The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is back for 2015, showcasing the best of Russian cinema from Vladivostok to Moscow. The largest festival of Russian filmmaking anywhere outside of the motherland, this year's lineup features a wide mix of genres and includes a program stream dedicated to classic and contemporary war films. Because nobody makes war movies like the Russians. Headlining the program is Dmitriy Meskhiev's Battalion, which tells the real-life story of the First Russian Women's Battalion during the height of WWI. Other films in the sidebar include 1959's Oscar-nominated Ballad of a Soldier, and Alexei German's 19756 epic 20 Days Without War, as well as the recent Russian-Ukrainian co-production Battle for Sevastopol — which opens the festival in Brisbane. Moving beyond the canon fire, other standouts on the program include Teacha, a thriller about a high school teacher holding her students hostage, and Sunstroke, a three-hour historical drama about the last days of the Russian Empire.
A whopping 60 films will make their Australian debut at the 2015 Jewish International Film Festival. Returning to Event Cinemas Bondi Junction in Sydney and Classic Cinemas Elsternwick in Melbourne, this three-week celebration of Jewish films and filmmakers will screen both fiction and non-fiction films from all around the world, in order to showcase what festival director Eddie Tamir calls "the agony and the ecstasy of the Jewish experience". Standout narratives in the JIFF 2015 program include German post-WWII legal thriller Labyrinth of Lies, French-Canadian romantic drama Felix and Meira, Cannes Grand Prix winner Son of Saul and Natalie Portman's directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness, about Israeli novelist and journalist Amos Oz. The documentary lineup is similarly strong. Out of Israel, Censored Voices uncovers harrowing recordings made by disillusioned Israeli soldiers shortly after the Six Day War in 1967, while controversial Latvian doco Beyond the Fear tells the story of Yigal Amir, the assassin of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Prancing through fields laced with the charm of provincial France? Casual summer weekendery. The ever-popular So Frenchy So Chic in the Park is waltzing back to Melbourne's Werribee Park Mansion for its sixth year running, while in Sydney it will be moving over to the Glebe waterfront at Bicentennial Park for its fourth instalment. If you haven't been before, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties — think gourmet picnic hampers, tortes and terrines, offensively good wine, furious outdoor chess, casual gypsy beats. So Frenchy hinges around a solid lineup of eclectic artists you may be yet to meet. There's '60s French pop-American art rock hybrid outfit The Limiñanas (think Serge Gainsbourg meets The Velvet Underground), Parisian funk-folk poet and musician Bertrand Berlin, and Nouvelle Vague, who are no strangers to the So Frenchy setup. Last, but in no way, shape or form least, there's six-piece ex-busker band Deluxe — they will be belting out their unique blend of pop, hip-hop, funk, soul and big band elements to get everyone up off their picnic rugs and dancing the blazes out of that lawn. If you're not the most organised of picnickers, So Frenchy is putting on the works again with their beloved picnic boxes and cheese plates from Ed Dixon in Melbourne and Simmone Logue in Sydney. Filled with buttery pastry quiches, salad jardinière and goose egg meringue, the picnic boxes are one to preorder if you don't want to miss out. But So Frenchy won't let you go hungry; there'll be a huge banquet of seafood, crepes, macarons and ice cream available on the day. And of course, there'll be plenty of Laurent Perrier Champagne, French beer, Provence rosé, Bordeaux reds and whites, and special cocktails at the SFSC vintage caravan. Don your best floral-headband-and-sundress-combo and gear up for un merveilleux après-midi. SO FRENCHY SO CHIC IN THE PARK 2017: Sunday, January 15 — Werribee Park, Melbourne Saturday, January 21 — Bicentennial Park, Sydney So Frenchy So Chic in the Park will return to Melbourne and Sydney in January 2017. Early bird tickets are on sale now until October 10 for $75. From then on, tickets will be $89 online or $99 on the door. For more info, visit sofrenchysochic.com.au.
Whether you need a feed to enjoy alongside this weekend's footy finals action, or you just love a good flaky savoury pastry accompanied by top-notch brews — Tallboy & Moose's latest limited release will have you sold. The Preston brewery has teamed up with fellow northside mates the Northcote Bakeshop to put together a flavour-filled collaboration on offer this week only — the Yippie Pie Yay Pack. Available for takeaway and delivery from Thursday, August 26–Saturday, August 28, this tasty assembly of beer, pie and brownie will make your day. At $49, the pack comes stocked with a couple of brisket, stout and braised onion pies (served cold, ready to pop in the oven); a giant fudge brownie big enough to serve two; and a mixed four-pack of Tallboy & Moose beers to wash down the rest. You'll get a tinny each of the Spring Chicken pale ale, the Sunray XPA, the Deadset lager and the Nitro Moose Mousse stout. A vegan version — complete with wild mushroom and smoked paprika pies, and a plant-based rhubarb coconut cake — is also available, for delivery only this Friday, August 27. The OG pack is available with free delivery to a stack of local suburbs, or you can pick up your order from the brewery if it's within your five-kilometre radius.
Playing a string of intimate gigs in Melbourne and Sydney, European buzz boy SOHN (aka Christopher Taylor) is embarking on his first ever Australian tour this month. Though you may not have heard too much from him now, we highly recommend jumping on tickets. This guy's about to blow up in a big way, and you'll probably be paying double in a year's time for his sell-out gigs at The Forum. Having just released his debut album Tremors, SOHN is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who specialises in hypnotic electro beats. Perfect for your average chill session, SOHN's music lies somewhere between the moody vocals of James Blake and the precise repetitive grooves of Alt-J. And, if you ask us, that's a surefire recipe for success. As a London expat now living in Vienna, there's also a great deal of place reflected in his music. SOHN reportedly recorded every song on the album entirely at night, then took a long walk at sunrise through the city to clear his head. As a result of this, Tremors has been described as the perfect blend of London's buzzing hubbub and Vienna's iconic serenity. Tracks like 'Artifice' and 'The Wheel' show this perfectly — some great listening for your evening stroll to his gig. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AslPYSm7jfg
The sounds and — perhaps more importantly — the flavours of Louisiana are on their way back to Carlton. Inspired by New Orleans' famous Mardi Gras celebrations, Fat Tuesday will see Piazza Italia off Lygon Street overrun with local jazz musicians blasting tunes, and food vendors cooking up a storm. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening. The event is organised by the team at Gumbo Kitchen. They, along with folks from Bluebonnet Barbecue, Pretty Mama and Taco Truck, will be serving up a variety of old school Southern cuisine, including po' boys, tacos, jerk chicken and, of course, gumbo. There'll also be a pair of Southern Comfort cocktail bars, plus wine and craft beers aplenty. Entertainment, meanwhile, will come courtesy of local music acts including Mustered Courage, Horns of Leroy, Jules Boult and the Le Blanc Bros Cajun Band.
