Boasting scenic sights at great heights and snowy peaks aplenty, the Swiss Alps are well covered when it comes to adventure. Making this bucket-list tourist destination even more thrilling is its newest addition, a half-a-kilometre suspension bridge casually slung between two towering mountains. Opening for pedestrians on July 29, the Charles Kuonen Hängebrücke literally bridges the gap between Grächen and Zermatt — all 494 metres of it. For those keen on some more stomach-churning figures, the 65-metre pathway reaches 85 metres above the ground at its highest point, and 2200 metres above sea level as well. It's part of a six to seven hour hike from either direction, and replaces a previous bridge that closed in 2010 due to unstable terrain. Needless to say, the world-record breaking crossing isn't recommended for those suffering from acrophobia; however those eager to climb high will always have either the Matterhorn or the Bernese Alps in view, depending on which way they're trekking. As well as soaring into the sky and offering astonishing vistas, the suspension bridge also proves a feat of speedy engineering, with the entire thing erected in just 10 weeks. Via Zermatt Tourism. Image: Europaweg / Valentin Flauraud via Zermatt Tourism.
A staple for Melbourne comedy lovers, Quick Bites Comedy is the go-to night for checking out some of the best local, interstate and international comedians around — and it's free. Taking turns in a rapid-fire night of laughs, each comic delivers five-to-seven minutes of their funniest material, guaranteeing an evening crammed full of both up-and-coming and established performers across a variety of acts, styles and topics. Personalities and writers from many of Australia's most-loved TV shows are regularly in attendance and you're bound to discover someone who cracks you up. Held on Monday evenings at popular late-night spot Boney, the Little Collins location is perfect for getting some belly laughs in at the start of the week, ensuring the rest of your working week is just a little bit easier.
Melbourne's trams aren't just a handy way to get from A to B. Each year, six of the city's public-transport carriages also become mobile artworks. Melbourne Art Trams gives the vehicles a vibrant revamp — and, since 2021, the designs gracing each one have hailed from Victorian-based First Nations artists. The initiative has fallen into winter arts festival RISING's remit since then, too, with the end results for 2023 now rolling around the Victorian capital. The theme for this year's Melbourne Art Trams series: Blak futurism. As well as celebrating and exploring history, Country, community and connection, that's what the latest round of artists has responded to, as curated by visual artist Jarra Karalinar Steel (Boonwurrung/Wemba Wemba) — an alumni of the 2021 trams. "This year's First Peoples Melbourne Art Trams truly embody the transformative narratives of First Peoples Artists' creative expression, and the diversity that is often overlooked when it comes to Aboriginal Art in Australia. For me, the theme this year — 'Blak futurism' — is about reclaiming and taking back space, and breaking the status quo while maintaining culture and connection to country. It' also about learning from our past and those who came before," said Steel. "Blak futurism plays with nostalgia, pop culture and the desire to see ourselves represented in a world where we feel unseen and heard. Changing the way we are seen and the way we see ourselves." "I was looking for works that truthfully spoke to how these artists saw a Blak bright future for their community, families and country. This year's Art Trams will provide a world of colour to our grey city streets, exploring themes of community, togetherness, intergenerational collaboration, protection and care for country and our animals, future folklore, nostalgia, representation, and pay tribute to our beloved city." The first art tram to start doing the rounds boasts work by Amina Briggs (Boonwurrung/Erub). It hit the streets on Tuesday, June 13, featuring a portrayal of Bunjil the creator and Waa the protector, key figures in Boonwurrung culture. Also included, in a piece that's about reclaiming land: the Australian raven and the wedge-tailed eagle, the symbolic animals for both figures, plus a diamond, which is the traditional Boonwurrung symbol. By Friday, June 23, the remaining five trams will also get zooming, giving Melbourne a moving exhibition. Rubii Red's (Lama Lama) contribution is an ode to Naarm, including its protests, music and nightlife; Charlotte Allingham (Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa) has created a piece envisioning a future that values Blak freedom, self-expression, sustainability and innovation; and Jay Van Nus (Pibelman Noongar, and a Chilean Australian brotherboy) celebrates Indigenous knowledge and community, including diverse skills and ideologies coming together. For their tram, Lyn Thorpe (Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri/Wamba Wemba/Wadi Wadi) and her son Coree Thorpe (Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri/Gunnai/Gunditjmara) hone in on the Aboriginal continuum, which spans connections to ancestors and being caretakers for knowledge. And Peter Waples-Crowe's (Ngarigu) work focuses on the alpine dingo, using it as a symbol of ecosystem restoration, while contemplating restoring Indigenous knowledge. Melbourne Art Trams is a collaboration between RISING, Creative Victoria, Department of Transport and Planning and Yarra Trams, allowing local First Nations artists submit their own original tram-inspired designs — and ran as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival before RISING's arrival. The first of Melbourne's 2023 art trams hits the tracks on Tuesday, June 13, with the rest of the fleet joining them by Friday, June 23. For further details, head to the RISING website. Images: James Morgan.
From today, the launch of Reservations by DoorDash gives you exclusive access to tables at your favourite restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne — even when they are fully booked. This innovative new feature means that your go-to app for dining in can now be used for dining out. DoorDash Vice President APAC, Simon Rossi, says, "The launch of Reservations marks an exciting evolution for DoorDash in Australia. We're not just delivering meals, we're helping diners connect with some of the most sought-after restaurants. Whether it's securing a table at a hatted venue or discovering a hidden local gem, this feature makes it easier than ever to enjoy unforgettable dining experiences. For our restaurant partners, Reservations is another way we're helping them showcase their venues, attract new guests, and foster lasting relationships through exceptional hospitality." The Reservations system is being rolled out across two major cities now, with further launches coming soon. And it's stupidly simple. All you need to do is locate the Reservations icon in the DoorDash app, browse what's available, and confirm your booking, all in the one app. DashPass members will also have access to exclusive tables held especially for them during busy days and time slots. And the best part is that booking through this system allows you to earn redeemable credits that can be used for future orders. Prestigious restaurants across Melbourne and Sydney have embraced this new booking system, including Bar Julius, Di Stasio, Embla, Harriot and Lottie. James Bradey, founder of Liquid & Larder, says, "Bar Julius is proud to be part of DoorDash's Reservations debut. We're excited to welcome more guests from the greater network into our little corner of Redfern and provide the welcoming, detail-driven experience that's become a hallmark of Bar Julius and the Liquid & Larder family." "The DoorDash partnership will open the doors to a diverse bunch of potential new regulars that we might not otherwise have been able to reach. We're always on the lookout for more people who have been searching for a place like ours, and being on the platform will help us to continue to grow as we start our second decade in business," says Christian McCabe, General Manager at Embla in Melbourne. Images: George Roske. Reservations on DoorDash rolls out across Melbourne and Sydney from November 20. If you're looking for ideas of where to dine, check out the best restaurants in Sydney, and the best restaurants in Melbourne.
Watch a Mark Wahlberg-starring movie, tuck into a burg from Wahlberg's burger chain Wahlburgers, get the words 'burger' and 'Wahlberg' stuck in your head for days: that's now on the menu in Australia. After first announcing plans to open Down Under back in 2021, Wahlburgers has just launched its first Aussie store — so, Sydneysiders, it's time to pair a burger with some Sunkist. Because there's a reality TV show for everything, you've probably heard of the chain thanks to the 2014–9 series Wahlburgers, which turned its lens on the burger joints owned by the actor formerly known as Marky Mark and his brothers. Now — in Sydney from Thursday, February 17, at least — you can also eat the Wahlburgers' fast-food fare, rather than just watch a show about it. As also announced last year, Wahlburgers has now made its home at Sydney's Circular Quay, with its first Aussie outpost joining more than 50 stores in the US, Canada and Germany. Folks in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane can all look forward to munching on the brand's bites to eat, too — and in New Zealand as well — with the chain expected to launch 20 stores across Australia and NZ. On the menu: burgers, obviously, including a meat-free Impossible burg that's been dubbed 'Mark's choice', plus a barbecue bacon burger that bears his fellow actor brother (and ex-New Kids on the Block member) Donnie's tick of approval. There are 13 burg options to choose from in total, with two types of chicken schnitzel burger, a crispy fish option, and a truffle burger — which pairs a beef patty with truffle aioli — also available. Or, you can opt for salads, sides that span everything from French fries and sweet potato fries to onion rings and bacon mac 'n' cheese, and loaded versions of your favourite fries and potato gems. There's also a breakfast menu, complete with avocado on toast, granola, pancake stacks, breakfast burgers and French toast sticks. And, for dessert, you can pick from fried dough — yes, that's what the menu says — and three types of lamington from Tokyo Lamington. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wahlburgers Australia (@wahlburgersau) To answer the most important question, at least if you happen to remember that Mark Wahlberg was in the music business before he started acting and, as part of his hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, he released the 1991 single 'Good Vibrations': yes, Wahlburgers serves Sunkist, as referenced in that track's lyrics. Drinks-wise, there's also other soft drinks, coffees, shakes and spiders in both boozy and booze-free varieties, 17 types of cocktails, a small wine list, and beers that include Wahlbrewskis, the chain's signature beer. If the Wahlberg name has you thinking about movies — with Mark starring in everything from Boogie Nights to Joe Bell, and co-owner Donnie also featuring in The Sixth Sense and the Saw franchise — then that won't change with Wahlburgers' Aussie jaunt. In fact, the chain's entire venture Down Under is a collaboration with United Cinemas, and some of the former's sites will be located within the latter's picture palaces. United Cinemas now operates the cinema at Opera Quays that used to be a Dendy, for instance. The picture palace brand also currently runs venues at Narellan, Collaroy, Warriewood and Avalon in Sydney, Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, Craigieburn in Melbourne, Indooroopilly in Brisbane and Rockingham in Perth, so that's where you might be getting your Walhburger fix in the future, too — but Walhburgers will be opening stand-alone stores as well. Just when the chain will launch more locations around Australia and NZ hasn't yet been revealed. Wahlburgers is also co-owned by chef Paul Wahlberg — another Wahlberg sibling — and, given its name, the chain decks out its sites with photos and memorabilia from the brothers' lives. Wahlburgers is is now open at Opera Quays, 18a/7 Macquarie Street, Sydney, operating from 7am–10pm Sunday–Wednesday and 7am–11pm Thursday–Saturday. Further stores in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and New Zealand are also set to open in the future — we'll update you with exact locations and dates when they're announced, and you can keep an eye on the chain's website and Facebook page in the interim. Top image: Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons.
We sadly bade farewell to Ferdydurke earlier this year, one of our favourite bars in Melbourne's CBD. Since opening in 2012, it stood out among the sleek and highly polished bars of the city, deciding instead to embrace its rougher edges and provide an unpretentious space for both chill hangs and live music-fuelled parties. But even though it's now gone, the Office of Public Works group (Section 8, The Beast and formerly Ferdydurke) has teamed up with some of the hospo legends who originally helped set up Ferdydurke to create its replacement: Aster. Thankfully, not too much has changed. The loft's exposed brickwork and beams remain, as does the roaring fireplace. What you will notice though, is that it all feels a little more grown-up, from the contemporary wine list and refined snacks to the team replacing live gigs with DJs. Aster also has some serious date-night vibes — its design lends itself to being a playfully romantic spot that's less about big parties (you can still head downstairs to Section 8 for this) and more about intimate hangs. Nonetheless, the crew still promises dancefloor energy on weekends. We've been told to expect anything from jazzy house and cumbia rhythms to northern soul and smooth amapiano. While listening to these tunes, you'll be sipping on a range of classic and modern styles of wine, specialty beers, signature cocktails and artisanal spirits, with a particular focus on local producers. Food has also been given a big makeover, as Executive Chef Jarrod Moore has created a playfully decadent assortment of bites. You can expect dishes like saison black truffle and squid ink salami with guindillas; dark chocolate and rye whiskey marquise, fire-roasted peppers with smoked tomato and goat's cheese; and a poached prawn roll with pickled celery and burnt butter aioli. "I'm excited to show guests that going out in Melbourne doesn't have to break the bank, that they can enjoy a few drinks in a safe space, try something new or stick to what they know," says Venue Manager Manny Platsis. "We want to offer patrons a memorable experience, focusing on true hospitality in a warm, welcoming and fun environment." You'll find Aster at 31 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne, open 5pm–midnight from Tuesday–Thursday, and 5pm–2am on Fridays and Saturdays. For more details, head to the venue's website. Images: Arianna Leggiero.
