormal amongst many) and butcher Troy Wheeler, once of Peter Bouchier. Meatsmith features an in-house deli with a fine dining twist. Alongside the standard deli fare, you'll find pre-prepared, take-home versions of fancy Cumulus dishes, like the whole slow-roasted lamb shoulder and other mouthwatering cuts (hello, braised beef cheeks) that ensure you'll never eat McDonalds on the run again. The eatery also serves up a divine selection of charcuterie, pâtés, house-made preserves and mustards, homemade terrines and lots of French and European style cold-cuts and smallgoods. Wheeler says the point of difference for the Meatsmith butchers is the expertise of the staff, who all have extensive practical knowledge (and more than a little charm) from working in hospitality, as opposed to the classic brusque butcher stereotype. "If you walk in not knowing what you want for dinner or if you want to impress at a dinner party, our staff can help," he says. "We would like to think we're accessible to people who know good food and want good food, as well as people who want some confidence in the staff and want clear information. The design of the shop reflects this idea; we don't have the big high butchers counters and the barrier between us and the customer, so we're accessible."
You might know Zoë Coombs Marr better by her alter ego. For years, the stand-up has performed as an unhinged male comic named Dave, raging against the femenazis and all the other bitches who for some strange reason don't think he's all that funny. Now the 2016 Barry Award winner is back — as herself. Expect Bossy Bottom to tackle gender, feminism and homophobia, as well as how all those subjects inevitably intersect with comedy in the modern age.
The career of one of Melbourne's most celebrated painters is the subject of a new exhibition at NGV Australia. Jan Senbergs: Observation—Imagination surveys the celebrated work of the eponymous artist, who for over half a century has captivated art lovers with his large-scale paintings, drawings and prints, depicting some of country's most iconic landmarks in his endlessly inventive style. Open from March 18 until June 12, the free exhibition features more than 120 works. From bushfires raging through the Victorian Otways to maze-like aerial visions of Sydney Harbour, Senbergs' work is instantly recognisable and draws its inspiration from a myriad of sources. The images are quintessentially Australian, with a touch of the absurd. The Federation Square gallery will host numerous special events in conjunction with the exhibition, including workshops, panel discussions and talks with the curator. For the complete lineup, go here.
We all have a mate who thinks, talks, and posts stories about eating and drinking. Not that you mind too much. They've always got the best new bar and restaurant recos, and they bring excellent snacks to picnics. When it comes to getting them a gift, buying something they can consume is a pretty safe bet — but you've gotta keep your standards high because theirs certainly will be. So, in partnership with Square, we've picked out nine gourmet gifts for the epicurean in your life. If you're lucky, they'll share some of the tasty goodies with you. And you may even impress by introducing them to a local producer that wasn't already on their radar. If you are a small business owner, Square has the tools you need to to take payments and maximise your sales, including an ebook with tips to help you get started this holiday season. MONTHLY CHEESE SUBSCRIPTION, MOULD ($75 PER MONTH) If you like to remind your mate regularly of just how lucky they are to have you as a friend (even though they are, of course), a subscription gift will do it for you — every month. And a cheese subscription? Well, you may be the best friend ever. Available from Mould, host of our favourite annual cheese festival, each monthly box features four gourmet cheeses from artisans across Australia, like a mature cheddar from Pyengana and camembert from Robe Dairy. Payment is processed on the first day of every month and the box is shipped the Monday following, so you'll know exactly when to show up at your mate's door with a bottle of vino for an 'impromptu' catch-up. [caption id="attachment_729021" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] VOUCHER, BAR MARGAUX ($50–200) If it's been too long between martinis at Bar Margaux, make sure your next catch-up is over steak frites at this basement bistro. Earlier this year, the Made in The Shade collective started offering online gift vouchers to give customers a way to support the French-style diner during lockdown. And when you're buying for someone who has exceptional taste, a voucher for their favourite bar and eatery is a failsafe option. Choose from values of $50, $100, $150, $200 — or a custom amount — then select from two gift card colours. There's even a handy tick box to send the gift directly to your mate's inbox. [caption id="attachment_701672" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Sobey[/caption] THE FAMOUS FOUR SET, THE EVERLEIGH ($72) Another Made in The Shade gem, award-winning cocktail bar The Everleigh kept many of us well sauced through the long nights in lockdown. No doubt you're familiar with its bottled cocktail packs, including pocket-sized single and double serve classics, including negronis, manhattans, martinis and old fashioneds. We're here to remind you they make excellent gifts when you're buying for someone who has discerning taste. Go all-out on the Famous Four gift set for $72. Delivery is $9.99 when you spend over $50 and the drinks come wrapped and ready to present. MUSHROOM GROW YOUR OWN KIT, URBAN FARMING COLLECTIVE ($25–40) Know what really gets a food fanatic excited? Growing their own product, expanding their knowledge and ultimately having bragging rights at your next group feast. Plus, growing your own veggies is more achievable than you think, even if you've got limited space and time. Melbourne's Urban Farming Collective helps people grow their own food by offering advice and selling planter kits, like its White Button Mushroom Grow Your Own Kit. Add the hobby-sized kit to your cart and ship it to a friend. In 10–12 weeks, they'll be able to show off up to three kilograms of their own homegrown organic mushrooms. LITTLE MISS YOKO GIN, LITTLE LON DISTILLING ($80) What with bars being closed for a while and many booze brands jumping on the virtual masterclass trend during lockdown, your mate may have gotten pretty skilled in making their own cocktails this year. And one they should certainly add to their repertoire is a lychee martini using Little Lon's Little Miss Yoko Gin. The limited-batch, double-distilled gin gives off notes of vanilla, baking spices and, of course, lychee, making it an excellent year-round addition to their bar cart. According to the Melbourne-based distillery, it also suits a fruity sour cocktail or, if your mate wants to keep things simple, tell them to mix it with elderflower tonic water. WITH GRATITUDE GIFT PACK, LOVE TEA ($55) If there is something your epicurean mate loves more than anything, it's trying new things. So, with over 60 different blends on offer, Love Tea is sure to be right up their alley. Since 2006, Love Tea's founders Emma Watson and Damien Amos have collaborated with growers across the world to source top-quality organic ingredients, before crafting, blending and packing the teas in flavours like dandelion chai, hibiscus and coconut orange in Melbourne. A gift pack is the best introduction to the brand, so thank your mate for another year of friendship with the With Gratitude pack, which comes with white rose and goji, lemongrass and ginger, peppermint and organic chai. Shipping is $9 or free for orders over $65. POUR OVER COFFEE KIT, MARKET LANE COFFEE ($100) Maybe your mate is one of those still working from home for the foreseeable future. Or perhaps their caffeine game is pretty weak whenever you visit. Either way, they need their coffee situation sorted pronto. Market Lane's Pour Over Coffee Kit will have them ditching the freeze-dried nonsense in the pantry and transform an early morning cuppa into their favourite part of the day. This starter kit comes with a pour over cone, filter papers, digital pocket scales, a Pitchii jug and a guide to make the entire process easy peasy. Shipping is free for orders over $40. ESTATE TO PLATE VOUCHER, MONTALTO ($350) For $350, you could get an unforgettable gift for two epicureans in your life. Award-winning winery Montalto runs Estate to Plate experiences that include chef-run kitchen garden tours, wine tastings and a five-course lunch with matched wines at Montalto Restaurant. Which, considering the restaurant has earned 16 Good Food Guide hats since opening in 2002, makes this one very impressive gift. It's an exxy pressie, but the benefits are a memorable and long-lasting gift. You'll receive a PDF voucher instantly and vouchers are valid for up to three years from purchase. CHRISTMASSY FAVES GIFT, HEY TIGER ($45.50) We've consumed enough chocolate on Christmas Day to know two things to be true. One: it's a winning gift idea. And two: not all chocolate is created equal. And it's that second point that really sets Hey Tiger apart. The Aussie brand is dedicated to changing the cocoa industry by ethically sourcing its ingredients and donating a portion of every bar sold to The Hunger Project. But it's not simply making a social impact — it's doing it with some innovative flavours, including a whole range of game-changing vegan bars. The Christmassy Faves comes with a caramel and gingerbread white chocolate, a strawberry trifle milk chocolate, and three mini bars. To make your life easy, it comes in a gift box already and you can add a card for just a buck more at the checkout. Oh, and every order comes with a free mini bar, so you won't even need to drop hints to your mate to share their loot. Find out how Square is supporting small businesses with the tools they need to grow, here. f you are a small business owner, Square has guidance on how best to maximise sales in the run up to the Christmas holiday period in its ebook, found here.
One of our city's oldest independent record stores, Polyester has been providing Melbourne with quality tunes since 1981. Though its second store on Flinders Lane unfortunately bit the dust earlier this year, the original Brunswick Street shop is holding on tight. Set to relaunch in-store gigs soon, we'll be killing time and blowing paycheques at this place for years to come.
From humble food truck beginnings, Melbourne Greek doughnut-slinger Lukumades opened its first bricks-and-mortar spot in West Melbourne in 2017. Now, it's brought its deliciously chewy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside dessert to Windsor. The second Melbourne outpost will be located on a buzzing section of Chapel Street, dishing up a modern spin on traditional Greek loukoumades. Cult favourites such as the Oreo Balls smothered in white chocolate and served with a scoop of cookies and cream gelato, and the White Nutella Balls — topped with salted caramel sauce and crushed biscuits — will be on the menu, as well as more traditional doughnuts dusted with icing sugar or dipped in honey and cinnamon. New flavours on rotation will include matcha and jaffa, too. Lukumades is not just expanding to Windsor, either. As well as openings in Perth and Sydney, the brand has its sights set globally — thanks to its recent franchising — with stores in the United States and Cyprus anticipated to open by the end of the year.
