Cumulus Up's City Cellar Door series returns for 2018, once again featuring a revolving door of Australian wine producers all keen to show off their top-notch drops. The event is the perfect opportunity to taste delicious wine, chat directly to the makers and grab your fave bottles at cellar door prices — all without leaving the CBD. And, while Victorian producers will once again sit in the spotlight, the series will also showcase Tasmanian wineries for the first time. The year's first instalment — which will run on the first Saturday of every month until October — kicks off at midday on May 5, this month paying homage to the Mornington Peninsula. Wine enthusiasts will be treated to stellar tipples from the likes of Main Ridge Estate, Prossimo, Allies and Avani, alongside matched snacks available from the Cumulus clan. And what's wine without snacks? To make sure the event has all the trimmings, there'll be plenty to eat, including the bar's suckling pig. Entry is by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to OzHarvest. This is a not-to-be-missed event for anyone who loves wine.
Let's go party, indeed: Barbie is here, filling Australian cinemas with pink-hued cheer, and slaying both the patriarchy and the Australian box office. Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring take on the famous doll packed picture palaces not just with every shade of not-quite-red it could, but with people, breaking a Malibu DreamHouse worth records in the process. If you noticed plenty of fellow filmgoers watching this trip to Barbie Land, then Los Angeles, then back with you last weekend, that was the experience mirrored around the country. In fact, Barbie notched up the biggest opening at the Australian box office for 2023 so far, raking in $21.5 million including preview screenings. The stats keep coming, but the best is truly historic: Barbie enjoyed the biggest opening weekend for a film directed by a female filmmaker. It earned that same huge opening weekend title for films with any of Robbie, Gerwig and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) involved. Now that's some Kenergy. Also, Barbie helped smash even more records as part of the double feature of 2023: Barbenheimer. Thanks to both Barbie and Christopher Nolan's vastly dissimilar atomic-bomb thriller Oppenheimer, the Aussie box office saw its biggest-ever Saturday and Sunday takings. On Saturday, July 22, $11.1 million spent bested the $10.3 million recorded in April 2019 when Avengers: Endgame released. On Sunday, July 23, the $10.5 million gross topped the $9.96 million taken in December 2105 — on the Boxing Day public holiday on December 27, in fact — as fuelled by Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, plus Boxing Day releases. Specific cinemas also broke past records. At Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, the independent theatre scored its highest-grossing weekend in its 88-year history. Oppenheimer in 70mm notched up the cinema's highest-grossing opening ever, while Barbie now sits second in that same category. At Melbourne's Cinema Nova, the also-independent cinema looks set to earn its biggest box-office week of all time. If it does, it'll break the record set in January 2020, when Gerwig's Little Women was playing alongside films like Jojo Rabbit and Parasite. Barbie also took the opening-week record from Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, and might become the first film by a female filmmaker to hit the venue's top ten of all time list. As for Oppenheimer, it's in the top ten biggest opening weekends. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that Barbie and Oppenheimer's successes mean that two movies that aren't part of long-running franchises have audiences flocking in. Neither film comes in as the fifth or 11th or 17th or 31st entries in a long-running saga, and don't we all know and love it. Here's the big takeaway: more of that please, especially given that oh-so-much of what reaches the silver screen is a sequel, prequel or chapter in a sprawling universe these days. Check out the trailers for Barbie and Oppenheimer below: Barbie is showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review. Oppenheimer is also showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review, too.
We all love a bottomless brunch — whether it comes in the classic eggs and mimosa form, or the more contemporary lunch adaptation where you get a whole lineup of endless cocktails paired with a hefty set menu. Ming Dining's new bottomless brunch falls into the latter's definition. From Friday–Sunday, the crew is plating up a seven-course Asian-fusion feed paired with bottomless cocktails, beer and wine for only $69 per person — that's a proper bargain. During the two-hour window, that table will fill up with dumplings, spring onion pancakes, Hiromasa kingfish, Taiwanese calamari, beef short rib bao buns, sweet and sour pork, and a luxe black truffle fried rice. When it comes to cocktails, you can try some of its signature Asian-inspired sips as well as your classic Aperol spritz, espresso martini and spicy margarita. Few bottomless brunch spots have such vast offerings (both when it comes to food and bevs), so be sure to take advantage of this one.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, fight Mondayitis at a trampoline playground, win big playing Mario Kart at Bosozoku and hit the planetarium for a night of films on the big dome. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Richmond's longstanding Meatball & Wine Bar quietly shut up shop earlier this month. But hey, one baller's loss is a Francophile's gain, with the Swan Street space this week revealing its next tenant — a charming new all-day French bistro by the name of Tartine. The brainchild of chef Andrew Beddoes (Ines Wine Bar, The Grand Richmond, Soho House's French cafe, Café Boheme) and Meatball & Wine's Matteo Bruno, Tartine opens its doors this Thursday, August 25. The contemporary French restaurant comes complete with a takeaway coffee window and onsite provedore. Named after the French word for 'open sandwich', the venue is of course doing some 'delicieux' things when it comes to bread. Developed especially for the restaurant, Tartine's locally-made artisan sourdough is crafted on organic spelt and stone-ground flour, then used as a vehicle for cleverly reworked classic tartine toppings. Expect combinations like pear and roquefort cheese; pork rillettes and cornichons; crab and green apple paired with a crab emulsion; and prosciutto with celeriac remoulade. The bread itself is also available to buy from the provedore, along with a selection of wine and some of the kitchen's own signature toppings. As for the rest of the bistro menu, it'll see you snacking in style, starting off with small bites like pâté en croûte (terrine encased in pastry), hash browns with truffle and foie gras, scallop tartare and a slew of charcuterie options. There's a cheese trolley loaded with international delights, and a caviar service in honour of Melbourne's current favourite culinary pastime. Mains might include a side of pork paired with quince and charred cabbage, and a steak frites with Montpellier butter, while classics like lemon tart and apple tarte tatin rule the dessert list. Natural wines lead the drinks offering, though you'll also find a lineup of oh-so-French champagne cocktails to see you from brunch through to after-dinner sips. Find Tartine at 105 Swan Street, Richmond, from August 25. It's open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, as well as for Sunday lunch.
Sometimes, you just have to take advice from a pop-culture phenomenon — and if you're wondering whether to see Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton, you need to listen to the show itself. Melburnians, you don't want to throw away your shot to see the biggest show of the past seven years and the most talked-about musical of the decade right here at home while you can. After premiering in Sydney in early 2021, Hamilton has been dazzling Melbourne since March this year; however, its time at Her Majesty's Theatre is limited. The show will officially close on Sunday, January 15, 2023, ready to make the move to Brisbane, letting the Sunshine State be in the room where it happens. That's the sad news — and news that means that you'll need to get as passionate about getting a ticket as Alexander Hamilton was about America if you haven't caught Hamilton's Melbourne run yet. Here's some great news to go with it, though: you can still nab yourself a cheap ticket to see this musical take on US politics in the 18th century. As happened with The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Moulin Rouge! The Musical, a ticket lottery is being held for Hamilton's Melbourne season — and, while it started when the show did, it's still going strong. Plus, this one is cheap. Very cheap, in fact. Via TodayTix, you can sign up for your chance to score a ticket for just $10. Yes, that figure is accurate. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each Friday. The lottery goes live at 12.01am every Friday morning and closes at 1pm the next Thursday, with winners drawn between 1–6pm on that Thursday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. And, if you need a reminder, you'll also be able to sign up for lottery alerts via Today Tix, too. Hamilton isn't the kind of musical you miss while it's in town. After hitting Broadway in 2015, it has won 11 Tony Awards and become one of the Obamas' favourite musicals, too. The critically acclaimed hip hop show, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of its eponymous Founding Father, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America — and in addition to its those Tonys, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. While you wait for your lottery shot, you can still watch the filmed version of Hamilton with the original Broadway cast on Disney+ — yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard. Hamilton's Melbourne season runs until Sunday, January 15, 2023 at Her Majesty's Theatre. Visit the musical's website for further details. To enter the Today Tix $10 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Daniel Boud, Destination NSW.
If you love meat, smoke and maybe a bit of hot sauce and kimchi, then you're in the right city. In Melbourne, there's no shortage of quality barbecue, whether you're looking for American-style brisket in Brunswick or Korean cuts in the CBD. Our barbecue is so sophisticated that, these days, barbecue had infiltrated fine dining and, at some spots, even vegetarians are fully catered for. One place even has a karaoke room. As luck would have it, these joints have also perfected the art of barbecue drinking — crack a tinnie just like you're in your mate's backyard, order a glass of funky orange riesling or go for soju in every variety available. Here are some of our top picks for all things barbecue (and booze) in Melbourne. Recommended reads: The Best Steak in Melbourne The Best Hot Pots in Melbourne The Best Pubs in Melbourne The Best Restaurants in Melbourne
Reaching the ripe old age of 42 years is no mean feat for an Australian music fest. But beloved bayside celebration St Kilda Festival is doing just that when it returns in February to deliver its bumper 2023 instalment. And yes, it's dishing up a hefty lineup of musical guests to mark the occasion. Already confirmed to be heading along to join the free festivities from Saturday, February 18–Sunday, February 19: big-name Aussie acts Hoodoo Gurus, Confidence Man and Christine Anu. Now, it's confirmed that they'll be joined by Genesis Owusu, Yothu Yindi, Alice Ivy and a whole lot more. [caption id="attachment_885347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mackenzie Sweetnam[/caption] St Kilda Festival's refreshed 2023 format is set to include the new First Peoples First program celebrating Indigenous music and culture on the Saturday. Anu will take the stage alongside acts like Jem Cassar-Daley, Jungaji, Lady Lash and Dean Brady, while the late Archie Roach is to be honoured with a dedicated musical tribute featuring Emma Donovan, Bumpy, Sally Dastey and others. The following day will fire up for Big Festival Sunday, with multiple stages playing host to artists like ARIA award-winning hip hop star Genesis Owusu, legendary Aussie outfit Yothu Yindi, singer-songwriter Hatchie, electro darling Alice Ivy and longtime Nick Cave collaborator, the multi-talented Mick Harvey, just to name a few. Throw in more live sounds from the likes of Jen Cloher, THNDO, JK-47, Ashwarya and Phoebe Go, plus roving entertainment, dance performances, community activities, market stalls, and scores of food and drink pop-ups, and it's safe to say this fest is celebrating its 42nd birthday in style. [caption id="attachment_839020" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nathan Doran[/caption] [caption id="attachment_839022" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nathan Doran[/caption] St Kilda Festival will take over the St Kilda Foreshore and surrounds from Saturday, February 18– Sunday, February 19. Check out the full program over on the website. Top images: Nathan Doran and Andy Swann.
