Step up your plans for Melbourne's biggest weekend of running, as New Balance has teamed up with feel-good health and fitness app Kic to celebrate what makes every runner special. Taking over riverside hang-out Afloat for a morning run event on Saturday, October 11, guests will work up a quick sweat before catching their breath with a free not-to-be-missed brekkie. After pacing a three- or five-kilometre run, the mid-morning fun begins with a feed from Hector's Deli and Sebby's Scrolls, paired with iced matchas and freshly brewed coffee. Then, the party turns up a notch, with Aussie DJ and producer Tigerlily spinning upbeat tunes that give this community gathering an invigorated edge. While no one is upset about a complimentary breakfast by the waterfront, this special collaboration is also giving runners the chance to win some sweet prizes. These include a free pair of New Balance Neon Green Rebel v5s and exclusive NB x Kic event tees designed by Australian illustrator Hayley O'Connor. Meanwhile, 100 annual Kic subscriptions are also up for grabs. "Whether you jog, run or stroll, our NB x Kic Afloat is there to empower and cheer you on every step of the way!" says Kic Co-Founder Steph Claire Smith. "It's not only a celebration during Melbourne's biggest weekend of running, it's a safe space that celebrates your individual running journey and puts the fun back in your run."
Well, it's finally happened. Google has gone and ruined Pictionary forever. The internet giant has just unveiled a new web-based tool for computer, mobile and tablet that helps translate your incomprehensible scribbling into legible images. And while it's certainly got lots of useful applications, one thing is crystal clear: family game night will never be the same again. AutoDraw uses "machine learning" to deduce what users are trying to draw, and then presents them with a number of simple artist drawn sketches to choose from. Basically it's like autocorrect for art. Google released an explainer video, which you can check out below. You can have a play around with the tool over here. And no, for the record, it doesn't spit out dirty pictures, no matter how much you might want it to (full disclosure: we tried, a lot). That said, Google is accepting artist submissions, so maybe someone can sneak one through. And look, if nothing else, at least it'll help people avoid situations like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-NH6TGZTcc
Having earned cult status (and Tik Tok stardom) among the seafood-lovers of the USA, Cajun-style restaurant The Boiling Crab finally landed Down Under in early 2021, opening its flagship Aussie venue in Glen Waverley. Now, 16 months on, the brand has got its pincers on a second Melbourne outpost, bringing its famed signature crab boil offering to the CBD. Launching today, Thursday, June 23, The Boiling Crab's newest iteration has made its home on Tattersalls Lane. Just like its siblings, the restaurant invites you to don a bib and gloves, turf your inhibitions and get messy digging into saucy piles of seafood and accompaniments. The menu delivers a sumptuous choose-your-own-adventure scenario. First, select your hero seafood — perhaps some Aussie lobster, Moreton Bay bug, king crab legs, clams or scampi — which is priced by weight, then steamed or boiled in your choice of seasonings, sauces and spices. The latter ranges from 'non-spicy' up to 'XXX (I Can't Feel My Mouth!), and you can round it all out with extras like pork sausage, corn on the cob, whole baby potatoes and cajun-spiced fries. It's delivered to you in the bag, ready to be spilled onto your paper-topped table and devoured with abandon. Fans of the fried stuff can supplement their feast with a hefty lineup of crispy things served by the basket. You'll find hot wings in a variety of coatings, soft shell crab served atop a pile of chips, fried calamari and the crunchy Shabang Bang Shrimp, available in three levels of heat. You'll be washing down the spice with a crisp imported brew, margarita or michelada, or you BYO drinks for $3 per person. Find The Boiling Crab CBD at 4 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne. It's open 12–9.30pm daily.
There's little that's normal about 2020 so far, and that includes film festivals. Many of the biggest cinema showcases on the annual international calendar have been forced to cancel, postpone or rethink their plans for this year — spanning heavy hitters such as Tribeca Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival, and even Australia's very own Sydney Film Festival. At present, we can't all gather in a darkened room and watch movie magic light up the silver screen. That doesn't mean that there isn't anything to watch, though. In fact, thanks to We Are One: A Global Film Festival, you can still enjoy a festival experience — one curated by some of the best big-screen events in the world, too — all while sitting on your couch. For ten days between Thursday, May 29–Sunday, June 7, 20 of the globe's standout film fests are joining forces to program a free online festival, which'll show features, shorts, documentaries and more via YouTube. More than 100 films will screen at set times, including 13 world premieres. That means that you can look forward to films such as Ricky Powell: The Individualist, about the eponymous street photographer; Eeb Allay Ooo!, a satire about monkey repellers in India; and Crazy World, an OTT action flick out of Uganda's Wakaliwood. There's also Australia's own Mystery Road and Mabo, Japanese rom-com Tremble All You Want and documentary The Iron Hammer, the latter of which follows Chinese volleyball star "Jenny" Lang Ping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stttLXh7yu4 If you're after something more than just watching a movie, a range of archived talks will also screen, alongside new, festival-exclusive content. Listen to chats by Jackie Chan, The Shape of Water filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Rogue One: A Star War Story's Diego Luna, or watch Tessa Thompson talk with director Jane Campion, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh discuss Apocalypse Now, Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg explore Crash, and Ang Lee and Kore-eda Hirokazu delve into their thoughts on filmmaking today. Selecting the program is a who's who of the film festival game, with Tribeca, Cannes and Sydney joined by the Berlinale, Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, New York Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and Annecy International Animation Film Festival — and fests in Guadalajara, Macao, Jerusalem, Mumbai, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Marrakech, San Sebastian, Sarajevo and Tokyo, too. [caption id="attachment_768770" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Berlinale, Jan Windszus[/caption] While cinephiles don't have to spend a cent to watch along, We Are One: A Global Film Festival is encouraging donations to the World Health Organisation, as well its partners in each region. Top image: Sydney Film Festival, Luke Latty. Updated May 27.
Advertising all the new films and TV shows coming our way, trailers are designed to get audiences excited. If you're seeing them in a cinema, they're telling you what you should be heading back to watch next. If you're checking out sneak peeks for new television and streaming releases, they want you to add them to your viewing list. Sometimes, however, a trailer stands out because it has fun with the concept — and the sneak peek at Netflix's new Cowboy Bebop series is one such example. Not only does it send its three central characters on a lively bounty and drop plenty of snarky, quippy dialogue, but it also gets them playing with a split-screen setup in quite the slick, vivid and eye-catching way. Hopefully, that's a sign of visually inventive things to come when the show hits the streaming platform on Friday, November 19, and of the tone that both existing fans of the cult Japanese anime of the same name and newcomers can expect as well. Like its source material, this live-action series is filled with space western hijinks — it wouldn't be Cowboy Bebop otherwise — all as bounty hunters Spike Spiegel (John Cho, The Grudge), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir, The Deuce) and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) chase down all of the most dangerous criminals in the solar system. Obviously, Netflix's algorithm told it that everyone loves the original animated 90s series — and that everyone loves Searching, Gemini and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle star Cho as well. When it's right, it's right, clearly. Alex Hassell (The Boys), Elena Satine (Twin Peaks) and New Zealand actor Rachel House (Cousins, Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) also feature on-screen, while the High Fidelity remake's André Nemec leads the charge behind the camera as Cowboy Bebop's showrunner. Check out the Cowboy Bebop trailer below: Cowboy Bebop will be available to stream via Netflix from Friday, November 19. Top image: Geoffrey Short/Netflix.
I scream, you scream, we've all been screaming for ice cream — and, for once, the gods have answered our prayers (and then some). The annual Ice Cream Festival is back, from February 13–24, and this year it's taking place at three chocolateries and ice creameries across the Yarra Valley, the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula. You may want to prepare the smelling salts because they'll be trotting out 12 new flavours a day. For 12 days. That's 144 unique flavours all up. Cue Homer-esque drooling. For $20 you can indulge in a tasting session that covers 12 flavours at once, or just rampage around the place like a deranged, hungry Pac-Man and try to taste 'em all at $4.80 a pop. Compare the relative merits of flavours like aloe and cucumber, Champagne, Fruit Tingles and Oreo cheesecake — all while relaxing in the grounds in either Yarra Glen, Bellbrae or Flinders (or at all three). You can also go beyond ice cream, if you so please, and taste ice cream-topped pizzas, waffle ice cream sandwiches and OTT sundaes. The view may well be lost on you as you slide into a sugar-induced happiness coma, but that's okay. They aren't inventing all those flavours for you to not try them. You will need to book tasting sessions at the venues — check out times for the Yarra Valley, the Great Ocean Road and the Mornington Peninsula.
It was a busy couple of days in Melbourne as the city's hospitality and retail industries enjoyed their first weekend of trade post-lockdown, but it was especially momentous for online activewear retailer Stylerunner. On Saturday, October 31, the brand celebrated the launch of its first-ever bricks-and-mortar store, opening the doors to a 200-square-metre flagship space on Armadale's High Street. With eight years and an ever-growing following under its belt, Stylerunner has now created an IRL shop space in collaboration with local creative studio Noise Noise Noise. It has a bright, mood-boosting colour palette and is filled with shapes and curves referencing organic forms and nature. Soothing natural scenes play out across the store's digital screens, while a cloud-inspired neon number floats above the rear lounge area. Shoppers can expect a suite of thoughtful touches, from the styling suite call buttons promising speedy service to the complimentary water and luxe, recyclable packaging. There's even a signature store scent to enjoy while you get in that retail therapy. Gracing the racks is a lineup of threads, sneakers and accessories from dozens of well-loved local and international sportswear labels, including La Detresse, Nike, PE Nation, Exie and many more. Stylerunner's upcoming namesake line will also be on show. There's more to come, too, with Founder Julie Stevanja, revealing plans for at least two more stores coming soon to NSW and Queensland. Find Stylerunner's flagship store at Shop 1152-1154 High Street, Armadale.