Travel is a salve to all of life's problems. There's something truly healing about that first dip into a faraway sea, a bite of a food you've never heard of before, or the background hum of a language you can't understand. But sometimes, all it takes is a hotel to have you packing your bags and buckling into your plane seat. There's no better place to find that holiday feeling than in Asia. From the patchwork blue seas of the Komodo Islands to the tranquil jungles of Ubud and into the hawker centres of Singapore, Asia is dotted with spectacular hotels that are worth making the trip for. As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can access exclusive rates immediately on stays at participating properties (700 of them in Asia alone). Membership is free, so once you've signed up, book with the app and earn points for future stays worldwide. [caption id="attachment_1045361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] TA'AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa[/caption] TA'AKTANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo, Indonesia Depending on who you ask, there are anywhere from 16,000 to 18,000 islands in Indonesia. Flores, Bali's quiet neighbour, may just be the most underrated of them all. The town of Labuan Bajo on Flores is the gateway to the Komodo Islands—a patchwork of sparkling blue water, technicolour coral reefs and sacred Komodo dragons. It's quickly becoming Indonesia's best-kept treasure and is only a one-hour flight from Bali. When in town, TA'AKATANA, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is the place to stay. The resort's over-water villas draw inspiration from Flores' distinctive spider-web style rice paddies, offering epic views that look out over the Komodo Islands. Here, your villa also includes a luxurious butler service. Inspired by the mystical caves of Rangko and Batu Cermin, Di'a Spa is where hot tubs and cold plunge pools overlook the turquoise Flores Sea, offering not just relaxation but also renewal. It's your chance for a soulful pause in one of Indonesia's most captivating settings. [caption id="attachment_1045362" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel[/caption] The Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is a direct flight away from most Australian capitals, but the second your feet hit the buzzing streets, you feel a world away. You arrive to tropical warmth, towering, gilded temples, and fragrant, heaped bowls of street food passing by on vendors' carts. Not to mention, Bangkok is quickly earning a reputation as one of South East Asia's creative hotspots with galleries, bars, endless vintage shopping and local fashion labels popping up across the city. When in town, our editors check into The Athenee Hotel. Here, you're staying on the grounds of Kandhavas, the palace of Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the daughter of King Rama V. The five-star, luxury hotel is also located right in the heart of Bangkok—perfect for a trip spent hitting the city's exceptional shopping malls like Siam Paragon. After a day exploring Bangkok, head back to your hotel to de-stress with a holistic treatment at the Athenee Spa. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove, Singapore Sentosa Island is Singapore's island getaway—yet, you're still connected to the mainland. Singapore's hawker centres, futuristic skyline and unrivalled shopping make it one of the best city breaks going. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove is one of the coolest places to stay when you're in town. The hotel's sleek design and freshly-renovated rooms were born from blending city and sanctuary. The result is a space that channels the tropical microcosm that is Singapore: abundant energy, buzzing atmosphere, and an element of surrealism. While on Sentosa Island, check out Universal Studios, laze your day away at Siloso Beach or Palawan Beach (the southernmost point of continental Asia) or simply unwind in W Singapore's free-form outdoor pools. Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ubud, Indonesia Found deep inside the Balinese jungle, on the shores of the Ayung River, sits Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property. Ubud, a green, spiritual enclave in Bali, is often overlooked in favour of beach clubs. But, check into Mandapa — within an Indigenous village — and you'll soon realise that this is the best way to experience Bali. You'll find 35 suites, 25 pool villas and four unique dining concepts dotted across the resort's lush grounds. The best part, though, is their restorative spa and Disconnect to Reconnect Wellness Journey Program. You'll receive a personalised wellbeing and health program tailored just for you. The experience is guided by three pillars: wellness, gastronomy, and sustainability. For those seeking a stay that truly renews, this is your sanctuary. [caption id="attachment_1043648" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juliana Barquero[/caption] Aloft Osaka Dojima, Japan If you're anything like us, your social feeds are currently filled with friends living it up in Japan. And, with ski season approaching, your jealousy is about to get worse. If you've always wanted to go, let this be your sign to book that trip now. The vibrant, technicoloured streetscapes of Osaka's litter social feeds everywhere — especially with the city's vintage designer shopping. But they're really just the backdrop of Aloft Osaka Dojima. The sleek, design-focused hotel is for the traveller who likes being in the heart of the city. Stay here, and you're never more than a short walk from Osaka's viral food spots and expansive train network. Take a day trip to Kyoto or Nara, stop into Universal Studios or try the world-famous Kobe beef before heading back to base. [caption id="attachment_1051746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa, Malaysia[/caption] Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa, Malaysia Think of Malaysia, and chances are your mind rushes to steaming bowls of fragrant laksa, a buzzing Kuala Lumpur and its Petronas Towers at night (or that scene from Entrapment). But, did you know its coastline is dotted with tropical islands and pristine beaches? One of our editors' favourites is the Perhentian Islands on the east coast of Terengganu. It's here, on Perhentian Kecil, that you'll find Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa. Their private villas are perched on the cliffside with panoramic views out onto the azure shores of the Perhentians, and even come complete with a private pool and luxurious baths. Outside the resort grounds, island hop the day away, swim with turtles and snorkel through pristine coral reefs, then watch the sun slip below the horizon on a sunset cruise. Become a Marriott Bonvoy member (for free) for access to the best rates on the website. Then, download the app to discover a world of unparalleled rewards and earn and redeem points for your next trip with Marriott International's award-winning travel program and marketplace. And, to celebrate the end of 2025, you can even earn 2,025 bonus points when you book if you register at Marriott's website.
More than 60 people have been injured and 19 hospitalised after a stampede at Falls Festival's Lorne leg on Friday evening. The incident occurred after DMA's finished their set on the Grand Theatre Stage, when many in the crowd tried to make their way to see London Grammar on the Valley Stage. The Age reports that a number of patrons slipped and lost their footing during the move, resulting in leg, rib, hip, pelvic, head, facial and spinal injuries and fractures, as well as cuts and bruises. "It was quite a chaotic scene and required a major response," said Ambulance Victoria state health commander Paul Holman. Punters took to social media to post about the traumatic and chaotic experience, including reports of broken bones, panic attacks, people passing out, trampling and many fearing for their lives. "This was the most scariest thing ever! I will never forget what I saw last night," wrote one Falls attendee. "It's hectic and she said it was the worst thing she has ever experienced in her life," posted the sister of another. https://twitter.com/kewesting/status/814859083740102656 Festival organisers also took to social media to issue a statement, reflecting the fact that entertainment in the Grand Theatre was suspended for the remainder of the evening, but noting that normal programming will resume on Saturday. Many responses to their post have been rightfully critical of the setup that allowed the incident to occur in the first place — this isn't their first time hosting a popular event of this size, with a mass migration between stages and sets a common occurrence not just at Falls, but at every other music festival. The Lorne crowd crush occurs just days after a 21-year-old woman was struck and killed by a falling tree branch at the Lost Paradise festival on the NSW Central Coast. With plenty of festivals in full swing over New Year's — and the peak festival period upon us during summer — here's hoping for a safe rest of the season. If you're attending a fest, look after each other. Image: Falls Festival.
A spoonful of sugar isn't needed to make this medicine go down: the Mary Poppins musical is coming to Melbourne. Umbrellas at the ready for the most supercalifragilisticexpialidocious news that you'll hear all day, and all year as well, with the tale of the singing nanny set to take over Her Majesty's Theatre from Sunday, January 29, 2023. Mary Poppins comes to Melbourne after its Australian-premiere Sydney season and then a stop in Brisbane, and hails from Disney and theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh. This current version of the show tells the same enchanting tale that everyone knows from the hugely popular, five-time Oscar-winning 1964 film — which, as well as inspiring this stage adaptation, also gave rise to big-screen sequel Mary Poppins Returns in 2018. (Everything to do with the English governess harks back to PL Travers' books about the character, of course, and pop culture has been thankful for and downright delighted with her stories for almost six decades now.) When it soars through its Melbourne season over the summer of 2023 through to Sunday, April 2, local theatre fans can look forward to a new version of the show that last graced Australia's stages — and won eight Helpmann Awards — back in 2011. Since Mackintosh first teamed up with writer Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) to bring Mary Poppins to the theatre in 2004, the production has won four Olivier Awards and a Tony as well. The local cast includes Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins and Jack Chambers as Bert, as well as Tom Wren as George Banks, Lucy Maunder as Winifred Banks and Hannah Waterman as Mrs Brill. Also appearing: Gareth Isaac as Robertson Ay, Robert Grubb as Chairman and Admiral Boom, Cherine Peck as Mrs Corry, Lisa Sontag as Miss Lark, Kade Hughes as Neleus, Stephen Anderson as Park Keeper and Andrew Broadbent as Policeman. If you'd been crossing your fingers that a date with Poppins, the Banks family and their Cherry Tree Lane abode might also come Melbourne's way, consider that wish granted. Consider 'A Spoonful of Sugar', 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', the Oscar-winning 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' and 'Let's Go Fly a Kite' stuck firmly in your head until January blows in, too. Check out the musical's trailer below: Mary Poppins will play Her Majesty's Theatre from Sunday, January 29–Sunday, April 2, 2023. To sign up for the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website — with presales from 10am on Monday, September 12 and general sales from 9am on Monday, September 19. Images: Daniel Boud.
If September weather still isn't hitting compared to a tropical holiday, then maybe it's time to book a short-haul flight with Virgin Australia's happy hour sale. From now until 11pm today (AEST), score international flights for as little as $419 return. But be quick, because you've only got until 11pm tonight to nab these deals. Travel anywhere from Queenstown and Vanuatu to Bali, Samoa and Fiji, to make the most of this limited-time offer. Deals include a Melbourne to Bali flight for as little as $419 return, or Sydney to Fiji from $489 return. Book your economy flights between October 22, 2025 and March 31, 2026, to be eligible for these red-hot deals. If you're a Velocity Frequent Flyer, then these deals are even better, because sale fares still go towards your Velocity Points and Status Credits. Just make sure to pack light, as these fares do not include baggage and seat reservations. For more information about Virgin Australia's Happy Hour Flights Sale, head to the website. Images: iStock
Today, Marvel is one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry; however it has taken 80 years for the company to progress from small comics outfit to the pop culture phenomenon behind a 23-movie franchise. To mark the organisation's massive milestone, Melbourne Central is playing host to a huge exhibition — celebrating the outfit that gave the world Spider-Man, Wolverine, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America and more, and stepping through its hefty history. On display until Sunday, September 29, the three-month-long Marvel: Journey of Heroes showcase jumps through each of Marvel's eight decades, starting with its origins as Timely Comics. The work of legendary artists such as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko earns a sizeable mention, naturally, as does the fact that Marvel is now a big-screen force to be reckoned with (if this year's Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home didn't already make that obvious). Visitors will also find a range of original artwork on display, including by local artists Patrick Brown, Jon Sommariva, David Yardin, Ben Templesmith and Wayne Nichols — plus eight special pieces by by Radio Velvet creatives, all marking a decade in Marvel's past, and all taking their cues from the company's most iconic comic book covers. The free exhibition is open daily from 10am, on level one of the Melbourne shopping centre, behind the Shot Tower. From Monday–Friday between 11am–5pm and Saturday–Sunday from 10am–5pm, you'll also be able to nab some Marvel goodies at the onsite merchandise store.
To combat the multitude of incoming phone calls which remain unheard in the depths of your purse, Nokia is seeking a patent for magnetic-ink tattoos which would alert you to every phone call. The company's 'Haptic Communication' patent describes an electronic device (your smartphone) which will generate a magnetic field. This will stimulate the ferromagnetic ink that has been stamped on, taped to, or - yes - tattooed on skin. The ink will then react with stimuli that corresponds to the digital content of the original device. Similar to the 'vibrate' setting on existing phones, different vibration patterns would be received, and felt, for a voicemail, text message, etc. This technology may aid users in distinguishing which type of notification their phone is receiving from their back packet or book bag - all without audio. It all may sound a tad drastic, but who knows? Perhaps some fresh ink will finally allow us to unglue our phones from our palms. [via Wired]
Any chance to see Yayoi Kusama's work in Australia is huge news, and reason to make a date — including travel plans, if needed — to get immersed in the Japanese icon's infinity rooms, and also be surrounded by pumpkins and dots. So when the National Gallery of Victoria announced that its big summer 2024–25 showcase would be dedicated to the artist, that was enough to make the resulting exhibition a firm must-see. Adding Friday-night parties to the mix is the cherry on top, then. How many ways can Melbourne go dotty for Kusama? It's time to find out from the exhibition's opening on Sunday, December 15, 2024, although answers have been arriving in advance. Kusama's five-metre-tall dot-covered Dancing Pumpkin sculpture has made NGV International's Federation Court its home first. Then came the revelation that the showcase will feature a world record-breaking number of infinity rooms and other immersive installations. And, outside the gallery on St Kilda Road, Kusama's Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees has wrapped the trunks of more than 60 trees in pink-and-white polka-dotted material. NGV Friday Nights often forms part of the venue's high-profile exhibitions, so it should come as no surprise that the event series is back for Yayoi Kusama. The after-hours parties kick off on Friday, December 20, 2024 for some pre-Christmas fun, then run for 18 weeks until Friday, April 18, 2025. Come quittin' time for the week, Melburnians can add spots to their late-night shenanigans. If you're making a visit from interstate, you'll want to ensure you time it to hit one of the soirees on your trip. Seeing art is obviously on the NGV Friday Nights itinerary, but so is music and culinary experiences. The NGV's Great Hall will welcome live DJ sets, including from Dijok, Small FRY, Elle Shimada, Tanzer and more. In the NGV Garden Restaurant, acclaimed chefs Martin Benn is doing a residency for the exhibition's duration, serving up Asian-inspired dishes using Australian produce, Attendees can also look forward to other dining and drinking options, such as the Moët & Chandon champagne bar, Four Pillars gin bar, Yering Station wine bar and Häagen-Dazs ice cream cart — so there's sparkling, G&Ts, wine flights and frozen treats covered — plus a Japanese-inspired menu from the Great Hall and Gallery Kitchen. Gracing NGV International's walls until Monday, April 21, 2025, Yayoi Kusama features over 180 works, in the largest Kusama retrospective that Australia has ever seen — as well as one of the most-comprehensive retrospectives devoted to the artist to be staged globally, not to mention the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving the country. Images: Michael Pham / Tobias Titz.
Melbourne cyclists could soon find themselves with their heads in the clouds as construction on the city's first elevated bicycle 'veloway' gets underway. We haven't had many updates on the project since it was confirmed by the government in April 2017 but Premier Daniel Andrews last week posted a video that virtually shows what it would be like to ride along the 2.5-kilometre highway. The new 'veloway' will be erected in the inner west as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project, which will see a four-kilometre tunnel and freeway above Footscray Road built as an alternative to the always-congested West Gate Bridge. Sitting underneath the future flyover and elevated from street level, it will follow Footscray Road, starting at Shepherds Bridge (which goes over the Maribyrnong) in Footscray and finishing up just over Moonee Ponds Creek as you come into Docklands. The veloway will have two lanes — one inbound and one outbound — and will be four metres wide to allow room for cyclists to stop (to, say, change a tyre) without being hit by another commuter. Many potential cyclists have raised concerns around safety on the path, but the State Government has confirmed it will also have two emergency exits, emergency access for vehicles and full CCTV. It'll also have mesh covers to allow for natural light and fresh air and, by night, will be fully lit. As well as allowing cyclists to skip six sets of traffic lights and get to the city much faster, the separation of cyclists and motor vehicles will significantly increase the safety of those on their bikes. While Footscray Road does have a bike lane, the new elevated infrastructure will allow cyclists to bypass dodgy intersections (like at Sims Street and Shepherd Bridge) and more fluidly connect with other major bike paths, such as the Capital City Trail. The Footscray Road bike path won't be disused though — in fact, it will be widened. This will probably be the preferred option for more casual cyclists. With the new flyover road and the 24/7 truck ban that's set to be instated on surrounding streets (including Francis Street, Somerville Road, Buckley Street and Moore Street) on completion of the project, we're guessing it will be a bit less precarious, too. [caption id="attachment_721387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The veloway from Footscray Road.[/caption] With these new structures and upgrades — along with various new paths and the addition of missing links in Yarraville, Spotswood, and Moonee Ponds — the State Government is hoping to create a more connected journey for cyclists between Werribee and the CBD. Construction on the West Gate Tunnel Project has started, and work on the veloway will start once the Footscray Road overpass has been built. It's all expected to be completed and open sometime in 2022. Overall, the project is very focused on car transport, so we're happy to see that cycling infrastructure is getting a look-in, too.