If there's anyone in Sydney who knows where to find the best street art, the smartest galleries and the most fun art gatherings, it's Scott Marsh. Even if you don't know his name, chances are, you know his work. His most famous piece is undoubtedly Kanye Loves Kanye, a seven-metre-tall mural of two Kanyes kissing one another, which appeared in Teggs Lane, Chippendale, in April 2016. Within a month, someone paid Marsh $100,000 to buff (graffiti-speak for paint over) it. Also among his international headline-grabbing works are Casino Mike, a satirical portrait of former NSW premier Mike Baird painted as a protest against the lockout laws, and Tony Loves Tony, an image of Tony Abbott marrying himself. In partnership with Pullman Hotels and Resorts, we're helping you explore more on your next holiday and make sure you get those experiences that the area's most switched-on residents wouldn't want their visitors to miss. In Sydney, we've called in Scott, whose favourite spots range from Wendy Whiteley's dreamy harbourside garden to the best shops for premium spray paint. A stay in one of Pullman's two locations in central Sydney — Hyde Park and Quay Grand Sydney Harbour (there's also two more at Sydney Airport and Sydney Olympic Park) — will not only put you in the thick of all this action, it will let you contemplate all you've seen in five-star luxury at the end of the day. Read on for Scott's perspective on Sydney's artistic hot spots, and check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. SUNDAY WALLS AT THE LORD GLADSTONE Since June 2015, artists and musicians have been gathering once a month at the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale for Sunday Walls. From 2 until 10pm, an emerging or established graffiti artist works on a temporary mural with a stack of spray cans, while live hip hop DJs provide a soundtrack. Punters hang around to watch, eat $10 fried chicken and share $15 jugs of Frank Strongs. The Lord Gladstone attracts a pretty laidback, eclectic crowd, and watching a new art work appear before your eyes can't not be fun. GOODSPACE GALLERY OPENINGS Goodspace Gallery gives Chippendale a weekly art fix with exhibition openings on Wednesday evenings from 6pm–9pm. Artists score a good deal because the space doesn't charge rent or take commissions. Plus, both local and international talent features. In early November, Sydney-based photographer James Simpson exhibited Endless Summer, a collection of photos influenced by French and Italian cinema of the '60s and '70s. The week before, photographer Joshua Valageorgiou, who splits his time between Sydney and Athens, took over the space with Cluster, a black-and-white analogue series. [caption id="attachment_644404" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] by Luke Shirlaw[/caption] IRONLAK ART AND DESIGN About a year ago, this graffiti-dedicated retail space opened on the ground floor of Central Park, Broadway. It's the Sydney flagship of Ironlak, a premium spray-paint brand founded in the early 2000s by Australian graffiti artist Luke Shirlaw, in collaboration with brothers Levi and Heath Ramsay, and now sold internationally. Not only is Ironlak Art and Design a great place to check out quality products and meet artists, the walls are covered in street art. Plus, it's open until 8pm 363 days a year, so even if you're in a full-time job, you can drop by and get what you need to start your next project. REDFERN AND NEWTOWN GRAFFITI AND STREET ART There's a few great street art spots around Redfern and Newtown that I check out whenever I can. More often than not, I find something new to see. In Redfern, expect to catch me around The Block or Phillip Lane, where there's a lot of Indigenous street art, including works by Reko Rennie and Hego, telling stories of history, identity and resistance. When I'm in Newtown, I take a wander down Wilford and Gladstone Streets. Young Henrys is nearby, which means it's pretty tempting to stop for a beer sample or two. FINTAN MAGEE'S HOUSING BUBBLE MURAL This is my favourite mural in Sydney. It's called The Housing Bubble and it's on the side of the Urban hotel, on the corner of Enmore and Station Streets. Fintan Magee, an artist who was born in Lismore and grew up in Brisbane, painted it over the course of four days during Marrickville Council's Perfect Match street art festival in July 2015. Every year, the event brings a bunch of new works to Sydney, by providing artists with spaces and encouraging crowds to watch as they sketch, paint and spray. [caption id="attachment_644637" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] by Newtown Graffiti[/caption] SYDNEY STEEL ROAD, MARRICKVILLE Found just a short walk from Sydenham Station, Sydney Steel Road puts a whole lot of excellent art, colour and vibrancy into an otherwise industrial area. There's everything from realistic portraits to political statements to giant, surrealist murals. When you're done here, wander across Camdenville Park to May Lane, which gives you a stack more work to see. A shopkeeper started a graffiti wall there more than 15 years ago because he wanted to create a space where artists could work legally. May Lane is a fixture on the Perfect Match program, so major new works are added each year. 567 KING Newtown's graffiti writers have been stocking up here since August 2005, and these days, artists of all kinds drop by. Whether you want spray paint, pencils, paints or paper, you can get it. Plus, if listening to a bit of hip hop on vinyl or CD while you're working is your thing, you can make your picks in the shop and ask the crew to deliver them to your door. There's also a handy commissioning service: get in touch with a request for an artwork and 567King will hook you up with the right artist for the job. BRETT WHITELEY STUDIO When Brett Whiteley died in Thirroul in 1992, he left behind this studio in Surry Hills, where he'd worked and lived since 1985. Walking in here is a bit like stepping back in time, into Whiteley's private and artistic life. There are paintings he started but never finished, piles of books that gave him inspiration and quotes scrawled across the wall. In the adjoining gallery, temporary exhibitions showcase works owned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Whiteley Estate and private collectors, so there's always a new reason to visit. WENDY'S SECRET GARDEN Across the harbour, in Lavender Bay, is the creative work of the other half of the legendary Whiteley partnership: Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden. From 1970, for the best part of 20 years, the Whiteleys lived in a house nearby. When Brett passed away, Wendy coped with her grief by setting to work on the land, which back then, was disused railway property, covered in rubbish and weeds. Now, it's a haven of blood leaf, ginger, angel's trumpets, palms, fig trees and sandstone walls overhung with rambling vines, where I come to escape, sketch and drink coffee. MCA ARTBAR MCA ARTBAR combines art with music and live performance to create something entirely new. The happening takes over various parts of the gallery on the last Friday of every month, and even if you've checked out the program, you never can tell quite what you're in for. In July 2017, Latai Taumoepeau curated Archipela_GO ....this is not a drill, a mix of live performances and interactive works exploring climate change. Before that, in May, Vivid 2017 artist Julia Gorman brought together samba dancers, DJs, artists and a pop-up jewellery stall for a night of colour and light. Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
One of the most crippling and persistent of first world problems is the fact that sometimes things remain over there when you in fact want them over here. But now cutting-edge spy technology could change all that. How did we fail to see the answer, when it was right in front of our eyes? All we need is a way to give objects wings, and Dutch designer Jasper van Loenen has already done the bothersome design work for us. Drone It Yourself takes the guesswork out of droning, by using simple components to transform any (lightweight) item into a flying beast of the skies. Channelling our Zeitgeist's motif of personal customisation, anyone can 3D-print the kit's parts, which can also be altered and enhanced with any clamps or other addenda you may wish to incorporate into your quadrocopter. Grab your remote control/pizza/Frankie magazine, and dispatch it on its stealth mission. The kit's four propellors connect to a control unit containing a receiver, bluetooth module, 4 ESCs and OpenPilot CC3D flightcontroller. Presto: next-level convenience — and a springboard for further innovation — is achieved. Check out the video below to see how it looks when drones become tools that anyone can make. Via Mashable.
When you've fought for your life, plus a massive cash prize, while donning a green tracksuit, you're probably not going to shake off the deadly endeavour easily. So shows the latest teaser trailer for Squid Game season two. Lee Jung-jae (The Acolyte) is back as Gi-hun, and there's a familiar face — or mask — at his door, awakening him from a restless slumber. Soon, he's back on bunks as competitor 456. Let the games begin — again. Following a three-year wait since its award-winning first season, and after teasing the show's 2024 return since January, Squid Game will start playing once more on Boxing Day. If you usually spend the day after Christmas shopping, at the cinema or recovering from your food coma by trying to play backyard cricket, you now have other plans if you want to catch the next instalment of the South Korean thriller ASAP. It was back in August that Netflix not only advised when its huge 2021 hit — one of the best new TV programs of that year, in fact — will finally make a comeback, but also announced that there's even more in store. After Squid Game season two arrives on Thursday, December 26, 2024, Squid Game season three will drop sometime in 2025. There's no exact date for the latter as yet, but it will be the final season, closing out the Squid Game story. The streaming platform revealed both pieces of news with a date announcement teaser that featured a running track, competitors in recognisable green tracksuits, and also-familiar folks in red watching on alongside the masked Front Man — and with a letter from series director, writer and executive producer Hwang Dong-hyuk. Now, Netflix has dropped its next sneak peek at the second season — including at new games. Also back: Gi-hun's nemesis (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). If you're wondering what else is in the works after the hefty gap — Squid Game was such a huge smash in it first season that Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 that more was on the way, and also released a teaser trailer for it the same year, before announcing its new cast members in 2023 — a few further details were dropped earlier in the year. That's when Netflix previously unveiled a first brief snippet of Squid Game season two in a broader trailer for Netflix's slate for the year, as it releases every 12 months. In the footage, Seong Gi-hun answers a phone call while at the airport sporting his newly crimson locks. He's soon told "you're going to regret the choice you've made". Cue his statement of vengeance; Squid Game meets John Wick, anyone? Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) is also back as detective Hwang Jun-ho, as is Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place. A show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount, which means that new faces were always going to be essential in Squid Game season two — so that's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all come in. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game when it premiered, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Check out the latest teaser trailer for Squid Game season below: Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Images: Netflix.
