She's finally here, guys. HER — four levels of food, music, booze and OTT interior design from the crew who brought you Arbory and Arbory Afloat — has officially opened its doors at 270 Lonsdale Street in Melbourne's CBD. Brace yourselves. We've been patiently waiting for this one since December 2020 (seriously, what is time anymore? What year is it? We've lost all track…). Obviously, things take longer to materialise when there's a global pandemic strangling supply chains and whatnot, but regardless of the wait, HER has transformed the old Federation Building into four levels of awesomeness, each with its own distinct flavour. [caption id="attachment_841533" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] As the Arbory guys put it: "HER is an entire building dedicated to the things Melbourne loves — fiery dining, immersive art and a vinyl soundtrack". Down at street level, you've got HER Bar, with its Parisian décor, solid collection of gins and aperitifs, and an all-day French grazing menu, courtesy of Arbory's Executive Chef, Nick Bennett, and Head Chef, Josh Rudd. Expect a truckload of pomme frites down here. Wander up the bluestone-paved "vertical walkway" and you come to Music Room: an entire floor dedicated to tunes, with scheduled DJ residencies and plenty of space to chill and vibe. Looking around at the moody LED underlighting and retro vinyl stacked behind the bar, this place feels more like Tokyo or Berlin than Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_842088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parker Blain[/caption] Next level up, you've got BKK, a smoky Thai BBQ joint with an open kitchen, open flames, exposed brick everywhere and a glowing neon bar. This one should slot nicely into Melbourne's late-night eatery scene, with barbecue pork jowl, vegan laab with crispy eggplant and a selection of curries flying off the pass. No bookings in here, either. Just sizzle and lots of sound. Lastly, if you're still able to move at this point, we've got HER Rooftop Bar, "a world of its own, to sip sundowners and dance the night away". Her Rooftop will be kicking on till 1am, with some truly epic CBD views. There are even death star-ish heaters looming everywhere, so winter won't be a problem. Cocktails are the name of the game up here, and Tom Byrne, General Manager of HQ Group, has designed some doozies. Our picks are the Paloma, served on ice with ruby pink grapefruit, the burnt pineapple margaritas (yum), or the bitter espresso martinis. HER is open as of right now. You can check it out inside the old Federation Building at 270 Lonsdale Street. See you there (we'll be the ones hanging out in the Music Room, pretending to be cool. Come and say hi).
In the first season of The Last of Us, Joel (Pedro Pascal, The Wild Robot) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget) didn't always get along, but their best chance for survival was together. In season two, as the just-dropped full trailer for the HBO hit's long-awaited return shows, that may no longer be the case. Amid warnings about monsters — and scenes showing why those cautions are so important — the most-haunting moment of the new sneak peek arrives with two words: "you swore". Ellie flings that phrase at Joel like she's throwing a weapon — and it cuts deep. Exactly why, and also why the pair are in conflict with each other, will start to be revealed from Monday, April 14, 2025. Yes, the wait for this game-to-TV smash's seven-episode second season is almost over. In Australia, watching The Last of Us season two will also mean signing up for a new streaming service, as it'll stream via HBO's own platform Max, which is launching locally on Monday, March 31. How does humanity endure in the aftermath of the Cordyceps virus, and the global devastation caused by it? What does it mean to persist? Also, who do we become in the process? Audiences will find out again in mid-autumn. The new trailer for The Last of Us isn't the first glimpse at the show's second season — others have come as images, in promos for the network's full upcoming slate and via teaser trailers — but it does firmly set the scene for what's to come. Prepare for a time jump. Prepare for a guitar. Prepare for hordes of infected. Prepare for flames. Prepare for an eerie feeling, too. Also, prepare for sirens, flares and a stern warning: "there are just some things everyone agrees are just wrong", one of the teasers advises. In season two, it's been five years since the events of season one. And while there has been peace, it clearly isn't here to stay. The show's main duo also have company from both familiar faces and a heap of newcomers in its second season. Rutina Wesley (Monster High) and Gabriel Luna (Fubar) return as Maria and Tommy, while Kaitlyn Dever (Apple Cider Vinegar), Isabela Merced (Alien: Romulus), Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), Young Mazino (Beef), Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope), Spencer Lord (Family Law), Danny Ramirez (Black Mirror) and Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) are the season's additions. The Last of Us made the leap from video games to TV in 2023, and was swiftly renewed after proving a massive smash instantly. The series gave HBO its most-watched debut season of a show ever — and its first episode was also the network's second-largest debut of all time. Locking in a second season was also hardly surprising because the 2013 game inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. For first-timers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, The Last of Us kicked off 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. Check out the full trailer for The Last of Us season two below: The Last of Us season two will arrive on Monday, April 14, 2025 Down Under, streaming via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Artist Hannah Brontë presents a bold new vision of Australia in this politically-charged feminist music video for Next Wave 2016. Through the language and aesthetics of hip hop, Still I Rise portrays a government with an Indigenous female Prime Minister, fluent in her people's traditional language, leading a parliament made up of women of all different ethnicities, ages and backgrounds. Crazy, huh? The video will be visible at Blak Dot Gallery in Brunswick East Wednesdays through Sundays, and is one of a number of works on the Next Wave program exploring Indigenous issues in contemporary Australia. Brontë will also curate a night of female MCs and DJs at Howler on Sunday, May 15 as part of the festival.
Bar Josephine fits right in to its Footscray surrounds, bringing a cosy dive vibe to Barkly Street. A craft beer bar at heart, the graffitied, dog-friendly beer garden is a gathering place for creatives and has already become something of a local haunt. The unassuming, shabby brick exterior is warmed up by upcycled furnishings, well-worn books, red leather-backed booths, graffiti wall art and exposed brick interiors. The ever-changing chalkboard menu spells out the 12-tap rotation of craft beers, including Victorian favourites like Cavalier Brewing, Hargreaves Hill, Old Wives Ales and local West City Brewing from neighbouring West Footscray (which will feature regularly). They're also serving up a small cocktail and wine list, and while there's no kitchen, Bar Josephine does offer pizza delivery to the bar and classic bar snacks like pork crackling, jerky and chippies. Since they're open seven days, it means this spot really can be your go-to any night of the week.
Milky Lane might be best-known for its burgers named after Kevin Bacon, Drake and Post Malone, but that isn't the only reason that Australians hit up the chain's eateries. The sides menu is just as indulgent, including mac 'n' cheese croquettes and hot skillets of liquid cheese. So is the dessert range, complete with deep-fried Golden Gaytimes, plus Biscoff and Nutella pancakes. And the drinks? If you like creaming soda spiders but boozy, you'll find them here. Keen to sip Milky Lane's cocktails at home, too? Enter the brand's new range of tinnies. Three varieties are on offer — and yes, the creaming soda spider, a canned take on the cocktail that's made with vodka, watermelon, creaming soda and an ice cream mix in-store, is one of them. You can also get cans of lychee and passionfruit mojito, as well as the Bondi sour. In-stores, the first is a blend of white rum, sauvignon blanc, passionfruit soft drink, lemon, lychee and mint in-store — and the second is made with vodka, Aperol, passionfruit, pineapple, vanilla and egg whites. So, that's the mix of flavours you'll be tasting, but in versions made for tinnies. Your summer picnics, barbecues and beach trips can all now include Milky Lane's sips, with Milky Lane founder Christian Avant advising that the canned range was born of the growing demand "for high-quality, convenient cocktails at home". Available in packs of 16, or as a bundle that includes a pack each of all three varieties, these are limited-edition drinks with just 8000 cases available. There's no word on whether any other Milky Lane boozy concoctions will get the same treatment, but fans of its grape Hubba Bubba spiders, bubblegum sours, pine lime Splice sips, Nerd cocktails and shared sour apple Warhead beverages can cross their fingers. Milky Lane's RTD cocktails are available online via the chain's website.
Don't let Melbourne's winter gloom keep you stuck indoors. Instead, put a little more pep in your weekend step, as Hawker's Boozy Feast takes over every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon throughout the entire cold season. Serving as an exciting twist on Hawker Hall's usual bottomless lunch series, this much-loved Windsor venue has got an extra-special lineup to share. Kicking off from 12pm, expect highly shareable dim sum-inspired plates paired with 90 minutes of free-flowing drinks. Think crispy beef dumplings and numbing chilli, Dan Dan noodles, and salt and pepper flathead. Meanwhile, the free-flowing beverage pairing doesn't miss a beat, featuring pandan coconut slings and pink hibiscus spritzes alongside prosecco, pinot gris, craft beer and more. For the ultimate experience, each Saturday sessions take things up a notch from 1–3pm with live entertainment, as renowned artist Jarrad Lees amps up the atmosphere with his unique combo of saxophone and DJ sounds. When you've clued in your pals and you're ready to book, the basic 90-minute session is priced at $66 per person. However, those looking to take their weekend to the next level can extend their fun with the two-hour Boozy Feast session for $88 per person.
There is plenty to see and do in Canberra at any time of year, but a strong case can be made for visiting between September and November. The city really blossoms in spring (see what we did there?) — so there's no wonder why it's home to one of Australia's biggest and best annual flower festivals. Can't make it to Floriade this year? Never fear, there are still plenty of epic experiences to have in the nation's capital during spring. Whether you're planning a trip with mates, a significant other or solo, this list of activities will help you emerge from your winter hibernation with a spring in your step. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same few days as possible. Last year, more than 400,000 Aussies took part at this festival of pre-loved stuff, holding more than 14,000 sales. Will this year's Garage Sale Trail top those hefty numbers? It'll certainly try via a huge array of events that will open their doors to bargain hunters, selling millions of items across two big spring weekends: between Saturday, November 9–Sunday, November 10, and then again from Saturday, November 16–Sunday, November 17. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Garage Sale Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Melbourne, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
Taking diners on a flavour trip through Southeast Asia is something Noah Crowcroft does on the daily, as Executive Chef of Fitzroy's much-loved Rice Paper Scissors. And while his upcoming feasting series embarks on a similar journey, this time he'll be joined in the driver's seat by some well-known foodie friends. The restaurant's Collingwood event space Aunty Kim's is the setting for this new Sunday lunch series, with each event set to hero a different cuisine guided by Crowcroft's special guest of the day. The Lunch with Friends program kicks off on May 21 with Jerry Mai (Pho Nom, Annam) delivering a warm homage to her Vietnamese heritage, complete with tables covered in newspapers and laden with fresh herbs. Expect dishes like betal leaf wraps stuffed with grilled nem nuong, and grilled barramundi paired with mam nem (fermented fish sauce) and pineapple. Malaysian-born MasterChef alum Diana Chan takes the reins on July 23 to serve up a taste of home, while Mark Tagnipez (former Head Chef at Supernormal) will be drawing inspiration from his own globe-trotting kitchen adventures to plate up a tropical-leaning lunch on August 27. Daman Shrivastav of India @ Q by DDs Kitchen in Kew helps wrap things up on October 15 with a feast of layered Indian flavours. Each of the lunches comes in at $119 per person.