While a lot of people are wondering about the future of journalism in general, some people are thinking about the future of just the magazine in particular. Craig Mod, once part of the team behind slick, newsreading app Flipboard, coined the genre name of a new kind of small magazine: "Subcompact Publishing". It's an interesting new form that's getting played over in the States, especially on the iPad, and most notably by the Weekend Companion of pioneeringly-profitable blog the Awl, the Atlantic Weekly and — inspiration for Mod's original manifesto — the Magazine. Now Australian publication the Lifted Brow is throwing its hat in the subcompact ring, one of the first publications to try it over here. Though not the first, as it turns out. The Brow is a literary mag — originally with a strong McSweeney's influence — that grew up amongst a bunch of Brisbane writing students in 2007 and now runs big name, international authors alongside local Australian talent. Now based in Melbourne, they've got a back catalogue that includes literary wunderkind David Foster Wallace, Aussie comics star Eddie Campbell and sex advice from Benjamin Law. And his mum. It's big. To say, as a reader, that each issue can be hard to finish isn't exactly a flaw: it's just that they each have so much stuff in them. Because, First World Problems Craig Mod's idea of the subcompact magazine is kind of the opposite aesthetic to the Brow's all-inclusive, physical incarnation. It describes a world of smaller digital publications that eschew the idea of replicating print's design, size and digital slowness. Following his style lets you avoid a few first world problems. Downloads, for a start. A single issue of Wired on the iPad, say, can weigh in at just over 600 megabytes. A month or so of mobile phone data for some people. Subcompact-only the Magazine, by contrast, can go from pressing download in the the app, to reading its trial issue's opening story about roller derby, in about 18 seconds. One of these small magazines will typically have just a few articles, so it's much easier to get your head around the range of stuff in it. These, and other, small usability problems addressed by the subcompact format seem really do seem like first world issues. But we read magazines for fun. It's nice not to have to kill yourself to enjoy reading one. Ease and comprehension are good things. Less is More Mod saw the rise of small, mostly iPad-based magazines through the historical metaphor of Honda's development of subcompact cars. In his telling, Honda's cars weren't as big or feature-heavy as the big US cars they were competing with. But they were good enough, efficient enough, nimble and cheap. He suggests that the magazines of this new digital world should take a similar approach. An important word here is closure. The idea of internet addiction, with accompanying thoughts of switching off and the "digital sabbath", is a bit of a rising meme. Closure isn't a thing that you run into too often online. I mean, how often do you get to the end of the internet? A lot of sites are easy to browse, but hard to finish. Think Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook. Design = Journalism Australian immigration detention monitor, Detention Logs had already got its subcompact on before the Lifted Brow hit the app store. It uses freedom of information requests to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to gather and publish records of incidents at immigration detention centres. They have over 7000 of these records up so far, each incident encapsulated into its own tiny and individual webpage. On their Principles page they specifically single out Mod's Subcompact Publishing Manifesto alongside their other ethical and design considerations. For them, this nimble and lightweight form seems to actually be a kind of journalistic muscle. "Small parts loosely joined" is how Detention Logs co-founder Luke Bacon describes it. He adds that using selections from Mod's manifesto publishing model is, essentially, a case of reporting form following function. "The form in which we received this information from DIAC could be seen as the opposite [of an appropriate and useful format]: one enormous, inaccessible PDF file, poorly labeled and thoroughly redacted. Transforming this complex information into easy to access and understand chunks is an act of design and journalism." Why Change What Now? So will "easy to access" work for the Brow? The new Lifted Brow iOS app is pretty slick. It's published by 29th Street Publishing, who put together minimalist iPad periodicals like Maura Magazine, the Awl's Weekend Companion and free, investigative subcompact ProPublica. The Brow is voluminous and dense in a way that 29th Street's publications are not. By going subcompact, the Brow is using the format both to boost, and cut through, their print legacy. They have a strong bench. Their all-star back catalogue of local and overseas writers sold the idea to 29th Street, according to Brow Digital Director Elmo Keep. "It has a great mix: a very strong roster of international writers, and an amazing cadre of Australian writers, so it was a perfect way for both 29th Street to reach outside the US and for the Brow to reach outside Australia." This small format makes that reach easy. Every fortnight, in a small, digestible format, you'll get the chance to catch up with new work, and their back catalogue. "It's going to be a mix of sort of teaser content from upcoming issues with reprinting stuff from the archives which a lot of people only joining us now could have missed." It will be a finite amount of short articles bimonthly, distributed via Apple's Newsstand service. There's a free trial, but the model banks on you being interested in subscribing. (Old issues will remain, if you unsubscribe.) Pixels Make It Better It's low maintainance. And that's no mistake. "There's so much opportunity to do things on digital that would be not be so cost effective to do in print," says Keep. She feels like a lot of the hard work has been done for her already. "I just move some things around in a content management system, and TA DA. (Not really, but kind of.)" The plan is to split the money the digital version makes between the writers and 29th Street. "There isn't a huge amount of money to be had by anyone in this entire transaction, so we want there to be ways for writers to make money beyond what we can pay them initially [in print]." In an age where it's easy to be asked to write for free the Brow prizes paying its contributors. PLEASE BUY OUR MAGAZINE So the Brow's writers will get a little more money, the Brow finally gets a wider audience ("realistically, there will only ever be so many printed copies that can be produced") and the public gets a newer gobbet of casual reading. (29th Street's Creative Designer, Tim Moore, compares the subcompact style to a cheap Pengiun paperback.) It all seems like a pretty good deal. And, on the iPad, an Aussie first. But these new digital steps aren't necessarily part of a war between online minimalism and print. "There will always be the magazine, in its dense and intense full-page glory," says Keep. "PLEASE BUY OUR MAGAZINE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME." Photo of Honda N360 by Tennen-Gas, Looking for Loretta artwork by Total Bore. Revised myth of superman artwork by Colin Panetta. Update: Luke Bacon's full email response, quoted in part for this article, is worth reading. It's up now at his blog Equivalent Ideas.
Housed within the heritage 1930s Equity Chambers at the Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, sits dapper destination eatery Luci. A contemporary Australian fine diner with an Italian-Euro twist, it's named after the Roman leader and famous gourmet, Lucias Lucullus. Here, chef Sam Moore (Pier in Rose Bay, Becasse, No.35 at Sofitel Melbourne) is serving a sharp, produce-driven menu across brekkie and dinner. The food strikes a balance between the classic and the modern, while the space boasts a grand, old-world fitout complete with original wood panelling, restored heritage elevators and stonework galore. The menu hits plenty of high notes. For breakfast, there's a fried duck egg paired with roasted squash, hazelnuts and duck ham ($22), along with the likes of a wattleseed bircher ($12) and the smoked ham hock on potato rosti with cabbage ($23). Come dinner, you might find plates like a goat's milk ricotta gnocchi ($22/36), Hiramasa kingfish featuring mango and coriander ($24), and a lamb saddle with cos lettuce and anchovies ($44). The wine list is also a winner, fully stocked with a broad mix of local drops and interesting low-intervention options. Meanwhile, the 1930s-style Douglas Club next door is your go-to for elegantly revamped classic cocktails, with a bar run by Gee Shanmugam (from Windsor's Galah Bar and Mya Tiger at The Espy). Images: Food and interiors by Kristoffer Paulsen; Hilton entrance by Paul Gosney
Lockdown is bringing wholesome home activities back into the spotlight. If you've already birthed a sourdough starter, planted new seedlings and started leaning te reo Māori, it may be time to start flexing your puzzle skills. New Zealand's national museum Te Papa is getting in on the action for those who forgot to stock up and has turned taonga (treasures) from its collection into online jigsaw puzzles. Unwind as you piece together Bernard Roundhill's colourful 1956 painting of Auckland, make up the skeleton of a Stewart Island brown kiwi or complete the fossil of an iguanodon tooth from 132-137 million years ago. Te Papa is closed to the public until further notice. Read about the museum's collections, research and stories at tepapa.nz.
It was meant to be the sci-fi hit of 2020. It ended up being one of 2021's standouts instead. It picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars and has a sequel about to drop. Spice saga Dune is also now back on the big screen in Australia and New Zealand, giving audiences another chance to see it in the best way possible. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049), the 2021 film followed in David Lynch's footsteps, making a new adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel — and managing what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. It also gave the world a stunning new science-fiction cinema classic, which started its return season in cinemas on Thursday, February 8, 2024 Down Under in preparation for part two arriving at the end of the month. The initial Villeneuve-helmed Dune flick scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins for beginning the space-opera series' story. In the 2021 film, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) headed to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then got caught up in a bitter feud with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani (Zendaya, Euphoria), plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two. The second film has also taken the long way to cinemas, after originally being slated to release in November 2023, then postponed during Hollywood's strikes. It will now keep the tale going from Thursday, February 29. This time, war has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Chani at his side. Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues, sandworms, Villeneuve's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) sonic best: they're all part of the first movie. So are Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) among the cast. Some cinemas are also doing Dune double features on Wednesday, February 28, the evening before the second part officially releases, if you want the full Chalamet-led Dune experience so far in one sitting. Check out trailers for Dune and Dune: Part Two below: Dune returned to cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 8, 2o24. Read our review. Dune: Part Two will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
Meat pies and sausage rolls will never go out of style at the footy — even if they do cost a fortune nowadays. But sports stadiums across Australia have noticed how punters increasingly desire a really decent meal before or after a game. More specifically, these venues see how there is a lot to gain from feeding fans within the stadium rather than having them hit up a local pub or restaurant before heading over to catch a match. To achieve this, GMHBA Stadium has brought out the big guns: Melbourne's forever-favourite Chin Chin. Chris Lucas' new restaurant is slated to stick around for one year as a pop-up (sadly, it isn't a permanent fixture), but we're hoping that its huge popularity might change that. Even before Club Chin Chin opened on Sunday, May 4, there was a 5,000+ waitlist. And even though it is fully booked in May, June and July reservations are now available for anyone to book — not just footy fans. Chin Chin regulars will find a stack of familiar dishes served at both the Melbourne and Sydney Chin Chin, alongside a few new bites that are exclusive to Geelong. Signature dishes only found at GMHBA Stadium include crispy prawn spring rolls and a panang curry that's packed with twice-cooked lamb. Bevs are a highly local affair, featuring beers from Blackman's Brewery and wines from Jack Rabbit, Yes Said The Seal, Leura Park, Mulline, Bannockburn and Oakdene. "From growing up in Belmont to now opening my first venue in Geelong, I couldn't be prouder", says Chris Lucas. "Launching a third Chin Chin outpost in my own hometown is a dream come true. And doing it in collaboration with my beloved football team, the mighty Cats — well, it doesn't get any better than that." Club Chin Chin can be found at GMHBA Stadium, 370 Moorabool Street, South Geelong. AFL game-goers can book a table before a match, while regular programming will see Club Chin Chin open from 5pm–late on Thursday, 12pm–late on Friday and Saturday, and 12pm on Sunday for lunch. Find more details and book a highly-coveted table via the venue's website.
Picture a traditional Chinese landscape painting and you'll probably visualise a mountain with a pagoda half-shrouded in mist. Knowing this, and hoping to make an unequivocal comment on China's pollution problem, photographer Yao Lu has pulled a neat piece of visual trickery: in New Landscapes he creates idyllic vistas that at first appear to depict nature in all its glory but which are actually composed of landfill trash. After arranging the piles of waste into something resembling organic forms and photographing them disguised under construction netting, Yao Lu used editing techniques to insert the conventional artistic elements of trees, pagodas and the red seal. The result raises the question: is this where China's natural world is headed? The works are on show at Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York. Via PSFK.