You should cut down on your porklife and get to the Palais Theatre this summer, Damon Albarn is coming to Melbourne. Celebrating the recent release of his critically-acclaimed first solo venture Everyday Roots, the legendary Blur frontman will bring early Christmas presents to Melburnians with an intimate performance on Friday, December 12. Alongside his Blur/Gorillaz escapades, the 46-year-old has casually worked with Everyone Ever — including the late Bobby Womack, buds Brian Eno, Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes), Paul Simonon (The Clash), master drummer Tony Allen, Snoop Dogg and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers). For his Melbourne show he'll be joined onstage with his shiny new live crew, The Heavy Seas, plus a cheeky string quartet and onstage choir. Epic. While the setlist will undoubtedly focus on Albarn's solo material, fingers are crossed for a Boys and Girls Easter Egg or two. Damon Albarn will play the Palais Theatre at 7:30pm, Friday 12 December. Tickets available from Ticketmaster. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ODG3VRkncBc
Snorkelling. Private jets. Quokkas. Go-getters Heineken and boutique experience cultivators MrAristotle are at it again, and this time with a prize so appealing, you’ll want to move to Perth just to enter. To mark the release of SPECTRE — the 24th film in the iconic James Bond franchise — Heineken is celebrating its long-term partnership with the Bond brand to offer a few lucky fans a series of unbelievable and exclusive luxury experiences. Throughout November and December, Heineken have been hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that are so mysterious participants haven't known what’s in store until they’re suddenly whisked away and thrown right into the middle of the action right as it happens. Having already revealed their helicopter pub tour and personal stylist session prizes, Heineken and MrAristotle have now unveiled their latest prize. Forget packing into the stuffy car and spending hours looking for a park, this one’s for the high-flyers... literally. It's a pretty fancy trip to Rottnest Island for lucky Perth people — we're talking luxury private jets, snorkelling in coral gardens, gourmet lunches, quokkas, the works. So what type of mission are you up for? You'll just have to sign up to find out — it could be anything worthy of the world of James Bond. Sure, that could technically mean you have to infiltrate villain lairs and have various tuxedo scuba suits on hand for 24 hours, but we’re pretty confident it’s referring to the fun stuff: parties filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. To be in the running, fans need to sign up via the Heineken's The Catch website and have your mates locked, loaded and ready to move at a moment’s notice. High fashion and jet skis aren’t essential, but they’ll certainly come in handy... Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Whether you're searching for budget skincare solutions, are stuck in a makeup rut or have never quite figured out how to apply eyeliner properly, YouTube has long been a beauty vlogging haven. But what if you're trying to stay glam after nuclear winter decimates the earth, wipes out life as we know it and forces the mutated remnants of humanity deep underground? Only Sarah's Channel can show you how to dazzle in that literally nightmarish situation — and how to make homemade lipstick out of saliva, clay, blood and what seem to be glow-in-the-dark mushrooms. It's set two centuries after a world-ending disaster and, after initially dying along with the vast majority of the population, Sarah (Claudia O'Doherty) has been reanimated. She's supposed to help the planet's waning survivors grow crops, overcome illnesses, restart civilisation and avoid being eaten by a giant monster called Quahmork — just everyday things, really — but the beauty vlogger, influencer, brand ambassador and author would rather keep doing what she knows. In her original life, Sarah had more than 3.5 million subscribers across her various social media platforms, and she's not going to let them down. They're all dead, but what's the point of saving the few not-quite-people left if no one looks their best? That's the idea behind the ABC's hilarious new satirical series, with Sarah's Channel taking amusing and astute aim at influencer culture and manufactured authenticity — all while its eponymous host dispenses beauty advice in a bleak, post-apocalyptic future, of course. Now available on both ABC iview and YouTube, the first season's six five-minute episodes cover everything you need to know if you're having #dystopianworldproblems, including Sarah's favourite products, her daily routine living in a fortified bunker and how to give a makeover to a slimy subterranean creature who has evolved from humanity. If you loved Australian actor and comedian O'Doherty in Netflix's Love — if you thought she was the best thing about the romantic dramedy, in fact — then you'll feel the same about her turn as the relatable yet oblivious Sarah. She stars alongside Sarah's Channel writer/director Nick Coyle (stage production Feather in the Web), who plays terrified mole person Justin. Sarah's Channel is the smart end-of-the-world parody and scathing takedown of online behaviour that you didn't know you needed. Watch the first episode below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deLiDLkQzio The entire six-episode first season of Sarah's Channel is now available to watch on ABC iview and YouTube.
Wiseman's Ferry is a teeny, tiny village perched on the banks of the mighty Hawkesbury River, surrounded by national park and with a population of just 220. The settlement gets its name from one Solomon Wiseman, an ex-convict who, in 1827, organised the first river crossing by ferry. And his service still runs today. A weekend at Wiseman's usually involves hours lolling by, on and in the river; pretty walks through nearby Dharug and Yengo National Parks; some pub grub at Wiseman's Inn and perusing paintings by local artists. On top of that, the annual Return To Rio rolls into town in November for three days to add even more reason to make your way to the idyllic village. This year, Carl Cox and Eric Powell will be powering through their Mobile Disco, a twelve-hour (yep) marathon of funk, soul, disco and classic house, pumped out by a live, twelve-piece band. Also in the line-up are Incognito, Lee Foss, &ME, Fabio and Grooverider, Bedouin, Neil James and loads more dance music legends. When you're not furiously making shapes, you can take a timeout at yoga classes, meditation sessions, markets and swimming holes. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you make the most of your Return to Rio. Here are the best options for what to eat, what to do and where to stay during the festival weekend. EAT AND DRINK At Return To Rio, expect an array of food stalls, peddling all kinds of international cuisines, from steaming pho to massive burgers, designed to fuel all-night dancing. Vegos and vegans, fear not: you'll be well catered for, too. Also, if food options are any worry, you're invited to pack your own steak or haloumi slab and fry it up on one of the barbecues provided. Outside of the festival, no visit to Wiseman's Ferry counts without a visit to Wiseman's Inn. Built in 1827, this sandstone retreat was once Solomon Wiseman's stately home and is now owned by ex-Wallaby Bill Young. On cool days, relax by the open fire; on hot ones, head into the shady beer garden. Either way, keep an eye out for the local ghosts who are said to be roaming the halls of the inn. Meanwhile, you can find coffee, house-made pies and wraps at Wiseman's Ferry Grocer, and a solid modern Australian offering at Busby's Cafe, where dishes include garlic prawns in creamy chive-white wine sauce, as well as baby barramundi fillets with kipfler potatoes and tomato-rocket salad. For a fancier bite, reserve a table at Riverbend Restaurant, within the idyllic, landscaped gardens of The Retreat. The ever-changing menu is big on local, seasonal produce. DO Festival bound? Your first job is to dance until you're wrecked. After that, wander around the Return To Rio markets, relax at a yoga session and restore your energy by the pool, complete with cocktail bar and soundtracked by reggae. Your ticket also gets you access to the resort's facilities, which include a nine-hole golf course, volleyball and tennis courts and plenty of river frontage. When you're ready to find out what lies beyond the festival gates, a bush walk is a good starting point. For a piece of convict history, as well as some stunning Hawkesbury vistas, there's the Old Great North Road World Heritage Walk, a nine-kilometre loop that begins on the river's northern bank (you'll need to catch the ferry). If you're short on time, it's possible to stroll along just one section, such as Hangman's Rock. A more challenging adventure is the 11 Kilometre Walking Track, which takes in ferny forests, friendly creeks and some steep sections. Next up is the question of getting onto the water. Hawkesbury House Boats hires out various vessels, from kayaks to speedboats. Meanwhile, Xterra Adventures offers guided tours in the form of a four-hour escapade up MacDonald River, a tributary of the Hawkesbury that includes morning tea. Keen to meet a few arty types? Wiseman's Ferry's natural beauty and isolation have been attracting them for years. Check out their work at Ferry Artists' Gallery, a community-run venture that exhibits painting, sculpture, jewellery, ceramics and glassware. There are occasional workshops, too. STAY The festival grounds give you pretty much every accommodation option under the sun: camp it (with your own tent), glamp it (with Simple Pleasures providing all your needs) or tipi it (in one of Rainbow Tipis' magnificent creations). Should you seek the protection of four solid walls, book a cabin, lodge or home — depending on the size of your crew. Last, but not least, you're welcome to bring your own mobile digs, be they van, car or motorhome: just make sure you book a spot before leaving home. Like the idea of popping in and out of the action? Get some buddies together and sleepover on a houseboat. Able Hawkesbury River Houseboats have them for all budgets. At one end, there's the five-star Spa, with five queen-sized ensuite bedrooms, a ten-person jacuzzi, full kitchen, lounge room and wrap-around deck. At the other, there's the humble Aquavan two to four berth, with sleeping space for up to four on day lounges that turn into double beds, a shady front deck and a barbecue. The benefit of the Aquavan's littleness is that you can go exploring on the Colo and MacDonald Rivers. Back on land, the aforementioned Wiseman's Inn harbours a bunch of straightforward, affordable rooms. Or, if you want to go all out on a luxe stay, check into The Retreat, a 50-acre property with 54 rooms, including spa suites, as well as a golf course, tennis courts and pool. Return To Rio takes place at Del Rio Resort from November 3 to 5. Personalise your next adventure via The Playmaker, driven by Mazda3.
When the Victorian Government revealed its reopening roadmap to take the state out of its strict current COVID-19 lockdowns, it flagged a big shift for Melbourne's hospitality scene. While outdoor dining isn't an unfamiliar concept, it's a key part of Victoria's plans to allow restaurants, cafes and eateries to start welcoming customers back onto the premises. In fact, when hospitality businesses in the metropolitan Melbourne area are permitted to move away from takeaway and delivery-only operations — earmarked for Monday, October 26, as long as the state has a state-wide average of less than five new COVID-19 cases over the previous 14 days, with less than five cases coming from an unknown source in the same period — they'll be asked to run "predominantly outdoor seated service only". Just what that requirement entails has received plenty of attention over the past few weeks, with both the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne providing some details. Both outlined a similar al fresco approach to the one currently being employed in New York City, which allows food venues to temporarily use sidewalks and curbs for openair dining to cater to more customers within health restrictions — and now the local powers-that-be have unveiled a temporary extended outdoor dining permit scheme, and explained what said permits can be used for. When eat-in service recommences, Melburnians won't just tucking into a meal outdoors — they'll be dining on footpaths, in on-street car parking spaces that have been taken over by adjacent businesses, in laneways and even on the street. All four options are listed by the City of Melbourne as reasons to obtain a free permit, with the plan forming part of the City of Melbourne and Victorian Government's $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund. "We're reopening the city for business and will work with venues to find outdoor dining opportunities appropriate for their unique part of the city," said Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp in a statement. "We will continue to advocate for flexibility so restaurants and cafes can open indoors in a COVID-safe way sooner," she continued, while also noting that the city "will balance the expansion of outdoor dining with the needs of our residents" — considering traffic conditions, the safety of patrons, and maintaining access for pedestrians, residents and essential vehicles. [caption id="attachment_697521" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Duke of Kerr by Kate Shanasy[/caption] The Lord Mayor also gave an indication of what street closures could look like, with roadways shut down to create more space for dining and entertainment on weekends. "Temporary street closures would create a festive atmosphere for outdoor dining. We could temporarily close locations such as Bellair Street in Kensington and Faraday Street in Carlton to help businesses trade safely," she explained. Among the other sites that could be temporarily closed for dining, Bourke Street between Exhibition and Spring streets, Russell Street between Lonsdale and Bourke streets, Domain Road in South Yarra and Errol Street in North Melbourne have all been floated. For businesses that don't have access to an outdoor space — that can't trade in front of their premises on a footpath, on-street car parking spaces, laneways and or on the street — the City of Melbourne is also looking to create hospitality hubs a to around town that let these venues come together. Obviously, exactly when these outdoor dining plans will come into effect is dependent on COVID-19 case numbers. That said, businesses can start applying for permits from Thursday, October 1. For more information about the City of Melbourne's extended outdoor dining permits, visit the local government body's website. Additional details about the City of Melbourne's COVID-19 response are also available on its the website. And for more information about the Victorian Government's roadmap, head to vic.gov.au. Top image: Good Times by Kate Shanasy
A film festival that brings the best and brightest new Japanese movies to Australian cinemas each year is a film festival to cherish. Also ace: a film fest that features a solely digital lineup of flicks and TV shows from Japan that you can check out from your couch. So, while it isn't time for the IRL Japanese Film Festival for 2024 yet — it last hit locations around the country across September–November 2023 — the Japanese Film Festival Online will keep you entertained this winter. Both fests serve up a handy way to view the latest and greatest Japanese fare without hopping on a plane, but only the online version lets you do so from home. Running from Wednesday, June 5–Wednesday, July 3, 2024's version will feature 23 films and two TV dramas, the latter serving up 20 episodes. And, you'll be able to check out for four Japanese horror shorts, too, all of which initially debuted in 2023 at the first-ever Horror Film Competition in Japan. The other big drawcard: Japanese Film Festival Online screens its program for free. Accordingly, this lineup won't test your budget, whether you're keen on I Am What I Am, which stars Drive My Car's Toko Miura; Anime Supremacy!, about a new director and a hotshot facing off while making their own competing anime; Single8, a Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)-influenced picture about Star Wars-loving teens making their own movie; or classic anime Kimba the White Lion from 1966. Film lovers will be catching the movies on the program between Wednesday, June 5–Wednesday, June 19. Fellow feature options include Father of the Milky Way Railroad, a biopic about poet and novelist Kenji Miyazawa; magazine drama Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction; Baby Assassins, where teen assassins are forced to give up the murderous life; and The Handsome Suit, about a magical outfit. TV fans will be tuning in from Wednesday, June 19–Wednesday, July 3, with 2017's Rikuoh starring Kôji Yakusho (Perfect Days), and stepping inside a traditional Japanese sock company — and 2015's Downtown Rocket based on Shitamachi Rocket novels about an ex-aerospace researcher who leads a factor that he inherited. While you won't pay a thing to watch, you do still need to register via the fest's website. Won't be in Australia at the time? The fest is available in 27 countries.
