Greenhart Wine Bar on Toorak Road was your classic neighbourhood vino-sipping spot. The team paired its natural wines with small, sustainably sourced plates or Euro-centric food — a tried-and-true combo. Even though it made so much sense for the area, it shut down in 2023 and was taken over by Benjamin Ruan (Benjamin's Kitchen). Instead of going down the common Melbourne wine bar route that's mostly about European influences, he decided to put his own pan-Asian stamp on the new Greenhart in Camberwell. So, instead of pairing a riesling with fresh oysters, say, you can match it with a serving of handmade chicken and prawn wontons in a warming bowl of vegetable broth. And forget your cheese platters and charcuterie boards — instead, change it up with soft-shell crab sliders, san choi bao and curry puffs. Larger dishes are also available, including a crispy rockling elevated with a ginger, soy and sake sauce; sticky pork belly with chilli caramel and crushed pineapple; roasted duck glazed with hoisin and whisky; or the signature green chicken curry with grilled eggplant and oyster mushrooms. Many of these eats are favourites from the original Benjamin's Kitchen in Alphington, and Ruan has adapted them for a wine bar setting. As for the wine, the list is a mostly Aussie affair, with a few drops from Italy and France thrown in for good measure. For a wine bar, the wine list could be a bit longer, but it's still early days for Greenhart Camberwell. A healthy selection of spirits, Australian and Japanese beers, and cocktails are also up for grabs. Tuck into all of these offerings inside at the bar or by the window to watch folks wander down Toorak Road, or head to the secluded courtyard out back when the sun is shining. It's great to see a Melbourne wine bar stray away from the usual European aesthetic, and instead showing how contemporary Asian food and Aussie wines are a perfect pairing.
Good things may come in small packages, but finer things come served as tasty morsels on wooden boards. The Italians call this cicchetti, and it's one of the defining features of Lygon Street's hippest bar, Heartattack and Vine. Inspired in name by a Tom Waits' song, Heartattack and Vine follows a tradition from the team who brought us A Minor Place and Wide Open Road. And it seems that their ode to tradition has struck a chord with the Carlton crowd too, who are as mixed as the food selection. Owners Emily Bitto and Nathen Doyle admit it wasn't an easy market to break into, where Lygon Street has a long-standing tradition of family owned stores and cafes. From couples enjoying an independent film across the way to youth looking for a hideout in between studies, the regulars are a combination of cultured sorts. They've even managed to lure in the odd member from the Italian assemblage. Perhaps it's a reflection of the décor, which sees old-world charm polished with a retro edge. Inside, lamps hang above the bar from recycled window awnings. On the street, a relaxed setting of four wooden benches and stools await, all sourced and saved from Bavarian beer halls in Germany. This fusion of furniture, along with Doyle and Bitto's passion for quality produce, is perhaps the proof that they've really nailed this pudding. And 'pudding' we did try. Guarded by glass, the rotating cicchetti covers anything from a bowl of humble olives to crostini breads topped with slow braised ox tongue, smoked cod or roast peach and whipped goats cheese ($3.50 each or $10 for three). Match your cicchetti to the Ape on the Loose Greco ($13 per glass) which has a lush, sugary start with an almost salty, super dry finish. Italian and Spanish vermouths ($7.50 - $10) are available and served classically on the rocks with skewered olives and oranges to boot. If you're milling about during the day, the porchetta sandwich ($15) is pretty hard to go past. Served with a side of sweet spicey sambal, it's prepared every morning (in a three-hour process, mind you) using the belly of the beast. Crunchy Italian slaw ($3) made of savoury cabbage and fresh mango is the perfect accompaniment. It's the type of place where afternoons easily bleed into evenings and you could quite happily be mistaken for thinking you're living the European life as you watch the foot traffic drift on by. So if you haven't already, head to Heartattack and Vine, and treat yourself to some cicchetti, a glass of grapes and stay there 'til the money runs out. After all, it's what Tom Waits would do, right? Images: Brook James.
There's no shortage of sandwich shops making waves these days. But a new limited-time special at Tombo Den has just hit the scene, ready to grab your attention with Japanese-inspired sandos. Served from midday Friday–Sunday, there are two loaded options bound to satisfy your cravings: prawn menchi-katsu with wasabi tartare and lettuce, and pork katsu with truffle mayo and barbecue sauce. With both served on fluffy white bread à la shokupan, these hearty creations are also presented with a handful of crisps to give you a little more crunch. Priced at $18.50 each, this lunchtime sando will leave you feeling stuffed until dinner comes around. There's also the option to level things up. For $7.50, add a side of ramen fries, or get the weekend started with a yuzu spritz priced at $13.50. If you want the entire trio, the so-called Tombo Combo is the ultimate lunch fix. Situated at the Windsor end of Chapel Street, Tombo Den is Chris Lucas' take on a throwback Japanese eatery, inspired by his time living and working in Tokyo in the 90s. Paying respect to the nation's street food and izakaya culture, expect casual fare and boozy nights. There's an expert team in the back-of-house, with Head Chef Dan Chan (Supernormal and Michelin-starred Yardbird in Hong Kong) spearheading the culinary offering. Meanwhile, Tokyo-born master sommelier Yuki Hirose has curated Tombo Den's tight but expressive drinks lineup. [caption id="attachment_971728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Michael Pham[/caption] [caption id="attachment_971729" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit: Michael Pham[/caption] Tombo Den's weekend sando special is available for a limited time from 12pm Friday–Sunday at 100a Chapel Street, Windsor. Head to the website for more information.
"It's a hard film to Google," says Molly Manning Walker of How to Have Sex, simply due to her debut feature's moniker. "Everyone's always really loved the title, and it's been the title since the beginning. I guess it gets complex when it goes onto the internet and you get bots saying 'maybe I'll learn something' or 'they think they could teach me how to have sex'," the British writer/director continues. "The only thing I think someone once said was 'why don't we call it How Not to Have Sex?'. And I was like 'I think that's too obvious'. As it spends time with three 16-year-old British girls on a boozy Greek getaway to Malia, Crete — a Schoolies-esque rite-of-passage vacation where getting sloshed, soaking up the sun and slipping between the sheets are the only aims — How to Have Sex is as candid as its name. But Walker is never interested in being bluntly overt or neat; rather, everything about the movie is honest, raw and authentic. Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and collecting the Un Certain Regard Award in the process, her picture resonates because it's so lived in, so ripped from reality and so familiar to everyone who has ever been a teenager. It isn't a slice-of-life documentary, but finding someone who doesn't recognise their own youth in its frames will be rare. Walker doesn't just understand that sensation, which she's seen firsthand among audiences after screenings; she's in the same camp. Amid its fluorescent colours, strobing lights and sweaty intimacy, How to Have Sex sports a doco feel because its guiding force's own teen experiences partly inform this tale of Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce, Vampire Academy) and her best friends Em (debutant Enva Lewis) and Skye (Lara Peake, Halo) heading abroad to let loose, drink away their days and hook up. That includes witnessing fellatio on a stage in front of a heaving crowd, a scene in the feature — and in actuality — that couldn't say more about how cavalier that teen attitudes on sex can be, especially when aided by free-flowing alcohol. It also helps show the mindsets, plus the lack of thinking, that contribute to not taking an active approach to consent. How to Have Sex sees Tara lose her virginity in an inebriated haze of coercion and peer pressure. It also sees how and why a situation like this is so heartbreakingly common and recognisable, and unravels the aftermath. Walker's aim isn't to direct judgement at any character within the film, but to start conversations. Workshops also helped her gauge IRL takes on consent among today's teens. In England and Wales, How to Have Sex will now be shown to the age group it depicts as part of lawyer-led sessions run by the Schools Consent Project. With her first stint in the director's chair — she's also a cinematographer, lensing Scrapper, which debuted at Sundance 2023 — Walker has made an unforgettable feature. The BAFTA-nominee has also crafted a piece of essential viewing. And, as she always hoped, it is sparking discussions. "I think even without these holidays as such, these experiences happen when you're out and about in your local town as well. So I think as much as it was a comment on these holidays, it's a bigger conversation than that for sure," Walker says. Still, wanting that to be the outcome wasn't the same as knowing that's how people would respond. "It's been beautiful to see how people react to the film. We never expected it. When we were in the edit, you finesse over all these small things and spend so long stressing about how people might see it. So yeah, it's been pretty magical." Walker hopped from Cannes to the New Zealand International Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival with How to Have Sex last year, describing the period as "pretty hectic, just really full on". "We finished the film on like the Friday and we went to Cannes on the Tuesday, so I hadn't really had time to breathe or think about it," she also tells Concrete Playground. Her must-see feature receives a general release in cinemas Down Under from Thursday, March 7, 2024 — and Walker kept chatting with us about getting people talking, the movie's inspirations, those workshops, casting British Independent Film Awards' Best Lead Performance- and BAFTA Rising Star-winner McKenna-Bruce, ensuring that Tara wasn't just a victim and more. [caption id="attachment_944364" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Molly Manning Walker behind the scenes on Scrapper.[/caption] On What Inspired How to Have Sex, Including Walker's Own Experiences "I was very different as a teenager. I was like, when I was 16, long fake hair, fake eyelashes, covered in fake tan — and I went on loads of these holidays. I went on a holiday with some friends, and we were recalling some of the scenes from these holidays that we remembered, and I started to think it had a big impact on our perception of sex and how we navigate sexual experiences. That's where the idea sort of started. I guess it's all a combination of experiences and just imagination as well. The blowjob on stage is something I witnessed when we were on holiday." On the Research and Workshops That Helped to Shape the Movie "We lived in Malia for two weeks on the scout. We lived there in high season in the middle of a party town, so we were witnessing a lot of chaos all the time. Some of that, we were going up to people and saying 'we're making a film, can we take pictures of your outfits?'. And they were up for it. So it was all direct reference from reality or from memory. We went all around the UK doing some workshops, and it was just mad to see their perception on consent. Not many of them were wised up to consent. We would show them the assault scene and they would be like 'yeah, but, you know, they slept together the night before, so it's fine'. Or stuff like that. So it was really shocking, to be honest." On Giving How to Have Sex That Ripped-From-Reality Specificity "Every choice was to make it as authentic as possible, to ground it in reality. I would never have wanted it to feel like it was a film. So all across the production design, costumes, we chose a documentary cinematographer — everything was to ground it in reality. I wanted to really live and breathe it with them. The first half of the film is meant to be this really joyous party experience — and the second half, you start to see the underbelly of the party town. You see the glitter and then you see the darkness of it. It was split in two halves, both in every design, in production design, in lighting, in everything." On Finding Mia McKenna-Bruce to Play Tara, and the Impact of Her Performance on the Film "It was actually pretty early in the casting process. We got a tape of of Mia, and she's just so funny and her tape was so funny, but there was so much going on behind her eyes. I was pretty sure straight away that she was the one, which we were shocked at because we thought Tara would be the harder one to cast, considering how much she has to go through. But I was just really confident. I don't know what it is — when you see someone, you just kind of know. She's such a legend, Mia. She's a superstar, and she comes to set every day with energy. And often her first take, you'd be like 'so good', so you know where to go with that. But what it did mean was that we could experiment loads because she would always nail it on the first take, so we could bring some options to it. Sometimes, we would try a take with no words or we'd run lots of different experiments, which was really fun — and we could only do that because Mia was so good at nailing it the first time." On Ensuring That This Wasn't a Standard Victim Tale — and That Tara Was Resilient "With Tara, we wanted to not tell a victim story as we classically see it on screen. She's meant to be a bubbly character like all of us. We all go through these experiences and we're not just ruined for life as a film often shows it. So it's meant to show the resilience of young women. It's not that she's not affected by it, because of course she's going to be affected by it, but that she's resilient like people are. They carry on with all of their experiences." On Approaching the Film's Characters and Friendships Without Judgement "I guess they all have their own little stories going on, and the main thing for me was that we never looked down on them, and we never judged them — especially the boys. We want men to recognise themselves in them, in order to open the conversation up. We want it to be fun and for people to want to be on that holiday, but also to question what they're up to. So it was it was complex, for sure. The main thing for me was not to judge them, even though they're all going through their own stuff. But we've all been in those situations." On Starting Conversations with How to Have Sex — and the Reactions to the Film "We didn't really know to what extent people had been affected by this topic. Like, we knew that we wanted to talk about it, but we didn't really know how big the the impact would be. So many young women are coming out of screenings saying 'thank you for making this film, I feel seen'. I guess the quantity was unknown, but we were always hoping to to start a conversation for sure. I think one of the most powerful experiences was, it was like a 65–70-year-old guy pacing after the one of the screenings, and one of the distributors went up to him and said 'are you okay?'. And he said 'I've just realised that I've been that guy. I've been Paddy before.' That sort of blew my brain open because if we can do that for one person, then the film's done its job." How to Have Sex opens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Read our review. How to Have Sex images: Nikolopoulos Nikos.
Wellness has been trending more social and more luxurious in recent times, but no one is combining these elements to the same degree as the Gurner Group. While its Saint Haven wellness clubs and SAINT private members' club are already ludicrously lavish, the forthcoming launch of SAINT Black in South Melbourne is pushing the concept to greater heights. Larger and more exclusive than anything that's come before, wellness meets social connection in pure opulence. Inspired by New York City's rooftop fitness scene, where wellness and atmosphere fuse amid high-rise escapes, expect a similarly upscale encounter that shifts mood when day becomes night. If the sun is up, world-class wellness is the focus, with high-energy and design-led experiences elevating performance. Yet once dusk descends, the sprawling space becomes a dynamic, social sanctuary that invites its well-heeled clientele to rub shoulders. With the first SAINT private social club launching in St Kilda last year, this enhanced concept is double the size and offers uncompromising amenities from top to bottom. For instance, the South Melbourne experience is headlined by a stunning outdoor rooftop pool framed by handcrafted barrel saunas. Meanwhile, the club will level up the ambience with design details inspired by ancient bathhouses and the mystique of private clubs. Spanning a sensory members-only entrance, an adaptogenic and kava bar, and a wholefood-driven restaurant, the fitness offering is just as plush, with 200 classes each week across reformer pilates, yoga, meditation, strength training and more. Plus, guests will have access to the latest recovery and anti-ageing technology, from cryotherapy and red-light treatment to hyperbaric oxygen facilities. While the SAINT Black concept is already a level above the Gurner Group's other experiences, the South Melbourne location will also offer an elite membership tier that unlocks even more amenities. Situated on Level 7, this VIP area includes access to the rooftop pool, saunas and terrace, not to mention a full bio-hacking suite, where the upper crust can set about boosting their wellness to stratospheric levels. "SAINT Black is not just a wellness or social club — it's a statement. It brings a rebellious energy into a space usually defined by restraint. It's where intensity meets introspection, and high-performance meets high design," says Tim Gurner, founder of the Gurner Group. "SAINT is pumping from 6am through until 9pm and people can spend entire days and nights in our club, combining training and recovery with business pursuits, nutrition and socialising." SAINT Black South Melbourne is expected to open in July and is now accepting membership applications. Head to the website for more information.
The silver-screen experience is always worth celebrating. A darkened haven dedicated to watching movie magic? Films projected big enough to span entire walls? Ideally no phones or other distractions? No matter how many times you've seen a flick in a picture palace, it's pure bliss. And, like everything, there's a day to celebrate it: National Cinema Day. Every single day is a great day to hit up your favourite theatre, but Sunday, August 31, 2025 comes with a bonus at Reading Cinemas sites across Australia: $5 tickets. That's all you'll pay for a standard or premium session all day for one day only. Fancy hitting up its Titan screens instead? That'll only set you back $10. And for its Gold Lounge, you'll pay $15. Reading operates nine cinemas across Victoria, including Burwood, Dandenong, Epping and Melton, if you're wondering where to go to see a cheap flick. And your viewing options? They vary per cinema, but include Weapons, Freakier Friday, Nobody 2, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Caught Stealing, the new The Naked Gun and 50th-anniversary sessions of Jaws, among other titles. Two caveats: the deals aren't available for event screenings, Q&As or other special events, and there's still a booking fee if you're getting your tickets online.
When thinking about Greek restaurants in Melbourne, many of us tend to focus on the old-school tavernas that err on the family-friendly side of Greek dining. We're all for these diners, but we want to see more contemporary spots in the city, too. We've watched Melbourne's Italian and Japanese restaurant scenes grow en masse in recent years, covering a variety of price ranges and regions. But Melbourne's Greek scene is still a little behind. That's why we're so pumped to see what comes of Alex Xinis' (ex-The Press Club and Hellenic Republic) new Athenian all-day diner TZAKI, which is set to open sometime in May. He's bringing modern Athens to Yarraville, focusing on woodfired grub. For breakfast and lunch, pastries like the classic bougatsa and lagana bread with seasonal toppings will stream out of the oven and fill the cabinet. Upon opening, these options will only be available from the grab-and-go window. Come dinner, the space will fully open up — with a mere 16 seats inside and 15 outside. This will be a mostly meze affair, with lots of small sharing dishes rolling out of the kitchen. Hung, dried and wood-roasted Aussie octopus and red mullet served with braised chickpeas and crusty bread are just a couple of the dishes we can expect to find in the evenings. When the meze bar opens for dinner, Greek and international wines will accompany the food. Mediterranean beers, ouzo and tsipouro will also make an appearance — as they should at any Greek diner. Even though visitors can only enter TZAKI in the evenings, a whole lot of love has gone into the design. Xinis has brought In Addition Studio on board to create a contemporary space that combines Athens' unique urban feel with the warm and inviting atmosphere of Greek hospitality. This is achieved by using a whole host of finishes. Think galvanised steel, reclaimed timber and mosaic tiles in various sizes and hues — focusing on red and orange to reflect TZAKI's flame-kissed offerings. If this new spot is a success, it will be yet another reason to visit the burgeoning Yarraville, which has become a proper dining destination out in Melbourne's west. TZAKI is set to open in late April at 31 Ballarat Street, Yarraville. It will be open at 7am–3pm on Monday and Tuesday, 7am–late from Wednesday to Saturday and 7am–6pm on Sunday. For more information, check out the venue's website.