The summer holidays might be only just over, but chances are, you're already contemplating your big international trip (or trips) for the year. So, we thought we'd do some research for you. Whether you're gearing up to lay down a deposit on a flight or looking for some deskapism to get you through to knock-off, here are ten international destinations to add to your 2017 wish list. We've got magical Indian cities dotted with blue temples, South American wilderness filled with giant-sized glaciers and a World Heritage listed, volcanic island. [caption id="attachment_606508" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dennis Jarvis.[/caption] TULUM, MEXICO The world's biggest natural aquarium, Mayan ruins atop a 13-metre high cliff, wild jungles, white sands on the edge of the Caribbean... Tulum is the kind of place people visit and drive their friends mad talking about when they get home. Stay in a traditional, palm-thatched cabaña just a stone's throw from the beach and linger over cocktails in rustic, waterfront bars. Unlike the touristy areas to its north, Tulum is UNESCO-protected from development, thanks to its limestone foundations and biodiversity. [caption id="attachment_606607" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Eva Blue.[/caption] CUBA Fabled land of dancing in the streets, cigars, classic cars and sticking it to the US, Cuba holds mythological status in many a Westerner's imagination. After all, it's been really hard to get to for a really long time. And, now that Fidel Castro has passed away, there's fear that the island will modernise rapidly. Should you make it this year, be sure to wander along Havana's multi-coloured Malecón boulevard meeting poets and philosophers, get lost in the winding alleyways of Camaguey and laze about on Cuba's stunning beaches. [caption id="attachment_606606" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bernd Thaller.[/caption] MONGOLIA If you love wide open spaces, four-legged beasts running free, sleeping in gers and calligraphy, then make Mongolia your destination. It's in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, that you'll come across galleries dedicated to the mighty pen and, while you're there, be sure to catch a spot of throat singing and a contortionist show or two — Mongolia's are among the best in the world. Next up, head into the Gobi Desert's 1.3 million square kilometres, where you can experience daily life with a nomadic family and drink airag, an alcoholic spirit comprised of fermented horse milk. [caption id="attachment_606604" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Norton Ip.[/caption] SOUTH KOREA Your first reason to swing by South Korea is Jeju, a World Heritage-listed volcanic island, where former lava tubes have turned into some of the biggest caves on the planet. There are hiking trails a-plenty and a bunch of pretty, pretty swimming holes. For a startling contrast, spend the other half of your holiday among Seoul's ten million residents, drinking makgeolli (a sweet rice wine), checking out traditional arts and crafts at the Gahoe Museum, strolling around 600-year-old Bukchon Hanok Village and taking five in a tranquil tea house. [caption id="attachment_606611" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Shannon Connellan.[/caption] HONG KONG Foodies, this one's for you. To make the most of your trip, be there between October 26 and 29, 2017, when the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival takes over the city. You'll be sampling your way through more than 300 stalls, offering gustatory delights of all kinds — from single malt whiskeys to handmade cheeses. Take matters further by booking yourself in for a master chef-prepared, multi-course feast, with matching wines. Equally abundant is Hong Kong's contemporary art scene. Make your way to Kowloon to see the best of it, where a massive, new cultural precinct is under construction, or, if you're after something a little unexpected, take a hike on the lush Lamma Island. [caption id="attachment_606601" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Umesh Gopinath.[/caption] RAJASTHAN, INDIA India's biggest state, found in the country's northwest, gives you 342,000 square kilometres of intense sights, sounds and smells. Jaipur, the capital, is an established tourist destination worth dropping by, but we recommend focusing on some of the smaller cities. To meet artists and reminisce over Octopussy, get yourself to Udaipur (also known as the Venice of the East). To see one of the biggest completely preserved fort cities in the world, check out World Heritage-listed Jaisalmer. And to mix with mystics among blue temples and the humming of Hindu prayers, stay in Pushkar. Then, of course, there's the famous blue city of Jodhpur, with its labyrinthine, medieval streets. [caption id="attachment_606509" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Miguel Mansilla.[/caption] PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA Prepare to feel like a character out of Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Patagonia's one million square kilometres are filled with titanic landscapes. Make your first stop Glaciar Perito Moreno, a 30-kilometre long, five-kilometre wide, 60-metre high kingdom of ice that moves at a rate of two metres per day, causing colossal icebergs to crash into a nearby channel. After that, head to Parque Nacional Los Alerces, to wander among pristine creeks, sparkling lakes and lush mountainsides, and meet a 4,000-year-old tree species. Meanwhile, along the coastline, you'll be treated to epic whale shows, dolphins, seals and penguins — all year round. [caption id="attachment_606609" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Harshil Shah.[/caption] BRISTOL, UK Keen to experience the UK's vibrant music and arts scene, but not so keen on shoving your way through crowds in London? Skip the capital and go straight to Bristol. Found in England's southwest, on the River Avon, this 500,000-person city punches well above its weight when it comes to all things cultural and maintains a laidback, friendly atmosphere. If you can, time your vacation with the epic Bristol Harbour Festival, which takes over the waterfront from 21-23 July 2017, bringing free music, dance, circus performances, live art, food, drink and more. Any time of year, you'll get excellent coffee at Small Street Espresso and tasty vegetarian food at Roll for the Soul, a not-for-profit, community cafe, bike workshop and event space. [caption id="attachment_534322" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Peter Saw.[/caption] TOULOUSE, FRANCE Another alternative European city to add to your itinerary is Toulouse. Despite being the fourth biggest city in France, it's yet to become a tourist hot spot, so you can walk around art galleries without bumping into people. What's more, it's the nation's festival capital, which means that, during summer, rarely a weekend goes by that public spaces aren't packed with dance, live music or theatre. Be sure to explore Les Abattoirs (an ex-slaughterhouse turned contemporary gallery), the Musee des Augustins (an ex-convent seized by revolutionaries in 1793) and Marché Victor Hugo, the biggest of Toulouse's 13 food markets, crowded with local produce and wine-tasting opportunities. You'll find more Toulouse tips over here. [caption id="attachment_606610" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Tim Sackton.[/caption] BOSTON, USA Already visited NYC, LA and San Fran? Looking for a new place to explore in the US? We present, Boston. Found on the east coast of Massachusetts, this 700,000-strong city is legendary for its love of learning, innovation, ideas and the arts, partly because it's where you'll find Harvard Uni. If you're into American history, take the Freedom Trail, which carries you through the leadup to the War of Independence. For cracking Italian restaurants, hit the North End. And, when you're ready to go further afield, set sail for the Boston Harbour islands.
When it first hit the small screen between 2007–12, Gossip Girl didn't just introduce the world to Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley, and make everyone want to sit on the steps of The Met. Across its initial run, the series spun a lavish, soapy, usually OTT but always watchable teen-focused drama filled with secrets and scandals — and gossip, obviously. When its titular figure said "you know you love me", as she did often, everyone watching knew she was right. Because we live in a world where a big Friends reunion just hit streaming, Sex and the City is getting a television sequel and Saved by the Bell has returned to the screen as ell, Gossip Girl was always going to make a comeback in some shape or form. So, come Thursday, July 8, you'll be saying XOXO to the series once again. HBO's streaming platform HBO Max is reviving the series, and Binge will screen it in Australia. If you're wondering what you're in for, it has been billed as both a reimagining and an extension. So, that means that Gossip Girl circa 2021 will take place in the same world as its predecessor, but it'll focus on different characters. An early sneak peek back in May teased what that'll look like, and now a just-dropped new trailer offers fans a bigger glimpse of all the dramas to come. Set nine years after the eponymous and anonymous blog went dark, the new series sees its namesake return, too — otherwise the show wouldn't have a premise. This time, a new bunch of New York private school-attending teenagers are at the ever-present, seemingly all-knowing gossip blogger's mercy, with their Upper East Side lives captured and dissected via an Instagram account. Whether any familiar faces will pop up is yet to be revealed; however, in the most important news there is regarding this revival, Kristen Bell is returning to voice the titular figure. She'll narrate the comings and goings of a group played Jordan Alexander (Sacred Lies), Eli Brown (Wrath of Man), Thomas Doherty (High Fidelity), Tavi Gevinson (Halston), Emily Alyn Lind (Every Breath You Take), Evan Mock, Zion Moreno (Control Z), Whitney Peak (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Savannah Lee Smith. The cast has changed, but the social-climbing chaos is bound to be familiar. If you were a particular fan of the threads worn by Lively, Meester and company back in the day, you'll be pleased to know that costume designer Eric Daman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) is back for a second go-around. The creators of the initial show, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The OC), have nabbed executive producer credits on the revival as well — so they'll have a hand in yet another adaptation of Cecily von Ziegesar's books. And the new series' showrunner Josh Safran (Smash) was a writer and executive producer on the original series. Check out the latest Gossip Girl trailer below: Gossip Girl will start streaming via Binge from Thursday, July 8. Top image: Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max.
Finish off your weekend with a casual cycle through Melbourne's northern suburbs, and do it without even crossing a road by following the Merri Creek Trail. 21 kilometres long, the trail extends from Dights Falls and the Capital City Trail in the south, to Western Ring Road in the north. Follow the creek and pass the Coburg Lake Reserve, the Brunswick Velodrome and CERES Community Park, as well as garden spots, horse paddocks and sports ovals. An afternoon of cycling is a surefire way to build up an appetite, and luckily there a number of charming picnic spots along the trail — why not throw down a rug at the northern end, near the lush greens of Coburg Lake? Image: Brook James
Salute the sun with Snoop Dogg this Thursday morning. Hip Hop Yoga has landed at Richmond's Yoga 213 to bring a funky twist to the tired silence of traditional yoga practice. Thursday's early morning session is Hip Hop 1, a smooth vinyasa flow set to a soft soundtrack of acoustic, electronic, reggae and R&B. This morning session of breathing to Biggie and holding your downward dog to Drake will awaken the senses and set you up for the day ahead. Early morning sessions begin at 6.30am, meaning you can get an hour of practice in before work.
One name, many faces. That's what you can expect when Italian-leaning newcomer Stella opens her doors next month, showing off four distinct offerings across four stylish levels in the heart of South Yarra. The heritage-listed corner building will soon be home to a contemporary Aussie take on the classic Italian trattoria, with a chic fitout led by Sum Design Studio and Projects of Imagination. It's named after the daughter of owner Ali Mousavi. Stella's basement level will feature an impressively stocked wine cellar and private dining room for ten, leading up to the ground floor restaurant, where a circular pizza bar takes centre stage and a Marana Forni oven is the hero of the kitchen. [caption id="attachment_863590" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Venue Manager Paul Mitchell, owner Ali Mousavi and Executive Chef John Park[/caption] Executive Chef John Park (Vue de Monde, 400 Gradi) is heading up the food offering, with a menu starring pizzas crafted on a signature dough recipe passed down through generations. Plenty more Italian influence shines through the lineup of share plates and classic regionally-inspired mains. Meanwhile, the level above the restaurant is set to play host to a relaxed drinking destination complete with fireplace and velvet seating, where you can cosy up with bevs and bar snacks. And you'd best believe there's a rooftop crowning the whole thing, boasting its own vertical garden and offering a primo spot to kick back with some of the bar's reimagined classic cocktails. Stella is set to open at 427 Chapel Street, South Yarra, in September. We'll share more details as they drop.
When telling the tale of a five-year-old Indian boy separated from everyone and everything he knows (and the man who later tries to piece together his past), names are important. In Lion, Saroo Brierley is both the child and adult in question, with the movie recounting his real-life experiences trying to return to his mother Kamla and his brother Guddu, and then being adopted by Australians Sue and John Brierley. Newcomer Sunny Pawar and English actor Dev Patel play Saroo at different stages of his life, the latter with as spot-on an Australian accent as you're likely to hear. Nicole Kidman, David Wenham and Rooney Mara help round out the high-profile cast. Yes, there's names aplenty here. One that's crucial in bringing Saroo's plight to the cinema — based on his memoir, and as covered by TV's 60 Minutes — is Garth Davis. In fact, expect to hear his name more often, particularly as Lion keeps receiving acclaim. Davis was recently nominated for two Directors Guild of America awards, while the film snagged six Oscar nods, including for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Patel) and Best Supporting Actress (Kidman). Plus, his next movie is certain to attract even more interest: reuniting with Mara, and also starring Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Aussie Ryan Corr, you'll instantly know the story at the centre of Mary Magdalene. For a first-time filmmaker previously best known for co-directing the first season of Top of the Lake with Jane Campion, it has been quite the journey to becoming one of the hottest names in Australian cinema. With Lion making its way to local screens, we chatted with Davis about taking on such a powerful story, finding excellent leads and how travelling to India to follow in Saroo's footsteps shaped the movie. ON TAKING ON SAROO'S STORY "The story itself is just an extraordinary tale. It is hard to believe it is true. And you read this story, and you can't help but be moved by it. I mean, it's incredible. But I could also sense something moving under the story, that was quite spiritual and quite special, and I think that's what really lured me into making the film. And when I started to meet the real-life people in the story, like Sue and Saroo and all his Indian family, I realised that there was such an immense love that all the characters held — and I suddenly realised it was this love that I think engineered the miracle that the story has." ON DOING JUSTICE TO SUCH A POWERFUL TRUE TALE "There's a big responsibility in telling a true story. So all you can do really is spend time with everybody and try to understand their stories as deeply and emotionally as possible. So that's what I did — I basically almost immediately went to India, coincidentally at the time that Sue was meeting Saroo's birth mother Kamla. It was such an incredible meeting, so I just tried to immerse myself in their lives as much as possible, hear their stories, hear them talk about things. I think that's a really important process to go through so you can kind of dimensionalise their story. Because a lot of people take their story, and it makes a great article or a great paragraph or a great conversation — but to turn it into a movie, you've got to go a lot deeper. And you need to really get behind it to understand it." ON HOW TRAVELLING TO INDIA AND FOLLOWING IN SAROO'S FOOTSTEPS HELPED SHAPE THE FILM "It's very simple. It's very subtle and kind of existential. Things like, for me, when I stand in that village, I try to imagine myself as a child: where would I play? What would my world feel like? What are the sounds? What's the nature like? I go wandering off into the paddocks. I spent a lot of time just sitting at the dam, the dam that is featured in the film and in the story, just watching a new generation of children. Seeing how they play, how the women do the washing, seeing the trains passing by. So I just immersed myself in that world, as a director and as an artist. And then carrying that through, like when I got to Kolkata, I didn't quite realise how powerful that was. Like imagining my kids — because I've got three kids — imagining them just being dropped off in this chaotic planet, it's like another planet really. And just trying to imagine how they'd survive. Again, I would be in Saroo's shoes, just going, "okay where would I stay? What would I do?" and I'd walk around, and eventually I stumbled across real homeless children sleeping out in the subways and in some of those forgotten paddocks that sit across the way from the train station, and the reality of it really struck me — just how important and how powerful it was going to be as a film, and as an experience with an audience." ON LION'S STRUCTURE, AND SPENDING THE FIRST HALF OF THE MOVIE FOCUSED ON A FIVE-YEAR-OLD "It's not a story of a guy who starts to remember something. It's not that kind of story. He remembers everything — he's just lost, and he's never had any hope of finding home so he's had to move on and accept his fate. And find gratitude in what's happened to him ultimately, because he's survived all the perils. So it didn't seem like it was that kind of movie where he's remembering things and putting things together. I don't know, we just felt it was more powerful in that kind of snowball effect. People can become very complacent with their own worlds, you know? I think I was very interested in that idea that anybody in the street could have an amazing story. So if the audience steps into the shoes of a young boy who they almost take on as their own because he's so beautiful — and the family, despite their poverty, are very loving — I think he's a very accessible character. And then you basically go on a journey with him. Then, suddenly you leap forward 20 years and he's like an everyday Aussie guy, and he's got a charm and he's got a great life, and he's just a really healthy, happy-go-lucky guy, but he's sitting on this enormous past that you wouldn't see until you scratch the surface. So I think that was kind of interesting for me." ON FINDING THE RIGHT ACTORS TO PLAY SAROO "We did an extensive casting. We cast in three cities, we went for about four to five months. We looked at thousands of children and we shortlisted that to a few hundred. It was a lot of hard work, and we stumbled across Sunny one day, in all of his glory and character. He was the one — it was a bullseye. When you're dealing with someone so young, you need to make sure you cast someone who covers at least more than half of the characteristics of your character. So, in their natural state, in their natural being, you've kind of got Saroo. And then you can move from there. But it is very hard to have someone go against their nature for most of the movie, so we had to find someone who had a quality and a characteristic, and a light and a sense of instinct that matched Saroo. And little Sunny had all of that. And then we just had to basically encourage him and train him and teach him how to act, and how to feel safe in front of the camera, and learn some techniques. And eventually he started to do some full-blown acting — it was amazing. Dev Patel is one of those rare people, very very rare people, if you get to meet him you'll never forget him. He's just a beautiful light, there's a light about him — and I felt that this movie is full of that. And so I think his spirit is wonderful, and also he was the best actor by far. So it was again an amazing combination of things. That's the reason why he's playing Saroo and the reason why he's so fantastic in the film." Lion opened in Australian cinemas on January 19, 2017. Read our review. Images: Mark Rogers.