Yearning to create pop music that has a little more depth than your standard dancefloor anthem is Sydney's Catcall. Catherine Kelleher, the woman behind the name, speaks to Kirstie Sequitin ahead of her debut album release and upcoming performance at Surrealism Up Late. How's The Warmer Side coming along? Yeah, it's good! We're kind of in the process of mixing it at the moment. There'll be a new single out in August, September hopefully. How long has that process been going for? It seems like you've been working on it for a while now. I put the EP out around 2008, and then I started writing for the album around the end of that year. Since then I've been kind of writing and recording and working on it. It's just taking a long time for the songs to develop to a point where we're all really happy with them, and then there was a lot of demoing done and a lot of songs disposed of. Then we had to work out how the record was going to be tied together and produced and recorded. All that kind of stuff just took a while to kind of grow into something strong, but now it's all kind of come together quickly in the last couple of months and it's at that point where we're just locking mixes off and whatnot. When it comes down to the writing process - I guess that was a while ago now - but do you focus on lyrics first or do you focus on the backing stuff first? I usually collaborate with people who start off by sending me either a simple thing with a bass line or some keys, and that inspires the vocal melody. They'll normally ask me, "What do you want to make?" and I usually tell them to make whatever they vibe. I don't like sending refs or anything saying "I want you to create me this!" It's not about creating the most interesting or exciting work; usually I just want the other person to do what they do best. They usually send me a beat or something and I'll write something over it and that'll always start with a vocal melody. From there the hardest part is basically just nutting out the lyrics and that's usually where all the time is spent, getting the lyrics perfect, because you need your meanings and you need to sing it and make sure it sounds good. Then we record and mix and get the production worked in. Do you have a specific vision in mind? I know that you said that you don't tell the collaborators what to do but do you have a template of how you want them to sound? Hm… not really - they've usually already heard something I've done. With Youth [Brisbane's Luke Foskey], he knew all of it, so he would just send me stuff. But with more recent collaborations in the past six months they do normally ask for refs and ask things like "What are you listening to at the moment?" and I'll say, "Oh, I'm really into Fleetwood Mac". But you can't get someone to truly create something that's like Fleetwood Mac, so I'll just tell them what I'm listening to, and send them stuff that I've already written and that usually forms what they'll do. Most of the time I just want them to do what they already do, and I collaborate with them because I've already heard their stuff. But they do always ask those kinds of questions like "What are you writing? Are you writing something slow or are you writing something fast?" because they want to know a point to start. Then I think, "Maybe we will go fast, maybe we'll go up-tempo" but usually I stop there because I want them to do what they do, because that's when the most exciting stuff happens. I've read that you have an emphasis on making things imperfect, can you elaborate on that? I don't want things to be necessarily perfect but just as strong as they can be, I guess. In terms of the quality of work, the show… I just want everything to have the best that I can bring it. I don't like the idea of putting something out there that's half-assed. Well, not half-assed but just something that feels like it's not finished, or complete, you know? Because I've already done that, I've put out work that's not complete, I've performed shows that have been really incomplete. Now this is my first record, and I'm going to start putting on a live show and playing regularly. I'm not a complete perfectionist but I just want everything to be the best that it can be. What it seems like to me is that you're trying to work on something that's a little more wholesome than other pop music that's coming out. Yeah, yeah, I want it to be substantial. I was at the APRA Awards the other day and I remember there were eight songwriters on one Katy Perry song and I was like, "That's why these records come out so quickly! There are eight people working on this!" It's like, there's a real formula with the production and it just feels really empty. I just want things to be soulful; I want people to connect with it and I don't think you can just do that if you do it without putting any thought or care into it. It takes a long time to write a really good record. It's so much harder than people assume. Pop records especially. I mean, good pop records. Not really forgettable, flimsy, soulless pop records. You've changed a lot in the past couple of years, how would you describe your developments? Your music style, how has that developed? I think I've become a better singer, a better vocalist, and that's opened up a lot more possibilities for me for what I can write. I've started paying more attention to song lyrics and what makes a really good song. Bry Jones and Toni Toni Lee, I think working with them has really helped me develop, and being open to criticism of what I'm doing and performances and writing. And spending a lot of time rewriting and looking at what I've done and thinking about what I've done and trying to make it better, rather than being satisfied with the first thing I put down, which is what I used to do. I used to be like "Yep, that's what we're going to do" and never edit myself or look back and think, "Hang on a second, there's so many different ways I can make this better". I think that has definitely made me a better songwriter and a better singer and a better performer all round. Catcall plays Surrealism Up Late at the Gallery of Modern Art on July 29. Thanks to GoMA we've got three double passes to give away - e-mail brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au with the subject line 'Water in my veins' by Monday July 25 for your chance to win.
2022 hasn't been kind to anyone's bank balances, with inflation having a hefty impact on the cost of living all around the world, including in Australia. We know you know this, and so does your wallet. In Sydney in fact, the year's financial struggles have seen the Harbour City reclaim global recognition for being a mighty expensive place to call home, taking tenth place on The Economist Intelligence Unit's annual Worldwide Cost of Living survey. While Melbourne was dubbed Australia's most liveable city in the EIU's Global 2022 Liveability Index earlier in 2022, Sydney has nabbed a less sought-after mantle, after sitting in the same spot back in 2018. Again, it's an exxy time all-round in general, with the survey noting that prices worldwide, in the 172 major cities surveyed, have shot up 8.1 percent year on year on average (in local currencies). That's the biggest jump in the 20 years that the EIU has digital data for. The place on the planet that'll trouble your pennies the most? This year, there's two: New York and Singapore. The pair of cities tied for the top spot, with New York earning the unwanted honours for the first time ever, but Singapore taking the crown for the eighth time in a decade. The two places bump down 2021 leader Tel Aviv to third, with Hong Kong and Los Angeles then sharing fourth spot. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva came in at six and seven respectively, while San Francisco sits at eighth, Paris at ninth and Copenhagen shares tenth place with Sydney. Yes, this means that Sydney is more expensive to live in at the moment than London and Tokyo — two cities that aren't considered cheap at all. In fact, Tokyo dropped down 24 spots to sit in 37th place. As per The Guardian, Sydney's rise from 14th in 2021 to tenth this year isn't the only upward movement among Australia's cities. Melbourne leapt from 16th to 15th, and Brisbane from 36th to 32nd. For further details about the 2022 Worldwide Cost of Living survey, head to The Economist Intelligence Unit's website.
If winter has left you unimpressed by the current state of your wardrobe — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is back. Usually, it's a physical affair that takes place in Sydney and Melbourne; however like plenty of other events at the moment, the shopping extravaganza has hopped online — and gone national — for its current outing. The name pretty much says it all. Happening from Monday, August 31, this thing is big. You'll find a hefty array of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from a huge lineup of cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging — including Romance Was Born, Alexander McQueen, Isabel Marant, Max Mara, Kenzo, Ellery and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, and more than 700 items on offer, this is one way to up your count of designer threads while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty, too — whether you're keen on clothes, shoes, swimwear or accessories. The Big Fashion Sale's latest online sale kicks off on Monday, August 31 on the event's website.
From agrarian restaurants and picturesque wineries to après-ski drinks, a foraging and cooking class, a farmers' market and even an oyster festival, Aotearoa New Zealand has a multitude of culinary experiences across every season. New Zealand's hospitality scene is known for using seasonal produce that's locally sourced or foraged, paired with drinks by local winemakers, brewers and distillers. To really take advantage of this mindful approach, time your visit with the epicurean experiences you want to sample or partake in, so you can savour the seasonal ingredients and admire the creative ways they're used. The beauty of Aotearoa New Zealand really starts to come to life through the different seasons. Cooler temperatures mean cosying up with award-winning cool-climate wines against views of the changing foliage and snowfall, while the warmer days of spring bring about al fresco dining, outdoor adventures and fresh seasonal produce. No matter when you visit, you're sure to be well looked after with a warm welcome and sense of manaakitanga, as locals share their knowledge and passion for the land. We teamed up with 100% Pure New Zealand to highlight some delectable drinking and dining destinations around New Zealand for each season, so you can plan your trip based on the time of year that most appeals to you. Flick the switch for seasonal dining experiences in autumn, winter and spring. Jump to switcher
Sand won't just be found on Australia and New Zealand's beaches this summer. On the last day of the season, sand will fill big screens Down Under when Dune: Part Two finally hits cinemas. Originally slated to release in November 2023, then postponed during Hollywood's strikes, the film now has a Thursday, February 29, 2024 release date — and a new sneak peek at its sci-fi tale. Will Dune movies just keep getting better and better? Here's hoping that's a natural outcome, just like spying sand as far as the eye can see across Arrakis, when the sequel to 2021's Dune arrives. The first time that Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) followed in David Lynch's footsteps to make a new adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel, managing what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune), he gave the world a stunning new science-fiction cinema classic. Villeneuve's picture scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins; however, it only told part of Dune's story. Cue Dune: Part Two to keep the tale going. War has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Zendaya's (Euphoria) Chani at his side. That's the tale teased in not one, not two, but now three trailers for the Dune sequel, with the third focusing on the battle to come. The 2021 film had Paul head to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then get caught up in a bitter feud with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani, plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two. Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues (again, Villeneuve helmed Blade Runner 2049), sandworms, the director's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) latest likely Oscar-winning score: they've all shown up in the new film's three glimpses so far. So have some of the franchise's new players, with Austin Butler ditching his Elvis locks as Feyd Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Stellan Skarsgard's (Andor) Baron Harkonnen. Christopher Walken (Severance) and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) also join the saga as Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter Princess Irulen. From the first film, Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) return, while Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) also joins the cast. Off-screen, Villeneuve has brought back not just Zimmer, but Oscar-winning Australian director of photography Greig Fraser (The Batman), Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermett (Vice), Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (The Unforgivable), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (First Man) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (Song to Song). Check out the latest Dune: Part Two trailer below: Dune: Part Two will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
We've heard of public bookshelves and we see piles of terrible self-help books left outside people's terrace houses all the time (just one time, we'd like to pick up a classic), but this New York artist has found a different way to pass on his unwanted paperbacks. Shaheryar Malik, an art director originally from London but working in NYC, left piles of books in high traffic spots around the city for people to pick up and read — and has created a pretty bloody beautiful work of art in the process. Dubbed The Reading Project, the art experiment was both a way for Malik to pass on books from his personal collection and express himself in NYC in a way that wasn't just taking another selfie. So he placed books in some of the busiest spots in one of the busiest cities in the world — Times Square Subway Station, Central Park, The High Line, Brooklyn Bridge — and had photographer Daniel Yim take a single photo of them. Then, the books were left for passersby to pick up, take home and read. Malik left a note with his contact details in each of the books, and according to The Guardian, he's recieved over 60 responses so far. The result is some seriously great photos of books in some of the world's most iconic locations. And literary nerds will be pleased to know that Malik has a diverse range of books in his collection, with titles ranging from Portuguese literature to the history of Nazi Germany — so if you ever bump into one of his book piles, you'll find much more than just the same self-help schtick. Via The Guardian. Images: Daniel Yim.
