So long, Bedford St. The Collingwood bar and cafe owned by Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters has undergone a facelift, and a fairly drastic one at that. Gone are the mac and cheese pancakes, fried chicken and toasted Wagon Wheel pies, now replaced with healthy food options less likely to clog up your arteries along with a seriously souped-up coffee menu. Now known as Terror Twilight, the newly renovated venue features a menu from Wide Open Road chef Pia Hambour. Standout breakfast dishes include three grain porridge with fresh figs, winter fruit, toasted seeds and coconut flakes, and a roast chicken sandwich with pistachio, bacon, prune and lemon mayo. Later in the day, diners can customise their own bowls, choosing from bases like steamed brown rice or sautéed broccoli, sides like roasted sweet potato or grilled haloumi, and proteins like grilled salmon or Sichuan marinated tofu. Alternatively, you can opt for a broth. There'll also be the option to upgrade your coffee with nootropic supplements and natural health-boosters, such as chaga mushrooms and MCT oil. If that's not your thing, you can grab a refreshing smoothie or a cold press juice instead. Find Terror Twilight at 86 Johnston Street, Collingwood from Thursday, May 18. For more information visit www.terrortwilight.com.au.
Deaf dance works, feminist hip-hop, an ecosexual labyrinth and a 24-hour performance piece are among the most eye-opening works on the newly revealed lineup for this year's Next Wave Festival. Melbourne's biennial celebration of young and emerging artists, Next Wave 2016 is set to kick-off in venues around town on Thursday, May 5, with 36 world premieres across a wide array of disciplines. Let's get stuck in. Diversity is clearly a major theme on this year's program, with a whopping 75 percent of projects led by women. Queensland artist Hannah Bronte will deliver a politically charged musical vision of an alternate Australia led by an entirely female parliament, while Nat Randall will spend a whole day and night on a performance inspired by the cult John Cassavetes film Opening Night. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists will likewise be well represented. Katie West from WA will examine the impact of colonialism through a work that incorporates native plantlife, while writer and performer Maurial Spearim has created a darkly-comic one-woman show told partly in the Gamilaraay language. The festival has also partnered with the Victorian Aboriginal Council for Languages on a series on Indigenous language workshops. Further standouts include a dance work featuring both deaf and hearing performers, an audiovisual concerto from artist Dylan Sheridan, and a immersive, ecosexual (yes, eco) labyrinth in the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Next Wave Festival will run from Thursday May 5 to Sunday May 22. For the full program visit www.nextwave.org.au.
This winter, Falls Creek welcomes a slick, well-panelled new(ish) resident, as the just-renovated Astra Lodge opens its doors to the public. Having taken out the title of Australia's Best Boutique Ski Lodge at the 2016 World Ski Awards in Austria, the ski-in ski-out lodge is now ready to impress the locals with a new fitout, kicking off the season on June 10. Sporting downright dapper interiors by Grant Amon Architects, the Astra Lodge's aesthetic resembles a 1970s European alpine hideaway. Owned by locals Rosy and Seumas Seaton and run by general managers Tom and Sally Simpson, the lodge contains every last wintry comfort — starting with its own integrated day spa, where guests can unwind with a whisky and a moustache grooming session after a long day on the slopes. There's a heated magnesium mineral pool for soothing those muscles, a state-of-the-art ski drying room, a panoramic library, a Chesterfield-filled lounge bar, a generous wine cellar and a seasonally-focused Italian fine diner, headed up by hatted chef, Emma Handley (Villa Gusto). After dinner, roasting of marshmallows in the common fireplace is highly encouraged. Perhaps the biggest drawcard for serious ski bunnies is that Astra Lodge will host Skimetrics founder Adalbert Leibetseder, who'll be offering his tailored ski program and boot fittings, helping to ensure you've got all the right gear for a top-notch ski trip experience. Rooms come in five styles, from deluxe to two-bedroom apartment. Suffice to say, rates aren't cheap, with the lowest off-peak nightly rate at the deluxe room at $346 per night (sleeps two, minimum two-night stay) — the highest being the apartment at $1630 per night (sleeps four, minimum two-night stay). Astra Lodge is currently taking bookings for the 2017 ski season and is set to open on June 10. Find it at 5 Sitzmark Street, Falls Creek.
Already a fan of SBTRKT, thanks to his remixes of Radiohead, M.I.A., Mark Ronson and Basement Jaxx? You haven't heard the best of the mask-wearing mystery man yet. It's on his studio albums that he shifts into top gear. Lead by mastermind Aaron Jerome Foulds, SBTRKT first solo-sashayed into public consciousness around June 2011, with the release of his eponymous debut. By spring 2014, another dose had been delivered, with full-lengther Wonder Where We Land, released in October. If you scored yourself a ticket to Falls Festival or Field Day this New Year's, you would have already seen how SBTRKT's latest creations manifest live. But there'll still a chance to kick off 2015 in his company. He'll be playing sideshows at Melbourne's Forum Theatre on Wednesday, January 7 (sold out) and at Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Thursday, January 8. Given that he'll be arriving on the heels of extensive US and European tours, we're expecting to catch a couple of seriously polished performances, complete with epic visuals. Supported by Movement.
If you go down to the NGV this October, you'll get to take a flower home with you. But on two conditions, says Taiwanese-American artist Lee Mingwei: "First, to make a detour from their intended route when leaving the museum for their next destination; second, along this detour, to give the flower to a stranger who they feel would benefit from this unexpected act of generosity." It's part of the artist's new work, The Moving Garden, opening at the National Gallery of Victoria on October 15. Mingwei and NGV have teamed up with Melbourne florist Flowers Vasette, who'll provide 1000 fresh flowers for each day of the exhibition — that's 106 days, totalling 106,000 flowers. One of the world's leading artists in audience participation, Mingwei made headlines this year at the Biennale of Sydney by recreating Picasso's masterpiece Guernica in sand before letting audiences walk all over it. "Lee's artwork inspires contemplation of social themes like trust and self-awareness, by encouraging one-on-one interactions between strangers," says NGV director Tony Ellwood. "The Moving Garden will also challenge the traditional relationship between art and audience, with each flower picked adding the story of the participant to that of the artwork." The Moving Garden is part of Melbourne's major new Asian arts festival, Asia TOPA: Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts, announced just this week. Mingwei will be conducting a free artist talk on Saturday, October 15, with bookings not required. Lee Mingwei: The Moving Garden will be on display at NGV International from 15 October 2016 – 29 January 2017. Open daily, 10am-5pm. Entry is free.
The American siblings behind Le Bon Ton and Chingon have launched their latest venture: a New York-style delicatessen with a rock 'n' roll steak house upstairs. Opening today on Elgin Street in Carlton, the team at 5 Points Deli will cater to hungry breakfast and lunch crowds, while the attached Longhorn Saloon takes care of dinner. Brothers Will and Mick Balleau began work on the two story venue in 2014, and announced their opening, as well as their menu, via Facebook earlier today. The highly-anticipated 5 Points is serving such Manhattan favourites such as freshly shucked oysters, bagels with cream cheese and a 'world famous smoked pastrami sandwich', with meat smoked in Le Bon Ton's half-tonne smoker. Longhorn, meanwhile, starts service at 5.30pm, with dinner options include homemade pasta, seafood and poutine, along with a variety of steak cuts and a selection of desserts. The drinks menu — it is a saloon after all — is even more impressive, with a very healthy lineup of wines, beers and spirits along with elaborate cocktails with names like 'The Longhorn Spritz' and 'Big Trouble/Little China'. Both kitchens will be headed by executive chef Nick Stanton, who left his previous post at Nieuw Amsterdam to join the Balleaus late last year. Located at 118 Elgin Street, 5 Points and Longhorn Saloon have a capacity of about 200 people each. For more information, you can check them out on Facebook here and here.
