Cyclists, for a long time considered well behind the peloton in the fashion stakes, seem to be catching up. Leading designers are decking them out in fashionable threads, and now the helmet is even starting to look good. Perhaps fuelled by the rise in cycle chic, designers are now rethinking the humble lid and giving it a new look — after all, what’s the point of looking sharp in your $650 jacket if you cap it off with a Stackhat? Designboom have gathered together some of the more interesting takes on the humble helmet. Some simply add some quality materials to the traditional design, others take inspiration from the military, or nature. The more radical ideas start with a blank slate, and end up with something foldable that can be slipped in your handbag or back pocket. They might look great and suit your new outfit perfectly, but many of them wouldn’t meet Australian safety standards. Which is a shame, as it seems that a lot of cyclists would rather be a traffic-victim than a fashion-victim. [via Designboom]
One of modern art's most argued-about works is finally up for auction. Tracey Emin's famously debated 1999 work My Bed is going under the hammer for the very first time, complete with dirty sheets, cigarette butts and condoms. Emin gained notoriety when her work Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 debuted at a 1997 Charles Saatchi's Sensation exhibition at London's Royal Academy. After getting drunk, going on national TV and getting all sweary, she'd release My Bed two years later to colossal debate. One of modern art's classic "Is this art? What is art? Is this bag of wrenches art?" generators, My Bed is expected to sell between £800,000 and £1.2 million (roughly $1.4 million to $2.2 million) at auction in July. The highly-scrutinised installation is a recreation of Emin's actual bed during a rough time — the artist spent days in the bed during relationship difficulties and dealt with suicidal thoughts. Scattered with paraphenalia from the artist's own bedroom (condoms, menstrual-stained underwear, slippers), My Bed caused controversy not for the collective sum of confrontingly personal items but for the stains on the sheets. Gallery-goers saw the traces of bodily secretion as a little too human. "It's a self-portrait, but not one that people would like to see," Emin said. "I took everything out of my bedroom and made it into an installation," Emin said. "And when I put it into a white space, for some people it became quite shocking. But I just thought it looked like a damsel in distress, like a woman fainting or something, needing to be helped." The new owners might be able to recreate the work of two performance artists, Yuan Chai and Jian Jun Xi, who jumped on Emin's bed in a performance creatively titled Two Naked Men Jump into Tracey's Bed. Most interestingly will be the conditions under which the new owner must actually display My Bed. Previously (when not displayed in a gallery setting) the work has been on display at the home of its owner Charles Saatchi. As The Guardian reports, the work — a flurry of seemingly random miscellany — has very meticulous installation instructions. "It's a very complicated piece to put together," Director of Cadogan Tate Fine Art Stephen Glynn says. "It comes with a dossier of photographs of every object, and a list of where exactly everything needs to go." A bit like an Ikea instruction manual, then? "A bit. You're certainly trying to make sure that everything goes in the right place." Displayed at the Tate Modern in 1999, My Bed was shortlisted for the Turner Prize that year. Christies will put the Saatchi-owned work to auction, with proceeds going straight back to the Saatchi Gallery — the team are moving to make the gallery have free admission. Via Reuters and The Guardian.
Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins stitches past and present — four restored frontages on a storied corner outside, bold colour and layered storytelling within. The mood lands somewhere between gallery and hideaway: Mondrian blues nod to the city's street signs, while monkey motifs wink at E.W. Cole's legendary Book Arcade. A sculptural spiral staircase coils up through a cathedral-like atrium, where a circular bar offers front-row seats to a three-storey "cabinet of curiosities" by artist Lisa King. The palette swings from polished brass and jewel tones to exposed heritage bones, with intimate lobby nooks, a light-filled internal courtyard and a quietly social buzz that suits both staycays and work trips. Rooms and suites keep the narrative going without skimping on comfort. Expect free Wi-Fi and Chromecast-enabled TVs, mini bars stocked with Little Lon Gin and graphic maps that mark your exact laneway location. Design touches layer history with play — terrazzo tables made from recycled Skyy Vodka bottles, brass accents and gem-like stools — and a handful of balcony rooms overlook Little Collins for golden-hour people-watching. At Hotel Indigo, you're well and truly in the thick of it — theatres, galleries and shopping at the door, trams to the NGV, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the MCG within easy reach. There's a compact fitness centre for a quick sweat, a 12-seat meeting room for private dinners or brainstorms, and direct access to the refreshed Melbourne Walk precinct below, home to a mega JD Sports and pop-culture favourite Pop Mart (and adjacent MECCA flagship). The Hotel Indigo ethos is all about embodying its neighbourhood — and here on Little Collins Street, that means heritage facades, laneway attitude and a design language that reads like a love letter to the CBD. It's character over cookie-cutter, with enough creature comforts to make lingering feel inevitable.
After making his fortune at the card tables as a professional gambler, David Walsh launched MONA as something to give back to the community. Three years later it's become a national icon, boosted Tasmania's economy and given rise to one of Australia's best festivals. Now, despite labelling gambling as "mostly immoral", Walsh has plans in the works to build a mini-casino at his much-loved Tasmanian gallery. Yes, this is confusing. In its defence, Walsh's vision for the space goes far beyond the sad state of affairs you see on an average night at Star City or Crown. Designed for the more refined gambler, the space would be "a little high-roller, tourist-only, no-pokie casino". The entire operation would consist of nothing more than 12 cards tables. Basically, it'd be the perfect place for Bond villains to hang out should they ever find themselves in Australia. To add to this eye-patch wearing, cigar-puffing, international art smuggling cartel theme, Walsh has stated he would call the casino Monaco. While a cute play on the gallery name, the choice could also be a knowing wink at the ritzy Monte Carlo casino the nation is known for — a site coincidentally used in many Bond movies. Regardless, these plans have a long hard road to becoming a reality. At present, the Federal Group (owners of Wrest Point Casino) have an exclusive license on casino operations in Tasmania and Walsh's plans would require an overturning of the license by the state government. Walsh has reportedly made initial contact but is sceptical about his chances. At one point, the MONA owner was banned from Wrest Point for card counting. If the plans were to go through, the gallery would undoubtedly enjoy a large boost in funds. At the very least it would be an un unconventional solution to the impending cuts to Australia's arts industries and a welcome salvation for Walsh himself who has bankrolled the gallery since its inception. But honestly, the outlook doesn't look great. You can't blame an eccentric, art-loving millionaire for chasing the dream. Via The Guardian and The Mercury.
The last two years might have been a little lighter on travel adventures than we're used to, but if you're keen to make up for lost time, Visit Victoria has come up with a beaut excuse to escape the city and hit the road again. It's just unveiled its latest touring off-grid accommodation experience championing the regions — a tiny home stay for two by the name of Stella the Stargazer. Similarly to Visit Victoria's Wine Down Pop-Up Hotel, which launched in mid 2019, Stella won't be tying herself down to just one location. Rather, she'll move between three idyllic regional settings for eight weeks at a time, starting with a sojourn at Maffra's Blue Gables vineyard from Friday, October 14. [caption id="attachment_869901" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blue Gables Vineyard, Maffra[/caption] After its Gippsland stint, the environmentally sensitive pop-up will relocate to a spot along the Great Ocean Road for a couple of months, before seeing out its last leg nestled against the mountainous backdrop of the Grampians in April and May, 2023. The accommodation itself is a study in simple luxury, the off-grid tiny home the work of Port Fairy-based design and manufacture crew Ample. Inviting you to switch off, unplug and recharge, without forgoing comfort, it's kitted out with a queen-sized bed, complete with threads from Weave Home Australia, Society of Wanderers and Grampians Goods Co. There's a roll-out sleeping platform that's primed for stargazing, an indulgent shower surrounded by adjustable glass louvres designed to envelop you in the natural surroundings, and a central wood fire that doubles as a hotplate for cooking. Glass sliding doors open onto the modular deck and fire pit, and you'll find plenty of local wares featured throughout; from crockery, to Dindi Naturals toiletries. Meanwhile, famed chef Alejandro Saravia (Farmer's Daughters, Victoria by Farmer's Daughters) will ensure you're dining like royalty, with guests enjoying a curated welcome hamper, a bottle of wine and breakfast provisions showcasing top local produce. A dinner experience is also available to add on to your stay. Stella the Stargazer will make her home in Maffra, Gippsland, from October 14–December 15, 2022. She'll then stop in a new location along the Great Ocean Road from February 3–April 6, 2023, before moving to the Grampians from April 17–June 18, 2023. Rates are $330 per night Monday–Thursday, and $390 per night Friday–Sunday.
We've seen plenty of iPhone camera extensions before but this one takes the cake. Don't go wild just yet – it's still only in concept stage – but with the optical zoom of a Leica lens combined with the functionality of the Apple iPhone, the Leica i9 is sure to take iPhoneography to new heights. This week Black Design Associates announced the Leica i9 concept, which lets you slip your iPhone 4 into a Leica camera casing. The result? A point and shoot camera with internal flash memory, a 12.1 megapixel sensor and 8x optical zoom. In developing the concept, BDA asked the question: "How do you combine a great smart phone with a great digital camera when your brands may speak to very different categories?" BDA approached the brief with the strategy of compliment without compromise, allowing the strengths of both Apple and Leica products to shine through in tandem. Sweet features of the Leica i9 include: Camera/iPhone Toggle: turns on your camera with an instant start-up time of 0.3 seconds, while simultaneously loading the Leica app on your iPhone 4 Flash and Light Meter: offers higher quality photos and videos in low-light conditions Camera Back Dock: harks back to traditional 35mm film, the back swinging open like a traditional film door to reveal the standard Apple 30-pin connector dock [Via Engadget]
No matter your feelings on the ideal timeline between Boxing Day shopping and Easter treats hitting the shelves, March has arrived and those babies are coming in hot like a certain glazed fruit bun. And this year, you've got a boozy new offering to add to your Easter shopping list — a Hot Cross Rum from family-run Margaret River distillery The Grove. The small-batch sip has been hand-crafted using The Grove's four-year barrel-aged dark rum, then housed in an American Oak former bourbon barrel. Raisins, oranges and a bunch of warm spices are left to steep, before the rum's given a final infusion of classic hot cross bun flavours including cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. [caption id="attachment_845050" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Freedom Garvey-Warr[/caption] At the end, you've got a warm, rich, festive-tasting spirit, packed with notes of caramelised raisin, vanilla and cinnamon, with a lingering fruity finish. A 40-percent ABV hot cross bun in a glass, if you like. The Grove team recommends you sip their new creation neat; with a hot buttered Easter bun on the side for full effect, of course. Word is, it's also a solid match to a cheese board or dessert. Just 240 bottles of the Hot Cross Rum have been made, available now to pre-order with Australia-wide delivery happening this month, just in time for Easter. The Hot Cross Rum marks the first of The Grove's new Collector's Series of limited-edition spirits, so expect plenty more creative rum releases to follow. The Grove's Hot Cross Rum is available to pre-order via the website, at RRP $100 for a 500ml bottle.
Earlier this year, Melburnians scored another excuse to hit the water, with GoBoat splashing into town. After launching its eco-friendly picnic boats in cities all over Europe, the Danish company made the leap to Australia, giving punters a fun new way to cruise the Yarra. And, thanks to a new move, you now can hop onboard from the CBD. When GoBoat's vessels first arrived, the company was setting sail out of Docklands. If you're keen for a day on the river, you can now grab a boat from Banana Alley near Flinders Street Station. GoBoat has just secured a ten-year berthing arrangement with Parks Victoria, which means that it won't be shifting again anytime soon, either. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the outfit's Scandinavian-designed vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don't require a boating licence, making for fuss-free sailing sessions. In a win for the planet, they also run on silent, pollution-free, electric engines, and are crafted from a mix of reclaimed timber and recycled PET bottles. Each of the contemporary GoBoats clocks in at 18-feet long, boasting a central picnic table with room for eight people (and all the necessary snacks and booze). And despite what you might be thinking, they're even affordable enough to fit your post-holiday budget — simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will cost you less than $15 per person, per hour. That's $109 hourly in total, or $189 for two hours, $269 for three hours, $349 for four hours, $429 for five hours and $509 for six hours. Yes, you can really make a whole day of it. Bookings are currently available until the end of March, with timeslots available in 15-minute increments from 11am. The boats required to be returned by sunset, with the specific time obviously changing with the seasons. Oh, and did we mention they're pet-friendly? Surely you've got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt. For more information about GoBoat, or to make a booking, visit the service's website. Images: Lean Timms.