For the past eight years, the annual MPavilion design commission has gifted Melbourne with a rotation of unique, architect-designed temporary structures, which each then play host to a summer-long festival of free events. This year, after 2020's COVID-related diversion from the norm, MPavilion will return to its usual setting at the Queen Victoria Gardens from December 2 — and it's kicking off a jam-packed five-month appearance to celebrate. Titled The LightCatcher, the new-season commission is the work of Venice's MAP Studio. It takes the form of an urban lighthouse, featuring a network of steel tubes and light-reflecting mirrored panels that appear to float above the earth. The structure will get quite the workout, too, playing host to a program of over 250 free talks, workshops, performances and installations, running until April 24, 2022. Each month will focus on a different theme, but there are events to delight music-lovers, design fiends, art nerds and everyone in between. Read on to get a preview of the fantastic program. [caption id="attachment_831152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] An event at MPavilion 2019[/caption] There'll be design-focused conversations with a swag of local and international names, from MAP Studio's Francesco Magnani and Traudy Pelzel with Grand Designs Australia's Peter Maddison, to globally-renowned design collective Space Saloon. MPavilion's supporting program of residencies, MProjects, will include the launch of Patricia Piccinini's hot air balloon sculpture Skywhalepapa, the return of Indigenous architecture forum BLAKitecture: The Manifesto, and a deep-dive into 'the salon', featuring a pop-up nail bar. The program's sonic delights include a slew of Melbourne Music Week events, as well as a series of meditative morning performances by Deborah Cheetham AO, and talks and DJ sessions led by Andee Frost. [caption id="attachment_831156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Yvon's uniform design, captured by Marie Luise Photographer[/caption] Elsewhere in the program, you can catch a seating installation by Castlemaine furniture studio Like Butter; experience author Monique Grbec's reinterpretation of Pink Floyd's iconic rock opera The Wall through an Indigenous lens; and learn about the ancient practice of astronomy within Indigenous Australian Nations in a chat with Gomeroi astrophysicist and host of 3RRR's Indigenuity, Krystal de Napoli. Plus, the MPavilion Wedding Day will host ceremonies for three lucky couples whose previous wedding plans have been smashed by COVID-19. Throw in a masquerade ball, a DJ program, and collaborations with the likes of Melbourne Fringe, TarraWarra Museum of Art and Melbourne Theatre Company, and your MPavilion calendar is looking very full indeed. And, with no detail left to chance, the specially-commissioned staff uniforms are the work of local fashion designer Erik Yvon. Find 'The LightCatcher' at Queen Victoria Gardens, Domain Parklands, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, from December 2–April 24. The supporting MPavilion program will feature alongside these dates, with an additional offering of online events from Tuesday, November 23. Head to the website to check out the full program and learn more about this year's commission. Top Image: Render of 'The LightCatcher' by MAP Studio, MPavilion 2021. Deborah Cheetham AO, by Wayne Quilliam.
One of the reasons that it's so easy to lose yourself at teamLab Borderless, the acclaimed and hugely popular Tokyo digital art gallery that should be at the top of every visitor to Japan's must-visit list, is the way that its stunning sights keep moving around you. No one just looks at art here — they're truly immersed in it. At RISING 2025, expect that same sensation. When Melbourne's annual winter arts festival returns, expect to step into a field of red beams, too. Whether you're a local or hitting up the Victorian capital just for the fest, expect to never see The Capitol the same way again as well. After first announcing that it'd be getting swinging in 2025 — at mini golf, that is, courtesy of an art exhibition that's also a nine-hole mini-golf course that's taking over Flinders Street Station Ballroom — RISING has unveiled its full program. Hailing from teamLab alum Shohei Fujimoto, intangible #form is a massive highlight. The Japanese artist's free installation will take over The Capitol each evening complete with all of that crimson lighting, which'll respond to your movement. Sparking the feeling losing yourself in its beams and hues is 100-percent the piece's aim. With 65 events featuring 327 artists on RISING's 2025 lineup between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, intangible #form is just one of the fest's standouts this year. Another comes courtesy of Suki Waterhouse playing her first-ever Aussie shows, which you can only see in Melbourne at the fest. After proving a drawcard in 2024, Yasiin Bey is returning to RISING in 2025, this time joined by Talib Kweli. Still on tunes, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, septuagenarian grime stars Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave, Black Star, RONA, Soccer Mommy and Japanese Breakfast are also on the bill — as is the return of eight-hour music fest-meets-block party Day Tripper, with DIIV, Mount Kimbie, Annie and the Caldwells, Bktherula, Paul St Hilaire and Bad Vacation taking to the stage. If you haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch before, this is your chance to redress that gap in your theatregoing, with this new Australian production of the rock musical starring Filipino Australian singer Seann Miley Moore. And if you've ever wondered if you could manage to sit still — completely — for 90 minutes, Woopsyang's "do nothing" challenge is part of RISING, and asking festival attendees to participate. Or, catch the Australian premiere of Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG by Botis Seva — and then grab a seat for The Wrong Gods, a new piece by S Shakthidharan, the playwright behind RISING 2024's Counting and Cracking. Celebrating Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett via cabaret, hearing sound artist Sara Retallick dive deep into The City Baths as a composition space, dancing again at the return of SHOUSE's Communitas, spotting Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration rolling around town, embracing a playful stage musing on heartbreak with the appropriate soundtrack: that's all on offer, too. Also on the agenda: peering at large-scale projections that champion Yorta Yorta ancestral connections as they flicker across Hamer Hall, all thanks to Moorina Bonini; discovering what happens when time and sound bend in the void beneath Federation Square; watching six performers work through 36 Shakespeare plays using household objects; and another date with the Bard, with Hamlet staged by a neurodiverse cast. BLOCKBUSTER, also at Fed Square, looks set to live up to its name, giving RISING a free ode to South Asian culture. Think: street food, Pakistani R&B, Punjabi rap, art trucks, workshops and more. To similarly feel spoiled for choice while hitting up just one part of the festival's program, head to Night Trade, which is again part of the program, bringing street, karaoke and microbars to a late-night art market between Capitol Arcade and Howey Place. The list goes on — including Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen to designing a mini-golf hole for the aforementioned Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf. [caption id="attachment_994700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Woopsyang[/caption] Top images: Mandy Wu, Mathieu Bitton, Eugene Hyland, Katsuyuki Seki, Steven Marr, Ryan Cara, Netti Habel and Remi Chauvin.
There's nothing quite like the thrum of a crowd at a live gig, but we often forget to acknowledge all the incredible work that goes into putting on a show. Australia's live music scene is growing, and we owe so much of that to not only the musicians but also their managers, agents, crew and others working tirelessly behind the scenes. Support Act props up the music industry with mental health and wellbeing initiatives, like the Wellbeing Helpline, short-term financial aid and dedicated First Nations support. On Thursday, November 30, it's asking you to help continue to raise funds for music workers by showing your support on Ausmusic T-Shirt Day. Don your favourite Ausmusic tee on Thursday, November 30 and donate to Support Act to boost Australia's music industry. If you don't have a shirt, you can buy one on the website for $50. Take your pick of designs created by local artists, featuring musos such as Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, Paul Kelly, Gang of Youths and John Farnham – but get in quick, as stocks are limited. All proceeds go directly to Support Act. You can get additional merch from celebrated stars such as Jess Mauboy, Tame Impala, Tash Sultana, INXS, RÜFÜS DU SOL and Ocean Alley, who are donating a percentage of sale proceeds to the campaign. Find the full list of merch partners at the website. In showing your support, you'll become a part of something bigger. Upholding the cause are some notable names in Aussie music — lead ambassadors Amy Shark, Budjerah and Jimmy Barnes are joined by Alex Lahey, Baker Boy, Client Liason, Gretta Ray, Jet, Josh Pyke, MAY-A, Voyager and more. ARIA, Triple J, Heaps Normal, Gildan Brands and AAMI are also backing the cause. "November 30 is a day where we can all rally together, show our support of Aussie music and raise much-needed funds for Support Act who do amazing work for artists, crew and music workers across the industry," shares Amy Shark. Donate and get involved at the Ausmusic website.
As part of the Melbourne Art Fair program this August, TIME will take place in various locations across the city of Melbourne. A site-specific video installtion, TIME will showcase a variety of works from artists such as Michaela Gleave, Jess Johnson, Simon Ward, Sriwhana Spong and Angela Tiatia, in a female-heavy four days of art and culture. Curated — again by two cool women of the art world — by Hannah Matthews (Senior Curator at the Monash University Museum of Art) and Rachel Ciesla (Curator and Administrator of Galleries and Programs, Melbourne Art Foundation), TIME sees art pieces — all considering the idea of now — spread across Melbourne, sprawling from Buxton Contemporary to QT Melbourne. Video locations and times can be found here, as well as the full Melbourne Art Fair program. Find Angela Tiatia's The Fall (2017) at Buxton Contemporary; Jess Johnson and Simon Ward's Webwurld (2017) at Fed Square; Michaela Gleave's A Galaxy of Suns (2016-18) at the QT Melbourne; and Sriwhana Spong's This Creature (2016) at the Melbourne Art Fair. Images: Angela Tiatia, The Fall (2017)
No other structure encapsulates Geelong's journey from an industrial powerhouse to a forward-thinking metropolis quite like the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Known locally as 'The Dome' and spanning eight levels in the thick of the city, the building is far more than just a library — it's become a vibrant gathering space for locals to meet, especially thanks to its ground-floor cafe that opens out onto the adjacent Johnston Park. The building also houses meeting and event spaces, cutting-edge information technology services, an exhibition space, an entire floor dedicated to children and young people and the climate-controlled Heritage Centre, Victoria's biggest regional collection of public and private records. Events are a major part of the program here, too, with a year-round calendar of online and in-person workshops and lectures for readers and writers of all ages.
As we gear up for longer days and balmier temperatures, now's the perfect time to nurture that green thumb. On October 21 and 22, The Diggers Club again teams up with Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria for its second annual Botanic and Rare Plant Fair, taking over the Southern Cross and Observatory Lawns at Melbourne Gardens. Load up on inspiration, expert knowledge and lush new leafy mates, with this lineup of over 40 specialist stalls, programs and demonstrations. There'll also be eats from the likes of Benny Burger and Jardin Tan, and even a plant creche, to save you from lugging around all your new purchases.