If movies are your religion, then the Shadow Electric Outdoor Cinema is the closest thing you'll find to a church. Screening a savvy mix of classics and recent essentials, their giant pop-up screen in the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent is the perfect place to catch a movie under the balmy summer sky. Although the season doesn't start until January, the program hit the web today. We've got the breakdown right here. Things kick into gear just after New Year's, with Stop Making Sense on Friday January 2. The Talking Heads concert film is one of several musically-themed films on the program, including A Hard Day's Night, Bjork: Biophilia Live and the recent, heart-thumping jazz thriller, Whiplash. Other 2014 titles include Dan Gilroy's creepifying media satire Nightcrawler, the hilariously uncomfortable Swedish marital drama Force Majeure and the indie film phenomenon Boyhood. Also screening is Christopher Nolan's space epic Interstellar, a film that more than any other deserves to be seen beneath the stars. A couple of this year's best Australian films also made the cut, namely the slickly made time-travel thriller Predestination and the genre-transcending skateboarding doco All This Mayhem. New Zealand cinema is also represented via Jemaine Clement's gut-busting vampire movie What We Do in the Shadows and the yet-to-be-released horror comedy, Housebound. Speaking of the horrific, while it's disappointing to see that last year's regular Monday night cult film has been scrapped, the few B-movies they have managed to squeeze into the line-up look pretty bloody fantastic (emphasis on bloody). Sion Sono's Why Don't We Play in Hell? is like a Fellini film in a slaughterhouse, and really, who wouldn't want to see a movie called Kung Fu Cannibals? But it's in the retro department that this year's program really delivers. Boogie Nights, Fight Club, The Big Lebowski and Do the Right Thing are just a few of the classics that everyone should see with an audience. Wes Craven's Scream is a great fit for Friday the 13th in February, while When Harry Met Sally is a near-perfect date movie for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day notwithstanding, most Saturdays will see the Shadow Electric take a night off from the movies for a series of live music gigs. That program is yet to be announced, but keep your eyes glued to the website for more info.
It's been 12 years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Heading back to their collection of unconventional venues for another year, Laneway Festival is back for 2017. Returning to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Auckland and Singapore next January and February, Laneway will raise a plastic cup to the middle of summer with one heck of a killer lineup. Following the already announced appearance of AB Original and Chet Faker (or is it Nick Murphy now?), Laneway will see one heck of a crew on their stages, including Aussies Tame Impala — who will be only doing Laneway this time, no sideshows. Oxford band Glass Animals will be coming out for the festival, along wiht other international acts Tourist, Tycho, Nao and riot grrl Kathleen Hanna. There's plenty of local love on the lineup too, with Gang of Youths, Jagwar Ma, Sampa the Great and Camp Cope all making appearances. LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2017 LINEUP A.B.Original AURORA Baro* Bob Moses Camp Cope Car Seat Headrest Clams Casino Ecca Vandal* Fascinator Floating Points (live) Flyying Colours* Gang of Youths GL Glass Animals Jagwar Ma Jess Kent Julia Jacklin Koi Child Luca Brasi Mick Jenkins Mr. Carmack NAO Nicholas Allbrook Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker)** Roland Tings Sampa The Great Tame Impala** Tash Sultana The Julie Ruin Tourist Tycho White Lung Whitney *Melbourne only **Exclusive to Laneway, no sideshows Image: Andy Fraser.
St Kilda's George Hotel is getting a much-needed facelift, with the old Fitzroy Street finding new life as an American-style deli and craft beer haven. Opening this week, the newly christened Freddie Wimpoles takes its moniker from the very same man who purchased the George back in 1873. Frederick Wimpole would eventually go on to become Mayor of St Kilda – so hopefully his new namesake is destined for big things too. The venue's new setup features 13 taps pouring a rotating lineup of local and international craft brews, as well as additional beers by the bottle and can. They also have a number of wines, plus more than 180 premium spirits and a selection of classic cocktails. The food, meanwhile, is inspired by corner delis in NYC – think hot dogs, beef jerky, pickled vegetables and slow-cooked meat subs. Drawing inspiration from Sydney's Shady Pines Saloon, the interior at Freddie Wimpoles is fitted with salvaged material, and is capable of seating up to 150 people. The bar is made from reclaimed doors and posts, and one wall is tiled with old beer cans. Our beer can feature wall... #thegeorgehotel #fitzroyst #stkilda #whothefuckisfreddie #renovations #tinnies A photo posted by Freddie Wimpoles (@freddie_wimpoles) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:36pm PST Freddie Wimpoles is located at 125 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. For more information visit www.freddiewimpoles.com.
Add another name to your list of CBD cafes that you really ought to try. Opening last week in Southern Cross Lane, Axil SXL is the latest member of the Axil Coffee Roasters family, after their flagship store in Hawthorn and their standing-room-only espresso bar in Flinders Lane. The new location appears to fall somewhere in the middle, size-wise, serving caffeinated brews along with fancy jaffles and tasty sweet treats. Tucked away in the Southern Cross Lane shopping mall at the east end of the city, Axil SXL isn't a full blown restaurant. According to The Weekly Review, coffee is their primary focus, although they also serve snacky breakfast and lunch options. After a high-end toastie? Try the variant made with gruyere and garlic mushrooms, or slow cooked shredded lamb. Their waffle offerings are similarly insane, featuring chocolate, peanut butter and banana. SXL won't be the new kid on the block for long though. Founders Dave Makin and Zoe Delany are already getting ready to throw open the doors on their fourth location: an all-day cafe on Bridge Road in Richmond. Mayday, as it's set to be called, will serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and it might even have its own bakery attached. Look out for them in January...and hit up SXL in the meantime Axil SXL is located at Shop 6, Southern Cross Lane, 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. Their opening hours are 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday. For more information, visit www.axilcoffee.com.au. Via The Weekly Review & Good Food. Image: Axil Coffee Roasters, Hawthorn.
You know the drill. The weekend rolls around and you and your mates end up doing exactly the same thing as last week — or at the very least, something pretty darn close. Sure, you chums are guaranteed to have a blast no matter what you're doing, but maybe it's time to spice up those group hangs (just a tiny bit, okay?). We've found a few perfect ways to do exactly that, from a spot of puppy patting to floating in a salty tank. Book in a friend date and head out of your usual comfort zone for one of these unexpected activities to do with your mates. BORROW SOMEONE ELSE'S PUP FOR THE DAY Dog-sharing. Yep. Read it again: dog-sharing. Services that allow pooch owners to connect with other pooch owners to help with everyday care, pupsit for holidays, do walks and so on. It's a thing (thanks to Australian service Dogshare) and you and your dogless mates can 'borrow' a pup for a walkie or sleepover from time-poor dog owners in your local area. To become a borrower, you just have to create a profile on Dogshare's website, list your previous experience with dogs and flag any services you're keen to volunteer for — like walks, park playdates, overnight stays or going to the vet. Can you think of a more joyous way to spend a sunny day with your squad? Just remember — you've gotta give them back at the end. Look after dem pooches, people. Do it at: where you live via Dogshare. LEARN HOW TO HULA HOOP LIKE A PRO When it comes to hula hooping, we're going to guess that you suck (although, props if you're a secret hula hooping champ). And the best way to learn is with your mates — because there's nothing like sucking at a physical activity to bring you closer together. Hula Sparz is run every Monday at 5.30pm at The Knowledge Market, and hooper Donna Sparx will teach you how to master the hoop to some cool beats. If nothing else, you'll work up a sweat and go out for dins after. Do it at: Hula Sparx at The Knowledge Market every Monday evening, Docklands. [caption id="attachment_592149" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Gravity Float[/caption] FLOAT AROUND IN A POD OF SALTY WATER You might be a few years off being able to float around with your mates in outer space, but you can enjoy the feeling of zero gravity, right here, right now. It seems like sensory deprivation tanks (yes, just like Stranger Things) popped up on just about every shopping strip overnight, offering an out-of-this world experience designed to take your relaxation levels to the max. Each tank is light-proof, sound-proof, and filled with a mix of Epsom salts and water, which takes away the sensation of gravity and leaves you floating in a temperature-controlled bubble of absolute peace. Those cortisol and adrenaline levels dip, as any external stimuli and distractions (read: all that stuff that's currently stressing you out), disappear completely. Do a simultaneous float with a mate and go grab lunch afterwards. Do it at: Gravity Float, Armadale. CLIMB A REALLY TALL WALL Sometimes it feels like the only way to catch up with friends is over food. Brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, second dinner, second dessert are all great options (don't get us wrong), but sometimes you feel like doing something active and building muscle rather than building up a bill. Round up the crew and get vertical with a climbing session at your local indoor wall. With most rock climbing centres boasting a wide range of routes and climbs, you can tailor a visit to suit your group's abilities, whether that involves putting Spidey to shame with your ninja skills, or simply squashing that mild fear of heights. Sessions at most indoor rock climbing centres clock in at under $20 (safety demo included) with harness and shoe hire available for a few extra bucks each. You'll need someone to spot you, so take a friend who you trust with your life in their hands. Do it at: Hardrock, CBD. [caption id="attachment_556153" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Visit St. Pete/Clearwater via Flickr[/caption] TAKE TO THE SEAS ON A STAND-UP PADDLE BOARD Make the most of that impending sunshine and those bearable water temps this summer, and gather your mates for a stand-up paddleboard group lesson. Imagine gliding across the water, catching some rays, seeing fishies — or, alternatively, laughing at your mates and belly-flopping into the water as you try to stay standing. Both sound similarly fun. A carry-over from ancient Polynesian times, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years as a brilliant way to sharpen that balance and exercise on the high seas. Plus, the sport's a whole lot easier to master than its gnarlier cousin surfing — one lesson usually enough to have you paddling like a pro. Fish and chips on the beach post-paddle is, of course, a given. Do it at: Stand-Up Paddle Board HQ, St Kilda.