If you're a fan of all things garlic, you'll find yourself in excellent company with a visit out to Meeniyan on Saturday, February 18. That's when the famed annual Meeniyan Garlic Festival sees thousands of fellow aficionados descend on the Gippsland town for a jam-packed day of garlic-infused fun. This year's program is as big as ever, featuring a hefty offering of chef appearances, markets, talks, live tunes and events to tempt just about every palate. Oh, and around two tonnes of garlic, too. With Gippsland Food Ambassador Alejandro Saravia (Farmer's Daughters, Victoria) helming the chef lineup for the new Festival Kitchen, expect plenty of garlic-driven cooking demonstrations, with more culinary insights from the likes of Gerard Phelan (Tinamba Hotel) and Maria Stuart (Millie & Romeo's Cooking School). [caption id="attachment_711871" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chef Alejandro Saravia[/caption] Then hit the food and drink precinct to sample and stock up on garlic-infused pantry products, and to feast your way through the day's food stalls — ranging from dumplings and paella to gozleme and Greek street food. Meanwhile, the Gippsland Wine Academy pop-up will be showcasing a handpicked crop of wines from ten award-winning wineries, as curated by Matt Jensen (Farmer's Daughters, Atlas, Vue de Monde) and his knowledgeable sommelier crew. Here, there'll be guided tasting flights and lots of wine available to purchase for home. The town's Main Street eateries will be getting into the spirit with a slew of special garlic-inspired menus and dishes, while The Garlic Institute hosts a series of talks and presentations dishing up all sorts of garlicky knowledge. Plus, don't miss out on the Australian Garlic Awards, which'll be announced during the festival. [caption id="attachment_707080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ken Spence[/caption] Top images: Meeniyan Garlic Festival
Commune Group (Firebird, Moonhouse, New Quarter, Tokyo Tina, Hanoi Hannah and Studio Amaro) is helping hungry folks out this month by giving diners gift vouchers worth 25% of their total bills. Yes, a simple 25% discount would be easier, but let's not be greedy while Melbourne hospo businesses are struggling. Instead, this offer allows you to have more nights out while saving a few bucks. And the venues aren't totally screwed over in the process. [caption id="attachment_959167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tokyo Tina[/caption] All you've got to do is dine in at any of its restaurants between Monday and Thursday in June — excluding Studio Amaro — and then send a photo of the bill to the team via Commune's online portal. You'll then get a voucher that you can use at any of its other sites — again, not including Studio Amaro. Most of these spots are ideal for group bookings, having great set menus and buzzing vibes. We're also huge fans of New Quarter's unlimited noodles special — one of the best bottomless food deals in Melbourne. So, gather a bunch of mates together for a night out this month and score a big gift voucher to use for your next group hang. [caption id="attachment_936366" align="alignnone" width="1920"] New Quarter[/caption]
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you inside the Trixie Motel. Here, the world-famous drag queen, Trixie Mattel, has transformed an old Palm Springs motel into a queer paradise full of colour and character. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This newly renovated Californian motel is the brainchild of a world famous US drag queen, and is just as bright and fun as you can imagine. THE ROOMS You will overdose on sensory inputs, no matter what room you stay in. 'Calming', is not a word used to describe the design of these rooms. Every Trixie Motel room is bursting with candy colours and loud patterns (more is most definitely more). What else would you expect from a drag queen motel in sunny Palm Springs? Like Trixie Mattel, the owner and famous Drag Race queen, the entire facility is 60s and 70s flower power themed. You'll feel like Malibu Barbie, as you spend the days roaming from your room to the outdoor pool. This place is extra extra — and why should it be anything else? FOOD AND DRINK The Trixie Motel has a little on-site cafe and bar which serves up creative snacks and small bites alongside plenty of speciality cocktails and beverages. It's mostly stuff you can enjoy while sitting around the pink and white tiled pool area – but they do provide private dinners too. They just need to be pre-booked and can be served in most places on the property. Alternatively, head to the fabulous selection of local restaurants throughout Palm Springs. THE LOCAL AREA Palm Springs is a classic Californian destination, located about 100 miles east of Los Angeles in the Coachella Valley (yes, Coachella is hosted nearby). This desert city is known for its hot springs, golf courses, palm tree-lined streets and perpetually good weather — It's also been a favourite destination for Hollywood stars since the 1930s. Most come here to experience the resort spa lifestyle. But this area has also developed into a real culture hub. Check out the Palm Springs Art Museum, McCallum Theatre and Palm Springs Design Centre in between taking hikes around the local national parks and shopping at the countless boutique stores. Or do none of this, just spending the whole day sitting by the pool, sipping on cocktails. The choice is all yours. [caption id="attachment_869215" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian M Jones (Unsplash)[/caption] THE EXTRAS While staying here, you can even go online and watch the reality tv show, Trixie Motel, which takes you through the property's renovation process. See how the famous drag queen, Trixie Mattel, and partner, David Silver, created the Trixie Motel – you'll appreciate your stay here even more. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Come Thursday, March 14, Melbourne will have its own rooftop brewery bar overlooking the city skyline, and you can thank former Aussie Rules football player David Neitz for making it happen. He established Brewmanity back in 2015, alongside fellow brewery lovers Jamie Fox and Paul Hopgood, to not only bring great craft beer to Melburnians but also raise money to fight motor neurone disease — which Neale Daniher, Neitz's friend, fellow ex-footballer and coach when he was playing for Melbourne, suffers from. To date, Brewmanity has raised nearly $970,000. Next, the trio behind it are taking things to the next level by setting up a huge 400-person, three-storey, 34-tap brewery bar in South Melbourne. The ground floor will house the beer hall, where visitors can drink the team's craft brews surrounded by stainless steel tanks in which new creations are slowly fermenting. Head up the stairs to find another bar with a large terrace overlooking the city. But when the sun is shining, we're pretty sure punters will be racing for the rooftop, where they'll find even better views across Melbourne's skyline. And if Melbourne does decide to throw a surprise shower (which will inevitably happen), the venue has retractable awnings ready and waiting. Each level will have a bar pumping out Brewmanity beers alongside some local independent wines, spirits and cocktails. Food will come courtesy of Chef Suman, who'll be serving up a selection of share plates and bar bites to hungry beer drinkers. There'll be no need to scale the stairs to go get a feed. "We are so excited to be only weeks away from opening the doors to Brewmanity brewery and bar," said Neitz. "This has been a project a long time in the making and we are thrilled that our beer will have a home that the public can enjoy." "We are proud with what we have achieved so far and there is so much more to come. We have proved that you can make a good beer that does good deeds and we hope to pour out the goodness for many years to come," Neitz continued. Brewmanity will open on Thursday, March 14 at 44–50 Tope Street, South Melbourne. For more information, head to the venue's website.
More than 100 publishers and designers will converge on NGV International for the Melbourne Art Book Fair, happening as part of Melbourne Design Week. It's an 11-day festival packed with limited-edition books, prints and magazines – as well as launches, exhibitions, talks and workshops. Drop into Comme des Garçons' store in Somerset Place to see Book Stand, a site-specific collaboration with Perimeter Books featuring a selection of publications, including Dino Simonett's COMME DES GARÇONS PARFUMS 1994-2025. Meanwhile, at CAVES on Swanston Street, you'll find Fusion of Forms, a series of immersive multimedia installations by local artist Xinyuan (Caesar) Li exploring innovations in bilingual typography. Also on the program is Out of Line, the biggest Australian exhibition of the works of New Zealand designer and typographer Catherine Griffiths to date, as well as Troppo Print Studio's Print Panorama Experiment, which invites you to get involved in creating an evolving silk-screen print. And don't miss NEWSSTAND, where you'll limited-edition editorials by cutting-edge thinkers from The Paris End, Long Prawn and Binatang Press. Melbourne Art Book Fair is taking place from Thursday, May 15–Sunday, May 25. Check out the rest of the massive program over here.
The summer of you has arrived — now that you've finally shaken that winter cold that held on for weeks, stopped begrudgingly ordering hot toddies at the pub and are now prepared to bring out your bare legs for the first time in months. You're also now saving stacks on not having to get Ubers door to door because of the rain and cold. What can you do to celebrate? Well, there's a bunch of things going on this summer in Melbourne that won't blow the bank — send those Uber funds elsewhere. We've joined up with Bank of Melbourne to pull together a list of what you should be doing before the season's through. Start planning and read on. ROOFTOP POOL PARTY ON FLINDERS LANE It's a hidden gem usually reserved for hotel guests, but come Saturday, January 19, the sun-drenched rooftop pool above Holiday Inn Melbourne on Flinders will open to the public for a one-off summer splash session. Kicking off at noon, the hotel's sky-high astroturfed terrace and adjoining pool will play host to the sort of classic Aussie pool party you don't often find in the heart of the CBD. Switch between taking dips and lounging in the sun, while enjoying free-flowing beer, wine, cider and soft drinks, all included in the ticket price. A sausage sizzle will be doling out yet more pool party staples, while the soundtrack's set to feature a fun-loving mix of classic summer jams and new favourites. Best of all, a ticket to the two-hour rooftop party will set you back just $40. MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL X NOCTURNAL FEAT. NAKHANE Melbourne Museum is good for more than just cool history stuff. The monthly adults-only sessions, Nocturnal, have produced an intriguing lineup for this summer. On Friday, February 1, the museum will host a special event in tandem with Midsumma Festival, presenting Nakhane, the South African artist making waves with his mix of percussive house-pop and speaking up as an important voice in the LGBTQI+ sphere. Joining him will be OKENYO, the project of actor and musician Zindzi Okenyo, with her neo-soul/R&B vibes. More will be announced soon, and without a doubt, a good night is set to be in store. Tickets are $25 for early bird or $35 full price. JUGS OF SANGRIA NEXT TO THE BEACH AT REPUBLICA Dog-friendly, right next to the beach, with comfortable outdoor seating and a menu rich in fresh seafood, Republica is one of St Kilda's finest. The bar also offers cocktail jugs, done in one-litre size. Sit in their sprawling outdoor area post-swim, and order a couple sangria jugs to get you through a warm summer evening on the beach. There'll likely be a pretty good food special on, too, depending on the day of the week. Perfect for sharesies with mates, a date or just you and your pooch (don't give alcohol to dogs, though), the jugs are $35 each and also come filled with Pimm's, Stones & Soda and Traditional Lemonade. NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS: KLP AND EILISH GILLIGAN NGV's Friday Night series has once again kicked off with a bang, with this year bringing a huge lineup of artists, DJs and dancers to keep you feeling arty and cultured and gooey about how much you love Melbourne. The NGV might well be our city's calling card, and it'll be trumping it late on Friday nights through summer. Your ticket includes entry to the gallery's Escher x Nendo: Between Two World exhibition so you can 'two birds one stone' it. Head along from 6pm on January 11 to see musicians KLP and Eilish Gilligan both do DJ sets. While you're there catch live performances of Bach pieces, discover the NGV's architecture commission for 2018 and hit up the pop-up gin bars. Tickets are $28 for museum members and $35 full price. We recommend booking in advance. KIDULTING AT THE ENCHANTED ADVENTURE GARDEN Arthurs Seat's Enchanted Adventure Garden is full of activities for both big and little kids alike. At the adventure park, full-grown adult types will find themselves feeling intrepid and at one with nature as they push past kids to win at the hedge maze — just remember you are actually bigger than them. Along with the three mazes on offer, you'll also find tube sliding, canopy walks and a spooky 3D maze. All day access is $30 for adults. There's also something called tree surfing — like a high ropes course — and a zipline, available at an additional cost. BERRY PICKING AT BLUE HILLS BERRY FARM There's something to be said about food you've grown, harvested and prepared by yourself — and here you'll get two of those three boxes ticked. Head to Blue Hills Berry Farm for its 'u-pick' service, where you can pick as many berries as you can — to add to a pav, or just scoff on the car ride home. Take your pick from the two locations in Silvan (offering either cherries or other berries), don your runners and off you go. Tip: check the farm's fruit report the day before you go to see what's ripe and ready for the pickin'. Entry fee is $13.50, plus whatever you pick (price per kilo varies depending on berry). [caption id="attachment_656151" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nathan Doran.[/caption] THE ST KILDA FESTIVAL If you're a fan of tasteful tunes and exuberant summer vibes that don't bruise the budget, the annual St Kilda Festival should be at the top of your summer bucket list. The nation's largest free music festival returns to St Kilda's foreshore for its 39th year on Sunday, February 10, bringing eight stages of live music and a ton of food stalls and interactive workshops stretching from Catani Gardens to the south end of Acland Street. As well as bangin' tunes, the air will be filled with the scent of delicious eats emanating from more than 100 food vendors. There'll be everything from curry to burgers, ribs and sushi — providing plenty of sustenance for all that dancing. And since the tunes are free, you'll have plenty of cash to splash on all the good eats expected. [caption id="attachment_638897" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Brook James.[/caption] WINE AND CICCHETTI OUTSIDE AT HEARTATTACK AND VINE Opened by the owners as an homage to the small neighbourhood bars and cafes of Italy and Spain, Heartattack and Vine is a solo diner's dream as well as a place to have a red wine or four with friends. Sit outside in the warm months at the communal wooden table out the front and watch the Lygon Street traffic drizzle past. Heartattack's food speciality is cicchetti, a Venetian type of tapas, which constantly rotate — and at $4 a pop, you can't go wrong. Arm yourself with a negroni and go full Italiano. GERSHWIN AND FRIENDS AT THE SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents this ode to old mate George Gershwin, the famous composer, and his other musically inclined mates. At this free concert in the Music Bowl, bring a picnic rug and embrace listening to something this silly season that isn't thumping house music — or Christmas carols on repeat. Let the strains of some of Gershwin's most well-known compositions (Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris) wash over you in the 90-minute concert on Friday, February 8. 2019 will celebrate 90 years of MSO free concerts and 60 years at the Bowl so it's a good year to be choosing classical music over cooked times at Revs. Entry is $0 but first in best dressed. BRUNCH OUTSIDE AT THE STABLES OF COMO South Yarra venue The Stables of Como is a more than just a trendy brunch place. It's part of a National Trust area, it's a wedding hotspot, high tea go-to and a picnic lover's dream. The converted stables are a multi-faceted site for occasions, strolls in the gardens or an outdoor meal. So hit up the café for a pink, summery juice (watermelon, strawberries, rose, mint and coconut yoghurt) and fill up on prawn toast soldiers ($18), then grab one of the lush cakes and a takeaway coffee to have yourself a little impromptu picnic on the grounds.