Planning a trip to the Red Centre for NAIDOC Week? The Ayers Rock Resort celebrates the occasion with '50 Years of NAIDOC' — a feast for the senses, where vibrant cuisine and captivating storytelling combine with art, culture and more. Running from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13, Indigenous chef Mark Olive, aka 'The Black Olive', headlines the experience, taking over the resort's Arnguli Grill & Restaurant with a three-course set menu brimming with native bush foods and Indigenous wines. Olive will also host an intimate dinner on Wednesday, July 9, with guests invited to enjoy the exclusive menu sat alongside Olive, who'll recount stories and insights behind each dish and the ingredients' significance. Meanwhile, Olive will also present a complimentary Bushfood Masterclass, where culinary tradition, technique and storytelling blend across various sessions in the Gallery of Central Australia's outdoor amphitheatre. Beyond these gastronomic encounters, the Ayers Rock Resort has also produced a series of art experiences and cultural activities. Aṉangu artists Billy and Lulu Cooley will present their wood-carving talent in the Town Square Circle of Sand. Plus, the Sunrise Journeys encounter sees guests connect to Country at dawn, as three local Aṉangu artists bring the desert landscape to life each day using laser projection, music and the natural environment. On Wednesday, July 9, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's Cultural Centre Inma Ground offers insight into traditional working tools and ceremonial song and dance, while the Town Square Lawns features the NAIDOC Markets, teeming with community, culture and cuisine on Sunday, July 6. For cinephiles, the Arkani Theatre will host the Indigenous Film Festival, screening free films throughout the week, including Charlie's Country and Bran Nue Day. Images: Carly Earl / Matt Lambley.
NAIDOC Week is always a special occasion on the cultural calendar. But in 2025, the event takes on even more significance, as it reaches its 50-year milestone as a week-long extravaganza. Though the seeds of this event stretch back much further — usually pinned to 1938, when Indigenous activists held the Day of Mourning — NAIDOC Week has grown into a national movement, offering up a thriving annual event filled with rewarding experiences. Each year, NAIDOC Week has a unique theme. In 2025, it speaks to a promising path — 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy'. Celebrating the achievements of the past while stepping into tomorrow, expect a nationwide event grounded in community, where culinary experiences, cultural encounters and kid-friendly activities build towards a bright future. Ready to get involved? Here's what you can't miss during NAIDOC Week 2025. KOORIE HERITAGE TRUST NAIDOC WEEK MARKET — MELBOURNE Fed Square bursts to life with NAIDOC Week each year, with cultural non-profit Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) central to the action. This year, the organisation is hosting the KHT NAIDOC Week Market – a free celebration featuring 20 Indigenous-run stalls that showcase the creativity of Victorian First Peoples makers. Stock up on fashion from Clothing the Gaps, discover handmade jewellery at Haus of Dizzy, or make your home smell better than ever with Mob Melts candles. Held from 1–6pm on Friday, July 11, the market coincides with the free 'NAIDOC in the City' concert, where artists like Electric Fields, Isaiah Firebrace and Scott Darlow take over the stage. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Returning to the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks for its sixth edition from Saturday, July 5–Sunday, July 6, the National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) highlights almost 100 Indigenous artists from 30 of Australia's most remote communities. Most prominently, this year's event features the work of Regina Pilawuk Wilson, an internationally renowned Ngan'gikurrungurr creative and cultural leader behind the Northern Territory's Durrmu Arts. Plus, guests can get immersed in live performances, discussions, bush tucker tastings, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, interactive weaving circles and more. Entry is $3, with proceeds supporting the artists attending the event. LITTLE MOBS AT THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Getting down to the National Indigenous Art Fair? Don't leave the kids behind. Just in time for the first weekend of the school holidays, the NIAF presents Little Mobs — a cultural activity program for children guided by First Nations artists. Young visitors are invited to get hands-on with art, nature, movement and culture, with activities such as ochre painting, gumnut jewellery-making, shellwork and more. Meanwhile, inclusive dance workshops led by renowned Indigenous organisations make for an even more interactive encounter. Activities at NIAF are free, with entry to the fair costing $3 per adult and free for kids under 12. '50 YEARS OF NAIDOC' AT THE AYERS ROCK RESORT — NORTHERN TERRITORY The Ayers Rock Resort has gone big for its '50 Years of NAIDOC' feast for the senses, with renowned chef Mark Olive, aka 'The Black Olive', transforming its Arnguli Grill & Restaurant with a set menu teeming with bush food and Indigenous wines. Meanwhile, Olive will also host an intimate dinner on Wednesday, July 9, recounting fascinating stories and insight behind the ingredients. The resort also brings numerous art experiences and cultural activities to the celebration. Aṉangu artists Billy and Lulu Cooley present wood carvings in the Town Square Circle of Sand, while the Sunrise Journeys encounter sees guests connect to Country at dawn through an absorbing combination of laser projection, music and the natural environment. FIRST NATIONS FILM FESTIVAL — NATIONAL There are few better mediums for reflection, celebration and storytelling than film. That means catching a movie or two is ripe for making the most of NAIDOC Week, as online streaming platform FanForce offers the First Nations Film Festival 2025 from Sunday, July 6–Wednesday, August 6. With the Reconciliation Week Collection now extended to Wednesday, August 6, the platform is adding the NAIDOC Collection too, featuring four more features and seven short films. Highlighting cultural strength, connection to Country and intergenerational resilience, the flicks include Warwick Thornton's We Don't Need a Map and Beck Cole's Here I Am. Each collection is available to stream for $38. DOCPLAY NAIDOC WEEK 2025 — NATIONAL Need even more content to stream? DocPlay celebrates Indigenous storytelling by making 11 incredible documentaries free to watch throughout NAIDOC Week. Covering a wide range of topics, from sport and the education system to Canberra's long-standing Aboriginal Tent Embassy, some of the biggest highlights include the Adam Goodes-focused The Australian Dream and You Can Go Now — an examination of influential Australian Aboriginal artist and activist, Richard Bell. With this collection of stories offering rich insight into the community and culture, expect deep dives into remarkable achievements and complex challenges on the road to a brighter future. 'BLING MY HOODY' AT THE HAUS OF DIZZY — MELBOURNE Guided by self-proclaimed Queen of Bling and Wiradjuri designer Kristy Dickinson, 'Bling My Hoodie' is a fun two-hour session made for engaging with First Nations peoples, culture and community. Held at Fitzroy's Haus of Dizzy from 11am on Saturday, July 5, this hands-on lesson invites kids aged six and up to test their eye for design. Customising a blank hoodie using various techniques, Dickinson will teach guests the ins and outs of direct-to-film transfers, iron-on patches and heat-pressed decals to make their piece resonate with big colours and powerful messages. Tickets are $99 and include your hoodie. NAIDOC WEEK AT OPERA BAR — SYDNEY Perched on Sydney Harbour, Opera Bar has a scenic dining experience that will level up your NAIDOC Week adventure from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13. Crafted by a First Nations culinary team, expect four innovative takes on native ingredients, including kangaroo salami pizzetta and lamb sliders with bush tomatoes. Dessert is also unskippable, as a wattle seed pavlova with poached quince and crème fraîche delivers a rousing finish. Plus, the experience also extends to the drinks, with a signature cocktail duo highlighting foraged plants, like mountain pepper and samphire. Rounding out this delicious encounter are stunning visuals created by Indigenous artist Kyara Fernando, which adorn the menus.
It's pretty difficult to make a bad film with Paris as your backdrop, but it's nigh on impossible when that backdrop is Paris in the 1920s and the city is brimming with creative royalty like Hemingway and Picasso. Throw Woody Allen into the mix and you're pretty much guaranteed a witty, artfully shot piece of cinematic brilliance. Allen's latest, Midnight in Paris, offers a snapshot of the world's most adored city in its glory days, where avant-garde intersected with the everyday at the height of the Modernist movement. After opening the Cannes film festival in May, this blend of history and fantasy is finally being brought to Australian screens. The film's protagonist, Gil, is played by Owen Wilson, potentially an unlikely candidate for a Woody Allen film since findinga place in mainstream films since his Wes Anderson years. But like your typical Allen protagonist, Gil is utterly dissatisfied with his charmed life. His successful career in Hollywood, his trip to Paris and the beautiful woman on his arm, Inez (played by Rachel McAdams), all offer little pleasure to this jaded writer, yearning to produce a novel to match the literary works of masters gone by. One Parisian night, Gil's fantasy is indulged when he is picked up by a vintage car conveniently doubling as a time machine. The film follows Gil's adventures in the intellectual treasure trove that was Paris in the Roaring Twenties, rubbing shoulders with the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, T. S. Eliot and Salvador Dali. Midnight in Paris will take you on a journey into the Paris of the past - one we all wish we could visit - with cinematography to show off the City of Light as it stands today. To win one of ten single passes to see Midnight in Paris, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=dL95WR4Jzhc
There's no shortage of cult Korean fried chicken joints that have settled themselves into Melbourne's food scene over the past few years. And, since there's no such thing as too much choice when it comes to crispy fried bird, the city has just welcomed another star onto that growing list. South Korea's Bonchon is the latest to venture Down Under, opening the doors to its first Aussie eatery in Craigieburn Central last month. And it's even celebrating the arrival with a cheeky chicken giveaway on Saturday, January 15. Born in the buzzing southern city of Busan in 2002, Bonchon — meaning 'my hometown' — is now an international name in the chicken game, boasting over 370 outposts across the globe. Its latest has made its home in Melbourne's north, where Aussies can get their first taste of the brand's signature sauces — spicy and soy garlic — and its original recipe double-fried chook. Bonchon's menu famously extends to a range of pan-Asian dishes and other Korean specialties, which are also making an appearance at the new Melbourne restaurant. Here, you can balance your fried chicken fix with the likes of loaded kimchi fries, kimchi coleslaw, prawn and ginger potstickers, and popcorn cauliflower bao. There's a classic beef bulgogi with rice and sweet soy, an assortment of mix-and-match 'k-bowls', and a lineup of Korean-inspired burgers, too. And don't forget to match your feed with one of the soju-infused house cocktails, including a soju margarita. As for that signature chook, it comes battered, double-fried and hand-brushed with sauce to order, available across a whole range of bone-in and boneless combination packs. And, as for that giveaway, the store is treating its new fans to a huge opening special on Saturday, January 15, handing out free three-packs of wings to all customers who visit between 2–5pm. Find Bonchon at Craigieburn Central, Main Street (off Craigieburn Road), Craigieburn. It's open daily from 11am–10pm.