As a country girt by sea, it's easy to take Australia's sandy waterside for granted. But just like our ever-rising temperatures, ever-lingering drought conditions and increasingly widespread bushfires, our coastline isn't immune to climate change. Nor, with oceans both warming and rising, are our beaches guaranteed to withstand it. In Stockton Beach, in Newcastle's north on the NSW coast, this grim reality has been making its presence known for decades, all due to continuing coastal erosion. Since huge storms back in 2015, which cost the beach millions of tonnes of sand, it has been a particularly prominent issue; however, in the past few weeks, the spot has completely lost its coveted patch of sand. It happened quickly, too — the Newcastle Herald reports that "a section of the beach lost 2.5 metres in sand height" in just five hours. The paper estimates that around 500,000 cubic metres of sand (50,000 truck loads) would be required to replace what's been lost so far. So instead of somewhere to sit and sunbathe, beachgoers are now met with rocks, sand cliffs and a waterline much closer than it has ever been before. At the south end of the beach, the sand in front of the nearly 112-year-old Stockton Surf Life Saving Club, the adjacent car park and Lexie's Cafe have been particularly hard hit and, unsurprisingly, the City of Newcastle has closed all access points to the beach — except for the one at the Mitchell Street breakwall — until further notice. This aerial footage from The Guardian shows pretty clearly how severely the beach has been affected. [caption id="attachment_744112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Save Stockton Beach[/caption] As Newcastle's Lord Mayor explained at a council meeting last week, the catastrophic current situation has been caused by large swells in the recent weeks. The council is now undertaking emergency works, such as sandbagging, in the hope it can get Stockton Beach to condition that's useable for the public. The "preferred option" is to bring sand back in to the beach — an option that relies on the NSW Government's Coastal Zone Management Program. In good news, according to the ABC, the State Government has just approved $250,000 in funding for the council and has declared the beach a Significant Open Coast Location, meaning that the council can apply for emergency funding at any time. Shelley Hancock, the Minister for Local Government, says that the council's applications for funding are "currently undergoing a rapid assessment so that works can be undertaken as a matter of priority". Fast-tracking a mooted gas terminal at Kooragang Island, which could see sand dredged and relocated to Stockton, has also been floated as a solution — but it would require a statewide ban on offshore dredging to be lifted. Back in June, the council discussed offshore sand extraction, noting that it was "one of the only viable methods for large-scale beach nourishment along the open coast". At the time of writing, a GoFundMe campaign to save the beach has raised over $18,000, and a the Save Stockton Beach Facebook page is trying to raise awareness around the issue. Losing a beach is a bleak prospect, but the effects far span beyond just losing somewhere to lay out a towel. As the landscape changes, the sand shifts, threatening nearby buildings. The local daycare centre has been forced to shut due to the erosion, with the structure set to be demolished. Cabins at the nearby holiday park were also vacated last week, as a precautionary measure, although they've since been re-opened. Coastal erosion is by no means limited to Stockton Beach, of course. Due to rising temperatures and wild weather, sea levels are rising and eating into coastlines around the world, from England to Tunisia. And with similarly bleak scenarios happening across Australia — from Sydney to Melbourne to Perth to Adelaide — stories like these are sadly likely to increase in frequency. If you live near, or are travelling to, Stockton Beach, check the City of Newcastle website for updates on the beach accessibility. To help, you can get in touch with the Save Stockton Beach group — or keep striking for the government to take action on climate change to prevent this happening to more of our country's epic beaches. Images: Save Stockton Beach Facebook.
The truth is out there, and this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival is on a mission to hunt it down. The annual boundary-pushing arts fiesta has dropped its loaded 2019 program, embracing the hard-hitting theme 'in search of the truth'. Descending on the city from September 12–29, Melbourne Fringe is set to deliver its signature diverse spread of talent, this time cramming over 455 eye-opening events into the calendar. It's also debuting its brand-new home at Trades Hall, one of a huge 140 venues playing host to this year's Fringe festivities. You'd best start plotting your festival experience now, because there's a whole lot here to tickle one's fancy. The USA's Cause Collective will be doing some digging with its pop-up photobooth confessional, a live art piece that has visitors responding on camera to the prompt "the truth is…". The oft-revealing answers will then be featured in a public exhibition at Chapel off Chapel. A jam-packed comedic lineup promises to throw down some hard truths of its own, from the hilarious tale of self-discovery that is Mormon Girl, to a stand-up show packed full of fresh material from legendary funnyman Jimeoin. Meanwhile, homegrown burlesque star Moira Finucane stars as an apocalyptic snow queen in internationally-acclaimed show The Rapture Chapter II: Art Vs Extinction. Elsewhere, you can get a little more hands on. Unearth hidden gems as part of roving outdoor audio experience Shrines and Half Truths, or perhaps embark on a smartphone-guided tour of Werribee lead by performance alchemists Binge Culture. Expect party vibes aplenty from heady circus cabaret piece Society, as well as a show-stopping riot of drag, music, circus and burlesque when Yummy Deluxe takes over the Fringe Hub at Trades Hall. The new digs will also play host to a program of lively fiestas, including a fittingly boisterous Janet Jackson tribute night, the city's best choirs singing 1999's best hits and a Fringe-style Grand Final do with the riotous Betty Grumble as host. Melbourne Fringe Festival runs from September 12–29. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Twelve years after RuPaul's Drag Race first sashayed its way onto US television, viewers Down Under have finally been gifted a local version. Currently streaming via Stan, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is exactly what it sounds like — the hit series, still hosted by RuPaul, but featuring Australian and New Zealand drag queens. And, if you'd like to see more of this year's competitors, you'll be able to head along to the program's new live stage show. All ten of this year's drag queens will be hitting up Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais Theatre, Perth's Crown Theatre, Brisbane's QPAC and Canberra's Canberra Theatre as part of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Live on Stage. It too is rather self-explanatory, and it'll obviously have quite the cast when it hits the road this September. If you've been watching the TV series, you'll already know which contenders have been strutting their stuff for drag supremacy. The lineup spans seven Australians and three New Zealanders, including Art Simone from Geelong, Melbourne's Karen from Finance, and Sydney's Coco Jumbo, Etecetera Etcetera and Maxi Shield. Newcastle's Jojo Zaho and Perth's Scarlet Adams round out the Aussie queens, while Auckland's Kita Mean, Anita Wigl'it and Elektra Shock comprise the NZ contingent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdcgf5I6Qb8&feature=youtu.be RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE DOWN UNDER LIVE ON STAGE TOUR DATES: Saturday, September 18 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Tuesday, September 21 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Thursday, September 23 — Crown Theatre, Perth Saturday, September 25 — The Palais, Melbourne Tuesday, September 28 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Live on Stage will tour Australia from September 18–28. For further details — and to buy pre-sale tickets from 12pm on Friday, May 21 and general tickets from 12pm on Monday, May 24 — head to the Live Nation website.
Plenty of sun. A little shade. Icy, refreshing beverages. Proximity to a body of water. On a hot summer's day, that's exactly what you want from a bar. Thankfully, Melbourne currently has seven bars that tick all of those boxes — and, they're only around for a short time. Yep, they've only popped up for the hotter months. You'll find an Amalfi-themed oasis on a CBD rooftop, a vodka-fuelled pop-up in St Kilda, a games-filled garden at Fed Square and even one right on the sand at Port Melbourne Beach. Check BOM, round up your mates, head out for an arvo at one of these extremely summery pop-up bars before they disappear
In very English news, everyone's favourite well-mannered witch (sorry Sabrina) Hermione/Emma Watson, has been covertly distributing books on the London Underground. Watson has been sneaking around under the city, like the most conspicuous rat in the world, hiding copies of Maya Angelou's Mom & Me & Mom as part of her feminist book club initiative Shared Shelf. While we dig Watson's initiative and the feminist slant of her book drop, the concept isn't exactly original. She dropped the copies of the book — which is this month's pick for her online book club — on the Tube (complete with personal notes inside them because she's an angel) as part of Books on the Underground, who have been dropping books all over the shop for years. Closer to home, Books on the Rail started a book ninja empire in Melbourne that has rapidly been expanding across the country. Founders Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus have been coordinating their book ninja operation since April of this year. It's a simple concept – BotR distributes hundreds of books on Melbourne public transport. You know their work by the sticker on the front, encouraging you to read, enjoy and return the book. They started the project by giving away their own books and op-shop finds and now get regular deliveries from authors and publishers. The project is fuelled by the sustainable energy of social media, with commuters sharing and reviewing their reads under the hashtag #booksontherail. BotR is also gaining steam in Brisbane and Sydney. They've even recently organised a book club to take place on a Melbourne train. Early reviews dub it 'peak Melbourne'. Via BBC. Image: Emma Watson via Instagram.
This coming August, your daughter probably isn't getting married. In fact, you mightn't even have a daughter at all. But if you'd like to spend the month saying "you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married" while holidaying in the very mansion featured in The Godfather, that's now a genuine possibility. Movie lovers have Airbnb to thank for this opportunity, with the accommodation service adding the chance to follow in the footsteps of the most iconic gangster movie ever made to its list of pop culture-themed one-off experiences. Just this year alone, it has listed the Bluey house, the Moulin Rouge! and the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine for stays. If you wanted to solely plan your getaways around living life like you're in your favourite movie or television show, Airbnb has definitely here to help lately. The platform's current impressive home away from home arrives to celebrate The Godfather's 50th anniversary, and will have one lucky person and up to four of their pals whiling away an entire month in the Staten Island mansion in New York that's seen in Frances Ford Coppola's masterpiece. The film features the outside of the house, but you'll get to scope out the inside as well — all 6248 square feet of it, which was built in 1930. When you're not channelling your inner Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan or Diane Keaton, you'll have plenty to do — there's a big saltwater pool, a pub in the basement, a game room and a gym. In fact, you'll have the run of the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom abode, other than the basement closets and the attic. You do need to be keen for a lengthy trip, with just one reservation available for 30 nights from August 1–31. And, like all of Airbnb's similar offerings in the past, you're responsible for getting yourself there and back — so if you do get lucky and score the booking, travel isn't included in the price. For those making the jaunt from Down Under, that turns this stint of The Godfather worship into a more expensive option. That said, the mansion itself will cost you just US$50 per night. And, if your bank balance is up to it, a stay here will get you away from Australia and New Zealand's frosty climes and into a Staten Island summer. If you're still keen, you can apply to book at 3am AEST on Thursday, July 28 via the Airbnb website. Another caveat: this is a family home when it's not welcoming in Airbnb guests, and it's located in a quiet neighbourhood, so stays are strictly limited to you and the four folks you take with you — with no outside guests allowed. If the timing doesn't work for you, it's likely only a matter of time until Airbnb finds another pop culture-themed getaway that'll tempt your wanderlust. Here are two places on our wishlist: Buffy's house from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks' Black Lodge. For more information about the The Godfather mansion listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Thursday, July 28, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Marc McAndrews.