One balmy day this summer, a normally quiet pocket of Abbotsford is set to come alive, as it plays host to a rollicking, tune-filled block party. On February 2, Duke Street will be putting on quite the show, with resident businesses opening their doors for a series of one-off activations. Enjoy crafty brews and live, local tunes at Moon Dog Brewery, a local design showcase at Hub Furniture, motorbike workshops at Kustom Kommune, freshly roasted coffee courtesy of Bureaux Coffee Roasters, plus plenty more. You'll also find an assortment of pop-up dining spaces, slinging specialty food and cocktails to fuel the day's fun. Meanwhile, touring agency Crown Ruler and Melbourne collective Untitled Group — the peeps behind Beyond the Valley, Pitch Music & Arts, Ability Fest — are teaming up to deliver one heck of a music lineup, with a main stage overlooking Yarra Bend bushland and a second making its home in a carpark. Dishing up a broad range of musical goodness will be USA synth-funk darling Evelyn Champagne King, along with Mondo Freaks, a DJ set from UK legends Floating Points, and London-based selector John Gómez. They'll be joined by a swag of local favourites, including Total Giovanni, Nasty Mars & The Martians, Cassettes For Kids and Brooke Powers. Duke Street Block Party will run from 12pm–10pm. Pre-sale tickets will be released at 5pm on Thursday, December 20 — signup for them here — with general tickets at 12pm on Friday, December 21.
We can't yet zipline around the entire world, though it does sound like something Elon Musk might dream up. We can, however, come up with an increasingly impressive holiday itinerary by touring the globe's scenic zipline spots. From this week, the Grand Canyon joins the list. Zooming along tightly stretched cables is already a reality at the world's longest zipline opening at Jebel Jais in the United Arab Emirates and across Dubai's skyline. London recently had one, currently letting locals and visitors fly across the city, as did Sydney did, stretching between two skyscrapers 75 metres above Circular Quay. Seeing the Grand Canyon from such lofty heights is now on offer at Grand Canyon West, at the Hualapai Ranch in Arizona, reaching 300 metres above the floor of the rock formation. Capable of accommodating 350,000 visitors each year, two ziplines have been strung across the natural wonder, one measuring 335 metres and the other spanning 640 metres while traversing a steeper run. Each consists of four steel cables running side-by-side, which means that groups can enjoy the experience together. Riders will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. For those planning a high-adrenaline sight-seeing stint as part of their next US trip, tickets cost AU$115, with the zipline operating from Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. The ziplines join the resort's helicopter tours and 1.2-kilometre-high skywalk among its sky-high attractions. Via PR Newswire.
Replacing traditional gin ingredients with homegrown delights such as Australian lemon myrtle, pepperberry, lavender and cassia, the Fossey's team can be found hand-foraging and hand-bottling its gins in Mildura, the largest settlement in the Sunraysia region (aka the land of grapes and oranges). Fossey's Navel Strength Gin Elixir has won awards at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards; it's a drop that's packed full of juniper berries, ginger and — you guessed it — citrus. It has four times the amount of citrus than the distillery's regular gin: a nod to how historically, navy sailors would sip, squeeze and scrounge for oranges to keep scurvy at bay. Mark this one down on your 'someday' map — you might be somewhere near Mildura at some point and the bar would make a welcome pitstop, what with its gin and whisky tasting paddles, and its impressive lineup of cocktails. Otherwise, you can order a bottle of Fossey's online from $75.
Decking the halls with boughs of holly — or whatever other jolly decorations you like — is a standard way to celebrate Christmas. Enjoying a holiday in a caravan decked out like a seasonal dream? That isn't, but you can add it to your list this November. You will need to adore the merriest time of year, obviously. And you'll have to be keen to take an early festive getaway in New South Wales as well. Your Christmas tree-, fairy light- and festive ornament-filled home away from home? Tillie, aka the Christmas caravan, which is available to book via RV rental site Camplify. The service set up shop in Australia a few years back now, and has treated holidaymakers to gin-themed caravans before — but now it's time to take a getaway that's all about Christmas. A vintage caravan that leans into its retro vibe, Tillie sleeps four, and is available at your choice of three Reflections Holiday Parks in NSW: Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks. Whichever one you pick, you'll be paying $125 per night, and the van will be delivered to your chosen site — all decorated, of course — for you. Inside the van, expect those ornaments aplenty. Outside — where it's recommended that you kick back as the sun goes down — fairy lights and Christmas garlands will be wrapped around Tillie. And, you'll even find a wreath on the back of the van, too. No one will be saying "bah, humbug!" here, clearly. You do need to commit to a four-night stay at a minimum, so no need to rush your festive holiday. Also, there's an $80 service fee — and while delivering Tillie to Hawks Nest and Jimmys Beach is free, there's an extra $100 cost for Seal Rocks. All three sites sit along the coast, turning your time with Tillie into a beachy Christmas jaunt. At Hawks Nest, you'll find yourself between Bennett's Beach and the village of Hawks Nest, and also in the vicinity of Port Stephens and Nelson Bay. At Jimmys Beach, you'll be in NSW's Great Lakes region. And at Seal Rocks, a mid-north coast escape awaits. To book Tillie throughout November — with prices from $125 per day, and rentals available at Reflections Holiday Parks at Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks — visit the Camplify website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Icon alert: in a year that's already bringing everyone from Kraftwerk, Devo and Paul McCartney to Sparks, Ms Lauryn Hill and Christina Aguilera Australia's way, Chaka Khan is also heading Down Under. The American singer and ten-time Grammy-winner will headline the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, putting on a one-night-only Aussie-exclusive show at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. And joining her onstage? Nile Rodgers & Chic while they're in the country for Harvest Rock. That evening of tunes will be all about icons teaming up with icons, clearly. Khan — aka the Queen of Funk — will celebrate five decades in the music industry with talents that've been around just as long. Among the Chicago-born singer's hits: 'I'm Every Woman', which was later covered by Whitney Houston; the Prince-penned 'I Feel for You'; and 'Ain't Nobody' with her funk band Rufus. Rodgers and Chic will bust out 'Le Freak' and 'Good Times', and also revel in their own hefty history. And, there's also the former's prowess as a guitarist to relish — which has seen him pop up on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. As a writer and producer, too, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Khan, Rodgers and Chic will be supported by Kaiit and Horns of Leroy at their six-hour opening-weekend show, which will help launch MIFJ's 26th festival. Running from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne, the rest of the fest's lineup spans more than 100 events, with 11 world premieres and ten Australian-exclusive performances on that list. Lisa Simone, daughter of Nina Simone, will take to Hamer Hall's stage to sing her mother's songs, while the Hot 8 Brass Band will host and lead the Second Line Street Party, a New Orleans jazz parade along the Yarra, Southbank and into Fed Square. The fest's international contingent is bringing Cécile McLorin Salvant, Makaya McCraven, GoGo Penguin and SFJAZZCollective to Melbourne as well, alongside trumpeters Marquis Hill and Ingrid Jensen. Also on offer: Raw Denshi, with the Australian Art Orchestra teaming up with Japanese hip hop's Kojoe and Hikaru Tanaka — and a collaboration featuring William Barton's didgeridoo sounds and Nduduzo Makhathini's jazz stylings. Or, jazz fans can hit up Federation Square to see Bumpy Thndo and Rita Satch play for free, then get their toes tapping to Afrobeat at Beasts of No Nation, where 87-year-old Ghanaian guitarist Ebo Taylor will make his Australian debut. Throw in Australian names such as Elixir and Paul Grabowsky AO, Chapel Off Chapel hosting five days of jazz, JazzLab in Brunswick welcoming late-night jams, and outdoor dining and tunes at Grazeland, and this hefty program keeps throwing up more and more reasons to attend. The 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 29 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets from 8am on Tuesday, August 29.
In Mark Wahlberg's performances, men are patriotic heroes and fun-loving dads. With his Funky Bunch and Boogie Nights days long behind him, that's the image he's been cultivating on-screen of late. The actor's resume has become littered with gung-ho action and family-friendly comedies — Patriot's Day, Mile 22 and Transformers sequels on one side; a pair of Daddy's Home movies and now Instant Family on the other. As different as the two might seem, both types of film basically allow him to play the same character. He doesn't disappear into his roles or make every part feel distinctive, but simply adds to his particular portrait of masculinity. While Wahlberg might hunt down terrorists in one flick, battle shape-shifting robots in another and then face the challenges of being a father in the next, he's really just painting the same picture one movie at a time. Instant Family, Wahlberg's latest all-ages affair, slides seamlessly into his recent filmography. As for the actor, he steps into the shoes of Pete Wagner, a take-charge kind of guy who renovates and sells houses for a profit with his wife Ellie (Rose Byrne). The couple's life is comfortable and happy, but they've fallen into a rut. So, being at the age where everyone comments about their lack of kids, they start thinking about helping children in need. Approaching becoming foster parents like they're remodelling a rundown home, the pair considers their new task a spiritual and emotional revamp. And the arrival of teenager Lizzy (Isabela Moner) and her siblings Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Julianna Gamiz) goes smoothly at first; in fact, Pete and Ellie are initially pretty pleased with themselves. It's easy to see why Instant Family appealed to Wahlberg, who gets to play another tough but tender everyman facing a challenge, looking out for his family and doing what his type of guy does. That said, there's more to this specific story, with the film inspired by the life of director and foster parent Sean Anders. There's an evident ring of truth to many of the movie's scenes — the awkwardness of adoption fairs, where potential caregivers browse for kids like they might a new pet, coo over cute tykes and steer clear of teenagers, provides just one example. Anders hasn't come up with an offbeat scenario solely for laughs, and it shows in the script penned with his regular co-writer John Morris. Certainly, the authentic side of Instant Family shines through on occasion. It definitely shines brighter than the picture's unremarkable imagery. But Anders also wrote and directed the broad, formulaic Daddy's Home and its equally grating follow-up, and he's not giving up his by-the-numbers ways yet. As a result, Instant Family is a movie with its heart firmly in the right spot, yet it doesn't trust that audiences will buy in without the expected array of physical mishaps, kids saying the darnedest things and adults getting frustrated in the usual cliched manner. It's a film that feels caught between what it wants to say and what it needs to be — and while supporting actors Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro bring genuine comedic chops to the more overt comic moments, the movie just can't reconcile its various parts. Think the Bad Neighbours flicks, but pitting new parents against actual children in a kid-friendly fashion. Think the aforementioned Daddy's Home duo, too, but much less stale and more sincere. Instant Family is never as entertaining as the first set of films or as excruciating as the second, and if you prefer the former to the latter, Byrne is obviously here to help. Like her co-lead, she's doing something that she's done before, however the Aussie actor never makes her character feel like a stock-standard part. That she manages such a feat while being saddled with some of the movie's most routine material — playing a thirty-something woman who suddenly gets maternal and regrets her life decisions, namely — confirms why she's one of today's great, often underrated comedic performers. When it comes to enlivening an otherwise run-of-the-mill role, Wahlberg might want to take note. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWHr6AUxwI
Three months have passed in 2023, but Marvel fans have only enjoyed one chance to get their caped-crusader fix so far. The ever-sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe is reportedly set to keep spreading at a slower rate from now on, in fact; however, both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Secret Invasion are on their way — and soon. The latter joins the MCU's small-screen slate, alongside WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk. The focus: Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. The Director of SHIELD and creator of the Avengers Initiative acted as the connective tissue between most of the big-screen franchise's early instalments — if Jackson didn't show up in a Marvel movie back then, was it really a Marvel movie? — but it's taken 15 years since first appearing in the post-credits scene of the original Iron Man for him to gain the spotlight in his own adventure. Secret Invasion itself has been in the works for some time, after first being announced back in 2020, and also dropping a debut trailer in 2022. Now, it finally has a release date: Wednesday, June 21. Mark your diaries, then get excited by checking out the show's latest trailer, which goes heavy on the looming war. The six-episode show will reteam with Fury as a battle is imminent with the shapeshifting Skrulls, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother) keeps asking help and his popularity within the MCU is waning. Plenty of other familiar faces pop up, too: Australia's own Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) returning as Talos after Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years) as War Machine and Martin Freeman (Breeders) as the CIA's Everett Ross. Will their characters really show up? Or will we really be seeing Skrull impersonators? Obviously, that'll only be answered when Secret Invasion arrives. Because every actor ever has to fit into the MCU at some point, the above cast is joined by a few other huge names as well: Olivia Colman (Empire of Light), Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami). The story clearly ties into Captain Marvel, which is proving a launching pad for more than a few recent and upcoming MCU chapters, such as streaming's Ms Marvel and big-screen release The Marvels — which teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman), and also arrives this year, in November. Fury, and therefore Jackson, did appear in two episodes of the Agents of SHIELD TV show in 2013 and 2014, so this isn't the character's first small-screen outing. Behind the scenes, Kyle Bradstreet (Mr Robot) created Secret Invasion, and writes and executive produces. Check out the latest trailer for Secret Invasion below: Secret Invasion will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, June 21. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Over the past six months, Fleabag picked up six Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes, becoming the most-acclaimed TV comedy of the past year. Sadly, that isn't enough to inspire Phoebe Waller-Bridge to make more episodes of the hit show — but for everyone lamenting the Fleabag-sized hole in their lives, the multi-talented Brit has a new project landing soon. She has a couple, actually. Waller-Bridge helped write the script for upcoming Bond flick No Time to Die, which is no small feat. If you're keen to see her on-screen, however, then you'll want to add Run to your must-watch pile. Waller-Bridge executive produces and pops up among the cast, with Vicky Jones — the director of her Fleabag stage show, and a script editor on Fleabag's first TV season — writing and producing the series. Hitting HBO in the US in mid-April, with release dates Down Under yet to be revealed, Run spends time with ex-lovers Ruby Richardson (Unbelievable's Merritt Wever) and Billy Johnson (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker's Domhnall Gleeson). They dated in college and, 17 years ago, they made a pact. First, one of them has to text the word 'run' whenever they feel like it. Next, the other has to respond the same way. After that, they both have to drop everything, step away from their everyday lives and meet at Grand Central Station, then travel across the America together. For Ruby, that means escaping her monotonous existence and leaving her husband (Mad Men's Rich Sommer) at home. As for what happens next, the just-released first trailer gives a sneak peek. Expect plenty of chatty train trips, as well as both tension and laughs — with HBO badging the series as a romantic-comedy thriller. And if you're wondering about Waller-Bridge, she plays Laurel, a woman who Ruby and Billy meet on their journey. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=_jwEiXdJGKM&feature=emb_logo Run starts screening in the US from Sunday, April 12, with air dates Down Under yet to be announced — we'll update you when local details come to hand. Image: Ken Woroner/HBO.