There's never a bad time to pop into Andrew McConnell's Supernormal. However, timing your visit just as temperatures start to drop means you can indulge in the restaurant's cherished, but limited-run ramen. Back on the menu for the season, it's served up for $24 on weekdays from lunch until sold out. If you were lucky enough to score a bowl or two (or more) last year, you'll be happy to know the formula remains much the same. Based in a rich chicken bone broth, tender noodles combine with grilled chicken alongside prawn and chicken dumplings. Then, this nourishing creation is finished with a soy-marinated egg. Just know, the chefs at Supernormal aren't cutting any corners. Refined over two days, the rich double chicken stock is slowly infused with dried shiitake, kombu and white miso to create multiple flavourful layers. With so much umami goodness packed into each bowl, it's no surprise this ramen has become a wintertime essential. Images: Parker Blain.
Since the 1920s, it's been a sentry guarding the corner of Grattan and Bouverie Streets. To this day, the Prince Alfred Hotel's light stone and brick façade is symbolic of its past, as a popular gathering point for uni students and hospital workers since opening in 1926. Regulars will recall the simple worn-out interior — which was all fine and well until it closed in 2015. The pub was then bought by The University of Melbourne, and — much to the disappointment of uni students and $1 beer enthusiasts in the inner north — has sat empty ever since. But the Carlton has been given a new lease on life. The 100 Burgers Group (the team behind some of Melbourne's favourites, like Belle's Hot Chicken, Welcome to Thornbury and Hightail) has come on board to commandeer the pub's revival. As before, it spans two levels, each with a bar, and a beer garden. In addition to a permanent kitchen serving traditional pub fare, there's a shipping container turned into another kitchen which will showcase visiting food pop-ups — plans see each pop-up taking residence for a month or two. From the seating to the outdoor decking area, everything has been carefully designed with the pub's heritage and clientele carefully considered. "We worked with the consultants at interior design firm Hot Black, who were on the same page as us from the get-go," says Daragh Kan, one of the founders of the 100 Burgers Group. "We looked at the history of the place, the name and who Prince Alfred was, as well as the clientele and the character of the surrounding area." Mostafa Morshed is in charge of the pub kitchen. The vision of serving food in forward-thinking student pub with royal characteristics was almost second nature to Morshed, whose broad spectrum of kitchen work has seen him previously working with English, French, Spanish and Modern Australian cuisines in Melbourne and Sydney. His team also includes Harry Wakefield, who Morshed recruited from a previous stint heading Meat Market at South Wharf. The pub pours from 60 beer taps which highlight local, Victorian and larger well-known brews. The wine list showcases solely local and Victorian wine and the cocktail menu takes inspiration from the pub's regal theme. In addition, a collaboration with Collingwood's Stomping Ground is also in the works. There's a cafe window, providing street-level access to Prince Alfred Hotel's coffee shop (open from 7am). Images: Giulia Morlando
This just in: AFLOAT bar and restaurant has, after much anticipation, finally launched its floating tennis club, which will operate from January 16 to February 1, 2026. The on-water venue will be the ultimate spot for drinking, dining, and playing during the Australian tennis season. The iconic French brand Lacoste, with a rich tennis heritage, has introduced its renowned Le Club Lacoste experience to Australia for the first time, transforming one of the city's most beloved bars into a tennis club for two weeks. AFLOAT, from the HQ Group behind Melbourne institutions Arbory Bar & Eatery and HER, is an ever-evolving venue that transforms into a new concept each summer. Over eight seasons, AFLOAT has undergone complete transformations, transporting guests from Palm Springs to the Isle of Capri, and from Italy's Amalfi Coast to, most recently, the vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro. Patrons can now find a 20-plus metre-long Lacoste Court extension, a pop-up store selling Melbourne-exclusive apparel, and a French-inspired food and drinks menu, all set against the stunning city skyline and offering uninterrupted views of the Yarra River. Le Club Lacoste Melbourne kicked off with a who's who launch party on January 16, with DJs Edd Fisher (Waxo Paradiso) and JNETT getting the party started. Bookings are now open to lock in a time slot for a rally, or if you're more here for the vibes, you'll be able to lounge, dine, and drink all while watching the Australian Open on large dedicated screens. Images: Supplied.
Melbourne is in the midst of another extended snap lockdown, and frankly, it sucks. We know that cocktails and wine don't hold all the answers, but they can make that time spent stuck at home a little more bearable, at least. Whether you're after bottles of vino, tinnies or freshly shaken cocktails, a number of Melbourne bars are ensuring you don't go thirsty while holed up in your house. Plus, by ordering from these guys, you'll be supporting small, local businesses and giving something back to the city's recovering hospitality scene. So, here are nine of the best boozy delivery deals around town to hit up instead of simply restocking your liquor cabinet.
Frankston locals have scored a major win with the arrival of The Sporting Globe. The new two-storey sports, entertainment and nightlife hub has taken over a sprawling corner of the Bayside Entertainment Centre, with room for 700 punters across its three bars — including a rooftop with a retractable roof. As with other Sporting Globe locations, screens are the star attraction. Around the venue, you'll find more than 50 HD TVs and two jumbotron screens showing all the major codes from open to close, as well as private booths fitted with personal touchscreen TVs. But it's not just about spectating. If you're feeling competitive, you can take your best shot in one of the augmented reality dart lanes. Add 16 beers on tap and a menu stacked with parmas, burgers, wings and other sports bar staples — including a dedicated low-gluten selection — and you've got the makings of an all-rounder for game days and nights out alike. The Frankston outpost joins a national stable of 23 Sporting Globe venues, all with a strong community focus — the brand maintains partnerships with more than 250 grassroots sports clubs across the country.
Rocco's Bologna Discoteca was one of the silver linings during Melbourne's lockdown-filled 2020, popping up for just a couple of short stints to make use of the Gertrude Street space that normally houses Poodle. The temporary sandwich joint proved so popular that it made many cameo appearances since, and eventually set up a bricks-and-mortar restaurant right by Poodle. And in September 2023, Fitzroy's beloved Italian sandwich bar decided to expand by opening a new upstairs bar called Vince's Bar. Named after the father of one of the owners, it's a more relaxed and intimate space than downstairs, and boasts a focus on cocktails and snacks. Some of the highlights include the pandan negroni, made with gin, vermouth and pandan syrup; Vince's martini, which whips together vodka, grapefruit bitters and chamomile oil; and the Spaghetti Western No. 2, which uses mezcal, mango, rose vermouth, bitters and prosecco. The snack menu is also Italian-inspired, with small plates like oysters, mortadella mousse tartlets, and crescetina with Cantabrian anchovies and goat ricotta.
When the Berlin Wall was torn down from November 9, 1989, it was an incredible and enduring symbol of freedom. Nowadays, the surviving parts of the wall have been covered with a striking array of artwork commemorating the 50-year struggle between East and West, redefining the remains of the wall. However, if a group of property developers have their way, a portion of the 1.3km outdoor gallery known as the East Side Gallery — the longest remaining continuous stretch of the Berlin Wall — will again be torn down to make way for a series of luxury apartments. Berlin company Living Bauhaus are the developers in question. Their proposed project, 'Living Levels', is a 63m-high tower of flats and offices with promises of "breathtaking panoramic views" of Berlin and described by the developers as offering buyers a "totally new dimension of life and living". For those opposing the development, however, the damage it would cause the wall is difficult to measure in dollars and cents. Not only is the outdoor gallery Berlin's second most visited tourist attraction, with 800,000 visitors each year, but tearing down the wall is seen by many to be an affront to the memories of the countless men and women who were killed along the strip. Club owner Sascha Disselkamp, who represents a coalition of high-profile clubs that have together taken a stand against the proposal, likened the development to "erecting a petrol station in front of one of Berlin's museums". Similarly, the artists responsible for transforming the outdoor gallery into the evolving and evocative work of art it now is aren't too happy to see it converted into an urban development project. French artist Thierry Noir, whose famous "heads with big lips" are set to be torn down, joined the chorus of protestors this week. "All the paintings have become a symbol of freedom in Berlin and Europe," he told the Guardian. "Unlike elsewhere in the city, where the majority of the wall has been removed, this is a unique opportunity to preserve a large section of what was once a death strip. If you remove the sections, you're destroying the authenticity of this place." The district's mayor, Franz Schulz, has confirmed the legality of the proposed demolition, stating "we'll have to do it." Although protesters have succeeded in stalling the demolition through growing demonstrations over the weekend, it is likely to go ahead during the night-time hours. Via HuffPost Arts & Culture.
After a sold-out Sydney season, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon is heading back to Melbourne and Brisbane in 2026. The hit production will return to Melbourne's Princess Theatre next February — the same venue where it made its Australian debut in 2015 and set a new record for the highest-selling on-sale period in the theatre's 159-year history — before opening at Brisbane's QPAC in July. The Australian cast features Sean Johnston (Hairspray) as Elder Price, Nick Cox (Beauty and the Beast) as Elder Cunningham, and Paris Leveque, who made her professional debut in the Sydney season, as Nabulungi. They're joined by Tom Struik (Sister Act the Musical), Simbarashe Matshe (Filthy Business), Augie Tchantcho, reprising his role as The General, and Matthew Hamilton (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical). Winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, The Book of Mormon has earned global acclaim since its Broadway debut in 2011. Created by South Park's Trey Parker and Matt Stone, alongside songwriter Robert Lopez (Frozen, Avenue Q), the production combines biting humour with sharp satire and unforgettable music. You can join the waitlist for priority access to tickets via The Book of Mormon website. Images: Supplied
Beloved Swanston Street nightclub Lounge might have abruptly called last drinks earlier this year, but you can rest easy knowing that some of the minds behind its long-running greatness have a shiny new 24-hour music venue up their sleeves. Liam Alexander and Benny Rausa — who also have hands in music collective 6am at the Garage, one-day festival Something Unlimited and popular Lounge club night Lucid — are just weeks away from gifting Melbourne with their latest venture, Colours. Making its home in the two-storey, 300-capacity Queensberry Street space once home to Yours & Mine, the nightclub and music venue is set to open its doors on Thursday, October 3. The guys are out to unearth some of the vibrancy of Melbourne's glory days, at a time when live music spots and late-night haunts are dwindling. And, from the looks of it, they've got all the right tools to make good on those promises. The space will have a state-of-the-art sound system, downstairs and upstairs, while a first-floor band room boasts space for up to six-piece acts. The venue has also been jazzed up with new furniture, fresh lighting and a healthy splash of colour. [caption id="attachment_701736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The now-closed Lounge[/caption] It's all being put to good use right from the get-go, too, with events from the likes of natural wine launches, club nights and parties by the name of Neurotiq Erotiq and Club D'erange just some of what's been locked in for the starting lineup. It's an offering that's only set to blossom when teamed with Colour's 24-hour licence, which it can tap weeklong — except for between 7 and 10am Sundays. The venue's set to operate as a bar and band room from 5pm Tuesday to Thursday, kicking into club mode on Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm. A fittingly grand launch party on October 3 will feature sounds from András, Noise In My Head, Sui Zhen, Interstellar Fugitives and Lori. Find Colour at 229 Queensberry Street, Carlton, from October 3.
Acclaimed pastry chef Pierrick Boyer has finally gifted local dessert fiends with his first solo venture, opening the doors to a namesake patisserie and cafe in the heart of Prahran. A minimal, 70-seat space decked out with powder pink and gold accents, lush foliage and velvet seating, it's both an homage to Boyer's delicate, French-style creations and a fitting addition to Melbourne's contemporary brunch scene. Out of one kitchen comes the French-trained chef's decadent line of cakes, desserts and pastries — from creamy lemon tarts and choux buns, to the PB passion brownie, loaded with passionfruit custard, crunchy praline and chocolate mousse. Another kitchen, manned by Head Chef Bradley Pearce, is where the savoury magic ensues, for a menu of reimagined brunch classics. Expect dishes like a soft shell chilli crab scramble, a cheesy croque madame, and a wagyu beef burger on house-made brioche. Best of all, no one's about to feel left out with this lot — in both the sweet and savoury corners, you'll find a hefty range of vegan, vegetarian, nut-free and gluten-free options to rival anything else off the menu. Feeling inspired by all those intricate desserts? Book yourself in for one of Boyer's regular masterclasses, held in the venue's third, educational kitchen.
This time next year, you could well be spending your summer immersed in legendary Japanese artworks. The Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced a blockbuster exhibition, dubbed Japan Supernatural, set to open in November 2019 as part of the tenth Sydney International Art Series. Made up of more than 200 works from all over the planet, it's an exploration of the spirit world in Japanese art. Expect a immersive experience involving paintings, sculpture, prints, film, animation, comics and games. Leading the show is a monumental piece by Tokyo-born Takashi Murakami. He's a bit of an international rockstar, renowned for bringing together high and low art — much like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Chances are, you first heard of him in the 1990s, when he launched the inaugural Superflat exhibition. Since then, he's been a prolific creator of paintings, drawings, sculptures and animations, and collaborated extensively with Louis Vuitton. Representing a much earlier era will be Katsushika Hokusai, born in Edo in 1760. His best-known piece is Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, a series of wood block prints that includes the now iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa. While can't reveal, yet, which of his pieces will be travelling to Sydney, we're hoping we get some of the works that were at the NGV last year. Look out, too, for works by historical artists Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Kawanabe Kyosai, as well as contemporary pop artist Chiho Aoshima and photographer Miwa Yanagi. The artworks are expected to be announced in early 2019, but, in the meantime, you can check out the ninth Sydney International Art Series, which includes paintings by Monet, Matisse and Picasso and a retrospective of South African photographer David Goldblatt's work. Japan Supernatural is slated to open at the Art Gallery of NSW in November 2019, as part the Sydney International Art Series. Image: Takashi Murakami by Claire Dorn.