With the Beauty and the Beast musical on its way to Australia, a major exhibition focusing on fairy tales as well, and the live-action version of The Little Mermaid set to swim into cinemas, 2023 is shaping up to be a big year for enchanting stories. Here's something else to add to that list: MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins..., a new Australian musical that's been in development for six years and will make its debut in Melbourne come winter. The onstage romantic comedy actually takes its cues from a well-known favourite, and one that's been doing the rounds of Aussie theatres in 2022, with Cinderella its inspiration. But MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... doesn't just tell the familiar narrative the same way as everyone already knows, instead giving it an update. In a production that'll feature Australian musical theatre stars Lucy Durack (Wicked, Legally Blonde, Shrek), Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins, Sweet Charity), Thomas McGuane (Frozen, Jersey Boys), Matt Lee (Mary Poppins, Frozen) and Kristie Nguy, MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins...'s heroine Ella doesn't want a prince to sweep her off her feet, even an apparent Prince Charming. But the latter is besotted, and the clock is ticking — with plenty needing to click before the stroke of midnight. The aim: "to create a fully formed, funny, complex heroine for a new generation, and to create the definitive musical version of this magical, evergreen tale", explains co-director Dean Murphy (Charlie & Boots, The Divorce). "The Cinderella story has been retold for hundreds of years with the most widely known version being written in 1950 and reflecting the sensibilities of that era. So, a number of our team with young children felt it was time the world of Cinderella was freshly revisited to explore how this intriguing girl became an icon, but told through a new, empowering story that sees this force-of-nature fight for great change whilst still embracing the love, support and magic from those around her," he continued. "Whilst we still have some of the beloved fairytale characters, there are many new surprises that we know will delight audiences," said producer Spencer McLaren (Dive Club, Puffs the Play, Mother & Son). "MIDNIGHT has many Broadway-style showstoppers that people will be singing for years to come and a world-class cast including Lucy Durack as Ms Madrina, Verity Hunt-Ballard as Madame Bellington, Thomas McGuane as the Prince and Matt Lee as his trusted aide Andre. The coveted role of Ella is still being cast with a nation-wide search underway," he added. Originally slated to premiere in 2020 before the pandemic hit, the new musical will debut at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from June 2023, and boasts music and lyrics by John Foreman (Aussie Pops Orchestra, Carols By Candlelight) and Anthony Costanzo (Life's A Circus, Cross Roads) — plus an additional song by Kate Miller-Heidke (Muriel's Wedding). Billed as an all-ages affair, it hails from Murphy and co-writer/director Pip Mushin (Resident: Book of Mormon, Fiddler on the Roof), and features choreography by Kelly Aykers (So You Think You Can Dance, The Wizard of Oz, Barnum) — with McLaren, Murphy and Craig Donnell (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Grease — The Musical, The Sound of Music) producing. Exact Melbourne season dates haven't yet been revealed, but tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 11. Whether MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... will head to other Australian cities after its premiere run also hasn't been announced, but that gives fairy tale, musical, theatre and rom-com fans elsewhere something to wish for to their fairy godmother. MIDNIGHT — The Fairytale Begins... will premiere in June 2023 at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre. For more information, or to join the waitlist for tickets before they go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 11, head to the production's website. Images: Wayne Taylor.
Australians, if you need to renew your passport — or just find wherever you stashed it away more than 18 months ago — the time is now. When Monday, November 1 arrives, Aussies will be permitted to travel internationally again. Of course, given that the COVID-19 situation varies in each state, jetting off won't be as straightforward as it used to be; however, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that the Federal Government will be allowing Aussies to leave the country and return from that date. Back at the beginning of October, the PM advised that Australia's indefinite ban on holidaying overseas — a ban that came into place in March 2020 to control the spread of COVID-19 — would lift sometime in November on a state-by-state basis. At the time, Morrison announced that "international travel is on track to reopen safely to fully vaccinated Australian travellers" when each state and territory individually hits the 80-percent double-jabbed threshold. Now, on Friday, October 15, the Prime Minister confirmed the exact date that Aussies will be allowed to travel internationally — after New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet announced that quarantine requirements will be dropped for folks who've had both their jabs from Monday, November 1, too. Also in NSW, caps on the number of double-vaccinated overseas arrivals will also lift on the same day. "I'm very pleased that the New South Wales Government has advised, as you've learnt today, that they will be in a position to move to a no quarantine arrangement for people arriving back in Australia from the 1st of November, which enables us to be in a position to ensure that we can lift the caps for returning Australian citizens, residents and their families from the 1st of November into New South Wales," said Morrison. He continued: "this also means is that we will be allowing Australians, permanent residents and citizens and their families, to leave Australia from wherever they live in Australia and return, but obviously the capped arrangements in other states will continue because of the vaccination levels in those places and the arrangements they have in place in each of those states and territories." Accordingly, if you wanted to hop on a flight out of NSW to an overseas destination from the beginning of November onwards, you can — and, if you're then returning to NSW and you're double-jabbed, you won't need to quarantine (not in a hotel, and not at home either). In response to the news, airlines have started bringing forward their international flight dates, so you really can start booking. Qantas has brought forward its London and Los Angeles routes from Sydney (the former now going via Darwin) to November 1, after initially intending to take to the skies again mid-November, and is also looking at possibly bringing forward the restart dates for flights to Singapore, Fiji, Vancouver and other destinations from mid-December. At this early stage, the international border will open for double-jabbed Aussies heading outwards and coming back — and permanent residents and citizens and their families, as the PM noted — but not for international travellers and international students. Plus, for those who aren't double-dose vaxxed, hotel quarantine will remain compulsory upon entering Australia, and caps upon arrival numbers will still apply. In NSW, mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine will remain in place, and only 210 overseas arrivals who aren't double-jabbed will be permitted each week. Media release: reopening roadmap update. #NSWPol #auspol2021 pic.twitter.com/mKbxdO0W53 — Dom Perrottet (@Dom_Perrottet) October 14, 2021 Arrangements in states and territories other than NSW, including the quarantine requirements upon return for double-vaccinated folks and the caps on arrivals from November 1, haven't yet been confirmed by the respective state and territory leaders. Also, exactly where Aussies can travel to out of NSW from November 1 obviously depends on border rules and requirements in other countries. The trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand is presently on hold until at least mid-November, for instance, while Fiji will reopen to Aussies from Thursday, November 11. For further information about Australia's plan to restart international travel, head to the Prime Minister's website. More details about the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response can be found on the same site. And, details of the New South Wales Government's current plans can be found on its website. Also, to find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia in general, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
If you've been dreaming about a new set of wheels to help you gracefully glide into the sunny season, the legends at Amsterdam-born bike label Lekker can help you out. This weekend, the company's North Melbourne store will host another edition of its ever-popular 'garage sale' filled with bikes, bargains, eats and beats. The party starts pedalling at 10am on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 at Lekker's cheery Provost Street warehouse. Those in the market for new wheels will be able to test ride a few different designs, and, if all goes well, buy one — all bikes, accessories and parts will be discounted, some by up to 50 percent. Backing up the fun and embracing those sweet autumn vibes, there'll be a soundtrack of groovy tunes, plus free pancakes and beer. Don't risk a sleep-in, though — Lekker's past sales have seen pretty hefty lines of punters keen for those bicycle bargains and you don't want to miss out. Lekker Bikes Garage Sale will run from 10am–5pm.
The global juggernaut revolutionising music festivals around the world, Optus RockCorps, has hit Australia with the promise of free tickets to a kick-arse festival — in exchange for just four hours of your time. This groundbreaking program offers festival-lovers a fairly irresistible exchange: simply spend four hours volunteering for the local community and in return you will get yourself a ticket to the Optus RockCorps on April 11 at the Hordern Pavilion. They're the world's only festival tickets that money literally cannot buy. The event is produced through a partnership between Optus and the RockCorps organisation, which has rocked its way across the globe, with over 130,000 volunteers from France to Venezuela to the US giving up a combined 500,000 hours in order to put on over 40 live concerts. This innovative strategy has not only allowed RockCorps to promote and pump out some pretty awesome live music but also allowed volunteers to make a difference in poor and struggling communities all over the world. Confirmed for the line-up of the first Optus RockCorps in Sydney are The Script, Labrinth and Guy Sebastian. If you fancy registering or just want to find out more about the project, visit the Optus RockCorps website or give them a call on 1800 ROCK 1800. 8 March 2013: The organisers of Optus RockCorps have announced that British MC Tinie Tempah will replace Labrinth, who is unable to perform due to scheduling difficulties.