Good times are coming Down Under in October, and disco-soul hit 'Good Times', too. As well as locking in spots at 2023's Harvest Rock in Adelaide and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Nile Rodgers & Chic are doing their own headline tour. Ah, Melburnians, get ready to freak out at their headlining gig on Sunday, October 29 at the Forum — with tickets on sale at 11am on Thursday, September 28. Not only 'Good Times' but also 'Le Freak' is certain to get a whirl when the one and only Rodgers takes to the stage with the group that he co-founded more than five decades ago. Also on their recent setlists: Chic tracks 'Everybody Dance', 'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' and 'I Want Your Love'. [caption id="attachment_916215" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Marshall via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Mention Chic and Rodgers instantly springs to mind; however, as a guitarist, the latter is in a league of his own. You'll also know his work on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, including single 'Get Lucky'. And as a writer and producer, he's had a hand in everything from David Bowie's Let's Dance album to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin'. Accordingly, Nile Rodgers & Chic gigs are known to bust out tracks from across Rodgers' career beyond Chic. Cue 'Get Lucky' and its earworm of a guitar riff, both 'Let's Dance' and the always-delightful 'Modern Love' by Bowie, and also a Madonna double of 'Like a Virgin' and 'Material Girl'. Because Rodgers and late, great fellow Chic member Bernard Edwards were involved in writing, composing and/or producing them, Diana Ross' 'I'm Coming Out' and 'Upside Down' also get a spin, plus Sister Sledge's 'He's the Greatest Dancer' and 'We Are Family'.
Tucked away deep in Cheltenham's bustling industrial area, Bambam Eatery is a light-filled, family-run cafe boasting a mostly vegan menu that changes almost daily. The oft-rotating menu is thanks to the super-fresh produce on the menu, which is sourced by Bambam owner Evan Georgopoulos and his father Angelo from Moorabbin Wholesale Farmers Fresh Market in the morning before the cafe opens. "We have a core menu of sandwiches and bagels," says Evan."But the rest is whatever is in season at the time. We have a really honest relationship with our fruit and vegetable vendor and we are not price-driven. If avocado isn't right on the day, we won't put it on the menu." Created by Evan and his mum Maria, the menu is described as "accidentally mostly vegan". And while the noticeable lack of meat wasn't on purpose, the duo hopes it'll help to break misconceptions about vegan food. "Veganism has come a really long way," says Evan. "People once thought vegan food was lacking in flavour, but, now, people eat our menu and are surprised to realise what they're eating has no meat in it. It has been really exciting to watch." [caption id="attachment_743145" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] When Evan and the team aren't sourcing produce from the market, they're teaming up with local makers like Bromley's Bread and Huff Bagelry to ensure every element on the plate is locally sourced. Which also includes Bambam's vibrant house-made hot sauce. Those visiting for a quick lunch fix can grab a Really Good Sh**t ($12) poppyseed bagel loaded with smoked trout, cream cheese and pickles, or a PB & Maple Bagel ($10) oozing with banana and crunchy peanut butter. More vegan-friendly options include the Green Dreamz ($15) — a delightful treasure trove of charred, seasonal vegetables — and the Fal#fels ($15) special, served up with labneh, pickled vegetables and plenty of chilli. If you do eat meat, though, there's plenty on the menu for you, too, including the Bad + Boujee bowl ($16), packed with the aforementioned smoky hot sauce, 'njuda, creamy hummus, roast butternut pumpkin soft eggs and sourdough — and the Number TwentyFive ($12), the cafe's take on a B&E roll made with pork belly, a fried egg and XO mayo. [caption id="attachment_743141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Evan and Maria Georgopoulos by Julia Sansone[/caption] Aside from food, sustainability is another passion of the Georgopoulos family. The cafe is powered by solar panels, is a plastic-free business and the team makes cold-pressed juices in house. "We work in a closed loop as much as possible," explains Evan. "We serve up our coffee in Huskee Cups (made from the husks of coffee beans) and our used coffee grounds are turned into compost. We're also working on some other products that minimise waste and our customers can take home with them — watch this space." From October 4, Bambam will keep its doors open past 4pm every Friday for after-work knockoffs. Inspired by Italian aperitivo hours, After Dark will star cocktails and share plates to "butter you up" before the weekend begins. Find Bambam Eatery at 132 Keys Road, Cheltenham. It's open from Monday–Friday 7am–3.30pm and Saturday 8am–2.30pm. Top images: Julia Sansone
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next escape. In this instalment, we go to The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania, where you'll encounter hundreds of artworks adorning the walls, views of the harbour and boutique interiors with exposed timber beams and walls of hand-cut stone that nod to the building's former life as a waterfront jam factory. Stay here as part of one of our curated itineraries on Concrete Playground Trips that includes a four-nights stay with daily breakfast included, scenic flights for two over Wineglass Bay, and Posh Pit tickets to MONA. Book it now. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Located in the Hunter Street precinct, this building is one of the oldest waterfront warehouses in Hobart named for the one-time building owner who started working in the former jam factory as a 12-year-old kid, working his way up the ranks until he eventually took over the business and ultimately made the jam trade his bitch. While art hotels are no longer new-news, the Henry Jones does has the claim to fame as Australia's first dedicated art hotel and the extensive collection of works and ongoing artist in residence program upholds its place as a leader within the onslaught of art-devoted stays that has followed. There are some 400 artworks throughout the property with a strong representation of emerging Tasmanian artists. Stroll the hallways, guest rooms, drinking and dinings options and public spaces, including The Packing Room Gallery, which hosts a roster of themed exhibitions. THE ROOMS At the Henry Jones Art Hotel no two rooms are the same. Organic materials, tones and polished timber meets rich accents of primary colours and thoughtfully curated decor in each of the hotel's lodgings. In many rooms, large harbour-facing windows let in natural light to show off sleek contemporary design elements amid the building's original features. Like much of Hobart, it's a collision of old and new influences. As for the details: luxurious bedding, original artworks and beautifully-appointed modern bathrooms complete with ample fluffy white towels. There's also the requisite free wifi and in-room coffee machine, and in some rooms you'll find an ultra-deep Kohler bath tub for soaking between strolls and sampling the sensational local dining scene. FOOD AND DRINK Speaking of dining, the in-house offering is a step above your usual hotel lobby bar. There's the IXL Long Bar, for innovative cocktails and snacks. At the front of the hotel is the Landscape Restaurant and Grill with a menu by Head Chef Nathaniel Embrey designed around the Asado grill and inspired by the region's exceptional local produce and artworks of legendary landscape artist John Glover that surrounds diners. Then there's the hero of the lineup: Peacock & Jones. Culinary Curator Ben Milbourne (chef and former Masterchef Australia contestant) and Head Chef Julian Volkmer (MONA) have crafted a menu that celebrates the very best of seasonal Tasmanian produce from sea urchin to truffles. And, of course, the drinks program showcases a carefully considered selection of Tasmanian wines, whiskies and spirits. [caption id="attachment_869996" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maria Island[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA It's no secret that we are serious devotees to all that Tasmania's got on offer. Here's a quick guide to some of our Hobart favourites, and a more comprehensive exploration of all the flavours of Tassie can be found here. Head to The Henry Jones Art Hotel website to book a stay or, if you'd rather we sort your itinerary for you, book our curated Bucket-List Hobart Getaway here.
If you're missing travel as much as we are, you're probably spending your days dreaming of faraway destinations — and binge watching every single travel show on Netflix. But, Australian intrastate borders are beginning to open, which means it's time to start planning a local getaway. And we found a way to do this that won't cost you a cent. Surf fashion brand Roxy is giving two Aussies the chance to win a free trip to absolutely any beach in the country. Maybe you could head to New South Wales' Cabarita Beach — Tourism Australia's best beach for 2020 — or The Whitsundays' Whitehaven Beach, which has been named one of the best beaches in the world (multiple times). Whether you're after white sands and sparkling blue waters, secluded spots hidden away from the hustle and bustle or legendary stretches of surf, Australia has it. You just need to choose the beach you want to visit. [caption id="attachment_785976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach in The Whitsundays[/caption] To enter, head over to the competition website and describe, in 25 words or less, your all-time favourite Aussie beach, and what makes it so bloody great. You'll also have to subscribe to the Roxy mailing list, but we reckon that's a small price to pay. If you win, Roxy will organise the flights, accommodation and hire car to your chosen destination — and you'll get a $500 gift card to spend on some new beachy threads. And don't worry about COVID-19 restrictions when choosing your beach — Roxy will honour the prize until it's fully safe to travel anywhere in Australia. The competition closes on Saturday, October 31, though, so best get on it. Roxy's Request a Beach competition run until Saturday, October 31. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Apologies to your usual streaming queue — and to everything from the past month you're still trying to catch up with, too — but if you're a horror fan, there's only one acceptable way to spend your viewing time during October. Filling every spare second with unnerving flicks new and old is what the lead up to Halloween is all about. Scary movies work all year round, of course, but this is their season. Here's one to add to your list for your next couch session: Jordan Peele's Nope, the comedian-turned-filmmaker's third stint behind the camera, and a movie that's just as great as his Oscar-winning Get Out and equally exceptional Us. Yep, when it comes to making the leap from an iconic sketch comedy series to helming horror fare — and having a hand in bringing everything from BlacKkKlansman and the ace latest Candyman flick to Hunters and Lovecraft Country to our eyeballs, too — the former Key & Peele has been having a helluva time of it. Nope only hit cinemas in mid-August, and it's actually still showing on the big screen — so it joins the list of films that've been fast-tracked to digital while still gracing picture palaces. That's no longer a rarity, given that everything from Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, Spencer and West Side Story through to Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Elvis have done the same thing this year. Still, the timing of this digital release couldn't be better, especially if you've spent the first few days of October working out which chilling movies you're going to enjoy all month. The film reteams Peele with Get Out star and Judas and the Black Messiah Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya, with the latter playing Haywood's Hollywood Horses trainer OJ. His family ranch is proudly run by the only Black-owned horse trainers in show business (with Hustlers' Keke Palmer as his sister Emerald), with their connection to the industry dating back to the very birth of cinema. But their remote patch of inland California soon becomes home to a disturbing discovery — and the fact that everyone spends a fair amount of time either looking up in horror or running away from something chilling in the sky in the trailers says plenty. Emerald decides that they need to capture what's happening on film, which is where Michael Wincott (Veni Vidi Vici) and Brandon Perea (The OA) come in — one charged with standing behind the lens, the other selling tech equipment. And, the Haywoods aren't the only California residents seeing this uncanny presence in the sky, with neighbour, rodeo cowboy and former child star Ricky 'Jupe' Park (Steven Yeun, The Humans) also peering upwards. As with all of Peele's celluloid nightmares so far, the less you know going in, the better. Get ready for a whirlwind of unsettling imagery, though, including fields of colourful inflatable tube men waving in the breeze, the creepiest of clouds and shadows, and a big leap into X-Files territory. Check out the full trailer for Nope below: Nope is currently screening in Australian cinemas (and NZ cinemas), and is also available to stream online via video on demand — including via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video in Australia, and Neon, Google Play and iTunes in NZ. Read our full review.