Channel your inner adventurer, and spend a weekend exploring a region full of bushwalking trails, untouched forests and waterfalls. Only a 75-minute drive from Melbourne, West Gippsland will inspire you to seek out the many potential adventures the region has to offer. Pack your walking shoes and discover the most photogenic spots on foot, or strap your bike to the roof and spend an afternoon pedalling along a local trail. After adventuring around, refuel with some of Victoria's best produce at one of the many spectacular dining options, before setting in to fall asleep to the sound of nature. This is Gippsland. [caption id="attachment_645713" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Noojee Trestle Bridge.[/caption] DO If it's a bike ride that tickles your fancy, you'll be spoiled for choice in West Gippsland. Arguably the most famous track around is the meandering Grand Ridge Rail Trail in the pristine Strzelecki Ranges. Soak up the scent of native plants and keep your eyes peeled for one of Gippsland's most vocal attractions — the lyrebird. Another option for bike riding is the Noojee Trestle Bridge Rail Trail. Cycle along the track, and you'll reach Victoria's tallest surviving wooden trestle bridge. Soak up views of the 100-metre-tall bridge and surrounding valley before enjoying a picnic lunch at the nearby reserve. [caption id="attachment_645714" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Toorongo Falls.[/caption] At the end of your walk, explore the Toorongo Falls Reserve to see the eponymous falls cascading down the cliff face. The Mushroom Rocks Trail is equally rewarding, ending with a maze of giant and extremely photogenic granite tors. If these tracks sound a little too tame for your inner adventurer, pack your mountain bike and book a shuttle to the summit of Mount Baw Baw. The recently launched shuttle offers thrill seekers the chance to power down the mountain at one of three difficulty levels. With a total descent of three kilometres, this ride is not for the faint of heart. And if extreme mountain biking is a bit too much for you, the Mount Baw Baw National Park by foot is pretty spectacular, too. [caption id="attachment_645715" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Walhalla Goldfields Railway.[/caption] Finally, head to the historic mining town of Walhalla to explore historic buildings, hike up to the old cricket pitch and venture into the area's (possibly) haunted ghost towns. Visitors can also embark on the Long Tunnel Gold Mine Tour through the old mines or, on the weekends, catch a ride on the historic Walhalla Goldfields Railway. [caption id="attachment_617431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK In 2006, former truck driver Craig Robins set up a coffee business after being consistently disappointed with the standard of coffee available in the region. With help from wife Jenni, he gifted the region with Southern Addictions Coffee, which now supplies good coffee to cafes throughout the area, including the couple's first permanent outpost in Yarragon, The Shot House. It's a great stop for an early caffeine hit; grab a comfy stool at the espresso bar to try one of the daily single origins, or nab a table in the sun and order a sweet treat with your brew. Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey. Just a ten-minute drive up the road, you'll find Warragul. With no shortage of interesting eateries and a tangible Melbourne influence touching most venues in town, this lively country town will definitely keep you well fed. For a simple, produce-driven meal, head to Stella's Pantry, a cafe and retail store where you can pick up almost every kind of local product imaginable. Peruse the packed shelves for a little piece of Gippsland to take home with you, before plonking down on a comfy chair with some charcuterie, cheese and antipasto. Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. For a meal with a more historic feel, head around the corner from Stella's to Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. The gastropub's menu is full of local produce, but the real star is the local beef. Come for lunch, and order the Gippsland beef sirloin — char-grilled to your liking — and pair it with a full-bodied red wine for a decadent way to refuel after a massive hike. If you're looking to really treat yourself, though, plan a visit to Warragul's Hogget Kitchen. This famed rural restaurant serves some of Gippsland's best ethical produce, including berries, veg and herbs grown in the on-site garden. As expected from such a localised production, the menu changes daily, so you may find yourself here a few times during your trip so you can try several different dishes. [caption id="attachment_645440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivere Retreat.[/caption] STAY For a centrally located getaway, book one of the three self-contained cottages at Vivere Retreat in Neerim South. The Retreat, Studio and Cottage each offer something a little different in terms of style and size, and each comes with a standout feature including fireplace, spa bath or a patio perfect for sunsets. Head a little further into the hills and you'll find Vue at Jindivick, an eco bed and breakfast tucked away in the forest. Set on 36 acres of land, a stay at Vue is ideal for those looking to embark on bushwalking, cycling and bird watching adventures throughout the region. If you visit from September through April, you'll also be able to take part in an on-site beekeeping workshop. Another option is to head to Poowong East to hidden gem Marge's Cottage. In a secluded spot, the handcrafted cottage includes an indoor fireplace, luxurious bathtub and, as a bonus, homemade snacks. Wake up to the soothing sound of the property's friendly milking sheep before making a gourmet brekkie with supplied local produce. For a Gippsland getaway with friends, book a stay at 100-year-old Fieldstone House. This rustic accommodation sleeps eight people and includes a private infinity pool and gorgeous English garden. It's equally ideal for that romantic weekend away you've been trying to plan for months now. Discover more of Gippsland here.
Bistro Guillaume in Crown isn't the kind of place you visit to be surprised — unless you're not expecting top-quality classic French fare — for everything here is done by the books. Chef Guillaume Brahimi isn't trying to reinvent the cuisine. He isn't even trying to make it contemporary. His menu shows how he is a purist — executing the French favourites without deviation. And we can only applaud him for this. Great skill is needed to make a twice-baked cheese souffle as good as the one at Bistro Guillaume. Melts-in-your-mouth only begins to describe the cheesy and fluffy dish that wobbles its way over to the table. You've also got the French onion soup that's thick and rich, paired with some house-made gruyere croutons. There are no surprises here either, just a damn fine French onion soup. Mains are equally as predictable — think steak frites, duck legs in beurre blanc, roast chicken with mash and a tarragon jus and a fish of the day served with capers, lemon and parsley. You'll make your way through these familiar favourites, genuinely delighted by how expertly they've been executed. Being here, it can feel as if you're dining in Paris. But like Paris, this fare doesn't come cheap. It is in Crown (and most French food is on the expensive side), so we aren't terribly surprised by that. But don't be shocked to receive a fairly stacked bill at the end of the night — especially if you get caught up in the extensive wine and cocktail list. As you should expect, French wines are championed throughout the long menu, but you'll also see some Aussie tipples thrown in there for good measure. The cocktail list gets us pretty excited, too. Here, we see the return of some long-forgotten French cocktails that have been kicked off many a bar menu in favour of the now-popular negronis and old fashioneds. Expect traditional bevs like the sidecar and gimlet as well as more original sips like the mezcal espresso martini and lemon meringue sour. Here, Bistro Guillaume has left a little room to stray away from its purely classic sensibilities. But that's all you're gonna get. Everything else in the Bistro Guillaume experience is simply a masterclass in French cooking and culture. If that's your jam (and you're not on a budget), you best give it a go.
No one wants to relive the worst experience of their life again and again, but Peter Greste has been doing just that for a decade. The Correspondent is the latest instance. In December 2013, while on assignment in Cairo with Al Jazeera to fill in for a colleague over Christmas, the Australian war correspondent answered a knock at his hotel room door. He wouldn't taste freedom again until February 2015. Over that period, he wasn't just detained and interrogated, as the new Australian film shows — the Sydney-born, Brisbane-raised journalist was arrested, refused bail, incarcerated, put on trial for reporting that was deemed "damaging to national security" by Egypt, barely afforded resources to mount a defence, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. New coverage came fast, flowing unsurprisingly furiously during Greste's 400-day ordeal. In 2017, then arrived The First Casualty, his memoir. More than a decade since Greste's Egyptian encounter began and exactly that since he was deported back to Australia from a country that still considers a convicted terrorist to this day, now The Correspondent brings it all to the big screen. Countless movies have made their way to cinemas by following a similar path, even if the specific circumstances at the heart of the nightmare differed. For the man at the centre of this powerful and empathetic one — who endured not merely a gruelling fight for his own freedom, but was caught up in the bigger ongoing battle for press freedom — how does it feel to see this chapter of his life flickering through picture palaces? The first time that he watched it, in the room with director Kriv Stenders (Last Days of the Space Age, Lee Kernaghan: Boy From the Bush), "was kind of weird. I walked out of that feeling a little bit shellshocked, I have to admit", Greste tells Concrete Playground. "After I got out of Egypt, I wrote the book. I've since given countless talks about the whole Egypt experience. I've built a career on it, in a way, and so I thought I was across all of it. I thought I've dealt with it. I mean, I don't suffer from PTSD. There's no sort of psychological fallout. And in a way, all of that talking has been a form of ongoing therapy, if you like," Greste advises. "But I don't think I was really quite prepared for what I saw on-screen. These guys managed to nail — obviously there are little details here and there that are different to what I went through in Egypt, and the story itself has been modified a little bit, not in any significant way — but in its essence, at its core, they managed to get the feeling of what it was like to be stuck in that concrete box, the kind of loss of control, the Kafka-esque nature of the trial, that sense of ongoing doom, if you like, and the real angst about whether or not this would ever come to an end. So in really essential ways, I walked out of there feeling as though I'd kind of been a little bit punched." By "these guys", Greste is referring to Stenders — the son of friends of his own family, with both his and the filmmaker's Latvian-born parents knowing each other for decades — and also actor Richard Roxburgh (Force of Nature: The Dry 2), who steps into his shoes on-screen. Stenders describes watching the film with Greste for the first time as "very nerve-wracking, obviously". He continues: "it was a funny screening because Marc Wooldridge, our distributor, was in the room at the same time. And the minute the film started screening, Peter was sitting right next to me and Mark was a few pews down, I realised 'this is actually a really bad idea to have Peter here in the same room, because what if Peter hates the film?'. And then the film finished and Peter didn't say a word. He went out, and I went 'oh my god'. And he came back five minutes later obviously quite emotional, and he hugged me and said 'that was amazing'. And just the relief was palpable. I just went 'thank you'. He then just proceeded to tell us how happy he was with the film, and how it was difficult for him but how he felt the film really, really captured his experience." Roxburgh's tension came at the beginning of the process, when screenwriter Peter Duncan (Operation Buffalo) suggested the Aussie acting great to Stenders to play Greste on-screen. Thanks to Rake, plus films Children of the Revolution, A Little Bit of Soul and Passion before the hit series, Duncan and Roxburgh are long-term collaborators; Stenders was the star's director on Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan. "I guess I approached it with some trepidation, because it's not as if I'm a close match in any way, particularly to Peter. And because he was somebody," he shares with Concrete Playground about being canvassed for the part. "I remembered the story vividly. He was a journalist who I respected so much and respected the horrors of his experience." "Talking to Kriv early on helped to massage some of those fears, because he said that we were never going to try to make it an act of mimicry in any way — that it was going to be about the internal life of what that human went through in that environment. And so that helped me, in a lot of ways, to work my way into where it needed to be." [caption id="attachment_1001033" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australian Human Rights Commission via Flickr[/caption] Also among the apprehension surrounding The Correspondent: for Greste, whether recounting his stint in Egypt would be as timely and topical as it undeniably proves to audiences now watching Stenders' intimate, immersive, like-you're-there recreation of it, which only ventures elsewhere to jump back to an earlier assignment in Mogadishu. For viewers, it feels as if this tale was always destined for the screen, and that it would always be relevant — the movie has released at a period when journalists still keep facing arrest and imprisonment for doing their jobs in some corners of the world, and when attacks on reporters have been spreading to nations where that once would've been unthinkable — but its subject wasn't always so sure. How involved was Greste, and how did that assist Roxburgh and Stenders? How crucial was the picture's tight focus on Greste's experience with the Egyptian authorities from arrest to release? Why was he uncertain about the movie's timeliness? We asked The Correspondent's key trio about the above, too — and about casting Roxburgh and his history of portraying real-life Australian figures (Bob Hawke twice in Hawke and The Crown, Roger Rogerson in Blue Murder, Ronald Ryan in The Last of the Ryans, Graham Ashton in Bali 2002, plus more), Greste and Stenders' childhood ties, how Stenders' mix of documentaries (including The Go-Betweens: Right Here, Brock: Over the Top and Slim & I) amid his features (such as The Illustrated Family Doctor, Lucky Country, Red Dog and Red Dog: True Blue, Kill Me Three Times and Australia Day) helped and other subjects. On Greste's Involvement with the Film, Including Giving Roxburgh a Resource to Drawn Upon — and Coming to Set, But Only Once Richard: "Peter and I met — well we brushed elbows a great many years before at some strange awards night." Peter: "Richard won't tell you that I got the award for Man of Chivalry." Richard: "He did. He was awarded the Man of Chivalry. I don't know what my award, I can't even remember what my award was for. But we met properly at the first read-through at Carmel Travers' [The Correspondent's producer] house. And I was quite nervous, again, about meeting Peter. But having him in the room — and seeing and feeling his support for the project — it was incredibly helpful, incredibly useful for me along the way. And a relief as well. So I was able to, I guess, quietly observe Peter and the way that he was up close and personal, which was obviously incredibly useful as an actor. But also to have somebody that I could message with irritating thoughts, questions and observations along the way." Peter: "I guess it's one of those choices that you make, either you abandon it and let them get on with it, or you engage with the process and hope by engaging with it, you can help nudge things in a direction that works for you — that worked for me. I was a little bit nervous at the beginning, because there's all sorts of stories of people who've given over their lives to filmmakers and come away fairly battered by the experience. But everyone involved from the moment I met Carmel to working with Peter Duncan and Kriv and then Rox, they all showed real curiosity, real empathy with the experience. And there was a real willingness to try to make something that was as authentic as possible. And as Rox said, he and I, it's not like we'd spend whole weekends together, but the communication was pretty free. And I realised that he was trying to do something that was really empathetic to the experience, and I was more than happy to help and support that." Kriv: "He wasn't on set very much. He only came to set once, only for one day, but he and Peter worked — Peter always ran, Peter Duncan, that is, always ran the drafts by Peter Greste, and Peter was very open to not censoring the story. And what I felt, even though we decided to make the perspective very much Peter's perspective in Cairo, the other story I think that was really important was Kate Peyton's story in Mogadishu [where the British BBC journalist was killed on an assignment with Greste]. And the idea of that coming in these fragmented flashbacks was something that Peter Duncan and I talked about, and I felt as well, from a formalistic point of view, the idea of being able to escape that unrelenting internal Cairo world, it would be great to open it up into Mogadishu. That was something we decided on, those two kind of colours, but what was great was that Peter Greste was very open to us going there — because it paints Peter in a kind of compromised light, and Peter was, I think, very brave. It's quite brave for him to allow us to tell that side of the story and what he went through, but it was also important, because I think it shows what these journalists sacrifice and how it's not a glamorous job — and how there is a price to pay for being a truth-teller." On the Importance of Starting The Correspondent on the Day of Greste's Arrest and Ending It on the Day of His Release to Take Audiences on an Immersive Like-You're-There Journey Peter: "From my perspective, I didn't really understand how Kriv was going to do it. It was very obviously a directorial choice, and I think Rox will probably have a lot more to say about it than for me, but I was actually feeling quite puzzled by how he was going to pull this off. How do you make a compelling movie about arguably the most-boring, tedious situation imaginable, where you're stuck in a concrete box ad nauseam? How do you turn that into something that's actually watchable? And so when I saw the finished product, that's one of the things that really astounded me — was how gripping the whole thing was, how it seemed to move quite relentlessly through this story, but at the same time by not going very far at all. That, I think, is a testament to Kriv's directing skills and experience, but also to Rox's acting." Richard: "I think it really speaks to Kriv's understanding of the craft, and also his daring as a filmmaker — because a script like this could go in any number of directions. You could tell this story in all kinds of ways, and go off on lots and lots of different pathways. Kriv's choice was pretty astounding and bold — that it starts with the knock on the door and it ends with walking out as a free man — and the kind of strictures and the discipline that that applied to the filmmaking itself was so strong. But he was so avowed and had such a great vision for how he was going to, and belief, self-belief, I think, in how he was going to bring that to the screen. As Peter was saying, as a story that in fact is surprisingly full of suspense and has a forward momentum, it's a testament to his filmmaking craft skills." Kriv: "Well, it was more of a reductive process. The book, Peter's book, obviously, it's chequerboard, the chapters of chequerboarded are between Peter's experience and his other assignments and other stories. And the initial draft [of the script] was quite, very different. It had a number of parallel storylines going on, or timelines going on. It had, I think, the family or people back in Australia. It had the consulate. It was a much more, I guess — it had more scale in terms of the other storylines and the other characters. And my connection was 'well, you know what, I'm really interested in what Peter went through'. And I felt that if we just reduced it to Peter's experience and made it a very first-person journey from the minute that he gets a knock on the hotel room door to when he's released, if we just scaled everything to that, then we've got a really interesting movie that can say more by the way, not so much doing less but by being less. It can be much more interesting. And as a director, your currency is form. I always think my job as a director is to really play with form, and that's my remit. So once I pitched my approach to Carmel and to Peter Duncan, the writer, they could see, I guess, the throughline, and we then just quickly — very, very very quickly — adapted the script just to be that one-person perspective. It's critical because I felt, I just thought 'well, what would it be like to be arrested?. What would that feel like? What would that sound like? What would it look like?'