If you've been looking for an excuse to hit the d-floor, we've found one that's hard to beat. Digital music platform and legendary dance floor filler Boiler Room is descending on Melbourne for what's set to be a huge Aussie event. On Saturday, October 28, Boiler Room: Melbourne (Naarm) will make dreams come true as it takes over a warehouse space at Port Melbourne Industrial Centre For The Arts and dishes up an all-day dance party to remember. Expect huge energy from this hefty lineup of talented dance music legends, including none other than UK-based artists Bakey B2B Breaka. They'll be joined on the bill by homegrown heroes including genre-bending producer Surusinghe, SWIM, SOVBLKPSSY and DJ CaucasianOpportunities, who will make her Boiler Room debut. Bringing further international flavour, you've got Berlin heavyweight Marlon Hoffstadt (a.k.a. DJ Daddy Trance) and NYC-based electronica queen Miley Series. [caption id="attachment_878334" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain, 2022 by Mushroom Creative House[/caption] Top Image: Sugar Mountain x Boiler Room 2018, by Mark Stanjo
"Is this really happening again?" asks Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) in the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three. "Well, you know, who are we without a homicide?" replies his neighbour, fellow murder-mystery buff and co-podcaster Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die). Clearly, this hit sleuthing comedy is returning as it's always gone on — since season one made it one of the best new shows of 2021 and season two put it in the best returning category in 2022. Also starring Steve Martin (It's Complicated), the hit Disney+ series will drop its third season sometime in 2023 — and while there's no official release date as yet, the first sneak peek sets the tone for what's to come. Mabel, Oliver and Charles-Haden Savage's (Martin) dynamic is filled with as much banter as ever, and there's another murder to solve. The latter won't come as a surprise, of course, because season two ended with another big death. So, that's what the new batch of episodes will look into, complete with Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) and the one and only Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up) joining the Only Murders in the Building cast. The newly released trailer serves up a glimpse at both, too — one for the first time, one after making quite the series debut last time around. From the looks of it, season three will spend a fair amount of time working through the events leading up to that last murder at the end of season two. So far, though, few other details have been revealed. Indeed, the new trailer focuses on "a surprise you never saw coming" — which is Streep, although her casting was announced earlier in 2023. The series does love adding names to its on-screen roster. Over both season one and two, Tina Fey (Girls5eva) has been a significant presence, Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves, and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) has also popped up. If you're still yet to experience the series' charms, it follows the odd trio of Charles-Haden, Oliver and the much-younger Mabel after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Fey); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second go-around, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Check out the first trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Season one and two are currently streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+. Read our full review of season two — and of the show's first season, too.
It's the 32nd year for Australia's largest folk art and music festival. And like a vintage wine, the artistic line up gets more and more complex and impressive as the years go by. This year there'll be over 2000 artists in 400 acts across visual, performance and spoken word formats. Catch folk, rock and pop musicians including John Butler, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Beautiful Girls, Husky, Holy Holy, Canadian band The East Pointers, Timberwolf and Montaigne. Personalities such as Dr Karl, Tracey Spicer and Noel Pearson are among an exhaustive selection of speakers, presenters and comedians doing what they do best and you'll be mesmerised by at least 20 dance and performance acts. You can also try your hand at artisan crafts from pottery to tattoo art to Maori basket weaving — or even just go on a bush walk with a professional nature enthusiast through Woodford's beautiful surrounds. And as usual, you'll welcome in the new year alongside thousands of others with an epic fire display. The crowd is expected to reach over 132,000 this edition, so get your name on a ticket before they become scarce.
Barbecue shapes. Fried chicken. Together in a crunchy combo at last. In terrible news for aspiring dieters everyone, Arnott's has teamed up with some of the best chicken joints in the country to create a taste combination of a very different feather. For the next three weeks, hungry residents of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can order fried foul coated in crushed Arnott's Barbecue Shapes. And before you ask, yes, they're using the original flavouring. Sydney's Juicy Lucy, Melbourne's Phat Chicks and Brisbane's Seoul Bistro have all gotten on board, with each restaurant offering their own unique take on the brief for $8–15. The whole thing is part of a promotion by Deliveroo, so you'll only be able to get the creations delivered. They'll be available via Deliveroo until Sunday October 7. No word on whether they're planning on doing a pizza shapes variant, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.
First Melbourne hosted Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, then Sydney got the upper hand by coaxing Rene Redzepi to bring his world-renowned restaurant Noma to Barangaroo for a few months. But then, in a serious move of one-upmanship, Melbourne took back the culinary crown (for now, anyway), nabbing the rights to host next year's World's 50 Best Restaurants awards earlier this year. Further to the announcement — which was made back in June ahead the 2016 awards in New York — the World's 50 Best Restaurants have just released the finer details of the huge event. The ceremony that, well, ranks the world's best restaurants from 1-50 will take place on Wednesday, April 5 and the Carlton's Royal Exhibition Building. It's a pretty big deal for little ol' Melbourne (and Tourism Australia) as it's only the second time the awards will be held outside of London. But that's just the start of it. The ceremony will be just one part of a seven-day program of events, which will bring some of the world's best chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and other people of food influence to Melbourne. Running from April 1-7, the program will coincide with 2017's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and include a series of masterclasses, the Chef's Feast (just for chefs though, sorry) and a smattering of satellite events. The chefs — which might well include the likes of Modena's Massimo Bottura, D.O.M.'s Alex Atala and the brothers from El Celler de can Roca — will be treated to a week of Australia's best food too. "After 14 years hosting the awards event in London, we decided to take The World's 50 Best Restaurants on a global tour, kicking off in New York in June 2016," said World's 50 Best Restaurants group editor William Drew. "Now we could not be more thrilled to be moving to Melbourne, one of the great food cities of the world, in 2017. Come April next year, Australia will undoubtedly be the place to be for those passionate about great food and inspired restaurants." Well, shucks. If you're not familiar with the awards, they're the ranking that everyone uses when talking about the best restaurants in the world. This year Italy's Modena was awarded the number one spot, while Noma has been a former list-topper multiple times. 2016 gave special mention to Melbourne's Attica and Brae (number 33 and 65, respectively), as well as Sydney's Quay (number 98), which probably has a lot to do with why they've decided to come Down Under in 2017.
Wake up, Prime Video viewers: come October, your streaming queue is getting nostalgic. If The Wiggles can top the Hottest 100, take their rainbow-hued skivvies to Mardi Gras and motor their big red car to the same Falls Festival as Little Nas X, then of course they can be the subject of a new documentary that'll hit the online service this October. First announced in 2022, Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will tell exactly the tale you think it will, following the group's career over more than three decades, including the new levels of fame and popularity that 2022 sent their way. Sure, Dorothy the Dinosaur mightn't need an origin story, but OG Wiggles Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt are getting one, with Sally Aitken (Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) directing. Also featured: never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, too. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will arrive on Prime Video on Tuesday, October 24; however, that isn't the film's first stop. Before that, it'll enjoy its world premiere at the first-ever SXSW Sydney, showing as part of the event's Screen Festival. At the fest, The Wiggles in attendance for this trip down memory lane — their own, and everyone in Australia's as well — including for Q&As and performances. "When we first formed The Wiggles more than three decades ago, our aim was to educate and inspire children through music, and that continues today," said Field back when Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles was first announced. "Looking through the archives has brought back so many incredible and emotional memories, from our first shows for 30 children to touring America and the world, playing to arenas. It's been such an incredible and evolving journey and we can't wait to share our story with everyone." "At first glance, the notion of preschool teachers selling out Madison Square Garden is downright absurd," said Aitken. "What a phenomenal story for a director to unpack: how did a group of teachers become like The Beatles for preschoolers? I have been entertained and moved in making this film, discovering an amazing journey of self-belief and the power of purpose. The Wiggles' story comes with heartache and joy, reinvention and the wisdom of children. So grab your tissues and your smiles, because with intimate interviews and unique, behind-the-scenes moments, I hope you see the individuals behind the iconic sweaters — musicians and artists driven by genuine passion, resilience, reinvention and joy." There's no trailer for Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles — we'll update you when one drops. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will stream via Prime Video from Tuesday, October 24.
Solar power helps save the world and is one of the easiest renewable energy sources to tap, and now you can source it from the comfort of your own home, office and even on a plane. Designers Kyuho Song and Bao Oh have created the Window Socket, a plug socket that harnesses solar energy to charge your appliances. Just attach it to any window that receives sunlight using the suction plate, and the solar panels on its rear will start collecting energy from the sun, which is then transformed into electrical energy via an in-built converter, which is then stored on an internal battery for immediate or later use. The socket takes 5-8 hours to charge completely and will last up to ten hours once fully charged. The greatest thing about the Window Socket is that it was designed for portability to allow electronic accessibility everywhere. So once charged you can carry it on the move and rejuvenate the iPod in your bag or take business outside and power your laptop in the park. This revolutionary technology is an evolution of pre-existing solar battery backup technology and will transform the accessibility of solar power for everyday users. However, the product is still in its concept phase, with the designers wanting to further improve its storage capacity and product efficiency before placing it on the market, so keep an eye out. [Via PSFK]
Perhaps you're a diehard Tetris fiend. Maybe you just can't get enough of Mario Kart. Or, you could be an avid Untitled Goose Game devotee. Whichever video game takes your fancy, it has likely robbed you of more than a little precious slumber — so you might as well lean into it and enjoy your next overseas getaway in a video game-themed hotel. Catering for folks who really do want to eat, sleep and breathe the button-mashing pastime, old-school gaming company Atari is getting into the accommodation business. Launching its own line of places to stay, it's planning to open at least eight hotels across the US. Construction on the first — in Phoenix, Arizona — is due to start in the middle of this year, with other sites in Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco and San Jose set to follow. Keeping to the theme, guests can expect plenty of gaming — obviously. That'll apply to the hotel's look and feel, as well as to the activities on offer. Design-wise, the aim is to make you feel like you're staying inside an Atari console. The Atari Hotels website calls the hotels "a unique lodging experience", and notes that they'll combine the brand "with a one-of-a-kind video game-themed destination". That'll include both virtual reality and augmented reality, while some sites will also feature venues and facilities to host esports events. Given that Atari has been around since the 1970s, was one of the industry's pioneers, and is known for a hefty range of games — spanning classics like Asteroids, Centipede, Pong and even Rollercoaster Tycoon — it's safe to assume that the company's big-name titles will all pop up in some shape or form as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnfvlqjvk7A Other than that, just what the Atari hotels will entail is being kept pretty close to the organisation's chest for now. Opening dates haven't been announced yet either, if you're eager to make travel plans. Atari Hotels' first site will begin construction in Phoenix, Arizona in mid-2020. Visit the chain's website for further details.