Sometimes, we all need to get a little lost. We need to leave our comfort zones — and the homes we've spent so much time in during the pandemic — and go wandering through an otherworldly realm. We need to play with echo light chambers, bound our way into giant bubbles, wander between shimmering digital vines and take a leap into a three-metre abyss, too, and just completely forget about our day-to-day troubles while we're moseying around a multi-sensory installation. If all of that sounds like your idea of heaven at the moment, it's about to become a reality in Melbourne again from Friday, November 12. That's when Imaginaria is bringing its immersive playground for kidults and children alike back to The District Docklands, and setting up shop until the end of January. If you weren't one of the 100,000-plus people who caught Imaginaria's last Melbourne season late last year and early this year, here's your chance to head along. And if you did make the trip last time, there's plenty to tempt you back for a return wander, including new installations and a collaboration with French filmmaker Thomas Vanz. This time, that aforementioned echo light chamber will respond to your movements — and you can jump into that three-metre cosmic abyss. The giant bubble will be filled with Vanz's hypnotic imagery, or you can recline on a seven-metre rotating bean bag perched underneath a light and sound constellation. In general, you can soak up an ambient soundscape that's designed by Alexander Albrecht and Nico as well. All of the above will still fall within a space that's made up of different structures, each filled with lights, sounds and smells. And yes, you'll still take your shoes off first, before exploring Imaginaria's new otherworldly realm. Melbourne's second dance with Imaginaria will be a choose-your-own-adventure kind of experience again, so you can spend 15 minutes skipping through or take your time. Open to all ages, it'll also have capacity limits and strict hygiene measures, with tickets starting at $29.95 a pop for adults.
Hop, skip and jump your way down to the National Gallery of Victoria for a look at the latest installation work from acclaimed American conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner. Inspired by the game of hopscotch, Out of Sight is a 16-metre long participatory artwork built into the floor in front of the NGV's iconic waterwall. Aimed primarily at teenage visitors (because teens love hopscotch, apparently), the work is designed to make you think creatively about the direction of your life, and will incorporate the artist's characteristic text-based approach along with a short film featuring local high school students. "We're thrilled to be one of the first galleries in the world to stage Lawrence Weiner's newest work Out of Sight, which will also be presented in cities including New York, Houston, Chicago and Shanghai," said NGV director Tony Ellwood. "Out of Sight will explore the concept of uncertain futures with visitors encountering a number of different phrases and ideas as they move along the hopscotch." Images: Exhibition install at NGV International by Wayne Taylor.
Early in Paris Can Wait, Anne (Diane Lane) and her busy film producer husband Michael (Alec Baldwin) take a start-stop ride to the Cannes airport. The sun streams down as they coast through the seaside town, but their driver, Michael's sometimes business partner Jacques (Arnaud Viard), keeps pausing to buy bread, sausage and strawberries for their flight. It's a kind gesture, and just the type of thing you'd expect holidays in France to include. Alas, they feel like frustrating interruptions for the visiting Americans. Far from improving their trip, the nitty gritty of actually embracing their surroundings gets in the way. Like characters, like filmmaker, like film. Jumping wholeheartedly into the narrative side of the family business by making her first non-documentary feature at the age of 81, writer-director Eleanor Coppola fills Paris Can Wait with detours and diversions. Unfortunately, they're unable to boost the final product, which is affectionately shot but uninspiringly scripted and assembled. While the film's premise revolves around an extended jaunt that takes its time to get to its eventual destination, tripping over cliches causes the leisurely romantic drama to stumble. A middle-aged woman doing some unexpected soul-searching, a connection arising out of nowhere, and broken-down cars prolonging the journey: Coppola throws them all in, along with long-held regrets, new awakenings and the difficulties of long-distance love. Inevitably they all arise as Anne treks across the country, not with Michael, who is always barking orders about his latest movie into his phone, but with the much more laid-back Jacques. The pair become unlikely road trip companions after an earache stops her getting on the plane, but their odd-couple awkwardness doesn't last long. He's a suave and shameless flirt fond of wining, dining and straying off the beaten path. Set free from her usual life, she soon finds her defences beginning to crumble. As a scenic travelogue complete with stopovers for picturesque picnics, swanky restaurant dinners and a visit to the Lumiere brothers museum in Lyon, Paris Can Wait is a Francophile's fantasy. If France's lavender fields and other rustic highlights weren't already on your must-visit bucket list, they will be after you've watch this film. Indeed, Coppola demonstrates a feel for both the road and for her locations, which is hardly surprising given that Paris Can Wait was inspired by her own post-Cannes Film Festival adventure back in 2009 (her husband Francis Ford Coppola had a feature screening at the festival that year). If only the story she spun had the same authenticity. Coppola might've taken the broad gist of the movie from her experiences, but the on-screen details prove disappointly stock-standard. And, if only her casting choices weren't so obvious. Lane is subtle and effective in rehashing territory that she previously played with in Under the Tuscan Sun. Baldwin, on the other hand, who is heard more than he's seen, may as well be playing Jack Donaghy from 30 Rock. Still, there's one area where choosing the easy option works, and it's one we'll choose to believe really is a case of art imitating life. As a soundtrack to her trip, Anne keeps listening to Phoenix. It's fitting: not only does the band's melodic pop-rock suit the mood of the film, but, thanks to her daughter Sofia, their frontman is Coppola's son-in-law. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EiPR0TtHv4
Iconic club session S.A.S.H has been partying for 12 years. And this weekend, it's celebrating that long legacy with a bumper birthday bash, complete with a stacked lineup of international and local artists. From 1pm on Saturday, April 16, the high-energy fun will transform all three rooms of Bourke Street Courtyard. You're invited to dip your toes back into the day party scene as you hit the dance floor to sounds from the likes of French producer Dyed Soundorom, Canada's Mike Shannon and plenty of homegrown heroes. The Jail Cells will be pumping to a lineup curated by Hot Mess — think, Subb-an and James Dexter — while Mantra Collective is guiding the tunes Upstairs, its bill headlined by Berlin-based Aussie DJ Katie Drover. If you've been looking for an excuse to dance your way through the long weekend, consider this it.
Melbourne Fashion Week kicks off its 27th edition today, launching seven stylish days filled with vibrant runway shows, exhibitions, pop-ups, talks and more. Featuring over 250 designers and running from November 15–21, the annual festival kicks off with Vogue's Secret Garden Runway, transforming a lush pocket of the Royal Botanic Gardens into a pop-up catwalk styled by Carlos Mangubat. Then, the Plaza Ballroom Runway will descend on the Regent Theatre's iconic event space for a visual feast of flowing fabrics and bold hues, styled by LGBTQIA+ activist Deni Todorović. Much-loved designers including Acler, Nicola Finetti, Jack London, Misha and Dom Bagnato will be showing off their latest show-stopping looks, across the runway's three sessions (November 15). Meanwhile, Haus of Dizzy's Kristy Dickinson and Gammin Threads' Tahnee Edwards have collaborated on a supersized artwork for the new Town Hall Station at City Square; the free Fed Square Runway will showcase exciting threads from a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designers (November 16); and the NGV hosts a special art-meets-fashion runway featuring designs from the likes of Carla Zampatti, Maticevski and Romance Was Born. Deeper into the program, you'll find unique runway shows at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium and the MCG underground carpark, workshops covering everything from modelling to millinery, and a pop-up market celebrating the best of slow fashion (November 20).