. And what I realised, it would literally be a series of corridors, prison vans, prison cells, courtrooms — and you wouldn't really see Egypt. You'd just hear it or you'd feel it. And to me, I wanted the audience to — and I wanted to — experience what it would be like to actually be thrust into that position. And therefore, being put into that, how would I feel by the end of the journey? And by the end of the journey, I think you really do get a sense of the hugely traumatic gauntlet that Peter went through and how lucky he was to escape it." On Whether There Was a Sense of How Timely The Film Would Be — and That It'd Feel Like It'd Never Not Be Relevant Peter: "Well, you say it was always going to be timely. I didn't think it was. I was actually really worried about that when I first wrote the book. I told the publishers to get the story out quickly because it would start to date pretty quickly. I trace back the origins of what I've come to think of as the war on journalism back to 9/11, when George W Bush declared the war on terror. And what that did was, it kind of liberated the language, the rhetoric around national security and terrorism, so the governments were able to use it to introduce all sorts of what I think have become pretty draconian crackdowns on freedom of speech, on the lot of civil liberties and freedom of the press. What happened to us in Egypt was a way in which the government had weaponised that definition of terrorism and used it to come after uncomfortable journalism. But I honestly thought that the further we moved away from 9/11, the more that that rhetoric would feel dated, would feel tired, that we'd grow up, we'd move past it, that journalism would recover its traditional role in our democracies. But as you said, quite the opposite has happened. The numbers of journalists that have been imprisoned are at record highs. The numbers of journalists that have been murdered on the job are at record highs. We're seeing assaults on media even in the United States from the White House — which is supposed to be the bastion of liberal democracy, the bastion of freedom of speech and press freedom. They've got the First Amendment, for christ's sake, that gold standard of press freedom, of a defence of press freedom. And so yeah, and in ways that I don't think I ever really anticipated and certainly wouldn't have wanted, it does feel more timely than it ever had ever before. It wasn't a plan, put it that way." Richard: "It feels like the film is coming out at a period of some real urgency. It's not that the film itself is a didactic work or that it's meant to be. Above anything else, it's an extraordinary piece of storytelling. But as Peter says, it couldn't be more timely given what's happened to journalism and to the role of journalists. And hopefully, if anything, if it opens a discussion about that with people who've seen the film or it brings some attention to that matter, then that's all for the better. Journalism used to be, up until very recently, something that was protected under the Geneva Convention. And so for that to have completely vanished, certainly in theatres of war; that journalists are now people who are essentially regarded as the enemy; and to have governments of leading democracies now talking about journalists as the enemy of the people — I think we are at a time where there's no more pertinent story to tell." Kriv: "I think when Peter wrote the book — and when it happened to him, then when he wrote the book — I think we were more than a decade on from September 11, and the idea that journalism was under threat was still, it was there, but it was nowhere near as acute as it is now. So the relevance of the story has, I guess, amplified over the last ten years — and that's the biggest takeout that I've got. And then the biggest motivation we had making the film is that this story is more important than it ever was. I was just thinking about this this morning — I was thinking, just looking, you're always aware of what's happening in the world, and we're heading into, I think, a very, very scary time. I mean, America is turning into — it's becoming a fascist state. It's a really terrifying time. And I think it's very important even if the film just reminds us what democracy is. Journalism is a basic foundation to any kind of functioning civilisation or democracy, and the minute you start eroding that — and even now, people are questioning universities. It's just like 'what?'. This is just absolutely insane. A new dark age is coming. And I think it's very important that films, journalism, politicians, all corners of society, start to remind each other and remind ourselves what's important and what's crucial that we don't lose." On Why Roxburgh Was the Right Actor — and Dream Pick — to Play Greste Kriv: "Because Peter Duncan told me that he's the one. Because Peter Duncan and Richard have a long working relationship. And I'd worked with Richard previously on my last film Danger Close, and I loved working with Richard. He's such a beautiful actor to work with. I liken him to like a Rolls-Royce: he's just beautiful to drive. It's just a pleasure to work with him. And when you're trying to cast a film, there's all these pressures to cast a name and whatever — but when Peter said 'look, really think about Richard', I did. And I went 'well, why not?'. It wasn't like Peter Greste is a well-known face or well-known voice. You could find an actor who could interpret Peter. It didn't have to be slavish. It wasn't like we're making a film about Elvis or Muhammad Ali. It wasn't a biopic in that respect. So you could have the license to have an actor interpret it. And when I thought about Richard, it just made so much sense on so many levels, because he just brings this wonderful humility and at the same time, this gravitas, that I think the role needed." On How Roxburgh Approached Conveying Greste's Emotional Journey, Through Shock, Exasperation, Determination, Bravery, Weariness and More — and the Kind of Direction Needed, If Any, to Help Richard: "It was a project that, in conversations with Kriv, we really wanted it to feel minute, so that it was about trying as much as humanly possible to just sit in the circumstance. And to that end, I think the exhaustion helped. I think it was a tough shoot, but that was a good thing because it helped. I think it helped to give, to have a sense of being more emotionally ragged, of being spent — of, I suppose, having some sort of proximity to the way Peter might actually have felt, through all of the exhaustion of the shoot. This one was very particular in the sense that, because it was 100-percent POV, it meant that I'm in every single frame of the thing, which was new territory for me. But I think the sheer exhaustion of doing that was a useful thing, because it strips everything away and it just leaves you closer to where you need to be to countenance what Peter actually might have gone through." Kriv: "I think really as a director, when you work with actors, the biggest direction you give them is really casting them. That's directing. Once you've cast them, that is really the biggest bit of direction you're going to give, because you've chosen them to play the role — and as a director, really, it's a matter of trust. I really believe that the actor should know more about the character than me, because all I am is just a sounding board. All I am is a pair of ears and a pair of eyes. And if it sounds right and looks right, we just move on — and I'm just there to tell the story, orchestrate telling the story, and the actor is there to actually bring the character to life. So there's really not much direction I give as a director — it's purely there to support and to make sure that we're getting the material we need in order to tell the story." On How Roxburgh Tackles Portraying Real-Life Figures, and Helping to Chronicle Very Diverse Aspects of Australian History On-Screen, as He Has Several Times Across His Career Now Richard: "I guess I don't really think about it in that way. There's obviously a huge, huge responsibility that comes with playing figures who are in the public consciousness, who are actual people. In this case, it was something very different altogether, because this was a man who was in the room, a man who had been through this terrible ordeal and somebody who I really respected. And so that came with its own particular set of concerns, and I guess a bigger sense of internal responsibility to the storytelling. I think for both Peter and myself, it was some relief to feel like I was not going to be doing a Peter Greste, in the sense that I wasn't going to be copying Peter's way of being — that, in a way, it was about embodying that experience, the kind of internal landscape of that experience, if you like, as much or as empathetically as I could." On Greste and Stenders' Childhood Connection — and Whether Stenders Ever Thought He Might Make a Film About Greste When He Was Seeing the Latter's Ordeal Play Out in the News Kriv: "Not at all. No, no. That's why it was very funny when — I mean when it happened, it was like 'yeah, wow, that's sounding really heavy'. And it was because, when it's happening, you don't see the end. You're in the moment. And at that point, when he first got arrested and then when he got sentenced, it felt really hopeless. Then when he was released, obviously there was relief, and I got on with my life and with other projects and things, that wasn't really something that was foreground for me. But when Carmel called me up out of the blue and said 'do you know anything about Peter Greste?', I just laughed and I went 'yeah, I do'. I told her the backstory and then she said 'look, I've got this idea' and suddenly it clicked. I went 'yeah, I'm onboard'. She didn't even have to pitch it to me, really. She just said, when she said 'I'm adapting it into a story', I just went immediately 'yes, I'm in' — because I knew what it was, and I knew I kind of had a personal connection to it immediately." Peter: "As you said, it had been many, many, many years since I'd met Kriv, and I think we barely remembered each other from that initial meeting. Although we did meet, we realised that we had crossed paths, we had played together as kids. And I think it's more the synchronicity of it that feels right somehow. I'm not the kind of person that believes in the universe planning things out and sending messages, but there just does seem to be something delightfully synchronous about having Kriv on this particular job. I remember when I was telling my father about how Carmel was hunting around for a director and we thought we'd found someone. And dad, I couldn't say anything more, dad jumped in and said 'oh well, listen, if you need some help finding a director then my friend Andy, his son I think is in the movie business and maybe he might be able to help'. I said 'dad, it's okay, it's under control. We've got Andy's son Kriv'. And that, I think, is delightful. Kriv also — Kriv gets it. He's the kind of director, at so many levels, he's obviously incredibly skilled at filmmaking, but he's also done a lot of documentary work. He understands not just the creative elements of really good nonfiction storytelling, but he also has a really good handle on how to tell a good true story. And I think all of those elements came in. He brought all of that into this narrative. And, of course, being Latvian as well brings a certain kinship and understanding, I guess, which is also really lovely." On the Sense of Responsibility That Comes with the Job for Stenders Given That Personal Connection Kriv: "I think even if I didn't know Peter, the responsibility and that same weight would have been there. The fact that I knew him, it just allowed the access to be a little bit more fluid, because there wasn't any of that guardedness that you had to break down. So we were already, we were able to get that out of the way. And I think the trust — I think what it did give us was a different level of trust than I would have normally had if I didn't know Peter." On Whether the Documentary Side of Stenders' Filmography Assisted with The Correspondent Kriv: "A little bit. Documentary and fiction are actually not that different. They're still storytelling. You're still editorialising everything, still making decisions about what to show and what not to show. There's a physical obvious thing about the handheld camera and the verite feel of it, that, I guess, comes from documentary — and that you don't, even though you labour a lot over the way it looks, you also try to make it look effortless, and documentary just does that by default. The difference, though, with this was that yes, it's based on a true story, but you still take dramatic license — which you can't in documentary. So you still stylise certain things, you still shorthand certain things, you still abbreviate certain things. But having a documentary background, I think all it does is — I call it cross-training. I do documentary. I also do features. I also do television drama. And those three disciplines, just oscillating between those three, they sharpen up your intuitive muscles and reflexes. So when the day's going difficult or when you're in a tight corner and you don't know what to do, another part of your brain, your documentary brain, goes 'well, we're just going to do this' — or your TV drama brain says 'look, we can shoot this in one hour if we do this'. So I just adapt to the situation or to the problem at hand." The Correspondent opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Images: John Platt / Daniel Asher Smith.
Melbourne is no stranger to specialty dessert shops. We've got dedicated lamington spots, croissant specialists, creperies, shaved-ice shops, plenty of cookie bars, and even gourmet tart venues. Adding to that list of places specialising in one thing, and one thing only, is Pinto Tiramisu, slinging superior slabs and cups of the beloved Italian dessert. Founded by brothers Clancy and Finley Ivanac, Pinto Tiramisu developed organically out of a love of the creamy dessert. When the brothers were working and travelling separately through Europe many years ago, they would connect by sending each other ratings of the different tiramisus they tried along the way. When they got together a few years later, they realised they had yet to find a perfect 10/10 tiramisu. So, naturally, they took on the task themselves. Without formal training, they let their obsession for perfection guide them as they learnt the ins and outs of the traditional Italian dessert. They began selling their creation at Melbourne farmers' markets, quickly building a following. The love for their product was so real that they were able to successfully crowdfund $33,000 in a campaign to live out their dream of opening a bricks-and-mortar location. And so, thanks to hard work and loyal customers' support, Pinto Tiramisu finally opened in a converted garage in Fitzroy. "At Pinto Tiramisu, we are committed to mastering one thing — tiramisu. Focusing on one product allows us to go deep on every element, making as much as possible in-house; mascarpone and savoiardi, as well as nut butters and other elements for our special flavours." Tiramisu is available by the slab or by the cup, with pre-order available for certain items. While the classic tiramisu variety is a menu staple, other flavours may change with the seasons. You might find chocolate hazelnut or gingerbread, strawberry matcha, peanut brownie, or even Earl Grey. Images: Supplied.
Apart from the fact that health is seriously on trend right now, it's also becoming really damn delicious. If we can eat a piece of raw vegan nut butter chocolate everyday and not have to feel bad for it, well, go right ahead and sign us up. And raw chocolate is just the beginning. Now, cafes all around our fair city are dicing, blending and cooking up a healthy storm — and we love them for it. Here are some of our favourites. LITTLE BIG SUGAR SALT These guys are all about good (yummy) food that's good for you. We see absolutely nothing wrong with this. Tucked into a corner building on Victoria Street in Abbotsford, LBSS has always been about doing things a little differently. Whether that's a raw chocolate coconut treat with your almond milk or the artwork that lines the walls. And speaking of the stuff, their coffees (cold or hot) are made just that little bit better by their almond milk that's made in-house. When it comes to the menu, for a healthy bite, go for the acai bowl topped with quinoa muesli, coconut yoghurt, and fruit, or the gluten free almond berry pancakes. Or you could even go the freekeh cakes served with cashew cream, chilli jam, kale and eggs. All the good things, basically. 385 Victoria Street, Abbotsford, (03) 9427 8818, lbsscafe.com ADMIRAL CHENG HO Another Abbotsford local, Admiral Cheng Ho is the little sister to Monk Bodhi Dharma and churns out a lot of the same dishes — much to northsiders' delight. No more crossing the river. Coffee is serious here folks, and with six simultaneous grinders on each day, you can expect to be spoilt for choice. When it comes to the food, they've got all the dietary concerns front of mind. For a sweet start to the day go for Cheng's Granola: a house-made organic spiced raw granola with fruit and house made organic hazelnut milk. Or if savoury is more you, their Avoca Ho is a smashed avo dish worth the trip, as is their umami mushrooms served on polenta bread with feta, thyme, and red chilli oil. 325 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, admiralchengho.com.au SHOKUIKU You know a venue is serious when they are entirely raw. Shokuiku on High Street in Northcote know a thing or two about the natural side of foods. The drinks list alone is health craziness. In a good way, of course. You can go for the Ultimate Smoothie ($25) if you're feeling rich: it includes coconut water, coconut meat, berries, hemp, cacao nibs, goji berry, ashwagandha, astragalus, MSM, camu camu, fulvic acid, reishi, maca, marine phytoplankton, mega hydrate, vanilla, and lakanto. Phew. The dinner menus change monthly and feature things like coconut cream and lime soup with zucchini noodles for entree, layered vegetable bake with vegetable mince and marinara sauce for main, and a banana cream tart with cacao truffle slice for dessert. They also offer custom-made raw cakes, a range of granolas and supplements to take home with you to continue your raw journey. It honestly feels like an adventure. Give it a try. 120 High Street, Northcote, 0403 569 019, shokuikuaustralia.com COMBI Combi is all about health. Sitting in a small shopfront in Elwood, these guys have lines out the door on the weekends, so go mid-week if you can swing it. The menu reads like a health nut's dream with cold pressed juices, smoothies, kombucha on tap, acai bowls, sprouted breads, house-made nut milks, raw cakes and treats to die for. If you like your indulgences in liquid form go for the Velvet Cacao smoothie, made with raw cacao, cacao nibs, berries, coconut flesh, cinnamon, banana, raw chocolate fermented protein powder and house made nut milk. For something on the savoury side, you can grab a raw pizza made of dehydrated almond, sunflower and flaxseed topped with raw kale pesto, shredded vegetables and raw cashew cheese. And don't forget to take home a slice of the raw caramel slice. Seriously. Do it. Shop 1/140 Ormond Road, Elwood, (03) 9531 0084, wearecombi.com.au PANA CHOCOLATE Pana Chocolate has been stocking our health food stores for a while now with their 45g chocolate bars, but their shopfront in Richmond is whipping up some serious raw desserts that are sure to change your mind about what raw food tastes like. A raw lemon cheesecake is a decedent and rich version of its namesake, while the Holy Fudge — a mix of raw chocolate, raw fudge, and raw nut butters — will most likely leave you grinning and speechless. At least until you ask for more. You can stock up on raw cacao, coconut, and other sweet staples while you're there as well. We dare you to leave with just one thing. 491 Church Street, Richmond, 1300 717 488, panachocolate.com VEGIE BAR Oh the Vegie Bar, a trusted pit stop for those who steer clear of meat, or are just looking for some hearty nosh. The Vegie Bar caters to most tastes with anything from raw pad Thai to a Mexican burrito filled with cheese, sour cream and beans. Hey, it's still vegetarian right? But with a rep for always being ahead of the curve, it's a given that these guys brought in raw dishes — like the raw tacos — before Melbourne was even excited about it. Kudos to you Vegie Bar. And your desserts are off the charts. 380 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, (03) 9417 6935, vegiebar.com.au YONG GREEN FOOD Yong's is the quiet achiever of the health food scene. They don't say much, but they've got a healthy fan base — pardon the pun — that does the talking for them. You can go down the raw path here with a 'rawsagne' of layered zucchini with mushrooms, avocado, cashew cream, and raw walnut bolognese, or perhaps you're after a raw cheese platter? Yep, it exists here: herbed garlic cashew cheese, nut bread, tamari almonds, olives and balsamic figs await. If you like your food cooked you can go for the chickpea korma served with brown rice and mango chutney, or the tofu katsu: a fried tofu patty made with shitake, arame and vegetables battered with quinoa, served with brown rice, coleslaw and a house-made katsu sauce. Finish with a raw dessert like the chocolate cheesecake. They are a perfect treat. 421 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, (03) 9417 3338, yonggreenfood.com.au PATCH CAFE Patch in Richmond is championing the Paleo way of eating. No dairy, grains or refined sugars — you get the picture. They do it here, and they do it well too. They're making their own Paleo bread, which makes your morning bacon and eggs feel almost normal. For a real meaty experience go for the Cave Man: eggs, bacon, tomato, wagyu beef, sweet potato fritters, silverbeet, kale and relish. If you're more of a Bircher and latte kinda Paleo, don't worry, they've got you covered as well with their Patch Bircher. Theirs includes activated hazelnuts and almonds, goji berries, apricots, pumpkin seeds, coconut, chia seeds, honey, vanilla bean and orange with coconut yoghurt and blueberries. Oh and an almond or coconut milk latte. 32 Bendigo Street, Richmond, (03) 9029 0328, facebook.com/patchrichmond NUTRITION BAR Nutrition Bar is all about clean ingredients, and protein. Gym goers rejoice. Their smoothies are the main attraction here, followed by the acai bowls and the raw treats. Go for a superfood smoothie with coconut water, raw cacao, acai powder, chia gel, agave, vanilla protein powder, LSA, raspberries and ice. It's very very tasty. Their protein acai bowl is again a good protein hit with crushed nuts served on top. Raw treats range from protein balls made by Health Lab, to raw snickers and bounty bars. All the treats. 121 Swan Street, Richmond, VIC, (03) 9995 4329, nutritionbar.com.au BARRY Barry in Northcote is one of those cafes that really caters to everyone. From the team originally behind Pillar of Salt, Barry is one of those cafes that knows how to do things well. The space on the corner of Barry and High Streets is one of those that draws a wait list on the weekends. But, even so, they always deliver. The menu ranges from coconut chia puddings with banana, caramelised buckinis, sour cherries and coyo, to a burnt onion, buffalo mozzarella and basil omelette in the morning, to a crisp prawn sub with kewpie mayo, pickled cucumber and carrots and raw falafels with beetroot relish, tahini, and pickled cauliflower in the afternoons. 85 High Street, Northcote, (03) 9481 7623, barrycoffeeandfood.com Yong Green food courtesy of shelleysgoodeats and Barry images courtesy of flepsycola and lidiaferreira__ via Instragram. View all Melbourne Cafes.