Hamilton isn't the only hit musical from the past few years that took a few cues from the past, paired a well-known chapter of history with toe-tapping tunes and made on-stage magic. Another theatre show that did just that: Six the Musical. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End, the musical takes inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been — because even if you don't know much about Britain's past kings and queens, you likely know that Henry VIII had six wives. The Tudor monarch's love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years — including 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — but this one takes the pop part rather seriously. It's presented as a pop concert, in fact, with Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. A five-time nominee at the Olivier Awards, Six the Musical has already played Australia, thanks to a 2020 season at the Sydney Opera House. Making a comeback, it's joining the long list of musicals doing the rounds this year and next — alongside Hamilton, Come From Away, Moulin Rouge!, The Phantom of the Opera, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Jagged Little Pill, to name a few big-name shows gracing Aussie stages either now or in the near future. Hitting up Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022 — with exact dates to be revealed for all cities — Six the Musical will welcome back four 2020 cast members for its new tour. Kala Gare (Rent) returns as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) will reprise her role as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) will step into Anne of Cleves' shoes again and Catherine Parr will be played by Vidya Makan (Green Day's American Idiot) once more. They'll welcome new co-stars Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical), as Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard, respectively. SIX THE MUSICAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2021–22: Brisbane — QPAC Playhouse from November 2021 Sydney — Sydney Opera House from December 2021 Canberra — Canberra Theatre Centre sometime in 2022 Adelaide — Her Majesty's Theatre sometime in 2022 Melbourne — Comedy Theatre sometime in 2022 Six the Musical will play Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022. Tickets for the Brisbane and Sydney seasons will go on sale in August — to join the waitlist, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
Melburnians are very much partial to a bottomless, boozy brunch feast, but they're usually not the most virtuous way to spend a weekend dining session. That is, until now, with the launch of Sons of Mischief's brand-new 'cleaner' version. The Highett cafe is coming to the party with a kombucha-heavy boozy brunch, running every second Sunday throughout winter, kicking off on July 7. And while a brunch with bottomless booze is not exactly 'healthy', the food is loaded with colour and packed full of nutrients and, supposedly, really good for your gut. Each creation is FODMAP-friendly, with plenty more options for gluten- and dairy-free diners. You've got five dishes to choose from, including a sesame-crusted salmon matched with soba noodles and a shiitake master broth, and a revamped smashed avo, topped with saganaki. See also, the superfood salad, starring Moroccan spiced cauliflower, a sumac beetroot labneh and house-made haloumi. This brunch even comes with an alcoholic twist, thanks to Bucha Brothers' new boozy kombucha concoctions, all of which are vegan, natural and free of preservatives. For $60, guests can match their chosen meal to two hours of free-flowing kombucha cocktails (including a pink spritz, mojito and blood orange mojito version), along with a range of other alcoholic options. Healthy Bottomless Brunch runs from 11am–1pm or from 1–3pm.
When lockdowns and restrictions started becoming a reality in 2020, a heap of cinemas around Australia began jumping online. Venues as varied as Sydney's Golden Age, Melbourne's ACMI and Australian-wide chain Event Cinemas launched their own streaming services, as did Palace Cinemas and the team behind the Ritz, Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas — not just when the pandemic first hit, but as it kept impacting movie-going as we know it. That wasn't merely a 2020 or early 2021 trend, and it isn't simply limited to city or big national chains. Indeed, Australia has just scored another digital spot to check out movies from home, with Theatre Royal Castlemaine in regional Victoria adding its own platform to your viewing options. Watch something on this one, however, and you'll be supporting a 167-year-old venue that's been open since 1854 and operating as a cinema since the silent movie era. The first films flickered across its screen back in 1919, and it's now one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the southern hemisphere. Theatre Royal Castlemaine's streaming site is called Royal Flix and Chill, and it's curated by cinema co-owner Felicity Cripps, some movie-loving friends of the venue and Castlemaine Documentary Festival Director Claire Jaegar. It's a pay-per-view platform, so you'll just fork out for what you want to watch on a title by title basis — with more than 100 films currently on offer, and five new additions set to join the catalogue each month. At the time of writing, highlights include recent fare such as A Quiet Place Part II, The Father, Antoinette in the Cevennes, The Godmother and The United States vs Billie Holiday — plus flicks from the past few years like Parasite, For Sama, Dunkirk, Get Out and Shoplifters. Or, there's also older titles such as Donnie Darko, City of God, There Will Be Blood, Tampopo, Chinatown, The Big Lebowski, The Professional and Twelve Monkeys; Australian movies like High Ground, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra and Bran Nue Dae; documentaries such as Honeyland, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry and Studio 54: The Documentary; and European cinema highlights including Cold War, Dogman and Toni Erdmann. "The cinema is one of the toughest arms of our business. We are one of the last remaining single-screen venues in the country and that is because it is so hard to make ends meet when there is so much available to view in the digital world. But it's also very special and as a long-standing 'picture palace', we want to do all we can to keep it going," said Cripps. "That's where our virtual cinema comes in. A way to connect with people who may not be able to physically attend our cinema and a way to show more arthouse and international films with less overheads, it's intended to compliment the in-house offering and draw a wider audience with a uniquely curated library of amazing cinema, available to everyone." For more information about Theatre Royal Castlemaine streaming platform, or to start watching, head to the Royal Flix and Chill website.
"Male chauvinist pig versus hairy-legged feminist" was the proposal. In a late-night phone call, Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) quickly tells Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) that her pins are smooth, but the sentiment — sexism vs. feminism — still stuck. She's the number one women's tennis player, riding high from a string of grand slam titles. He's a former champion well past his prime, with a fondness for gambling, talking and self-promotion. It should come as no surprise that King initially turned Riggs down. Why she changed her mind, what she was fighting for, and how their exhibition game made history informs Battle of the Sexes, a recreation of the match of the same name. Reuniting Stone and Carell after Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Carell with Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, King and Riggs' famous tussle inspires an engaging, entertaining effort — one that's as much about the showdown at its centre as it is the struggles it stood for. Pitting a boorish headline grabber against a woman striving for equality, and throwing in Australian tennis player Margaret Court (Jessica McNamee) as one of the villains, its contents are also incredibly relevant today. Battle of the Sexes introduces King doing the two things she'll become best known for: smashing it on the court and thrashing it out over prize money. Fresh from victory at Wimbledon, she demands the same amount of cash for women as is given to men. When US tennis association head Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman) declines, she starts her own competition with World Tennis magazine founder Gladys Heldman (Sarah Silverman). Enter Riggs, a locker room bet that he could beat any female player, and a public promise to put ladies back in the kitchen and the bedroom. At first King refuses to become part of the spectacle, but when Riggs plays Court and wins, the standing of women's sport is on the line. It's estimated that 90 million people watched the match worldwide. With its '70s-style visuals and upbeat attitude, a perfectly fine sports biopic could've easily resulted from simply pitting King's sympathetic protagonist against Riggs' over-the-top foil. But that's not quite what Battle of the Sexes sets out to do. With King also the first prominent female athlete to come out as a lesbian, her relationship with hairdresser Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) forms part of the story, as scripted by Slumdog Millionaire Oscar-winner Simon Beaufoy. It's sensitively explored, evoking the excitement of falling for someone new as well as the confusion plaguing the married King. It also makes the parallels between her professional and personal troubles clear — and there's a reason that the prickly, naysaying Court makes such an apt inclusion. Fresh from her La La Land glory, Stone arrives ready to serve up a powerhouse performance. Swinging a racket rather than singing up a storm, she paints a compelling portrait of a woman driven by what's right and fair, even as she's wrestling with her own turmoil. Carell, meanwhile, has fun putting "the show back in chauvinist", although you'll never forget that you're watching Carell. Then again, perhaps that's fitting. King fought for all women to be treated equally, and later for LGBTIQ rights. Riggs, on the other hand, just wanted to get back to the spotlight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RwiDnmJC7w
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. And two years ago he launched Wine Machine, a series of al fresco get-togethers on some of the country's most-loved wine regions. The Wine Machine events were a success and the tour will be returning to Yarra Valley's Rochford Wines for a third year on on Saturday, April 6. The boutique event will run from early afternoon through to after dark, and feature a hand-picked smorgasbord of Australian talent, including The Presets, Hayden James and Confidence Man. This will all lead into one of Hot Dub's signature sets, which will see audiences dancing their way from 1954 to today, as the DJ mixes best-known song from each year. Backing up the tunes, expect a tasty lineup of eats, craft beer and, of course, some sensational vino from these Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year.
If you find yourself thinking back on Law & Order re-runs, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs or Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight, you're probably thinking about one particular type of scene. There's an art to a good on-screen interrogation — to seeing characters verbally spar back and forth, as one probes for answers and the other tries to avoid their questions — that's riveting when it's done well. It's also hilarious when it's done comedically (see Brooklyn Nine-Nine); however, nothing beats a grim, serious, eyes-blazing, nostril-flaring confrontation between a suspected criminal and a savvy detective who are both confined to the same small room. Netflix, in its seemingly never-ending quest to turn every single possible idea into highly binge-able streaming content, took this concept and ran with it in its anthology crime series Criminal — which first premiered last year. Love interrogations, but not so fussed about all the stuff around them? Then you'll want to glue your peepers to this, because it's all about heated chats in police interview suites. In fact, that's all it's about. And, after a first season that spanned dozen different tales across just as many 45-minute episodes — spending three episodes each focusing on cases in France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom — Criminal is coming back for a four-episode UK-based second season. While the first batch of episodes featured David Tennant and Agent Carter's Hayley Atwell among its British cast, this time around the show has enlisted Game of Thrones' Kit Harington, Catastrophe and Game Night's Sharon Horgan, The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar and Wild Rose's Sophie Okonedo to answer a barrage of tense questions. Once again, expect claustrophobic, cat-and-mouse-style confrontations — and twisty narratives that rarely go in the direction expected. The show's second season will hit Netflix on Wednesday, September 16. Check out the season two trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtHBrjgDjes Criminal's second season will release on Netflix on Wednesday, September 16.