Residents of Melbourne, here's some good news to buoy you in these dark times. After a successful kick-off last year, Barkly Square in Brunswick is once again running a pop-up cinema on Saturday nights throughout December and January. It'll go down in the laneway of the shopping centre, which means you'll always have somewhere to grab a bite to eat as well. The best part is that all proceeds from the event will be donated to a rotating range of charities, including The Brotherhood of St Laurence, Forever Friends Animal Rescue, The Smith Family, Make-A-Wish Australia, Berry Street, VicDeaf and Melbourne City Mission. And even better, tickets are only a tenner. Take that Hoyts. There's only 60 seats per screening though, so be sure to book early — especially for the spesh Christmas screenings. On the whole, the lineup is pretty decent and eclectic, with everything from Amelie on opening night to The Nightmare Before Christmas to The Big Lebowski, and a special doggo night. BARKLY SQUARE OPENAIR CINEMA PROGRAM 2017-18 2 December — Amelie 9 December — A Dog's Purpose 16 December — Elf 23 December — The Nightmare Before Christmas 6 January – Despicable Me 3 13 January – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 20 January – Dirty Dancing 27 January – The Big Lebowski
Vegans of the north, rejoice. The age of meat is waning and it's nearly your time to inherit the earth. To build your strength, head down to Welcome to Thornbury for the Vegan Vegout, an all-vegan food truck event that rolls into High Street on the first Wednesday of every month. For this month's event, you can expect a lineup of vegetarian and vegan snacks from Pierogi Pierogi, Woking Amazing, Super Taco and The Pham Sisters, who specialise in vegan Vietnamese food. It all kicks off from 5pm and dogs are welcome.
There’s one surefire way to tell if a festival is up your alley: they have a dedicated food lineup announcement (yeah we know what we like and it’s food). This is is how we know, after years of searching, that Sugar Mountain is the one. After dropping their music lineup a few weeks ago, they’ve officially released their food lineup and we’ll walk you through it (then push you down and run over you so we can be first in line). The most intriguing of the crew is Melbourne newcomer Biggie Smalls, Shane Delia’s casual kebab joint based in Collingwood, which hasn’t been open for too long but has certainly piqued our interest. Biggie will be joined by Transformer Fitzroy, the beloved vegetarian eatery from the creature-lovin' people who brought you the Veggie Bar, and old girl Hanoi Hannah who’ll be spruiking her Vietnamese bites, including their famous pho, crisp salads and bahn mi. There are a few decidedly meatier options, including Meatmother (hello 12-hour wagyu brisket) and Belleville, whose eatery simply states “we do chicken”, are bringing their meat-heavy menu to the fray. And they'll be joined by Leonard’s House of Love who do a unique flavour of fancy fast food (wings, burgers, you name it). And to round it out (because there’s always room for dessert) is Billy Van Creamy, the organic artisan gelato makers who will be scooping scoops to cool you down after a long day of food, entertainment and drinks. Speaking of, beers are being served by Sample (craft ales galore), The Beaufort are teaming up with Jameson to put on a fancy cocktail bar and Black Pearl and Absolut are doing up the VIP section in style. And to shock you out of your food coma, Everyday Coffee will be there to pump you full of caffeine. But how will we fit all this into our bellies in a single day and still dance? It’s not gonna be easy. The training begins now. Tickets to Sugar Mountain available here. Check out the 2016 music lineup here. Image: Hanoi Hannah.
UPDATE: JANUARY 31, 2019 — Due to a broken tram, today's Guide Dogs will now be riding around Melbourne on a route 19 tram. They'll kick off at 2pm from the Flinders Street Station and travel along Elizabeth Street, then up Sydney Road. To make sure you catch the right tram — the one filled with many golden balls of fluff — keep an eye on the Tramtracker app and on the Guide Dogs Victoria Facebook page. Next Thursday, January 31, get ready to take an extra-long lunch break, because Public Transport Victoria is about to throw a one-off on-board pup party. And we're all invited. Four- and two-legged employees of Guide Dogs Victoria will be riding around on a route 19 tram, which runs along Elizabeth Street, from 2pm. They'll be chatting about their work and what it takes to raise and train little guide dogs (which is something you can sign up to do). If you do put up your hand, you'll get a puppy for about a year year — from its eight-week birthday to when it turns 14 months. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a guide dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, there's a lot more involved, too — but you can ask the staff all about it aboard the tram. Image: @sammietheguidedog.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together another walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. Across the two days, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Johnston Street, and grab a map outlining their route. From there, it's all about making your way to to plant-based delights aplenty — and making a day (or weekend) of it. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool vegan or just curious to give it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on some of its 3000+ products. The Vegan Day Out runs from 10am–6pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday.
If behind every great man there is a great woman, then consider Charles Dickens marked by two: his wife and mistress. The speculative The Invisible Woman tells the tale of the latter, wooed by the author despite their 27-year age difference, yet the former is inescapable. History remembers their imperfections, but understanding reigns in their screen incarnations. One stayed in the shadows as his lover and muse; the other stood on the sidelines as the mother of his ten recognised children. Treading the boards as a fledgling actress with her mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) and sisters (Perdita Weeks and Amanda Hale), Ellen 'Nelly' Ternan (Felicity Jones) catches the eye of Dickens (Ralph Fiennes) as he stages The Frozen Deep. Social decorum frowned upon divorce and threatened to keep them apart, but their love lingered, the open secret of their affair gaining traction before becoming untenable. Years later, Nelly looks back on their tumultuous relationship. Dickens is the high-profile figure in the handsomely staged and sumptuously expressed period drama, yet his presence is secondary to the women at the mercy of his emotions. As a writer, he remains as prominent as his many novels; in his personal life, his flitting from his wife, Catherine (Joanna Scanlan), to Nelly makes him the least interesting character. Instead, the pains suffered by both drive a film that skirts the melodrama inherent in its content. Troubled and tenacious in their individual ways, each could earn the description of the feature’s title. The intrigue elicited by Catherine and Nelly over Dickens is by design, and not indicative of any failings in the film’s performances or construction. Adapting Claire Tomalin's book The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens, Fiennes does double duty as director in a deftly delicate addition to his filmmaking resume (and a stark departure from his last effort, the brutal modernising of William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus). Underplaying his lead role but always attracting attention, Fiennes is similarly subtle and deliberate on screen as he is off; however, again it is his surrounding players that rise to prominence. Tackling Nelly’s uncertainty in her younger years as well as her guarded exterior as she ages is no easy feat but one that Jones portrays admirably, building upon her stellar turns in Like Crazy and Breathe In. Scanlan is given less time to impress but makes the most of her moments, conveying the devastating mood that trickles through the entire production. As The Invisible Woman progresses towards its fated conclusion, of course the air thrums with contemplation. Abi Morgan’s screenplay and the film that results makes audiences feel but also think: about life, love, social convention and struggling with normality amidst bright minds and great expectations.