Live in New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland? Craving a doughnut right about now? There's a very good reason for those hunger pangs. All three states have been affected by Melbourne's latest COVID-19 cluster — the one that saw the city go into lockdown for two weeks, and only just ended — but today, Friday, June 11, the country's entire east coast has recorded zero new locally acquired cases. Yes, it's a doughnut day across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and across the rest of their states as well. Twelve months or so ago, if you uttered that term, you were probably using it in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of the past year, however, the term now refers to this welcome COVID-19 milestone. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1403120157711605764 All three states use slightly different timeframes when it comes to their 24-hour reporting periods — NSW cuts off at 8pm the previous day, for instance, while Victoria counts up until midnight — but the results are the same regardless. In Melbourne, it's the first zero day since the current cluster began. So, it's the first since Monday, May 24. Obviously, with lockdown just finishing last night, that nice round figure is very happy news. While neither Queensland or NSW have had big case numbers lately, the big fat zero is still significant there as well. On Wednesday, it was revealed that two people from Melbourne had driven through NSW and Queensland to the Sunshine Coast, with one then testing positive. The second person then tested positive on Thursday. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1403182248707256320 At the moment, Victoria has 75 active cases, which includes both locally acquired and those in hotel quarantine. NSW has 26 cases being treated at present — and in Queensland there is currently 15 cases. Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over in any of the three states, or around Australia — but it is a very welcome development after the past few days and weeks. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Department of Health website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in the Queensland, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
A cucumber is more or less responsible for Andrew Mowbray's obsession with the gourd. Wandering around his garden one fateful morning, he made a rather unusual discovery. Between his fence and a tree, a cucumber was growing, but as a result of being squashed on both sides, it looked more like a hard, green pancake - 'pressed flat with rounded edges and completely trapped'. Finding the form 'formally interesting' and 'architecturally amazing', he started thinking about how he might be able to re-create it in a manner that would not be threatened by decomposition. Research led him to the Lagenaria gourd, which won't come as a surprise to those acquainted with the robust plant. When people initially came up with the idea of cultivating plants, the Lagenaria gourd was one of the first with which they experimented. Once dried, it becomes as tough as wood, making for a trusty container, bottle, ladle or birdhouse. The West Africans were the first to transform it into an instrument, and the concept soon spread through Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. The gourd is one of the few plants that we grow for aesthetic and practical purposes, rather than to feed ourselves. Now, Mowbray is taking its functionality to new heights, by transforming the gourd into a building block. He grows each one in an acrylic container, which is cubic, with semi-circular depressions enabling the development of 'nubs or buttons'. A modular unit' can be created by locking several of them together. At the same time, he is exploring the sculptural potential of the gourd's form, through emulation with plaster, cement and other materials. [VIA Inhabitat]
Melburnians, get ready to venture a little further from home — and to play golf, tennis and other outdoor activities with your mates, and hit up a few personal training sessions, too. Victoria's recently announced roadmap out of lockdown is about to reach its first milestone, with 80 percent of the state's eligible residents expected to have had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Tuesday, September 28. So, at 11.59pm that evening, a few restrictions will ease. If this sounds familiar, that's because the current roadmap highlighted most of these changes when it was unveiled back on Sunday, September 19; however, there have been a couple of amendments. Firstly, it was initially expected that 80-percent single-jabbed threshold would arrive today, Sunday, September 26, but that hasn't proven the case. Secondly, as Premier Daniel Andrews has just revealed, some of the easing rules have been tinkered with. Wondering what life holds from Wednesday, September 29 onwards (because you'll only have a minute to enjoy the new rules the day prior)? Firstly, the ten-kilometre radius is expanding to 15 kilometres — so that's how far from home you'll be able to mosey to shop, for exercise and for outdoor social interaction. Also, what you're allowed to do in groups outdoors will change to include 'contactless' recreation. So, things like golf and tennis will be permitted, as will boating. They'll be allowed under the same picnic rules that are in place now — which includes one person who isn't from your household if you aren't fully vaxxed, and up to five adults from two households, plus their dependents, if all adults have had both their jabs. The current four-hour limit on outdoor exercise and socialising remains in place. And, personal training is also back for five fully vaxxed people outdoors, plus a double-jabbed trainer. Plus, there'll be no more restrictions on playgrounds, which'll now fall under the general outdoor gathering rules. After another big week of vaccinations we're set to hit our roadmap's 80% first dose target on Tuesday. That means from Tuesday 11.59pm, on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, there will be a modest easing to restrictions across Victoria. pic.twitter.com/omzZcnzmlA — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) September 26, 2021 These relaxed restrictions form part of Melbourne's path out of its current (and sixth) lockdown. The city first went back under the present stay-at-home conditions at the beginning of August — just nine days after the previous lockdown ended — and has seen those rules extended multiple times so far, and a nighttime curfew implemented as well. Earlier in September, the requirements regarding outdoor social interaction and the distance you're permitted to travel away from home for those outdoor gatherings, exercise and to shop eased slightly; however, the changes now coming into effect on Tuesday, September 28 will relax the rules a little further. After this, more restrictions are slated to ease when 70 percent of the state's residents aged over 16 have been fully vaxxed, which is when lockdown will end, the curfew will be ditched and the the travel radius go up to 25 kilometres. Also, ten fully vaccinated people will be allowed to gather outdoors, and outdoor community sport will return. Plus, pubs, clubs and entertainment venues can open to 50 double-jabbed people — but outdoors only — and weddings and funerals can do the same. And, for the fully vaxxed, five people can go to a hairdressers at once. Following that, at the 80-percent double-dosed threshold for over 16s, groups of ten, including dependents, will be allowed in homes. Groups of 30 fully vaxxed people can gather outdoors, too. Dining indoors at hospitality venues will resume, with up to 150 double-vaxxed folks allowed, and the cap will go up to 500 outside. There'll be no travel radius, so intrastate travel will be back with no limits. Indoor community sport will return as well, there'll be a 150-person cap on hairdressing for the fully vaxxed, and all retail stores will reopen. Indoor entertainment venues, plus weddings and funerals, will follow those 150 and 500 caps mentioned above. And, masks will only be required inside from this point. Reported yesterday: 779 new local cases and 0 cases acquired overseas. - 34,280 vaccines administered - 46,322 test results received - Sadly, 2 people with COVID-19 have died More later: https://t.co/OCCFTAtS1P#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/8J2JOHhd7O — VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) September 25, 2021 Finally, when 80 percent of Victorians over 12 are completely vaccinated, the state will align with the rules under Australia's new 'National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response' that was announced in July. That's when double-jabbed Australians are expected to be able to travel overseas again without restrictions, when there's set to be no lockdowns, and when vaxxed Aussies will be free from domestic restrictions anyway. The Federal Government is expected to flesh out these rules in the coming months. Also, Victoria has committed that for Christmas, 30 people will be permitted inside homes. Exactly when that'll kick in — obviously before December 25 — hasn't been revealed. It's worth noting that the national plan requires all of Australia to reach each vaccination threshold overall before an individual state or territory that's met that milestone can ease restrictions — but that hasn't been mentioned in Victoria's roadmap, other than at the final phase. Wondering where you can currently get vaccinated? There's a handy online map that helps you find your nearest clinic. Keen to keep an eye on vaccination rates? A heap of online resources will help you do that as well. Victoria's latest round of eased restrictions will come into effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday, September 28. For further information about Victoria's reopening roadmap, head to the Victorian Government website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health website. Top image: Royal Botanic Gardens, Visit Victoria.
Attention aestheticians, minimalists and lovers of Tumblr, this is a public service announcement: there's Pantone-themed café just opened in Monaco and it’s fifty shades of beautiful. The eatery, named Pantone Cafe (keepin’ it simple, classic Pantone), has been set up on Avenue Princesse Grace overlooking the Côte d'Azur and against the vibrant backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. They'll be serving up treats and drinks that perfectly match Pantone’s famed hues. You know what this means, people. Bring your goddamn cameras. Everything at Pantone Cafe has been matched to a Pantone shade — even the staff uniforms. The menu reads like summer incarnate: ice creams, eclairs, granitas, soft drinks, 'fruit alcohol', cold sandwiches and juice. Try the in-vogue Pantone 13-0221 Pistachio Green éclair or the Pantone 13-2804 Parfait Pink ham sandie. A ham sandie has never been so lux. In case you hadn't guessed from the Côte d'Azur/Mediterranean location, Pantone Cafe has a summer theme and is therefore only open for the summer months until September 9. That is still ample time to quit your job, leave your family, bail to Monaco and really focus on your Tumblr aesthetic. But you better crack your piggy bank wide open because according to 2014 stats from the World Bank, the Monegasque are the richest people on earth. A Pantone 15-5534 green salad will set you back $13, so all you poor colourphiles might have to stick with a $3 croissant instead. Find the Pantone Café at Grimaldi Forum, 10 Av. Princesse Grace. Open from 10am-8pm daily, until September 9. Images: Pantone Cafe.
Is there any activity that KFC doesn't think could be improved by fried chicken? Given that the fast-food chain has put on weddings, opened a pop-up nightclub, held a music festival and hosted an 11-course degustation, there clearly isn't. The next to join the list is holidays. Even better, the chook-slinging brand is serving up free holidays. Always wanted to know what KFC dishes up in other countries? Now you can head there to find out on the brand's dime. KFC is calling its giveaway Kentucky Fly Chicken, naturally. Is Kentucky on the destination list? That hasn't been revealed, because exactly where you could be spending time is being kept a surprise. The promotion starts on Tuesday, February 20, runs through to Monday, March 18, and includes giving away trips over four weeks. Each week's winner scores a jaunt to somewhere around the world were fried chicken is definitely on the menu, of course. To enter, you do indeed need to buy some KFC first. Wannabe travellers can hit up the KFC app, then look for the international products among the usual range. They'll stand out in terms of what they're dishing up, but they're hidden. Locate them, spend at least $1 on an order, then cross your chicken-loving fingers that you emerge victorious in the winners' draw. Whatever the special meal is that you're looking for on the app, the nation that it's from is where you'll be flying to if your name is picked. And while there's only four trips on offer now, the campaign unofficially started with a fifth getaway which has already been won. It was to Tokyo, and involved spotting the wafu cutlet burger on the Aussie app, then jetting to Japan to try it in-person. The four folks who receive the rest of the prize getaways will get business-class flights, four-star accommodation, plus $6000 in total in cultural experiences and spending money while you're there. KFC is calling the promotion a travel service, because arranging your itinerary is covered. Depending on the destination, this might be an excuse to break out your KFC sweater — or your bucket hat from the chain's 2023 couture line. To enter the Kentucky Fly Chicken promotion, head to the KFC app between Tuesday, February 20–Monday, March 18, look for the international products among the menu and spend at least $1 on an order. Visit the KFC website for more details.
If your ideal holiday is being poolside, cocktail in hand, in sunny Palm Springs, then get ready to book yourself in for a vacay in Albury. Yep, a retro-style Palm Springs-inspired resort is set to open in the regional town that straddles the NSW and Victorian border, making it the perfect pitstop on your next road trip. Sure, it might not be the same desert oasis in California, but it'll save you a whopping airfare. And, considering international travel is expected to be off the cards until at least 2021, you can go on your well-deserved getaway a whole lot sooner, too. Albury's old Astor Hotel Motel is currently undergoing a massive multimillion-dollar revamp, which is slated for completion by September; however, the first stage is set to reopen as early as July. The pub and motel was bought by hotelier Peter Griffiths back in 2019, with the major renovations happening at a time when domestic travel is more sought after than ever. Pitted to be a huge project for the town — and region — the renovated Astor is sure to bolster tourism, whether for a stop-in visit or as the destination itself. Designed by leading Melbourne design firm Technē, the development will see the 1960s building transformed into a resort with pastel hues, leafy decor and plenty of old-school Hollywood cues. The Astor will retain key structures from the OG building, but expect far more than just a lick of paint from the reno. It'll house 45 rooms, a bar, a restaurant, an airy beer garden and multiple function spaces. Located equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne, Albury is home to the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), the award-winning Library Museum, landscaped lawns at the Botanic Gardens and weekly farmers markets. You'll also find Taco Bill — a Tex-Mex chain that's been around since the 60s — which will help add to the southern Cali vibes. The town sits right on the Murray River and is a short drive from Falls Creek Ski Resort, too. In short, there's plenty to do if you're looking to do more than just pass through. The Astor Hotel Motel's multimillion renovation is slated for completion in September, 2020, with the first stage set to reopen from July.