Easter weekend is set to serve up much more than just chocolate and bellyaches this year — it also marks the return of much-loved music festival Boogie, which is headed back to Tallarook for its jam-packed 16th instalment. Descending on its longtime rural home from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 9, the annual celebration of tunes and good vibes is set to deliver as stacked a lineup as ever. Joining in the fun this time around are the likes of jazz-funk four-piece Surprise Chef, 'cosmic country' star Freya Josephine Hollick, Grinspoon's Phil Jamieson, punk legends Private Function, USA outfit The Pink Stones and Sugar D, plus stacks more. [caption id="attachment_886806" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Suprise Chef[/caption] Willie J and the Bad Books, Headspin, Queenie and Full Flower Moon Band will be coming to the party, as will Eils & The Drip, REB, Collingwood Cassanovas and Foggy Notion. There'll be multiple stages, serving a juicy blend of everything from blues and alt-country, to indie rock and electro. What's more, the skilled selectors at 1800 Lasagne have curated a late-night lineup to have you dancing till the wee hours, featuring high-energy acts like Wax'o Paradiso, Andee Frost, David Smiley and Sophie McAlister. You'll even catch the 1800 Jazzagna band, joined by the likes of James Tom and Deadnecks firing up The Clubhouse. Stay tuned, because there's more to be announced, too. [caption id="attachment_886815" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maclay Heriot[/caption] BOOGIE 2023 LINEUP: Andy Golledge Band Archer & Martha Spencer Batts Collingwood Casanovas The Counterfeits' Wild West Show featuring Freya Josephine Hollick Danika Smith Eils & The Drip Foggy Notion Full Flower Moon Band Girl & Girl Guitar Wolf A Celebration of The Band's The Last Waltz Phil Jamieson The Pink Stones Private Function The Prize Queenie Quivers The Slingers Surprise Chef Watty Thompson and His Ensemble Willie J & The Bad Books The Clubhouse 1800 Jazzagna Deadnecks Headspin James Ellis & The Jealous Guys James Tom REB Sugar D Late Night Vibes curated by 1800 Lasagne Adriana Andee Frost Colette David Smiley Sophie McAlister Wax'O Paradiso Catch Boogie at Our Friends Farm, 210 Tallarook-Pyalong Road, Tallarook, from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 9. Tickets are $349, and available online now. Top image: Jacinta Oaten.
Most families have road-trip stories and vacation tales embedded not only in their memories, but in their lore. Cherished holiday moments, whether joyous, chaotic or everything in-between, help cement the picture of who a brood is beyond the bonds of blood. So too does recalling those getaways in frequently wheeled-out anecdotes. This is all true for the Hammar family, which spent every summer during now-journalist, TV presenter and writer Filip's childhood heading from Sweden to France. With patriarch Lars behind the wheel, they'd venture for a stint of fun and sun — plus Lars whipping up ratatouille in the kitchen — at Beaulieu-sur-Mar in the French Riviera. Plenty of families talk about recapturing that magic years later. Some make the same pilgrimage again. For Filip, taking Lars back to the spot between Nice and Monaco, driving there in the same type of orange Renault 4, staying in the apartment they always did, and re-orchestrating some of treasured incidents and instances, wasn't just about nostalgia, however. That's an undeniable aspect of the trip captured in documentary The Last Journey, but so is rekindling the now-octogenarian Lars' lust for life — which was flagging after retiring from his beloved job as a teacher after 40 years and biding most of his time in an armchair at home, with his energy, physical and emotional alike, waning. Co-directed with Fredrik Wikingsson, who Filip has collaborated with professionally for a quarter of a century, the film that chronicles the Hammars' new south-of-France jaunt is now Sweden's highest-grossing doco in history. "We didn't expect this," Filip tells Concrete Playground about the reaction to the movie, which premiered in March 2024 in Swedish cinemas, was selected as the Scandinavian country's submission for the 2025 Oscars' Best International Feature category, and opens in Australia on Thursday, February 27, 2025 and in New Zealand on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Included in that sentiment: the response to the film as it has played well beyond Filip, Lars and Fredrik's homeland. "This was just a small, small project that we thought would be very domestic in a way," Filip continues. "Yeah, this is incredible for us," adds Fredrik. With Fredrik also travelling to Beaulieu-sur-Mar with Filip and his father, this is a deeply personal picture. A son trying to help his dad reclaim his zest for living was always going to be — even if the travelling party hadn't had to navigate setbacks such as Lars' hotel-room fall, which results in a broken bone, a hospital stay and almost calling the whole thing off. But as specific to the Hammars as the whole endeavour is, as filled with recreated moments for Lars and Filip, and as layered with minutiae from their family's experiences, The Last Journey also achieves the holy grail of personal filmmaking: ensuring that such an individual quest is always movingly universal. Again, road trips and fondly remembered holidays, tales about them, nostalgia and wanting to recapture family glory days are familiar to almost everyone; however, The Last Journey resonates well beyond the obvious, and long past the broad strokes. While they mightn't have when they were starting work on the movie, Filip and Fredrik — as they're known in Sweden, including via TV shows such as Sunday Party with Filip and Fredrik and Breaking News with Filip and Fredrik — understand this as filmmakers. Their documentary charts their French trip, plus Filip's journey to accept his dad's ageing and his grappling with mortality, through Filip's eyes, but its guiding forces now know that their viewers will see themselves in every Hammar family-centric detail. [caption id="attachment_991498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Margareta Bloom Sandebäck[/caption] There's a moment in the film in France, in the apartment that he visited yearly when he was a boy, where Filip comments that being there now feels like being in a museum — and that the memories of his dad from past holidays are everywhere you look. There's so much in that statement about the way that we adore and look back on memories and experiences with our loved ones, as there is in the film. Indeed, amid The Last Journey's efforts to recreate key memories for Lars, and its commitment to not shying away from tough moments, Filip's words and the sensation they describe — a feeling that viewers will be able to recognise instantly in their own lives — perfectly sums up the entire documentary. That's an immense achievement for a movie that its directors were "very nervous about this being a very personal, small story that maybe nobody would give a shit" about, as Fredrik advises — even if they did come to realise that for audiences, "when you watch the film, you probably sit and think about the stuff you did with your parents when you grew up and the places you stayed at," Filip notes. Digging into the reaction to the doco, exploring why it's so relatable, unpacking that museum-like sensation, stepping through Lars' seemingly reluctance at various stages, examining why it was so crucial to include difficult moments, uncovering what Filip learned along the way: that's all a part of our chat with Filip and Fredrik as well. On Filip and Fredrik's Journey with the Film So Far, Including Notching Up the Highest-Grossing Swedish Documentary in History Fredrik: "First and foremost, we were very nervous about this being a very personal, small story that maybe nobody would give a shit, because it was just like maybe people will think 'good for you, good for your dad, you made a trip, why should we care?'. And especially abroad, that's even crazier. But the reactions from so many people, we got emails and text messages and stuff of people having seen the film and made their own versions of this journey. Like going to Italy with their 97-year-old grandfather, having one last beer at his favourite restaurant, or a smaller, more reasonable version — 'I just went to a museum with my mother' — and that whole almost-movement has been incredibly rewarding." Filip: "I think that when you start out, when we had this idea — this started out as just me and my dad going on a trip without cameras, when me and Fredrik started talking, 'maybe we should document this somehow'. And we decided to do that. I'm not sure it's a good idea if you start thinking about 'will this resonate?'. Of course you ask yourself those questions, like 'what's the story here?', but I don't think we understood how well it would resonate with people. Because this was my sort of issue — I felt like 'this is me, this is my dad, I want to reverse time, I want him to be the guy he used to be'. I think we underestimated how common that is in a way, how people could truly relate to this. And first off, we discovered that 'hey, they can relate to this in Sweden' — and then we started slowly to screen it outside of Sweden, and then you realise that 'hey, this is a very universal thing'. I mean, it's not that we're stupid. We knew that some people would relate. But I think it's really common now where you don't want your parents to get old, because it also makes you aware of your own mortality. And you also love your parents. So it's a very universal story, I think." On the Movie's Museum Comment, How It Sums Up the Film and How We All See Our Memories in Spaces That Are Important to Us Filip: "Thank you, first of all — that was just something I improvised. It just came." Fredrik: "Yeah, yeah." Filip: "I think people could relate to that as well. I remember, just a while ago, I went down to an apartment, my grandad's apartment — that's not in France, that's in Sweden — and I opened the door and immediately the smell was the same, and I immediately see my granddad was sitting there in his oversized bathrobe in the mornings, whatever. So there are several museums, because you associate places with certain things and memories. And I think that for everyone, like Fredrik talks about — I mean, in the beginning of the film, I talked about that last bend. We drive down to France and my dad always said 'kids, this is the last band. Then we arrive in our paradise'. But Fredrik had his own paradise. You probably had your own paradise. And those are museums, I guess, for all of us. So that's also one of the reason I think you can relate, because when you watch the film, you probably sit and think about the stuff you did with your parents when you grew up and the places you stayed at." On the Quest to Help Lars Recapture His Lust for Life — Even with His Seeming Reluctance About the Journey at Times Fredrik: "I've known Filip since the mid-90s and I've known Lars for as long. And he knows me well, and we love each other. We had a very, very small crew — and I think there is a part of him being a teacher for 40 years, a very beloved teacher. And he was he was beloved because he was also a performer. He was one of those like Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society-type teachers. So I think in a way, I think the camera for him was like a return to performing again." Filip: "That's true. You never said that before." Fredrik: "So even though it could be strange to be on-camera for a person who's not used to it, he was such a natural, if you want to call it that. Also, I think the camera made Lars listen better, because he has all kinds of diagnoses, so he is not the greatest of listeners. But everything, because of the camera, because we filmed everything, the tempo was really slow, and I think he just loved being seen and heard because he hadn't been that for a while sitting at home." Filip: "Some people perceive it as him being reluctant, and that's true at times, but also everything, I try to with my mum, I want her to greenlight everything first. She really approved of this idea. She felt he has to do this. She's there with him every day, and if you're depressed, like my dad is, you rather say 'no' than 'yes' — because you are worried, that's just part of it. We wouldn't, of course, have pushed him if he said 'no, no, no, no, no'. We wouldn't have done it. Or if a doctor would say 'this is not possible'. But I know my dad good enough, my mum knows her husband good enough, to understand that, well, you need to convince him — and sometimes you just need to tell him 'Lars, this is what you've got to do', because we knew that he would enjoy this. There were times when he's worried, of course, because he's lost a lot of self-confidence maybe. But he also enjoyed it. Even Fredrik knows this, because he'd seen my dad throughout the years. You can see when he suddenly tells