Jerry Mai's long-anticipated Melbourne restaurant Annam is nearly here. She's announced she'll be throwing open the doors to the Bourke Street restaurant on Monday, October 2. Annam has been in the works for Mai for some time. When we spoke to her in June, she was still imagining the menu and now it's come to be — and it sounds like it has been worth the wait. You can expect dishes like tuna tataki with cumquat nuoc nam and crispy onion, whole grilled Hiramasa kingfish with rice paper, braised goat somm la curry with pea eggplant and bo kho spiced beef ribs with mustard leaf. There's also been mention of a salted caramel fried ice cream dish on the dessert menu, a mention which has us very intrigued and hungry. Annam will be all about traditional Vietnamese dishes — in fact, the name Annam is what Vietnam was known as prior to 1945. Vietnamese food has picked up influences from every historic episode, including Chinese, French and Japanese, as well as from its neighbours Laos and Cambodia. "Relive sitting in the street, on a little stool somewhere in Vietnam," Mai says. "The heat and the smoke coming from the grill, and the noise coming from the kitchen and hopefully we can transport you back to a holiday in southeast Asia somewhere." For the drinks menu, Annam will serve up complementary but not strictly Vietnamese drops. "We're looking at wines that will suit the food, cocktails made with tropical fruits, and also at local and imported beers," Mai says. Mai's business partner Rani Doyle has put together the drinks menu, which is heavy with Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and local Riesling in order to make the most of bold, spicy and salty flavours. You can also grab cocktails with a southeast Asian twist, like Four Pillars gin with nashi, Thai basil and finger lime. Annam is located at 56 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne and is set to open on Monday, October 2 from 5pm. For more info, visit annam.com.au. Images: Jana Langhorst.
Now in its third year running, Mosaic Festival celebrates Victorian women and the cornucopia of cultures they represent; an initiative of the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition (VIRWC). City Square will be transformed into a multicultural marketplace dishing up international cuisine and selling beautiful handicrafts. From Turkish jewellery and crafts to Malay and Indonesian fare, you’re bound to walk away with more culturally rich mind and belly at this free festival. Entertainment-wise, there's plenty of song and dance on the bill — Diana Nguyen, Culture Queenz, Jhoom Bollywood and Ecuadorian Dance. There'll also be a fashion show where you're encouraged to come dressed in your national costume and strut your stuff. If you're not all threaded up in national dress don’t sweat it, there'll be opportunities to try on authentic Chinese and Korean costumes, and there'll be henna stores for those who want to try something a little different.
December 25 is as good a day as any to get into some BBQ, and Le Bon Ton are making it happen with their Christmas lunch. Starting from midday, they'll be doing what they do best: smoking some mother flippin' meat. For $80 a head, you'll get to feast on some (very Christmas-appropriate) pit-smoked turkey breast, Cajun ham and an assortment of tasty Southern sides. You'll have to book and pay in advance for the pleasure of having a no-fuss day. Bookings can be made on (03) 9416 4341 or by emailing bookings@lebonton.com.au.
Once a year, the Abbotsford Convent opens up all its doors to the public and offers us a chance to see inside the creative hub. Artists in residence will present their studio spaces to visitors, offering an insight into one of Melbourne’s most artistic communities. There are over 250 artistic, wellbeing and educational tenants that reside in this glorious establishment, and we're more than excited to meet a few. You're welcome to explore the buildings or have a picnic in their heritage gardens, and there will also be plenty of other activities running throughout the day. Live music and entertainment will be on the cards with the most excellent Shadow Electric bandroom offering up a free gig from Mighty Duke and the Lords as well as markets and food stalls. If you’re long overdue for a trip to the Convent, or are yet to experience it for the first time, we couldn’t think of a better day to go and check it out. Grab some lentils and stake out your spot on the Convent lawn any time from 11am-4pm on Sunday, November 9.
Get your green thumbs ready — the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show is returning next month for its 24th year. Presented by Lawn Solutions Australia, this massive five-day horticultural extravaganza will be held within the lush surrounds of Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building from Wednesday, March 27 to Sunday, March 31. The 2019 edition of the much-loved gardening event will bring together many of Australia's most innovative and admired horticultural and floral designers. Visitors can check out stalls, expert talks, floral installations and show gardens and take part in floral design workshops. Highlights include a one-off Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-inspired indoor plant feature, a large-scale installation of a whimsical palace and a range of comforting meditative gardens sponsored by mental health charity Beyond Blue. Meanwhile, plant-based designs from RMIT Fashion Design students will be on display in the Great Hall of Flowers and The Holland America Line is hosting a decadent high tea. In addition, the Gardens by Twilight showcase will also bring Carlton Gardens to life just as the sun starts to dip. Held Friday, March 29 until 9pm, the after-dark event will feature access to all of the show's daytime features with the addition of light installations and live music. You can mosey through the elegantly presented grounds, stopping in at the bevvy of wine bars and prosecco vans, before getting a bite to eat at the gourmet food village. Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 2019 will run from 9am–9pm on Friday, March 29 and until 5pm all other days. You can secure your tickets here — if you book prior to Tuesday, February 26, you will go in the running to win a $500 gift card to spend at the show.
Japanese cinema's diverse array of wonders can't be confined to one event. Melburnians can watch the latest and greatest films the country has to offer at the annual Japanese Film Festival; however, since 2018, cinephiles can also step back into Japanese movie history, too — all thanks to its classics program. Running on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26 at the Astor Theatre, this film selection explores old-school big-screen highlights, especially if you're fond of spooky tales. A supernatural anthology telling four ghostly stories, the Academy Award-nominated Kwaidan is one of Japan's undeniable standouts, while The Ghost Story of Yotsuya adapts a kabuki masterpiece about murder and revenge. Also on the bill: The Bride from Hades, about a mysterious woman and the man who falls in love with her; plus the delightfully named Black Cat Mansion, which adds its own spin to the age-old haunted house premise. If you're keen on some retro bumps and jumps, entry is free — and while you can grab a ticket from the Astor an hour before each screening, you can also reserve your seat online in advance if you'd prefer.