As far as Henry Miller was concerned, alone time is crucial to creativity. “An artist is always alone,” he wrote, “if he is an artist. What the artist needs is loneliness.” But spending day in, day out, with only your cat for company isn’t always a recipe for inspiration. Luckily, Etsy is well aware of the problem. So, every year, they host an enormous, worldwide Craft Party. Artists and craftspeople all over the planet are encouraged to get together to paint, draw, sculpt, sew and make — with like-minded others. This year, the gathering will be happening on June 6 and the theme is 'Kaleidoscope: Paper taking shape'. It's all about collages and paper cutting techniques this year, so come armed with scissors. Etsy Craft Parties will be held all over Australia. You can organise your own, or to attend one of Melbourne's major bashes, book a spot online. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
In a piece of bad news for people who like good food on the cheap, the future of Lentil as Anything in Abbotsford appears to be in doubt. The operators of the beloved pay-what-you-feel vegetarian restaurant broke the bad news last week, after their landlords at the historic Abbotsford Convent began advertising for expressions of interest for the Lentil as Anything space. According to a statement on the Lentil as Anything homepage, the restaurant received notice from the Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF) that it would be undergoing a "request for proposal" process for the location, which Lentil as Anything has occupied for the past 11 years. The application process will be open until November 20, before a tenant is selected from a shortlist of candidates. Assuming Lentil as Anything is unable to compete with opposing bids, their lease could be terminated as early as December. Representatives from Lentil as Anything have launched an online petition to help save their Abbotsford premises, and have already racked up more than 4200 signatures. According to their website, they hope that the ACF board will take into account the feelings of the community when making their decision, although there appear to be no official channels for the public to make their voices heard. In addition to their iconic Abbotsford location, the Lentil as Anything team operate restaurants in St Kilda, Footscray, Preston, Thornbury and Sydney. Their community-minded philosophy and unique payment method has made them popular with many locals. However, the Abbotsford site did previously report that it was operating at a loss, with many customers choosing not to pay for their food at all. This is why we can't have nice things. See the online petition at Change.org. Image: Lentil as Anything, Preston.
Chow down on extravagant chocolate creations or customise your own, at Australia's first ever KitKat Chocolatory when it opens in Melbourne next week. Setting up shop at Melbourne Central, the dedicated store comes on the back of a number of wonderfully over-the-top pop-ups, and will offer a rather more extensive lineup of KitKats than you'll find on the supermarket shelf. Think pop-rocks, potato chips, marshmallows and toasted coconut, and you should be right on the right track. Opening on October 21 in Melbourne Central, the KitKat Chocolatory intends to offer a "premium chocolate experience" according to the sugar fiends at Nestle. "Customers will be able to purchase handcrafted chocolates and one-off flavour combinations. Using premium 100% sustainable UTZ certified chocolate and an ever changing range of delicious ingredients, they can put a personal stamp on their favourite chocolate and create custom-made KitKat bars." Among the Chocolatory's distinctive lineup, customers will find a number of limited edition Melbourne-themed creations by Shangri-La Sydney Executive Pastry Chef Anna Polyviou.. These include the Hosier Lane (featuring milk chocolate, wafer, caramel fudge, nougat, popcorn and potato chips), the St Kilda (featuring dark chocolate, wafer, pretzels, marshmallow and raspberry jelly drops), the Little Bourke (featuring white chocolate, wafer, toasted coconut, cornflakes and cornflakes), and the tooth-rotting Luna Park (featuring white chocolate, wafer, 100s & 1000s, pop-rocks and rice crispies). Find the KitKat Chocolatory on Level 1 of Melbourne Central from Friday October 21. For more information visit www.kitkat.com.au.
Life is a cabaret, old chum — or at least that's what we've been told. Come June, we'll get the chance to find out. Heating up venues in both Prahran and the CBD, the latest edition of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival will welcome more than 100 different performers from around Australia and the world, for two weeks' worth of singing, dancing and outrageous fun. This year's festival hub will be based out of Chapel Off Chapel, with additional shows at The Space Arts and Dance Centre and Love Machine Nightclub in Prahran, as well as The Butterfly Club in the city. The fun begins on Tuesday, June 14 with an opening night gala featuring some of the biggest acts of the festival, and won't stop until Sunday, June 26, with a closing night billed as "Australia's biggest piano bar party". In between, punters can check out over 40 different shows. UK performer Joe Stilgoe will pay tribute to Hollywood with a showcase of songs written for and inspired by some of the greatest films of the last century, while Steve Ross — dubbed The Crown Prince of New York Cabaret by The New York Times — will perform a selection of tunes from the 1920s and '30s. Standout local performers, meanwhile, include Yana Alana, Imogen Spendlove, Geraldine Quinn and Rod Davies, the last of whom you might know as the voice from the Good Guys commercials. The Melbourne Cabaret Festival runs from June 14-26. For the complete lineup and to secure tickets visit melbournecabaret.com.
Melbourne's award-winning, not-for-profit sustainability centre and urban garden sitting pretty near Merri Creek. Beautiful Darkness celebrations start at 4.30pm, with a ceremonial fire as the focus of the evening's activity. Local musicians Melody Moon and Samantha Starr will perform throughout the evening, while artisans showcase their work and share their talents in a series of craft workshops. Locally-produced food (pizza and hot jam doughnuts included) will be available for purchase, alongside hot drinks to warm the cockles. The event runs until 8.30pm with an adult ticket priced at $19.50 (tickets aren't available at the door, so be sure to book in advance).
Kicking off with a light-hearted caper, ending with happy tears — that's what we look for in an Italian jaunt. And even if you're not heading over to Europe anytime soon, sitting in a cinema this September might be the next best thing, in the form of the 2017 Italian Film Festival. Marking its 18th year, Australia's annual celebration of Italy's filmmaking finest will kick off with screwball effort Let Yourself Go!, which won the 2017 Italian Golden Globe for best comedy, stars The Great Beauty's Toni Servillo, and follows a tightly wound psychoanalyst's dalliance with an upbeat personal trainer. Bookending the festival is a 20th anniversary screening of Roberto Benigni's bittersweet Life Is Beautiful, an Academy Award winner for best foreign language film. One of the more popular film events in Australia, IFF's 28-film, six-week national tour features brand new highlights, excursions off the beaten track, jaunts all over the country and an ode to coffee. Yes, there really is a film called Coffee in the program, which intertwines three tales about everyone's favourite caffeinated brew, and was inspired by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 2006 Oscar-winner Babel. As for the rest of the fest, highlights include the tender portrait of conjoined twin sisters that is Indivisible (the festival's centrepiece), to Sea Girls Dreaming, a documentary about carefree grandmothers living in the tiny Italian mountain village of Daone. Plus, Italian movie buffs can also enjoy romantic comedy Emma, which comes to Australia straight from the Venice Film Festival, and the based-on-a-true-tale Sicilian Ghost Story, about the disappeared teenage son of a Mafia informant. There's more where they came from, including Roman ex-cons attempting to start a new life, broad Christmas comedies and topical accounts of ex-terrorists fleeing extradition — and a special guest and a new initiative. This year's festival will welcome Australian-Italian actor Greta Scacchi, who'll attend screenings of her latest effort Tenderness, and sit on IFF's first jury. The Looking for Alibrandi star will help pick the festival's best from a six-film competition, with help from The Space Between's Ruth Borgobello, actor Daniela Farinacci, actor Damian Walshe-Howling and Radio National's Jason di Rosso. The 2017 Italian Film Festival tours Australia between September 12 and October 25, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinemas from September 12 to October 8; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from September 14 to October 8; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from September 20 to October 8. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Sleek CBD diner Botswana Butchery is hosting a very special once-off dinner degustation this September. Partnering with whisky experts Nikka, Botswana Butchery is set to deliver a six-course culinary journey championing exceptional meat, including four courses of wagyu. This longtime Kiwi favourite is known for its signature luxe meat- and seafood-focused offering. Pop into the New Zealand-born eatery on Wednesday, September 6 and you'll be served four wagyu-centric dishes followed by a palate cleanser and dessert. Rump tartare is dressed with Jerusalem artichoke and truffles, rib chunk shavings are served with a burned butter emulation, and there's a beef shin paired with celeriac and preserved lemon. Throughout the evening, guests will also be treated to paired whisky drinks and talks from guest speakers. On the lineup: Culinary Director Angel Fernandez on each dish, Botswana Butchery Bar Manager Reuben Beasley on cocktails and Nikka Whisky Ambassador Marcus Parmenter will speak about whisky blends. With room for 300 punters across three levels, Botswana Butchery Melbourne features handsome Charlotte Spary-designed interiors with marble-topped counters, sunken dining areas and sumptuous booth seating, as well as two terraces overlooking Flinders Lane. [caption id="attachment_859635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garth Oriander[/caption]
Some of the best paella chefs around are on their way to Melbourne to put their skills to the ultimate test. Held over two days at the Queen Victoria Market, the Pacific semi finals of the Concurs Internacional de Paella Valenciana will see competitors cook up their finest Valencian paella for the chance to travel to Spain, where they'll battle it out for the title of greatest in the world. In conjunction with the main event, the QVM is hosting a full blown paella festival, complete with stalls, food and even a creative paella cook-off. The latter contest, which kicks off at noon on Saturday, is open to professionals and passionate amateurs alike; if you think you've got what it takes you can register here. The victor gets all sorts of goodies including a $500 dinner at Simply Spanish, where your winning recipe will be featured on the menu for the month of May.