Summer is upon us! You could have looked at a calendar for that information, but the fact has only dawned on me this week. Primarily due to the preponderance of sunshine threatening to burn my pale skin, and the fruiting mango tree outside my window in which Sydney’s entire bat population have been spending evenings hosting barn dances or their national AGM, or something that at the very least involves a lot of screeching designed to keep me sleepless and cranky. And, as always, you know it’s summer because you’re finally looking down the barrel of a few months in which you can relax, wear skimpy clothing, drink your liver into retirement and spend long hours sitting on beaches or in backyards with a book. In an effort to keep my recommendations timely, all the books included in this summer reading guide were published in the last year. Well, year-ish. Some of them came out in 2012, but I was a bit slow on the uptake. And they are really very good, as is everything included on this list, regardless of my arbitrarily self-imposed rule. As ever, I would gently recommend searching out a copy of whatever takes your fancy at your local, independent bookshop. They are more in need of your dollars than Book Depository. The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner The Flamethrowers is one of the most beloved books of the year, for good reason. Suffice to say, it is very much worth your time. The novel is centred around Reno, a young woman just arrived in New York from art school. It’s 1977, and she’s intent on turning her fascination with motorcycles and speed into art. This coincides with her affair with Sandro Valera, an older man descended from Italy’s foremost motorcycle manufacturer, a man at the centre of the explosion of activity in New York’s art scene. The book shifts from the dreamers, performers and ciphers of the art world to Reno’s childhood in Nevada to the family history of Sandro’s family in Italy and finally to the political radicalism on the streets of Rome, in which Reno is cast adrift. The Flamethrowers is a complex, disorienting, beautiful book, but most importantly it’s alive. Every page is electric. The Best of the Lifted Brow V1 The Lifted Brow is Australia’s most interesting and innovative magazine.* It’s sincere and it’s funny and it’s excessive and it’s dangerous. It’s proof — if proof was needed — that the publishing industry in this country isn’t chasing it’s own tail around a gurgling drain. There is incredibly exciting, brilliant work being produced, and much of it is being published by The Lifted Brow. This volume comprises some of the best writing TLB has published since it was founded in 2007. Inside, you’ll read nonfiction from Benjamin Law, Sam Cooney and Alice Pung. Michaela McGuire works in a casino, Luke Ryan gets cancer, Liam Pieper investigates the history of cocaine in Australia, and Romy Ash hunts and cooks a rabbit. There’s original fiction from Tao Lin and David Foster Wallace and Frank Moorhouse; stories about bone-struck hearts, holy water, a shipwrecked man and a chimpanzee; and a list of the pornography available for download from the United Dairy Council. So the next time somebody tells you the print industry is dead and nobody has anything original to say anymore, gently thrust a copy of this book into their hands. *Full disclosure, The Lifted Brow has been kind enough to publish some of my own scribbling. This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz Junot Diaz’s writing is explosive. The Dominican-born American author writes in a dialect often described as Spanglish, but that doesn’t even begin to acknowledge all the other idioms he taps into when he tells a story. There’s Spanish and there’s English, sure, but there’s also the language of sci-fi, nerd-dom, hip hop, drugs and the literary canon. And there’s quite a bit of swearing. A typical sentence of his reads like this: “Dude was figureando hard. Had always been a papi chulo, so of course he dove right back into the grip of his old sucias, snuck them down into the basement whether my mother was home or not.” That comes from the story The Pura Principle, published in Diaz’s third book, This Is How You Lose Her. The book is a collection of interwoven stories narrated by Diaz’s alter-ego Yunior, who also appeared in Diaz’s first collection, Drown, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. If you’ve read either of those books you’ll know how brilliantly Diaz sweeps you up into the world of his writing. This Is How You Lose Her does the same thing, only better. Taipei by Tao Lin Tao Lin is widely considered to be a kind of hipster-savant. A novelist, poet, publisher and artist, he’s one of the first writers to have been formed by social media and the internet instead of traditional print culture. His writing is light on plot, mirroring the kind of prose generated by Twitter, Gmail and Tumblr. His writing acknowledges that the record of an individual’s impulses and desires alone can be a worthwhile subject for literature. And while that has struck some critics as needless, navel-gazing overspill, Taipei is the best thing Lin has written so far, and one of the most interesting books published this year. It’s an account of a year or so in the life of Paul, who is pretty clearly a stand-in for Lin himself. Paul wanders around New York and Taipei, doing a lot of drugs with his girlfriend, and spending a lot of time alone, craving solitude and darkness despite the depression and affect-less self obsession which lurk in his psyche at all times. Above all, the book is about the desperate, howling desire to connect which characterises the present. Tenth of December by George Saunders In a year when the short story has been re-energised and shoved into the limelight by the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Alice Munro, George Saunders has been widely lauded as the future of short story writing. Tenth of December is Saunders’ fourth, and best, collection of stories, published to huge acclaim at the beginning of the year. There are stories about rape, abduction, suicide, the frustrated rage of tightly wound people, the post-traumatic impulse of a former soldier to burn down his mother’s house. But these stories aren’t grim. They’re inventive, the language twists and turns, they’re buffeted by anarchic good cheer and merriment. It’s only when you put the book down that you realise how dark the stories are, and the sheer talent of the man who’s crafted them. If you want a taste of the collection, the final story in the collection is free to read here. Night Games by Anna Krien Anna Krien’s book is ostensibly a work of investigative non-fiction beginning on the night of the 2010 AFL grand final, and the rumours of a gang rape that began to circulate the next morning. Two Collingwood players were linked to the rape, but in the end one young man, also a footballer although not with the AFL, was charged. The book follows the case from beginning to end, but in the meantime it branches out into many different issues. It’s a story about top-level football, the problem of prosecuting sexual assault, and the treatment of women. But it also highlights the grey areas, the uncertainty, in the way human beings interact with each other. It’s a beautifully written book about deeply complex issues, and it’s that which makes it one of the best pieces of investigative non-fiction I’ve ever read. All That Is by James Salter One of the best things I did this year was start reading James Salter’s novels. Despite being one of the best writers of the 20th century, he has never gotten the same kind of recognition, or sales, as many of his peers. He’s frequently called a ‘writer’s writer’, which basically means that people who do their own scribbling think he’s the bees knees . But he is truly one of the most beautiful writers you could possibly read, and All That Is is a very good place to start. All That Is is Salter’s first novel in over 30 years. On the surface of it, the story is fairly simple: it follows Philip Bowman over a period of 40 years, from his youth at the end of WWII and as an editor in New York, through marriage, divorce and a series of middle-aged affairs. What sets it apart is the intensity of Salter’s language, the burn and clarity of the fast-flowing scenes. How Should A Person Be? by Sheila Heti How Should A Person Be? is a strange, wonderful novel, arguably one of the most influential books published in the last five years. Subtitled, 'A Novel from Life', it’s a book which sits within a contemporary literary movement bored and frustrated by conventional fiction writing. The book is thus a number of things at once — a confessional, a manifesto, a novel, and a self-help manual, revolving around the life of ‘Sheila’ and her friends in Toronto’s creative community, delving into questions about art, sex and female friendships. Heti claims to have been inspired by reality TV, particularly The Hills, and so many of the emails and transcribed recordings of conversations come from real life. But the book is also shaped, forced into a plot, and sits somewhere at the blurry edges of fiction and memoir. It’s a beautiful and engaging book, and it likely to be a huge influence on contemporary writing for years to come. Ninety9 by Vanessa Berry Ninety9 is a memoir of what it was like growing up in suburban Sydney in the ‘90s, written and illustrated by Australia’s foremost zine-maker. Vanessa Berry came of age when triple j was just going national, when the street press was still the arbiter of all things ‘indie’. She grew up pressing ‘record’ on cassette tape decks; compiling handmade zines and sending them through snail mail; staying up late watching Rage; covering her bedroom walls in Teenage Fanclub, The Cure and My Bloody Valentine posters; and creating an identity for herself as a Goth in a city which mocks your melancholy by bathing you in relentless sunshine. It’s a beautiful memoir about adolescence and the lost landscapes of Sydney’s independent fringes, before the Millennium rolled over and the line between alternative and mainstream became dizzyingly vague. For those who like doing two things at once, Vanessa Berry has also compiled a special Ninety9 mixtape to accompany the book, which you can listen to right here. The Circle by Dave Eggers Dave Eggers, founder of McSweeneys, is without doubt one of the best writers working today — have you read A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius? You really should. Be that as it may, The Circle, Eggers’ newest book, is an excellent example of his tendency to take important contemporary social issues and turn them into interesting, innovative literature. The book, in the tradition of Orwell’s 1984, is set a couple of years in the future, and follows Mae Holland as she begins working at The Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, which has eclipsed and merged with Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. The book raises questions about the power of technology to regulate and orchestrate human behaviour, and the way that the dictums of ‘sharing’ and ‘openness’ are beginning to take on a dangerously cult-like loyalty. It is a deeply disturbing book, but it’s also effortless to read, making it the closest thing to a ‘page-turner’ on this list.
On the Gold Coast, sun, surf and sand go hand-in-hand with high-rise buildings, busy bars and plenty of theme parks; however one patch of the city still keeps things relatively low-key. While The Spit at Southport is home to Sea World and the Palazzo Versace, it's also filled with parkland, naturally vegetated sand dunes, a huge expanse of beach and the sand spit that gives the area its name — and soon it'll all be part of Australia's biggest ocean park. Announced by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and expected to take up to a decade to come to fruition, the Gold Coast Ocean Park will span 201 hectares, with 140 hectares earmarked for park activities. The green space north of Sea World is set to retain its current natural splendour while adding other attractions, from a restored 4000-square-metre rainforest by the water to an underwater sculpture garden. Crucially, existing favourites and features will remain as part of the just-released draft master plan, including the kiosk, marine rescue and boat ramps. As for the extensive sand dunes, they'll benefit from improved cycle and walkways. Splitting the area into seven precincts — the top of The Spit, Wave Break Island, the Federation Walk coastal reserve, Muriel Henchman Park, a village centre, Philip Park and a southern gateway — The Spit is also set to boast light rail through to Sea World, a super yacht marina, a seaside promenade as well as a broadwater boardwalk, an island viewing platform, a waterslide park and a selfie tower. The list of features continues, complete with picnic and event spaces, bird lookouts, an Aboriginal cultural centre, a new resort and a public beach club, with the latter concept floating around in different guises for a while. If that sounds like a lot to fit into one place, that's because the entire space will eclipse Brisbane's South Bank eight times over, the city's Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens by two-and-half times, and also prove 12 times bigger than the public areas at Sydney's Barangaroo. On the world front, the Qld Government has its sights set on ranking among global landmarks — with New York's Central Park coming in at 340 hectares and Hyde Park London spanning 142 hectares. Parts of The Spit — specifically areas around Fisherman's Wharf and Sea — have been earmarked for commercial development, and a cruise ship facility is still a possibility for Philip Park. The potential terminal been long been one of the contentious aspects of The Spit's proposed redevelopment over the years, with the controversial project earning a hefty outcry of opposition. While the current blueprint is the result of more than 21,100 pieces of feedback and over 2500 folks dropping by consultation sessions according to the government, interested parties can still have their say until 5pm on Sunday, March 31. For more information about the Gold Coast Ocean Park and the Southport Spit draft master plan can be viewed online.
Overworked? Jet lagged? Hung over? Desperate for a nap, with nowhere to run? Kickstarter is your new best friend. Without crowd funding, the 'Ostrich Pillow' might well have been just another designer's castle in the air. But with 1,846 backers having provided support to the tune of $195,094, it's become every dreamer's reality - in airports, offices and parks all over the world. Architecture and design studio Kawamura-Ganjavian (also known as Studio KG) ran their Ostrich Pillow campaign last year. Not only did they met their initial $70,000 target, they nearly tripled it. 'Ostrich Pillow is a revolutionary new product to enable easy power naps anytime, anywhere,' they explained. '[Its] unique design offers a micro environment in which to take a cosy and comfortable power nap at ease . . . Its soothing soft interior shelters and isolates your head and hands (mind and body) for a short break, without needing to leave your desk, chair, bench or wherever you may be.' It's not difficult to understand why weary travellers and office workers might have rushed to pledge support. Made of 'Flexible Fabric' and filled with 'micro balls', the pillow measures 45cm x 28cm x 15cm, with a 70cm round opening, which means that pretty much any human head should be able to find its way in. Studio Banana Things is selling it online for $US99. [via Kickstarter]
Melbourne chefs Ryan Maher and Ben Reardon launched their ramen drop-off business back in June 2020, delivering handmade, ready-to-heat soup kits to select suburbs each week under the Gomi Boys label. The orders kept flooding in and the fanbase continued to grow — so much so, that the duo this year launched a Pozible campaign in the hopes of funding their first bricks-and-mortar venue. That dream is now a reality, with Gomi Ramen Bar opening its doors on Sydney Road in December 2021. The 60-seat eatery is serving a range of the guys' cult-favourite ramen varieties, heroing their hand-made noodles, house-made ferments, preserves and flavour-packed broths. On the menu, you'll find the likes of a niboshi tonkotsu with pork and chicken ($17.80), a miso tonkotsu ($17.80) and a mushroom miso number ($16.80), alongside snacks like chicken karaage ($12), hot sandos and a chilled silken tofu dish called hiyayakko ($8). Gomi Ramen will open through the rest of 2021 from 11.30am–3pm Wednesday–Sunday (except for public holidays). Updated opening hours for 2022 will be revealed soon. [caption id="attachment_776661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Oulton[/caption] Images: Michael Oulton and Gomi Ramen Shop
First things first: Lady Macbeth isn't about William Shakespeare's famous character. It does, however, bring some of the Bard's best-known words to mind. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," he waxed lyrical in Romeo and Juliet. It's a statement that rings true here, in a film about a woman every bit as calculating, ambitious, disarming and deadly as her notorious namesake. In adapting Nikolai Leskov's 1865 novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, first-time feature director William Oldroyd delivers a stunning character study, an unnerving portrait of the female experience in the 19th century, and a tense psychodrama. With playwright turned screenwriter Alice Birch moving the action from the book's Russian setting to Northern England, Lady Macbeth explores the married woes of young Katherine (Florence Pugh), who is wed to the unkindly but wealthy Alexander (Paul Hilton), confined within his family's rural estate and treated like property. As her overbearing father-in-law Boris (Christopher Fairbank) explains, she has been bought and paid for; accordingly, tending to her husband's needs should now be the only reason for Katherine's existence. Exploring the dismal way English women were treated just 150 years ago drives much of the film's first act, as it touches on not only gender but also race and class courtesy of Katherine's black housemaid Anna (Naomi Ackie). Showing how Katherine plans to break free from her restrictive regime underscores everything that follows. When an affair with one of Alexander's handsome groomsmen, Sebastian (Cosmo Jarvis), gives her a glimpse of a different life, she's reluctant to return to the drudgery that comprises her version of normality. In fact, she's reluctant enough to scheme, flout convention, and generally do whatever it takes to regain her independence. If you're familiar with Macbeth, you'll have an idea of the kinds of plots she conjures up. If you're not, let's just say that getting caught in Katherine's way isn't recommended. In other hands, Lady Macbeth might've been more of a bodice-ripper. Constraining undergarments are indeed torn open and tossed aside, a sexual awakening takes place, and passions refuse to be contained. And yet it's the intensity of Katherine's feelings, not only for Sebastian but also for control over her life, that Oldroyd and Birch thrust to the fore. The film is austerely shot and composed; Australian cinematographer Ari Wegner (The Kettering Incident) keeps the visuals largely still, gloomily lit and posed from a distance, allowing the underlying emotions to bubble up against bleak images and a dour atmosphere. Of course, the movie's stylistic restraint serves another purpose. When such a potent figure stalks through almost every frame — as brought to life with such a stunning central performance — dialling back everything around her is an astute choice. And what a force to be reckoned with Pugh turns out to be, so assured that it's hard to believe that Lady Macbeth is only her second big screen role (she previously appeared in The Falling). Then again, perhaps it's apt: this is a tale of a young woman defying expectation to make a bold statement, after all. Either way, no one will forget her in a hurry — the actress, or the character she plays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQAG253WWZU
Melbourne's Emporium food precinct continues to pack in those gastronomical delights, with the multifaceted Tetsujin rounding out level four's oriental offerings. The bright, white space that greets you at the top of the escalators is home to the sushi train, where $3.30 plates circle until 9.30pm each night. It's heaven for shoppers; after all, what could provide better relief after a retail sesh than to order some sushi from the iPad on your table and let the food come straight to your belly? Settle in here for a quick, cheery feed, or head beyond the kitchen, through to where the smoky aromas, neon signage and lively chorus of waitstaff welcome you to the barbecue part of the operation. This is the yin to the front room's yang — or the in to its yo, if you want to stick with the Japanese theme. Back here, the grills are sizzling, and a moody, industrial-cool fitout borrows something from late-night Tokyo, promising an altogether meatier experience. Groups of students or couples sip colourful cocktails and share beer towers of house lager as their food cooks between them. In addition to an a la carte menu, there's a range of BBQ sets to suit any protein craving, each served with rice, fresh vegetables and a flavour-packed kimchi tofu hot pot. You might go for the pork belly set — featuring eight different marinades ($62 to feed two) — or the more inclusive combo set, with its LA galbi (short ribs), pork belly and chicken bulgogi ($60 for two). Those with more particular appetites can personalise their own set, ordering by the item to pack in as much ox tongue, pork neck or pipis as they like. At $138 for two, the grand set, is well worth the splurge; the parade of sashimi, wagyu, seafood and dessert guaranteeing to leave you full. Soft shell crab salad and fresh salmon are followed by platters of neatly-cut protein, looking every bit as gorgeous as they do in the menu's flat lay photos. Alternate between sampling the four different cuts of wagyu, grilling up the king prawns, scallops, mussels and abalone, and diving into the kimchi hot pot, which is packed with baby octopus and more mussels. A generously priced drinks list includes a range of whisky flights and serious selections of both sake and shochu, marking this as a great dinner-and-drinks pitstop before a night out on the town. The cocktail selection is all kinds of fun and packed with Asian flavours; those looking for a slant on their usual post-work G&T should try the Nihon Gin ($18), infused with green tea and rimmed with nori salt. Snappy sushi drive-by or Tokyo-esque grill night — whatever your game plan, Tetsujin has the goods.