In these cutthroat days of citizen journalism, a single tweet can obliterate a career. Just ask all these people. That which has been posted — and shared 20,000 times — cannot be unposted. And whether you were drunk, feeling sorry for yourself, on some kind of weird ego trip (Anthony Weiner = Carlos Danger?), really bad at conveying irony, genuinely misunderstood or just plain stupid when you penned the fatal line, excuses aren’t likely to get you out of hot water. Precedent suggests that neither your employer nor the angry mob is likely to be too easily persuaded. But if your most ill-thought-through posts are still buried deep in your feed, rather than across the front page of the Daily Mail, there’s hope. A new app by the name of Clear can burrow into your social media past, analyse your history and flag posts that seem inflammatory or offensive. Based on a mix of miraculous algorithms and Watson, a supercomputer created by IBM, the app works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Clear’s creator is a man who’s name you might have seen in the headlines. Earlier this year, EthanCzahor was working on a campaign for Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and possible 2015 presidentialcandidate, when a flurry of old tweets appeared out of thecyber-ether. One read, “Most people don’t know that Halloween is German for ‘night that girls with low self-esteem dress like sluts.’” And another, “When I burp in the gym I feel like it’s my way of saying, ‘sorry guys, but I’m not gay’.”Czahor lost his job within 48 hours of starting, which was a huge blow for a 31-year-old who’d spent his twenties pursuing a career in politics. From the get-go, Ethan maintained that the tweets were jokes, the meaning of which had become skewed. “I was telling jokes with my friends and they were completely tongue-in-cheek and completely harmless,” he told Time. “But years later after I had forgotten about them, they’d been pulled out of context and it looked terrible.” “You exist in a lot of places on the Internet,” he said. “And I just feel that you have the right to at least know what’s out there, and to take care of it.” Via Mashable and Time.
If you've been using all these lockdown hours to plot your next regional Victorian escape, here's another reason to pop the Grampians on that itinerary. Up in the region's north, the town of St Arnaud has just unveiled a striking new cultural attraction: a towering silo artwork by local artist Kyle Torney, titled Hope. The latest addition to the renowned Silo Art Trail, the piece pays homage to the town's gold mining history, featuring a design of three faces that was selected by St Arnaud residents themselves. And this giant masterpiece was no mean feat to create, taking the artist over 800 hours from start to completion, and involving around 30 treks up and down the silo each day. The whole silo had to be cleaned and primed, before being decked out with a grid to help guide painting the faces' tricky proportions. Funded in part by the St Arnaud ArtSpace community centre and the Northern Grampians Shire Council, the artwork marks the sixth local mural painted by Torney, who himself is a sixth-generation St Arnaud native. The artist is well-known for his distinctive 'narrative portraiture' style, with works having graced spaces across Melbourne, Adelaide and Ballarat, as well as the walls of an art gallery in New York. It is hoped the new silo art will help boost tourism in the area following the heavy impact COVID-19 restrictions have had on regional travel. "Street art really brings the community together," said Torney in a statement. "I called the silo art 'Hope' which is reflective of the gold mining period but also resonates with the current climate." The Silo Art Trail is the country's largest outdoor gallery, covering over 200 kilometres. With this latest design, its collection now includes nine silo murals, featured in the stretch of towns from the Mallee's Patchewollock to St Arnaud. 'Hope' is located on McMahon Street, St Arnaud, Victoria. To learn more about the full Silo Art Trail, visit the website. Travel is restricted under metropolitan Melbourne's current stage four restrictions and regional Victoria's stage three orders. For the Victorian Government's latest advice, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
He's responsible not just for a big Australian movie franchise, but for the big Australian movie franchise. He's also followed a pig in the city, made penguins dance, gotten witchy and granted wishes, too. He's Australian filmmaking icon George Miller, and he has just joined the Sydney Film Festival lineup for 2024 to talk about his career, and of course Mad Max and Furiosa. Mere weeks after Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hit cinemas — starring Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) as Furiosa and Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) as wasteland warlord Dementus — Miller now has a date with Sydney's annual cinema showcase to chat about on-screen storytelling. For company, he'll have someone else who knows a thing or two about action cinema, and just filmmaking in general: stuntman and filmmaker Nash Edgerton, brother of Joel (Dark Matter), and director of episodes of Bodkin, plus Mr Inbetween, Gringo and The Square. The Road to Furiosa — George Miller with Nash Edgerton will take place at 3pm on Saturday, June 15 in the Sydney Film Festival Hub at Town Hall, on the second-last day of the fest. SFF's full dates: Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16. Miller won't just be stepping through his work in a general sense, either. The director that started the Mad Max franchise 45 years ago and has helmed four more films in the saga — and has Babe: Pig in the City, The Witches of Eastwick, the two Happy Feet movies, Lorenzo's Oil and Three Thousand Years of Longing on his resume as well — will dig into a specific action sequence, if you want to find out how it was executed. After also adding a visit from Elvis star Austin Butler for his new picture The Bikeriders and straight-from-Cannes body-horror flick The Substance as closing night's flick since announcing its 2024 program, Sydney Film Festival has now popped something for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fans on the bill, too. Ahead of season two's arrival, the Iron Throne spend time at Martin Place from Wednesday, June 5–Friday, June 7. Yes, you can sit in it. Other talks and events on the program also include a queer cinema night, going all in on the 80s to tie in with opening night's Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, K-pop fun as part of a Korean cinema celebration and a session on the impact of AI. [caption id="attachment_959668" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Belinda Rolland © 2023/SFF[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Read our interview with George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and our review of the film. Top image: Sonna Studios.
Want to cover your walls with cool, original artwork without it costing you the roof over your head? Then head on down to the Royal Exhibition Building, for an art bazaar you can actually afford to attend. A three day celebration of design, print and illustration, Supergraph is a goldmine for artists and art lovers alike. Supergraph 2015 features dozens of exhibitors, ranging from long-established artists to the best and brightest young talent. The flavour is local for the most part, although The International Salon section showcases designers from America, the UK, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Thailand. Pieces start from as low as $30, ensuring that no one has to go home empty handed. But it's not just artists spruiking their wares. The Supergraph program is packed full of special events, from an opening night party with DJ Yo! Mafia to masterclasses on felt art, fashion illustration and tattoos. In between, you can chill out at the Food Truck Stop, snacking on bagels, donuts, tacos and more. For the full Supergraph program, visit their website.
When December hits, 'tis the season to be jolly. 'Tis the season to be celebrating over cocktails and sipping plenty of drinks in general, too. But even just a few days into the merriest time of year, or summer, you might feel like you've already tried every beverage there is. Enter Cocktail Porter's DIY Messina espresso martini kits, which come in dulce de leche and chocolate-hazelnut versions. You might've sipped these boozy treats before, actually, because this isn't the first time they've been available. Still, Cocktail Porter has brought them back for the appropriate time of the year, letting you make your own boozy end-of-year beverages — or start-of-year, once 2023 hits — using Messina products. Unsurprisingly, these make-at-home packages have proven popular, especially after we've all been spent more time than usual at home over the past few years. Now that there's no restrictions on heading out of the house, though, they're back to being an easy favourite for parties, casual after-work sips and occasions like Christmas — or just because. First, the dulce de leche espresso martini kit. Basically, it's the answer to a familiar dilemma. No one likes choosing between tucking into dessert or having another boozy beverage, so these kits combine the two. To enable you to whip up dulce de leche espresso martinis at home, you'll get a box filled with vodka, coffee liqueur, cold-drip coffee and Messina's dulce de leche topping, plus Messina's chocolate hazelnut spread and shaved coconut to go on top. Prefer a Nutella-esque spin to your espresso martinis? The Messina choc-hazelnut espresso martini kit comes with the gelato chain's choc-hazelnut spread, as well as vodka, espresso and Baileys. For a garnish, the pack also includes Ferrero Rochers for you to crush. Once your kits arrive, you just need to follow the instructions, then get drinking. Whichever variety you choose, you can pick between two different-sized packs. A small dulce de leche kit costs $85 and serves up six drinks — or you can opt for the large for $149, which makes 18 dessert cocktails. With the choc-hazelnut, you'll pay $80 for the six-drink pack and $145 for a 16-cocktail offering. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your summer drinking plans sorted. You can also sign up for a subscription, which'll see a different kit sent to your door each and every month. To order Cocktail Porter's Gelato Messina cocktail kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
Want to sing along to a live version of 'Emergency Contraception Blues' or do your Shuffle dance in a public place rather than in the shower (with lots of jumping involved)? Then here's your chance, because the Bombay Bicycle Club are going to be hanging out in Australia for a little while after playing The Falls Festival and a string of American gigs. It's time to learn their lyrics, perhaps eat a curry (the band named themselves after a curry chain) and practice those Northern Londonder accents ("you riiiiiiigh?"). These guys sure seem like an interesting bunch in their music clips, frolicking around London and revealing a love for moon juice, space jellyfish and antennae growing out of heads, so surely the gig will be a hit. Three of the four in the band have been playing together since they were 15, their last two albums have gone gold in the UK and Triple J seem to like them a lot too. Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Jamie MacColl (guitar), Ed Nash (bass) and Suren de Saram (drums) make their music a hard one to pin down in terms of classification, but British indie folk, indie rock and twee pop all seem apt. The Paper Kites are going to be supporting them, if for some reason you needed another reason to go. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MgvBmEmtF-I
That pup of yours (or that pup you've been thinking about getting) is about to score a whole bunch of new places to sniff, socialise and play, with the Victorian Government announcing plans to create 33 new dog parks across the state. After revealing funding for an initial batch of new green spaces in the first round of the Government's $154 million Suburban Parks Program — which covered 16 sites for your pooch — the state's powers that be have announced that number will be boosted by 17, this time via $2.5 million from the Government's Building Works package. For your pupper, that's a hefty increase in off-leash areas, both in Melbourne and throughout the rest of the state. Locally, the newly announced dog parks will be in the outer suburbs — in Pakenham, Carrum Downs, Dandenong North, Eynesbury, Belgrave, Mill Park and Altona. The Mill Park site is due to open in the coming months, while the rest are either in the works or slated to start construction by the end of the year. They'll join sites in Carrum, Cranbourne East and Rowville in Melbourne's south; South Yarra in the east; Eltham North and Mickleham in the north; and Maribyrnong, Cairnlea and Werribee in the west, all of which are set to open from 2021. Regional areas such as Ararat, Buninyong, Yarragon, Portland, Kilmore, Belmont, Shepparton, Mildura, Swan Hill and Warracknabeal will also receive new dog parks as part of the just-revealed announcement. In total, the Suburban Parks Program will create total of 6500 hectares of new parkland, walking trails and bike trails across the city. Announcing the news this week, on Wednesday, August 26, Victorian Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio noted how important parks are to Melbourne neighbourhoods. "Now more than ever, we realise the value of having open green space close to where we live. These dog parks are not only important for pet owners — building them will create local jobs and boost local businesses as re rebuild from the pandemic," she said. According to the Government, the locations have been chosen based on accessibility by public transport, road or walking and biking trails, as well looking at what dense, urban areas were lacking green open spaces. A heap of new pocket parks will also be created in Melbourne — 25, in fact — popping up everywhere from Flemington to Moorabbin, as well as fringe suburbs such as Officer, Clyde, Craigieburn, South Morang and Sunbury. [caption id="attachment_781920" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] New pocket and dog parks projects to be funded under the Suburban Parks Program via the Victorian Government[/caption] It's not the first time that the Andrews Government has proved itself pet-friendly, having recently introduced new rental reform laws making it way harder for landlords to ban pets, too. For more information about Victoria's new parks, head to the state government's Suburban Parks Program website.