When all seven chapters of S-Town were released in one mighty swoop on March 28 this year, podcasting entered a new realm. Ten million episodes were downloaded in four days, obliterating records. And now, series creator Brian Reed is coming to Australia to talk about how he did it. At an evening titled 'Mysteries, Mazes and the Making of S-Town', he'll be chatting about telling stories, combining reporting with literariness, leaving things unsaid and, of course, John B. McLemore, the podcast's eccentric, obsessive, unforgettable protagonist. Along the way, you're likely to hear him touching on all the big themes that found their way into S-Town: greed, poverty, mental health issues and prejudice. And, if you've been plagued by questions of journalistic ethics, this would be the time to dig them out. The only catch? Tickets are already selling fast. So, you'd better be quick.
Asking someone what they're going to do at Good Beer Week is sure to elicit one unanimous answer: drink beer, man. But there are so many ways to drink beer and enjoy it that the answer, my friends, is never simple. Certainly not when it's Good Beer Week and you can do everything from tasting bacon and Rocky Road flavoured schooners to playing unlimited arcade games with Lost Coast, find beer-loving prison ghosts and Surfari parties with Stone & Wood. So how do you go about planning for this? If you've picked up a copy of the program you'll notice that there is a lot happening and, as always, the more popular events have been sold out to people more organised than you. Running from May 16-24, it's a week of enjoyment and discovery of our favourite golden drink and we aren't going to let it pass by without a few ales passing through our lips. Check out our picks of the top ten events at Good Beer Week.
If Cards Against Humanity's dark sense of humour appealed to the evil troll that lies dormant inside us all, you're going to flip your wicked lid over their new venture. OK Cookie Co. might sounds wholesome and sweet but the concept is devilish — send your friends (or your enemies) fortune cookies with brutal truths hidden inside. If there's anything more devastating than hopefully cracking a fortune cookie open only to have it tell you it's too late to stop climate change, we've never heard of it. OK Cookie taps into that market of assholes who love cruel jokes (which is frankly all of us). For US$10 plus shipping (or free shipping for two of more boxes), you can send a pack of 15 assorted misfortune cookies to anyone. Fortunes include gems such as "You will probably die of a heart attack or something" and "Your wildest dreams will come true, assuming those dreams are about the extinction of honeybees". It reminds us of the whole 'Send Your Enemies Glitter' win and the send your enemies a bag of gummy dicks thing of 2015 — people are apparently really on board with sending mean, anonymous gifts in the mail and we're delighted by it. May this be the first wave in a long, long line of novelty mail gifts.
Deck the halls and unpack the plastic tree — the festive season is well and truly upon us. And while that whole Christmas tradition stuff is nice, we're not going to deny what we're most excited about: a whole stocking-load of new films. Along with the cricket and stampeding through shopping centres, going to the movies is one of our favourite Boxing Day traditions. After all, what better place to recover from your post-Christmas food coma than in a nice, dark, air-conditioned cinema? Of course, not all of the end-of-year titles measure up. That's why we're reporting in with our annual Boxing Day Battle Royale, to ensure that you get maximum bang for your Kris Kringle gift voucher buck. Or you could just go see the new Star Wars movie for the third time. That's also a totally valid option. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDMf9m7FXd4 LA LA LAND We give it: 4 stars A surefire contender at this year's Academy Awards, Damien Chazelle's follow-up to the critically acclaimed Whiplash is a bittersweet love letter to music, movies and the old school sense of romance we associate with both. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are at their charming best as a pair of dreamers who fall madly in love against the backdrop of Los Angeles, only for their creative ambitions to get in the way. The film is beautifully shot, and its toe-tapping song and dance numbers will leave you with a gigantic smile on your face. Also: tears. Oh boy, will there be tears. – Tom Clift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKFuXETZUsI MOANA We give it: 4 stars The latest film from the Disney animation juggernaut, Moana hits all the right marks. Indeed, it's a cocktail of all of the best elements of the Disney princess genre – a desperate quest, a charismatic supporting cast, catchy tunes and an animal sidekick – but with one subtle but important difference. Unlike most Disney princesses, Moana doesn't need a training montage to become a boss bitch, because she already is one. She's a beautiful role model, maybe the best Disney princess ever. And the score, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Opetaia Foa'i, is the music she deserves. Prepare your ears to hear the main refrain 'How Far I'll Go' more than that damn 'Let It Go' song from Frozen. We ain't mad, though, because it's the perfect summer jam. – Imogen Baker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX5vI4osR50 A UNITED KINGDOM We give it: 4 stars As far as rousing romances based on real-life stories go, Amma Asante's A United Kingdom hits the jackpot. Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo star as typist Ruth Williams and future president of Botswana Seretse Khama, whose romance in the years following WWII challenged racial divisions and provoked widespread international attention. The film provides an example of solid emotional storytelling from start to finish. Complications keep forcing the star-crossed lovers in opposite directions, but they never lose sight of what's important. Nor does Asante or writer Guy Hibbert, who are at their best when swapping easy sentiment for quiet fortitude. – Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl3sTpmEKIs RED DOG: TRUE BLUE We give it: 3.5 stars Five years ago, a little local film with a lot of heart scampered its way into cinemas — and into the country's box office records. Given the tail-wagging success of Red Dog, a follow-up was all but inevitable. Still, while there's much that's familiar about Red Dog: True Blue, it still earns every bit of emotion that oozes from this second trip into family-friendly territory. This time around, the eponymous pooch gets an origin story starting in 1968, and a lonely boy (Pan's Levi Miller) gets a new best friend. For their part of the bargain, viewers get a broad, crowd-pleasing, affectionate effort that's certain to make everyone fall in love with the red-coloured canine all over again. – Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qksQSt8K830 WHY HIM? We give it: 3 stars "Produced by Ben Stiller. Story by Jonah Hill. Starring James Franco." Put those things together and you already know what you'll get: fart jokes, dick jokes, poo jokes, semon jokes, stoners, swearing and sex. And yet, true to form, you also get laughs. Not as many as you might have hoped for given the involvement of Bryan Cranston, Megan Mullally and Keegan-Michael Key, but maybe just enough to keep you entertained. In this modern day riff on Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, Cranston's daughter invites her family out to Silicon Valley to meet her eccentric tech millionaire boyfriend Laird, whereupon daddy decides to go to war with the very idea of their relationship. Too often the film turns to the loud and the wacky for easy laughs, when all the best material comes in the gentler, well-directed barbs at San Fran startup culture. Franco steals the show, forging Laird into a genuinely endearing character whose vulnerabilities lie bare like the tattoos adorning his torso. – Tom Glasson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlp94-C31cY ALLIED We give it: 3 stars Partially styled after and sharing its initial setting with classic World War II romance Casablanca, Allied poses an age-old question in a specific context: how well does anyone actually know each other, particularly married couples who've started a family together while the planet battles it out around them. Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard mightn't boast overwhelmingly convincing chemistry together, but each turn in fine performances as a Canadian intelligence officer and French resistance fighter, respectively, whose pairing on an undercover mission soon leads to a genuine connection. Obviously pitched at an older crowd, Allied is an elegant affair that seems like a response to the complaint that they just don't make them like they used to. – Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWjjOOYxhI SING We give it: 3 stars On paper, animal karaoke caper Sing sounds like reality television turned into a star-studded cartoon – albeit in a form that aims to make viewers feel warm and fuzzy rather than inducing a serious case of cringe. On screen, the latest film from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Son of Rambow director Garth Jennings plays out just as you'd expect, though it thankfully remains fun enough despite its obvious formula. Think bright colours, a bouncy pace, recognisable songs a plenty, Matthew McConaughey voicing a theatre-owning koala, and the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Eddie the Eagle's Taron Egerton among the cast. If you're looking for a film to keep youngsters distracted, this animated effort should do nicely. – Sarah Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_3CL12eNaE ROSALIE BUM We give it: 2.5 stars While Rosalie Blum bears the name of Noémie Lvovsky's protagonist— a middle-aged corner store-owner saddened by past pain – the intertwined fates of three individuals sit at the centre of this light and breezy effort. Adapted from a series of graphic novels, the film – a hit at this year's Alliance Francaise French Film Festival – explores the story not just of Rosalie, but also the hairdresser who starts following her every move, and the college student (and Rosalie's niece) who starts shadowing him in turn. Coincidence and contrivance rear their head, though so does a genuine understanding of the interplay between unhappiness and escapism. The result is a well-acted but often a tad too convenient movie about coping with life's ups and downs. – Sarah Ward If you're looking to steer well clear of cinemas on Boxing Day, why not check out one of our favourite films from throughout the year instead. Words by Imogen Baker, Tom Clift, Tom Glasson and Sarah Ward.