If we look back to where we were in our early 20s, it was probably still skiving off our parents' health insurance and taking our washing back home every other weekend because we couldn't afford a washing machine. Charlie Carrington, on the other hand, is casually opening his own South Yarra restaurant, Atlas Dining — and he's only 22. Yep, you read that right. You still haven't bought a washing machine and this kid is opening his own restaurant. And if that wasn't work enough already, Carrington will be doing the cooking too. A trained chef, the 22-year-old has earned his stripes in the kitchens of Vue de Monde and Sydney's Firedoor, as well as a slew of international restaurants. His recent travels around the world is what's led to the decision to not tie Atlas Dining to one cuisine. Instead, it will change with the seasons; every four months the menu will switch to a completely different country of origin, beginning with Vietnamese when the restaurant opens on September 1. Starting with northern Vietnam and honouring dishes from regions like Hanoi and Sapa, the menu will move steadily down the country representing more southern regions as the weather warms up. Carrington picked the Southeast Asian country to kick things off, saying that it felt like a natural fit. "It really worked out well in terms of the fire-cooking we'll be doing," he says. The connection with fire will see him bring techniques he learnt at Firedoor to the plate — and it sounds like tasty, firey things are nigh. "We've got the same grills, raising and lowering grills, all the charcoal stuff, and we have a woodfire oven too," says Carrington. So bring your meat belly along. What comes after Vietnam? Well, he's heading to Israel at the end of the year, so we know what cuisine #2 will be come 2017. Next stop is Korea (North or South not specified, but probably South) and the rest of the trip is as yet unplanned. In the meantime, check out Atlas Dining's Vietnamese fare, continue feeling unaccomplished (we are), and heed his advice for young chefs: go and travel. Definitely words to live by — even if you've never cooked a thing in your life. Atlas Dining opens on Thursday, September 1 and will be open for dinner Tuesday through to Saturday at 133 Commercial Road, South Yarra. For more info and to make a booking, check out their atlasdining.com.au.
When you want a drink that suits any occasion, a negroni is a good all-rounder to have in your home bartending repertoire. It's easy to make, requires only three ingredients, and tastes as good in the summer months as it does curled up by a winter campfire. When you want to expand on your cocktail-making talents without venturing too far from the classic aperitif recipe, you can experiment with different spirits to make entirely different flavour combinations. Together with Campari, we've listed six drinks in the negroni family that you can play around with at home. Once you've found your preferred tipple, head to the Campari website to download two recipe books for 55 more twists on a negroni offered up by leading Australian bartenders. FOR A MIDWEEK MOVIE NIGHT, MAKE AN AMERICANO When hump day comes around, sometimes you just want to chill at home and watch a movie. There's a drink to match that moment. The Americano is a lighter introduction to a negroni that pairs well with salty snacks and a marathon viewing schedule of your favourite show. It was created in 1915 to satisfy American tourists travelling through Rome; tourists wanted a splash of soda in the popular Milano-Torino cocktail of the time and the honorary name has stuck ever since. 30ml Campari 30ml Cinzano Rosso Soda water Making this one is easy. Pour Campari and Cinzano into a rocks glass over plenty of ice. Add a splash of soda water and stir to mix. Garnish with a slice of orange or lemon. FOR A DINNER PARTY APERITIF, SERVE A BOULEVARDIER Bookmark this one for your next soiree. The Boulevardier has all the elegance of its birth era with a distinct flavour addition: oaky bourbon. Credited to an American-born writer who founded a magazine in Paris called the Boulevardier, the cocktail was first written about in 1927 and the recipe essentially substitutes bourbon for gin. The Russell's Reserve in this recipe gives it a spiced warmth, as well as adding to the overall deep red colour of the drink. 30ml Campari 45ml Russell's Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon 30ml Cinzano Rosso Pour all three ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir to reach the desired dilution (should take a couple of seconds). Strain into a coupette or stemmed glass. Express the essential oils of an orange peel, but don't use the orange as a garnish. This one is served chilled, without the fuss of ice or fruit. FOR A WEEKEND PICNIC, TRY A NEGRONI SBAGLIATO When you're planning a catch-up in the sunshine, it's customary to reach for the bubbles. The fizz of prosecco can work well with the bitterness of Campari in this short and refreshing concoction that was created by mistake. The Italian word 'sbagliato' translates to 'mistaken' and the story goes that, in 1972, a bartender called Mirko Stocchetto accidentally poured prosecco into a negroni instead of gin. Bar Basso in Milan, where Stocchetto worked, still offers the drink today. It is traditionally served in a large wine glass, however, it tastes just as good in a regular tumbler, which is far easier to balance on a picnic blanket. 30ml Campari 30ml Cinzano Rosso 75ml prosecco Pour all three ingredients into a glass over plenty of ice. Stir to mix and garnish with an orange wedge. FOR AN IMPROMPTU DATE NIGHT, OPT FOR A ROSITA If your drinks cabinet leans more towards the agave plant than it does a juniper shrub, we have a negroni recipe that might excite your senses. Created in the 1970s, the Rosita has a complexity beyond your classic negroni by replacing gin with tequila. It's usually served in an old-fashioned glass and if you don't have an orange for a garnish, most other citrus fruits are a good substitute. It's an impressive drink, and looks like you've made more effort than you really have. 30ml Campari 30ml Espolon Blanco Tequila (or another 100-percent agave tequila) 15ml Cinzano Rosso 15ml Cinzano Extra-Dry Pour all four ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and stir for a few seconds. Strain into a glass. Express the essential oils of an orange and use as garnish. FOR YOUR NEXT BARBECUE, OFFER A KINGSTON NEGRONI Barbecue smoke filling the air. Sun setting in the distance. You want a drink that suits the laidback mood and stands up to the stronger flavours of grilled meats or veggies at your next barbecue. Considered a perfect after-dinner drink, the Kingston Negroni is a relatively recent creation that comes out of New York, rather than Jamaica. It has swagger, moreish flavour, and the richness of a negroni — but instead of gin, reach for a full-bodied, aged rum. 30ml Campari 30ml Appleton Estate Reserve Blend 8 Year Old Rum 30ml Cinzano Rosso Pour ingredients into a rocks glass over plenty of ice. Stir to mix and garnish with an orange wedge, just as you would for a classic negroni. FOR SUNDAY SUNDOWNERS, STICK WITH THE CLASSIC NEGRONI We said it at the beginning; you can't go wrong with a classic. At 101 years old, the negroni has come a long way from its origins in Florence, when Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano with gin, rather than soda. It has the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness, and the drink is only further improved by a fragrant wedge of orange. When you want to see out the week with a drink in hand, we suggest sticking with this classic. Pay close attention to the quality of your ice to ensure your drink is chilled, but not too diluted. 30ml Campari 30ml London dry gin 30ml Cinzano Rosso Vermouth Pour ingredients into a short glass over a block of ice. Stir to combine the ingredients and garnish with a wedge of orange. Download the free Negroni Cocktail Book for 60 different negroni recipes to try at home. Remember to Drinkwise.
Between Laneway, Golden Plains, Don't Let Daddy Know and Pitch Music & Arts, lineups for 2024 music festivals just keep coming. Next on the list: Souled Out. If you like new wave R&B, this is your next must-attend event — especially if you're keen on seeing Summer Walker, PartyNextDoor and Tinashe live. Souled Out's 2024 lineup also includes Bryson Tiller, Majid Jordan, Smino, Lucky Daye, Libianca and more, as part of a roster that balances well-known names, up-and-coming talent and local acts. As you might've spotted, variety is a big focus among its tunes, with the fest's array of talent not just playing the same styles of R&B. As they hit the stage, they'll be playing tracks that span subgenres such as neo soul, trap soul and Afrobeats. Walker's place on the bill is big news, given that it will be her first trip to Australia. As for PartyNextDoor, aka Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, his resume includes writing 'Work' for Rihanna. Along with the rest of the lineup, Walker and PartyNextDoor will get behind the microphone at three 2024 stops, all in March: at Parramatta Park in Sydney, Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast and Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne. Souled Out will be new to its trio of 2024 destinations, but it isn't new overall after launching in Brisbane in 2023. Also on the bill: DJs Joe Kay, Andre Power and Sasha, who'll be spinning tracks away from the fest's main stage that work in 90s R&B favourites. SOULED OUT 2024 LINEUP: Summer Walker PartyNextDoor Bryson Tiller Majid Jordan Smino Tinashe Lucky Daye Libianca Thuy Will Singe Lara Andallo Joe Kay Sasha Mistah Cee Andre Power SOULED OUT 2024 DATES: Friday, March 22 — Parramatta Park, Sydney Saturday, March 23 — Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast Friday, March 29 — Caribbean Gardens, Melbourne Souled Out will tour Australia in March 2024, with ticket presales from 12.30pm on Monday, November 13 and general sales from 12.30pm on Tuesday, November 14 — head to the festival website for more information.
Summer is well and truly upon us and that means one thing: it's boat party season. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a nautical novice, packing for a boat trip can be a surprisingly tricky task. As space on board is limited, you'll want to make sure you pack the perfect mix of practical and pleasurable items to elevate your time on the high seas. To make things a little easier, we've teamed up with our friends at Jim Beam to bring you three essential items that'll upgrade your day, from covetable coverage to an impressive drink to make for the whole crew. UPGRADE YOUR SPF TO THIS CHIC THREE-IN-ONE Since the 80s, Sid the Seagull has been encouraging us to slip, slop and slap, and you best believe that includes during boat trips. With the sun's rays reflected off the water, your chance of getting sunburn increases — so you'll want to bring a seriously good sunscreen to protect you from those harmful UV rays. Level up your sun protection with Aussie brand Ultra Violette and its Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen ($45). It's a moisturiser, sunscreen and primer all in one. This lightweight all-rounder is the perfect size to slip into your beach bag and it has super-cute packaging sure to make you appear sun-smart and chic all at once. BRING THE PARTY VIBES WITH FUN INFLATABLES The best thing about a boat trip is being able to oscillate between the wet and the dry so freely. And, for the party-starters among us, you can have the best of both worlds with inflatables. Thankfully, the team at Sunnylife has your back with Rosie, a rose gold inflatable flamingo ($79.95), that gives you a vibrant, show-stopping seat on which to soak up the summertime gladness and look the part for all those boat party snaps. It's perfect if you want to stay mostly dry while still getting your feet wet, so long as your mates don't dunk you into the drink. SWAP BEERS FOR A ROUND OF HIGHBALLS Speaking of drink, a day on the water is thirsty work. If you want to impress your mates with something other than beer or wine on your next outing, pack a bottle of Jim Beam and some cordials to make this no-fuss highball for everyone aboard. To make the drink, simply pour 15ml of lemon cordial (like this one by Bickford's), 5ml of lime cordial and 30ml of Jim Beam into a cup. Add ice and top with soda water. Easy! It's a refreshing beverage that is guaranteed to go down a treat among your friends this summer. Top image: Angelo Pantazis via Unsplash
If you've been loitering up the northern end of Lygon Street late at night with a song in your heart, your time has come. Start working on your Beyoncé standard key changes and Mariah-level trills because Benjys — a karaoke bar with a dog-friendly beer garden — opened last week. The venue has a karaoke bar, live bands and musicians, an all-day kitchen (serving vegetarian and vegan fare) and — perhaps most importantly — a beer garden that welcomes all your four-legged friends. It also has an interesting interior design — think Barbie, disco balls and a colour scheme inspired by those candy necklaces you used to munch on in high school. The bar is, if nothing else, eclectic, but it certainly makes for a banger of a night out. Founder Tim Firth is steadfast in his belief in karaoke and music in general. "Music is the key to a happy place," Firth says. "We hope Benjys will be a place where people can connect through music." The bar has a host of events already lined up, too. There'll be Throwback Thursdays — with your faves from the '80s and '90s — drag shows and Disco Bingo! every Wednesday. The latter is a rollicking music game show hosted by a gal named Disco Dolly. In addition, there'll be themed nights every Sunday — Valentine's Day, Christmas in July and Halloween will all get a look in, says Firth, as will Pink when she comes to town later in the year. Best start oiling up those vocal cords and finding a partner to sing 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' with (even if it's your pup) — Benjys looks like it'll be the place to visit during the cold months. Benjys is now open at 285 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 5.30pm to 10.30pm.