the story about the parrot, when he starts remembering stuff that happened during the heydays of his life on the French Riviera, he smiles. He loves this. He forgets that he's depressed." On the Importance of Recreating Pivotal Moments From Lars and Filip's Family Holidays — and Managing to Pull Them Off Fredrik: "I think this trip could have been only sunsets and beautiful dinners, and having a good lunch with some great French food, but for us that would not do justice to who Filip's dad is. He is original, and the way he looks at France is not like the typical Eat, Pray, Love bullshit, which is all like the good food and stuff." Filip: "Fredrik sometimes calls this film 'an Eat, Pray, Love for smart people'." Fredrik: "Occasionally. But we wanted this to be a fun trip for him, and we wanted it to be like a reverse bucket list, if you will. Instead of doing things he never did before, let's make him — and for god's sake also let Filip, because he wanted this as well — experience the greatest moments of their lives together, and maybe that could reignite his zest for life. It didn't really work out that way, but I think it made the movie better. And also I think that it made the journey more memorable for him." Filip: "Instead of having him experience new things, like 'oh, my dad wants to swim with dolphins' — for some reason that's always on top of a lot of people's lists. It's hanging in there for decades. It's still there — for him, I think we knew that it's better. It's like you get a ticket to your own museum. Let's do this. And I think that was the key to why it felt, for us, relevant to make this film. And also, this is a film about a good human being — but like Fredrik said, then if it could be only like sunset sand great talks, what's good? There's an edge to this film as well that we're both proud of, and I think it's a funny film, and I think those moments we want him to re-experience are obviously not your average moments. It's like having him retell a pretty shitty story about Harry Belafonte, but he loves that story, and it was part of our summers when he tells this story about Harry Belafonte. And I think that's important for the film. Otherwise film could have become quite ... " Fredrik: "Predictable, I guess." Filip: "Yeah, I guess — and bland, like nothing. There is an oddness to it. But still a relatability. Because you probably have that story in your family when your dad is about to — and 'okay, here we go again, he's going to tell this story'. So we all have our Harry Belafonte stories in our families." On Knowing How Crucial It Was to Share the Tough Turns Along the Film's Journey Fredrik: "You never plan for those. When Lars claims, Filip's dad claims, that he makes the best ratatouille in Europe — and every summer, he made that once every summer, and that was the highlight of his summer, spending hours in the kitchen — so of course we wanted that to happen again. And when you plan that as a co-traveller and also filmmakers, you have an idea, 'this is going to be a beautiful scene, one last ratatouille'. And then when you realise quickly that 'oh my god, he can't even cut through the vegetables anymore because he's too frail', your first instinct is panic, to feel like 'oh whoa, this is not what we planned'. But after a while, if you embrace the truth of the moment, which is 'okay, this is a different Lars now, and maybe this means something for this whole experience' — then, if you include that in the film, which we of course did, it becomes more true, and I think even more relatable. Filip: "This film plays a bit, I think, like a feature. It's a doc, but it could just as well almost been a film based on some book or a script or whatever. But what we love is, talking about whatever plot points, that scene, we didn't see it coming. It was just like 'hey, have dinner'. But we realised that, wow, me being desperate — I can't, I don't remember this hardly — how desperate I am trying to find a sharper knife because I really want my dad to be able to cut through that eggplant. That's a very surprising plot point, but that is probably the scene where I give up, or where I come to terms with my dad's age. 'Hey, he's not going to be the same again'. It's hard to write that. That's why I love making documentaries. It's a scene that would have been hard to come up with if you just fantasise. On What Filip Learned on His Trip with His Dad and Fredrik — and From Making a Documentary About It Filip: "It sounds like it's a film about my dad, like his last journey, but I think the person that makes the biggest journey is definitely me. Because I think I really come to terms, or I finally just come to terms, with 'okay, my dad is not going to be who he once was. This is who he is now. But please, Filip, enjoy this'." Fredrik: "Embrace it." Filip: "And embrace it. This chapter in his life and in our lives together also has a silver lining. So I think that has really, truly changed me. And I think maybe people can relate to that as well. Or if you haven't really come to terms with that, maybe people will. And now me and my dad's relationship is better. Before this, every time I called him, I really pushed him. I told him 'come on, stop being depressed, show some fighting spirit' or whatever. Now I feel like 'okay, it's fine. Let's complain, if you want to do that. Then we can talk about other things'. Because I think he felt the pressure before to sort of perform to make me happy, by saying 'no, I'm really trying, Filip'. So that is good. There's a moment in the film where he says 'I hope you're not disappointed with me', and that sort of reveals a lot how, I guess, a lot of parents feel — how they feel like 'oh, I want to be someone else because my kids want me to be who I once was'. I think that's sad. When I think about that line, I think that changed me in a way. 'Of course, I'm not disappointed in you, dad. You can be whoever you want.'" The Last Journey opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, February 27, 2025 and in New Zealand on Thursday, March 6, 2025. Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson are in Australia for preview screening with Q&As on Sunday, 16 February at Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, and on Tuesday, February 18 at Cinema Nova and The Astor Theatre in Melbourne.
If Vegie Bar is the king of Brunswick Street, then Rice Queen is, well, queen. Occupying a space in a fiercely competitive Fitzroy block that houses two of Melbourne's cult vegetarian venues — the aforementioned Vegie Bar and Yong Green Food — the overt Oriental restaurant and bar has still managed to become one of the strip's reliable fixtures since they made the move from Smith Street two years ago. Everyone has a place within the monarchy. The nicest thing about Rice Queen is the space; it's so big you could almost see the horizon on the bar if it wasn't for the hanging red lanterns disrupting your view. The beauty of the large open room allows for tables to be generously spaced, creating intimacy no matter whether you sit at a bar table, on a lounge, in the formal dining space or the outdoor alcove. The fit out is oriented toward Oriental kitsch, yet it remains sleek with a comfortably quiet noise level and attentive table service. Seven spice Korean Fried Chicken wings ($10 for five pieces, $17 for ten) are hot and peppery, but not fiery enough to kill your taste buds; the fried outer is thin and crisp — and gluten free! — giving way to juicy, juicy chicken. Hands are necessary, napkins are provided. The caramelised pork bites, twice cooked pork belly served with green nam jim, crispy shallots and garlic chips ($13), are just as good and can be eaten with chopsticks if you'd prefer. Balance out the meat with a serve of tofu san choy bau ($9) and maybe some sesame gyoza crisps with white miso tahini smoky eggplant sauce ($8). The menu lends itself to both snacks and larger meals, but your best bet is to order a drink and a few plates to share (especially when the pad Thai edges towards $20). As the front section of the venue doubles as a standalone bar, dropping in for just a drink is fine too. A selection of sake works perfectly with a snack (ask the bar staff for a recommendation) and a variety of local wines and Asian bottled beers are great if you don't feel like a cocktail. Otherwise, go for the Barberry (Cuervo Tradicional tequila, Mandarine Liqueur, housemade jam, fresh lemon and rhubarb bitters; $14) or the Dark Negroni (Mount Gay XO rum, vermouth, amaro and orange bitters; $17). It's these drinks, the class bartenders and attention to detail that separates Rice Queen from its neighbouring eateries. It may not be the heir to the throne, but this place is royalty too.
If the stones and shopfronts of Lygon Street could talk, they’d surely do so in Italian. Sometimes referred to as Melbourne’s Little Italy, the iconic Carlton thoroughfare has played a major role in Australia’s cultural and gastronomical development over the past 60 years, and it is now the subject of a new home-grown documentary: Lygon Street – Si parla Italiano. The story begins in the years following World War Two, during which time millions of migrants left Europe in search of new beginnings. Of those that made the long journey to Australia, one in six were from Italy, many of whom came based on the promise of jobs that in reality didn’t exist. At first, the government funnelled them into migrant centres (viewers are left to draw their own parallels to the treatment of asylum seeks today). The conditions were shabby and the means of entertainment scarce, but the biggest sticking point for the Italians was the terrible quality of the food. Soon, the migrants flooded out into the community in search of a place where they could call their own. As if by fate, they settled on a street named Lygon. Before long, the road was littered with restaurants, coffee bars, grocers and delicatessens, many of them with and written signs in the window reading 'Si parla Italiano', meaning 'we speak Italian'. Locals were suspicious of the settlers at first, but were soon won over by the quality of their cooking. By the '80s, Lygon Street was one of the hottest night spots in the city, home to bars, clubs and theatres, not to mention, the scene of raucous celebration in the wake of Italy’s 1986 World Cup victory. Silky narration by Anthony LaPaglia keeps the film from feeling too much like a history lesson. Directors Shannon Swan and Angelo Pricolo combine archival footage and traditional talking heads with a more flavoursome approach to storytelling by inviting some of the street’s oldest pioneers – the owners of establishments like L’Alba and University Café – out for dinner. Over plates of pasta, the old friends recall stories from their past, laughing and shouting over the top of each other as they argue about which one owned the first Espresso machine in Australia. It’s an ingenious way of making viewers feel included – a Saturday night dinner in one of Lygon’s bustling eateries. Admittedly, it’s hard to imagine Si parla Italiano being as interesting to anyone from outside of certain areas of Melbourne, which is probably why the film is playing exclusively at Cinema Nova. Still, locals should be thoroughly charmed, particularly when factoring in the rather surreal experience of exiting the theatre onto the boulevard they’ve just been watching. If nothing else, the doco is a savvy marketing tool for traders. No one’s likely to walk out of the film not craving an Italian meal.
Get ready for the adrenaline-fuelled action of watching sailing's greatest athletes race on Sydney Harbour in Australia Sail Grand Prix this summer. To be right in the heart of the action, head to Waterfront Premium - Shark Island for the best land-based view of the race in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Tickets start at $230 for adults and includes return ferry transfers from SailGP Village at Barangaroo, a gourmet picnic hamper, premium open bar, big screens for action replays and live commentary. If you'd prefer to watch the race from the water, hop on one of the official spectator boats courtesy of Captain Cook Cruises. On-Water Access tickets allow you to bring your own food and purchase beverages from the bar while you soak up include an incredible view of the race and live commentary. If you want to elevate your day on the harbour, choose the premium package that includes a buffet and an open bar. Finally, if you've got your own boat, you can register to the free 'Bring Your Own Boat' program to receive live updates from race management from your preferred spot on the water with friends. Don't forget, you can also check out the SailGP Village in Barangaroo which will host events for all sailing fans across the two days of racing. Ready for a thrilling day on the beautiful Sydney Harbour? Head to the Australia Sail Grand Prix, Sydney from Friday, December 17–Saturday, December 18. For more information and to book, visit the website.