You know that Summer has arrived in Melbourne when the Night Market becomes your priority destination on Wednesday evenings. Now in its 16th year, the festivities will be kicking off on November 6 with all the usual goodies. The Night Market is all about the food and the sangria. This year there will be over 60 food stalls you can sink your teeth into, including crab burgers, peking duck, Jamaican, and Spanish cuisine. For those who can fit in some dessert, check out the macarons and gelati stalls. For those that are just into the sangria, see how many cups you can enjoy before the sun goes down. We promise it won't disappoint. If shopping is more your thing, the markets are bringing back all of your favourite stalls, and adding plenty of new ones to the lot. Whether you’re after locally designed jewellery and housewares, or treasure hunting for a vintage bargain, you're bound to find something to your tastes. This year the Night Market is also teaming up with Multicultural Arts Victoria to provide live music across three stages. This is a great way to check out Melbourne’s up and coming musical talent, and have a bit of relaxation in the summer sun while you're at it. The Night Market will be running every Wednesday from 5-10pm until February 26.
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this returning Australian cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Returning for a fourth time in 2022 — after a chaotic couple of years, as all fests have endured — the cheesy event will paint Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney yellow for a couple of days in each city this winter. And there won't just be a few cheeses on the menu. More than 75 artisan cheeses from around the country will be ready and waiting for you to devour, spanning dairy from 27-plus producers. That lineup includes Bruny Island Cheese Co, naturally, plus Grandvewe, Milawa Cheese, Yarra Valley Dairy and Stone & Crow. There'll also be wares from Section 28, Red Cow Organics, Nimbin Valley Cheese, and newcomers such as Dreaming Goat, Long Paddock Cheese and Second Mouse Cheese. The 2022 events will span multiple days in each stop — running over three days in Brisbane and Melbourne, and two days in Sydney. For the first time ever, Mould is also headed to Hobart in October, if you feel like a cheese-eating trip to the Apple Isle this spring (with exact festival dates still to be announced). Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses, Mould will also feature flavoursome fare from cheese specialists that've been created just for the fest, too. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving the city. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, vodka, gin, beer, cider, cocktails and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. Unsurprisingly, Mould is rather popular. Last year, attendees tucked into a one million samples across the fest's three cities, and also took home over 3.5 tonnes of Aussie dairy products. So, if this the kind of event that your cheese dreams are made of, you'll want to nab a $45 ticket ASAP. MOULD — A CHEESE FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: July 1–3 — John Reed Pavilion, Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills July 22–24 — The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne August 12–12 — Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh October TBC — Hobart TBC Mould — A Cheese Festival tours Australia from July. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
Brisbane's culinary scene is no stranger to big openings, but it's likely that only Settimo, the new restaurant that's set to settle into The Westin Brisbane, has been likened to Italian film icon Sophia Loren. The person making the comparison: Melbourne's superstar chef Guy Grossi, who is behind the soon-to-open eatery, and calls it "really light, fun and breezy" — but also vibrant and sophisticated. Grossi's first venture into Brisbane — and his second beyond his hometown, alongside Perth's Garum — Settimo is slated to open its doors in either spring or summer 2022. Given that it takes inspiration from the Amalfi Coast, that's fitting timing. Indeed, pairing coastal Italian dishes with Brissie's sunny, summery weather is a big motivation behind the restaurant. Another aim: whisking tastebuds away to Positano, courtesy of a menu that heroes the best of the Amalfi Coast. Exactly which dishes will be on offer hasn't yet been revealed, but they'll focus on seasonal produce from international and local producers, as paired with a considerable wine list. Settimo will join Grossi's stable of restaurants alongside Melbourne's Grossi Florentino, Ombra and Arlechin, and also the aforementioned Garum in Western Australia — which is located inside The Westin Perth. "I am truly delighted to be bringing a new Grossi restaurant what is already such an exciting market for hospitality in Brisbane, working with The Westin Brisbane to bring to life a playful, Amalfi-inspired restaurant, in the heart of the city," commented the chef, author and TV personality in a statement announcing Settimo. "We're thrilled to continue building on the wonderful partnership between The Westin and Guy Grossi. Garum at The Westin Perth has showcased incredible success and we're looking forward to bringing this collaboration to Brisbane's burgeoning world-class dining scene." said Brad Mercer, The Westin Brisbane's General Manager. The eatery is now recruiting — and if you're keen for a look at what's in store, check out the video featuring Grossi below: Settimo will open sometime in spring/summer 2022 in The Westin Brisbane, 111 Mary Street, Brisbane — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
UPDATE Thursday, June 3: Mister Bianco is back to offering its Italian Job finish-at-home meal boxes for pick up and delivery (days vary, so check here for details). It's also got a menu of ready-to-eat fare, including dishes like black truffle cannoli and gnocchi osso buco — order from that lineup here. And this weekend, on June 5 and 6, you can swing past the restaurant for a special lunch pop-up if it's within your ten kilometer radius. The restaurant is slinging Sicilian barbecue street eats to-go. There'll be oregano sausages, steak sandwiches loaded with onion and beetroot pickle, Golden Gaytime cannoli and more. In the heart of Kew, this charming neighbourhood restaurant pays homage to chef-owner Joseph Vargetto's southern Italian heritage, while embracing a touch of modern European flair. Sibling to the CBD's Massi, it's a warm, art-filled space designed to transport you straight to the stylish eateries of Italy. Pull up a banquette and dig into the menu of finely-tuned seasonal dishes. Starters might include pumpkin and taleggio arancini ($4.50) or chargrilled octopus with a chickpea puree ($24), while the kitchen's pasta prowess shines through dishes like a rabbit cavatelli spiked with capers and green olives ($30), and truffle tortellini finished with peas and a prosecco cream ($31). Main plates run to the likes of slow-cooked beef cheek teamed with celery leaf spaetzle (a style of egg pasta) ($39), while a multi-course shared chef's menu clocks in at $68. And if Mister Bianco's menu leaves you inspired to hone your own culinary skills, the restaurant's also home to Giuseppe's Cooking School, where Vargetto runs a regular program of themed masterclasses. Discover the secrets of slow-cooking, learn how to whip up a cracking sugo, or master the art of making classic Sicilian cannoli. [caption id="attachment_814617" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By HiSylvia[/caption] Top images: HiSylvia
Head into Sydney's Odd Culture in Newtown, or its new accompanying bottle shop and small bar SPON, and you'll be greeted with a stack of tasty wine and snack pairings. The venue's chicken liver pâté with potato chips and fish sauce caramel is one of the Harbour City's best bar snacks. The same can be said down in Melbourne, where Odd Culture's Fitzroy digs boasts the same addictive trio on its snack menu. And, all three offer charcuterie from LP's Quality Meats — all of which can be paired with a white, red, skin-contact, rosé or pét-nat. But, sometimes you're not on the hunt for something as extravagant as pâté and instead are hankering for a snack with a bit more nostalgic familiarity. Well, not to worry — we've asked Odd Culture Group's Beverage Manager Jordan Blackman (Odd Culture, The Duke of Enmore, The Old Fitz) for suggestions for the best wines to pair with schoolyard snacks, all of which are available in-store or online at SPON. (And, yes, SPON ships beyond New South Wales.) If you've ever craved a natty wine with a full box of cheese and bacon Shapes, or wondered what drop would partner well with a berry Roll-Up, we've got you covered. ROLL-UPS Jordan: "If we're talking Roll-Ups, then we simply can't go past grenache. Candied fruit with a lick of spice — a match made in heaven. Grab a bottle of 2021 Les Fruits Gonzo made from a blend of grenache and cinsault. Bright and crunchy with juicy red fruits (think strawberry, raspberry and cherry) and gentle tannin. Great chilled, great at room temp. It goes without saying we're talking about the best flavour of Roll-Ups here — and that's strawberry." OVALTEENIES Jordan: "Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round. The jar is round. They should call it Roundtine. Anyway. Steering away from anything too hectic that might overwhelm the sweet, delicate chocolate malt of our precious Ovalteenies, I'd crack into some Ngeringa Altus from Mount Barker. Inspired by Vin Santo by way of Tuscany, it's sweet yet oxidative and insanely complex — crème caramel, Turkish delight, hazelnut and dried fruits drenched in honey." CHEESE AND BACON SHAPES Jordan: "My mind immediately gravitated towards Bandol rosé from the south of France — weighty, powerful and made from mourvèdre, often said to be quite 'meaty'. In the spirit of keeping things homegrown, I've gone with a longstanding favourite: 2022 Poppelvej Dead Ohio Sky Rosé which clearly draws inspiration from the Bandol. Organically grown Mourvèdre from McLaren Vale with texture turned up to eleven, it's serious, savoury and spicy all the while refreshing and moreish — kind of like cheese and bacon Shapes?" LE SNAK Jordan: "Cheese and crackers, but not just any ordinary cheese and/or cracker — elevate your lunchbox with Le Snak and a bottle of 2021 Harkham Aziza's Chardonnay. Hands down, one of my favourite cuvées — zero adds, clean as a whistle, alive! Naturally fermented and rested in seasoned French oak, these two play almost too well together coaxing out notes of fresh sourdough, vanilla biscuits and whipped cream while racy acidity keeps everything in check." JUMPY'S Jordan: "Apparently there are other flavours of Jumpy's than chicken? 2022 Trutta Pétillant Naturel Blanc is the obvious choice here. A blend of chardonnay and riesling, this organic fizz is brimming with energy, bright acidity and reminds us of another nostalgic Australian snack — oh, glorious Splice! Saline, zippy and ultimately refreshing — a perfect match for couch snacks of the kangaroo-shaped kind. We love salty snacks with our bubbles." Head to SPON's website — or in-store if you're in Sydney — if you want to get your hands on any of the mentioned wines. SPON is open at 256 King Street, Newtown 12pm–10pm Monday–Thursday, 12pm–12am Friday and 11am–12am Saturday.