It's impossible to think about Christmas without also thinking about ornament-adorned trees; however, the traditional towering variety isn't always practical. Perhaps you don't have space in your apartment. Maybe you're keen on the real thing, but just can't make it to market, farm or nursery to get one. Or, you could have a four-legged friend (or several) that's fond of scaling anything that reaches up into the sky. Even if you've found a place for the same old plastic tree that you trot out every year, you're probably still wishing that you could gaze up at the real thing — which is where Floraly comes in. The Australian plant delivery service focuses on sustainable blooms and even offers monthly subscriptions, and it introduced a Christmas offering in 2019. Because it's that time already, it's getting festive again in 2020, too. The big drawcard: living trees. If you're happy with a pint-sized version, then this tiny plant is about to make your festive dreams come true. 'Tis the season to order a 60-centimetre-tall tiny tree that comes with decorations and a pop-up pot, wait for it to be delivered, then feel mighty jolly. Sourced from farms in Victoria and New South Wales, and able to be sent Australia-wide, Floraly's trees also arrive with soil, fairy lights, baubles and a tree-topper — so they really do look like miniature versions of your ideal Christmas centrepiece. There are two versions available, so you can opt for red baubles and a gold star for the top, or go with white decorations and a silver star In line with Floraly's eco-conscious mindset, its trees still have their root system intact. That means that once Christmas is over, you can replant them, keep them for some year-round merriment and then enjoy their splendour next year. The trees also come in fully recyclable packaging, further reducing their environmental impact. If you're keen, you can order a small bundle of greenery from the Floraly website for $79. Fancy sending a tiny tree as a gift? You can do that too, including as part of packs with T2 tea, Gelato Messina spreads, Endota body care products, and champagne and chocolate. Floraly's tiny Christmas trees are available to order now by visiting the service's website. Images: Floraly
Don't let the name confuse you, Rotten Point House is anything but unpleasant. Eco-friendly and beautifully designed, this stunning hilltop home rests amid 100 acres of private native bushland, offering spectacular views of the Southern Ocean. Just an eight-minute drive from Johanna Beach and 30 minutes from the shops of Apollo Bay, this secluded location is where you can spoil yourselves after a long drive. Offering four cosy double bedrooms, a free-standing double-sided fireplace and underfloor heating, this designer abode has chilly nights covered, ensuring everyone stays snug. [caption id="attachment_712317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rotten Point House[/caption]
When the time came for Hannah Gadsby to follow up her international smash-hit show Nanette, that seemed a rather difficult task. After all, the one-woman stand-up performance copped serious praise on its 18-month travels across Australia and the UK, even scooping the top honours at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe — and spawning its very own Netflix special. But, then Douglas was born, with the beloved Aussie comedian returning to the stand-up stage with a performance named after her own pet pooch. While Nanette pulled apart the concept of comedy itself, dishing up an insight into Gadsby's past, Douglas took comedy fans on a "tour from the dog park to the renaissance and back". It toured stages across Australia and New Zealand in late 2019 and early 2020, and then hit Netflix a year ago. Next on the agenda: following up both of those supremely popular shows, and doing so in-person. Between July and November this year, Gadsby will be doing just that thanks to her new stand-up set Body of Work. It'll tour Australia in 2021, before heading to the UK, European and North America in early 2022. Despite spending the past year sitting out the pandemic, as we all have, Gadsby's humour won't have lost its charms. She'll be kicking off her tour in Canberra, then heading to Albury, Newcastle, Hobart, Launceston, Darwin, Bendigo, Albany, Bunbury, Mandurah, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. And yes, she'll be playing Sydney, too, although those dates and details haven't yet been revealed. https://twitter.com/Hannahgadsby/status/1391545052564914176 HANNAH GADSBY 'BODY OF WORK' TOUR DATES: July 23–24 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra July 26 — Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury July 29 — Newcastle Civic Theatre, Newcastle August 5–7 — Theatre Royal, Hobart August 15–16 — Princess Theatre, Launceston August 22 — Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin August 27 — Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo September 1 — Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany September 3 — Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury September 4 — Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah September 10–11 — Regal Theatre, Perth October 26–31 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne November 26–27 — QPAC, Brisbane Dates TBC — Sydney Hannah Gadsby's 'Body of Work' will tour Australia from July to November 2021. For further details — and to buy pre-sale tickets from Wednesday, May 12 and general tickets from 9am on Friday, May 14 — head to the comedian's website.
Como House and the surrounding gardens are exquisitely beautiful. The colonial Victorian house built in 1847 offers an insight into a time long gone and the old horse stable has been converted into a quaint cafe. Venture inside the high white walls of the grounds, wander through the gardens, and find a place amongst the big white umbrellas. The Stables of Como, as it's called, has not only nabbed a stunning location, but it is also being run by Melbourne cafe owner Jason Jones of Friends of Mine, Snow Pony and Porgie and Mr Jones. Getting a table here is no easy feat. The winter chill leaves fingers crossed for an inside table, but come summer this won't be such a problem as you'll be able to take a seat outside, eat and enjoy the sunshine. But inside or outside, the menu is excellent. The selection includes some favourites from Jones' other cafes, a few new items — there's something for every moment. Breakfast has many faces, from the toasted crumpets with honey and butter ($6.50), to the toasted English muffin with ham, Emmental cheese and scrambled eggs ($5.50). For a sweet morning try the Bircher muesli with rhubarb compote, honey yoghurt and toasted pistachio ($10.90), and the smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushrooms, marinated feta and torn basil on whole wheat toast ($17.90) is just as good as it is at Jones' other cafes. Lunch sees everything from a toasted baguette filled with ham, aged cheddar, tomato and almond relish ($11.90) to a light salad of French lentils, baby beets, goats cheese and spiced Dargo walnuts ($16.90) The sweets display inside is enough to make anyone go weak at the knees. There are endless cake stands, tiers of chocolates filled with strawberry and Champagne ($3.50), hazelnut and cranberry meringue cakes ($4.90), brownies and even homemade musk sticks ($1.50). It would be sad to leave The Stables without a sweet treat. As well as its normal brunch and lunch fare, the quaint café runs a daily high tea ($60). Playing to the country manor feel of the estate, high tea goers will snack on the requisite finger sandwiches and petit fours: smoked salmon bagels, ham and mustard sandwiches, French toast with mascarpone and berries and other sweet. The Stables' cakes are very good, with minimal room to move around the cake display case thanks to oglers. Plus, it serves Allpress Espresso coffee and, if you're looking to really indulge (or want to do your high tea the right way and have accepted you'll probably need to nap afterwards regardless), you can also opt for free-flowing mimosas for an extra five bucks.
If the only thing that's been holding you back from packing up and making a home in the middle of nowhere has been the lack of electricity (and the desire to not live out of a tent), you might want to start plotting your escape. Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) have designed a 3D-printed pod home that not only looks 100 percent epic, but can function entirely off the grid. The sustainable structure works in conjunction with a companion vehicle, which is also printed using 3D technology. Solar panels built into the pod's curved pavilion-stye roof powers it by night, and the vehicle generates its own power too through a hybrid electric system. The two share their power — get this — wirelessly through a closed-loop battery system to ensure you're not left in the dark when the sun doesn't peek out behind those clouds. The pod has been developed with the geniuses at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) project. The pod, which is largest of its kind at 11.6m long, 3.7m high and 3.7m wide, has been developed with the aim to illustrate "the potential of a clean energy future for a rapidly urbanising world by demonstrating the use of bidirectional wireless energy technology and high performance materials to achieve independence from the power grid at peak-demand times". 3D printing has given us everything from a chewable toothbrush, 60-second cupcakes, and titanium sculptures, but this has to be the most dream-worthy 3D printed possibility yet. Via Dezeen. Image: SOM.