Buckle up, beach goers, because it's that time again — the sand delivery has arrived and Section 8 is transforming into tropical beach paradise. The outdoor CBD bar's annual Urban Oasis Beach Party series is back for four nights this January, and the lineup will get you pumped. Along with a few tonnes of sand and plenty of beach umbrellas, each night will be a unique selection of beats, curated by a rotating cast of party posses who are bringing all their own DJs with them. The Operatives take the helm on the Thursday night, before handing over to SK Simeon and friends on Friday. The party comes to a head on Saturday, when The Flamin' Gala are taking over, while Sunday it's Autosea's time in the spotlight. Brews-wise, prepare to sip on Plantation Rum, plus brews from Stone & Wood and Napoleone. The fun kicks off at 5pm on Thursday and Friday, 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Images: Duncographic.
Inner West Sydney brewery Philter is coming to town this week with a special treat for its local fans, launching a brand-new brew made in collaboration with late-night rock bar Heartbreaker. And the duo is celebrating with just about the most fitting party you can imagine — a rock 'n' roll prom featuring DJ tunes and plenty of Philter beer. From 5pm on Wednesday, May 25, Heartbreaker will be firing up for a raucous evening, complete with a Philter tap takeover pouring popular drops like the original XPA, the Old Ale and the recent birthday release dubbed the Cold IPA. Star of the show, however, will be the new collaboration, All Hearts Break Loose — a classic American-style pale ale that'll only be pouring at Heartbreaker. Alongside the beers, you'll catch heavy-hitting sounds from DJ Stevie Whatever (Clowns), plus a few cheeky giveaways and prizes. They'll even be crowning a Prom King and Queen, so be sure to dress in your rock 'n roll finest. [caption id="attachment_854878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Philter's XPA[/caption]
Finally, summer is on the horizon, and with it comes the inevitable food requirements: beachside BBQs, ice cold beers and the quintessential Golden Gaytime. And now there’s a new contender for the perfect summer treat, and it comes courtesy of a soft serve yoghurt machine and a rainbow of flavors straight of out Willy Wonka’s candy factory. Merely weeks since opening, Yo-Chi has become something of a local phenomenon; teenagers filter steadily through in the after school hours and there’s a comfortable mix of hipsters and families to be found on any visit. And with the ‘pick and mix’ attitude of choosing your own flavor and topping, its cult following is suited much more for the unfussy, laid-back cool of Balaclava rather than it’s showy sibling St Kilda. Whilst there’s no doubt it could have done just as well in a more tourist-focused location, it’s clear the mentality behind Yo-Chi isn’t to become a trendy treat styled chain a la Trampoline, more centered around community and creating a local hangout that’s friendly and relaxed. For what seems a simple concept, the combinations are endless – if you like your yoghurt the conventional way, there’s simple flavors such as traditional greek, mango and mixed berry to choose from, or you can go something more obscure like the brilliantly spiced Chai or the light and fluffy coconut. Toppings range from freshly cut fruit to dense chocolate sauce, nuts and even passionfruit pearls that burst in your mouth. Unlike the usual pick and mix system where each topping costs extra, Yo-Chi encourage you to try different flavors and toppings in the one cup, often giving you the chance to try before you make your decisions. 100g of yoghurt is $2.80, though you’ll most likely find a small cup filled reasonably full (with two or three toppings) works out closer to $5. Whether you’re just looking for a healthy alternative to the myriad of ice-cream chains populating St Kilda or simply want to try something a little bit different, Yo-Chi looks set to become a staple this summer – and with its attitude to trying new variations each time, it demands a return visit.
One of the key events on Australia's film festival calendar will swashbuckle its way into 2024, with the next Alliance Française French Film Festival set to open with The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan. Mark your calendars not just for one big night at the movies, but plenty of them. While the François Civil (A Place to Fight For)-, Vincent Cassel (Liaison)-, Romain Duris (Final Cut)-, Pio Marmaï (Daaaaaali!)- and Eva Green (also Liaison)-starring version of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel will take pride of place to launch AFFFF's 35th year, the event's full lineup is always hefty. The complete details haven't been unveiled as yet, but the fest has locked in its 2024 dates and the first eight titles that'll be gracing its screens. The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan is part one of a two-part saga from filmmaker Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel), with part two The Three Musketeers: Milady also on the bill. As it always does, the Alliance Française French Film Festival will return in autumn, taking its celebration of Gallic cinema — the world's biggest outside of France, in fact — around the nation in March and April. Viewers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide will be treated to around a month of French movies. In Byron Bay, cinephiles will score an almost three-week stop. Other than the two Three Musketeers flicks — which are the first French takes on the tale in more than three decades — the program so far also boasts French icon Catherine Deneuve (The Truth) playing Bernadette Chirac in The President's Wife, as set in 1995 when Jacques Chirac was elected President. The Taste of Things is another of the event's big-name titles, with Juliette Binoche (The Staircase) starring in the cookery-fuelled romance, and filmmaker Tran Anh Hùng (Norwegian Wood) winning the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Also first debuting at Cannes: The Animal Kingdom, which sees Duris pop up again. Here, he plays a father in a future where humans are starting to become animal hybrids. Jeanne Du Barry also premiered on the Croisette, in the opening-night slot, with writer/director Maïwenn (Polisse) starring as the mistress of King Louis XV. Rounding out the picks so far are All Your Faces, focusing on France's Restorative Justice program, and Iris and the Men, the reunion of Antoinette in the Cévennes filmmaker Caroline Vignal and actor Laure Calamy (The Origin of Evil). As for the full bill, which usually includes 30-plus movies, it'll drop in early February. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2024 DATES: Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace James St and Palace Barracks, Brisbane Tuesday, March 5–Tuesday, April 9 — Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, The Chauvel, Roseville Cinema and Cinema Orpheum Cremorne, Sydney Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Como, Kino Cinema, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor Theatre and Palace Penny Lane, Melbourne Wednesday, March 6–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Luna Leedeerville and Windsor Cinema, Perth Thursday, March 7–Wednesday, March 27 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Thursday, March 7–Tuesday, April 2 — Palace Electric, Canberra Thursday, March 21–Tuesday, April 16 — Nova Prospect and Palace Nova Eastend, Adelaide The Alliance Française French Film Festival will tour Australia in March and April 2024. For more information, visit the AFFFF website. Check back here on Wednesday, February 7 for the full program.
So far, 2022 has been the year of Wordle — of waking up, busting out your best five-letter guesses over your morning coffee, bragging about your prowess online, getting annoyed about American spelling and grumbling about changes since The New York Times took over the popular game, too. But come March, it'll also be the year of Celebrity Letters and Numbers for the second year running, because SBS is bringing back the star-studded version of its initial 2010–12 hit that first debuted last year. Whether you watched along back when famous folks weren't doing the puzzling, you've been hooked to repeats of old episodes over the past ten years or you jumped onboard when Celebrity Letters and Numbers premiered in 2021, there's no denying the joys of this simple but delightful game show. It celebrates clever contestants doing word and number brain-teasers, each episode has an engagingly low-key vibe — all while still remaining tense as competitors try to work out the right answers, of course — and it's very easy and immensely enjoyable to play along with from home. Accordingly, it's no wonder that SBS has made a second season of its new starry format, which'll start airing on SBS and via SBS On Demand from Saturday, March 5. Comedian Michael Hing is still on hosting duties, after taking over from the OG version's Richard Morecroft. Lily Serna is also returning to flip numbers and show off her maths skills, while David Astle will again tell contestants whether they've found real words or just made them up, all with his trusty dictionary in hand — as they've both done since before Letters and Numbers had an extra word at the beginning of its moniker. As happened during season one of Celebrity Letters and Numbers, they'll be joined by three different well-known faces and a special guest each week, some vying for glory and others sitting with Astle in dictionary corner — with season two set to feature Merrick Watts, Ben Law, Tanya Hennessy, Akmal Saleh, Susie Youssef and Aaron Chen, among others. And, this new run of episodes will again span an hour each, and feature 12 instalments. Making words out of nine randomly selected letters, using six also randomly chosen numbers in equations to reach a set figure, and rearranging a jumble of nine more letters into one lengthy word in the final round — that's still all on the bill, naturally, because it wouldn't be any version of Letters and Numbers otherwise. And yes, to answer the obvious question: this is basically SBS's Aussie version of the great 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (which SBS also airs, so it clearly knows that it's ace). Letters and Numbers, both with and without celebs, owes a big debt to a few European shows, in fact. When it first aired sans comedians more than a decade ago, the original Letters and Numbers took its cues from both French TV's Des chiffres et des lettres, which dates back to 1965 — and also from Britain's Countdown, which has been on the air since 1982, and then inspired 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Check out the trailer for season two of Celebrity Letters and Numbers below: The second season of Celebrity Letters and Numbers will start airing on SBS and via SBS On Demand from Saturday, March 5, with new episodes dropping weekly.
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Encanto is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and will be available to stream via Disney+ from December 25. Five years after Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney first teamed up on an animated musical with the catchiest of tunes, aka Moana, they're back at it again with Encanto. To viewers eager for another colourful, thoughtful and engaging film — and another that embraces a particular culture with the heartiest of hugs, and is all the better for it — what can the past decade's most influential composer and biggest entertainment behemoth say except you're welcome? Both the Hamilton mastermind and the Mouse House do what they do best here. The songs are infectious, as well as diverse in style; the storyline follows a spirited heroine challenging the status quo; and the imagery sparkles. Miranda and Disney are both in comfortable territory, in fact — formulaic, sometimes — but Encanto never feels like they're monotonously beating the same old drum. Instruments are struck, shaken and otherwise played in the film's soundtrack, of course, which resounds with energetic earworms; the salsa beats of 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' are especially irresistible, and the Miranda-penned hip hop wordplay that peppers the movie's tunes is impossible to mentally let go. Spanning pop, ballads and more, all those songs help tell the tale of the Madrigals, a close-knit Colombian family who've turned generational trauma into magic. This is still an all-ages-friendly Disney flick, so there are limits to how dark it's willing to get; however, that Encanto fills its frames with a joyous celebration of Latin America and simultaneously recognises its setting's history of conflict is hugely significant. It also marks Walt Disney Animation Studios' 60th feature — dating back to 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — but its cultural specificity (depictions of Indigenous, Afro Latino and Colombian characters of other ethnicities included) is its bigger achievement. The focal point of their jungle-surrounded village, the Madrigals are the local version of superheroes. They live in an enchanted home, complete with a magical candle that's burned for three generations, and they each receive special powers when they come of age. The latter wasn't the case for Encanto's heroine Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), though, and that absence of exceptional abilities has left the bespectacled teen feeling like an outcast. Plus, with her young cousin Antonio (Ravi Cabot-Conyers, #BlackAF) now going through the ceremony, Mirabel's perceived failings linger afresh in everyone's minds. But then la casita, as their supernatural home is known, starts cracking — the flame begins to flicker as well, as everyone's powers waver with it — and it looks like only its most ordinary inhabitant can save the day. Encanto doesn't refer to the Madrigals by any term you'd hear in a Marvel movie, but the imprint of Disney's hit franchise remains evident. Thankfully, director Byron Howard (Tangled), and co-writers/co-helmers Charise Castro Smith (Sweetbitter) and Jared Bush (Zootopia) have sprinkled in a few fun abilities — because mixing up a template sits high among the feature's powers, even when those generic underlying pieces can still be gleaned. Accordingly, one of Mirabel's sisters, Luisa (Jessica Darrow, Feast of the Seven Fishes), is super strong, but the other, Isabela (Diane Guerrero, Doom Patrol), makes flowers blossom with her loveliness. Similarly, while their aunt Pepa (Carolina Gaitán, The Greatest Showman) controls the weather, their mother Julieta (Angie Cepeda, Jane the Virgin) heals through cooking. In one of the most surprising moves ever made by all-ages film, Encanto also nods to Gabriel García Márquez and his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude (superheroes, Disney not-quite-princesses and Colombian magical realism, together at last!). It works because Encanto meaningfully ponders inherited woes and the weight of family expectations, and grounds them in past struggles and the cycles they kickstart. That's the Madrigals' story, as tied to Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero, Nurses). And, while delivered in bright and bouncy packaging, it includes noting how the pressure to excel and enchant has caused fissures. Indeed, due to her uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo, Playing with Fire) — who no one is supposed to discuss, as the aforementioned track trills — Mirabel isn't the only Madrigal wrongly deemed to have let the family down. Vibrant, rich, tender, sincere and lively (the songs, pace and lush computer-generated animation just keep earning the term): add in familiar, still, and that's Encanto. Perhaps it's an apt combination, considering that finding beauty in the seemingly standard is one of the movie's key messages. Or, maybe it's just what was always going to happen when the Mouse House mashed up such recognisable parts — there's plenty about Mirabel's tale that's pure Disney 101, too, and we've all enjoyed the childhood viewing to prove it — into a gorgeous and heartfelt love letter to Colombian culture. Either way, the movie remains a modest charmer and, with Beatriz's yearning yet resilient vocal performance worlds away from Rosa Diaz's growl, and her co-stars helping to make the picture melodic several times over, it's winningly cast as well. Encanto is also the fourth feature bearing Miranda's fingerprints in 2021, after In the Heights, fellow animated effort Vivo and his filmmaking directorial debut Tick, Tick… Boom!. Thanks to both his and Disney's involvement, it'll likely take the reverse route traversed by two of those titles and, The Lion King and Mary Poppins-style, end up on a stage sometime in the future. Such a production would inherently lack the creative cinematography that assists in making Encanto such a visual treat — especially in the imaginative journey that Mirabel takes in the movie's second half — but it'd dazzle as a live-action show anyway. One of the film's other joys is the fact that it's poised, fashioned, animated and sung like it's treading the boards already, and that why that's the case — why it exudes big musical energy, even when it feels like its threatening to overdo it at first — is cannily baked into its narrative.