Ambitious newcomer The Commons at Ormond Collective has taken over the St Kilda Road site once home to the Belgian Beer Cafe Bluestone. This multi-faceted, mostly outdoor venue is the latest from The Big Group, which operates a suite of event spaces including The Glasshouse in Olympic Park and the Myer Mural Hall. Aiming for broad appeal, The Commons features an array of different elements set across its various al fresco spaces, including The Conservatory, The Kitchen Garden, The Garden Cafe and The Beer Garden. Throughout, expect a heady mix of gingham and floral prints, bold stripes, fresh flowers and wicker, with lots of Euro-style cafe chairs and park benches setting the scene. In keeping with the times, you'll also find quirky lily pad seating positioned 1.5 metres apart and multiple hand sanitiser stations. [caption id="attachment_787853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marcel Aucar[/caption] There'll be slightly different food offerings available at each of the different spaces, though as a whole the menu's built around classic flavours, local produce and lots of ingredients picked fresh from the onsite kitchen garden. Think, crisp flatbread crowned with an assembly of confit artichoke, greens, mozzarella and edible flowers ($22); a spring salad featuring seared salmon ($24); and a classic chicken sandwich with lemon mayo and shredded broccoli ($15). You might settle in with some craft brews and a burger, or while away an afternoon over snacks and rosé. Coffee comes courtesy of North Melbourne's Small Batch, while house-made sweet treats run to the likes of salted pretzel brownies and an Italian strawberry love cake. Like any outdoor venue worth its salt, this one's also optimised for guests of the four-legged variety. We're talking doggy day beds, puppy parking and a dedicated food menu for pooches. Images: Marcel Aucar
Melbourne's beloved self-serve açaí spot, Blitz Bar, has opened its fifth location in Toorak Village. The latest opening is a sign of the business's continued success, as hordes of its devoted customers flock to Blitz Bar locations across Melbourne at all times of the day and night. Blitz Bar was founded by three young, health-conscious 25-year-olds, who chose to ride the wellness wave at just the right time. They identified a gap in the market for easily accessible, healthy yet delicious take-out meals. So they developed the concept for a self-serve açaí bar, featuring organic açaí sourced sustainably from Brazil, with a range of over 40 premium toppings to customise your bowl as you please. There's fresh-cut fruit, house-made peanut butter, chia pudding, cookie dough, granola, various sauces, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and a number of superfoods. While some might opt for keeping things light with strawberries and kiwifruit, we prefer ours loaded with crumble, pistachio butter, dates, and Biscoff. "Blitz Bar isn't just about convenience, it's about giving people the chance to pause, recharge and nourish themselves with food that tastes as good as it feels. Toorak has such a strong wellness culture, and we are excited to become part of that everyday routine," says co-founder Brandon Efron. In addition to its Brighton, Windsor, Malvern and Mentone stores, the new Toorak Village location continues the brand's rapid expansion. The store is perfectly positioned for an after-school snack for Geelong Grammar kids, a pre-workout meal for those lucky enough to have a membership at Saint Haven, or a midday work lunch for workers with desks at Central House and other nearby offices. Beyond its pay-by-weight self-serve bowls, Blitz also offers a menu of signature smoothies, organic coffee and nourishing wholefood treats. It's a feel-good spot with food that actually makes you feel good. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Summer might be the usual reigning season of the outdoor cinema, but just because it's getting a little chillier doesn't mean we have to pack up the picnic blankets and deck chairs to go and watch films exclusively indoors for the next six months. That's thanks to Fed Square, which is pushing away the autumn chill with its free outdoor cinema screening a lineup of family-friendly classics throughout the Easter season. The miniaturised program begins this Friday, April 3, for Family Comedy Faves: a compact lineup of four feel-good films throughout the long weekend. First up on Good Friday is the nostalgic classic The Princess Bride, directed by the late great Rob Reiner, which spins fantasy romance on its head with satirical charm and an endlessly quotable script. Next is one of the greatest sequels in human history, Paddington 2 (don't knock it until you try it) on Easter Saturday. [caption id="attachment_877403" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner[/caption] On Easter Sunday comes another all-ages classic, The Parent Trap, starring a two-for-one young Lindsay Lohan in her best comedic form. Finally, on Easter Monday comes the timely 2021 animated comedy from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, The Mitchells vs The Machines — which pits a dysfunctional family's college send-off road trip against evil robots and AI taking over the world. The fun doesn't stop with the long weekend, though, with the April school holidays kicking off comes part two of the program: Studio Ghibli Afternoons. From Tuesday, April 7 to Thursday, April 9, the outdoor cinema will showcase some of the best works of the iconic Japanese animation studio with daily double (and back-to-back) screenings from 3pm. [caption id="attachment_768914" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] My Neighbour Totoro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki[/caption] Specifically, on day one is Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) and Porco Rosso (1992), followed by Only Yesterday (1991) and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) on day two. Then on day three come two of the studio's most beloved films: My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001). Fed Square's April outdoor cinema season runs from Friday, April 3 to Thursday, April 9. Entry is free, and seating is unassigned. For more information, visit the website.
Whether you ever got to venture inside, or just heard tales about the goings on, Carlton's long-standing theatre restaurant Dracula's was one of the city's true institutions. But now, the sprawling corner building at 100 Victoria Street has enjoyed a complete about-face, reborn as the first Aussie outpost for China's famed Panda Hot Pot. The chain — known for its sichuan-style hot pot — already has 400 international outlets under its belt in China, Malaysia, Japan and the US. But, keen to spread even more love for the traditional Chinese dining experience — this will be its Down Under debut. At the palatial 228-seat Carlton site — which sold for $10.3 million last year — 37 years of outlandish costumes and vampire-themed cabaret have been replaced with a new kind of theatre. Heavy screen partitions divide the two-level dining room, which is now decorated with glowing red lanterns and a custom-made, 1.5-tonne steel dragon taking centre stage. It even offers its own themed experience in the form of live cultural performances unfolding from 7pm each night. Decked out like a scene from ancient China, it's a fitting backdrop for Panda's authentic sichuan hot pot offering, where big groups congregate over giant bowls of bubbling soup. For the uninitiated, the cuisine sees diners choose a soup base and various additions, then cook it all DIY-style in a large pot in the middle of the the table by dunking ingredients into the simmering stock. At Panda Hot Pot, you'll choose from soup base options like a rich tomato broth, or the signature Sichuan spicy soup, crafted on spices imported from China and simmered together for over 12 hours. Pick a spice level, then make it your own, ordering add-ins from a hefty selection of meat cuts, seafood, offal, fresh veggies and noodles, each item listed on the menu with its own suggested cooking time. A self-serve dipping sauce station allows you to add another level of flavour to your bowl. If you find yourself overwhelmed — and, considering everything going on, you might — a crew of Panda's hot pot experts are on hand to ensure it all runs smoothly. Appears in: Where to Find The Best Hot Pots in Melbourne for 2023
It's no wonder Uluwatu translates to "rock at the end of the land", with its instantly recognisable cliffscapes and edge-of-the-earth drama. For the wellness-inclined traveller prioritising panoramic views and scenic natural landmarks, Uluwatu could be the perfect Balinese hiatus. Situated on the southwestern tip of Bali (the Bukit Peninsula), this beach-abound surfer's paradise has reached icon status. South of the airport, Uluwatu exudes laidback, coastal, rugged energy, and self-care offerings in spades. Here, we walk you through all the must-stay accommodation spots to book, the places to move your body, and some extracurricular activities to help recalibrate a busy mind. If you're ready to embark on a holistically nourishing journey, we've done the groundwork for you — all that's left to do is take the plunge. WHERE TO STAY Alila Villas Uluwatu Architectural majesty, considered wellness offerings and breathtaking ocean vistas are the hallmarks of Alila Villas. A reverent oasis, Alila spans private pool villas that range from 300 sqm to 3,000 sqm. Perched dramatically on limestone cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, this luxe location has proximity to famed surf spots and the Uluwatu Temple. Dreamt up by award-winning sustainable architects WOHA, polished interiors meld modern style with traces of Balinese storytelling. Alila's renowned open-concept design brings the natural world in, to show off endless blue. Surrender yourself to culinary grandiosity with various in-house dining options, such as The Warung, Cire and Sunset Cabana Bar. Panoramic views with your wholesome traditional Balinese plates? That's the norm here. Elegant health-based offerings define Alila, with 'A Day of Pure Wellness' preplanned for you on their service menu. This 10-12-hour itinerary is a specialty of the utopic destination. Begin with a sunrise private yoga session followed by a flavourful breakfast overlooking the ocean, followed by a series of deeply therapeutic rituals, through to a nourishing lunch for restoration of inner balance. Lastly, succumb to soundhealing, chakra work and reflexology designed to instil harmony within. Umana Bali A nod to Bali's heritage and a stride toward its future, Umana's name comes from 'Uma': the word for ancient Balinese rice paddies. Rooted in a deep respect for human connection, Umana has a commitment to impression-making, people-first stays. Nestled 70 meters upon the staggering limestone cliffs of Uluwatu, Umana Bali is located a short 35- minute journey from Ngurah Rai International Airport Enveloped by the verdant landscape on the southern tip of Bali, Umana features 72 villas (all complete with private pools). Opulence is embodied here, as well as limitless activities to embark on: the Uluwatu Temple, renowned surfing locations and tranquil beaches. A multitude of food and beverage offerings are proudly served at Umana, including Commune Restaurant (all-day dining), Oliverra (speciality restaurant), Pad Pool Bar, Mer Lounge and Uma Beach House. From sunrise to moonlight, there is something to entice every traveller. And if you're craving a day of uninterrupted seclusion, imagine waking to a gourmet in-villa floating breakfast. Laden with fresh tropical fruits and nourishing fare, this special service is not just a meal, but an exalted initiation into a day of holidaying well. If you aren't already allured, may we point you in the direction of the innovative wellness sanctuary at Umana. In the contemporary spa, embrace Bali's cultural traditions with a modern twist. There is a vast spectrum of daily activities on offer, from sound healing and soul blessing ceremonies, to consultations with a local spiritual leader for profound insights into past lives. For movement, turn to the 24-hour Duplex Fitness Center, indoor yoga pavilion, steam room, sauna, cold and hot tubs, as well as a spa pool. The Asa Maia This luxury wellness retreat transforms any holiday into a rewarding self-care journey. Poised within a private enclave in Uluwatu, The Asa Maia curates bespoke rituals, mindful service and eco-conscious design. Merely a stroll from Bali's iconic beaches and surf swells, this central accommodation offsets the vibrancy of Uluwatu with intentional tranquility. Atmospheric bliss is expected as you enter this 10-suite-only destination, built from restored 100-year-old Javanese Gladaks. The exclusivity of The Asa Maia makes it an idyllic honeymoon destination, or a true hideaway for the solo traveller seeking peaceful dwellings. Here, the idea is deliberate disconnection for restorative reconnection. The dining repertoire includes an on-site restaurant and bar boasting fully organic, seed-oil-free, vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian cuisine offerings. Rest assured, The Asa Maia holds nourishment as the highest priority, reflected through sustainable ingredients and treasured local recipes. With wellness at its very core, The Asa Maia has programmed an award-winning lineup of therapies including massage, indulgent facials, full-body gua sha detoxification and more. Delight at a Himalayan salt and infrared sauna, and subterranean hot and cold pools adjacent to an inviting outdoor fire pit zone. Six Senses Uluwatu If looking out from an infinity pool onto expansive blue sounds like a dreamscape worth pursuing, consider Six Senses Uluwatu for your next Balinese sojourn. This high-end choice balances privacy, ease of access (being 35 minutes from Denpasar airport) and a paradisiacal position on Bali's rugged coastline. Respecting the footprint of cultural design, every space here is enriched by Indonesian artifacts, heritage details and warmth, immersing guests in the spirit of Indonesia. The resort's architecture marries minimalist design with tropical influences and local materials. Embrace uninterrupted views, terraces and quiet pockets of garden at this wellness mecca. With generous food offerings, guests might rarely contemplate leaving the vicinity. Rocka celebrates farm-to-table dining and international culinary techniques, while Watu Steakhouse showcases premium steak and fusion dishes in a refined setting. Crudo is fittingly flaunting sushi and ceviche, and the Cliff Bar has Mediterranean-esque bites with drawcard scenery. The Six Senses Spa is top-tier, with Balinese-inspired treatments in spades. There are holistic wellness programs to detox, improve sleep quality and uplift the spirit, often personalised with smart health screening tech. The standout facilities include a relaxation area, sauna and steam rooms, a dedicated yoga pavilion and a fitness haven set within verdant gardens. Guests can partake in daily yoga and meditation or signature rituals like Balinese massage and scrubs for an all-bases-covered approach to mind and body renewal. WHERE TO TRAIN Bambu Fitness Touted as one of Uluwatu's most established fitness destinations, Bambu Fitness is relished by surf enthusiasts, athletes and disciplined movers. It's all about functional training and works towards serious results, minus the intimidation. Openair spaces are spliced by raw timber, concrete and tropical greenery. Move freely in capacious training zones and lock in for purposeful sessions that prioritise community. This is a wellness playground for the nomad needing an invigorating gym moment between bouts of relaxation. Bambu's program fixates on strength, conditioning and injury prevention, offering a drop-in class model suited to busy travellers wanting ease in their Balinese itineraries. Whether you're lifting or lightly jogging, every breath here mixes with ocean air streaming through, making it as visually compelling as it is functional. Era Pilates The first on-demand reformer pilates studio has arrived right in the heart of Bingin. At Era Pilates, it doesn't matter what time your flight lands or takes off, because this self-led studio utilises screens above each reformer bed for autonomous classes (that retain expertly curated lesson plans). You can plug in and plug out whenever is most convenient, regardless of jetlag or timetables. This boutique setting is very bright and minimalist, showcasing timber floors and copious light. Every inch of Era feels primed for your next travel TikTok or Instagram inclusion, while retaining a sense of stabilising calm. Reformer Pilates is the bread and butter offering, with a library of instructor‑led video sessions you can choose from rather than set group times. Whether you're leaning into strength, flexibility or tone, each session has been constructed by the pros to maximise movement quality (and burn). 360 Move At 360 Move, holistic training, community and recovery is housed under one bold roof. A true fitness hub, this tight-knit community advocates for growth and connection, as well as performance for travellers who need more than a treadmill. If you're after motivation and a bustling environment full of like-minded individuals, 360 Move is the antidote to mainstream gyms. A visually engaging interior combines indoor and open-air zones with dedicated areas for strength, cardio and speciality classes. Movement is medicine in this gym. 360 Move's schedule is sprinkled with Hot Pilates, HIIT, functional conditioning, 'Stronger' strength sessions and gym access with all the best equipment and free weights. La Tribu A pillar of Uluwatu's yogi community, this renowned yoga studio emphasises consistency, presence and accessibility. All levels of expertise are welcomed with open arms — all that's required is a determined mind and positive energy. With the philosophy of "looking at life with the eyes of a child", La Tribu is about finding courage and passion in the everyday. Leaping into the unknown with a zest for play is the idea. The space is reflective of this idea, with abundant natural textures and warm finishes that feel like an extension of the wild outdoors. Classes feature functional strength, breathwork, yoga and mobility sessions. There is a deep appreciation for body awareness here, with balance training and soft flows ever available. It's an ideal pitstop for travellers looking to temper form with fluidity for a gentle reset. There's also surf‑specific conditioning and personalised coaching available — making it ideal for finessing your skills out of the water. A holistic approach is heralded at La Tribu, with a slew of recovery sessions and physiotherapy options available via partner facilities. After all, regeneration is just as important as exertion. WHAT TO DO The Istana In sync with the clifftop oases we've already covered, The Istana is an elevated (literally and figuratively) movement retreat built for inner healing and multifaceted slow days in Uluwatu. Yoga decks overlook the vast ocean, framed by sculptural architecture and open sky. This context alone will be sure to quieten the busy traveller's perspective before their return to routine. Movement sessions at The Istana can be matched with chef-made, wellness-driven meals utilising the creme de la creme of local seasonal produce. On the never-ending program, enrol in sound healing workshop experiences at 'The Temple of Sound', or 9D Breathwork Down Regulation experiences. There's even Sound Dome Mantra Healing, Karmic Cleanse workshops and so much more, making The Itsana a wellspring of meditative modalities. Pura Luhur Uluwatu & Cliff Path Ritual Walk Perched atop the Bukit Peninsula, Pura Luhur is one of Uluwatu's most iconic sea temples. Beyond sightseeing, travellers can plan a meditative walk along the cliffside paths for an itinerary inclusion that fuses movement with meaning. The temple sits dramatically above the Indian Ocean, embellished with limestone cliffs, frangipani trees and dreamlike vistas. A bucket list location for pensive, low-impact hours spent reflecting, this path invites quiet reflection to the score of crashing waves. Time your visit for sunset to transform the journey into a contemplative ceremony, with guided experiences on offer to enrich your understanding and appreciation of this sacred Balinese jewel. BaliSurf.Pro Surf Lessons Whether you're an avid wave-chaser or total amateur, BaliSurf.Pro has a diverse array of expertly guided surfing lessons across the Bukit Peninsula. For an unconventional wellness adventure, travellers can connect through active movement and natural wonders, while potentially giving something entirely new a brazen go. Lessons take place against Bali's beloved coastal landscape, with white-sand beaches and wide horizons. Meeting points are varied, but typically include Dreamland. Different spots are allocated to best suit ability, the changing tidal conditions, and the individual traveller's goals. BaliSurf.Pro hosts private, semi-private and group surf sessions, all including board hire, rash vest and sun protection to ensure a smooth and confidence-building experience. The surf in Bali isn't purely about the waves — it's an invitation to focus on rhythm, breath and presence, while tapping back into nature's bounties to think about something greater than oneself. Rest assured, receptive instructors are on hand to guide you through the fundamentals while helping you stay grounded and exhilarated by the sea. For more information to help with planning your next trip to Bali, visit Bali Tourism Board here. By Genevieve Phelan Image Credits: Supplied
What kind of holidaymaker are you? Do you seek sun and sand on your break from the daily grind? Country hopping and sight spotting? Or just comfortable surroundings and a cold brew or two? Those keen on the latter will soon be able to put their feet up at the ultimate accommodation for beer lovers. In fact, The DogHouse is so steeped in yeasty tipples, it's attached to and run by a brewery. Scottish outfit BrewDog has been running a crowdfunding campaign to set up the boozy venture, which it'll build next to its just-launched US facility in Columbus, Ohio. So, what does the world's first craft beer hotel entail? In addition to a sour brewing facility, it includes beverages and lots of them, of course. Visitors will sleep in beer-themed rooms, eat craft beer-infused meals with brews tailored to every course, treat themselves to beer spa treatments (malted barley massages and hop oil pedicures, anyone?) and take brewery tours. In-room beer taps are also on the agenda, plus some suites will feature shower beer fridges and beer-filled jacuzzis. If all of the above sounds like your idea of heaven, here's the even better news: at the time of writing, BrewDog's cash-raising campaign has been funded more than twice over. They're now attempting to rustle up additional support for a rooftop resident's bar that will serve the sour beverages brewed up next door. For those looking to book plane tickets now, the hotel is expected to be operational by the second half of 2018.