Iconic LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural celebration Midsumma Festival will serve up good vibes in abundance when it returns for its 34th edition from Saturday, January 21–Sunday, February 12. Featuring more than 200 events across eight major festival hubs and many more smaller venues, it's set to deliver a jam-packed offering of live music, performances, exhibitions, theatre, visual arts, cabaret, parties and more — all championing queer arts and culture. It kicks off on January 22 with the legendary Midsumma Carnival at Alexandra Gardens, before the Midsumma Pride March descends on Fitzroy Street for its annual roving celebration on February 5, and the full-day Victoria's Pride fiesta wraps things up on February 12. Making its debut is A Safe(R) Space — a program of works unpacking the concept of the 'safe space', and what that means for different artists and creatives. Meanwhile, Midsumma Presents is back with another curated lineup championing the unheard voices of this era's queer intersectional communities. It'll include theatre works, a Nocturnal dance party and lots more in between. Elsewhere, comedian Joel Creasey and RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under legend Kween Kong will hit the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for the star-studded fiesta that is Midsumma Extravaganza, joined by names like Nina Oyama, Rhys Nicholson, Courtney Act and Kira Puru. The Victorian Pride Centre will host a swag of happenings as a new festival hub — from a free exhibition delving into Victoria's LGBTQIA+ history and the creation of the centre itself, to a gender-diverse clothes swap and pop-up piano bar. Highlights across the other hubs include a First Nations drag festival, a citywide collection of interactive installations for Midsumma x Ignite Melbourne, rope bondage workshops, cabarets about composting, dance-friendly al fresco gigs, a stacked program of performances, and much, much more. [caption id="attachment_875626" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Midsumma Extravaganza by Suzanne Balding[/caption]
In news as exciting as a slice of Wensleydale cheese, the minds behind the world's favourite dairy-eating man and his dog are coming to Melbourne. With the Australian Centre for the Moving Image hosting an exhibition dedicated to Wallace & Gromit, Aardman Animations, and their broader catalogue of film and TV highlights, company co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are heading our way for a series of events and workshops. If you're keen, make like a chicken and run to grab tickets. In town to launch Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman, the duo will ensure that attendees don't just have a grand day as they peruse more than 350 Aardman items, and celebrate over 40 years of close shaves and wrong trousers — they'll have a grand evening too. The appropriately titled A Night Out with Aardman on June 30 is the main attraction, with the Lord and Sproxton (Aardman's creative director and executive chairman, respectively) taking audiences through their careers, chatting about highlights, showing clips, sharing stories and revealing what inspires them. If you're in the industry, they'll also take part in a claymation-focused masterclass on June 29, hosted by Aussie Mary and Max and Harvie Krumpet animator Adam Elliot, while Lord will also oversee a hands-on workshop for 25 emerging animators on July 1. And, for those that really fancy their chances of following in their footsteps, ACMI is putting together an Inventors of Melbourne event on August 5 for everyone with innovative ideas. Lord and Sproxton won't be there — they'll be back home chasing were-rabbits and mischievous sheep named Shaun by then — but plenty of inventors, entrepreneurs and researchers will be. The four-month exhibition also includes a complete cinema retrospective of Aardman's features, so expect to get Flushed Away, get festive with Arthur Christmas and take to the seas with The Pirates! Band of Misfits too. Lord wrote the former and directed the latter (and wrote and directed Chicken Run as well), and Sproxton produced the lot. Forget popcorn — bringing your own slab of cheddar seems like the right thing to do. Wallace & Gromit and friends: The magic of Aardman will be showing at Melbourne's ACMI from June 29 to October 29. To buy tickets to the exhibition or any of the special events, visit the ACMI website.
Sitting one level above Collins Street, Polepole is a slick little homage to Africa's eastern coastline. With the venue's name translating to 'slow', carnivores in search of some serious midweek indulgence will find a whole lot to love about Polepole, especially during Tuesday night's weekly all-you-can-meat extravaganza. From 5pm, you can rock your taste buds and stuff your belly with a smorgasbord of slow-cooked, African-style meat dishes and sides for the budget-friendly price of $39 per person. We're talking an endless array of melt-in-your-mouth ribs, vibrant salads and addictive harissa grilled corncobs – whatever you choose, Polepole's extensive menu brings the striking African coastline direct to Melbourne with an array of flavours that'll leave you wanting more. By Libby Curran and Hudson Brown.
A blissful weekend afternoon spent sipping your way between wineries and cellar doors sounds pretty flawless — until you remember that you've got to organise a designated driver to be able to pull it off. Luckily, Victoria's wine regions have no shortage of tour crews and hop-on-hop-off-style operators that'll handle all the driving for you. And one of these just added an entire region's worth of new tour routes to its roster. Already a firm fixture in the Yarra Valley and on the Mornington Peninsula, Hop It has broadened the scope of its popular hop-on-hop-off bus service, making its first foray into the Bellarine Peninsula from Saturday, April 1. Brimming with wineries big and small, the region is an ideal fit for the local tourism operator. Dubbed the Blue Route, Hop It's newest schedule gives punters another low-stress option for exploring Bellarine wine country, located just southeast of Geelong. Running every Saturday to start with, the timetable will incorporate a slew of much-loved wine destinations such as Terindah Estate, Oakdene, Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Scotchmans Hill and Leura Park Estate. For those after something other than vino, it's also set to also stop by the likes of Drysdale distillery The Whiskery, Flying Brick Cider's Wallington cellar door and the family-run FarmDog Brewing at McGlashan Estate. You'll have three options to experience the Blue Route, depending on where you're setting off from. Melburnians will take a ferry ride from Docklands to Portarlington before hopping on the bus to their chosen destinations (from $109.95), while Geelong-based guests will depart on the bus from Cunningham Pier (from $94.95). And Bellarine locals can jump aboard at any of the designated stops along the route, with tickets from $89.95. Best of all, your wine-hopping adventure is fully customisable — simply take a look at the route map and timetable, decide which spots you want to hit and when, and devise a plan of attack. Hop It's new Bellarine Blue Route will run Saturdays commencing April 1. Jump over to the website to check out the full timetable and buy tickets.
Music festival fans, where's your head at? We can tell you where it'll be if you're looking to send off the year with a stacked lineup of dance floor favourites: Glenworth Valley. The end-of-year staple Lost Paradise has just announced its return for 2023, and it's making a comeback with plenty of big names. Between Thursday, December 28–Monday, January 1, Lost Paradise will unleash a massive program of live music and DJ sets that include appearances from headliners Flume, Dom Dolla and Foals, plus Basement Jaxx, Bicep and Carl Cox on the decks. The Central Coast festival also shares some names with the recently announced Beyond the Valley lineup — namely Kelis, The Jungle Giants, Channel Tres, Cassian, Jayda G, DJ Heartstring, Overmono, Lastlings, BIG WETT and salute. Other notable names include local festival favourites like Lime Cordiale, PNAU, Winston Surfshirt, Royel Otis and Sycco; pop heavyweight Holly Humberstone; 'Afraid to Feel' hitmakers LF System; and international dance mainstays Kettama, Barry Can't Swim, Ewan McVicar and Yung Singh — the last of which has racked up nearly a million views on his Melbourne Boiler Room set from earlier in the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZ5F00eG_k Since first unleashing its specific flavour of festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become a go-to way to see out one year and welcome in another — and with its just-dropped roster of talent for 2023, that's set to be the case across its riverside setup again this time around. Also on the bill: wellness, art, sustainability, ideas and food, all as part of a four-day camping festival. So, there's plenty to get excited about and to tempt you to make the journey an hour out of Sydney. While the full rundown of activities hasn't been revealed as yet, the lineup hints at pottery sessions, workshops centred around First Nations culture and speed dating. And, camping-wise, options span everything from rent-a-tents to luxury glamping. This year, Lost Paradise is opting to steer away from a traditional first-, second- and third-release ticket strategy. Instead, ticket prices will gently increase in accordance with demand. Of course, it's the Lost Paradise lineup that'll get you to the festival in the first place. So, enough chatter; here it is: LOST PARADISE LINEUP 2023: Artist Lineup Flume Dom Dolla Foals Kelis Lime Cordiale Pnau The Jungle Giants Channel Tres Holly Humberstone Overmono Winston Surfshirt Lastlings Royel Otis Sycco Dice Haiku Hands Big Wett Skeleten Cat & Calmell Velvet Trip Sloan Peterson Pirra Jet City Sports Club Salarymen Birdee 王煒 Thunder Fox Sputnik Sweetheart DJ Lineup Bicep (DJ Set) Carl Cox (Hybrid Set) Jayda G Basement Jaxx (DJ Set) Kettama DJ Heartstring Cassian Ewan McVicar Lf System Barry Can't Swim Salute Stüm Sam Alfred Yung Singh Heidi Saorise c.frim Litmus (Live) Club Angel James Pepper Ayebatonye Elijah Something Mincy Caleb Jackson Crybaby Jacqui Cunningham Conspiracy Crew Caitlin Medclaf Troy Beman Shantan Wantan Ichiban Flexy Ferg Waxlily Cleo Sasha Milani Madami Lost Sundays Soundsystem Cricket Mash Anika Silly Lily Zach Williams Toaka Lost Paradise returns to Glenworth Valley from Wednesday, December 28–Sunday, January 1. Pre-sale tickets are available from Tuesday, August 29 with general tickets from Wednesday, August 30. For more information, head to the festival's website. Top image: Jordan Munns.