While it may be a household name in Australian aviation, Jetstar hasn't exactly made waves within the LARPing community until now. Not sure what LARPing means? To get you up to speed, it's live-action role-playing. Similar to cosplaying, it involves dressing as historical or fictional characters with a fantasy theme, but it goes a step further by encouraging participants to play the role of their character as an actor would, often partaking in a friendly duel or battle. It might sound like a big commitment to get into this community, but with the oh-so-tempting offer of winning a share in a $50,000 flights voucher on the cards, now is the best time to give it a go. 21st birthdays often involve a lot more alcohol and live music than this, but historically, a 21st birthday marks a transition into adulthood and a time when a squire can earn the honour of knighthood. Jetstar isn't subverting expectations of birthdays with ancient traditions just to have a laugh — it's taking its 'Knights of the Skies' tournament on Sunday, May 25, very seriously. To put together this contest of champions, it's partnered with Swordcraft, Australia's largest LARPing organisation, who are lending trained LARPer warriors to bolster the ranks of the competition. And since every battle needs an overseer, radio host Liam Stapleton will play host… and a wizard, too. On the day, each participant will be divided into one of two teams. The last eight participants not to be felled by a mightier opponent will get the chance to claim a share in the prize: a $50,000 flight voucher, while runners-up can claim $1,000 vouchers. To enter, all you need to do is craft a medieval costume, the more DIY the better, and share it on Instagram, tagging @jetstaraustralia and #KnightsOfTheSkies, or sharing it via Instagram DM. The field of battle is yet to be decided, but will be somewhere within the kingdom of Melbourne, so keep an eye on Jetstar's social media to find out more. Jetstar's Knights of the Skies tournament will take place at an as-of-yet undecided location on Sunday, May 25. Follow Jetstar Australia on Instagram for more information.
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And at the end of 2019, they finally became available Down Under when Seattle-born chain Cinnabon opened its first Australian store in Brisbane. The company has launched two more stores in Queensland in the year or so since, which has been great news for folks up north. But, if you're a Melburnian looking to get your fix, you've been left wanting — until now. Come March, Westfield Southland will be home to the Cinnabon's first Australian store outside of Queensland — and, obviously, its first ever in Melbourne. So, get ready to head to Cheltenham to pick up plenty of sticky baked goods. When it opens on Wednesday, March 3, Melburnians will be able to grab a scroll on level one, near Coles — but be prepared to queue. The Brisbane stores attracted lengthy crowds for quite some time, even months after opening. Expect the lines to be a little longer in this time of social distancing, too. Just like the chain's other Australian shops, this one will sling a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. [caption id="attachment_755764" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cinnabon Toombul[/caption] If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. The Australian launch was first announced in January 2019, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But, for Melburnians, this'll be the first time that we're able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. If you're super keen right now — and your tastebuds are well and truly tempted — the chain is already taking online orders for pickup packs that you can collect once the Westfield Southland store officially opens. Cinnabon will open at 8.30am on Wednesday, March 3 on level one of Westfield Southland, 1239 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham.
According to fast food joints, taxis and supermarkets, living in southeast Queensland is a little like living in the future. Already, the region has trialled KFC delivery by drone. And, using self-flying cabs for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics has been floated. The latest move in this same space, aka the Sunshine State's skies? Coles' new store-to-door grocery deliveries by drone. If finger-lickin'-good chicken pieces, burgers, nuggets and fries can be ferried to hungry Queenslanders' homes via air, then household staples can, too — and the same drone company is behind it. As well as working with KFC, on-demand drone outfit Wing is teaming up with Coles to bring groceries to consumers within minutes. For now, the trial is limited to southeast Queensland, and to the Gold Coast — to the suburbs of Ormeau, Ormeau Hills and Yatala, to be exact. That's where Coles' first store-to-door deliveries will be tested from Wednesday, November 2, soaring to customers from the supermarket brand's location at Ormeau Village Shopping Centre. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a drone carrying bread, fresh produce and snacks? Clearly, the latter now applies on the Gold Coast. Wing's Coles deliveries will also carry convenience meals, health care items and other household essentials, with 500 of the supermarket chain's most popular grocery items available for the drone service. After this trial, the plan is to expand to nearby suburbs on the Gold Coast. Also, Wing will offer Coles items for delivery in Logan in the near future, departing from the rooftop of Grand Plaza — where locals have been able to get goods flown to them by drone from select onsite businesses for more than 12 months. And, given that Gold Coast deliveries follow a Canberra pilot program that started in March 2022, albeit flying groceries from a Wing drone centre rather than direct from a Coles location, watch this space — and the heavens — for more developments. If you're now wondering "will people actually get their groceries sent by drone?" — a fair and reasonable question, and also a sign of the times — the answer based on the Canberra test is yes. Wing says that it made more than 5000 trips in the ACT, bringing folks everything from fresh fruit, milk and eggs to confectionery and cold drinks. Residents of Ormeau, Ormeau Hills and Yatala will need to download the Wing delivery app to have their pantry and fridge items swoop down from above — and the service will only operate from 9am–4.30pm Tuesday–Sunday. Here's how it works: after you place your order, Coles staff members will process and pack them. They'll then hand your goods over to the Wing team, who will operate a fleet of delivery drones in the Ormeau Village Shopping Centre carpark. Once loaded, the drone will fly to your house within around ten minutes, slow down upon arrival, bring itself to a delivery height of about seven metres above the ground, and gently lower your food on a tether — which'll automatically release. You don't need to unclip anything, and the drone doesn't need to land, either. Don't live in southeast Queensland, the Gold Coast and those three specific suburbs? Fingers crossed that you'll be living in the future soon, too. To order groceries from Coles via drone from Wednesday, November 2 if you live in Ormeau, Ormeau Hills and Yatala, download the Wing delivery app.
It's made from pickle relish, mustard, soybean oil, egg yolk, onion, garlic and vinegar, has been slathered on burgers for more than half a century, and boasts as passionate a following as any condiment can have. Yes, we're talking about Big Mac Special Sauce, which goes mighty well with two beef patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun — and, for McHappy Day, it's being bottled up and sold separately. If you're keen to squeeze the famous sauce on your own homemade burgers — or whatever other everyday meals it happens to go well with — then head along to a McDonald's eatery ASAP. A 500ml bottle will set you back $12, and there'll be more than 144,000 available. That seems like plenty; however, folks tend to go a little overboard when it comes to the condiment. Case in point: back in 2015, when limited-edition bottles were put up for auction on Ebay, one sold for more than $20,000. This isn't the first time that Maccas has packaged its famous sauce and put it up for sale, with the chain doing so in 2018 to celebrate the Big Mac's 50th anniversary. Still, it's not the kind of condiment that you can buy everyday. And, while there's plenty of recipes online that explain how to whip up a version at home, your tastebuds can probably tell the difference. Profits from all sales will be donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities, which McHappy Day raises money for each year. If you're buying an actual Big Mac with your bottle of Big Mac Special Sauce, $2 from your burger will also go to the cause, with other merchandise on offer and gold coin donations also accepted. Bottles of Big Mac Special Sauce are now available to purchase in store at McDonald's stores nationwide. For more information, visit the McHappy Day website. CORRECTION: OCTOBER 28, 2019 — This article previously stated that the Big Mac Special Sauce would be available from Saturday, November, but it is actually available now (Monday, October 28) until sold out. The above article has been updated to reflect this.