Entry to Yah Yahs is usually free, so it's handy if you're after a drink before dinner on one of Smith Street's bazillion restaurants, want to see the band, or just want to rage on after other places have closed. Score a booth seat as soon as one becomes available; they'll be hot property as the drinks continue to sink.
The beloved Fitzroy local reached for the sky in 2017, opening her doors to a brand new rooftop. The space has vintage patio furniture and shabby chic styling mingling to create an al fresco hangout as relaxed as the suburb it calls home. The drinks offering hits all the right notes. Think easygoing, with just enough attitude, starring signature cocktails like the fruity 'You're Punching, Mate' and a new-school riff on the classic piña colada. They're backed by a fuss-free, ten-strong tap beer rotation and a globe-spanning wine list that's got a little something for everyone. Meanwhile, the food situation is a hands-on affair that'll see you getting stuck into burgers stuffed with beef and bacon and sticky pulled pork, or pizzas topped with spicy sausage and pepperoni. Throughout the winter months, it's also playing host to a cosy winter rooftop — filled with heaters, a creperie and even bottomless brunches on weekends.
Balmy, breezy and beckoning, the warmer months are well and truly here, bringing with them blue skies and long days. And while Melbourne isn't blessed with too many beaches in the inner city, it does have plenty of exemplary outdoor pools just waiting for you to glide into their cool, blue waters — either for exercise, play or to just plain cool down. Get your swimmers, slather on some sunscreen and head out to some of the best outdoor swimming pools in Melbourne, stat. Recommended reads: The Best Heated Swimming Pools in Melbourne The Best Beaches in and Around Melbourne The Best Swimming Holes in Melbourne The Best Waterfalls That You Can Swim Under in Victoria Fitzroy Swimming Pool, Fitzroy Fitzroy Pool on Alexandra Parade is a dreamy old-school pool that's perfect for weekday lap swimming or weekend poolside chills. The modernist building is flanked by murals and features an eight-lane 50-metre pool as well as two kiddie pools. The water is always the ideal temperature a swim here is just generally an invigorating experience. It's one of the best pools in the north Melbourne. And the poolside bleachers are the perfect place to sunbathe after your swim. But this pool isn't just for summer. When the weather cools, the team turns on the heaters, keeping it warm (or at least not freezing cold) throughout the year. 160 Alexandra Parade, Fitzroy. Open 6am–8.45pm Monday–Friday and 7am–6.45pm Saturday–Sunday. North Melbourne Recreation Centre, North Melbourne The outdoor pool in North Melbourne is small but perfectly formed. The 25-metre pool has eight lanes for you to just keep swimming and is kept at a balmy 27.5 degrees all year round. There's a seperate kids pool and a few lanes tend to be opened up in summer so people can simply paddle around and float in the main 25-metre pool. Adults don't have to swim laps to cool off here. In the past, it has run aquatic movie nights, where you can catch movies on the big screen while floating in an inflatable pink swan (BYO pink swan and water-resistant popcorn). North Melbourne Recreation Centre is a bit of a hidden gem, still fairly quiet throughout summer. This helps make it one of the best outdoor swimming pools in Melbourne. 204-206 Arden Street, North Melbourne. Open 6am–8pm Monday–Friday and 8am–7pm Saturday–Sunday. Prahran Aquatic Centre, Prahran The Prahran Aquatic Centre may be a public pool, but it's a little bit fancy. The eight-lane, 50-metre pool is heated and overlooked by a gorgeous wooden sunbathing deck — and has recently undergone a major renovation. The pool itself had a refurb, as has the surrounding areas where the team often runs all-day pool parties with DJs and sausage sizzles. The best spot to lay your towel? On the lawns, partly beneath the shade of the trees. Here, there's no need to worry about accidentally napping after swimming a few too many laps. There's also a spa and sauna for those wanting to sweat it out in between dips. 41 Essex Street, Prahran. Open 5.45am–7.45pm Monday–Friday, 6am–6.15pm Saturday and 7am–6:15pm Sunday. Brunswick Baths, Brunswick Whatever swimming you feel like doing, Brunswick Baths have a body of water to suit your needs. it's got a 20-metre indoor pool as well as a spa, sauna and steam room, but when it's hot out you'll want to head straight to the heated eight-lane Olympic-sized outdoor pool. It's open all year round and is great for hardcore lap swimmers. Adding this spot to the list of Melbourne's best outdoor swimming pools is a no-brainer. 14 Dawson Street, Brunswick. Open 5:30am–9:45pm Monday–Friday and 7am–7:45pm Saturday–Sunday. Brighton Baths, Brighton Brighton Baths is not so much a pool as a patch of ocean, so it's not for the faint-hearted or those used to heated water. But if you want to get salty and safely swim 50-metre laps in the ocean, this is the pool for you. The pool area has been sectioned off with a private boardwalk that you can laze around on to dry off. Those swimming here also have access to Brighton Baths' change rooms, steam room, showers and lockers. No need to worry about leaving your valuables on the shore while you swim a few laps. 251 Esplanade, Brighton. The baths are staffed from 6am–8:15pm Monday–Friday and 7am–6pm Saturday–Sunday Monash Aquatic Recreation Centre, Glen Waverley For those of you out east searching for your everything pool, check out the Monash Aquatic Recreation Centre. It has some incredible features, including a 25-metre indoor pool; a spa, sauna and steam room; and — wait for it — a wave pool that you can take a boogie board into. They even set up inflatable obstacle courses for kids parties (sadly, this one isn't for adults). The 50-metre outdoor pool is also one of the best in Melbourne, heated to 26 degrees in summer and 27 degrees in winter. 626 Waverley Road, Glen Waverley. Open 5:45–9pm Monday–Friday and 8am–7pm Saturday–Sunday. Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Albert Park Just south of Southbank, you'll find the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) hidden away in Albert Park. If you're a sports person who enjoys running, jumping and movements of all varieties, you'll absolutely love MASC and its huge range of fields, courts and sports doodads. But its aquatic facilities blow all others out of the water (excuse the pun). It has a lush 50-metre outdoor pool that's perfect for both exercise and play. Plus, a 50-metre indoor pool, a 25-metre indoor pool, 14 indoor diving boards, a multipurpose indoor pool, a hydrotherapy pool, an indoor wave pool, a water slide, a spa and change room great facilities. Yes, it's all here. 30 Aughtie Drive, Albert Park. The outdoor pool is open 5:30am–10pm Monday–Friday and 7am–8pm Saturday–Sunday.
The Grand Hyatt Melbourne has been part of the city's skyline since 1986 — a Collins Street landmark that continues to anchor Melbourne's luxury hotel scene. Positioned between designer boutiques, theatres and some of the city's best restaurants, it's an address that carries weight, even as new contenders arrive around it. The foyer sets the tone: vast, marble-lined and unmistakably grand. It's one of the few hotels in Melbourne that still feels like an event just to walk into. From here, the hotel stretches across 33 floors, with floor-to-ceiling windows that capture city and Yarra River views. Recent updates have focused on refining the hotel's dining and wellness offerings rather than reinventing them. Collins Kitchen, the hotel's all-day restaurant, has expanded its focus on locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menus, with the long-standing breakfast buffet still its defining feature. The return of the Friday night buffet and the addition of weekly live jazz at Ru-Co Bar nod to the hotel's classic character rather than chasing new trends. Wellness facilities remain comprehensive. The City Club Health and Fitness Centre includes a heated indoor pool, spa, sauna, and — unusually for the CBD — a rooftop tennis court. There's also a full-service wellness program with massage and personal training, though the space itself still reflects its 1980s origins more than contemporary design trends. Upstairs, the Grand Club Lounge offers additional privacy and skyline views for suite and club guests, while the Lobby Lounge on the ground floor continues to draw in both guests and locals for afternoon tea or a quiet drink away from the Collins Street rush. The Grand Hyatt's enduring appeal lies less in novelty than in scale and consistency. Its position, views and unmistakable sense of grandeur ensure it remains part of Melbourne's five-star conversation — even as the city's hotel scene grows ever more design-driven around it. Looking for restaurants to explore during your stay? Here is our guide to the CBD's best. Images: Supplied
Whether you're a Maha regular or have yet to experience the Melbourne icon, Shane Delia's Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant has a lunchtime special bound to prompt a visit. Just extended until October 31, a rotating lineup of $15 'Bowls of Goodness' hits the menu every week, perfect for an affordable lunch or high-end takeaway option. Returning after a successful debut in 2024, the special is bigger and better than ever before, now with nine more options to explore dine-in or takeaway. With each bowl crafted by a Maha kitchen team member, the series showcases each chef's gastronomic inspiration, from varied regional cuisine and travel experiences to personal memories. "The response to our $15 Bowls of Goodness lunchtime specials has been incredible yet again this year, so we're keeping them running until the end of October," says Delia. "We've brought back some of last year's most-loved dishes, the crowd-pleasers our guests just couldn't stop talking about! We're excited to continue to serve high-quality, flavour-packed lunches to dine-in or takeaway customers." In the weeks ahead, the Bond Street restaurant is serving up delights like biryani rice with tandoori chicken and cucumber raita; creamy navy beans with burnt tomatoes, winter vegetables and wagyu meatballs; and grilled Balinese chicken with fragrant rice and sambal matah. Stacked with creative combinations and seasonal flavours, organise a lunchtime trip to Maha this spring.
UPDATE Friday, August 6: Due to the current lockdown, Glazed's gluten-free scones will be available for takeaway only. Head in from 12pm this Sunday, August 8, to grab yours. For more details on Victoria's current restrictions, see the Department of Health and Human Services website. The humble scone is an international culinary icon and morning tea classic, best served with lashings of jam and piles of cream. But unfortunately for those with pesky food intolerances, it's not exactly a coeliac-friendly treat. Not usually, anyway. This weekend, Glazed Gluten Free Patisserie chef-owner Liran Adika is ensuring that everyone can enjoy a scone scoffing session, unveiling his new limited-edition range of gluten-free scone varieties. On Sunday, August 8, the Elsternwick venue will have four scone creations up for grabs, all of them completely free of dairy, nuts and gluten. There's a traditional version paired with homemade strawberry and pomegranate jam, a fruit-studded number served with dairy-free cream and a halva variety matched with house-made tahini. The latest addition is a gorgeous green pandan scone finished with a fragrant pandan kaya jam. The whole gang will be on sale from noon until sold out. Adika is known for being a bit of a whiz when it comes to creating allergen-friendly sweet treats. His classic scones have been a favourite of Glazed's popular gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free high tea. [caption id="attachment_821659" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glazed chef-owner Liran Adika[/caption]
Can't stop losing your drink bottle? Frank Green's brand-new Glow in the Dark collection can help you keep track of it, day and night. Available for a limited time in three neon pastel colours, this illuminating drop is more than bright enough to see during the day, and transforms with a gentle glow in the dark. Playing on a trio of nostalgic colours that wouldn't look out of place in a 80s workout video, these design-led bottles are available in yellow, green and orange, aka Star Glow, Aurora Glow and Solar Glow. Soaking up daylight to radiate at night in ever-changing patterns, no two bottles glow the same. Made with Frank Green's premium ceramic reusable bottle design, crafted from at least 90% recycled stainless steel, there's two sizes to consider — 595ml and 1 litre. For those keen to treat their glowing bottle right, you can also purchase Frank Green Bottle Bumper Guards in the same colours, helping to protect it from dings and scratches. You'll also be happy to know these bottles are triple-wall vacuum-insulated to keep your beverage icy cold or steaming hot. Meanwhile, they feature a ceramic lining that doesn't impact taste, while the spill-proof lid makes it easy to sip on the move without having to stress about leaks soaking your bag. If you're keen to stock up on the new range, you'll get the brightest, most luminous results by placing your bottle in direct sunlight for at least 30 minutes to help it charge. While indoor light also works, sunlight is the way to go, if possible. In return, your bottle will glow vividly for about 30 minutes before gradually softening over the next few hours. Ready to sip and glow? Visit the official website to browse the new collection. Melbourne-based fans can head to Frank Green's Chadstone flagship to get an in-person glimpse. You'll also discover adorable glow-in-the-dark sticker sheets to customise your bottle, alongside reusable party cups, perfect for cocktails with a difference at your next late-night event. Frank Green's Glow in the Dark collection is available now online and in-store at Chadstone. Head to the website for more information.
Negronis go down well after a hard day at work. Espresso martinis go down well at a boozy weekend brunch. Aperol spritzes go down well... well, most of the time. But, shelling out for these, oft $20-plus, cocktails on the reg doesn't go down well for our wallets. Luckily, there's a slew of Melbourne bars and pubs serving up these libations for a tenner — every day of the week. MONDAY [caption id="attachment_660467" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jane Doe[/caption] JANE DOE BAR, PRAHRAN What's the deal? $10 tap cocktails from 2pm, Monday. Bottled, batched and tapped cocktails hit cocktail bars across the city last year. Jane Doe has embraced the trend, serving cocktails on tap every Monday night for a bargain $10. While options do rotate, expect to find drinks such as espresso martinis, old fashioneds and brambles. TUESDAY [caption id="attachment_553553" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archie's All Day[/caption] ARCHIE'S ALL DAY, FITZROY What's the deal? $10 negronis all day, every day. No matter what you're after, Archie's has you covered — from that first morning flat white to a nice red wine and cheese platter late at night. They've gone one step further, too, offering $10 negronis all the time. All. The. Time. Business lunch? Tick. Boozy breakfast? Tick. After-work drinks? Tick. Tick. Tick. Archie's really does have you covered. WEDNESDAY [caption id="attachment_497308" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baby Pizza[/caption] BABY PIZZA, RICHMOND What's the deal? $10 Aperol spritzes between 3pm and 6pm, daily. Child of Chris Lucas, the famed restaurateur behind Chin Chin, Baby Pizza serves up one-metre pizza every day. To whet your appetite for this daunting undertaking, the restaurant is serving up cheap drinks during its daily aperitivo hour. Running from 3-6pm, you can choose from$10 Aperol spritz or Campari tonics (or if you find an extra gold coin down the back of the couch, grab a $11 negroni). THURSDAY HELLO JOSÉ, WEST MELBOURNE What's the deal? $10 margaritas all day Wednesday and Thursday There's nothing like a refreshing tequila-spiked drink to get you through the final days of the working week. The lovely people at Hello José agree, and they're serving up four different types for a tenner. Grab your mates and order a round of classic margaritas, ones laced with chilli, orange and passionfruit margaritas or, the crowd favourite, frozen. FRIDAY [caption id="attachment_576518" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Massi[/caption] MASSI, CBD What's the deal? $10 Aperol and Campari spritzes and negronis between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday. This CBD joint fully embraces the Italian tradition of aperitivo hour. And from 5.30-6.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, your negroni, Aperol or Campari spritz will set you back a measly $10. Peckish? Order a round of stuzzichini. Starving? Its braised beef pappardelle is a standout. SATURDAY [caption id="attachment_642040" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Ascot Lot[/caption] THE ASCOT LOT, ASCOT VALE What's the deal? $10 espresso martinis Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Ascot Lot is Melbourne's newest food truck park. Previously a deserted car yard, the Mt Alexander Road space has been transformed into a colourful venue for delicious food and ice-cold refreshments. It plays host to some of Melbourne's most adored food trucks, and has an epic lineup of bar offerings — including $10 espresso martinis on tap. They're available whenever the park is open, so head along anytime after 5pm on Friday and from 11am Saturdays and Sundays. THE LEVESON, NORTH MELBOURNE What's the deal? $10 summer cocktails from 12pm, Saturday and Sunday The folks over at the Leveson have been pouring pints of craft beer for 11 years. But that's not the extent of its drinks list — it has a healthy selection of wines and cocktails, too. And during the warmer months, they want you to spend a while mulling over the cocktails — so they're offering $10 summer cocktails all day on Saturdays and Sundays. So, order a glass of something refreshing and carbonated and soak up the sun in the leafy beer garden. SUNDAY THE VIC, ABBOTSFORD What's the deal? $10 bloody marys from 3pm, Sunday. When you wake up slight dusty on a Sunday morning, there's one guaranteed fix: a bloody mary. Thankfully, the team over at the Vic is serving them up all day for a measly $10. It's not the only marys it's slinging over the weekend, either. On Fridays and Saturdays, from 6–9pm, you can purchase $10 espresso martinis, long island iced teas and margaritas.