With a name like All for One, you'd expect Yarraville's latest health and wellness studio to take a holistic approach to its field; however the Campbell Street newcomer isn't just focusing on the usual classes. Here, patrons can expect to bend, stretch and cycle, of course, and even enjoy a relaxing massage. More than that, they can give their minds a workout as well as their bodies. Aiming to provide a one-stop shop dedicated to different methods of self-improvement, All for One combines fitness instructors and clinical practitioners all in the one space. As well as yoga, pilates and spin classes, their roster of services also includes nutritionist sessions, mindfulness teachings, and psychologists to help with both chronic pain injury and just general life stuff. In addition to regular classes and appointments, All for One also boasts an airy space for customers to relax over a cup of tea, and plans to hold inspirational and motivational workshops and events — with a session with ultra marathon runner and Australian Survivor contestant Samantha Gash, to be held on May 12, marking their first. Decor-wise, the centre offers a calming space filled with brightness, a light colour palette and greenery aplenty, including plants suspended from the ceiling over its yoga studio. Find All for One at 13 Campbell Street, Yarraville, or visit its website for further information.
New York City is known for its best-in-class dining. But here's something not everyone tells you: there are some incredibly tasty spots to eat and drink outside the five boroughs, too. From Poughkeepsie to Buffalo and everywhere in between, upstate New York is teeming with culinary destinations that are worth venturing beyond the city for. As you make your way between outstanding outdoor landmarks and cultural institutions, finding a charming town filled with acclaimed eateries and brewery bars is a cinch. There's also a rich variety of farms and specialty stores to drop by to see how the magic happens right before your eyes. We've teamed up with New York State to showcase some of the best cafes, restaurants, markets and drinking spots that ensure your next adventure to New York is one your tastebuds will remember. [caption id="attachment_846987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Plan Bee Brewery, Derek Dellinger, Plan Bee Farm Brewery[/caption] DRINKS New York State's farm-to-table scene hasn't overlooked the world of drinks, with a raft of breweries, distilleries and wineries ensuring you can sip a small-batch drop that leaves a powerful impression. Poughkeepsie's Plan Bee Farm Brewery has a ground-to-glass philosophy. Most of the company's ingredients grow either on-site or in nearby paddocks — we're talking water from the wells, estate-grown hops and fruits, and yeast cultivated from the farm's raw honey. The taproom is open Fridays to Sundays from 12pm, so swing by to sample what's on tap. Don't let the name get you down – The Brewery of Broken Dreams in Hammondsport is anything but. Founded by a couple of dedicated beer lovers, the venue earned its moniker following several failed attempts to get a craft beer venture off the ground. Drawing inspiration from their hardship, the duo transformed an old winery into a stunning brewery bar with 12 rotating taps of ale that display the best local hops and malt. In Aurora, on the outskirts of Buffalo, the 42 North Brewing Company has a first-rate taproom, brewery and beer garden that you can easily while away a few hours in. And don't worry if you really do lose track of time — the venue also has four lofts that you can spend the night in, complete with windows peeking into the brewery floor, balcony doors overlooking the beer garden and complimentary growlers. [caption id="attachment_845910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arrowood Farms[/caption] Then, in Accord, Arrowood Farms is a celebrated gastropub with a sustainable ethos. Via a small-batch brewery, a distillery and a farm-to-table restaurant, it produces diverse culinary pleasures from ingredients grown on the property or within the Hudson Valley. If vino is more your bag, pay a visit to Bacchus Wine Bar. You'll find this restaurant and wine bar tucked inside Buffalo's historic Calumet building — a famous art nouveau landmark built in the early 20th century. Here, visitors will discover an award-winning seasonal wine list that shuns pretension. Food-wise, the venue serves a simple yet delicious menu, including New York-style strip steaks, half-racks of lamb and pecan-crusted salmon. Meanwhile, Kingston's reputation as an artsy hub deserves a cute wine bar to match. Fortunately, these prayers are answered in Brunette. This chic wine bar is big on low-intervention wine, beer and cider. It's a theme that tracks to the venue's design, too, with simple wood furnishings, white marble benchtops and a baby pink facade. Pair your vino with a selection of snacks to share — think trout roe nachos, tinned fish served with bread and pickles, and kale caesar salad. Or, to try directly from the source, visit some of the state's top wineries. Our picks are Ravines Wine Cellars in Geneva, particularly to try its bone-dry riesling in the stunning historical barn, and Millbrook Vineyards and Winery, based in the Hudson River region, where you can enjoy a picnic in the garden with a bottle of its award-winning chardonnay or tocai friulano (an Italian variety). [caption id="attachment_845328" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phoenicia Diner[/caption] RESTAURANTS As you wander your way through upstate New York, you'll be presented with many blue-chip restaurants putting unmatched passion into their cuisine. Nowhere is this more evident than Woodstock's Silvia. This family-owned eatery bases its offering around locally sourced organic ingredients prepared over a woodfired grill. Alongside grilled wild shrimp, woodsmoked pork chops and seared brussels sprout, trademark cocktails like pomegranate hibiscus sours and spiced beet margaritas will go down an absolute treat. A few miles up the road in Phoenicia, the Phoenicia Diner has served classic American cuisine since 1962. The current owner has taken this longstanding roadside eatery in a local direction, with the menu showcasing seasonal produce grown on farms throughout the Catskills and Hudson Valley. All-day breakfast classics like buttermilk pancakes and bagels topped with lox and cream cheese hit the spot. Lunch takes things up a notch with sandwiches jam-packed with your choice of Korean fried chicken, meatloaf or chorizo. Po'boy fans will struggle to resist a Catskills interpretation of this Louisiana favourite: cornmeal-crusted trout, remoulade, tomato and lettuce on a baguette. Keep driving inland along scenic Route 28 to come across Peekamoose in Big Indian — a stunning example of farm-to-feast dining that makes the most of its surrounding landscape. The rustic yet refined menu highlights the close relationships the restaurant has built with the region's top farmers and makers. Plus, the rejuvenated farmhouse is styled with fascinating found objects, which may prompt some interesting dinner conversation. [caption id="attachment_845288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garage Taco Bar[/caption] The Garage Taco Bar offers more than its no-frills storefront and decor may suggest. Housed inside a former auto shop in Binghamton, this industrial-chic taco joint and cocktail bar is decorated with the remnants of old steering wheels, bumper grills and rims. The Mexican street food-style cuisine includes everything from taco platters to stacked burritos. Further north, at the tip of Seneca Lake, FLX Table in Geneva is where food and community combine. You may have frequented pared-back restaurants that only offer a dozen or so seats before — but have you ever had to join everyone around the same table? Embrace your inner extrovert to make the most of the dinner party vibes and the seasonal five-course meal. [caption id="attachment_845006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anchor Bar, NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] Of course, we can't forget to mention one of the most legendary foods to come out of the state of New York: buffalo wings. If you're going to eat 'em, Anchor Bar — the (alleged) birthplace of this hearty snack — is where to do so. As the story goes, Teressa Bellissimo tossed some leftover wings in hot sauce to feed her son's ravenous friends in 1964, resulting in the famed dish that's now served in bars around the globe. The restaurant is a great pitstop on the way to Niagara Falls, so you have no excuses not to pull in for a wing feast. [caption id="attachment_851107" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roots Café, Courtesy of Roots Café[/caption] CAFES Directly opposite Hudson train station, you'll find Kitty's Market and Cafe. Nab a table in the outdoor patio to soak up the sun as you dine on home-style cuisine — the venue is renowned for its signature rotisserie chicken sandwiches and top-notch coffee. Have a long drive ahead? Stock up on road-trip snacks from its range of eclectic provisions. When exploring the picturesque Finger Lakes district, Roots Cafe in Naples is the ideal spot to rest up and re-caffeinate. This quaint old-fashioned home may look like something straight out of an iconic US TV show (think more Dawson's Creek than Schitt's Creek) but it also happens to serve some pretty tasty food. The menu changes seasonally based on local supply but is always reliably hearty Modern American fare, like braised brisket with veggies, barbecue pulled pork sambos and good ol' fashioned mac 'n' cheese. [caption id="attachment_853529" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ithaca Farmers Market, NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] MARKETS AND SPECIALTY STORES Upstate New York is a haven for fresh produce and locally made goods, so there are unsurprisingly dozens of markets and microbusinesses worthy of a visit. First up: the Ithaca Farmers Market. Each weekend, 130 chefs, farmers and artisans (each of whom grow their wares within 30 miles of Ithaca) set up shop to sell their wares. You also don't have to trek to Canada to sample world-class maple syrup. Based in Dover Plains, Soukup Farms is a third-generation producer of pure syrup and other specialty products, including maple cream, maple hot sauce and even maple candles. Another enduring operation selling sweet treats is Parkside Candy. This popular confectionery store and ice cream parlour was founded in Buffalo in 1927, and the decor doesn't seem to have aged a day. Parkside is known for its handmade chocolates and old-fashioned lollipops, but don't leave without trying its signature Sponge Candy — it's melt-in-your-mouth good. To start planning your trip to New York State, head to iloveny.com. Also, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best places to stay, cultural experiences, outdoor adventures and day trips from NYC. Top image: Arrowood Farms
It might be best known as Melbourne's fashion capital, but Chadstone Shopping Centre is about to up the ante in its culinary department, announcing an ambitious new food and dining project to open this December. Taking over the two-level space most recently home to the Louis Vuitton Time Capsule exhibition, the project will be home to two different dining offerings — a second outpost of restaurant-to-retail concept Calia downstairs and a Chinese yum cha restaurant above. This next iteration of Calia comes two years after the original launched within Melbourne Emporium, boasting a larger, 120-seat capacity space, complete with retail area, dining space and dedicated section for wine and whisky tastings. Chef Francisco Araya (from Spain's Michelin-starred elBulli and Mugaritz) is plating up a luxurious, yet affordable menu, crafted around quality ingredients that are also available to buy in the adjoining retail space. Expect Japanese-inspired dishes such as chirashi bowls, sushi and sashimi platters, Tasmanian sea urchin bowls, king crab legs and fresh truffle fries, showcasing goodies from the likes of Yarra Valley Caviar, San Pellegrino, Robbins Island Wagyu, LMVH and Bibelot. The multi-faceted space will also play host to a program of interactive masterclasses and events led by renowned chefs. Meanwhile, Yu Kitchen is launching in partnership with Malaysia's famed Ruyi & Lyn restaurant, boasting a crafty pan-Asian menu by Chen Kentaro — chef-owner of Singapore's two Michelin-starred Shisen Hanten and son of Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi. The kitchen will be whipping up dishes like foie gras crab roll soup, sweet and sour Kurobuta pork, and roasted chicken stuffed with foie gras, plus there'll be regular masterclasses and banquet events to add to your calendar. The new dining precinct is only part of Chadstone Shopping Centre's plans for the future. The centre is also set to gain a $130 million luxury hotel, called MGallery by Sofitel, which is slated to open in late 2019. Cali and Yu Kitchen are slated to open in December, 2018, at Chadstone Shopping Centre.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we set the compass to regional Victoria and take a trip to Sorrento for a special stay at the newly renovated Hotel Sorrento. [caption id="attachment_899023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Rising High Media[/caption] WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Here, in a buzzy pocket of the Mornington Peninsula, Hotel Sorrento has sat for nearly 150 years boasting enviable bay vistas. Now, the historic sandstone building is welcoming a massive expansion including a soon-to-come 30-metre pool and rooftop yoga studio. At the moment, Hotel Sorrento boasts five separate bars, two restaurants, newly refurbished accommodation rooms as well as private dining areas. It's an all-in-one destination escape just over an hour from Melbourne's CBD. THE ROOMS There are plenty of rooms to choose from at Hotel Sorrento, starting from $325 a night. Contemporary and light-filled, rooms are accented with a variety of deep European oak, natural limestone and marble. Heritage Balcony Rooms are the crowning jewel of this hotel, boasting private balconies with exclusive vistas overlooking the bay. [caption id="attachment_899027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Threefold Social[/caption] FOOD AND DRINK Hotel Sorrento has recently overhauled its food and drink offering, helmed by George Calombaris. "The goal is to create dishes that not only satisfy the palate but tell a story of the region and the community's rich history," George Calombaris says. Shihuishi is the newest addition to the Hotel Sorrento family, nestled in the original, grand Hotel Sorrento ballroom. Head chef Junlin (Jerry) Yi (ex-Red Spice Road) is unafraid to stray from tradition, from prawn crackers paired with crème fraîche; to spanakopita dumplings that marry whipped feta and dill. Deeper into the menu, patrons will discover Australian-Canto cuisine that nods to the Chinese restaurant that stood onsite back in the 1980s. A prawn, lap cheong and onion stir-fry is a crowd-pleaser, along with duck pancakes and black pepper beef, served on a sizzling plate. Other classics run to the likes of steamed barra with soy, ginger and spring onion, or the ever-popular pork and prawn shumai. Otherwise, if you fancy a short but sweet wander, head across the road to the Conti for a slew of venues including a public bar, beer garden, speakeasy and fine diner. Luxe speakeasy Barlow is our pick for a pre-evening tipple. Sorrento institution Stringers has also recently been revamped by The Darling Group (Higher Ground, Kettle Black, Top Paddock), turning the corner store and cafe into an all-day restaurant, pizzeria, bar and providore. THE LOCAL AREA Sorrento is a much-loved spot for both Mornington Peninsula locals and regular holiday blow-ins, due to its accessibility from Melbourne. In warmer months, swimming, snorkeling and water activities at Sorrento Beach is a must-do. If you're looking to sidestep the crowds, Diamond Bay is a popular spot for both families and couples. A range of short, all-weather walking tracks are stunning year-around, including Coppins Track which finishes at the clifftop of Diamond Bay. The cliffside Millionaires Walk is named as a nod to the lavish private residences that line this path, or try the 7km Sorrento Circuit Walk, which hits all of this town's main attractions. THE EXTRAS Hotel Sorrento is looking to install a new 30-metre pool alongside a pool-friendly bar, rooftop yoga studio and gym by the end of 2023. If you're looking for a staycation special, Hotel Sorrento's winter escape package includes overnight accommodation for two, dinner for two at Shuihuishi and a bottle of local Pinot Noir for your room. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Images: supplied.