ARIA has revealed the full list of nominees for its 39th annual ceremony, returning to Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday, November 19. In partnership with Spotify, this year's awards will celebrate artists who are redefining the sound and scope of Australian music — from club floors to global charts. Ninajirachi leads the pack with a record-breaking eight nominations, the most ever for a female electronic artist in ARIA history. Her debut album I Love My Computer has cemented her place at the forefront of a new wave of Australian producers pushing pop and club sounds forward. Close behind is Dom Dolla with seven nods, recognised for his chart-topping track 'Dreamin''. Other major contenders include Amyl and The Sniffers and Thelma Plum, each earning six nominations, while Hilltop Hoods and RÜFÜS DU SOL scored five and four, respectively. The 2025 ARIAs will also debut a new category: Best Music Festival. Nominees include Ability Fest, Beyond the Valley, Bluesfest Byron Bay, Laneway Festival and Yours and Owls — a nod to Australia's thriving live scene. Meanwhile, rock legends You Am I will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. "This year's nominees are living proof that Australian artists are shaping the global cultural narrative in real time," said ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. "There's no longer a singular image of what success looks like for an artist — and the stories celebrated in November are absolute proof of that." For the first time, fans can vote for public categories directly through Spotify, with voting open until November 10. The 2025 ARIA Awards will take place at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday, November 19. For the full list of nominees, visit the ARIA Awards website. Images: Supplied
Step into your local arthouse theatre these days and you'd be hard pressed not to find a regional film festival going on. From established cinematic powerhouses like France, Germany and Japan, to less spotlighted industries such as Poland, Indonesia and Serbia, the sheer amount of world cinema on the cultural calendar means there's almost always an alternative to the latest blockbuster out of Hollywood. As long as you don't mind reading subtitles, that is. In 2014, the line-up is getting that little bit more crowded, with the inaugural edition of a brand new festival highlighting the films from Europe's frozen north. Covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the first annual Scandinavian Film Festival is set to put the kvikmynd in kvikmyndahátíð. One area where contemporary Scandinavian cinema really seems to excel is the crime genre. Case in point, the Easy Money trilogy, starring Joel 'RoboCop' Kinnaman as a uni student turned drug runner. All three films will screen at the festival — see them before the scheduled US reboot featuring Zac Efron. From across the bridge in Denmark, meanwhile, comes police thriller The Keeper of Lost Causes, one the highest grossing films at the Danish box office last year. Continuing the dramatic thread, Metalhead, out of Iceland, tells the story of a pre-teen girl who copes with her brother's accidental death by taking on his identity. Sounds a little strange, sure, but the film has drawn rave reviews on the international festival circuit and scored a record-breaking 16 nominations at Iceland's prestigious Edda Awards. Thankfully, despite the region's chilly climate, not everything on the program is so severe. Finland's August Fools is a rom-com set against a Cold War era backdrop, while opening night features the informatively titled Swedish comedy The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. For more information about the Scandinavian Film Festival, visit their website. It's on at Palace Cinemas on the following dates: Canberra Tues 8 July - Sun 20 July Sydney Wed 9 July - Sun 27 July Melbourne Thu 10 July - Sun 27 July Brisbane Fri 11 July - Sun 20 July Adelaide Wed 23 July - Thurs 31 July Perth Thu 24 - Wed 30 July Byron Bay Fri 25 - Wed 30 July
There are more charities than one can keep up with, yet from day-to-day giving back is often far from front of mind. If you're wondering how you can become a more charitable being, we've compiled a list of the ever-increasing number of social enterprises out there making giving back as easy as buying a beer or a coffee. These are the Melbourne hospitality venues and local companies that are placing giving front and centre again by making it synonymous with our favourite pastime: eating and drinking. Shout Shout is the new smartphone app that is making donating to charity as easy as shouting a mate a beer. A micro donations platform, it's putting charity in your pocket and placing donating at your fingertips. Users can donate $5 to $150 to the charity of their choice. Charities include Camp Quality, Foodbank Victoria, National Breast Cancer Foundation and Reach. Shout is trying to change the way we donate. What might seem like insignificant amounts to us will build over time and make lasting impacts. Shebeen Shebeen is the first not-for-profit bar of its kind in the world. Found in Manchester Lane in the Melbourne CBD, Shebeen serves up drinks from the developing world and donates proceeds back to the country of origin. If you buy a beer from Ethiopia, money will go to kickstart an organisation that develops innovative farming products that help African farmers run a profitable business. All you need to do is have a beer with some mates. Kinfolk Cafe Kinfolk is a little cafe with a lot of heart. With a team of volunteer waitstaff, profits are distributed between four development projects. Over the past year and a half they have employed 92 volunteers and distributed $65,000 to their project partners. Projects include The DreamLink Rwanda project, a Melbourne-based organisation that rebuilds education facilities in the post-genocide community to ensure basic primary education is possible. Karma Kegs The Sandhill Road group own a number of pubs across Melbourne including The Bridge Hotel and the newly refurbished Prahran Hotel. In an effort to give back, the gents came up with Karma Kegs. Every Friday night, each of their establishments puts up a keg of Carlton Draught for sale and punters pay the price they want to donate. The money from the kegs goes toward a range of charities, which changes each week. History shows that everyone always pays more than the beer is worth. Ladro BYO Ladro, the much-loved and celebrated authentic Italian pizza restaurant also enjoys giving back to their community. Both their Fitzroy and their Prahran restaurant run a $5 BYO night every Monday evening. The money raised at the Fitzroy restaurant goes towards Vinnies Vannie Matthew Talbot's mobile soup van that feeds over 300 people each night, while the money raised at the Prahran site goes towards the annual Prahran Mission Christmas Lunch, which feeds 300 people on Christmas Day. Scarf A borrowed restaurant + trainee wait staff + mentors + our own Scarf chef + various knitted bits + hungry, big-hearted customers = Scarf That is Scarf's mission. They take a restaurant, usually on one of it's closed days, and take it over with their own staff. The mentors help marginalised youth gain hospitality experience in a safe and supportive background. Each program runs for 10 weeks and includes the Scarf dinners where diners can sample a two-course menu for $35 cooked by Scarf chef Ricky Holt and served up by trainees. Top Paddock is currently holding Scarf dinners until August 19. Suspended Coffee The Suspended Coffee phenomenon has been making its way around the world. The concept is simple: everyday coffee drinkers can pay in advance for what is called a 'suspended coffee', making it available to people who come in later that may be homeless or are unable to afford things like coffee. Cafes involved include T-Roy Browns, Impresso Coffee Bar, De Alleyway Espresso, Garden View Cafe, Lux Foundry Cafe and Palomino. STREAT Streat is an organisation or social enterprise with a three-tiered approach to bettering our society. They provide vocational hospitality training to disadvantaged youth, they offer social support to their trainees and they also provide Foodservices businesses that offer on the job training and work experience to their staff. With four cafes across Melbourne, Streat offers their trainees a six-month program teaching them to prepare and serve food and drinks. They leave this with a Certificate II in hospitality from William Angliss Institute. Since opening in 2010 Streat have provided 30,000 hours of paid work to their trainee staff. Melbourne City Mission's Brew Crew Melbourne City Mission, one of Melbourne's oldest charities has joined forces with St Ali and some of Australia's best baristas to provide hospitality training and experience to the disengaged and hard to reach population that MCM works so hard to help. The project 'The Brew Crew', saw five young people from MCM's Melbourne Academy — a learning community that works to change the lives of disadvantaged young people' — spend a week with some of Melbourne best baristas, learning the tricks of the trade. After battling it out on August 2 in a barista competition, students will be offered placement in renowned cafe St Ali among others. While this was done on a small scale, word on the street is St Ali are looking to engage in a global program to take this opportunity worldwide.
Usually, Vegemite gets spread across bread. It's simple, it's easy and, if you like the yeasty Australian staple, it's a classic. But that's just one way to enjoy the famed product, which has found its way into chocolate, milk shakes, icy poles, ice creams, burgers, popcorn and booze, too — and now, to the top of a pizza as well. In the type of new menu item that'll either have you ordering right now or rethinking ever eating a slice again, Vegemite and cheese pizza is a real thing that now exists at Domino's. It's a limited-edition addition to the chain's menu, however, so if you're currently somehow salivating at the thought of this new food mashup, you've got three weeks to get a taste — starting Monday, October 11. Yes, a Vegemite and cheese pizza is as straightforward as it sounds, with Domino's slathering the yeasty spread across a pizza base, then adding mozzarella. Yes, your tastebuds and stomach are definitely allowed to feel confused about the whole idea. Wondering why such a Frankenstein's monster of a pizza has come to fruition? Domino's asked its social media followers if they'd sink their teeth into this exact creation, and they responded with an overwhelming yes. If the new Vegemite and cheese pizzas prove so popular that they sell out quickly, they won't actually be on the menu for the full three weeks — if you need an extra incentive to give one a try. Price-wise, they start from $7.95 for pick up, and are available at all Aussie stores. Vegemite and cheese pizzas are available at Domino's from Monday, October 11–Sunday, October 31 — unless sold out earlier.
Tucked into Eltham's leafy hills, Montsalvat is Australia's oldest continuously operating artist collective, founded over 90 years ago. Combining art, architecture, and beautiful scenery, the community is getting into the spirit of spring by inviting guests to experience its brilliant wisteria trees in full bloom. Montsalvat's poolside terrace is transformed yearly with a cascade of purple wisteria flowers. Running alongside the estate's long gallery, these flowering vines were planted over 80 years ago and have become one of Montsalvat's most cherished seasonal wonders. Yet visitors have to act fast to experience them at their most enchanting. The burst of violet only lasts two to three weeks, with peak season arriving in mid-September and quickly fading for another year. So, bring your camera or paint brushes to capture the moment. For this year's event, Montsalvat is offering a special wisteria experience, where ticket-holders can access an exclusive VIP area beneath the wisteria canopy. As an extra treat, purple fairy floss and refreshments will also be available. Tickets go on sale when the estate's head gardener confirms peak bloom dates. Top and bottom image: Field of Vision Photography.
Coachella's first 2023 weekend brought a heap of highs, including for folks livestreaming at home from around the world. Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, the late addition of blink-182, a typically stunning set from electronic music legends The Chemical Brothers, none other than Blondie taking to the stage: they're just some of the week-one standouts. Now, it's time to do it all over again as week later, as the Indio, California music festival always does. This year, the event is streaming six stages across both weekends, and it has just dropped its set times after a tumultuous few days. First, the bad news: Frank Ocean is off the bill, dropping out after Coachella's first weekend. That said, everyone beaming in from their couches didn't see his week-one set either because it wasn't livestreamed. Neither was fellow high-profile star Björk's time in the desert. Now, the good news: blink-182 have moved to the Coachella stage to replace Ocean on Sunday, April 23's bill (which is Monday, April 24 Down Under), and there's a TBA slot after them. Variety is reporting that that time will be filled by Skrillex, Fred again.. and Four Tet, and the festival has also named the trio on Instagram — and noted they'll pop on the evening of Sunday, April 23 (again, Monday, 24 Down Under). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) Whoever else ends up on the lineup as a late addition, you'll be able to make shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing at the Empire Polo Club across Saturday, April 22–Monday, April 24 Australian and New Zealand time. Like last week, Bad Bunny is headlining the first night and BLACKPINK is doing the second, with The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Blondie, Kaytranada, Pusha T and Idris Elba still on day one as well — and Calvin Harris, The Kid LAROI, ROSALÍA, Charlie XCX, boygenius, The Breeders and Underworld on day two. And on day three, there's Björk, Fisher, Porter Robinson, Gordo and Weyes Blood. Obviously, across the whole weekend there's more where they came from. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) Coachella has been teaming up with YouTube for 11 years now. Earlier in 2023, the fest announced that it has locked in that arrangement till 2026. In-between this year's sets, YouTube will fill its feeds with more on-the-ground coverage, so you'll be able to scope out the art and installations around the fest, head behind the scenes, see how the acts get partying before the hit the stage and more. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella's second weekend runs across April 21–23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST on Saturday, April 22 Down Under.