Nature documentaries rarely simply spy the earth's wonders, point cameras that way and let the planet itself do the talking. Instead, films such as 2017's The Ancient Woods are by far the exception rather than the rule. And yet, the best footage within any movie about our pale blue dot makes viewers wish that more favoured the "a picture is worth a thousand words" approach. Take The Giants, for instance. When it includes talk, which is often, it's no lesser a feature. The conversation and commentary offered is illuminating, in fact. But when it wanders through Tasmania's colossal foliage within the Styx Valley, Southern Forests and the Tarkine, which is also regularly, it feels like it barely needs to utter a single thing. This isn't merely a factual affair about flora, with environmental campaigner and pioneering former Greens senator Bob Brown firmly at its core, but The Giants knows that paying tribute to both is best done by staring at leafy surroundings as much as it can. It's no everyday feat to get a movie-watching audience admiring the natural world while peering at a screen, even if the frequency with which David Attenborough's docos arrive has helped everyone both think and expect otherwise. Indeed, notching up that achievement is a mammoth accomplishment on the part of The Giants' filmmakers Laurence Billiet (Freeman) and Rachel Antony, plus cinematographer Sherwin Akbarzadeh (Carbon — The Unauthorised Biography). Crucially, it assists what was always going to be a fascinating ode to bloom as much as any plant that it waters with attention. When you're crafting a documentary that intertwines a love letter to Australia's ancient native forests and their ecosystems with a powerful portrait of a hefty figure who has devoted much of his life to fighting for them, showing all the green splendour it possibly can is equally a must and a masterstroke. A doctor who turned politician after first establishing roots in Tasmania's environmental movement in the 70s, Brown has spent many of his years either around or battling for The Giants' woody namesakes. The film tells that tale, plus more before it, deploying the familiar birth-to-now doco format. Thanks to its human subject, aka the movie's other giant, it's a greatly inspiring story — one that on its own, assembling the usual archival photos, news clips, home videos and talking heads, is a hearty piece of motivation to follow in Brown's activist footsteps. As an interviewee, he adds insights about his experiences, dreams and goals, and the way that Australia's lavish landscape has been treated. Among those joining him: his twin sister Jan, partner Paul Thomas, successor as Greens leader Christine Milne and current Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Brown was born to a family of police officers, but enforcing the law wasn't his calling, as The Giants steps through. His closeness with his mother also earns the spotlight, as does the way that nature provided solace and excitement from his early years onwards. The decision to study medicine, his struggles with his homosexuality, his shift to Australia's southernmost state, the first sprouts of his passionate crusading and his move into politics are all covered, as are his stint fasting on top of Mt Wellington to protest the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise sailing into Hobart, the jump to the federal level and interrupting US President George W Bush's 2003 speech to Australian parliament. There's no surprise that the film needs 112 minutes to fit all of the above in and more, like Brown's status as the first out gay man in parliament, and also to highlight the breathtaking beauty that's been Australia's for millennia. On-screen as in away from the cinema, don't ever underestimate the impact that trees can and do make. Here, in a picture that starts with 100-metre-tall eucalypts regnans that dwarf dinosaurs, and similarly heroes Huon pines and Tasmanian myrtle beech, majestic rainforests and the gargantuan plants within them make a rousing and riveting documentary even better. The arresting imagery would bring to mind Peter Dombrovskis' famous photography of the Apple Isle's Franklin River — specifically Rock Island Bend, as captured in a snap that's widely credited with saving the waterway — even if it wasn't given a shoutout. Courtesy of the University of Tasmania's Terra Luma research project, 3D forest scans dazzle as well, as turned into surreal and striking cloud animation by Alex Le Guillou. As much as roving one's eyes over the wilderness speaks for itself, The Giants gets chatting to deepen viewers' understanding of nature's marvels. Accordingly, an appreciation of algae and mushrooms also springs — 2023 is the unofficial year of the fungus on screens big and small, after all, given that it's a year that's seen both The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros Movie become hits. Regardless of how popular spore-producing organisms are in pop culture right now, knowledge about their pivotal function is a call to act within Billiet and Antony's film. The Giants also gleans that explaining what's threatened by logging, damming and climate change, especially while showing it in intricate and impressive detail, is a stirring way to encourage viewers to do their part for the cause. It's one thing to ask people to make an effort to make a difference when the movie stops rolling, whatever their personal version of facing deforestation, bulldozers, expansive mining operations and the like is. It's another to demonstrate that playing a part for the planet can and does bring about change, as Brown's life story epitomises. He has the right words to stress the case as well, whether he's noting that "there is nothing a small group of people can't do when the idea they're espousing's time has come" or championing civil disobedience as obedience to nature — and, yes, aiding with justifying why the film isn't solely gorgeous shots of tremendous trees. The Giants has the right overview of his five-decade impact to go with it, alongside all that wondrous forest footage that says everything, including that the living world in the 21st century always needs all the help that it can make blossom.
The term 'slaty cleavage' refers to the miniscule layers of grain that occur in rock under intense levels of heat and pressure. It's this geological phenomenon that provides the inspiration — and the title — for a brand new installation at Chapter House Lane. Created by Melbourne-based artist Isadora Vaughan, Slaty Cleavage sets out to explore the parallels between the natural world and everyday handmade objects. Vaughan's installation will consist of enamel on copper displayed in the middle window of the gallery. Over the course of the month-long exhibition, the work will be subject to various environmental changes, causing it to warp, buckle and blister — shifting and expanding on a molecular level until it resembles something entirely new. Image: Isadora Vaughan, Doing Mass, Matter Action, 2013.
Does your version of celebrating whichever occasion takes your fancy involve eating more of the things you love? Do pork belly, chicken schnitzels, chicken wings and German sausages fall into that category? If so, The Bavarian has an all-you-can-eat special that'll tempt your tastebuds — because a bottomless feast is on the menu. On Wednesdays, the German-themed chain is serving up all-you-can-eat meat platters. They come stacked with all of the aforementioned meats — and yes, the pork belly includes crackling — plus sauerkraut and gravy as sides. And, once you've finished your board, you'll get a whole new serving. On All-You-Can-Meat Wednesdays, there's a two-hour time limit to your eating — and it'll cost you $35 per person. There is a two-person minimum, too, so you'll need to take at least one meat-loving pal along with you. Feel like you can fit in fries, mash and salad as well? That'll cost you an extra $5 for each one, or you can get all three for $10. You'll find The Bavarian at Knox and Highpoint. And if you want to pair all that meat with German brews — which is understandable — you'll pay extra for the drinks.
Over the first two weekends in April, Chapel Street is transforming into Art-Town. Returning to the southside precinct for the seventh consecutive year, this miniature art festival will once again feature an eclectic mix of creative practitioners — including painters, illustrators, photographers, projectionists and sculptors — in a public celebration of the city's endless artistic talent. Designed to bring artists and their audience together, Art-Town will wind along Chapel Street, through galleries, restaurants, markets and public spaces. If you're looking to do a bit of redecorating at home, many of the participating artists will have work on sale. And don't worry if you work weekends — Chapel Off Chapel will be hosting an exhibition, featuring many of the Art-Town artworks, from April 26 until May 14.