Enter Fitzroy's The Elysian and you could mistake it for a whisky bar tucked away in Japanese backstreets. Dim lights, comfortable leather seating, low tables and jazz playing endlessly all add to the bar's sophisticated edge. Most of the space is dedicated to the bar itself — a long, Californian redwood bar with bottles and bottles of whisky behind it. At least, that was the idea for owners and bartenders, Yao Wong and Kelvin Low (ex-Whisky and Alement) — to bring a taste of that Japanese bar culture to Melbourne. For anyone who has graced the whisky havens and cocktail bars of Tokyo, you'll agree they've pulled it off. The Elysian isn't just any old whisky slinger either — it's a shrine to the distilled amber liquid. With a 350-strong backbar, every bottle is either rare, interesting or an independently bottled whisky, hand-picked by Wong and Low. No big-name whisky brands here, mate. You'll find bottles from Japan, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and of course some top-notch scotch. There are bottles of The Whisky Agency, Sansibar, Acorn, Three Rivers, Signatory, and Eiling Lim, to name a few. If you're not a whisky drinker or just feel like something a little different, the bar has also got a range of rums, brandies and other spirits as well as classic cocktails, wines and a concise rotating selection of beers. Plus, there's a small food offering and by small — seeing as there's no kitchen — we mean small. Offering regular tasting events as well as some of the rarest drops in town, The Elysian Whisky Bar is a one-stop malty hotspot to please your palate and expand your knowledge on all things whisky.
Monarch Cakes in St Kilda have been making desserts on Acland Street since the 1930s. With more than 80 years of experience, it's fair to say this place knows a thing or two about making delicious treats. The continental custard vanilla slice is one of Monarch's most popular cakes and we can see why. It's made using milk from a small dairy in Gippsland and free range eggs from a local farm. All the ingredients used in the slice are natural and fresh, down to the light and fluffy pastry holding it all together and giving it a yummy – albeit messy – crunch. You can dive into this delightful custard pastry for just $6.50 a pop. Image: Tracey Ah Kee.
Art galleries don't just showcase great works by renowned talents on their own walls. They also loan out their collections, touring them to other sites around the globe. That's great news for Australians, who've been able to check out pieces from London's Tate Britain and New York's Museum of Modern Art in recent years, all without leaving the country. In 2021, you'll also be able to feast your eyes on two big collections of European masterpieces from two different overseas institutions: from New York's The Met, which is heading to Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and from London's National Gallery, which'll take over the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The latter, called Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London, will hit the Australian Capital Territory from March 5–June 14, 2021. If you were looking for a reason to take a local holiday interstate this year, the NGA has not just one but 60, because that's how many works this huge exhibition will feature. The gallery isn't joking about the showcase's title, either. When you'll be exhibiting Van Gogh's Sunflowers, you can throw around the word 'masterpiece' as much as you like. Other high-profile works include Rembrandt's Self Portrait at the Age of 34, plus Vermeer's A Young Woman seated at a Virginal. And, artist-wise, Titian, Velázquez, Goya, Turner, Renoir, Cézanne, Botticelli, El Greco, Constable, Van Dyke, Gainsborough and Gauguin are all also on the bill. [caption id="attachment_792837" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers 1888, National Gallery, London, Image courtesy the National Gallery, London[/caption] When peering at the exhibition's pieces, art aficionados will be taken through seven important periods in Western European art history, from a range that spans 450 years. That means exploring work from the Italian Renaissance, checking out the Dutch painting of the Golden Age, and feasting your eyes on British portraiture — as well as scoping out pieces from the 17th- and 18th-century Grand Tour, Spanish art from the 17th century, works that focus on landscape and the picturesque, and examining the birth of modern art. When Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London hits our shores, it'll mark a big milestone, too — as the largest batch of works to venture beyond the United Kingdom in National Gallery's 192-year history. Announcing the exhibition, National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich mentioned exactly what you're probably now thinking — that is, that the showcase is a nifty way to see the world in a period when we can't venture far physically. "At a time when Australian audiences are unable to travel overseas, we are thrilled to be able to welcome visitors to Canberra to see this exclusive showcase of world-class art," he said. Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London exhibits at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra from March 5–June 14, 2021, with tickets on sale now. Top images: Installation view, Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Anthony van Dyck, Lady Elizabeth Thimbelby and Dorothy, Viscountess, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Giovanni Giralomo Savoldo, Mary Magdalene (far left), The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London.
To the joy of folks who love ice cream but don't consume animal products, tucking into a creamy frozen dessert that's 100-percent vegan is much easier than it used to be. You'll find vegan Magnums, Cornettos and Weiss Bars in your supermarket freezer, vegan choc tops at Event Cinemas in Sydney and Brisbane, vegan ice cream sandwiches at Lord of the Fries around the country, and a selection of vegan sorbets at Gelato Messina — and now you'll find a new vegan lineup at gelato chain Gelatissimo as well. Gelatissimo already has its own vegan sorbet range, spanning flavours such as green apple, lemon, mango, passionfruit, raspberry, strawberry and coconut. Now, it's also scooping up dairy-free gelato. As part of the new selection, two varieties are on offer at present, with a third still to come — and they're the first in the chain's ongoing commitment to providing flavours for all dietary preferences. If you like your frosty desserts with a dash of decadence, you're in luck, with caramel mudcake and triple chocolate flavours on the menu. When you're licking your way through a cup or cone of caramel mudcake vegan gelato, you'll be enjoying vegan caramel gelato combined with caramelised sugar, as well as chunks of vegan caramel mudcake. As for the vegan triple chocolate gelato, it blends West African cocoa, vegan dark chocolate morsels and vegan chocolate sauce, then dusts the whole thing with cocoa powder. Available until Thursday, April 2 — or until stocks last — in all Australian stores, both dairy-free flavours use coconut and soy milk. Just what the third vegan gelato flavour will be, or when it'll be available, hasn't been revealed as yet. Gelatissimo's new vegan range is available from all stores nationwide until Thursday, April 2 — or until stocks last. If you're choosing to go out and support local businesses, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
When the full Sydney Film Festival program for 2025 is unveiled in early May, approximately a couple of hundred movies will sit on the lineup. The 18 revealed so far give cinema obsessives a great taste of what's to come, however, if you're already keen to add flicks to your must-see list. A month before the complete roster of titles arrives, the fest always provides a sneak peek to whet appetites. In this year's batch: Barry Keoghan's new Irish thriller, the Australian premiere of a homegrown animation that had this year's Berlin International Film Festival talking, a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, another about Marlon Williams, a Tilda Swinton- and Michael Shannon-starring post-apocalyptic musical, intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment and more. SFF has revealed 16 movies that'll be screening around the Harbour City between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, joining two previously announced when Vivid Sydney dropped its 2025 program. Thanks to the latter, movie lovers should already know that the Justin Kurzel (Nitram)-directed documentary Ellis Park is on the bill, complete with an evening celebrating its subject — and Aussie music icon, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer — Warren Ellis. And, the fact that speculative fiction experience Planet City: Live will be part of the film-worshipping fun shouldn't be new news, either. Now comes a range of pictures that long-term Festival Director Nashen Moodley describes as "a cross-section of the bold storytelling and distinctive voices" that SFF will champion in 2025 for the event's 72nd year. "From inventive new Australian work to major prize-winners from the international circuit, these films reflect the ingenuity and diversity of cinema today," he continued. Boasting both Keoghan (Bird) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) in its cast, and focusing on rivalries in rural Ireland, Bring Them Down is one of the starrier inclusions among SFF's features. With Swinton (The Room Next Door), Shannon (The Bikeriders), George MacKay (The Beast) and Moses Ingram (Lady in the Lake), The End from The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence's Joshua Oppenheimer is another. One to One: John & Yoko adds Lennon and Ono to the bill, with filmmaker Kevin Macdonald directing his attention towards the pair's 1972 benefit concert in Madison Square Garden, and the director also returning to music after 2018's Whitney and 2012's Marley. As for Williams, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds hones in on the recording of his first album in te reo Māori. The winner of 2025's Teddy Award in Berlin, Australian animation Lesbian Space Princess joins the local contingent, bringing its tale of a monarch-to-be's efforts to save her ex-girlfriend from incel aliens to Sydney. Buddy comedy Fwends is also on the list, and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature after picking up two accolades at SFF's Dendy Awards for short films in the past four years. Then there's documentary Make It Look Real, turning the lens on intimacy coordinator Claire Warden as she works on Aussie movie Tightrope. SFF's doco contingent is already huge, aided by the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments. Still on the factual side of the program, there's also Speak, about five American high schoolers getting ready for a public-speaking competition; Farming the Revolution's account of 12 million Indian farmers protesting over 13 months; and Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize-winner Mr Nobody Against Putin, where a Russian teacher chronicles the propaganda in his school during his country's invasion of Ukraine. Also playing SFF after picking up a gong at Sundance: DJ Ahmet, which collected the World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award for its story about a teenage North Macedonian villager. Obex didn't add anything to its trophy cabinet at the Park City festival, but it did premiere its jump back the 80s — and into a video game, where a man is trying to find his dog — there. Rounding out Sydney Film Festival's picks so far are Singaporean thriller Stranger Eyes, 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail and the Cannes-selected On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, so movies about a mourning couple searching for their baby, a trek through the Amazon and a Zambian family, respectively. For the rest of the 2025 lineup, start counting down the days until Wednesday, May 7. Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back here for the full lineup on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Footscray has long had a reputation for a true food lover's destination thanks to the diverse range of cultures (and cuisines) represented across the suburb. And for an all-encompassing cross-section of culinary delights, look no further than Footscray Market. Hard to miss, thanks to its expansive location across the road from Footscray Station, this bustling marketplace is your one-stop-shop for meat and seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as exotic and usually hard-to-find ingredients. With over 60 shops housed within the market, you'll be able to source everything from general groceries to specialist items like lotus flowers, pigs ears and cassava root. The market is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 7am, with extended afternoon trade on Fridays, when it closes at 6pm. Images: Julia Sansone
Stay tuned. More info coming soon.
Hotel dining all over Australia is having a renaissance. Top chefs are being brought in to shake up less-than-inspirational menus. And architects are creating spaces with their own unique identities, separate from the accommodation. Hotel owners are finally seeing the power that comes with turning these restaurants into proper destinations — not just doing the bare minimum to get hotel guests to book a table. One of the latest hotels to really invest in its new restaurant is Hotel Vera out in Ballarat. At the end of January 2024, the team launched Babae with Culinary Director Tim Foster (The Gold Mines Hotel and ex-Source Dining) at the helm. This 26-seat fine-diner has no à la carte offerings, instead plating up a seven-course degustation for dinner and a shorter four-course spread for lunch. For a long time, Foster has worked with farmers, breeders, and providores in and around the Goldfields region, so plenty of hyper-local produce will find its way to the plate and into your wine glass. Produce grown in the hotel's own garden will also feature when possible. Cuisine-wise, it's best described as contemporary Australian, but it mostly has European influences. Dishes change frequently, depending on what's in season, but you can expect to find a selection of snacks to start, followed by a bunch of larger dishes and two desserts when heading in for dinner. Wines are, unsurprisingly, a mostly Victorian affair, with a few sweet Italians also up for grabs in the suggested wine pairings. You won't have a stack of choices when dining at Babae, but with Foster running the show, there's no need to worry. His previous restaurant, Source Dining, was hatted for nine years in a row, and Babae might follow suit. Find Babae at 710 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central, open for lunch from 12–4pm Saturday–Sunday and dinner from 6–11pm Thursday–Saturday. For more details and to book a seat, head to the venue's website. Images: Emma Duzhnikov
A recent episode of This American Life told the story of Ralph, an earnest Texan with a pet Brahman bull. When the bull (named Chance) died, he had him 'brought back from the dead' with the help of science — they cloned him. Ralph goes on for years believing that the clone is his bull reincarnated, but it becomes clear that the new one (named Second Chance) is not the same as the other when it attacks him quite violently. It's surprisingly touching stuff. The episode was initially aired in 2007, but the sentiment remains the same: although they might have some of the same DNA, clones are not one and the same. They're totally different. And that's what should be kept in mind when visiting Code Black Howard Street, the new North Melbourne sister cafe to Brunswick favourite, Code Black Coffee. It's a smaller space (no attached coffee roastery here), and it's light, airy — less Sydney Road, more Copenhagen — and immaculately designed. There's an explosion of blonde wood in the tables, the front door and up above, detailing the small mezzanine dining level; the whitewashed walls are a nice change to the black of Brunswick, as is the sunny disposition of it all. The appearance of the new outpost — which appears to be the yin to Brunswick's yang — is not the only thing that's different here. The menu doesn't seem to borrow much from the existing kitchen, with breakfast dishes like the acai bowl ($14.50) and salted apple caramel hotcakes being thrown into the mix. The apple wood hot-smoked salmon on a citrus and herb potato cake ($18) seemed to be getting quite a fanfare on our visit, but we'd suggest the black beans with jalapeno cornbread ($12). The beans make an extra comforting bed for the fried egg and lime, and the cornbread is a nice alternative to regular sourdough. It's a relatively small dish, so add the pork belly — you won't regret it. And while it's good to see Code Black departing from a menu they already know works, it didn't seem to match the offering in Brunswick. There just seemed to be less choice in comparison to the great menu a few suburbs north. There are less gluten free options, too. Their signature coffee is a constant, with the same smooth Code Black beans making an excellent cup. And in its own right, Code Black Howard Street is a great cafe serving good coffee and a solid all-day breakfast and lunch menu. It isn't just Code Black #2, this is a whole new cafe.