Sometimes it can feel like Melbourne is a canvas. Mazes of laneways reveal stunning murals and there are incredible structures at almost every turn. You basically can't fail to find something photo-worthy. But we're still in Oz and we're still on the coast so, in true Aussie fashion, there are also unmissable beaches and the incredible views that come with them. We've teamed up with Samsung to guide you towards our pick of the most Instagrammable locations in the Victorian capital. Not only that, we've split them into the best ones to visit during the day, and the ones that lend themselves more to a night-time trip. That's because the Samsung Galaxy S22 series features an incredible Nightography feature which means you don't have to worry about blurry images, regardless of the time and no matter how much light there is available. Get your camera ready. DAY Federation Square Over 100 million visitors can't be wrong. Over its 20 years, Federation Square has become one of Melbourne's premier destinations for art, entertainment and dining. In terms of its views, you're spoiled for choice. Look up and find an interesting angle to capture this multi-faceted structure, head to the southern edge of the public square for expansive views across the Yarra, or even go down to the riverbank itself for a snap of the tree-lined, riverside promenade. Brighton Bathing Boxes At the end of Dendy Street you'll find one of Melbourne's most photographed tourist attractions. Originally installed to protect the modesty of oceangoers changing into their togs, this row of more than 80 wooden huts adds a pop of colour to Brighton Beach. There was uproar in 2019 when talk of them being moved or relocated was mooted but for now they're here to stay, so find a vantage point and get clicking. On a clear day, you can even snap a shot with the CBD in the background. St Kilda Foreshore Sydney gets all the attention when it comes to city beaches but that truly does St Kilda a disservice, with sunbathers and swimmers alike flocking to this iconic spot to enjoy the golden sands and picturesque views. And you're truly spoiled for choice when it comes to views — there's the iconic St Kilda Pier which offers panoramic vistas of Port Phillip Bay, the St. Kilda Sea Baths, and Luna Park, the amusement park that predates its Sydney counterpart by over two decades and features two rollercoasters, a ghost train and a ferris wheel among other rides. Centre Place Melbourne is often said to be more like a European city rather than an Australian one, and that's partly due to its famous laneways festooned with hole-in-the-wall cafes, buskers and artists. Pick of the bunch is Centre Place, a Parisian-style thoroughfare where it seems it's impossible to take a bad photo. There'll be so much going on in your shot it will be more like a Renaissance painting than an Insta post. Pink Lake Incredible phenomena like Pink Lake are pretty much what Instagram was made for. Located in Westgate Park, the high salt content of the lake means that when conditions are right (high temperatures, plenty of sun, not much rain), the algae within release a pigment upon photosynthesising which turns the water its distinctive hue. Incredible for pictures, most definitely, but it's advised you stay out of the water, as it's a relatively fragile ecosystem. Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is the kind of grandiose structure we're not used to seeing on these shores. Completed in 1880, it became the first building in Australia to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2004. It sits within the majestic Carlton Gardens — a perfectly manicured landscape that feels like it should come out of a Jane Austen novel rather than sit on the outskirts of the CBD. Ulster Lane Ulster Lane seems just like any other dead-end alleyway in Melbourne, but with one crucial difference. At the entrance is a piece of artwork so mind-bending, so incongruous, that it's impossible not to photograph it. Visual artist DREZ has designed a piece featuring bright colours and gradients that both alters your perception of depth and reality (while simultaneously reminding you of 1990s Windows screensavers). It's wonderfully confusing from every angle, and a sure conversation starter for your feed. [caption id="attachment_876194" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dylan Lu (Unsplash)[/caption] NIGHT Flinders Street Station With its imposing dome, by night Flinders Street Station looks more like a palace in an eastern European capital than a railway terminus. Lit up, this icon of Melbourne is like a beacon for the city – it's no coincidence that if you tell someone to meet you "under the clocks" or "on the steps" they immediately know you mean Flinders Street. The warm glow of the station against the pitch black of a moonless night makes for a simply unbeatable tableau. Chinatown Chinatowns around the world tend to be food-focused areas, bustling with people, and Melbourne's is no different — though there's still a distinctly Melbourne edge to our city's two-block stretch. Lanterns and lights illuminate the laneways, giving an after-dark intimate feel, but one particular installation really ups the ante. Known by the name of Neon Lane, this public artwork consists of 60 neon lights and lightboxes installed in a previously unlit alley. It brings the energy of one of Melbourne's most bustling precincts while also providing an irresistible photo op. Drewery Alley Yet another one of Melbourne's otherwise nondescript laneways, what really makes Drewery Alley stand out is its distinctive mural. Created by street artist Jaz Mishap and inspired by her Chinese heritage, childhood ghost stories and her love of Japan, it's a vibrant work you'll immediately want to photograph. But why is something like this in the night section? Well, lights have been incorporated into the design, making the piece truly come to life. NGV The pride of Melbourne's creative landscape, the National Gallery of Victoria is Australia's most visited art museum. Obviously, international artworks of renown abound behind the doors, but it's arguably just as stunning on the outside. By night, subtle lighting brings a warm ambience that highlights the gallery's brutalist exterior without being too showy, and with the magnificently tree-lined stretch of St Kilda Road acting as a backdrop, your photo can't fail. Stevenson Lane Melbourne, you're seriously spoiling us with all these hidden laneway treats. Stevenson Lane is yet another entry in the canon of alleys with spectacular street art. The horseshoe-shaped laneway is truly an exercise in treating the city like a canvas, with every available surface providing the base for a diverse range of expression. Murals, cartoons, portraits and patterns jump at you from every direction — you could spend more time here than in some galleries. Princes Bridge One of Melbourne's oldest bridges may primarily be a means for pedestrians, cars and trams to cross the Yarra, but framed with the CBD in the background and the river in the foreground and it bisects any photograph beautifully. Wait until the sun goes down and the glow of the lamps on each pier imbues the cityscape with a cosy feel, the hazy reflection of the lights in the glistening water below transforming the view of a busy city centre into high art. Melbourne Town Hall Designed by Joseph Reed, who was also behind the Royal Exhibition Building and State Library, Melbourne Town Hall was completed in 1887 and is an imposing presence in the heart of the CBD. It has a large clock tower, an impressive auditorium and is famous for being the site of a visit from The Beatles back in 1964. Most importantly for you, however, is that it gives good photo, and lit up at night, it shines from every angle. Make nights epic with Samsung Galaxy S22. For more info, head to the website. Top image: Christian (Unsplash)
No matter what their colour, condition, or quality, Rutherford Chang wants your iconic 1968 Beatles 'White Album'. Although it was only sold as a limited edition item, the White Album sold over 3 million copies back in the day. The album was unique in its simplicity with a purely white cover and only an embossed script of the band's name and a serial number to distinguish it from a plain piece of cardboard. However, the period of 45 years proves to completely transform these indistinguishable albums into individuals each with their own personality. After a lifetime of differing experiences, alternate uses, and completely separate wears and tears, these plain white albums now share rich historical stories through the text written on their covers, the scratches in the music, the yellowing on the corners, and even the mould on the surface. These intricacies, these signs of love, rejection, kinship, or heartache are exactly what Chang is interested and why he was inspired to collect as many of these White Albums as possible for his exhibition: 'We Buy White Albums'. What he calls his 'anti-store' is set up in SoHo, New York and being featured by the artistic workspace Recess. Rather than selling these aged vinyls, Chang is offering to buy any White Album for a fixed price, no matter what their condition. Chang was fascinated by the concept of mass customisation. Although the white albums start off as homogenised products, each as identical and monotonous as the next , he "noticed how personalised every copy of the White Album has become over the course of the last half century and wanted to compare different copies.” While some copies may have been played religiously every night for a decade, some were played once then discarded and others may have been passed down a long line of buyers and sellers, rocked out at in clubs, provided background music for parties, or even experienced the blossoming of love or the breaking or hearts. Each individual album has been distinctly shaped through its history, which is evident through the imperfections in both its physical appearance and audio quality. The 'We Buy White Albums' Exhibition is on show until March 9; however, Chang is determined for it not to simply reach a standstill there. He has collated over 697 records to date and doesn't intend to simply discard the treasures like so many have before him. Following the closing of the anti-store, Chang will press a double LP of all the songs from 100 different albums layered together in a single audio sequence. Each discrete record has developed its own unique character with scratches and warps at various points in the songs. The resulting track will be like hearing hundreds of Beatles albums at once, with the individuality of each standing out above the next. Via Wired.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival, and it's returning to light up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which delivers its fourth and most expansive annual program so far between Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 14 — a shift from the event's previous timeslot, moving from spring to autumn. The nation's first indigenous festival of its kind, Parrtjima announced its shift of dates earlier this year, as well as its continued focus on dazzling light installations. Now, the free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling has started to reveal its lineup. In 2019, as well as a closing night performance by Baker Boy, the festival will feature seven luminous displays gracing both Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct and Alice Springs Todd Mall. While Alice Spring's CBD will light up with new installations and events, just out of town, tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park will also come alive with the festival's main attraction. Once again, a huge artwork will transform a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light from 6.30–10.30pm each night of the festival — and featuring an audio track voiced by Aussie acting legend Aaron Pedersen. Visitors will also be able to immerse themselves in art and storytelling as part of the returning Ahelhe Itethe – Living Sands (Grounded), where installations are projected onto the earth accompanied by a striking soundscape. While Parrtjima's returning slate is strong, new additions to this year's lineup include an illuminated tunnel that'll greet attendees as they enter the festival space, called Angkentye Anpernirrentye-kerte – The Language of Kin; an array of over-sized sculptures that'll relay the social history of First Nations station workers and their language of the land, dubbed Angkentye Stockmen Mape-kenhe – The Language of Stockmen; and a series of sculptured large-scale moths, badged The Language of Moths, which'll brighten up Todd Mall. There'll also be a huge maze for kids and a set-up of three bush taxis displaying works by First Nations artists. As 2019 is the UN's Year of Indigenous Languages, the festival will also have a linguistic edge — as many of the light installations' names make plain. With a theme of 'Language Expressions', the full program will feature many talks and workshops focused on Central Australia's many Indigenous languages, with details to be announced in the coming weeks. Also on the bill is jam-packed program of dance, music, workshops and talks, sharing stories and celebrating First Nations' culture. It's a nice supplement to the area's Field of Light installation, which has been extended until 2020. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from April 5–14, 2019 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
Melbourne's night owls and culture vultures will unite this autumn when a brand new event transforms the city into a late-night cultural playground. Announced over the weekend, Art After Dark will make its debut from Friday, May 13 until Sunday, May 15, taking over some of Melbourne's leading cultural institutions for an after-hours extravaganza. The event pulls inspiration from the European Night of Museums, which sees thousands of museums and other cultural landmarks open late for a special one-night, continent-wide affair each year. Here in Melbourne, the inaugural Art After Dark will deliver two jam-packed nights of art, music, food and drink, as iconic spots like The NGV, Fed Square, Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI, State Library Victoria and Melbourne Museum all extend their opening hours and party late into the evening. The program is set to offer an array of free and ticketed experiences for people of all ages. [caption id="attachment_821536" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NGV Friday Nights, Eugene Hyland[/caption] Held in collaboration with Visit Victoria and some of the city's key cultural facilities, the event is expected to see thousands of punters descend on the city for a late-night culture fix — a move that's sure to be welcomed by Melbourne's hard-hit creative industries as they continue through their post-COVID recovery phase. And Art After Dark isn't the only big win for Melbourne's cultural scene this year. From June, NGV International will host a huge exhibition dedicated to Pablo Picasso and his contemporaries, called The Picasso Century. And also this winter, the UK's Tate galleries will descend on ACMI for Light: Works from Tate's Collection — another blockbuster showcase featuring over 70 diverse works from across the past 200 years of art history, including pieces by Kusama and Monet. Art After Dark Melbourne will take place across a collection of the city's key cultural institutions from May 13–May 15. Jump over here for more info and to sign up for early access to the full program. Top Image: Melbourne Museum
Tasmania is an evocative place. The tiny island state is easily one of Australia's most diverse landscapes, featuring everything from white, sandy beaches and the inspiring peaks of Cradle Mountain to hidden wonders like Little Blue Lake. But it's not just the terrain that offers up surprises; Tasmania is also a haven for the unconventional. With Hobart's globally renowned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the large botanical mazes and rural towns turned into openair galleries, Tasmania knows its way around the weird and wonderful and isn't afraid to revel in it come rain, shine or snow. With that in mind, we've created a jam-packed winter guide to Tassie's most eclectic cultural and artistic experiences. So strap yourselves in (and put on your warmest winter woollies), it's going to be a strange ride. [caption id="attachment_498713" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).[/caption] THE MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART — HOBART Affectionately referred to as the 'museum of sex and death', MONA isn't your stock-standard cultural institution. Instead, it's more like a sprawling underground playground that could easily double as a Bond villain's home (just look at its imposing void-like entrance and spiral staircases). Each exhibition has been specially curated to provoke — from James Turrell's permanent, mind-bending light installations in the newly minted Pharos wing to the bold, ever-changing seasonal shows like Greg Taylor's famous vaginal sculptures. As MONA is the host of Australia's most sinister festival, Dark Mofo, winter is the ideal time to visit, with numerous artists and works freshly displayed within the museum's walls as well as sprawled across Hobart. And once you've finished expanding your mind, you can also expand your stomach at one of MONA's many eateries. The combination of Faro's Spanish and Greek tapas (try the martini garnished with pig eyes if you're brave), waterfront views and stark architecture is fantastic. [caption id="attachment_719412" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Jonathan Wherrett.[/caption] CASCADES FEMALE FACTORY — HOBART History often dwells on the lives of men rather than women, but that's not the case at the Cascades Female Factory, located at the foothills of Mount Wellington. Built in 1828, the factory was once a women's only convict facility and workhouse, so it seems fitting that it's now one of the only sites in Australia that is fully dedicated to highlighting the trials and tribulations of female convicts. Daily tours offer a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the thousands of women and children that once lived and worked on the factory grounds. Or, if you love a little drama, make sure you're bundled up for the outdoors and catch the spooky two-person theatrical tour Her Story that takes place across the factory's grounds every day at noon. [caption id="attachment_719424" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Diane and Lindsay Stockbridge.[/caption] SHEFFIELD MURALS — SHEFFIELD If there's one thing that you can always rely on in Tasmania, it's that the small island knows how to exceed expectations, particularly when it comes to art. So it's no surprise that the town of Sheffield is a totally normal rural Tasmanian town, except for the fact that it also doubles as the most impressive openair gallery. Covered in murals from head to toe — or from sheds to churches, to be more accurate — the 'Town of Murals' is a colourful wonderland that is well worth the one-hour drive from Launceston. Plus, each winter there are new murals to see, with the annual mural fest occurring at the end of April. [caption id="attachment_719427" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] THE SHIP THAT NEVER WAS — STRAHAN Whoever said history had to be boring? Certainly not the people behind Australia's longest-running play, which turned 25 earlier in 2019. Filled with cheeky convicts and comedic tragedy, The Ship That Never Was immerses you in the true story of the great escape from Sarah Island. Intrigue, twists and laughter abound in this hilariously dramatic tale that manages to impart some interesting historical facts about the convict settlement of Macquarie Harbour while keeping the audience endlessly entertained. So get snug with one of the blankets and heat packs provided (you'll need it) and settle in for some educational entertainment. [caption id="attachment_719429" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] QUEEN VICTORIA MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY — LAUNCESTON If you've come to Tasmania, then chances are you're at least a little bit intrigued by the state's interesting past. If that's the case, then the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery should be your first stop during a trip to Launceston — or stops, rather. Split into two locations — the QVMAG Museum at Inveresk and QVMAG Art Gallery at Royal Park — this arty institution is a great way to get up close and personal with Tasmania's heritage and culture. Plus, both spots are great indoor options if the weather is just a bit too chilly. An exhibition by local artist Angela Casey that's full of dark sentiments and sinister depictions, The Enquiring Light will be showing throughout winter alongside the permanent archaeological exhibition, which includes life-size dinosaur replicas. Get ready to live out all of your Jurassic Park fantasies. [caption id="attachment_719414" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett.[/caption] TASMAZIA AND THE VILLAGE OF LOWER CRACKPOT — PROMISED LAND Get lost. No really, do it — but not just anywhere. Do it at the self-proclaimed 'largest maze complex in the world'. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Mount Roland, the strange tourist site that is Tasmazia is actually pretty fantastic. There are eight mazes to lose yourself (and your mind) in, plus the Village of Lower Crackpot. The miniature town's charming exterior hides a darkly subversive humour that is slowly revealed through hilarious nods to the absurd — like its monument to whistleblowers and its School of Lateral Thinking. Our favourite is the Lower Crackpot's Correctional Centre, which is filled with plush guillotines and fake punishments. [caption id="attachment_719954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Derwent Valley.[/caption] THE WALL IN THE WILDERNESS — HOBART Staring at walls isn't generally considered a stimulating activity, but the Wall in the Wilderness isn't your average roof-holder. Using a series of timber panels, artist Greg Duncan has hand-carved a 100-metre-long depiction of the history of Tasmania's central highlands, creating a wall like no other. From the area's Indigenous people to the early pastoralists and hydro workers, the astounding artwork commemorates the people that lived in the harsh region. It has been critically compared to Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel — so you know it's worth the trip. Top image: Faro at MONA by Jarrad Seng.