St Kilda's bar and food truck park Trinity has already been earning plenty of street cred, especially for the burgers being served from its vintage Airstream food van. But if you're yet to get acquainted with these buns, we've found the perfect excuse for your first encounter: free burgs. Yep, in honour of International Burger Day on Sunday, May 28, the venue will be giving away free cheeseburgers from 12–2pm. All you need to do to score one is purchase a drink from the bar menu, which just so happens to feature a hefty selection of cocktails, tap brews, vino and booze-free concoctions. The rest of the usual food menu will also be available to order on the day, in case that free burger puts you in the mood for a feast. [caption id="attachment_850271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] by Nicole Cleary[/caption] Images: Nicole Cleary
It isn't often you come across a band name that doubles as an appropriate review of the band's jaw-dropping performance. Thankfully, Holy Fuck are proudly flying the flag of that exclusive group and are about to plant it in Australia, as they are set to embark on a national tour to accompany their upcoming Groovin' the Moo appearances. The Canadian outfit is gracing our shores for the first time since 2011 and any readers who stood in awe at one of those shows will know that these are tickets not to be missed. Set lists are foregone as the band opt instead to thrive off their audience. Waves of energy cascade over the crowd, imbibing revellers with dancing urges that will continue for days as they relive the brilliance. Never has blaspheming and swearing been this fun, so grab yourself a ticket. https://youtube.com/watch?v=S2Y7TAtoAFk
The sights, sounds and flavours of Morocco are coming to Melbourne this Sunday. The latest endeavour from the team at Gallery One Three, Marrakech Magic Melbourne will see a laneway in the CBD transformed into an exotic North African marketplace complete with live entertainment, fortune telling and a smorgasbord of tasty Moroccan cuisine. This pop-up Casablanca, located just off Little Bourke Street, will be open for business from midday on January 25. Wander down at lunchtime and savour the aroma of exotic herbs and spices, before gorging yourself on sizzling Moroccan BBQ served with couscous and vegetable tagine. Afterwards, relax on plush Moroccan pillows and listen to the sounds of the city, filtered through a fusion of Moroccan electro, jazz and tabla. Those looking to immerse themselves a little further can get their future told via a coffee cup reading, or even get decorative with a traditional Henna tattoo. Photo: Dylan Passmore via photopin cc.
Melbourne's one-to-watch designers will be hawking their wares at the 2017 editions of the much-loved Melbourne Design Market. A major event on the Melbourne design calendar since it launched back in 2004, this twice-yearly showcase of intelligent design is the perfect destination for savvy shoppers, or anyone just looking to drop some hard-earned cash. Hosted once again on level three of the Federation Square car park from 10am till 5pm, the market will welcome 50 handpicked local merchants selling everything from clothing and fashions accessories to high-end stationery and furniture. On the off chance that you have any money left over after your shopping spree, there'll be coffee and food available too.
The holiday break might be over for most, but there's still a whole lot of summer left to enjoy. And, kicking off this weekend, there's also a brand new series of tune-filled beachside parties to see you living up the best of these balmy afternoons. Launching this Sunday, January 13, the Leisure Pleasure sunset sessions will be making their home among the blissful bayside digs of St Kilda's West Beach Bathers Pavilion. It all heats up from 3pm, as the openair marquee and waterfront deck come alive for an afternoon of house-soaked revelry, with tunes and vibe curated by the crew at Melbourne collective Red Moon and Don't Think Events. Gracing the decks will be the likes of Red Moon DJ's PG and Jedidiah, and Phil Napoli, with local legend Luke Vecchio serving up the all-important sunset slot. To match, expect a summer-worthy drinks offering, with a menu of bites, bowls and pizzas available from the venue's beachside cafe right up until sunset.
Federation Square will shine bright this June, with the latest edition of The Light in Winter. The three-week festival in the heart of the city will once again illuminate the works of local and international artists through forums, installations, performances and more. The centrepiece of this year’s program is the world premiere of 'Molecules of Light', a laser installation from UK artist Chris Levine commissioned especially for Federation Square. Other standouts include 'Luminous Intervention', a bioluminescent exhibition in The Atrium’s Fracture Gallery; as well as 'The Light Revolution', a public discussion event presented by Science in Public. A number of performances will take place around 'Leempeeyt Weeyn', the ceremonial campfire created by artist Vicki Couzens at the inaugural festival back in 2007. The festival wraps up on June 20 with the solstice celebration, a free evening of light, music, performance and dance. The North East Melbourne Chinese Association will choreograph a giant flash mob, while local band Amplified Elephants will rock out inside a giant knitted egg.
According to The Guardian, Thumpers "make spiritual feelgood music for people who don't necessarily want to go to church". In January last year, the London-based indie-electro-pop duo made the UK media institution's prestigious 'new band of the week' page. Since then, they've released their debut studio album, Galore, in both the US and the UK via independent Seattle label Sub Pop Records. That's the very same legendary platform responsible for first bringing Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney to your ears. Now, in between major UK festivals Blissfields (July 4) and Secret Garden Party (July 24-27), they're going to make a lightning-quick trip our way for just a couple of gigs — one at Sydney's Newtown Social Club on July 10 and the other at Melbourne's Northcote Social Club on July 11. After that, they're off to the US for an exhaustive tour that'll carry them clapping into September. And just in case you're wondering, the name has nothing to do with Bambi.
Shopping centres have taken a turn as of late. They've made the leap from somewhere your mum would drag you to as a teenager to a complex that's actually kinda cool. And the food courts. Don't even get me started on the food courts. With Christmas coming up, it seems almost inevitable that you'll need to embark on a gift-buying mission in the near future. And if you're going to do so, we recommend doing it with a glass of wine in hand. As luck would have it, you can sip some sparkling while shopping at Westfield Doncaster this week, during their five-day VIP Summer Series. Running from Wednesday to Sunday, the eastern suburbs shopping centre will be putting on a slew of events — and yes, one is a complimentary sparkling bar. You'll also be able to create your own custom fragrance, pick up some personalised leather goods from The Daily Edited pop-up, attend free style workshops, and take a breather with a 18-hour pulled pork slider from Street Feast food truck. Westfield Doncaster's VIP Summer Series will run from Wednesday, November 18 to Sunday, November 22. For a full list of event, visit their website.
Located in the lush backstreets of Prahran, College Lawn Hotel (known colloquially as The Lawn) has become a favourite on the south-side for its laid-back atmosphere, great pub fare and outdoor Sunday sessions. Every Sunday, its leafy beer garden fills with humans and pups and lots of $15 espresso martinis — that'll help you see the weekend out in style. It's here that you can forget about the impending Monday morning or recover — in the garden oasis — from last night's antics. There are relaxing live tunes, too — the pub has just launched a series of Sunday-afternoon acoustic sessions, Unplugged Sundays, which feature some of the city's best local talent. Sets kick off each week at 4pm and continue late into the evening, wrapping up around 11pm (so you don't feel too horrid come Monday morning). Alongside the sun-speckled beer garden, the venue also has two bars, a dining area and a bottle shop (so your options certainly aren't limited). And the menu delivers a hearty lineup of hungover specialities (bacon and egg burger, I'm looking at you) and classic pub meals — such as steaks, pies and parmas — that'll put you in good stead for the week ahead. College Lawn Sunday Sessions kick off every Sunday at 3pm. For more information, head to the website.