Those of you who believe that heaven is a beef patty and munching through a juicy double (cheeseburger) with onion rings is a way of communing with a higher power, hear this proclamation. A new place of worship has been erected by faithful servants in Maribyrnong and behold, it is good. St. Burgs, named after the patron saint of burgers (probably), has thrown its door wide for saints and sinners alike and they are not messing around. Established by burger zealot Dan Soto, St. Burgs has been set up in an apartment block on Edgewater Boulevard and has nailed the clean, understated decor that says, "We’re just here to make burgers, people." The menu reflects this simplistic philosophy — it's pretty basic (in a good way) and like all great foodie establishments, makes the choosing part easy. You can get a beef burger (the ‘Durger’), double beef burger (the ‘Double D’), chicken burger (the ‘Western Fried Chicken’) or the mushroom burger (the ‘St. Shroom’). As that cartoon meerkat would say, "Simples." However St. Burgs diverges from the pack by rejecting the hipster burger staple, the brioche bun, and replacing it with something a little less sickly: a milk bun with an egg base (hey, we only said it was a little less sickly). You can also pick up a side of Filipino-style wingettes with slaw or a sinful salted caramel milkshake (*drools until dehydrated*). Amen. Find St. Burgs at 41-45 Edgewater Boulevard, Maribyrnong. Open Tuesday – Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday – Sun 12pm – 7pm (or until sold out). Closed Mondays.
The average person spends eight hours a day looking at a screen. That's not just your laptop or television set but also the time you spend on your phone. Observe the number of people thumbing their smart phones on the evening bus, and it's easy to believe that a lot of people exceed that average eight hours on a regular basis. Now, instead of waxing poetical about how grim this is, and imploring you to run into the streets, pick wildflowers, and dance barefoot (all thoroughly recommended pursuits), it might be better to think about how to get the most out of your time spent with a screen. Because a lot of the time we read, and look, at crap: think of the number of times you’ve heard about Kate Middleton's boobs in the past couple of weeks, or watched a Gangnam Style parody (you know you have). Last year, Eli Pariser gave a TED talk in which he pointed out that web companies like Facebook and Twitter, in trying to tailor their services to you and your tastes, end up blocking out the information they think you don't want to know about. That means you get trapped inside what he calls a 'filter bubble'. If Facebook knows you're passionately involved in campaigning for gay marriage, for instance, you won't get information that's going to expose you to other arguments in your news feed. By the same token, if Facebook thinks you only want to hear about pop culture, you're not going to end up hearing much about asylum seekers. This means that, ultimately, because we never get information that challenges our worldviews, we end up in a bubble in which we hear the same messages and information over and over again. Unless we go looking elsewhere. These are the tips we discovered while trying to get out of our media ghetto and into the bright lights of the big media city. Tidy up your RSS feed and bookmarks If you use Google Reader, go through and see how many of those subscriptions add value to your life. Balance out what you get from The Sartorialist by subscribing to The Huffington Post, Jezebel, or McSweeney's. Thinking about spreading out your information — so it's not all stories from America — is also a good way to go: you want to know what’s happening around the corner as much as you want to know what’s happening in New York this weekend. (As people who keep an eye on what's happening locally, we unabashedly recommend subscribing to us.) Buy a newspaper or a magazine One of the best things about these old-fashioned things is that, while you can skim and skip pieces, what's inside them is curated by an editor. They also offer work that people have been paid to write, and that often produces more interesting and well-researched content. Aside from your average copy of the Sydney Morning Herald or the Age, and high-brow magazines like the Monthly and the New Yorker, magazines like Fantastic Man or The Gentlewoman offer quality journalism mixed in with the pretty pictures. Mag Nation is a good place to browse. Explore Filtering Services Filtering services like Prismatic and Bottlenose collate information from your social media activity and provide you with a unique and personal newsfeed. These things are great because they expand your horizons beyond just giving you what you want to hear. The top stories in my Prismatic feed, for instance, cover the US presidential election, architecture inspired by mathematics, and (I don't know what this says about me) a guide to the top 10 hipster neighbourhoods in the US. None of which I would have stumbled across all on my lonesome. Monitor Yourself Setting limits about how long you spend on networks is really important. You can leave Facebook or Twitter open all day, but that doesn't mean life will get any more interesting. Set rules for yourself about how long you're prepared to sit monitoring a feed. Wired has a pretty awesome graphic showing how you might spread out your screen time, but I would also recommend going for a walk or baking a cake to give your square-eyes a rest. Broaden Your Horizons We’re long past the days when social media meant Facebook alone. It's not uncommon now to meet somebody who would never dream of having a Facebook account but will actively encourage you to follow them on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram at once. Different mediums offer different things. Checking out sites like Pinterest and Reddit might broaden your horizons in ways you've never thought of before. Explore Overlaps Sometimes the lowbrow and the highbrow blend together in a beautiful dance. Superficial stories can blend in with serious issues. The most recent example of this is Chris Brown's new tattoo. While everyone can marvel over its similarity to that beaten-to-a-pulp image of Rhianna, it provokes more serious discussions about domestic violence and might elevate your thinking about the subject beyond the initial "oh no he didn't!". Upworthy Eli Pariser, the same guy who gave the aforementioned TED Talk, has since started a site designed to make important and compelling things as viral as videos of people planking. Designed to give you the tools and knowledge to make yourself a better and more aware human being, Upworthy is still in it's early stages but definitely worth checking out.
No longer just the realms of year three excursions where your mum came as chaperone, Melbourne Zoo Twilights — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps one of the best summer nights out, as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven it's got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. After all, the event has hosted headliners such as Kurt Vile, José González and Ben Folds over the last few years. And this summer the event will return with a series of live sets every weekend from Friday, January 25 through Saturday, March 9. After announcing headliner Cat Power, February 9, earlier this month, Melbourne Zoo has now dropped (almost) the entire Twilights program for 2019. Pastel pop duo Client Liaison kick off the program, and are joined on the lineup by other loved local acts Vera Blue, rapper Briggs and Twilight regular The Cat Empire. New Zealand balladeer Marlon Williams will fly over across the ditch for a night, while R&B singer Aloe Blacc and neo-soul group The Internet will make the journey down from the States. A few big throwbacks are also on this year's program, including an MMMBoppin' performance from Hanson, a twilight gig from famed Indigenous singer Archie Roach and a early February show from every dad's favourite singer Daryl Braithwaite. Only one more show is left to be announced, with the final performance still a secret. Picnic-bringing is encouraged, but there'll also be handy gourmet hampers available on-site, as well as a slew of food trucks to choose nosh from. Either way, it's one of the best dates in Melbourne. Plus, all proceeds from Zoo Twilights go back into Zoo Victoria's ongoing conservation work to help fight the extinction of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. MELBOURNE ZOO TWILIGHTS 2019 PROGRAM Friday, January 25 – Client Liaison, supported by Kira Puru Saturday, January 26 – Briggs and Archie Roach, supported by Alice Sky Friday, February 1 – Sampa the Great and REMI, supported by Thando Saturday, February 2 – Daryl Braithwaite and Ross Wilson Friday, February 8 – Vera Blue, supported by Kesmar Saturday, February 9 – Cat Power, with special guests Friday, February 15 – The Cat Empure, supported by The Meldown Friday, February 22 – Aloe Blacc, supported by Kaiit Saturday, February 23 — Rufus Wainwright, supported by Mojo Juju Friday, March 1 – Hanson, with special guests Sunday, March 3 – The Internet, with special guests Friday, March 8 – Marlon Williams, supported by Laura Jean Saturday, March 9 — TBA Melbourne Zoo Twilights will return to Melbourne Zoo from January 25 until March 9, 2019. Tickets go on sale at 8am on Tuesday, October 30 at zootwilights.org.au. Image: Ian Laidlaw.
Unstoppable chef and restaurateur Andrew McConnell, whose hospitality empire includes Cutler & Co., Cumulus Inc. and Ricky & Pinky, is embarking on yet another project. This summer, for ten magnificent days, he'll be taking over the Garden Restaurant at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), and transforming it into Supernormal Natsu, a spin-off of Supernormal, his modern Japanese restaurant in Flinders Lane. The pop-up is part of Triennial EXTRA, a 10-day, one-off festival, organised to celebrate the inaugural NGV Triennial, a free exhibition featuring the works of 100 artists from 32 nations, which opens on December 15. Triennial EXTRA and Supernormal Natsu will run from January 19 to 28. Every day, from midday, McConnell's team will be creating dishes inspired by natsu, which is Japanese for summer. Many of them will be emerging from a hibachi grill, to be positioned on the restaurant's terrace. And although the details of specific dishes are yet to be revealed, we can tell you to expect fresh meats and seafood, grilled to perfection, and accompanied by summery ingredients. The dessert menu will include an array of sweet hits based on shaved ice. "The Garden Restaurant at the NGV is one of the most beautiful dining rooms in Melbourne," said McConnell. "I am thrilled with the opportunity to work with the NGV." In addition to Supernormal Natsu, Triennial EXTRA will bring a bunch of free immersive and experiential events to the NGV, covering art, music, dance, live performance, design, fashion and ideas.