First came Messina. Then came kittens. Now, finally, Uber has rolled the dice on the ultimate delivery treat, and will be bringing babies right to your office. That's right — we're talking UberBUBS. Like some sort of stork in an Audi with a 4.8 star rating, Uber drivers have teamed up with trusting mums and dads all around the country to unlock the clucky in all of us, but be warned: the waiting list is expected to be huge. "If there's one thing you hear time and time again from successful, white collar types in the CBD," explains Uber Australia CEO Pieter Rank, "it's the regret of having put career ahead of family. Today at least, even if only for 15 minutes, we're giving them the chance to have both — no strings attached." Naturally, parents will be present at all times, and if the younglings find themselves overwhelmed, the visit will be cut short and a 50 percent refund offered in return. So how can you grab your chance to experience all the adorableness of kittens with the added benefits of dribble and mumbling? 1. Download the Uber app. 2. Request the 'BUBS' option in the app TODAY between 12pm and 4pm within the Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane CBD and surrounding suburbs. 3. If available, you'll get to enjoy 15 minutes of wide-eyed (or possibly stinky, wailing) cuteness delivered to your office, your home or even your reluctant partner to show them what they're missing. All funds raised will go to local not-for-profit nappiesandinsomnia.org.au to help raise funds for future Uber marketing activations.
This November, the bustling Night Noodle Markets will return to Birrarung Marr for 18 nights of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, bao and extravagant frozen desserts. Taking over the riverside inner city park from November 7–24, the latest iteration of the fairy light-lit markets will see a slew of Australia's favourite food stalls set up shop to serve a wide variety of street snacks. Crowd favourites — and NNM regulars — Hoy Pinoy will be back with its Filipino barbecue, and will Wonderbao's fluffy buns and Puffle's cheesy cone waffles. You can also expect to find dumplings, okonomiyaki and soba noodles, right through to pancakes and Korean-style shaved ice desserts. Gelato Messina will be back, too — its 2019 Sydney NNM menu includes Thai-style sweets like a milk tea banana cheesecake sandwich, a layered condensed milk pudding, and banana fritters with caramelised banana gelato and peanut crumble. Let's hope these make their way down here, too. Naturally, there will be plenty of booze stations as well, including a Jacobs Creek tipi wine bar, a beer garden and a 20s-inspired diner serving beer floats and spiders. So start scheduling your visits the market — and cross your fingers for good weather. The Night Noodle Markets will run from 5–9pm Monday and Tuesday, 5–10pm Wednesday and Thursday, 5–11pm Friday, 4–10pm Saturday and 4–9pm Sunday. Image: Kimberley May Moore.
Thanks to all of last year's drama, it has probably been a while since you hit the slopes. But, if you'd like to get into the alpine spirit without the 5-hour drive to Hotham, head on down to The National for this special apres ski-themed edition of its popular bottomless brunch. Heating up the long weekend on Sunday, June 13 (aka Queen's Birthday eve), the one-off party will see the Richmond pub moonlighting as a cosy Aspen chalet, where guests will enjoy a three-hour bottomless brunch to remember. You're in for cheese fondue and other winter warming eats, matched to free-flowing drinks including a house-spiced mulled wine and marshmallow-topped boozy hot chocolates. You'll want to don your finest ski bunny get-up for the occasion, as there'll be prizes up for grabs for the best-dressed guests. And to round out the frosty fun, expect tunes from house DJs firing up the heated beer garden right through the afternoon.
Westfield have just unveiled a huge program of free live music, taking over stores across Victoria throughout spring and summer. Partnering with entertainment leaders Live Nation, the exclusive event series will be feature over 20 performances across Westfield stores in Australia and New Zealand. Artists and performers teased across the program include Australian favourites Amy Shark, Jessica Mauboy, Thelma Plum and Stan Walker. The event series will kick off in Westfield Doncaster on Sunday, September 17 with soul and jazz singer Kate Ceberano. Come along for a free live performance, along with a dedicated fan meet and greet. "We're excited to partner with Westfield to provide customers with a new opportunity to access some of their favourite local artists, for free. The program also provides artists with rare opportunities to play in unique venues, making this partnership even more special," Live Nation ANZ President Brand & Marketing Partnerships, Greg Segal says. Westfield members will also be in the running for tickets, including VIP experiences, for a range of upcoming Live Nation concerts including P!nk, Blink182 and Post Malone. The full event lineup will drop in the coming weeks on the Westfield website. Run, don't walk. Images: Amy Shark, supplied.
National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for all people of Australia to learn and acknowledge the nation's shared history, to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and reflect on how we can each contribute to reconciliation. Reconciliation requires more than listening, learning and reflecting, which is powerfully summarised in this year's theme: More than a word. Reconciliation takes action. As always, hundreds of events are occurring around the nation in schools, community centres, workplaces, cultural institutions and sporting clubs. All these events embrace the theme and recognise that for reconciliation to occur in Australia, more impactful action is required. Reconciliation also requires the active participation and involvement of wider Australia. So this year, you can also host an event as well as attending a suite of unique educational discussions and workshops. National Reconciliation Week is convened annually by Reconciliation Australia, the national body on reconciliation. Significantly, this year marks twenty years since Reconciliation Australia was established in 2001. The start and end dates of Reconciliation Week are the same each year— May 27 and June 3. These dates celebrate two significant achievements in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision which saw the rightful recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of the land. [caption id="attachment_813142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: City of Greater Geelong, City Hall[/caption]
For the past two years, Prahran's Toko has ranked among Melbourne's best Japanese restaurants. And with good reason — the Melbourne offshoot of the top Sydney and Dubai fine dining establishment, it served up everything from fairy floss cocktails to sashimi matched with pork crackling. Alas, the Greville Street favourite has now closed its doors, but Tokosan has popped up in its place. Dubbed as Toko 's cheeky little sister, Matt Yazbek's new venture focuses mainly on beverages, paired with a casual Japanese menu. The brand new interior design boasts neon lighting, a 16-metre-long street art mural, and DJ-spun tunes via the new sound system. Of note is the new karaoke room, bookable for functions of 20 people — so prepare to give your lungs a workout. The pub-style Japanese menu features sticky grilled pork ribs with a jacket potato, Japanese-style chicken burgers and popcorn shrimp with spicy aioli. Ramen and udon noodle soups also make an appearance, as does sushi, and the arrival of $20 all-you-can-eat Temaki Tuesdays is something to look forward to. We'll let you know when that one launches. Tokosan's cocktail list, named after Kill Bill characters, includes the gin, cucumber and passionfruit O-Ren Ishii, the Boss Tanaka with bourbon, apricot brandy, ginger ale and lemon juice, and the sake-infused Sofie Faale. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, Tokosan will keeps things bustling with its 100-person inside capacity. Outside, what was once a courtyard has been converted into a lounge garden, catering for up to 60 people — with heating in winter, of course. They'll look to host weekly Sunday sessions from 11am soon too. Jumping on the more-casual train, Tokosan is Matt Yazbek's answer to Melbourne's insatiable appetite for laidback establishments to eat and drink. And Toko isn't dead, either — a new CBD location is in the works. Tokosan is now open at 142 Greville Street, Prahran, Tuesday till Saturday 4pm till 1am. For more info, visit tokosan-melbourne.com. Images: Gareth Sobey.