As each day passes, it's important to find time for little wins to lift our spirits and improve our moods. It could be having a great convo with your mum, hitting the five kilometre mark on a run, or making a stellar bolognese sauce. And this is true for anyone in the working week cycle, but with many of us working from home, or just battling never-ending emails and a nonstop notification loop, it seems more pertinent than ever. That's why we've teamed up with Oporto to bring you five little wins you can easily build into your workday lunch break, which will give you a little pick-me-up to carry you through the afternoon. MONDAY: TRY SOMETHING NEW AT YOUR LOCAL CAFE If you've ever thought about trying a new drink at lunchtime, or a different place altogether, today's the day to give it a whirl. Always wondered what a dirty chai (chai with a shot of coffee) tastes like? What about a soy piccolo with honey or extra-hot double shot almost latte? Go for gold and surprise your regular barista with a new order. It'll give you something new to talk about, and you might find you're more into long blacks than flat whites, or vice versa. Melbourne is full of the best coffee around so why not experience a new cup of it and start your Monday off anew. [caption id="attachment_754318" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] TUESDAY: TAKE YOUR LUNCH TO THE PARK As the weather is starting to turn it back on here in Melbourne, and you can now meet up with five people from two different households, more lunchtime park dates are on the agenda. Slap on some sunscreen, grab your picnic blanket and head to your nearest green spot to eat your lunch while getting in some vitamin D. Make it an extra special win, too, by forgetting the hassle of packing a meal and instead grabbing Oporto's new Vegan Rappa to take with you. It includes a pea and herb patty, mixed lettuce leaves, slaw, fresh tomato, avocado and a tomato and capsicum relish, all nestled within a warm pita bread wrap. If you're looking for inspiration, here are the best picnic spots to seek out in Melbourne so you can savour the moment in the open air. WEDNESDAY: SHOUT YOUR HOUSEMATES AN AFTERNOON TREAT Beat the midweek blues by shouting those under the same roof as you — whether it be your parents and siblings or a share-house full of students — to some sweet sugary goodness. You can have a hot fudge brownie sundae delivered to your door, vegan pecan pie or lemon, lime and bitters ice cream from Ice Cream Social in Thornbury. Or, get some jam- or Nutella-filled donuts from Daniel's Donuts, which also delivers to your door. Or, grab some cupcakes in cookies and cream, carrot, vanilla or salted caramel flavours from Cupcake Central, which offers free delivery on all orders over $45 in its 'sweet zone'. You'll not only feel good about surprising your loved ones, but also they'll hopefully share some of the goodies with you too. [caption id="attachment_784556" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr; Aundray Cheam[/caption] THURSDAY: KICK A FOOTY IN YOUR LOCAL PARK Pubs may still be closed (for now) but the city's parks are wide open and inviting you to run around with your mates like you've never run around before. Make the occasion even better by grabbing a footy and get your blood pumping with some good ol' fashioned kick-to-kick where you can practice your best kicks and handballs. If your local park or oval has some goalposts, start kicking some (literal) goals and pretend like you've scored the winning points in the premiership. Move over Tigers, there's a new player in this part of town. [caption id="attachment_784552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr; Alpha[/caption] FRIDAY: ADD A FRIEND TO YOUR LOCAL SPOONVILLE End your week by getting into the community spirit and making a character for your local Spoonville. If you're not familiar with Spoonvilles, they're tiny villages filled with handmade characters made out of all sorts of spoons: large, small, wooden, plastic, silicone and even the odd spatula. Each is adorned with goggly eyes, ribbon dresses, pipe-cleaner arms and a lot of glitter – it's all very wholesome. Add your flair to your local community's Spoonville by spending your lunch break DIY-ing your own character to add to the village. Local kids and parents will be delighted with the new addition, which makes it a win for you and one for the community, too. Check out Oporto's full Rappa Range here, then make tracks to your closest store — or order online. Top image: Catani Gardens, St Kilda via Visit Victoria/Josie Withers
From family classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to hard-hitting documentaries in the league of Camp 14 – Total Control Zone to black comedies such as Invasion, this year's Audi Festival of German Film promises the bravest, brashest and most bizarre in German film. There'll be panel discussions, Q&As, special cultural programs and parties. The selection for opening night, Georg Maas' Two Lives, makes it clear the festival is seeking the cutting edge, new generation of German filmmaking. It's a 2012 post-Berlin wall spy thriller about the exercise of state control over individual identities. Another highlight is This Ain't California, a Cannes winner that explores the development of skateboard culture in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. With over 20,000 people expected to attend, representing a 37 percent growth in popularity over the past six years, this year's festival is set to be the biggest on record. The festival is on in May around the country: Sydney: April 30 to May 14, Chauvel Cinema and Palace Verona Melbourne: May 1-15, Palace Cinema Como and Kino Cinemas Brisbane: May 3-9, Palace Centro Thanks to the Audi Festival of German Film, we have 15 double passes, valid for any screening throughout the festival, to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8noDewE16iM
As COVID-19 continues to spread around the globe, travel is in no one's immediate plans — and the airline industry is responding accordingly. In Australia, that means a huge drop in the number of available flights, both overseas and within Australia, with Virgin Australian announcing that it's grounding aircraft and slashing services for the foreseeable future. According to the ABC, Virgin Australia will suspend all international services and will cut domestic flights by 50 percent from March 30–June 14. The equivalent to 53 aircraft will be grounded. In a statement to the ASX published on the ABC, the company said: "The Virgin Australia Group has today announced a temporary suspension of international services and further cuts to domestic capacity in response to expanded government travel restrictions and increased impacts from COVID-19 on travel demand. As a leading airline group, Virgin Australia will work closely with Government to prioritise bringing Australians home and returning visitors back to their point of origin safely, while maintaining its important role in supporting connectivity and the nation's economy." This decision follows Qantas and Jetstar's move to cut international flights by around 90 percent, and domestic flight by approximately 60 percent, which was announced by the the 100-year-old Aussie airline yesterday. Both moves come in response to Australia's current containment and quarantine measures, including the requirement that all international arrivals into the country must self-isolate for 14 days — and, unsurprisingly, the steeply dropping demand for air travel both internationally and domestically. Worldwide, the scenario is the same. Air New Zealand is reducing its capacity by 85 percent overall, and its trips across the Tasman to Australia by 80 percent. Airlines in America, Britain, Europe, Asia and, well, basically everywhere are taking similar measures — as is to be expected as countries everywhere begin to close their borders. For more information about Virgin Australia's reductions, visit its website. For further details about Qantas and Jetstar's plans, visit the company's website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
"My name is Jordan Belfort" explains Leonardo DiCaprio in the opening to Martin Scorsese's new film, The Wolf of Wall Street. "The year I turned 26, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week." If you're a banker, that probably frames this film as something of a tragedy for you. For everyone else, it sets the tone for a semi-true story about a materialistic mercenary whose insatiable appetite for money and power saw him wreak havoc on both the stock market and his own family for two decades. Taking its name and story from Belfort's bestselling (and unsurprisingly self-aggrandising) biography, The Wolf of Wall Street largely confirms all the things you presumed you hated about unscrupulous investment bankers and even establishes a few new ones for you to despise. It is black comedy at its very darkest; a chronicle of depravity that at once amuses and nauseates. In his now award-winning turn as the eponymous 'wolf', DiCaprio holds nothing back — screaming, beaming and drooling his way through every scene with gleeful, passionate intensity. His best lines are often reserved for internal monologue, navigating by narration all the intricacies of drug consumption, prostitute procurement and, of course, stock market manipulation. Alongside him is Jonah Hill in a fantastically weird performance as Belfort's right-hand man Donnie Azoff. Grinning through hypnotically white teeth, Azoff is both Belfort's enabler and guardian — simultaneously safeguarding their friendship whilst steering it irreversibly down the road to inevitable ruin. Despite its cracking pace, The Wolf of Wall Street runs at just one minute short of three hours and definitely feels as long as it is. The cycle of sex, drugs and opulence admittedly entertains at first but soon becomes as unvarying and unremarkable as, presumably, it was in real life. That vapidity is then compounded by the lack of growth experienced by just about every character in the film. Belfort's transformation from wide-eyed newcomer to unapologetic sybaritic lasts precisely one (albeit probably the best) scene right at the start of the film, after which his character arc sits firmly on the 180. Lessons aren't learned, egos aren't checked and virtue never rears its head as the Wolf and his pack cruise, jet and blindly stumble from one orgiastic spectacle to the next. In that respect, The Wolf of Wall Street ultimately feels shallower and less arresting than, say, Oliver Stone's Wall Street or even Brian De Palma's Bonfire of the Vanities. All three unreservedly showcase the extraordinary grandiosity, greed and ruthlessness of men like Belfort, yet Wolf's predecessors prove that less is more when examining those for whom 'more' is the singular ambition. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
With Baby Driver, writer/director/music lover Edgar Wright takes a guy, a girl, gangsters, guns and getaway cars, and sends audiences on quite the ride. The filmmaker behind Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World doesn't exactly seek to sell audiences on the high-stakes, heist-pulling lifestyle. In fact, his protagonist Baby (Ansel Elgort) desperately wants to drive away from crime. But there's one thing that brightens up this speedster's obligation to underworld boss Doc (Kevin Spacey), and it's something we can all relate to: that fantastic feeling of hearing the right song at the right time, boosting your mood and changing how you see the world around you. Whether he's hurtling through the streets or sitting in a booth at a diner, one of Baby's ever-present old school iPods always has the goods to improve any situation. His personal soundtrack makes dealing with bank-robbing thugs like Griff (Jon Bernthal), Bats (Jamie Foxx), and lovers Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Darling (Eiza González) bearable. It also makes meeting waitress Debora (Lily James), who enters his orbit literally crooning his name, all the more special. Baby is turning a routine into a dream with the right MP3s, and Wright wants viewers to lap up every second of it. Cue Queen, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the kind of deep cuts the term 'deep cuts' was coined to describe. With Wright stylishly weaving his music choices into the fabric of both the film and its title character, there's barely a minute that passes by without the right audio accompaniment. There's singing and dancing and in-sync editing and cinematography — although Baby Driver isn't a musical. Rather, it's a playlist paired with glossy, kinetic pictures that delivers its story in video clip-length doses. Unsurprisingly, the film was actually inspired by Wright's music video for Mint Royale's 'Blue Song', which makes a blink-or-you'll-miss-it appearance here. And yet, while Baby himself might avoid lulls in his flow of sounds (at one point, we even see him time the start of a job to a specific ditty) even the liveliest of mixtapes can run out of steam. Perhaps that's why Baby Driver entertains in the moment yet can't quite maintain momentum, and why a sense of repetition eventually sets in. Recognisable refrains begin to echo across scenes, while nods to similar flicks about heists, souped-up vehicles and lovers-against-the world — including Drive, The Driver, Point Break, Wild at Heart and A Life Less Ordinary — grow increasingly obvious. Still, as you watch the cast revel in Wright's music-filled world, it's easy to enjoy much of the drive. Baby Driver's rush of attitude doesn't just ooze through its lovingly selected tunes. It's also present in Elgort and James' clear chemistry, and in the way Spacey, Hamm and González's embrace their shady supporting players. Baby's story gets dark and bloody at various points, but the film remains a light and playful dose of high-octane crime-romance hijinks. Think of it as the movie equivalent of a disposable toe-tapping pop song: mostly pumping, thumping fun, but it just can't play on forever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT7xtCrhwD0
Snakadaktal are one of those bands that pop their head out occasionally to remind us of how incredibly talented they are. They won Triple J Unearthed High in 2011 and debuted on the Hottest 100 for that year at number 22 with 'Air', no easy feat for a band fresh out of high school. They then went into the studio bunker for most of 2012, only releasing the dance-friendly wonder 'Dance Bear', which also snuck onto the Hottest 100 despite the band hibernating most of the year on the production front. This time, though, they are set to keep their pleasurable pop where everybody can see it, with their solo nationwide tour. It comes on the back of releasing their debut LP Sleep in the Water, which if lead teaser track 'Ghost' is anything to go by, will certainly feature many claims for entry into a third consecutive Hottest 100. The dream-inducing wizards will be playing at The Forum on August 24 and they will be supported by Fishing and Velma Grove. This should not be missed. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MNN1JWnXzyQ
Shipping container cafes and eateries might be on trend at the moment; however, as always, New York is a step ahead of the latest fashions. While the city that never sleeps has boasted its own four-storey shipping container house since 2013, the tiny abode is now opening its doors to Airbnb bookings. If you have a spare US$297 per night at the time of writing, you can get some shuteye in NYC's first (legal) home built entirely of recycled shipping containers, which you'll find on the other side of the East River in Williamsburg. Guests can stay in a self-contained private container apartment on the ground floor and enjoy what the hosts are calling "sustainable, comfortable, wonderful living". It might seem like a gimmick, but don't be fooled by the 8 foot by 40 foot home's compact dimensions. As your mum probably told you, good things come in small packages. Inside, you'll find everything you could need for a night away, including a wall full of books and boardgames, plus a kitchenette. As well as a full-size bed, the space also features a sofa bed, so four people can spend the night. As for the entire architect-designed structure itself, it was made out of six containers, is insulated by NASA ceramic-infused paint, and has two roof decks on top for outdoor entertaining fun. If you want to see more, the owners live on the second and third levels, and are happy to give interested guests a tour of the house. Via 6sqft/ Inhabitat.