Shane Barrett adores wine. After shopping at specialty supermarket Terra Madre on Northcote's High Street one evening, the co-owner of Melbourne CBD Spanish tapas restaurant and rooftop bar, Bomba, was on the hunt for a bottle and found that the area was not awash in liquor stores. So, he teamed up with longtime Bomba business partners Jesse Gerner, Andrew Fisk and Kelly O'Loghlan to open his own. The four have opened a brand new bottle shop which focuses on boutique producers who practice sustainable, organic and biodynamic principals, alongside handpicked international wines. And they've named it for a fellow wine lover, Samuel Pepys. "Samuel Pepys was a naval administrator in London in the 1600s," says Barrett. "He was a diarist who loved good wine and food. If you read any of his entries they're quite entertaining — he was an old day foodie for lack of better words." The interiors (which the boys conceived themselves) are homely, welcoming shoppers with a cluster of suspended plants that overlook wire racks caressing bottles. Various wines are also available to taste, you'll find the daily offerings written on the chalkboard by the counter. "We want people to feel comfortable coming here and spend a bit of town browsing, we have products the general public won't be familiar with," says Barrett. "We all travel to Europe about two times a year and import a lot of wines ourselves," he adds, referring to their distribution company, Armada Imports. The store hosts about 400 wines, a 200 strong spirit list, a full Riedel glassware range and a selection of cigars (la-di-da). Local wines from Patrick Sullivan are available, as are bottles from the Mornington Peninsula's Polperro Estate. Find Samuel Pepys at 96 High Street, Northcote. Open from 12pm – 9pm daily. For more information head to the store's Facebook, Instagram or website.
Throughout the last 12 months of gathering restrictions and lockdowns, many music festivals have teased returns, announced dates and even lineups. While a few COVID-safe music events have been able to take place, we've yet to see any of the major music festivals return. Despite this, Byron Bay Bluesfest has been persistent in forging ahead with its plan for its 2021 edition of the festival. Those plans have now been given a provisional green light, with the festival announcing it's been given NSW Government approval to run the festival at 50 percent capacity this April — if no outbreaks occur beforehand. In an announcement made on Wednesday, February 17, Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble OAM said, "The NSW Government has indicated that, if the current COVID-19 situation continues in NSW, Bluesfest would be permitted to proceed, following our comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan." [caption id="attachment_800518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hiatus Kaiyote Bluesfest 2016 by Andy Fraser[/caption] The festival is scheduled to take place over the Easter long weekend, Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm). Under the approved safety plan the festival will run at around 50 percent capacity, all patrons will be required to be seated while watching performances and COVID-19 safety marshals will be on hand to ensure social distancing is maintained. Camping will be allowed to go ahead and face masks will not be required. A full statement on the festival's COVID-safe protocols is expected next week. Following the cancellation of Bluesfest 2020, the festival announced its 2021 dates and lineup back in July. This lineup was later amended after it became clear border restrictions would remain in place for the beginning of 2021 and international acts would be unable to make the journey over. The new all-Australian lineup features Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, John Butler, Hiatus Kaiyote and Kev Carmody. The news follows a turbulent few years for Bluesfest and the NSW music festival industry as a whole. Prior to the cancellation of its 2020 event, Bluesfest had threatened to leave NSW in 2019 citing the governments overbearing regulations surrounding music festivals at the time. The approval of the 2021 festival hopefully indicates a brighter future for the industry, with Noble declaring, "this is a great day, not only for Bluesfest, but also for the Australian Live Music Industry and our unrelenting efforts to get back to presenting Live Music Safely." Byron Bay Bluesfest has been given approval to run Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm. Find all the details and purchase tickets at the Bluesfest website. Top image: Andy Fraser
If you're someone who habitually forgets to grab your dear ol' dad a Father's Day gift until the last minute, now is your chance to get him something really special — especially if he loves a dram and his motorsports. Glenfiddich has partnered with the Aston Martin Formula One Team to release a limited-edition 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (ABV 43%). Housed in an Aston Martin Racing Green presentation box, this will really pop on dad's bar shelf (when he isn't pouring himself a glass, that is). When it comes to whisky, few names are as renowned as Glenfiddich. Founded in 1887, this Scottish distillery has long been a pioneer in the production of single malt Scotch whisky and is one of the few remaining family-owned distilleries. Continuing to embrace the innovative practices of its founder, William Grant, it's responsible for some of the best-selling whiskies on the market, including the most awarded single malt Scotch whisky in the world. Its commitment to such a high level of craftsmanship is exactly why Glenfiddich has partnered with Aston Martin to release this limited-edition bottle. Announced at the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024, this 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky celebrates the precision and mastery of these two iconic brands. "At Glenfiddich, we're committed to creating exceptional whiskies that honour tradition while embracing innovation," commented Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich's Malt Master. "The Glenfiddich 16-Year-Old is a true testament to this philosophy. It combines craftsmanship and precision in a whisky that invites exploration and discovery, much like the journey of our partnership with Aston Martin Formula One Team. It's a celebration of blending tradition with the thrill of innovation." So what exactly makes this single malt Scotch whisky special? Like all of Glenfiddich's spirits, the devil is in the details. This 16-year-old whisky is aged in a carefully selected marriage of American oak wine casks, new American barrels and second-fill bourbon casks. Through the distillery's meticulous blending process, the result is a bottle that features distinct notes of maple syrup, caramelised ginger and, subtly, toasted oak. As it goes down, it has a silky and syrupy palate that tastes like fresh fruit salad and Chantilly cream. All of this culminates in a finish that's smooth and bold, with a sustained sweetness. What wouldn't Dad love about that? If he considers himself a bit of a whisky connoisseur or has an eye for the more luxurious things in life, this limited edition bottle is sure to go down smooth. It's also the perfect Father's Day gift if your dad is the kind of guy who saves spirits so he can crack them out for "special occasions". Every dram of Glenfiddich's 16-Year-Old Single Malt is sure to be enjoyed. If you're lucky, he might even let you have a glass. The Glenfiddich 16-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (RRP $150) is available at First Choice, Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and independent retailers. You can purchase it here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Glenfiddich
For fans of distressed denim, the more unique the method of wearing them down the better. But these guys have taken things next level. A denim company in Japan has decided to outsource their distressing work to lions, tigers and bears for their latest collection. Before you get on a soapbox about any sort of animal exploitation, it’s only for a limited run of four pairs of jeans and it's all in the name of charity. Oh my! Zoo Jeans is an initiative by the Mineko Club of zoo volunteers who have partnered with Japan's Kamine Zoo in Hitachi City. The jeans will be auctioned off online and you'd better get in quick as the bidding started on Monday. Funds raised from the jeans will go towards the World Wildlife Fund and to the revitalisation of the Kamine Zoo. The favourite playthings of the bears, tigers and lions — rubber balls and tyres – were covered with sheets of denim and left in their enclosures for them to gnaw at, tear and generally muck around with. When the animal crew decided they’d had enough, the toys were retrieved and the denim — or what is left of it was removed. The denim was not altered further, except to be cut and sewn into jeans. At the time of writing this the current bid for the T1 Jeans (designed by tigers) stands at ¥121,000, which is roughly $AUD1,267. The two pairs of Lion Jeans, one women’s and one men’s, are currently sitting at ¥50,000. If fashion for you hinges around being the central topic of conversation, you’d be a hard one to beat in these threads. Via GQ and Zoo Jeans.
Not everyone gets off on being packed like a sardine into a club or spending your NYE countdown in line for the bar. Beer Gypsies Matt Bywater and Dan Cerra thought that sounded awful too and will be setting up shop at the Second Story Studios warehouse with a great selection of craft beers and ciders on tap and plenty of room to move. You won’t have to drink those delicious craft brews in silence either because musicians Owl Eyes, City Calm Down, Set Sail and Tully on Tully will be playing all night. Lots of craft beer, wine and cider will be provided from Napoleone and Co. Cider, Mildura Brewery and Six Foot Six Winery.
NGV International has just dropped the new Friday Nights lineup, and, as always, it's a cracker. A mix of local and international music acts make up the latest late-night roster, which will tie in with the NGV's new Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition Van Gogh and the Seasons. Throw after-dark gallery access and killer food and beverage options into the mix, and the cold winter nights suddenly look a lot more appealing. UK blues singer Gemma Ray, New York folk-rocker Steve Gunn, and local music legends The Blackeyed Susans are just a few of the names on the winter roster, which also features rising Indigenous singer Gawurra, and Youth Group's Toby Martin – the latter of whom will perform with a five-piece band featuring Arabic and Vietnamese instruments. There'll also be a special Saturday night performance by The Panics on July 8, and series of art talks related to the exhibition, which runs from April 28 to July 19. NGV FRIDAY NIGHTS WINTER 2017 LINEUP 28 April – Gemma Ray (UK) 5 May – Toby Martin (Youth Group) 12 May – Gareth Liddiard 19 May – Emma Russack 26 May – Gawurra 2 June – Two Steps on the Water 9 June – The Fauves 16 June – Grouper (US) 23 June – The Blackeyed Susans 30 June – Ben Salter Band 7 July – Steve Gunn (US) 8 July – The Panics
Travelling further than your own city hasn't been all that easy over the past 18 months, all thanks to the pandemic and the restrictions and border closures that've come with it. But, back at the end of June, Virgin Australia announced that it was going to give Aussies some extra incentive not just to travel, but to get vaccinated against COVID-19 so that borders can reopen, restrictions can ease and jetting off on holiday can become a reality again — and now the airline is coming through. The carrier has just launched a new giveaway called VA-X & Win, which is handing out free flights, a heap of frequent flyer points, lounge memberships and Virgin Australia PJs to Aussies who've had the jab. That's the catch, obviously. To enter, you'll need to roll up your sleeve first. You'll also need to be a member of the airline's free-to-join Velocity frequent flyer program. Here's how it works: once you've had both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, you'll head to the airline's website, fill out the form with all of your details and wait to find out if you've won. You've got until 11.59pm on December 31, 2021 to enter, and you'll need to tick a box confirming you've been vaxxed, and also have proof of your jabs to show if asked. The full prize pool includes 25 return business class flights, 50 return economy flights, 30 Virgin Australia lounge memberships and 85 sets of pyjamas, with 50 people scoring 10,000 Velocity points and ten folks nabbing 100,000 points. Also, one person will become a Velocity Points millionaire, with the lucky winner then able to put those points to plenty of use. "We are offering an opportunity for every fully vaccinated Australian aged 18 and over to enter the Virgin Australia VA-X & Win competition, for simply rolling up their sleeve, getting vaccinated and protecting their community and the future of our country," said Virgin Australia Group CEO and Managing Director Jayne Hrdlicka. "We know how important it is to reach the vaccination thresholds as soon as possible, especially for those people living in New South Wales and Victoria, and we're proud to play our part in adding to the benefits of getting vaccinated." Qantas has also launched a similar giveaway, if you'd like to double your chance to win across both airlines. And, if you're now looking for vaccination clinics, you can check out a handy online map that collates vaccination hub, clinic and GP locations. It covers all Australian states and territories, including New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. To enter the Virgin Australia 'VA-X & Win' competition, head to the airline's website before December 31, 2021.