Sweet tooths looking for the ultimate Instagrammable treat should look no further, brand new CBD ice cream parlour Aqua S is bringing your candy-fuelled search to an end. Opened just a few days ago at QV Melbourne, Aqua S is a soft-serve specialist — and one that could give Caulfield's Tuck Shop Take Away a run for its money. They've been cranking out $8 soft serve cones for Sydneysiders since January 2015 — and we know, that's a price point that may steer any punter right back to Micky D's. But hold up a second, this little ol' dessert escapade comes filled with sea salt-flavoured soft serve, topped with a pillowy bed of fairy floss, sweet popcorn, popping candy and a grilled marshmallow. And looks like an actual cloud. Take. Our. Money. Sea salt soft-serve is obviously not a new thing — you can thank Okinawa, Japan for it. If you're not down for sea salt soft-serve, you can choose from two others on tap — changing every two weeks. Who knows, you could be inhaling biscotti soft-serve (!), lemon squash, pandan, mint tea, mocha, peach iced tea, lemon cheesecake — anything. Keep things simple with a single soft-serve 'scoop', or blend up those flavours with mixed 'scoops' — and you can pick and choose from those ridiculous-sounding toppings. Find Aqua S at 16 Red Cape Lane, QV Melbourne. They're open Monday to Sunday, midday to 11pm.
With summer glimmering on the horizon — bringing with it the promise of gloriously warm, long nights — it's the perfect time to start thinking about your first dinner party of the season. But if the thought of hosting yet another classic evening meal around your dining table fills you with something close to dread, why not make this summer one of experimentation instead? To help make this social season more exciting, we've collaborated with KitchenAid (to celebrate the launch of the KitchenAid Mini in Australia) and come up with five simple ways to take your next dinner party from conventional to creative. Pick your favourite idea, send out the invitations, and get ready to become your friends' favourite host. TAKE IT OUTSIDE There's something about dining al fresco that always feels so luxurious. So why not take advantage of the warm weather and host your party in the backyard? Decorate a table with a bright cloth, a few fresh flowers, heaps of candles, and artfully mismatched crockery and your guests will feel like they're dining in a romantic European café. For additional charm, hang fairy-lights from the trees and use lanterns to illuminate the walkway between your house and the garden. If you've got a pool, make sure to set your table near it — while it's not exactly oceanfront dining, it comes pretty damn close. You could also switch things up by taking a page out of the pop-up restaurant playbook and having dinner in the front yard – the enhanced opportunity for people-watching is an added bonus. PARTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE Take inspiration from initiatives like the Big Aussie Barbie and turn your dinner party into a mini fundraiser for your favourite charity. Simply ask guests to pay a small entry fee to attend (set up a simple webpage to streamline the process and avoid having to hassle your mates for cash on the day) and then donate the funds to the charity of your choice. Make sure to tell your guests a little bit about the organisation so they understand where their contributions will be going. As for the party itself, your options are endless. You could, for example, host a BBQ, a cocktail party, or a games night. You could also theme your event in a way that aligns with the charity, like having guests dress up in the colour associated with the cause (pink for breast cancer, for example). UP YOUR ALCOHOL GAME Instead of the predictable bottles of wine and beer, treat your guests to an alcoholic summer punch. Serve your concoction in a pretty glass bowl, with a medley of colourful fruits at the bottom, and you've also got yourself a sweet centrepiece. Another idea is to try your hand at homemade frosé—we promise it's easier than it sounds and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. If you're feeling especially creative, why not set up a little cocktail station with a few easy classics? Gin & Tonics, Dark & Stormies, and Caipirinhas are perennial favourites that can all be made with just three ingredients. Pre-garnish the glasses (ant-rimmed Aussie South Side, anyone?) for a lavish finishing touch. HOST A GIG IN YOUR HOUSE So you've hosted a brunch party, are an old-hand at whipping up delicious homemade cocktails, and have mastered the art of al fresco dining? Then it's time to take your party to the next level with Parlour Gigs. This ingenious initiative lets you bring live music into your living room. We know, it sounds almost too good to be true. Hosting a gig is insanely easy: simply sign up on the website, invite a local artist to play, and, once they've accepted, share a private invite with your mates. Then, set up your space with a few comfy chairs, plush pillows, and some mood lighting for a unique evening that is guaranteed to have your friends talking all summer long. BRUNCH PARTY? Yes, we know, "dinner party" connotes an evening meal but why not switch things up and host a brunch party instead? Not only is brunch arguably the best meal of the day, having people over in the late morning or early afternoon let's you make the most of the summer sunshine, while also being cheaper and easier to put together than dinner. What's not to love? To pull off a successful brunch party, make a few easy main dishes with your KitchenAid Mini (meals you can prep in advance, like french toast or quiche, are ideal), pick up some pastries from your favourite bakery (here are our picks), cut up some seasonal fruits, throw everything onto a pretty tablecloth and you're good to go. For an extra touch, set up a simple mimosa bar with a few pitchers of orange or grapefruit juice and a couple of bottles of bubbly.
Fitzroy's gone and got itself a brand new bagel joint. Opening earlier this week in an old warehouse on Johnston Street, Mile End Bagels takes its name from a neighbourhood in Montreal, whose bagel obsession gives New York's a run for its money. Boiled in water and honey, and baked in a wood-fired oven, these rings of dough are seriously legit. Mile End is owned by Ben Vaughn and Michael Fee, the latter of whom worked for the former at the much-loved Carte Crepes at Melbourne University. Trading up from a crepe stand to a full blown bakery and cafe, their new endeavour sees the bagels made in full view of their customers. The interior has been spruced up by interior design firm Studio Esteta, and includes a communal table for up to 20 people. The bagels come in four varieties: sesame, cinnamon and raisin, poppy and "everything". Spreads include peanut butter and jam, a classic cream cheese option, and vegemite (because Australia). So far their fillings are limited to smoked salmon and roast beef, although they've teased a number of other options via Instagram, including a beetroot, kale and chilli jam number, and another with egg and ham. In the beverage department they serve Seven Seeds Coffee, Mork Hot Chocolate and Chai Boy artisan tea. Mile End is located at 14 Johnston Street, Fitzroy. Their opening hours are 7:30am-3:30pm Tuesday to Sunday. For more information follow them on Instagram or visit www.mile-end.com.au. Via Good Food.
Head to the south side of town to Hampton Wine Co. for dinner in both solid and liquid form — here, the wines are just as important as what you'll be eating. Just near Hampton Station, jazzing up an otherwise sleepy strip, Hampton Wine Co. is expertly run by an ex-Jacques Reymond team. The menu is made up of sharing plates with an emphasis on meat and seafood, but there are enough veggie options to satisfy any surprise dietary requirements. There's also a banging pizza menu with the Signor George with tomato, flor di latte mozzarella, hot salmi and olives the pick. Drink wise, the list includes a healthy range by the glass — including Gippsland Wine Co. chardonnay and Cosmo Wines cab sav — while the walls are full of bottles that can be purchased and drunk at your table. Cocktails include the zesty ' Tromba Margarita' and the fresh and fun 'Amalfi Club' with pink grapefruit gin. The Hampton Wine Co. bar is also a boutique bottle shop, so if you don't finish whatever wine you order from the menu, you can just take it home with you for a nightcap at yours. Appears in: The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne for 2023
After announcing its dates earlier this year, Moonlight Cinema has revealed the first part of its 2018–19 program. In short: pack your picnic basket and get ready to watch a heap of flicks under the summer evening sky. Kicking off on Thursday, November 29 in the Botanic Gardens, this initial lineup boasts plenty of this year's favourites, a smattering of all-time faves and a few sneak peeks at new movies coming out soon. Tried-and-tested highlights include A Star Is Born, A Simple Favour and Crazy Rich Asians, plus Halloween, Bad Times at the El Royale and Venom if you're after something darker. And it wouldn't be a movie season under the stars (or a pre-Christmas lineup) without Love Actually, Elf and Dirty Dancing, now would it? You can also catch pre-release sessions of twisted period drama The Favourite, from The Lobster filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, as well as Transformers spin-off Bumblebee. Or, opt for Viggo Mortensen-starring likely Oscar contender Green Book, or Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan battling it out in Mary, Queen of Scots. Heist flick Widows, amusing sleuths Holmes and Watson and the wizarding antics of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald are all also accounted for — as is Moonlight's usual food truck and licensed bar offering, and its reserved bean beds. This first announcement just covers the outdoor cinema's screenings until the end of January. A February and March lineup will be announced early 2019.
Warm up like a Viking this winter, at Lucky Penny on Chapel Street. Spurred on by the chilly weather, the South Yarra cafe has just launched The Hunter’s Kitchen, a brand new dinner and drinks project inspired by the flavours of Scandinavia. Open on Friday and Saturday evenings until late, Hunter’s Kitchen will serve hearty, Nordic-style comfort food all throughout winter. Starters include in-house cured salmon, celeriac puree, cornichons, dill, celery leaves with Yarra Valley salmon roe; and smoked trout, cos, caperberry, apple coleslaw, and boiled egg. Offering a contemporary twist on traditional Danish appetisers, these dishes will be served with torn chunks of bread baked by the artisan bakers at Ed’s Breads. Main course, meanwhile, belongs to the slow cooked Hunter’s Stews, made and served to share in cast iron pans, with ingredients such as venison, sausage, confit red cabbage and homemade spicy pear chutney; and Bannockburn free range farmhouse chicken, bacon, roast celery and kale chips. Dessert options include ginger cake with treacle sauce and ice-cream, and a blueberry and elderflower crumble. Complementing the dining menu is a selection of Scandinavian-themed drinks, from traditional mulled wine with treacle, cinnamon and cloves, to bespoke cocktails like the Tom and Jerry (brandy, hot spiced milk and Italian meringue) and the Winter Julep (brown sugar syrup, peppermint tea and bourbon). The Hunter’s Kitchen at Lucky Penny is located at 481 Chapel St, South Yarra, and trades from 6pm until late on Friday and Saturday evenings. For more information visit www.theluckypenny.com.au.