Catharsis is crucial in filmmaking, as Jon Favreau (Iron Man) clearly knows. The writer, director and star emerges from big-budget cinema to return to the smaller side of Hollywood, seemingly purging his demons and addressing his disappointments in the process. In Chef, Carl Casper (Favreau) has toiled from humble beginnings to become Los Angeles' premier culinary artist, but a decade working for a profit-focused restaurateur (Dustin Hoffman) sees his menus branded safe, not daring. A scathing review by a prominent food blogger (Oliver Platt) calls out his creative malaise, swirling into a storm of negative press and social media that ushers him out of a job. At first, Carl resists the encouragement of his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) to start his own food van. Soon, he's rediscovering his passion for cooking and reconnecting with his ten-year-old son, Percy (Emjay Anthony), in a road trip across the continent. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PZ6e51-ie7w Favreau's offering proves appetising in the undemanding manner of the food trucks it covets — and repeatedly invites the comparison. Fine ingredients abound, including finessed visuals of enticing meals on par with the best food-centric efforts; however, poise and polish are swapped for a handmade feel and celebratory outcome. Chef (Film © Sous Chef, LLC. All Rights Reserved) is out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital with Ultraviolet on September 4, and thanks to Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the release of Chef, you could win one of two Bodum EILEEN coffee press pack to deck out your kitchen. Included are: 1x Bodum 8 Cup Coffee Press 2x Bodum Pavina Glasses 1x Bodum Travel Press 1x Bodum Battery Operated Milk Frother 1x Bodum Vacum Travel Press 1x copy of Chef on DVD In addition, ten runners up will get copies of the Chef DVD. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review of the movie here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Summer might be over, but the New South Wales art world is already looking forward to the next, following the announcement of two major exhibitions to launch this October as part of the 2018–19 Sydney International Art Series. The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will host an extensive retrospective by renowned South African photographer David Goldblatt, while the Art Gallery of New South Wales will feature artworks from Russia's State Hermitage Museum — considered to have one of the world's most important collections of modernist European paintings. Running until March 2019, David Goldblatt will dive deep into the life and work of one of recent history's most legendary photographers, covering a career of more than sixty years. Goldblatt is best known for his portrayal of South Africa's tumultuous history, especially surrounding apartheid. As the photographer's first major retrospective in the southern hemisphere, the exhibition will feature Goldblatt's most famous photo series, along with early vintage prints, never-before-seen footage from his personal collection and a new feature-length documentary. As MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE explained, "visitors will discover an extraordinary artist whose documentary eye has not strayed from the complexities of his country of birth, but resonates with other global histories (including Australia's own) through narratives of race and racism, and industry and the land." David Goldblatt will run at the MCA from October 19, 2018, until March 3, 2019. Modern masters from the Hermitage is at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from October 13, 2018, until March 3, 2019. Image: David Goldblatt, A plot-holder, his wife and their eldest son at lunch, Wheatlands, Randfontein. September 1962 (3_4907), 1962. Image courtesy the artist and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg © the artist.
Pencil in this one for a future getaway: a sprawling 100-acre spot in the Yarra Valley that's home to a 300-bed hotel, an outdoor concert venue, three restaurants, lakes and gardens to roam around, and an arts and craft village. Come 2024, that's set to become a new place to add to your holiday itineraries, all on the Maroondah Highway just over an hour's drive from Melbourne. Here, you'll be able to see a gig, then not only bunker down for the night but truly make a weekend of it. It's envisaged that the new site will play host to big names, spanning both local and international acts — and also showcase local growers, artisans, winemakers, distillers and brewers. Specifics such as who'll run the hotel and what the restaurants will offer haven't yet been revealed, however, and development plans are still to be lodged. That said, helping boost the state's tourism and live entertainment industries after the past couple of tough years is one of the project's big aims. The just-announced $200-million precinct springs from Cedar Mill Group, which is owned by Newcastle-based property development firm Winarch Capital, and has just snapped up the land to bring this plan to fruition. It's the company's third such development in the works, and the first in Victoria — following Cedar Mill Lake Macquarie, which is revamping a golf course and adding a 30,000-person concert venue, cafes, restaurants, accommodation and a huge aquatic park; and Cedar Mill Hunter Valley, a 40-hectare spot in in Pokolbin that's set to open in late 2023 with a 22,000-person amphitheatre, a 100-room hotel and a wine museum. Cedar Mill Group is also still looking for other sites around Australia — so that list might grow in the near future. And, yes, adding new spots for Aussies holidays to your getaway bucket list is becoming easy of late. There's also the in-the-works new hotel in the Barossa, smack bang in the middle of a vineyard; the about-to-open QT Newcastle, which includes a rooftop bar and a suite in a clock tower; and Sydney's Porter House Hotel, which'll launch in July with a five-story restaurant and bar hub next door. And, there's the just-opened first Down Under outpost for Ace Hotels, the soon-to-open The Langham on the Gold Coast, design-driven Marriott chain AC Hotels' first Aussie site and the 2025 local debut of The Waldorf Astoria, too. The Cedar Mill Group's Yarra Valley site is expected to open in 2024. For more information about its plans, head to the company's website.
At the beginning of July, when Greater Sydney's lockdown had been hanging around for a few weeks, Taronga Zoo did everyone a solid by releasing videos of its latest wombat joey. Even if you weren't under stay-at-home conditions then — because you don't live in the area — the footage was heartwarmingly cute. Thankfully, the zoo has more where that came from. This time around, you can take a peek at another baby animal: a koala joey named Humphrey. He's just over 12 months old, he's only been out of his mother Willow's pouch since he was around six months old — because that's what koala's do — and yes, he's as endearing as you'd expect. He's just as fluffy as well. In the video, which was captured by one of Taronga's koala keepers, Humphrey is keen to climb, eat and cuddle. His little eyes light up with curiosity as he scurries about, too. When he entered the world in 2020, Humphrey was the first koala joey born at Taronga Zoo in over a year — so he's obviously been able to garner plenty of attention. That's enough words about this loveable little critter, because we all know that you're here to get a glimpse. Check out Taronga Zoo's footage below: [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://cdn.concreteplayground.com/content/uploads/2021/07/Taronga-Media-Alert-Humphrey-the-koala-joey.mp4"][/video] Taronga has also been spoiling animal lovers with cuteness via its online television station, which was initially established by in 2020, and it is back now for obvious reasons. It's also releasing regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels, and making keeper talks and other clips available online as well. Taronga Zoo is currently closed during Sydney's lockdown, but you can check out more videos of its cute animals via its online Taronga TV channel.
2020 will forever be known as the year everyone wore an extra groove into their couch. And because the past 12 months have just been so chaotic, you probably haven't managed to do everything you wanted to — even working through your streaming queue. You've been distracted by quite the hectic circumstances, so that's perfectly natural. Now that life slowly seems to be returning to normal — and now that holidays are upon us, too — you're probably wondering which series you should catch up on. 2020 delivered a heap of stellar new shows, however, so that isn't a straightforward question. Thankfully, in collaboration with streaming service Binge, we're here to help. Here are five of the year's absolute must-sees, all of which you can binge in full now — including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards has celebrated its 32nd anniversary in a prestigious award ceremony at NSW Parliament House, where 300 of the industry's top players came together to see who would take out top spot this year. It will come as no surprise to any lucky wine lovers who have visited Melbourne newcomer Circl to learn that the wine house on Punch Lane took out the prized trophy for Australia's Best Wine List for 2025. The venue, which has fostered a new culture of accessibility and inclusivity when it comes to trying rare wines, offers more than 150 drops by the glass and approximately 1,500 wines by the bottle. And while there were a few other notable winners this year, Circl dominated the awards across multiple categories for good reason. They picked up the awards for Best List of Wines by the Glass, Best Champagne List, Best Sparkling Wine List, Best Wine List Victoria, Best Wine List — City, and Best Listing of Victorian Wines. We can only imagine what exquisite champagne Xavier Vigier, Circl's sommelier, chose to pop to celebrate such an impressive collection of awards. And Vigier himself also took out top prize, winning the Sommelier's Choice Award, which is voted upon by Australian sommeliers, as well as the coveted Judy Hirst Award, which recognises the sommelier responsible for curating the winning list. Senior Judge Andrew Graham praised Circl's wine list for its accessibility and its expansiveness. Graham says, "So often, the great wines of the world seem almost mythical. They're things that drinkers dream about, but so rarely get to experience. Yet the astonishing list from Circl resets what is accessible. Led by a truly sublime offering of wines by the glass, which is gleefully heavy with famous 'unicorns', there is eye-watering depth throughout this list. You can start with the wonderfully well contextualised champagne offering, take a flight of rare rosé and end up with a dive into magnificent rare old Australian shiraz. What a journey!" Bennelong won the Best Wine List NSW, Fico took out the title in Tasmania, and Agnes in Queensland. Six venues were added to Australia's Wine List of the Year Hall of Fame, including Melbourne Supper Club, Stillwater in Hobart, and The Boat House in Canberra. Chris Lucas' Maison Bâtard was awarded the Tony Hitchin award for Australia's Best New Wine List, and Society succeeded with the Best Digestif List, Australia's Best Listing of Museum and Rare Wines, and Australia's Best Listing of French Wines. Rob Hirst OAM, who founded the awards with his late wife Judy in 1993, says, "We're grateful to receive such significant support from the industry and our award partners for yet another year of Australia's Wine List of the Year Awards, and the quality of wine lists across the country has never been better. There is a clear interest and intent by sommeliers, venue owners and beverage managers and directors to build harmony and synergy between the menu and drinks list, and this year's results are proof that the skill and dedication to this task is stronger than ever." Circl's extraordinary accomplishment makes it a back-to-back win for Victorian venues, with the award going to Gimlet at Cavendish House in 2024. The prestige and importance of the awards were summarised by the Chairman of Judges, Peter Forrestal. "The enthusiasm with which those involved in restaurants and, more generally, in serving the public is infectious. The imaginative quality of the food being brought to Australian restaurant tables and the wines that sommeliers have to offer their customers has never been more satisfying or stimulating. The education of sommeliers is at an all-time high. Documenting all this since 1994 is Australia's Wine List of the Year with another record number of entries to affirm the quality of individual restaurants and to record excellence at the table." Images: supplied, feature image, Arianna Leggiero. Has all this talk of wine made you thirsty? Check out the best wine bars in Melbourne today.
If this Cinco de Mayo finds you in Byron Bay (and if it does, let it be known that we’re jealous), salsa on down to seasprayed local cantina Miss Margarita. This colourful shack does the kind of vibrant, uncomplicated, flavourful Mexican nosh you’d expect from the beachside town and once hub of hippiedom, and they’re joining forces with Corona to celebrate the now-international day of Mexican culture appreciation (slash excuse to challenge yourself to a fajita-eating competition of one). Head down at lunch, hand over $15, and you get a Corona and two of Miss Margarita’s super fresh tacos. These guys are no mean feast, with varieties like tropical pork with pineapple, shredded chilli and tamarind beef, and house black beans with feta and jalapenos that’ll have you lip-smacking and finger-licking your way out of there. They’ve also got $25 Corona buckets all day long (or one for $7.50) and a $5 happy hour from 5–6pm. That’s a deal we can say ¡Salud! to.