If you've ever been on a KFC mission — because you were hungry, hungover, or just hankering for the Colonel's 11 secret herbs and spices — then the fast food chain's latest endeavour will feel a lot like art imitating life. The fried chicken fiends have released a new smartphone game that's all about hunting down buckets of chook pieces. Yes, of course it is. Available for both iOS and Android, the smartphone game is called The Great Bucket Hunt — because what else would it be called? — and it's available to play now via the KFC app. And, as it uses augmented reality, it'll have you wandering the streets looking for chicken buckets. Again, that might feel a little too familiar. KFC doesn't need a reason to get playful with its marketing. Case in point: mindfulness website KFChill, which lets you bliss out to the sounds of chicken frying (and is actually immensely soothing). This time, though, there is a tangible reward. If all that staring at your phone and searching for buckets starts getting your tastebuds in a tizzy, there's chicken to be won — and cash and other prizes. Once you've tracked down buckets near you, you'll give them a spin to see what you've won. Every bucket has a prize, so you're always going to nab something. The big freebies: $50,000 in cash and free KFC for a year. Find three golden buckets, and you can win $5000, too. Yep, it's a bit like Pokemon Go, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and your drunken cravings all rolled into one — all to promote KFC, of course. Other prizes include eftpos gift cards worth between $25–200, free food (15-piece buckets, burgers, popcorn chicken, nuggets and plenty of combos), tickets to the NRL and AFL grand finals, free KFC every Sunday, KFC merchandise and cheap KFC deals. And getting in quick is recommended — once someone finds a bucket, it's out of the game forever. The Great Bucket Hunt is available to play via the KFC app between Tuesday, June 15–Monday, July 12.
As Melbourne's dining scene returns to a sense of (relative) normality, one of the city's biggest food events is back on the menu — Melbourne Good Food Month presented by Citi. Returning this June, the month-long event will see a number of tasty events take over some of Melbourne's best-loved restaurants. To get things started, Flower Drum will be teaming up with Neil Perry on a one-night-only multi-course dinner on June 1, while nomadic pop-up restaurant Esmay will make a stop at Bar Liberty on June 15. There'll be two seatings for this event (one at 5:30pm and another at 8pm), but get in quick to avoid missing out. Elsewhere, Good Food Month will host a Young Chefs Lunch at new plant-based eatery Lona Misa (pictured above) on June 20, so you can check out a fresh addition to Melbourne's dining scene and enjoy the talents of culinary up-and-comers. On June 24, Cumulus Inc's upstairs dining room will host hatted Sydney izakaya Cho Cho San for a multi-course, mod Japanese-inspired menu. And, if you're a loyal fan of The Good Weekend Quiz, head to Flinders Lane's Chapter House on June 27 to take part in a live rendition of the weekend ritual. It will, of course, be food- and drink-themed, and catered by Andrew McConnell and his Cumulus Inc team. Melbourne Good Food Month runs throughout June 2021. Head here for a full list of events and to purchase tickets.
Hayao Miyazaki took five years to complete his latest animation, but you can make yours near instantly, with a new piece of software called Plotagon. The democratically easy-to-use and pretty much mind-boggling technology transforms your screenplay into an animated film. lt turns your layperson's screenwriting into code, creating an animated movie just as you envisioned it, with the set, dialogue, tone, movement, sounds and music to boot. That's right; you type the words, and then they just happen. But with an aesthetic reminiscent of The Sims, animations can be pretty wooden, and unless you buy from the Plotagon in-built store, your character and setting choices are limited. Okay, so maybe the program almost creates the movie you envisioned. But with software fast developing and designers constantly making tweaks, we can soon expect to create our own 3D characters.On the plus side, some of the characters have been created specifically for the app by legendary comic book creator Stan Lee (Spiderman, Hulk), so they may be better than the ones you'd spun yourself anyway. For the moment, it’s the ultimate platform for fan-fiction writers, and a space for 13-year-olds to live vicariously through a better-looking or more popular avatar. But with the possibility to add canned laughter after every line, a satirical sitcom will be this writer’s first project. Plotagon is free to download and currently in beta. Story via PSFK.
For eight decades, the space at Hawthorn East's 225 Camberwell Road served up all sorts of pre-loved treasures. Now, the heritage building across from the Rivoli cinema is slinging all manner of local and international wines. Taking over half of the shop front, East End Wine Bar transforms a 1930s auction house into a old-meets-new hangout — one where sitting and sipping is the main attraction, but where browsing the racks and taking a bottle home with you is also on the cards. Whichever you choose, you'll be doing so among timber and steel finishings, with the decor influenced by English pubs as well as modern-day Melbourne. Combining a cosy indoor space with an outdoor courtyard — complete with a retractable awning to make the most of the weather, when appropriate — the new watering hole can hold 130 people for drinks and a bite to eat. Small plates, charcuterie boards and pizzas are on the food menu. Among the latter, the 'Gawny', is a tribute to one of East End's owners: Melbourne Demons footballer Max Gawn. He's teamed up with Saint James' Rich Donovan and Craig Tate, plus Burnley Brewing operator Phil Gjisbergs, with their venture now open seven days a week — from 4pm on weekdays and from midday on weekends. Drinks-wise, wine lovers will find a 21-strong wine list spanning reds, whites, sparkling, rose and orange tipples, plus beer and cider as well — including three brews on tap. The aperitif selection is small but stacked with favourites, including Aperol spritzes, Pimm's cups, negronis and old fashioneds. And, on the takeaway front, vino aficionados can pick from the bottle shop's selection, which highlights low yielding wine producers as well as established masters.
Pour yourself a white russian, pop on your favourite bathrobe and prepare to spend two hours with one of the best big-screen creations there is. No one else in the history of celluloid is quite like Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski, played with such relaxed slacker charm by Jeff Bridges that it genuinely seems as if he isn't acting. And no other filmmakers could've brought his zany (and immensely fictional) story to life like the Coen brothers, either. There's a reason that this flick has been a cult classic for more than two decades now. Actually, there are plenty — including a bowling joke that you've probably either quoted or heard multiple times, because it never gets old. If you're a newcomer to the 1998 movie, prepare for a mistaken-identity tale, with The Dude mixed up with a millionaire with the same name. Oh-so-many hijinks ensue, with the Coens firmly in offbeat crime-comedy mode, as aided by a cast that includes everyone from John Goodman and Julianne Moore to John Turturro and Steve Buscemi.
If your life could use a bit more Pixar magic at the moment, then Disney is here to help, with the Mouse House rushing the beloved animation studio's latest film to Australian and New Zealand audiences via digital rental and its streaming platform Disney+. Featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer, Onward was originally slated to release on the big screen Down Under on Thursday, March 26; however those plans changed when cinemas were ordered to shut. While the movie did play in Australian theatres for a few days over the weekend immediately beforehand, giving dedicated audiences a sneak peek, cinemas were hardly packed at the time — so, if this elf-filled adventure is still on your must-watch list, you're not alone. Pixar fans will be able to get their animation fix via video on demand from Friday, April 3, which'll require paying separately to view the film. Or, if you're already a Disney+ subscriber — or you've been thinking of becoming one — you'll be able to watch Onward on the company's own streaming platform as part of its regular package from 6pm on Friday, April 24. Story-wise, Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Holland and Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From the above description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Spencer). Fast-tracking Onward to digital platforms is the latest example of film industry's efforts to adapt to the changes forced by the spread of COVID-19. In Australia and New Zealand, Disney follows fellow distributor Roadshow's lead — with the latter also speeding up the online release of a number of its big titles as well. Check out the trailer for Onward below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o Onward will be available to purchase separately on digital platforms in Australia and New Zealand from Friday, April 3, before hitting Disney's streaming platform Disney+ as part of its regular package at 6pm on Friday, April 24. Images: © 2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
With Lacoste tennis dresses donned, twee baked goods in hand and Famous Friend bingo card at the ready, we checked into Wes Anderson’s newest and wildly anticipated new pop-up book of a cinematic endeavour, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Murder, art theft, pastry and Adrien Brody's moustache — Anderson serves up his most diabolical, zany undertaking yet, using every trick in his own book. FUTURA IS DEAD Looks like Anderson has relinquished his hold on his longtime minimalist typeface go-to Futura, handing the reins to Lorde and Vampire Weekend and opting for a more weighted, slab serif font called Archer. Often featured in credits sequences of old Italian films, Archer is described by developers Hoefler & Co. as "sweet but not saccharine, earnest but not grave, Archer is designed to hit just the right notes of forthrightness, credibility, and charm." Film schools worldwide will undoubtedly be mass-installing the new typeface immediately. POLITENESS GETS YOU EVERYWHERE, EVEN OUT OF JAIL Sporadically reciting romantic poetry, giving lectern-delivered philosophical orations to the hotel staff about guest rudeness, serving up mush in prison with five-star finesse, Ralph Fiennes solidifies himself as downright godly in his role as M. Gustave, the flamboyant, charming and silver-tongued concierge of The Royal Budapest Hotel. Winning as many friends as he makes enemies, Fiennes sees Gustave balancing art theft, jailbreaks and cologne appreciation with breezy, theatrical conviction. Goes to show, a little complimentary affection will get you everywhere, darling. CELEBRITY BINGO MEANS A TOPNOTCH CAST A well-known fact, Anderson has accrued quite the crew of illustrious buddies simply by sticking with familiar faces all career long. Zissou-Tenenbaum-Rocket leads Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman have stepped back from the top spots for cheer-inducing pop-ins and supporting roles, making way for the new Wanderson Posse of Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody. Prompting constant outbursts of “Ohhh, it’s that guy!” from cinemagoers, we’ve come to actually wait for Anderson’s flurry of crafty cameos. Once again, Anderson’s cohort of well-liked celebs play dress up and wear All The Moustaches, with every screen guru from Tom Wilkinson to Jude Law and Harvey Keitel making their fleeting moments count. Now with added newbies Lea Seydoux and Saoirse Ronan, being in a Wes Anderson cast is now the hottest bill around. JEFF GOLDBLUM MAKES LEGAL JARGON SOUND UNBELIEVABLY EROTIC Jur-is-diction. Ex-ec-u-tor. If Jeff Goldblum wasn’t mystical and unnervingly alluring enough, he’s gone and landed himself one of his most potentially meme-worthy roles to date, with circular, thick-rimmed spectacles to boot. Using flashcards to describe a murder scene without taking one eye off the camera, dumping his dead Persian in a trashcan and being chased through an art museum by Willem Defoe aren’t nearly as exhilarating moments as Goldblum simply reading the contents of a last will and test-a-ment. IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT Meticulously premeditated and artful mise en scene, idiosyncratic scripting, perfectly flawed and outlandishly eccentric characters and a ukulele-fuelled soundtrack have become a formidable formula for Anderson, slowly developing into an extreme form of his own genre. After being royally reprimanded by critics for Moonrise Kingdom being a little too cute for their liking (heartless bums), TRBH sees the Twee King back on form with all the artful weirdness of The Royal Tenenbaums peppered with The Life Aquatic’s epic storybook set detail and The Fantastic Mr. Fox’s jolly good humour. With super zooms, painted landscape backdrops, frontal character portraits, horizontal tracking shots and whole lot of font, Anderson seems more settled in his own style than ever. And that’s quite alright, darling. The Grand Budapest Hotel opens April 10.