Everyone has their favourite places to eat, and their favourite dishes to order while they're there. But what happens when a new tastebud-tempting dish arrives to whet your appetite? We've all experienced the kind of menu indecision that can spring in this exact situation, where we're torn between a tried-and-trusty tasty option we already know we'll love and opting for something new — and with its latest addition to its range, Betty's Burgers has an answer. Firstly, folks who don't partake in meat, rejoice: the chain has just launched a new plant-based version of its popular Betty's Classic burg. Called Betty's Classic Plant, it's made with soy-based plant patties from Love Buds, then piles on the lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and Betty's special sauce that you'd find on the carnivorous option. And, while the patty is already both vegan and gluten-free, you can ensure that the whole burg is, too, by getting it without the milk bun — on a vegan bun instead — and sans sauce and cheese. If that's set your stomach a-rumbling, the new burger is on the menu now — and trying it out comes with a two-bite guarantee. Give it a couple of chomps, then either keep eating if you love it, or swap it for a regular Betty's Classic or a Betty's Classic Vegan straight away if you don't. While usually you need to get in quickly for Betty's Burgers fresh additions — its limited-time-only lobster rolls and prawn rolls, for instance — this new plant-based burg is a permanent newcomer, and will set you back $11.50. And if you're new to all things Betty's, it's known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes). While you can now grab one of the chain's burgers at a heap of locations across Australia, including in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. For more information about Betty's Burgers and its new Classic Plant burg, head to the chain's website.
Melbourne has become the latest city to welcome Miznon, the world-famous Israeli street food eatery run by celebrity Israeli chef Eyal Shani. Founded in Tel Aviv, the restaurant also has branches in Vienna and Paris, and will land in New York before 2017 is out. The Melbourne restaurant is located over a three-floor space at 59 Hardware Lane. Although all incarnations of Miznon bear the same name, each is unique, in terms of interior and culinary offerings. The Hardware Lane location has a bar, a lounge and plenty of space on the top floor, which Shani describes as "like the machine of a big boat". "Each of our restaurants is a different one," says Shani. "Because we see the pita as a translator of a mood, a culture, a people. We try to fit into the atmosphere, the will, the passion of the city ... Otherwise, I have no reason to open because I don't have the will to copy myself." While about 40 percent of the menu is shared across branches, 60 percent is new. Melburnians will be treated to a new way of making felafel, like a hamburger, which Shani describes as "unbelievable". Meanwhile, Miznon's classic beans, which are steamed, then sizzled with olive oil, lemon and garlic, will find a fresh life, in the many varieties available in Australia. "It's like each bean is carrying an atmosphere, so it's like you're eating the atmosphere of the country. They're so fresh and so crunchy," says Shani. Also on the menu is a Wagyu kebab, a slow-cooked terrine and a spicy, tomato-based dish made with local fish. To Shani, pita is quintessential way to serve food. "Why?" he says. "Because you can sell it in the street. You can take the energy of the street. You can sell it cheap ... If I were to put the ingredients on a plate, it'd be like a two or three-star restaurant."
When Shabana Azeez says that "it's been wild", she's telling Concrete Playground about 2025 for her so far, and about being in the cast of The Pitt. Her words could equally apply to the 15-hour shift that the gripping medical drama's debut season follows, which happens to be the first day working in the emergency room for Azeez's character. In the exceptional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital-set series, the Australian actor plays Dr Victoria Javadi — a third-year medical student, and also a 20-year-old prodigy, who begins her ER rotation on what proves not only a chaotic and challenging but also a traumatic day. Between January and April, when the show was dropping its first season's episodes week to week, how that trial-by-fire initiation turned out for Javadi was appointment (and can't-look-away) viewing. "It's been really wild. I was actually travelling after we wrapped — which, I think when we were shooting, there were four episodes that came out, maybe more," Azeez continues. "And then I was in Berlin and I was in London and I was in Italy and in Texas for film festivals and stuff, and people were recognising me from The Pitt in a lot of places, which was strange. To have a show you made in one sound stage, in a little beautiful life, have an impact in multiple places — it's so, so surreal." The Pitt was always going to attract interest. With not one, not two, but three big names that helped make ER a hit involved, viewers were bound to tune in. The Pitt boasts actor, co-writer and executive producer Noah Wyle (Leverage: Redemption) leading the on-screen charge — and, behind the scenes, reuniting with director and executive producer John Wells (Shameless), plus this Max smash's creator, showrunner and writer R Scott Gemmill (NCIS: Los Angeles). Yes, it might take ER fans a second to get used to seeing Wyle in scrubs being called Dr Robby rather than Dr Carter, but it only takes a second. Yes, those in that camp will spot the symmetry of The Pitt kicking off on Javadi's first emergency-room day, and that of a few of her fellow medical students, as ER did with Wyle's beloved figure. Within mere moments of its premiere episode starting, The Pitt establishes its own intensity. The format — "15 episodes. 15 hours. 1 shift" is the tagline — helps set the tone, as does the dedication to realism that anyone who has spent time in a hospital will recognise. With attending physician Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch, senior residents Heather Collins (Tracey Ifeachor, Wonka) and Frank Langdon (Patrick Ball, Law & Order), charge nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa, Daredevil: Born Again), third-year resident Samira Mohan (Supriya Ganesh, Grown-ish) and second-year resident Cassie McKay (Fiona Dourif, Chucky), plus Javadi and other Pittsburgh Trauma newcomers Mel King (Taylor Dearden, The Last Thing He Told Me), Trinity Santos (Isa Briones, Goosebumps) and Dennis Whitaker (Gerran Howell, Ludwig), the series chronicles a gig that'd be tough and hectic on a standard day, let alone when a mass-casualty event occurs in the city courtesy of a shooter at a festival. Azeez's task, then, is to portray a character who is trying to impress on such an unforgettable first shift, and endeavouring to provide excellent medical care to the many, many patients that need it — and, as someone only just out of her teens, attempting to fit in, too. Javadi has the weight of parental expectation bearing down, because she's followed in her parents' footsteps. She also tries to ask a colleague out on a date. It's only when the shift wraps up that she has her first-ever beer. Taking on the role meant Azeez moving across the world, attending boot camp with her co-stars and, as an Australian thankfully unaccustomed to the active-shooter situation depicted, researching gun violence. It also meant unpacking what Javadi is going through given her age and intelligence, what she's missed out on by speeding through school and college, and the pressure of her whole existence. Azeez can't speak highly enough about being welcomed into The Pitt's cast and crew to play Javadi, and what being one of the show's stars means to her. "I think I'm learning a lot from Noah," she advises. That's after she's already had quite the massive past year or so before The Pitt even started airing, became such a smash, had viewers around the globe hooked and was renewed for a second season. If you watched Apple Cider Vinegar, you should've spotted Azeez in an episode. In 2024, she was on the big screen in Australian thriller Birdeater. When Aussie animation Lesbian Space Princess won the Teddy award in Berlin this year — ahead of making its Down Under debut at the 2025 Sydney Film Festival — it did so with Azeez voicing its eponymous figure. We also chatted to the Adelaide talent about that path to The Pitt, alongside what appealed to her about stepping into Dr Javadi's shoes. Working among such an excellent ensemble, the show's impressive pedigree, being protective of the character, her research process: our discussion covered them all as well, among other topics. On How Azeez Feels About Her Huge Past Couple of Years, Not Only with The Pitt But Also Birdeater and Lesbian Space Princess "Who even knows? I really feel so lucky. But also it feels like, I don't know, The Pitt was so — it was seven months we shot, which is, for an Australian, kind of wild, right? Because Australia shoots fast. And so my longest gig before that would've been like six weeks. And so to pick up my life in Melbourne and move to LA for seven months, now it feels like my perception of time is so strange. Apple Cider Vinegar, I was just there for one day. And Birdeater shot in little pockets over a few years. And it's just very strange when things come out, because it's the combination of so much work when you're a film actor. And then often people are like 'oh, my god, this thing's coming out' and you're sitting at home unemployed alone. So it's very feast and famine, and very strange, but I'm so lucky and I'm having a great time." On What Appealed to Azeez About The Pitt and Portraying Dr Javadi "The team, obviously. We got the brief and it was like 'the people that made ER and The West Wing are making a new show' — that's a once-in-a-lifetime casting brief. And we knew the TV that they make goes on for a long time — these are really cultural moments, John Wells' productions, shows — and obviously that was a massive, massive selling point. Not that I was in a position to be choosy. I was just wanting to audition and that was exciting to me. Also, the script was insane. I don't know if the scripts are public at all or if anybody can see them, but they're novels, they're dense and they're incredible. I remember having to go out to get more highlighters in different colours to be able to track which character was who — because it was all surnames and I couldn't figure out who anybody was, and there were so many characters in that first episode. And sitting in my apartment trying to audition, figuring out who I'm talking to in my audition scene, took ages. It was a really cool audition. It was out-of-body — thinking about it now, I'm like 'god, who was I back then coming to this audition?'. And then for Javadi, I was so excited by her as a character. I think being a young woman, there's a massive variation in the types of auditions you can get. But there's not a single female character on the show that's sexualised — or the idea of something. Everybody's fully fleshed out. In a way, that's just so incredible to see. And I know it should be the standard, but the writing is amazing, and the female characters are so complicated and beautiful and incredible. And smart — like really smart — and not really existing for anybody else's character growth. We're all there for each other as an ensemble, and it doesn't seem like there's a lot of imbalance there. So it was so exciting to get a script with a big ensemble of interesting characters and be like 'oh, this young one' — especially being the youngest one. I'm kind of scrappy and I think we have a lot in common, except that she's really smart and a brilliant doctor, and I'm an actor. But she was just very interesting — I've never seen a brief like her before." On Juggling Javadi's Intelligence, Age, Nerves, New Job, Love Life and Attempts to Give Excellent Medical Care, All on a Traumatic 15-Hour Day "I think that was really — I don't want to say 'easy', but it was really served by the way we worked, in that we shot chronologically. So usually when you're shooting, you're shooting out of order, and so you're doing so much work to be like 'my character's experienced this crazy thing and this crazy thing and this crazy thing', and I have to, in my head and in my body, know all of those things and then shoot scene 75 before I shoot scene two. In this situation, we were building on what we've done. Except for Pittsburgh — we shot the exteriors in Pittsburgh over one week, and so that final scene of the entire show we shot before we'd even read past script nine, I want to say. So I hadn't read the mass shooting. I hadn't read a lot of it. And there was just a lot of putting trust in the editors and the directors and the producers, and knowing that they would treat all our characters with care. I'm very protective of Javadi. She's just so little, and she's just trying her hardest, but I knew I could trust them with her. She's our little baby. I think it was really nice, because it was written so organically that that's just how complicated real people are. It was like that thing, right — none of these characters are the idea of a trope. They are fully fleshed-out human beings. And you can be — in fact, most really smart people are, really, there is a deficit that balances out somewhere else in the character, right? So I think that her being really, really smart, it makes sense that she would also then be socially quite complicated and struggling, because she's growing up so lonely and so isolated. I remember R Scott Gemmill, in one of our first character meetings, said to me 'you know, her parents kind of used her as a party trick' — and it's really interesting to think about what that would do to a small child, to be valued for being impressive. The type of bravery it takes to be publicly, confidently bad at something — to ask a boy out, even though you've maybe never done it before and you're going to have to stay on the shift and see him, even if it goes badly — the bravery and the courage that it takes when you have been disproportionately valued for being special your whole life is something that I think I really want to explore with her more and give her credit for. I think, often for me, her worst behaviours or her least-impressive behaviours — or her most-cringey or -embarrassing behaviours — are the things for me that I love most about her, and they speak the most to her positive and beautiful character traits. Because I think to put yourself out there in that way is really brave. I don't know that I could do that, and I grew up with a lot of friends and not socially isolated in the way that she has been. It's really exciting also to see people react to her awkward moments and like it, and think that she's funny — it's really rewarding." On Working with a Stellar Ensemble While Diving Into Such an Intense Scenario "It's really lovely and really nice — it's so much background work on the show, and it's really immersive being on the show, and so it's like, yes, the cast, but also all the background we have, and all the crew are wearing scrubs all the time. And the amount of immersion you can get from every bit, being around everybody all day, and everybody giving it their all in that way — it's so special because it's so immersive. Usually, you're on set, and maybe you're crying and you're looking at a tennis ball or a line somebody's drawn on the wall, and these people wearing Dickies are all around you, holding lights to your face. Whereas in this situation, you fully are like 'no, I'm in a trauma situation. I'm in a surgery room'. The lights that we use are real. The level of immersion is so special, and it makes shooting seamless and fast. It's amazing. And the people are so great, and I think it's lovely to work with people who are great at their job, obviously, which everybody can see — but I also think everybody in the audience can see how wonderful the people are that we're working with, even if they're playing assholes, maybe. It's really funny watching people be like 'that girl must be so mean to you in real life', but Isa is a lovely, beautiful friend. So that's really lucky that everybody's kind and easy to work with as well." On Being Part of a Series with an Impressive Pedigree, and That Sits Among Fellow Great Medical Dramas "Honestly, I don't think I had time to be nervous. I did one self-tape — I sent in a tape — and then I did one zoom, and then we got the call that I booked it. And I had a month to move to America and be on the ground at Warner Bros. So I don't think I had time to panic about anything. I was panicked about getting a Social Security number and all the logistics of moving your life. And accents and medical research and all that stuff. And so for me, I was just so, so grateful to be there. I think that they really did the work to not make it nerve-racking for us younger ones, too, in that our casting process was really chill and relaxed and warm and safe. And so that energy, I think it ended up funnelling into experience on the set. And also we did a boot camp before we started acting, so for two weeks we got to know each other and get comfy with each other — and not just with the other actors, but also with John Wells and R Scott Gemmill. Obviously there was pressure and excitement to be working on such an incredible show with such an incredible team, but every single person on a personal level worked their asses off to make sure that they weren't creating pressure, they were creating warmth and safety. To the point of: we all spend time together, even with John and Scott, before we started, giving you enough about the job to combat all the natural pressure and scary feelings — and I'm so grateful for that. That level of skill — I think you can see the skill on the show, there's so much skill, there's so much writing skill, so much directing skill, so much producing skill, you can see that on the show. But the soft skills that come with being a creative, they were 10 out of 10, 100 percent all the time with all of that as well, and that's not really visible to the audience — and it's really special to get it." On the Research That Goes Into Playing Dr Javadi as an Australian in an American Medical Series "I did a lot of research on gun violence. And I ended up getting specific things from the writers, too — like 'which one did you base this on?' and 'what resources would you recommend to me?'. Then I also did specific things on Javadi's experience of guns — so growing up in Pittsburgh, what suburbs she would've grown up in? Things like that, picking a house on Google Maps. But also, she would have gone to school in this time — how many school-shooter drills were happening at this time? And what kind of school-shooter drills were they? A lot of resources were coming up that school-shooter drills, often kids don't know they're a drill — or they do know they're a drill, but they're simulating all these really scary things, so they can be traumatising in way that a shooting can be. And so figuring out where she sat on certain spectrums, and how long she was at school for, because she's sort of a savant and she graduated school at high school at 13 and started college really young. Also doing a lot of research into what it's like to be a kid genius and how lonely that is, and the experiences of being isolated from your peers and being really young around a lot older people. What does that do to you? Does it stunt you or do you meet them somewhere? What's the experience of doing American college with no alcohol? That sounds so silly, almost. But even in Australia, alcohol is a massive part of our culture, and obviously she's too young — and we see her have her first beer in the last episode of The Pitt at 20. So how does that isolate you if everybody's going to the pub after an exam, or going to a bar to decompress after a week? How does not being able to participate in any social thing affect your self-worth or your ability to build rapport? And so I think we see her be quite awkward in the show, and I did a lot of research into why she would be like that and how awkward to be, so hopefully that comes through. And that's really exciting stuff to do, because it's just so different to my experience of the world." On Azeez's Journey From Adelaide and Short Films to a Series-Regular Role on a Hit US TV Show "It means so much to me. Obviously growing up in Adelaide, LA is worlds and worlds away, and it was this fantasy that I didn't — and also LA is a fantasy even in American media. LA is just this strange sort of utopia for filmmakers, right? And it felt for a long time like that was just never going to happen to me — because how? How do you get from Adelaide to LA? I still don't really understand it even though it's happened to me, I guess because it seems so unlikely. And there's no obvious pathways when you're an actor. You really do have to cede control, in a way. So the fact that this thing that I've been convincing myself was not possible for so long — it's like 'temper my expectations', all of that — but the fact that I didn't have to temper my expectations and it happened is so lucky. I don't even know if 'lucky' is the word. It feels blessed. It's so crazy to me, and I don't know that I'll ever understand it or feel like — like how do you earn something like that? How do you earn being on The Pitt? I don't know. I just feel very lucky, and I'm not questioning it, lest somebody else with power question it. But for my career, I think Australia — there's this saying in Adelaide where if you want to work in Adelaide as an actor, you have to move to Melbourne and then come back, and then people in Adelaide will be like 'oh my god, they worked in Melbourne, they must be great'. And I think that just happens at every stage, except with The Pitt, where they didn't. They thought I lived in Adelaide, Australia, when they cast me in The Pitt. The did not care about where I came from or what my context was, they just wanted me for this role. And that level of freedom, creatively, where they didn't want me to have any sort of audience, they didn't need me to be famous, they didn't need me to bring anything to this project except myself, was so special to me. I don't know that I've ever experienced the confidence that they had in me as a creative, to just give some kid from Adelaide this series-regular role in their massive TV show. That means a lot as an artist, obviously. But it also is the blueprint for me going forward of how I want to be as an artist. I think I'm learning a lot from Noah. And to get to learn from these people and then bring that knowledge back to Adelaide or Melbourne or wherever I end up is so, so meaningful. I'm very grateful." The Pitt streams via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand.