Kombucha on tap, halva ice cream and house-made falafel. No it's not a new music festival, but rather Carlton's latest pub. Meet The Green Man's Arms, a 100 percent vegan and vegetarian establishment owned by legendary publicans and artists Alison Whyte and Fred Whitlock (The Terminus, Yarra Valley Grand). "We have one vegan child, one vegetarian and one omnivore," says Fred. "As a family, we hardly ever eat animal meat protein anymore. We just want to create a friendly little place that has food that is fast, fun, fresh, affordable, delicious and healthy. A place that is full of our crowd, our crew." In collaboration with Israeli chef David Raziel, the duo have created an animal-free menu, based on ethically-sourced seasonal produce. For pub snacks there's house-made falafel; pan-baked Yemeni lahuh bread; fried eggplant with soft egg, Israeli salad and tahini; and green beans with mushroom and creamed corn. Among the mains are a grilled vegetable salad with beets, red cabbage, onions, almonds, labne and pomegranate dressing; and house-made cous cous with rich stock and roasted vegetables. Dessert offerings include house-made halva ice cream and knafeh pastry with ricotta, pistachios, pickled grapes and syrup. Punters can feel even better about their cruelty-free feast by matching it with a vegan wine. You'll find both De Bortoli's Vinoque Yarra Valley Nebbiolo Rosé, and Lobethal Road Pinot Gris on the list, while local brewers are well represented too. Look out for Hawkers Pilsner, Stomping Ground Saison and Holgate Mt Macedon Pale Ale. Designated driver? Get all the bubbles and none of the headaches with a glass of sparkling kombucha served on tap. Find The Green Man's Arms on the corner of Lygon and Elgin Streets, Carlton. For more information visit greenmansarms.com.au.
Embrace the icy weather at Madame Brussels Lane, which, for the fourth year running, will transform itself into a bustling European-style night market each Friday in August. Inspired by the picturesque Christmas markets in places like Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, the market will feature some of Melbourne's most decadent food vendors, serving tasty European goodies to warm your insides and satisfy your sweet tooth. Kicking off on August 4, there'll be a selection of European eats to keep you warm from 4–10.30pm. That's in addition to the live music and entertainment, and, of course, many, many mugs of piping hot mulled wine and warm buttered rum. Short of actually taking a holiday to Europe, this is a pretty great way to finish a busy working week.
It's that time again, gelato fiends: time to kick off 2024 with Messina's first decadent special for the year, and time to start thinking about Valentine's Day as well. The cult-favourite dessert brand is taking care of both will one brand-new OTT creation: a hot tub version of its Mr Messina flavour. If you haven't tried this coveted scoop as a regular Messina gelato variety as yet, it features fior di latte gelato with baked cheesecake smashed in, as well as pretzel fudge and a pretzel crust. Now, think that but as one of Messina's hot tubs, aka the chain's extra-special, always limited-edition, online-order-only treats. No, the word 'hot' doesn't reflect the required temperature. Indeed, in this case, the tub comes with layers of fior di latte gelato, pretzel fudge and pretzel clusters, plus baked cheesecake and cheesecake mousse, all to be eaten cold. On top: red chocolate crack and piped vanilla 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 red-topped gelato — the choice is obviously yours. Tubs cost $45 each, and you'll need to place your order online on Wednesday, January 24. Because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand staggers its on-sale times. So, folks in Queensland, the ACT and Western Australia are able to purchase at 12pm AEDT / 11am AEST / 9am AWST — and Victorians at 12.15pm AEDT. New South Wales customers are split across three times depending on the store (with tubs from Bondi, Circular Quay, Miranda, Randwick and Surry Hills on sale at 12.30pm AEDT; Darlinghurst, Brighton Le Sands, Manly, Parramatta, Tramsheds and Marrickville at 12.45pm AEDT; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 1pm AEDT). Wherever you live, you can then pick up the Mr Messina hot tubs between Monday, February 12–Wednesday, February 14. Fans of Messina will know that the gelato brand is quite fond of making these kinds of indulgent — and supremely tasty — specials, after previously serving up everything from mango Iced Vovo tubs and the Neapolitan Messinetta (aka its take on the Viennetta) to a hazelnut-heavy tub topped with rocher crack and honey joy sticky scrolls. Gelato Messina's Mr Messina hot tub will be available to order from on Wednesday, January 24 from 12pm AEDT, with times varying per state and store — head to the Messina website for more information.
A good musical should have a lasting impact on the industry and its audiences for years to come. So the fact that Miss Saigon has been hitting stages and receiving awards since its debut in 1989 is a clear indication of quality. The show takes inspiration from the even older (but just as popular) Madama Butterfly — they're both tales of women in Asia falling in love with men from America only to have their hearts broken. The key difference between the two is the setting. Madama Butterfly is set in Japan, while Miss Saigon (as you might be able to guess from the title) is set in Vietnam, specifically during the end and lasting aftermath of the devastating Vietnam War. This production of the musical is from Cameron Mackintosh, who was also behind on other world-famous musicals like Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and Mary Poppins. Coming to the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, August 17 and running until Friday, October 13 — the Australian cast includes the debut of Abigail Adriano as Kim alongside Nigel Huckle (Les Misérables, West Side Story) as Chris, Sean Miley Moore (The Voice) as The Engineer, Kerrie Anne Greenland (Les Misérables) as Ellen, Nick Afoa (The Lion King) as John and the Australian debut of Laurence Mossman as Thuy. Miss Saigon runs from Thursday, August 17 to Friday, October 13 at the Sydney Opera House, for more information and to book tickets, visit the website. Images: Johan Persson
When the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television anoints its picks for the best movies and TV shows of 2023, it'll do so in February 2024 on the Gold Coast. The country's night of nights is on the move to southeast Queensland, making its Sunshine State debut; however, a change of location isn't the only big offering. For the first time ever, the organisation is also hosting the AACTA Festival, a celebration of everything that the country puts on screens both silver and small. AACTA's gongs will be given out on two dates, starting with its Industry Awards on Thursday, February 8 and then hosting its usual glittering ceremony on Saturday, February 10. Around those occasions, running from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, AACTA Festival will be filled with talks, screenings and more featuring a swag of impressive names. If Talk to Me creeped its way onto your list of favourite Australian horror movies, directors Michael and Danny Philippou will be at AACTA Festival to dive into it. Warwick Thornton is also on the lineup to discuss The New Boy as part of the fest's 'meet the creators' events, as are the teams behind Limbo, Sweet As, Shayda and The Newsreader. Can't wait to see the Boy Swallows Universe TV series? It'll be out by February, so you'll have it fresh in your mind author Trent Dalton gets talking about it. And if you were a fan of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart either on the page or screen, Holly Ringland will also be chatting. Indeed, writers are a big focus, including Nick Earls, Lystra Rose, Mathew Condon, Richard Jameson, Tristan Michael Savage and Ben Hobson. Giving the event one of its international highlights, Lessons in Chemistry's Bonnie Garmus is on the bill as well. Also each massive highlights: behind-the-scenes explorations of The Matrix, the stunts of Mad Max: Fury Road and, for some more overseas flavour, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's animation. Or, enjoy a chat with Wellmania and The Way We Wore's Celeste Barber about her career, then find out more about the upcoming series High Country starting Leah Purcell (Wentworth), Aussie-made Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the sequel to Mortal Kombat at their own dedicated talks. Before they get their own immersive experience in Brisbane, Bluey and Bingo will be doing a meet and greet — and, including a live-watch party for the AACTAs, a screening of 1906's The Story of the Kelly Gang, trivia, a Play School live event and a chat about music Baz Luhrmann's movies, there's plenty more joining them. In total, over 70 sessions form AACTA Festival, with most free to attend. AACTA nominees will also be taking part, although the details there can't be revealed until after exactly who is vying for a gong is announced on Saturday, December 9. "AACTA Festival is a must-attend event for anyone who lovesAustralian film, television, music, gaming, art and pop culture," said AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella, announcing the lineup. "We are excited to present more than 70 events over four days celebrating the excellence of our industry. From red carpet glamour to workshops and a special kids' lineup, it's an invitation for everyone to step into the magic of storytelling and creativity." AACTA Festival will run from Thursday, February 8–Sunday, February 11 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast. For further details, head to the fest's website. Boy Swallows Universe and Wellmania images courtesy of Netflix.