When we think of the perfect way to close out the working week, it invariably comes back to a great night out and an alcoholic beverage of sorts — which is why we haven't been able to get enough of the NGV's Friday Nights. Changing up the pace of your usual Friday night out and typical gallery visit, these lively evenings combine a headline exhibition with world-class tunes and some gin drinks brought to you by a Bombay Sapphire pop-up bar. Even though summer has officially left us, there are still a few more weeks left of summer's blockbuster show, Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds, before it wraps up on Sunday, April 7. To get you out there, we've picked out a few must-see things to experience before the exhibition is through. Grab a spritzy ginger, mint and gin cocktail from the Bombay Sapphire garden bar, and jumpstart your weekend surrounded by art, music and your fellow culture vultures. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE POP-UP BAR We'd be lying if we said drinking cocktails while museuming wasn't at least a little part of the appeal of NGV Friday Nights. And it's easy to understand why, with Bombay Sapphire partnering with the NGV to transform its garden into an awesome openair bar. The design draws inspiration from Escher and Nendo's hypnotic works inside, offering up a creative and lush area to rest your feet while sipping fresh cocktails. At this garden bar, you can try the full range of Bombay Sapphire Twists, combining fresh citrus and herbs together across spritzy options. Opt for something fruity like the raspberry and basil, spicy like the mint and ginger, something fresh with lemon and thyme or classic like a good ol' gin and tonic, as you discuss the mind-bending works inside. [caption id="attachment_700126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy.[/caption] ESCHER X NENDO: BETWEEN TWO WORLDS If you somehow haven't yet heard the buzz, Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds is something of a landmark event. Pairing the mesmerising artworks of celebrated Dutch artist MC Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo, the exhibition weaves the duo's creative spirits seamlessly come together in a massive presentation that's taken over the NGV. From captivating installations to warped spaces and paper works, experiencing this show is a must for, well, everyone. The blockbuster exhibition runs till Sunday, April 7, coinciding with the final NGV Friday Nights event. Make sure to plan your weekends accordingly so you can get at least one visit in before it's all over. BACH X REIMAGINED: PRESENTED BY ANON The NGV Friday Nights sessions might be dominated by some of the biggest electronica names in Aussie music, but that doesn't mean we can't also take a moment to appreciate a bit of Bach. Exploring the possibilities of classical music, renowned Melbourne-based collaborative project Anon unites a host of Australian live performers to reconceptualise the legendary compositions of Bach. The project brings forth new baroque, jazz and classical songs and explores Escher's own admiration and enjoyment of the composer — he believed Bach's work had a similar 'infinite appeal' that's also found in Escher's own art. Anon performs three times at each event, plus there's a specially commissioned soundscape that's been designed as part of the Friday Nights sessions. [caption id="attachment_611703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wayne Taylor.[/caption] MELBOURNE DESIGN WEEK, MELBOURNE ART BOOK FAIR AND JONTI The NGV's March 15 Friday Nights showcase is a particularly special time to visit. That's because there's even more to check out than usual with the timely launch of Melbourne Design Week 2019 and the Melbourne Art Book Fair — which will also see the Bombay Sapphire bar popping up for the full run of Melbourne Design Week and the opening night of the book fair. This year, the week's theme focuses on 'Design Experiments' seeing more than 200 exhibitions, talks and workshops consider how design will play an important role within our collective futures. Also in attendance will be Australian hip hop and electronic producer Jonti. Emerging from his bedroom studio to collab with an eclectic selection of international artists such as The Avalanches, Warpaint and Badbadnotgood, Jonti is sure to present a soundtrack to this Friday Night you won't want to miss. [caption id="attachment_636238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Confidence Man at BIGSOUND 2017 by Bec Taylor.[/caption] CONFIDENCE MAN It probably shouldn't come as a surprise, but if there's something Melbourne-based duo Confidence Man has in spades, it's confidence. And in all honesty, it's completely justified. Coming off the release of the 2018 debut album Confident Music for Confident People, the pair has graced pretty much every major venue and festival stage Australia has to offer and has recently turned its attention to the hoards of European and American fans. But before the duo jets off overseas, the dancing duo is bringing energetic tracks to the final NGV Friday Nights session of the season on April 5. Delightfully self-assured, this is bound to be a non-stop dancing send-off. Check out the full lineup of Friday Nights here and make tracks to the NGV to sip some spritzy Bombay Sapphire concoctions as you absorb a whole heap of culture. Tickets for non-members are $35 online or $40 at the door.
Yoda? Cartoon characters? Pamela Anderson emerging in slo-mo from the surf, flicking her hair to the Baywatch theme? Such are the visions that come to mind when viewing the high-speed photographs of violently shaking dogs, shot by Carli Davidson for her new book, Shake. With plenty more flabby skin and saliva at their disposal, our furry friends put human jowlers utterly to shame. Davidson appears to be a bit of a badass known for her wildlife photography, and according to her bio, was "raised on a secret volcano island by cheetahs". (Her biopic is recommended viewing). She first began photographing animals while working at the Oregon Zoo. The shake project was inspired by her pet dog Norbert (a name which I choose to interpret as an Angry Beavers reference), whose drool Davidson is apparently obliged to scrub from the walls of her home with some frequency. In Shake, she shares 130 high-speed photos of 61 dogs from a range of pedigrees, including a Chinese Crested, that exquisite breed famed for its tendency to win the World's Ugliest Dog competition each year. Different textures of fur coat and jowl surface area contribute to the extremity of 'shake', floppy ears and eyelids flying in opposing directions with a majesty comparable to that of hawks swooping above the Far Northern tundra. One can only imagine the sheer volume of drool lopped onto Davidson's bystanding studio assistants, who by the end must have resembled the victims of some terrible slug fight. The resulting portraits truly inspire — buy them singly as prints, ideal for your stylish home or super tasteful office wall. If that's just not sufficient, order the book on Amazon to be reminded of just how cute and demented doggies really are. The video below, created in conjunction with Variable, is an instant mood-lifter, as all kinds of puppies rattle and roll to an appropriately sentimental soundtrack. Via Colossal.
Toronto welcomed a new and unique edition to its dining scene last month: Canada's first-ever restaurant tailored for the deaf. Signs, already popular with locals and tourists alike, is the brainchild of Anjan Manikumar, a hearing man who was inspired to learn American Sign Language (ASL) after realising first-hand how deaf customers struggled in restaurant situations that are simply taken for granted by others. The bar-restaurant, serving modern Canadian and international fare, employs a team of waiters who are almost entirely deaf. Choosing from over 200 deaf applicants, Manikumar found none had any waiting experience and some had never had a full-time job at all. He hopes the new venture will encourage the creation of other career opportunities for the deaf, while also promoting sign language among the community. For customers unfamiliar to ASL, the menu handily lists the sign equivalent next to each item, and a 'cheat sheet' (pictured below) translates some longer phrases, encouraging customers to engage with staff and fellow diners in this universal language. Via Buzzfeed. Photo credit: Signs.
A music documentary with a glossy sheen and a warm heart, 20 Feet From Stardom tells the stories of some of popular music's most accomplished backup singers, including those who have shared the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. While names like Darlene Love, Lynn Maybry and Merry Clayton may be almost completely unknown, classic soul, pop and girl group songs from 'Walk On The Wild Side' to 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Gimme Shelter' would have been infinitely lesser without them. Possessed with the ability to perform vocal pyrotechnics which would blitz most Idol contestants, many of these backup singers yearn for their own moment in the spotlight, but as Springsteen observes "that walk to the front (of stage) is a difficult one". Though their ambitions of breaking out of the shadows of stardom were often frustrated by the whims of a notoriously fickle industry, the selfless contributions they made were immense and their stories are rarely less than compelling. Though primarily an upbeat affair, Morgan Neville's film is unafraid of tackling more emotionally complex terrain as he covers the backstory of Phil Spector's monstrous exploitation of backing singers and the politics around Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama', which featured African-American backing singer Merry Clayton contributing to a track intended as a rebuttal to Neil Young's anti-racist 'Southern Man'. There's also a note of lament for the perceived declining importance of backup singers, as technology evolves to make their prodigious vocal talents a luxury when Auto-Tune and studio wizardry can produce the same result. As well as collating priceless archival footage performances of the film's stars with the likes of The Talking Heads, Paul Simon and Elton John, the documentary has corralled some of its subjects together for some perfectly shot performances of some of their greatest works. Although it has been decades since their prime in some cases, their voices are as sweet as ever, and when they join forces to belt out the evergreen 'Lean On Me', the results are simply spine-chilling. Neville's ambitions of pushing these overlooked but hugely talented musicians into the full blare of the spotlight is beautifully realised. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tWyUJcA8Zfo
First, the Dirty John podcast brought the tale of John Meehan to listeners' ears. Then, as tends to occur with true-crime hits, it was turned into a dramatised television series. Now, as also often happens when a TV show strikes a chord, it's kicking on for a second season — focusing on a completely different case, and once again heading to Netflix Down Under. Launching in Australia and New Zealand on Friday, August 14, Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story steps into the story of its eponymous figure. If it sounds somewhat familiar, that's because the events covered date back to the late 80s. In the early 90s, they even inspired an episode of Law & Order. More recently, Los Angeles Times podcast It Was Simple: The Betty Broderick Murders also explored the details — with the same publication behind journalist Christopher Goffard's original Dirty John podcast. Starring Amanda Peet and Christian Slater as as Betty and Daniel Broderick, as well as Legion's Rachel Keller in a pivotal role, The Betty Broderick Story is another Dirty John tale about sex, lies and murder. Here, a seemingly idyllic marriage first breaks down, then gives rise to a double homicide. If you don't already know the ins and outs, this is also another true-crime case best discovered by watching, with the mini-series unfurling the minutiae across eight episodes. Prepare for quite a few ups and downs, obviously. The eight-episode series has just finished its week-to-week run on US television, but Netflix will drop all eight episodes at once. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE-GwkeZQmI Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story drops on Netflix Down Under on August 14, 2020. Top image: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network.