In this often hectic world, sometimes you need to unplug in order to recharge. You know — to free yourself from that fast-paced city life, in favour of some Mother Nature and a few deep breaths of fresh, country air. Thankfully, you don't have to stray too far from the big smoke for a taste of off-the-grid living, with remote, eco-friendly cabins and home-spun escapes to be found all across the state. Switch off, disconnect and enjoy a much needed dose of serenity at one of these five Victorian off-grid stays. SHACKY, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Melbourne company Shacky began its life as one simple, crowd-funded tiny house, first operating as an Airbnb on a farm in the Otways. A few tweaks and adjustments to the prototype and you can now experience Shacky life at two different remote Victorian locations, with a third launching in the coming months. The Olive Grove edition features a charming two-person tiny house, set among olive trees and grazing sheep in Victoria's High Country, a short two-hour trek out of the city. An ideal spot for that romantic getaway you've been planning, the cabin's powered by the sun and decked out with just enough mod-cons to keep you comfy, while still embracing off-grid living — esky, running water, a basic kitchen and an in-built shower stocked with biodegradable products. SECLUDED CABIN, KINGLAKE Those keen to really get up close and personal with nature will find their ultimate off-grid oasis nestled deep in the heart of bushland, right by Kinglake National Park. This 12-square-metre cabin was designed with small living in mind, though it has all the trappings necessary for a blissful weekend spent unplugging from big city life. It's secluded and solar-powered, with a simple kitchen inside, a creek meandering nearby, and an outdoor bathroom tucked away amongst the trees. Wake to the sound of birdcalls, spend the day hiking the surrounding bush trails and cruise into the evening with some good company and wine on the deck. UNYOKED TINY HOUSES, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Aussie company Unyoked delivers an off-the-grid experience that'll see you disappearing to your own private tiny house in the wilderness, miles from any sign of human interference. The company has two solar-powered sustainable tiny house retreats in Victoria, each set in a secluded patch of wilderness on a private property, around 90 minutes out of Melbourne. Eco-friendly features like composting toilets and zero wi-fi invite you to disconnect from your regular life, though with mod-cons like cosy beds, hot showers and gas stoves, you'll be doing so in comfort. THE WILLOWS CATTLEMAN'S HUT, ANGLES REST Swap the hectic pace of the big smoke for a serve of rustic charm, with a stay at this high country cattleman's hut, sitting on a working horse property just a stone's throw from Alpine National Park. Located a six-hour drive from Melbourne, this one's about as far removed from city life as they come, with the best of rugged Mother Nature waiting right outside the front door. There's no TV or fridge, and the phone reception's sketchy at best, but you can bet you'll find plenty else to keep you entertained. The hut's kitted out with solar-powered lighting and a cosy gas fire stove for cooking, though for full effect, get that campfire roaring, fish some tinnies out of the esky and spend the night gazing at the stars. WOMBAT VALLEY CABINS, WOMBAT VALLEY To ease your way into off-grid living, without foregoing all the good stuff at once, book the crew in for a secluded stay in The Lodge, at Wombat Valley Cabins. With room for 10, this rustic beauty is primed for group getaways, one of just a handful of cabins dotted around this sleepy 60-acre property, in the heart of East Gippsland high country. While it does boast a TV and a stereo, just in case, phone reception is delightfully scarce, power comes courtesy of the sun and an old-school log fireplace keeps things nice and cosy. As an added bonus, this one's pet-friendly — bring along your pup for a weekend spent getting back to nature.
Experience a new kind of escape room as Prison Island arrives in Melbourne for the first time. Originating in Scandinavia, the innovative concept has spread across the globe, with a brand-new adventure now inviting guests to get immersed in the action at The District Docklands. Designed as a prison-themed adventure, there are 34 individual cells to explore, each offering an exhilarating challenge to solve. With quick strategic wit, athletic agility and problem-solving skills all needed to crack each cell's code, this fast-paced experience is perfect for a big group, where the collective works in perfect harmony to complete their jailbreak. So, how does Prison Island work? Teams consisting of two to five players have 90 minutes to solve as many cells as possible, with the constant and ever-evolving challenges made to fill every moment with thrills for the whole crew. The more cells you solve, the higher you rank on the leaderboard. "Our mission is to bring people together through play and create an unforgettable experience. The various cells provide a dynamic and versatile experience that combines action, logic and teamwork," says Mikael Bouteillon, Founder of Prison Island. What makes Prison Island such a compelling experience is just how many skills are put to the test. To soar up the rankings, you'll need impressive recall, careful coordination and razor-sharp communication — whether you're dodging laser beams, solving intricate puzzles or operating complex mechanisms. With each cell having multiple solutions, it's all about finding the quickest answer to the riddle. Plus, this means that each visit gives you a chance to see if you can do even better than last time. Some impressive features of the immersive cells include a realistic submarine, a space filled with gym balls, rock climbing walls, and Morse code messages that need to be deciphered using the prison phones. Prison Island is open Wednesday–Friday from 2pm–8pm and Saturday–Sunday from 10am–9.30pm at 440 Docklands Drive, Docklands. Head to the website for more information.
With three stores across Melbourne and a sprawling menu of tea options on offer at each, Top Tea has you spoilt for choice. You'll spy fruity concoctions built on fresh ingredients rather than sugary syrups, tea drinks spiked with ice cream or Yakult, and, for the dairy fiends, a series of brûlée-topped, milk tea-based creations. But one of this spot's best-known offerings has to be the line of signature cheese teas, each finished with a creamy cheesecake-like foam layer, ready to be stirred through according to taste. It's an unexpectedly satisfying match to seasonal fruit flavours like dragonfruit, cherry or watermelon. If you're also on the lookout for solid food, the store sells a bunch of buns filled with OTT fillings like mochi, matcha cream and soybean custard. Top Tea's other two stores are located on Swanston Street and inside Westfield Doncaster.
Willow Urban Retreat has a little something for everyone, with an onsite wellness retreat, yoga studio, spa and cafe tucked away on High Street. The wellness hub has been thoughtfully designed by architect Melanie Beynon and interior designer Megan Hounslow, featuring soaring ceilings and exposed concrete. In the yoga studio, expect a regularly rotating program of sound healing experiences, yoga, pilates, dance and fitness classes. Meanwhile, the wellness retreat is home to infrared saunas, holistic facials and massages which focus on recharging your mind, body and spirit. Head Chef Nick Cree (formerly Supernormal, Top Paddock) heads up the nutritional offering, focusing on brunch plates that are designed to satisfy and nourish. Seasonal avocado on toast is upgraded with baba ganoush and roasted heirloom carrots, scrambled eggs are paired with kimchi and pea tendrils, or for something sweeter, make a beeline for the banana pancakes with house Nutella, raspberry purée, hazelnut crumble and seasonal fruits. Images: supplied.
Does your dream hotel include luxe rooms and suites, spectacular vistas, a pool with a killer view, a bustling onsite restaurant and bar, and a spot to get sipping outdoors? If so, you'll want to add the first-ever Kimpton Hotel in Brisbane — and Queensland — to your must-stay list. The hotel chain is launching a second Australian site to sit alongside the existing Kimpton Margot Sydney, with Teneriffe in the River City its destination. Set to open in 2028, the Skyring Terrace spot will feature 155 places to slumber, an infinity pool overlooking the Brisbane River, a signature eatery and watering hole that can seat at least 200, and an openair garden terrace bar. Brisbane's Kimpton Hotel will be a partnership between IHG Hotels & Resorts and property developer Kokoda Property, the latter of which is behind the $1.5-billion overall development in the Queensland capital's inner north. Locals will find the spot to stay amid residential apartments, warehouse-style lofts, shops, dining, co-working spaces and a community centre. Brisbanites will also score a lavish staycation go-to, and tourists a new accommodation option. The Kimpton's rooms will push design to the fore, although what that'll entail in its decor hasn't yet been revealed. Think: fancy, though; there'll even be a marquee suite for celebrities and VIPs. Think: views as well, with both the water and the Brisbane city skyline providing a backdrop. Eating at the restaurant and drinking at the bar will mean sky-high vantages, too, with both located on the 14th level. And as for the pool, swimming in it will mean looking out over the water while you're in the water. In addition, patrons can expect waterfront access from the hotel, an onsite spa and a fitness centre, plus meeting and event spaces spanning 618 square metres. Just don't go planning that stay yet — construction is set to start in 2025. [caption id="attachment_936166" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimpton Margot Sydney[/caption] "The Kimpton brand was the ideal choice for, and will be the centrepiece of, our striking Teneriffe development. The brand's lifestyle centric positioning, design and playful guest experiences will fit perfectly into this exciting and unique pocket of Brisbane," said Kokoda Property Founder and Managing Director Mark Stevens. "We're excited to play a part in the transformation of the historic suburb of Teneriffe from its industrial origins into one of the trendiest suburbs of Brisbane. It's a popular year-round hub for fitness, and is set to get even better with Skyring Terrace to connect Brisbane's famed riverwalk between Teneriffe and New Farm and become the cultural heartbeat of the lively area." [caption id="attachment_920155" align="alignnone" width="1947"] Kimpton Margot Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_920154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimpton Margot Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_920156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimpton Margot Sydney[/caption] Brisbane's Kimpton Hotel is set to open in 2028 at Kokoda Property's Skyring Terrace development in Teneriffe. Head to the Kokoda Property website for more details.
If you’ve been feeling like a helpless bystander in the global food crisis, you can now take action — simply by, well, doing a wee. Problem is, it’ll only count if you do it in Amsterdam — and in public. A Netherlands’ utilities company by the name of Waternet has set up a bunch of pee-collecting urinals in the Dutch capital. Their plan is to send the fluid to a recovery plant, where the all-important phosphorus will be filtered out and transformed into struvite fertiliser. From there, it’ll be transported to farms and flower gardens. Fertiliser without phosphorous is kind of like coffee without caffeine — lacking the crucial kick. Even though phosphorus is, in and of itself, a renewable resource, modern agricultural access to it depends largely on phosphate rock reserves. Given that they’ve taken millions of years to form, they’re very much finite. But the good news is that, according to several studies, one individual’s urine delivers sufficient nutrients to grow food for themselves, as well as meet 50-100 percent of the dietary needs of another person. In that sense, Waternet is merely tapping into the biological processes that have kept us alive for thousands of years. And we thought our pop-up pissoirs were the hottest tourist attraction since the Opera House. Via Springwise.
Alternative milk may have taken the world by storm, but that doesn't mean classic dairy milk has been relegated to the back seat. That's plain to see with Fitzroy's St David Dairy, a cafe that opened at the tail end of 2024 and is, at the time of writing, Melbourne's only micro-dairy. That's a dairy farm that keeps things small-scale and more ethical than your run-of-the-mill commercial dairy operation. The establishment and its owners know that dairy is a complex subject, but they take strides to ensure that all products on the shelves and in the refrigerators are made the way they should be: small-scale and local. Visitors can see most of the process unfurling while they sit and sip their coffee. With raw dairy products sourced from Gippsland, every batch of milk is tested daily for quality and hand-poured inside the cafe premises. You'll be able to walk away with milk, yoghurt, cream, butter, cheese, buttermilk or crème fraiche. And just like the good old days, if you return with an empty glass bottle of milk, you'll get a refill for cheaper. The offering is only increasing in size, with the cafe recently installing an ice creamery. There are also plans to host workshops in its space, including a butter master class, coffee cupping, ice cream pairing, and events educating people about sustainable practices, artisanal practices and the importance of sourcing locally.
Fashion isn't the first industry that most rugby stars choose post-retirement. For Lewi Brown, however, it was a chance to channel his creative streak into a self-run project. Earls Collection is an elevated menswear label that creates nostalgic and sport-inspired looks. Now in its sixth year, the brand is going from strength to strength with new collections and its Paddington brick-and-mortar store. We caught up with founder Lewi Brown in Sydney to learn more about Earls Collection and why it's helping him find the community he lost after leaving the NRL. Founded just days after retiring from the NRL in 2018, Earls Collection represents a strong family connection for the Māori creative director. Lewi grew up as the child of a single mother and used his creativity to get by. While it would be decades until he explored the fashion world seriously, Lewi always had a creative streak, crediting skaters as his ultimate sport and style inspiration. "I had to get creative with what we had," he says. "We didn't have much money so I wasn't wearing designer stuff. Half the time I was wearing my aunty's skate shoes, my sister's skate shoes, just to try and piece things together. As I grew up, I started to embrace the creativity of dressing." The name also ties to Lewi's family legacy. Earls is the middle name of Lewi, as well as his father and grandfather, both of whom passed by suicide. "This brand is built off mental health [awareness]." Now, Lewi is channelling a whole new community using the creativity he didn't know he had as a child. Through working with creative collaborators on shoots or via the face-to-face relationships built in the Paddington store, Earls Collection is helping foster a sense of community that can often be lost when leaving an institution such as the sporting world. [caption id="attachment_1028531" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Declan May - Galaxy Z Flip7 is featured[/caption] "When I played rugby league, community was huge. You had your community within the boys at training each day, then the wider community, then the fans." As a business owner, the founder and creative director has to wear many hats, but Lewi loves the juggle and credits tools such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 to his creative drive and success. From booking meetings on the fly to campaign photoshoots and helping make styling and business decisions, the phone is supercharged by Google Gemini*, making it even easier to run his self-made brand. "I always knew it would be a challenge. Some days I'm logistics, some days I'm designing, some days I'm in the warehouse packing orders. When you love something, and you're so passionate you'd do anything for it," he says. In addition to his familial and community inspiration, Lewi often looks to vintage stores and clothes to help inspire Earls Collection's aesthetic. During our catch-up, Lewi takes us to the consignment store SWOP Darlinghurst. "The most beautiful thing about vintage wear is that you can't emulate that. The textures of the fabrics [get] better with age and time and patience. That's the beauty about thrift shopping." While many celebrity ambassadors take on similar projects to chase fame and money, it's clear that the sporting community spirit is at the heart of Earls Collection. "I'm not just here for money or fame or to have a profile. I'm really passionate about clothing." Explore more at Samsung. Images by Declan May If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional distress, please contact Lifeline (131 114) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for help and support. *Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Available on select devices and select countries, languages, and to users 18+. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Editing with Generative Edit results in a resized photo up to 12MP. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Flex Mode supported at angles between 75°and 115°. Some apps may not be supported in Flex Mode. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Requires internet connection and Google Account login. Works on compatible apps. Features may differ depending on subscription. Set up may be required for certain functions or apps. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.
O'Connells Hotel is located along Coventry Street in the hub of South Melbourne and has been a staple of the suburb for over 140 years, keeping punters warm with a fireplace through winter and satisfied with a courtyard out back during the sunny months. The venue boasts modern Australian dining with dishes that are innovative and contemporary while giving a solid nod to the venue's pub roots. It's the perfect spot for a round of cocktails, including the menu's classics, such as a mojito, minted mule or espresso martini. There's a mocktail list for any non-drinkers in the group too, which will be sure to keep their whistles wet. Images: Brook James