Gin has come a long way in the past few years. Once relegated to the back of your nana's pantry, reserved for particularly rough nights on the bingo circuit, this infamous clear spirit is now front and centre in Australia's bars. With tonic and citrus, it's your ideal summer refreshment, and in its various other forms it's the perfect winter warmer. Though Australia doesn't have a huge part to play in today's World Gin Day celebrations — c'mon it's still the most British thing around since bangers and mash — we do sure love to drink it all the same. So, in honour of this spirit that's known less as a drink and more of a mascara thinner, we've compiled our favourite creations. Swing by the bottle-o on your way home, roll up your sleeves and get a little classy — here are five perfect ways to toast World Gin Day (or any other day for that matter). Negroni This Italian classic is not for the faint-hearted. A more alcoholic version of the Americano, this hard-core aperetif is perfect for a luxurious nightcap or after-dinner punch in the mouth. While the other spirits definitely dwarf the flavour of the gin, it's also a stereotypically gin-drinker's beverage — no nonsense, no fuss, and no prisoners. 30 ml gin 30 ml Campari 30 ml sweet vermouth orange rind Method: Stir and pour over ice in short glass. Drink: In the comfort of a leather armchair in the smoking room of a swanky Italian restaurant. Gin Fizz This is a fun, summery drink with a bunch of variations. Though each cocktail bar likes to put their own spin on this versatile hit, anything with St Germain or elderflower liqueur is guaranteed to be a winner. With the rich flavour of rosemary thrust among the citrus tang of the lemon, this is a drink any cocktail pro will rave about (and happily sit on all night). 30ml gin 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 30ml elderflower liqueur 1 lemon slice 1 rosemary sprig soda Method: Shake alcohol and lemon juice, then strain over ice into highball and add garnishes. Drink: Under the sun with a smug, satisfied look on your face. Southside Though its history is widely contested, it's widely established that this mint and lemon concoction dates back to the 1920s. Yet another gin cocktail with no mixers, the Southside is definitely for those with class. With a single sip it's guaranteed to transport you back to the late-night cafes of Hemingway's Paris or the dingy clubs of 1920s Chicago (depending on your historical biases). 60 ml gin the juice of 1 lemon 15 ml sugar syrup a decent handful of mint leaves Method: Shake all ingredients until the mint is pulped, and finely strain into a coupe glass. Drink: With an outstretched pinky and a 1920s cigarette holder. Tom Collins Are you sick of gin and tonics? Does the thought of one more Gordon's London Dry and home brand tonic make you cringe? It's probably time to spice it up a bit (or alternatively, stop drinking). The Tom Collins is a classic cocktail that doesn't vary too much from the well-trodden G&T terrain. Swap that tonic for soda, sweeten the deal with some cherries and sugar, and away you go — a convenient twist on a summer classic. 30 ml gin 30 ml sugar syrup 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 lemon slices 1 glazes cherry soda Method: Stir and pour over ice in a highball glass. Drink: At your next picnic or beach getaway. Martini While a vodka martini may be the standard (for James Bond fans at least), gin martinis are undoubtedly for the more refined palette. And either way, the martini is a drink for the purist. This is a cocktail with no junk in it — it lives and dies on the quality of its spirits. Of course, there are a million types of variations out there (Espresso, Apple, Marshmallow etc) but really those are all amateur hour. To raise a drink to World Gin Day, it has to be the real thing. 60 ml gin 30 ml dry vermouth olives or a twist of lemon for garnish Method: Shake gin and vermouth with ice, stir for 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish. Drink: In a morose fashion while at a bar you feel slightly intimated by. Photo credits: Oriol Lladó, sushiesque, and Isabelle @ Crumb, Clint Gardner, and RenaudPhoto via photopin cc.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qn70iqo-4Q MONOS The relentlessness of modern life, the ongoing unrest in Colombia, and the ceaseless trials and tribulations that plague all teens facing adulthood — they all sit at the centre of stunning South America-set thriller Monos. Set in a camp of teen guerrillas, Alejandro Landes' third film follows gun-toting rebels that have barely said goodbye to childhood, but are still tasked with guarding an American hostage (The Outsider's Julianne Nicholson). Unsurprisingly, even with nothing around but fields, jungle, a cow to milk and occasional enemy fire, little goes according to plan. Engagingly lingering between a dark fairytale and a psychological treatise on war, combat and humanity's dog-eat-dog nature, the result is the definite standouts of the past year. From the eye-popping landscape cinematography and the needling tension of Mica Levi's score, to the commanding performance from the young cast, there's a reason that Monos proved a huge festival hit around the globe in 2019 — including winning Sundance's Special Jury Award — before finally releasing in Aussie cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzqevBnUUZU&t=3s THE ASSISTANT After exploring the JonBenet Ramsey case not only with precision, but via a perceptive re-enactment technique that interrogated its impact — with excellent documentary Casting JonBenet the end result — trust Australian filmmaker Kitty Green to turn one of the biggest topics of the past few years into a compelling, unsettling, fiercely searing thriller. The subject: the culture of sexual harassment and sexually predatory behaviour in the entertainment industry. The context: #MeToo, obviously. Following a day in the professional life of an entry-level personal assistant, Jane (Ozark's Julia Garner), as she works for an unseen film production company head honcho, The Assistant unnerves by showing the routine, everyday nature of inappropriate workplace conduct, as well as the powerlessness of those both subjected and witness to it to stop it. As always in Green's films, every element is fine-tuned to evoke a strong and earned response — which, here, includes a grey colour palette, claustrophobic camerawork, a taut script, a commitment to authenticity and a devastatingly stellar performance by Garner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqO25i-XNEU THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD He's skewered British, American and Russian politics in The Thick of It, In the Loop, Veep and The Death of Stalin. This year, in the eerily prescient Avenue 5, he pondered what would happen if a group of people were confined on a cruise of sorts — a luxury space voyage — for an extended stretch of time. But, in period comedy mode, The Personal History of David Copperfield might just be Armando Iannucci's most delightful work yet. Indeed, playfully trifling with a Charles Dickens classic suits the writer/director. Boasting a charming performance by Dev Patel as the eponymous character, and also starring Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw and Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, this is a fresh, very funny and sharp-witted rendering of the obvious literary source material. Recreating this tale of a Victorian-era young man cycling from wealth to poverty and back again, Iannucci and his frequent co-scribe Simon Blackwell take shrewd liberties with the story, while never letting issues of class, abuse, loss, corruption and the dog-eat-dog nature of capitalism slip from view. And, Iannucci's visual inventiveness — including the use of split screen and rear projection — also leaves an imprint. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVlPl0SXFiE BAIT When a film is described as 'textured', the term typically refers to its narrative, themes and emotional impact, with nothing smooth, shallow or straightforward evident. That applies to Mark Jenkin's Bait as it hones in on feuding Cornish fisherman siblings Martin (Edward Rowe) and Steven Ward (Giles King). Indeed, examining not only family in-fighting, but culture clashes, the growing chasm between tradition and modernity, and the effect of tourism on local residents of scenic spots, this is a rich, tense, complex and mesmerising affair that muses as deeply on blood ties as it does on gentrification. Jenkin's film also boasts ample visual texture, too. It's noticeable from the feature's first moments, is intrinsically linked to its tone, and proves utterly inescapable as the sea, craggy shorelines, twisted nets and gnarled ropes all fill the screen. And, as shot on location with a 16mm Bolex camera — and on black-and-white stock that the director hand-processed — Bait's look and feel is as important to the movie as anything else within its frames. In fact, paired with a noticeable penchant for close-ups that forces the audience to stare firmly at both people and objects, this stunning British feature couldn't make a bigger or more powerful aesthetic splash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DOiI_zYQrs BELLBIRD Bruce (Cohen Holloway) has long since reached adulthood. And, for all of the garbage dump worker's life, his mother Beth (Annie Whittle) has provided a buffer between him and his stoic father Ross (Marshall Napier). When tragedy strikes, however, they're forced to not only face a future without her — including the minutiae of running their scenic Northland dairy farm — but to truly face and talk to each other in a meaningful way for the first real time. Marking the feature directorial debut of teacher-turned-filmmaker Hamish Bennett, made in the area he grew up in and following the same characters from his 2014 short film Ross & Beth, Bellbird explores a straightforward and well-traversed concept, with mourning no stranger to screens. That said, this patient, understated and gently humorous New Zealand drama is a soulful and thoughtful gem. As well as finding a wealth of depth in two men ill-equipped to confront their complicated emotions but given no choice but to try, this gorgeously shot and weightily performed feature matches Bruce and Ross' taciturn ways with an astute script that conveys more through silence than words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewCjGqefoQ LOVE SARAH Also focusing on connection and reflection sparked by grief, Love Sarah steps into another family attempting to cope with loss. In this case, the dearly departed is the titular chef — the estranged daughter of ex-circus performer Mimi (Celia Imrie), beloved mother of dancer Clarissa (Shannon Tarbet), and best friend and business partner of Isabella (Shelley Conn). When the latter decides to forge ahead with Sarah's plans to open a bakery, she realises that she can't do it without both Mimi and Clarissa's help. Also lending a hand: Sarah and Isabella's culinary school pal Matthew (Rupert Penry-Jones), who might be Clarissa's father. Directing her first feature, filmmaker Eliza Schroeder lets everything about Love Sarah play out as expected, including its soft hues, appetising cake and pastry shots, and exploration of renewed bonds and new opportunities in the face of life-altering change. The film is suitably sweet, of course, and always palatable; however it's far too happy to stick to the easiest recipe possible — with some plot strands overstressed to add extra drama, and one of the movie's more enticing and interesting narrative elements quickly introduced and then abandoned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tzas-d8MgM THE WRETCHED For part of this year, when US cinemas were closed but some drive-ins were still open, The Wretched topped the American box office. In no other scenario would that have occurred, so consider the attention afforded Brett and Drew T Pierce's instantly familiar but always effective horror film one of the few silver linings of pandemic-inspired lockdowns. Set in a small coastal town, the siblings' slickly crafted feature follows teenager Ben (John-Paul Howard), who's visiting his divorced father Liam (Jamison Jones). As tends to happen in this type of creepfest, his arrival coincides with strange goings-on at the house next door — namely a sinister force that's wreaking havoc on his neighbours and threatening to spread its malevolence even further. Immediately recalling 80s-era spookiness (and clearly the product of writer/directors who've spent much of their lives watching scary flicks from the period), The Wretched perfects the genre's jumps and bumps with ease, as well as the filmmaking nuts and bolts. In terms of its supernatural storyline, though — and its witchy villain — it does lean heavily on cliches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K4qawhyasA&feature=emb_logo A SON A tragic accident causes a long-kept secret to come to light — and sparks a series of difficult choices for a Tunisian struggling couple — in the tense and moving A Son. Despite that description, however, this isn't just an intimate drama about messy personal lives tested by heightened circumstances, although it definitely fits that bill. As well as chronicling the fallout when Aziz (Youssef Khemiri), the 11-year-old son of Fares (Sami Bouajila) and Meriem (Najla Ben Abdallah), is hit by a stray bullet during an on-the-road ambush by an armed group, debut filmmaker Mehdi Barsaoui examines the societal underpinnings deepening the family's troubles. Aziz is in dire need of a liver transplant in the aftermath of the attack, but the quest to find a donor is complicated due to cultural, religious and political reasons, as well as a revelation that rocks Meriem