If you're anything like us, you have an endless list of places you want to visit and things you want to do when you're there: have a whiskey in the Park Hyatt Tokyo, float along Venice's canals, get into Berghain in Berlin, eat fresh seafood on the beach in Sri Lanka (just to name a few). But, sometimes, your bank balance won't allow it. We understand, and we've teamed up with Intrepid Travel so you can tick one off your list — for free. The long-time purveyor of taking you off the beaten track, putting you outside of your comfort zone and providing A-plus travel stories, Intrepid Travel is giving you a chance to win an (almost) all-expenses-paid trip to Sri Lanka. As well as return airfares for two, you and your chosen loved one will also get to join a 15-day extensive tour of the country. Get ready to tell some cracking travel yarns in the future. The Circle Sri Lanka trip will take you from Negombo, in the east and will travel clockwise all the way round to the island nation's capital, Colombo. Throughout the two weeks, you'll have the chance to explore ruins, climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, learn to cook traditional Sri Lankan fare, explore bustling bazaars and trek through tea plantations. And all accommodation, ten brekkies (and some lunches and dinners) are included, as well as more activities than you can count on your two hands. The island is full of vibrant culture, incredible food, ancient citadels and idyllic beaches on all sides. Regardless of whether you're the lucky winner, it should be high up on your travel bucket list anyway. To enter, see details below. [competition]669353[/competition] Top image: Sigiriya Lion Rock
UPDATE Thursday, August 5: Josh Niland's Take One Fish Butchery Masterclass has been postponed until Monday, November 15 Saint Peter and Fish Butchery's Josh Niland has spent the past half-decade spreading his love for sustainable seafood around Australia. The neighbouring Sydney spots have grown a cult following since opening and built Niland a reputation that landed him on the list of the world's top 50 next-generation hospitality leaders. With a new charcoal fish restaurant set to open next month, Niland is going on tour to preach the benefits of cooking with sustainable seafood. The masterclass will cover the how-tos of preparing, storing and cooking with fish, in support of his new book, Take One Fish. It's the follow-up to his The Whole Fish Cookbook, which snagged the James Beard Book of the Year award. Niland was the first Australian author to win the converted award last year. "I am looking forward to the evening and offering complete transparency around our work and to unpack all that we have learnt to date. I hope that people will leave having enjoyed a great night out, and take away practical solutions for how we can approach fish differently, not just at home but when ordering fish on a menu or in a market," Niland said. Hosting the evening is author and ABC Culinary Correspondent Alice Zaslavsky who is kicking off her new series of 'in conversation' events with acclaimed culinary professionals, dubbed Here's One I Prepared Earlier. The tour is beginning at the Sydney City Recital Hall on Monday, October 25, before moving on to Melbourne's Hammer Hall on Monday, November 15 with each evening running two 45-minute sessions and a short intermission. Pre-sale tickets are on sale now. [caption id="attachment_739656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fish Butchery[/caption]
Every December, the Geminids meteor shower lights up our skies. Considered to be the most spectacular meteor shower of the year, it's caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The shower is expected to be visible from around 10.30pm in Sydney, 11pm in Melbourne, 10pm in Perth and 9pm in Brisbane on Saturday, December 14 through to the early morning on Sunday, December 15. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, and before sunrise. While some years you could catch as many as 120 meteors every 60 minutes, this year, unfortunately, there's almost a full moon (a waning gibbous), which will make it harder to see as many. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] But the Sydney Observatory says it's "still worth a try". So, get as far away from bright lights as possible — this could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower will take place during the night on Saturday, December 14. Top image: A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.
We're all going on a Japanese holiday. If you were gearing up to vacation somewhere else across the rest of 2024 or first half of 2025, change your plans. That's the only way to react to Jetstar's latest flight sale, which is bringing back the airline's popular 'return for free' deal with a focus on one country only. Your choice of destinations: the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka. Whichever spot that you decide to fly into, the Australian carrier's new special will bring you home without bothering your bank balance. One caveat: you've got just three days to snap up tickets, with the sale running for 72 hours from 12am AEST on Tuesday, August 6–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, August 8, unless sold out earlier. It really is as straightforward as it sounds. Whichever flights you opt for as part of the sale, covering direct flights from Cairns, Brisbane or Sydney, plus connecting flights out of Melbourne (Tullamarine), Gold Coast and Adelaide, you'll get the return fare for nothing. You do need to nab one of Jetstar's starter fares, and you'll then get a free return starter fare for zilch. Also, you'll have to fly in and out of the same arrival and departure port — either Narita in Tokyo or Kansai in Osaka. Plus, as is usually the case with Jetstar, checked baggage is not included. Still, expect the flights to get snapped up quickly when they go on sale. If you're a Club Jetstar member, you'll get the jump on the special via access from 12pm AEST on Monday, August 5 until midnight. Wondering when you'll be travelling? Dates vary per route, but the windows cover from September 2024 through to late June 2025. Jetstar's Japan 'return for free' sale runs from 12am AEST on Tuesday, August 6–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, August 8 — unless it's sold out earlier. 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.
If you'd like this lockdown to run a little more smoothly than the previous four, we've found your solution: a timely care package of lasagne and lube. It's the ultimate stay-at-home set-up and it's coming at you this weekend only, courtesy of two Melbourne-based businesses supremely well-versed in the art of a good night in. Cult-favourite pasta delivery service 1800 Lasagne has teamed up with the minds behind Figr — a new Aussie-made water-based lubricant that's changing the game. Together, they've concocted one heck of a colluberation (sorry). "It was a no-brainer," 1800 Lasagne's Joey Kellock told Concrete Playground when asked about the pleasurable partnership. "The perfect union — love, lasagne and lube!" This Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, the first 20 customers to pick up a food order from 1800 Lasagne's Thornbury HQ will also score themselves a free bottle of Figr's signature lube. Orders are made as usual over at 1800 Lasagne's website, then you'll just need to request your side serve of Figr from the friendly staff when you head in to pick up your tasty meal. "We all need a little love from time to time," Kellock says. "And with people during lockdown having a whole bunch of 'extra time on their hands', Figr and I thought we'd just help facilitate that love a little. Love yourself, love someone else — it's lockdown." Figr's co-founders Eloise McCullough and Eloise O'Sullivan share the sentiment of this match made in heaven. "1800 Lasagne are the pros when it comes to slinging endorphins around in the back of a beat-up old car. Figr was designed for when endorphins are getting flung around in the back of a beat-up old car," the pair says. [caption id="attachment_820408" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca Lamont[/caption] In the interests of a truly loved-up weekend, 1800 Lasagne will also have plenty of extra goodies available to order alongside your lasagne-and-lube combo, including garlic bread, creamy serves of tiramisu and bottles of Uggiano chianti. Figr launched into the local sexual wellness scene in May this year, with its natural, vegan lubricant made with native Australian extracts. They're on a mission to normalise lube, as the founders explain: "We want people to be comfortable seeing lube at their local deli, beauty shop or on your friend's nightstand." If you miss out on this weekend's lasagne lube, you can always stock up over here. The 1800 Lasagne x Figr lockdown offer is available to the first 20 customers who order and pick up their meal from the restaurant this Saturday, July 24, and Sunday, July 25.
Dear Concrete Playground Readers, With the growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, we wanted to take a moment to check in. Going out might not be at the top of your to-do list right now, but you can continue to support small, local businesses without leaving your apartment. These businesses have had a tough run of late — battling through the lockout laws in Sydney, the bushfires in regional areas and, now, coronavirus fears — and they need our support now more than ever. Buy from artists who've had their shows cancelled, order gift cards and merch from venues that are struggling or just book in a dinner for that birthday a few months away. Then, when we come out the other side — which we will — we'll be raring to get out there and hit up concerts, food festivals, comedy galas and charity raves once again. And we'll be there with you every step of the way. In the meantime, keep washing your hands — to the chorus of Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts', of course — and get in touch if you have any questions, concerns or just want to chat. Love, CP To stay up-to-date with the events postponed and cancelled in your city, head over here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