You didn't do any cooking last night, did you? You had plans to meal prep for the week, but instead you went to the pub and ate chips and now you're sitting at your desk, broke and hungry, wondering what you can get for lunch for under $10 today. Well, my unorganised friend, you're in luck. If you work/live near a Roll'd, you can wander in there and get yourself a free rice bowl. Yep, free. And you don't even have to be one of the first people into the shop — you just have to fill out this form. The while-stocks-last giveaway is in celebration of the chain's sixth birthday, and is happening at all Victorian Roll'd stores excluding the ones at Knox, Eastland and the airport. There are nine in the CBD (including Melbourne Central, Collins Place and QV) and 14 more in Chadstone, Barkly Square, the Jam Factory, Monash Clayton and Malvern (to name a few). If you can't make it for lunch, some of them are also open for dinner.
Sydney breakfast royalty descends on Melbourne this week, as A1 Canteen heads to Belles Hot Chicken for a one-day-only brunch pop-up. The Chippendale all-day eatery has earned a cult following up north for its hefty rolls and loaded sambos, especially the muffuletta — a New Orleans-style (highly Instagrammable) stacked sandwich that's stuffed with mortadella, salami, olive salad, spinach, peppers and artichoke. And now, Head Chef Clayton Wells and his right-hand-man Scott Eddington are bringing A1's greatest hits to breakfast-obsessed Melbourne, taking over Belles' Fitzroy store from 9am until noon, this Tuesday, October 9. There'll be only 60 of each A1 favourite sailing from the kitchen — so you'll need to get in early for the likes of curried scrambled eggs; the fried eggplant, provolone and romesco sandwich; the fried egg and grilled mortadella roll; and, of course, that legendary muffuletta.
From director Amin Palangi, Love Marriage in Kabul is a documentary that looks at the complexities of courtship, in the backdrop of a severely patriarchal society. He depicts a world where marriage does not get to be an equal choice between two people, but a decision completely out of their control. At the centre of the documentary is Mahboba Rawi, a former refugee from Afghanistan who now lives in Australia. She has created a charity to raise funds that provides support and education for more than 2,000 widows and orphans in Afghanistan. Mahboba is determined to help one of her charges, Abdul who is in love with the girl next door, Fatemeh. They face strong opposition and unreasonable demands from her father, obstructing any chance that they could get married. The filmmaker, Amin Palangi, feels a responsibility to delve into the intricate cultural structures that determines the everyday life of inhabitants. He sees it as his mission to foster identification, rather than otherness for western viewers. The documentary won the Audience Award in the 2014 Sydney Film Festival. Screenings in Melbourne will start on November 13 at Cinema Nova. Tickets can be pre-purchased online. Proceeds from ticket purchases will help support Mahboba's charity. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bl3JiIOlGt8
CBD party bar Ferdydurke is prepping its loft for Negroni Week with a happy hour that'll see the classic version priced depending on the day's weather forecast. It's a rare reason to hope this past weekend's cold snap extends into next — if it's 12 degrees outside, negronis will be $12. If it's seven degrees, you'll score one for $7 (and so on). So our fingers are crossed for some single-digit temperatures across Melbourne next week to make the most of it. The special offer will only be available from June 24–30 and from 4–6pm each day, so be sure to check the forecast ahead of time and head in on the more blustery days. The bar will also serve up a full negroni menu that features booze from Never Never Distilling Co., Plantation Rum and Mancino Vermouth — but these are not part of the special temperature-based offering.
This summer, Melburnians can again cool off while listening to laidback jazz and funk when Summer Sundays takes over the pool at the Prahran Aquatic Centre for three weekends on January 20, February 3 and February 10. DJ Mike Gurrieri will spin poolside beats from 1–6pm each day, so Chapel Street visitors can groove along while they swim. Gurrieri is a local radio presenter (who runs Mystic Brew every Tuesday morning on PBS), music label owner and long-time record store fanatic whose DJ sets span soul, jazz, funk and world music. While the event itself is free, the normal pool entry fee of $6.60 will be charged at the door, or $12.70 if you also want to access the facility's spa, sauna and steam room. There's a raised sundeck and expansive lawn to laze away the day on, too. Keep in mind that this event is all-ages and alcohol-free, so leave the tinnies at home.
Unrequited love isn't the nicest of feelings, so luckily Alt-J are as crazy about us as we are about them. Or maybe they're just waging bets on how many venues they can sell out in the space of 12 months. Whatever – they're coming back at around the same time as a certain mammoth festival taking place at Belongil Fields, meaning die-hard fans might have a chance to see them twice. The great thing about these guys is that they're incredibly easy to listen to while simultaneously sounding like nothing else you've ever heard before. "Indie rock" is an almost horrifically inadequate tag to attach to the quartet, whose jams are closer to subverted art rock blended up with folk, pop and brains. They're also perfectionists and put on a killer live show. Tickets for Alt-J go on sale Wednesday, 13 March at 9am via Ticketek. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rVeMiVU77wo
As far as Australian love goes, 2016 has been an epic year for English alt rockers The 1975. They kicked off with an Australian tour in January, which sold out within minutes, while their second LP, I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, smashed the charts, debuting at #1 on the ARIA and iTunes charts. Combining '80s sounds with a contemporary aesthetic, the album spawned hits 'Girls', 'The Sound' and 'Love Me'. Next up came sets at Coachella and Glastonbury, and a stack of other festivals are now lined up — from Chicago's Lollapalooza to Japan's Summer Sonic. There's more Splendour sideshow action where this came from. Check out our list of sideshows with tickets still available.