and Fares' marriage. Playing parents and partners pushed to their limits, Bouajila and Abdallah are superb. And, while some of the movie hits predicable narrative beats, Barsaoui isn't afraid to veer in confronting directions, or to peer intently at the state of Tunisia today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq2n6LJrrZY THE BOOKSELLERS Calling all bibliophiles — whether your bookshelves are bulging, you've spent far too much of your life in bookstores or you've always dreamed about turning your passion for reading into your profession. Focusing on New York's rare booksellers, as well as the ups and downs of their industry, US documentary The Booksellers touches on all of the above. It's also catnip for anyone who's never more content than when they're thumbing through a printed tome, and convincingly evokes the feeling of trawling through shelf after shelf of old, beloved volumes. Cycling through the main players in NYC's antiquarian and secondhand book scene, stepping through the history of dealing in rare texts and contemplating what the future might hold as technology threatens to change everything, this is a meticulously structured, deftly edited, and immensely fascinating ode to the printed word and the happiness it brings. Filmmaker DW Young doesn't make any surprising moves, but he doesn't need to, with his overall topic, his individual subjects and the world they inhabit proving as captivating as any must-read page-turner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VSaaTCrhlU IT MUST BE HEAVEN In It Must Be Heaven, Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman both directs and plays himself. He also doesn't say a single word on-screen. Serving up a slice of observational comedy, he instead bears witness to and satirises the world around him — starting in his hometown of Nazareth, then roaming to Paris, New York and Montreal. In each place, absurdity reigns. Suleiman isn't interested in overt farce, though, but in a comically heightened, expertly choreographed exploration of the type of strangeness and silliness that lingers in ordinary lives, everyday situations and widespread attitudes. Think: run-ins with authority, examples on the increasingly engrained nature of violence, pondering global tourism and ruminating on the way that one's homeland shapes identity. The ebbs and flows of Suleiman's filmmaking career provide the scantest narrative framework, complete with a brief appearance by Gael Garcia Bernal as himself; however It Must Be Heaven favours vignettes, sight gags, soulful reflection, expressive comedy and strikingly staged moments over neat storytelling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w5Ej4SF2LE MASTER CHENG The ability of food to overcome national, cultural and racial bounds — to erase barriers, bring people together and help forge new bonds — is an overused cinematic trope. So too is the healing, happiness-inducing power of a great dish, including in fish-out-of-water and down-on-one's-luck scenarios. That doesn't stop Finnish comedy Master Cheng from giving all of the above a workout, though. Here, the titular Chinese chef (Pak Hon Chu) heads to the European country with his son Nunjo (Lucas Hsuan) in tow, plans to connect with an old colleague, but finds himself forging ties in a remote village instead. Naturally, there's a slow-simmering romantic connection with a local in the form of diner owner Sirkka (Anna-Maija Tuokko). Just as expectedly, the community warms to the newcomer's presence. What helps lift Master Cheng, however, isn't filmmaker Mika Kaurismäki's love of a clearcut (and clearly sentimental) template, but the time and attention he invests in building characters, as evidenced best in the film's fleshed-out central duo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qF-TrY0hBg&feature=youtu.be ROMANTIC ROAD Many a screenwriter has probably tried to pen a similar tale, but the story of Rupert and Jan Grey, their retirement plans and the adventure that followed could've only stemmed from truth. Invited to attend a festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the couple decide to drive Rupert's father's 1936 Rolls Royce across India to get there. The journey proves revelatory and life-changing in a variety of ways; however it's the detail captured by filmmaker Oliver McGarvey and his documentary Romantic Road that couldn't be more authentic. The Greys' road trip hits obstacles, both expected and not-so. That's part of the genre, whether based on fiction or fact. Here, though, McGarvey doesn't just focus on the trek and the ensuing escapades along the way, but spends much of the film unpacking his subjects' 35-year relationship — and their motivation to add this hefty drive to their lifetime's worth of affection and memories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhwx30NPMY4 THE TAVERNA Setting a film inside a bustling restaurant — here, the White Village Greek Tavern in Melbourne's Elsternwick — almost feels like science fiction at this very moment. With The Taverna, though, it's inspiration for modest laughs, dramas and insights, with this ensemble piece charting the action in its obvious setting across one particularly chaotic night. Owner Kostas (Vangelis Mourikis) has plenty to deal with, including a car accident involving his shady son Angelo (Christian Charisiou), trying to get his his waitress Sally (Emily O'Brien-Brown) to replace his belly dancer Jamila (Rachel Kamath), and troubles with the latter, her ex-husband Arman (Peter Paltos) and his new girlfriend Rebecca (Tottie Goldsmith). Embracing multicultural Australia to an extent that isn't always seen on local screens, the result is a warm, sometimes wavering but generally engaging film from writer/director Alkinos Tsilimidos (Silent Partner, Tom White, Em 4 Jay). From 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 1, until at least Wednesday, July 29, stay-at-home orders have been reintroduced in ten Melbourne postcodes, which means their residents can only leave for one of four reasons: work or school, care or care giving, daily exercise or food and other essentials. For more information, head to the DHHS website.
In general, 2020 wasn't a great year. When it came to streaming new TV shows — something we all did, and much more than we normally would — it was an excellent year, however. Plenty of top-notch fresh releases joined everyone's must-see and favourites lists, and helped fill all of those hours spent at home, including a particularly delightful (and satirical, and also savage) jump back to 18th-century Russia. That show: The Great. It takes its title from its central figure, empress Catherine the Great. It's filled with lavish period-appropriate costumes, wigs, sets and decor. And, it explores an immensely famous time that had a significant impact upon the world. Normally, that'd all smack of a certain kind of drama — you know the type — however this is firmly a comedy as well. Starring Elle Fanning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) as the eponymous ruler and Nicholas Hoult (Those Who Wish Me Dead) as her husband Peter III, The Great is full of witty, laugh-out-loud lines, sports an irreverent and often cheeky mood, and has ample fun with real-life details — much in the way that Oscar-winner The Favourite did with British royalty on the big screen. That comparison couldn't actually be more fitting, with that film's BAFTA-winning screenwriter, Australian Tony McNamara, using his skills to pen The Great as well. Across its ten-episode, very easy-to-binge, immensely hilarious first season, the series immersed viewers in Catherine and Peter's hardly happy marriage, all the day-to-day dramas in the Russian court, and her plans to push him aside and become the country's ruler in her own right. Thankfully, it didn't finish telling that tale, with a second season due to arrive later this year. In Australia, it'll land on November 20, at the same time as it hits — and a fresh new trailer that teases everything viewers can look forward to has just dropped. Here's five things that should take your fancy: Catherine and Peter slinging sharp banter back and forth, her preference for eating chicken over sex, the word "huzzah", more chaotic antics and Gillian Anderson falling off a chair. Because starring in everything from The X-Files and Hannibal to The Crown and Sex Education isn't enough for latter, she pops up here as Catherine's mother. If you weren't already hooked on all things The Great, that's obviously an excellent — and great, naturally — reason to start watching. Check out the first trailer for The Great's second season below: The Great's second season will be available to stream in Australia via Stan on November 20.
UPDATE, September 17, 2021: A Star Is Born is available to stream via Paramount+, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's been a decade since Lady Gaga's star was born in a cloud of upbeat pop and outlandish costuming, but with her first major film role, it's happening all over again. Stripped of the makeup, outfits and theatricality that have shaped her stage persona since she told the world to just dance, the singer is a revelation in A Star Is Born — both because of and despite the obvious. Belting out heartfelt ballads and throwaway pop alike, she clearly has the voice for the job. That said, it's how she performs when she's not crooning the movie's catchy tunes that's truly special. Like an actor gaining weight or sporting a physical ailment, wiping the gloss off an existing megastar might seem an acting cliche, however Gaga isn't simply playing tourist with normality. The 'Poker Face' popster plays Ally, who works in hospitality by day and unleashes memorable versions of 'La Vie En Rose' in a drag bar by night. An ordinary woman dreaming big, writing her own songs but never thinking that she'll make it, it's a part that Gaga lives and breathes with earthy, unguarded authenticity — almost as though she's been through it herself. The singer is electric in A Star Is Born's early scenes, as boozy country rocker Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) catches her club act, convinces her to have a drink with him and sparks fly. When he takes her home the next morning, says goodbye and then calls back to her from his limousine window, Jackson says what everyone watching is thinking: "I just want to take one more look at you". And look he does. Thanks to Jackson, his adoring gaze, and his certainty that Ally has both a genuine voice and something genuine to say, her fantasies start coming true. When he sends a driver to take her to one of his stadium shows, brings her out on stage and they duet one of her songs, the movie's title starts ringing true too. Love blossoms also, but Ally and Jackson's tale is one of rising as well as falling. For Jackson, the combination of alcoholism, hearing loss and childhood trauma leave a wound that only cuts deeper as Ally shines and his career fades. An aspiring talent striving to see their name in lights is one of the oldest narratives in Hollywood's book. In A Star Is Born's case, it dates back to 1937 — or 1932 if you count What Price Hollywood?, whose studio almost sued the original A Star Is Born for plagiarism. Across eight decades now, this sweeping tale just keeps hitting the screen, complete with remakes starring Judy Garland in 1954 and Barbra Streisand in 1976. With Gaga leading the charge this time around, it's easy to see why A Star Is Born keeps glowing. A crash course in the highs and lows of the American dream, it's a fantasy where wishes come true, but where everything has a cost. It's also an underdog story, a star-crossed romance, an account of trying to make it in entertainment, a drama about substance abuse and a warning about fame's many ills. Most of all, A Star Is Born is an unashamed melodrama. While that's a term that's been given a bad name of late, wrenching emotion and heightened drama is exactly what this story calls for. Not only co-starring but jumping into the writer and director's chairs for the first time, Cooper doesn't skimp on sentiment, with every passionate kiss, overwhelming moment and tragic development landing with undeniable force. And yet, his film never wallows in sappiness or spoon-feeds its feelings to the audience – even when it charts blatant plot points that even newcomers to the tale will spot, or suffers from bloat in its mid-section. Seamlessly updating the narrative for the 21st century with co-scribes Eric Roth (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) and Will Fetters (The Best of Me), Cooper understands the power of the material. A Star Is Born has been wowing audiences since the 1930s, after all. It helps that Cooper has a knack for visual storytelling, working with cinematographer Matthew Libatique (Mother!). A Star is Born's imagery sings its own affecting tune, with the actor-turned-director favouring shots that are grounded in the emotion of the narrative. Cooper also does his part as performer, both acting the sorrowful part and holding his own when it comes to his vocals. But his biggest gift to the movie is his willingness to let his collaborators glisten. While A Star Is Born is a definite showcase for a debut filmmaker who stars, croons, writes and directs, it gleams brighter thanks to the space and weight given to its cast. Sam Elliott is in astonishing form as Jackson's equally gruff and tender older brother, Dave Chappelle waxes kind and wise as an old pal telling it like it is, and Andrew Dice Clay is warm and protective as Ally's supportive dad. And, jumping from being one of the world's biggest pop stars to playing one of the world's biggest film roles, Gaga is far from the shallow now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywkF1lj5wyI