After collaborating with The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, nabbing a Coachella spot and spinning her way to international success over the past year, Sydney's Alison Wonderland is embarking on her second tour of industrial warehouse parties. Wonderland Warehouse Project 2.0 is set to hit the road nationwide from late May, the highly anticipated sequel to her wildly successful 2014 tour of the same name. Armed with a fresh set of tracks from debut album RUN, Wonderland will be popping up in secret locations across the country for what's pinned to be some seriously huge shows. Bringing electronica out of the clubs and into a string of mystery warehouses, this powerhouse Sydney DJ is going to run some rather unconventional, mega-scale dancefloors. Set to make her first appearance at Coachella in the States in April, off the back of casually working with Wayne Coyne for her latest record, Wonderland appears to have quite the 2015 in store. After last year's sell-out tour, get in quick to secure your spot at these epic warehouse shindigs. Last release ickets are now $55, but will sell quicker than you can fall down a rabbit hole.
For years, the Lucas Group have been kicking goals on Melbourne’s restaurant scene with the likes Chin Chin, Kong and Baby all to their illustrious name. After whispers of a hawker-style market reared their heads in March 2015, the time has finally come for their latest project, Hawker Hall, to open to the public. Hawker Hall is opening in Windsor at 11am on Sunday, November 14 and is designed to mimic a Singaporean hawker market. Owner Chris Lucas told Good Food that the Tiong Bahru Food Centre in Singapore was a major inspiration for the project. Just to clue you in, hawkers are typically nomadic merchants who sell cheap street food and wares in a large open space by yelling (anyone who’s travelled to Southeast Asia will know exactly what we’re talking about). At HH, this will translate to a broad menu covering curries, noodles, dumplings and barbecue, a very reasonable price point ($10-20) and a big, noisy mess-hall-style venue. The kitchen will be manned by head chef Damian Snell (formerly of Charlie Dumpling) under the watch of Lucas Group executive chef Benjamin Cooper. The actual hall, which used to be a furniture store on Chapel Street, is being transformed by heavyweight designers Eades and Bergman (Kong, Bomba, Mr Miyagi) and Melbourne's Craig Tan Architects (Dock Square Pavilion, Brompton Pavilion, Roji Salon). But amongst the food market-style accoutrements, the other big item on the Hawker Hall agenda is the emphasis on craft beer, with a fluid, constantly changing tap menu planned that will showcase new and small-time breweries as well as the venue's own label, Shiki. If it’s anything like Chin Chin, you’ll have to get in early — because it’s going to be popular. And speaking of Chin Chin, the Lucas Group also announced that Chin Chin will be shutting down temporarily early in the new year. Don’t worry though, it won’t be for long. The old gal is turning five, is no spring chicken and needs a bit of work, including the installation of a coconut barbecue grill and smoke extractors (the new botox). Hawker Hall will open at 98 Chapel Street, Windsor on Sunday, November 14 at 11am. Via Good Food.
The boffins at Australia's leading scientific institution are branching out into the art world, in an attempt to raise awareness about the need to invest in renewable energy sources. The CSIRO Infinity Swing is a giant light-up swing set powered by the momentum of its users, turning playtime into clean, sustainable power. According to its creators, the light and sound installation came about in response to one of the most challenging questions facing the world today: "how do we make sure energy stays affordable and available while protecting our planet?" The eight-person swing serves as a timely visual reminder of the importance of clean, renewable energy, as well as the things that can be achieved when people work together. It's also given us a great idea about connecting the nation's playgrounds directly to the power grid – although we suspect that child protection services mightn't be quite so keen. The pop-up swing will open to the public at Sydney's Custom House between Wednesday November 4 and Sunday November 8, before travelling down to Federation Square in Melbourne from Monday November 16 until Saturday November 21. Representatives from CSIRO will be on hand to discuss their ongoing research into clean energy – and if you're extra nice, they might even give you a little push.
Shake away the Monday blues and show off your film knowledge at Lido's Swinburne Film Trivia Night. If you know the score on Scorsese to Spielberg, you'll have no trouble at this specialty film trivia night, which asks questions via picture puzzles, music rounds and more. The session kicks off at 7pm and will run for just under three hours. There's also a bar and an extensive menu to keep hunger at bay. Entry is only $10 per table of four to six people. Prizes include a free ticket and poster for every member of the team in first and second place, and a choc-top for every runner up.
One of Australia's most redeeming qualities is its ability to give good afternoon sun. There's something about its familiar glow that almost demands casual drinks. To help you out as summer comes rolling around, we've got a couple of fun (sometimes sweaty) suggestions for afternoon activities you can enjoy with your friends. They'll be all the more fun when coupled with a cold Heineken 3 in one hand. CROQUET Not just for fancy people, or old people, the low-key sport of croquet has gone through a resurgence of late. You can grab a croquet kit from K-Mart, set yourself up anywhere where there's grass and hit balls through pegs with a mallet and a beer in hand. It's quite a time, and strangely it makes you feel very sophisticated. The perfect place to play is at the Royal Croquet Club, which started in Adelaide but now tours its way through Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. From the December 8 until December 23, The Royal Croquet Club will take place at Birrarung Mar. Details are to be confirmed, but you can definitely eat some food, drink some beer, and play some croquet out in the afternoon sun. PETANQUE Ah, pentanque, the classic non-taxing "sport" – it harks back to the 12th century, and remains an A+ summer jaunt. It's just like bowling except you're shoeless and it's good for people with little hands and not many arm muscles. Feel the fake grass between your toes and let your hair down as you try to aim the silver balls for the little coloured ball and then forget about all that and just throw balls around willy nilly while drinking a cold beer. Pick your favourite spot of grass, get a Petanque (or bocce) set, and get on the green. BACKYARD CRICKET Backyard cricket is a bit of a great Australian summer pastime: play with your family, friends, or dogs before someone inevitably hits your last ball over the fence. All you need is an expanse of grass, a couple of bats, a tennis ball, and some large object you can make into the wicket. Don't forget to bring an esky outside for a potential boundary, and so you can easily access a drink (a Heineken 3) to replenish lost electrolytes after you've had a bit of a jog around in the sun. BADMINTON Have you ever played Badminton with a beer? It's fun. Badminton has hands down the best named playing vessel – the "shuttlecock" – so embrace the 'cock and go and hit it around a net with some other friends. Played in either singles or doubles, you can play on a court on ground or on the beach, or anywhere you can set up your the net you bought from K-Mart. It was developed in British India and has taken off especially in Asia, and it's a game of extreme agility and precision. The longer your summer afternoon kicks on if you're having a beery one, the worse you'll get at hitting the cock, but it'll still be fun. KUBB Kubb! What a time. The basic principle is throwing things (wooden batons) at other things (wooden blocks) to knock them over, and when a game is that simple you know you'll be able to cope no matter what state you're in. Rumoured to be born in the Viking times, it's a game much as old as time. It's perhaps one we haven't fully embraced yet, which means you might have to venture to your local sports store to grab a set. We think it should be an Olympic sport – the only way to achieve this is for as many sun-seeking revelers to partake as possible, so get kubbed this summer. Enjoy your summer afternoons with the new low-carb Heineken 3 – we're helping you make the most of them.