It was one of 2022's most exciting new wellness offerings — now, Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is serving up a fun new treat of the culinary variety. Onsite restaurant Thyme is kicking off a monthly high tea series highlighting top local ingredients. The aptly named Tea Thyme will make its debut on Sunday, February 26, dishing up an inviting spread of sweet and savoury goodies against a backdrop of leafy slopes and thermal pools. Running on the last Sunday of each month, the feasts will centre on a blend of native and global flavours. Expect plates like ribbon sandwiches starring Sichuan white pepper-roasted chicken; toasted brioche piled with duck liver parfait, Davidson plum and mirin jelly; beetroot and whipped feta tarts with a spiced seed praline; and sherbet madeleines elevated with a zingy yuzu curd custard. To match, you'll find an array of teas — including Alba's signature Unearthed English breakfast blend — and a cocktail crafted on Bass and Flinders' Heartbreak Pinot Noir Gin. Tickets are $190, which includes your high tea, a pack of herbal tea to take home and all-day access to Alba's bathing precinct. But with just 24 spots available at each session, you'll want to book quickly. Images: Chris McConville
It's no secret that we live in a beautiful country. Our rugged coastlines, tropical rainforests and sweeping desert plains give us plenty to brag about. But, to keep it looking so damn gorgeous, we all have to play a part in looking after the environment. And now, one way to do that is by sipping on a delicious drink. Enter C.A.N — a fresh new vodka and soda pre-mix that is committed to quenching your thirst while donating 10% of its profits to supporting conservation efforts in Australia. How good is that? C.A.N — which stands for Create Action Now — has linked up with Wild Ark and Conservation Volunteers Australia to ensure it's doing its bit to aid land, water and air conservation efforts while keeping you refreshed. To put its money where its mouth is, C.A.N has already donated $5000 to support the #SeatoSource project run by Conservation Volunteers Australia. There are two tasty flavours to try — ruby grapefruit and pineapple passionfruit — both of which are low in sugar but high in deliciousness. Want to add a lil feel good moment to the next time you crack a tin? Well, now you C.A.N. To celebrate its launch, C.A.N is giving away a prize pack to one lucky CP reader consisting of some tasty C.A.Ns and $500 cash. Plus, you'll get to choose one of C.A.N's conservation partners to cop an additional $500. Sound like something you want to support? To be in the running, tell us in 25 words or less what you're doing to help the environment during lockdown. For more information on C.A,N's initiatives, visit the website. Then, grab yourself some C.A.Ns via BoozeBud or at your local bottle shop. [competition]822930[/competition]
This November, the bustling Night Noodle Markets will return to Birrarung Marr for 18 nights of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, bao and extravagant frozen desserts. Taking over the riverside inner city park from November 7–24, the latest iteration of the fairy light-lit markets will see a slew of Australia's favourite food stalls set up shop to serve a wide variety of street snacks. Crowd favourites — and NNM regulars — Hoy Pinoy will be back with its Filipino barbecue, and will Wonderbao's fluffy buns and Puffle's cheesy cone waffles. You can also expect to find dumplings, okonomiyaki and soba noodles, right through to pancakes and Korean-style shaved ice desserts. [caption id="attachment_645205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The puffle by Kimberley May Moore[/caption] Gelato Messina will be back, too — its 2019 Sydney NNM menu includes Thai-style sweets like a milk tea banana cheesecake sandwich, a layered condensed milk pudding, and banana fritters with caramelised banana gelato and peanut crumble. Let's hope these make their way down here, too. Naturally, there will be plenty of booze stations as well, including a Jacobs Creek tipi wine bar, a beer garden and a 20s-inspired diner serving beer floats and spiders. So start scheduling your visits the market — and cross your fingers for good weather. The Night Noodle Markets run from November 7–24 at Birrarung Marr, Melbourne. They'll be open from 5–9pm Monday and Tuesday, 5–10pm Wednesday and Thursday, 5–11pm Friday, 4–10pm Saturday and 4–9pm Sunday. Image: Kimberley May Moore.
Friday nights are looking a little different these days, with stage four stay-at-home orders making after-work beers at the pub a distant memory. But if moping on the couch has become your new pre-weekend ritual, this Friday, August 7, you can blow off some of that pent up steam the dramatic way — with a huge, communal screaming session. Melbourne local Tessethia Von Tessle Roberts has created a Facebook event simply titled Stand On Your Front Porch And Scream. And irate Melburnians are invited to do just that, kicking off at 7pm on Friday. Miffed about the five-kilometre exercise rule? Fed up with working from home? Ticked off about the colossal mess that is 2020 in general? Go on and release all those pandemic-induced frustrations with a big ol' holler, in unison with a few thousand other Melbourne folk. Yep, currently more than 34,000 people have either RSVPd to join in the fun, or confirmed they're interested in attending. Start limbering up those vocal chords, channel your emotions and prepare to give Jimmy Barnes a run for his money in the screaming stakes. Here's some inspo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvrZJ5C_Nwg
The global beer industry is set to descend upon Melbourne this month as two veritable talents take over the taps at Footscray's Mr West Bar & Bottleshop. New York's acclaimed hazy beer masters Other Half Brewing Company will be joined by the UK's Cloudwater Brew Co, both of which have never been showcased in Australia before. It'll all kick off at 1pm on Saturday, March 30 and go into the wee hours of Sunday. Other Half will take over 12 of the bar's taps, while Cloudwater is sending seven kegs and plenty of tinnies. Though the brews are coming from the other side of the world, all beers are being cold air freighted straight to Mr West to ensure some surprisingly fresh pours. The founders from both breweries will be in the house to chat over the brews, too. From Other Half, expect a Bagel and Schmear IPA, a Mexican Hot Chocolate stout and a collab brew with New Zealand's Garage Project — it's inspired by the banana split croissants served at New York's Supermoon Bakehouse. There will also be plenty of the brewery's signature double dry hopped brews on offer, including an 8.3-percent oat cream IIPA. Cloudwater, on the other hand, will be slinging heaps of easy-drinking brews, including a hoppy lager, pale ale and all-season IPA. Plus a märzan (strong dark Bavarian lager), a single hop Ekuanot IPA and a quadruple dry-hopped pale ale collaboration brew. The tap takeover is the second round of the Mr West's Worldwide to Westside Aviation Project. Keep an eye on this space for the next collab in the series.
If you're on a sugar free diet, close out of this window right now. Trust us when we say you do not want to know what's going down at the Food Truck Park in Preston this weekend. If, on the other hand, you're ready to embrace your diabetic destiny, then by all means read on. Kicking off at 5pm on Friday, July 29 before continuing from midday on Saturday and Sunday, the Sweet Tooth Truck Festival is bringing together all of Melbourne's best mobile food vendors for a chocolate-filled, sugar-glazed, ice-cream and crushed Oreo-topped dessert extravaganza. Crepe de L'ile, Manny's Doughnuts, Nuts-About-Tella, Von's Vegan Bake House, Waffle Bar and Nee's High Apple Pies are just a few of the enablers who'll be on hand, wooing you with sweet treats left and right. Look, it's not exactly the healthiest way to spend a weekend — but there's no way we're missing out on this feast.
When October rolls around, movie lovers turn their attention to one thing: films of the spookiest, eeriest, most terrifying and frightening variety. When Halloween is upon us, 'tis the season for bumps, jumps, screams, creepy celluloid dreams and getting scared while sitting in a cinema — but there are Halloween marathons, and then there's the Astor Theatre all-night movie-watching extravaganza. The Astor's annual Spooktacular knows how it wants you to feel while you're watching — and this year's event from 8pm on Saturday, October 28 knows that one filmmaker has been responsible for plenty of shocks and frights. So, 2023's festivities have been dubbed The Carpenter-Thon, with the program dedicated to the one and only master of horror John Carpenter. This is the director that gave the world the perfect movie for this very occasion, after all. The OG Halloween is on the bill of course, aka the film that kickstarted both Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis' careers. As well as spending time with Michael Myers, The Carpenter-Thon has a 40th-anniversary celebration of Christine on its lineup, plus They Live, The Fog, Escape from New York, Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness. The Astor doesn't ever give away its full Spooktacular bill, however, so expect some surprises on the program. Fingers crossed that more Kurt Russell is among the late additions, because The Thing is also ideal Halloween viewing.