The legendary Stones Throw Records is home to a metric bucket-tonne of vinyl. The LA-based hip hop label is known for their left-of-centre artists, avant garde nature and ability to break artists well before dinner table fame. Feature length documentary Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton takes a close look at the label and its master, commander and founder Chris Manak, aka Peanut Butter Wolf — an exceptional DJ and producer in his own right. Sometime home to Aloe Blacc, Mayer Hawthorne, The Stepkids, James Pants, J Rocc, Madlib and more (including the J Dilla back catalogue) Stones Throw Records' reputation within the hip hop, beats and funk/soul community is strong and has commanded a loyal following over the years. Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Mike D, Common, Tyler the Creator and Questlove all throw in their two cents on Peanut Butter Wolf and Stones Throw in the documentary, and how they have been influenced by the underground record label themselves. Manak is in the country for Splendour in the Grass later this month, but will be hanging at Howler for the screening and a special Q&A on the night. This is a pretty rare chance for hip hop heads to hear the stories behind this legendary producer's work and beloved label straight from the horse's mouth. Seats are not allocated for the event so it's best to arrive a little early for a good spot. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rwZVV_77MhM
For some, The Jungle Book inspires fond memories of pouring over Rudyard Kipling's stories. For many others, the 1967 animated film springs to mind. But whichever one you think of first, they're both covered in the new live-action take on the tale. Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), consider this latest version a best-of package fans of each might have hoped for. It's no easy feat, balancing the darker material seen on the page while still embracing the fun and amusement experienced in the cartoon. But Favreau and company certainly don't shy away from a challenge. Indeed, from the moment the introductory Disney logo gives way to a zoom back through intricately rendered wildlife, The Jungle Book's ambitions are clear. The first frames of the film look so authentic that audiences might just have to resist the urge to reach out and touch them. Of course, viewers aren't the only ones steeped in such a striking environment. On screen, man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) has spent his entire childhood in the jungle. Found as a baby by wise panther Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley), and raised by wolves Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o) and Akela (Giancarlo Esposito), he's happy and at home in the animal kingdom. But tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) has murder on his mind. To keep Mowgli safe, Bagheera endeavours to escort the boy to the nearest human settlement, a trek that intersects with seductive snake Kaa (Scarlett Johansson), laid-back bear Baloo (Bill Murray) and giant primate King Louie (Christopher Walken). As Mowgli's story deepens, so does The Jungle Book's aesthetic wizardry. The film's hordes of special effects experts haven't just made every swinging vine, stream of water and glimmering ray of sunshine look just like the real thing; they've made the talking animals seem believable as well. Using 3D to add depth within the frame further enhances the sense of photo-realism, as does the seamless blend of Sethi's performance with his motion-captured creature counterparts. In fact, believing that the entire feature was filmed on a sound stage in Los Angeles, and not on location, is practically impossible. Appearing the part isn't just crucial as far as the entire concept is concerned. It also helps the narrative, episodic as it may be, glide along. It also ensures that when a bear starts singing with the voice of Murray, or a snake's hissing sounds like Johansson, it feels fitting. Favreau understands the need to use everything at his disposal to immerse audiences in another world, be it a rousing score sprinkled with a few familiar tunes, or a fresh face who embodies a winning sense of adventure. Accordingly, when it comes to turning The Jungle Book into a live-action spectacular, his engaging attempt more than covers the bare necessities. And of course, it'll get that catchy track stuck in your head too.
You might think you know Richard Ayoade from his time as Maurice Moss in the British comedy The IT Crowd. But did you know he's also an acclaimed director of quirky indie films full of deadpan humour? After smashing it with his debut feature, Submarine, Ayoade's now back with The Double. Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Double follows Simon James, the timid and nerdy office clerk whose life is completely unenviable. Played by Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Simon reaches breaking point when new co-worker James Simon appears on the scene. Also played by Eisenberg, James excels in all the ways that Simon cannot, being a daring extrovert with confidence and charm. Simon is both James's double, and as it turns out, his polar opposite. Also starring Aussie actor Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Stoker, The Kids are Alright) and Wallace Shawn (Clueless), The Double premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to Sundance. It's been praised in early reviews, including by the Playlist, who wrote: "Totally bonkers, hilarious and wickedly clever, The Double is special and singular filmmaking at its best." The Double is in cinemas on Thursday, May 8, and thanks to Madman Films, we have 15 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=_klCoDTHKGg ',width:'1150',height:'700'" width="1150" height="700" align="" />
Since the mid-90s, Paul Rudd has been a constant presence on both big and small screens. First, he won over Beverly Hills' coolest teen in Clueless, joined horror royalty in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers and somehow became the unattractive romantic alternative in Romeo + Juliet. Then, he helped deliver San Diego's news in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, ran for office against Leslie Knope in Parks & Recreation and became the world's smallest superhero in Ant-Man. The list goes on, spanning a trip to camp in Wet Hot American Summer, as well appearances on Friends and Veronica Mars. But it's Netflix's new series Living With Yourself that's finally giving the world what we want — all the Paul Rudd that anyone could ever ask for. Yet another existential comedy to join the likes of The Good Place, Russian Doll, Forever and Undone, Living With Yourself follows an ordinary guy struggling through an average life, until he discovers an unusual solution. Miles (Rudd) heads to a day spa expecting to come out feeling refreshed — and that happens, in a way. The new and improved version of Miles couldn't be happier, but the old version is still hanging around. Two Paul Rudds is most people's dream, of course. In Living With Yourself, however, the two versions of his character cause quite the chaos. How the pair handle their shared life, wife Kate (Aisling Bea), career and identity fuels this eight-episode show, as do weighty questions, including trying to be a better version of ourselves. Hitting Netflix mid-October, the series was written by Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show producer Timothy Greenberg, and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (The Battle of the Sexes, Ruby Sparks, Little Miss Sunshine). Check out the trailer for Living With Yourself below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w54yW2Ur50 Living With Yourself drops on Netflix on October 18. Images: Netflix.
The future is here and all our problems are solved. Or, more accurately, one specific problem that bugs us a bit. Three engineering students from the US have created a device that harnesses energy from your everyday activities to charge your phone on the go. No more crouching next to power points or annoyingly asking bartenders to pop your phone behind the bar. With this, you can genuinely re-charge your battery by dancing. This kind of technology has been around for a while now, but never in such a convenient form. Fitting in the palm of your hand, Ampy is a little power pack that can easily be strapped to your arm or popped in your pocket. Each of your movements are then used to power the lithium ion battery inside and that in turn is used to charge your phone when hooked up via a USB cord. Though you don't need to use the energy right away, a 30-minute run supposedly keeps your phone on for three hours. Understandably, people are already crazy excited for this thing. A Kickstarter campaign was launched to get production underway, and it reached its $100,000 target within three days. By the end of the 30 day funding period, it will have basically taken over the world. Of course, there are a number of reasons why this thing is great. Yes, it offers convenient power for when you're out and about, but it also encourages you to get off your butt and move. Prompting you to take the stairs instead of the elevator or ride your bike into the city, this tricky device may be the best health initiative we've ever seen. It also has the added benefit of using 100 per cent renewable energy. Forget coal mining and big electricity bills; pop on some Beyonce and dance yourself into some power. Either that, or cheat and clip it to your dog. Ampy won't be available in stores until June 2015, but you can grab yourself a discounted product from the first shipment by backing their Kickstarter now. A US$75 pledge (plus $15 delivery fee) will get you the device itself, or you can grab a full accessory pack as well for US$95. Via Buzzfeed and Forbes.
Sometimes a walk down memory lane becomes a hike down memory lane. Then, before you know it, you've been reminiscing about the hotdogs from your school tuckshop for a good hour and you've got the munchies. Luckily, there might just be a fix. Melbournians are spoilt for choice when it comes to a good ol' fashioned eatery that'll give you all the nostalgic feels, pop some comfort grub on your plate and serve you up an experience of a bygone era at the same time. Of course, some things don't stay the same. You probably can't get as many doughnuts for your $2 pocket money as you used to, for example. So, with the help of American Express, we've created a list of retro places you won't need to rummage around for change to pay at: the nostalgic factor is high and the inconvenience is low ('cos you can just whack it all on your Amex card). Whether it's tuckshop food, punch bowls and finger sandwiches, or an immense Greek all-you-can-eat, take a stroll down that lane with these places — and brace yourself for the heartachey feels (but in a good way). Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
It might sound like some sort of lunar identity crisis, but the rare super blue blood moon proved a pretty spectacular addition to last night's skies. Stargazers across Australia had prime position to view the celestial phenomenon, which hasn't occurred anywhere in the world in over 35 years. The event combined the first total lunar eclipse since 2015, with a blue moon, or the second full moon of the calendar month. Clouds might have made for sketchy viewing in some parts of the country, though, as always, social media is chock full of impressive snaps from folks lucky enough to catch the astronomical treat. Here are some of the best shots of 2018's blue blood moon from around the planet. A post shared by Ken Perkes Photography (@perkesken) on Jan 31, 2018 at 11:44am PST A post shared by Jenny Herron (@jenniferherronn) on Jan 31, 2018 at 9:15am PST A post shared by Justin DeLand (@aperture_of_the_soul) on Jan 31, 2018 at 1:15pm PST A post shared by +15⚓🌴🍀🌊 (@cristian_perrone) on Jan 31, 2018 at 1:24pm PST A post shared by Jeff Morris (@itwasthelight) on Jan 31, 2018 at 8:33am PST A post shared by Landscapes-Astro-Cityscapes (@bay.photography) on Jan 31, 2018 at 9:58am PST A post shared by Senai Senna (@sennarelax) on Jan 31, 2018 at 1:13pm PST A post shared by Carlos Sanchez (@officialcarlossanchez) on Jan 31, 2018 at 7:14am PST A post shared by Maria Heni (@henimaria) on Jan 31, 2018 at 5:38am PST A post shared by @harsha_taurus on Jan 31, 2018 at 2:41pm PST
Don't let anyone ever tell you that audiences aren't fond of kick-ass women doing spectacular things. And, if someone ever dares to try, refer them to the two biggest phenomenons in Australia right now: Barbie and the Matildas. In cinemas, the former has been busting records both locally and worldwide. On TV, the national women's soccer team has been making history, too. The latter has also being doing the same on the field, as everyone knows — because we've all been watching the Sam Kerr-led team, helping their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches kill it in the ratings. When Australia played France on Saturday, August 12, Australia's eyeballs followed every move from the first whistle through to the 7–6 penalty shootout in the Matildas' favour. How many eyeballs? Every single one belonging to more than 7.2-million people according to the Seven Network's ratings data. The Matildas' Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport, so exact figures get a bit tricky — and also OzTAM, which captures broadcast audience numbers, doesn't factor in folks watching in pubs, clubs, sports venues, at AFL grounds before Aussie rules matches and at other out-of-home venues. Plus, at the time of writing, OzTAM hasn't yet covered the game's 30 minutes of extra time or penalty kicks, thanks to the nil-all draw when regulation time was up. Still, Seven has made an educated estimation, starting with the fact that an average of 4.17-million people watched the match either via its free-to-air station or its streaming service. Thanks to the latter, the network also advises that the game was the country's biggest streaming event ever. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas) To put the Matildas' TV feat in context, 2022's AFL and NRL grand finals didn't hit the 4.17-million figure — or come close. Last years' AFL numbers? 3.06-million viewers nationally. Unsurprisingly, as the ABC reports, Australia's quarter-final defeat of France enjoyed the biggest TV audience of the year. The Guardian notes that it was likely the biggest audience since Cathy Freeman's iconic 400-metre race at the 2000 Olympics. All up, Seven advises that its coverage of the Women's World Cup so far has reached 11.9-million broadcast viewers, then another 2.3-million folks via 7plus — all while the bulk of the tournament's games, especially those that don't feature the Matildas, are only on Optus Sports. How many people will watch the Australia v England game at 8pm on Wednesday, August 16? We're a competitive nation — surely we want to not only beat the Lionesses, but smash the France match's ratings as well. The Matildas' 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport — with select other games also on Seven, and the entire tournament streaming via Optus Sport. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website. Top image: Liondartois via Wikimedia Commons.
Six decades after West Side Story first hit Broadway, the acclaimed musical returns to the Australian stage, set to play at both Arts Centre Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House next year. Headed up by two-time Tony Award nominated choreographer Joey McKneely, the award-winning production reimagines the famous tale of rival street gangs in 1950's New York City. It's a Romeo and Juliet-style classic, that's enchanted audiences in countless iterations over the years. And now it's set to be retold at two of the country's most iconic venues, the musical featuring all the hit songs — including 'I Feel Pretty', 'A Boy Like That', 'Something's Coming', 'America' and 'Maria' — along with Jerome Robbins' (the Broadway show's original creator) ground-breaking choreography. And, if you've always dreamt of being a West Side Story star, now's the time to start practicing those moves and warming up those vocal chords — audition submissions are now open, in the hunt to find the musical's leading talent. If you'd like to get a double dose of West Side Story, you can also attend an operatic production of the show in March next year, as it heads to Sydney's floating stage, Handa Opera. West Side Story will play at the Arts Centre Melbourne from April 6–28, 2019, and at the Sydney Opera House from August 16 to October 6, 2019. Head over to the website to jump on a waitlist for tickets. Image Credit: Nilz Boehme and Johan Persson
Michelangelo's David means a whole lot of things to Western culture. He's a perfect specimen of the Renaissance man, all toned and taut and towering. He's a biblical hero; defeating Goliath in awe-inspiring fashion and becoming the original underdog. We've marvelled at his perfection for generations and now, he may be brought down by the fact he has weak ankles. It's poetic, really. Italian researchers have recently found a number of weak spots in the iconic statue's ankles they claim could be fatal — in as much as anything can be fatal to a statue — in the coming months. At a whopping 5,572kg, the BBC report David could collapse under his own weight if disturbed by as much as nearby roadworks. With microfractures also appearing in his legs and supporting tree stump, David's prognosis doesn't look great for a number of reasons. Firstly, the marble Michelangelo used is of a poor quality and fragile at the best of times. Secondly, his pose is naturally off-centre and La Gazetta del Sud reported that he was positioned on a dangerous angle in the city's main square for three centuries. Thirdly, he's 510 years old. You'd be showing some wear and tear at that age too. This isn't David's first time in the wars either. During a riot in 1529 he lost the lower half of his left arm and in 1991 he suffered a smashed toe at the hand of another artist. These injuries have all been restored and David regularly undergoes superficial restorations in the way of cleaning. But addressing these structural problems is a whole separate issue — is it our place to interfere or should we let David go out gracefully? Some historians have previously argued that David should go into hiding in order to retain his aura and if that is to happen, now seems like the opportune time. "I'd like to see [it] disappear for a couple of hundred years, so it's expunged from our consciousness and our popular references," said historical novelist Sarah Dunnant. "[Then] it can be found again — like the Statue of Liberty at the end of the Planet of the Apes — and seen again with a sense of awe." Maybe this is the answer. David's been on his feet for an awfully long time and perhaps he deserves a break. Surely any attempts to amend the structural integrity of his marble would end in some kind of humiliating amputation or plaster leg cast. At what point do we let history run its course? Picture it: the man who slew Goliath in one mighty blow taken down by his Achilles' heel. How appropriate. Via BBC and ABC.
Each year, thousands of travellers from near and far make their way down to the bottom of Australia to get a taste of gorgeous locations — the type that Tasmania just seems to have an endless supply of. And while it's nice to experience many of them under the sun, winter offers a whole new perspective that visitors will love just as much. From wild ancient forests with awe-inspiring frozen lakes and waterfalls to rocky mountainsides that take on a thick coat of snow, Tasmania's landscape offers something that'll warm everyone's cockles. So, here are six beautiful sights that seem to get even better once the winter chill grabs hold of the scenery. Pack a beanie and scarf and start planning your wintry escape. [caption id="attachment_718788" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Russell Falls by Tourism Tasmania and Michael Walters Photography.[/caption] MOUNT FIELD NATIONAL PARK Mount Field National Park is Tasmania's first and oldest national park, and many consider it to still be the best. If you're looking to get the most out of the Tasmanian winter, then this rugged landscape might just fulfil all your hopes and dreams. Across this sprawling region, there are plenty of highlights to choose from. But don't look past Russell Falls and its alluring tiered cascades, which are widely considered the centrepiece of the entire park. Elsewhere, Lake Dobson's shimmering waterfront can be taken in from many a great nearby hike. And at just over 90 minutes from Hobart, Mount Mawson takes on a brilliant cover of snow that offers skiers and snowboarders a challenging but worthwhile experience — to get to the summit, you'll need to hike 30-minutes uphill through alpine forest then jump on a rope tow. We promise, it's worth it. [caption id="attachment_720512" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Lomond National Park by Tourism Tasmania and Brooke Saward.[/caption] BEN LOMOND NATIONAL PARK Located in Tasmania's northeast, Ben Lomond National Park towers above the landscape, reaching up an imposing 1500 metres. The rugged landscape features sharp cliff faces and sheer drops that make it appear almost insurmountable. But once winter arrives, the mountain comes to life with skiers making the most of the steep scenery — and the variety of exciting downhill skiing routes that come with it. If you're not much of a skier, you can also drive up Jacobs Ladder, Ben Lomond's winding ascent, and experience the wonderful alpine plateau from its summit. Up here, you'll catch quite the surreal sight as you peer out upon the distant countryside — looking down on the rocky mountainside and its dramatic outcrops makes you feel completely mesmerised. [caption id="attachment_718784" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cradle Mountain by Jason Charles Hill.[/caption] CRADLE MOUNTAIN There's never a bad time to visit the famed Cradle Mountain, but winter is when this incredible spot truly comes into its own. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the mountain and its surrounds feature ancient rainforests and grasslands that sweep across its boundaries, as well as some remarkable glacial lakes and bubbling creeks that careen between the nearby mountaintops. While exploring, keep your eyes peeled as the surrounding Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is full of native wildlife, including wombats, echidnas, wallabies, quolls and pademelons. Don't forget about the low-lying lakes here either — in particular, Dove Lake, which is circled by an easy-to-access six-kilometre walking track. You might recognise it from photos (like the above) but, in real life, it's something else. As you wind your way around the lake, the trees get denser and the lookouts get quieter, and you'll feel like you've left the country for a European retreat. On a clear day you'll be able to see right across the lake; on a stormy one you'll be able to watch the sky do its thing. If you're lucky, you'll get to visit twice and see both. [caption id="attachment_718789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur River by Jess Bonde.[/caption] THE TARKINE As the second largest cool-temperate rainforest in the world, The Tarkine should be at the top of the rugged adventurer's list. Set in Tasmania's northwest, the scenery here is largely varied and only becomes more extreme and breathtaking in the winter months. Start your adventure at the Edge of the World (actual name) and look out over the Arthur River — the water here is intense as it's where it meets the Southern Ocean. Or head inland and find shelter by venturing deep into the rainforest at the upper end of the river and discover the spectacular multi-tiered Philosopher Falls. [caption id="attachment_718786" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Wellington lookout by Tourism Australia and Graham Freeman.[/caption] KUNANYI / MOUNT WELLINGTON PARK Just a 20-minute drive from Hobart, kunanyi / Mount Wellington is probably the easiest way to immerse yourself in Tasmania's most beautiful sights. kunanyi /Mount Wellington Park showcases more than 18,000 hectares of remarkably picturesque scenery and links Hobart's outer reaches with world-class native bushland. You can drive right up to the Pinnacle, or take the challenge to walk to the summit. Do the whole 14 kilometres from Hobart — stopping at the Cascade Brewery along the way — or choose one of the smaller loop routes to conquer. On the way, you'll be able to enjoy sub-alpine flora and fauna that dots the towering landmass's upper reaches. Winter is a particularly special time to visit as the mountaintop is often dusted in snow (making it prime for snowball fights). Afterwards, warm yourself up with something hot at the Lost Freight Cafe, a shipping container coffee spot halfway up the mountain at The Springs. [caption id="attachment_718785" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Currie Lighthouse on King Island by Andrew Wilson.[/caption] KING ISLAND Set halfway between Tasmania and Victoria, King Island is a hidden gem. Which means you'll be able to nab the island's best (and most secluded) spots all to yourself. Currie is the island's main hotspot. Here you can explore the historic lighthouse built in the 1870s and wander the seaside town's quaint streets. It may be too cold to have a picnic outdoors, but you can do one indoors at the Boathouse. Described as a restaurant with no food, this stunning waterfront dining room if free for you to use as your own — you just have to bring your own nosh. Step things up a notch and see King Island from one of the country's most impressive saunas at Porky Beach Retreat. You'll be able to look out over the beach, wine in-hand, from the warmest spot on the island. King Island is only accessible by plane — but with flights coming in from Melbourne multiple times a day, it's an easy and rewarding place to visit. Top image: Cradle Mountain by Emilie Ristevski.