Melbourne's other gin festival is back. Back in 2016, Melbourne was faced with the happy problem of having not one, but two gin festivals on the cards. You might know the hugely successful Juniperlooza, a locally organised festival. Well, this different festival — confusingly called Junipalooza (yes, that's an 'a' instead of an 'er') — came to Melbourne by way of the UK, and was unsurprisingly dedicated entirely to gin. And it's back again for another year. The Melbourne version of the festival (the first to be held outside of the UK) is a twin event to Junipalooza London, which started back in 2013. The event will be held over two days this October at North Melbourne's Meat Market. It'll be hosted by founders of the UK's Gin Foundry, Olivier and Emile Ward — so you know you're in good gin-pouring hands. The renowned brothers live, breathe and drink gin, compiling all their knowledge onto their comprehensive online gin directory. It makes sense then that the pair have teamed up with local gin expert, The Gin Queen (aka Caroline Childerley) to celebrate the noble spirit in Melbourne. Junipalooza will feature sampling stations, cocktails and gin masterclasses with some of the world's best distillers. More than 40 distillers from around the globe will be in attendance, giving punters the chance to take a bottle or two of their favourite gin home. There'll be snacks, too, from the likes of American-style barbecue duo Burn City Smokers, dessert experts The Brûlée Cart and cheese fiends Maker & Monger, and this year, for the very first time, there'll be a four-course gin dinner — with matched gin cocktails, of course — being held on Friday, October 26. You can snag a ticket here for $95 a pop. The festival will take place over the weekend of October 27-28, and tickets are on sale now. We see a lot of gin drinking in your future. Image: Steven Woodburn.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that no-guarantees creative career you've always had in the back of your mind? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Who doesn't want to watch movies all day, and get paid for the privilege? That's not all Kate Jinx does as the director of programming at Sydney's Golden Age Cinema and Bar; however finding challenging features you wouldn't see elsewhere and championing under-appreciated classics really is how she has made a living since the boutique theatrette opened in September 2013. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Kate's being a total legend and helping us give away a late night private screening party for you and up to 50 of your friends, so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Pick a film from the current program, on a Friday of your choosing, invite your friends, complimentary popcorn and a Jameson for all! Enter here to win. And enjoy Jameson responsibly, folks.
Australia has a love affair with bartenders. Photographing these women and men about town, known for their prowess behind the bar and sought after for their mad mixology skills, has become quite the artform of late. Our obsession with bar teams and their unique concoctions has been realised in a nationwide competition run by Auchentoshan, dubbed Distilled Different. Twelve of Australia's best bar teams have created a cocktail incorporating Auchentoshan American Oak — the only triple distilled Scottish single malt whisky in the world. They're going head-to-head to win bragging rights, an epic photo shoot and a huge team trip to Glasgow. Before the winner is crowned, all 12 bar teams will appear in the national Dare to be Distilled Different photography exhibition. Their talented faces and creative cocktails will be captured by three up-and-coming photographers, all chosen by Art Pharmacy. We asked them how they plan to bring the multi-sensory world of the cocktail — and the unique story behind each bar team — to life. [caption id="attachment_584663" align="alignnone" width="1279"] Oli Samsom[/caption] OLI SAMSOM (MELBOURNE) Why are you excited about shooting bartenders for the Auchentoshan competition? I'm excited to bring my love and fascination of the dim, grim and classical to help represent a glorious bunch of artists in a craft pretty far removed from mine. Collaboration is king and I'm pretty stoked to make something that the teams and folks within them are all proud of. Has social media, particularly Instagram, changed the way you photograph cocktails? I try not to let mediums change how I shoot. I'm aware of little tricks and approaches that work best for the platform, but I think the devil is in trying to get a maximum arbitrary return each and every time. There's a lot to be said for doing stuff the way you feel is right, even if it means admitting the 'engagement' suffers. It's that old quality vs quantity chestnut. And really, if I wanted the most amount of engagement the quickest, I'd just be posting landscape shots and swimsuit images in alteration. If anything though, Instagram in particular has encouraged me to do what I love, which is write in my own voice. It hits sleeper followers in ways that you only find out about later. How do you think photography has played a role in making people more interested in getting to know their city's bartenders? They're more revered than ever now. It's no secret and should be no surprise to anyone that the current movement across hospitality, or anything remotely craft-related, centres on celebrating the folks behind the product. We're seeing that in mass media with cooking shows shifting spin to the makers being held up as 'rock stars'. This also goes along with the whole 'care economy' happening everywhere: a competition for who gives a shit the most — which has been a great thing for culture, tourism, the lot. We're competing on who does things best, not so much price, speed, or geographic factors. With the general standard being lifted, folks are wanting to experience more of the story of those behind the curtain, they're wanting to see that care first-hand, and enjoy that romance of skill and attention to detail. Photography plays a huge role in that. Much like photography has been the underrated force in driving the feel and magic/mystique of our favourite musicians over the years, a strong image that sets the scene for a maker, in this case a bartender, can really help cement them as a maker and give an intelligent and artistic glimpse into their world and what's involved. Take us through the process of shooting in low light — bar's aren't the brightest or easiest to shoot of places. Bars are an interesting old beast, not only are they dim, but there are a lot of competing light sources, reflections, and surfaces that are sometimes ideal as a punter in the space, but more of a challenge to represent photographically. So it becomes a mix of celebrating the light and mood as it exists through longer exposures, while bringing out the subjects with artificial light in a tasteful way. I'm a fan of subtle composites so that will form part of the approach too. What's your creative concept for capturing the bar teams you'll be shooting? With these shoots all being on location, ultimately they'll be pretty informed by the space they're set in. So I'll be keeping the focus simple, on what's driven most of my existing work: mood, stillness, and a dash of old-world. [caption id="attachment_584659" align="alignnone" width="1279"] Savannah Van Der Niet[/caption] SAVANNAH VAN DER NIET (BRISBANE) Why are you excited about shooting bartenders for the Auchentoshan competition? I enjoy the challenge of capturing people — meeting a stylistic brief but also trying to show a bit of the character in the subjects as well. How do you think photography has played a role in making people more interested in getting to know their city's bartenders? I think it's about connection. People want a human element in the imagery they see to make them feel comfortable and enticed. Photographers can use their skill to shed light on a bartender's personality. Take us through the process of shooting in low light — bars aren't the brightest or easiest to shoot of places. I generally shoot with natural light and focus more on people and food than bars. So usually I'll shoot during the day. Or I will bring my lights along. What's your creative concept for capturing the bar teams you'll be shooting? My creative concept is to focus on the personalities of the bar staff and the cocktail they will be making. I can't wait! [caption id="attachment_584661" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Brendan Fitzpatrick[/caption] BRENDAN FITZPATRICK (SYDNEY) Why are you excited about shooting bartenders for the Auchentoshan competition? Photography allows me to draw back the curtain on subjects and learn something from the time spent in their world. The science of bartending and cocktail making has a long history and a nuanced culture. The best bartenders are artists in their field. I learn a lot listening to them talk about an art crafted from a very different palette of materials from my own. Has social media, particularly Instagram, changed the way you photograph cocktails? Nothing will ever change the way I shoot cocktails. I am entirely platform-agnostic when it comes to my cocktail shoots. How do you think photography has played a role in making people more interested in getting to know their city's bartenders? They're more revered than ever now. Digital platforms have allowed businesses to communicate directly with their customers. Each bartenders and team has their own personality — I intend to capture this through this competition and share it with the world. Take us through the process of shooting in low light — bars aren't the brightest or easiest to shoot of places. The main thing to have to hand in a dark space is a light. The light banishes the dark. No matter if you're a photographer in a bar or just a civilian at home minding your own business, there's nothing like a light to get you over the line. What's your creative concept for capturing the bar teams you'll be shooting? The bars have worked hard to differentiate themselves through their design and branding. I hope some of the techniques and ideas I use will be inspired by what they've created. In broad terms I see the bar as a stage and the bar teams themselves as actors on that stage. Right now I'm researching, meeting everyone and listening to their stories. The more I understand them and why they do things in the manner specific to them, the better I can convey their unique personality in a single image.
They say home is where the heart is. If that's the case then we need to get our heart into one of these places as soon as physically possible. Houses Magazine has just revealed the winners of the 2015 Houses Awards, singling out some of the most innovative and extravagant homesteads in the country. The top prize, Australian House of the Year, went to Planchonella House in far north Queensland; the extravagant tropical abode that bears at least a passing resemblance to a villain's lair in a Bond film also won the gong for New House over 200m². The prize for New House under 200m² went to Sawmill House in regional Victoria, which combines more than 250 one ton concrete blocks with a timber screen and a nine metre long sliding glass wall. Best Apartment or Unit went to The Darlinghurst Apartment, a one-bedroom dwelling in inner-Sydney just 27m² in size. The competition also hands out awards for Outdoor and Sustainable residences, which this year went to the partially roofless (and bafflingly named) Cut Paw Paw in Seddon, Victoria and the QV8 apartments in the Melbourne CBD, respectively. The Houses Awards are decided by a panel of esteemed designers and architects. You can find the full list of this year's winners below. AUSTRALIAN HOUSE OF THE YEAR – Planchonella House by Jesse Bennet Architecture. NEW HOUSE UNDER 200M² – Sawmill House by Archier Studio. NEW HOUSE OVER 200M² – Planchonella House by Jesse Bennet Architecture. HOUSE ALTERATION & ADDITION UNDER 200M² – West End Cottage by Vokes and Peters. HOUSE ALTERATION & ADDITION OVER 200M² – Tower House by Andrew Maynard Architects. APARTMENT OR UNIT – Darlinghurst Apartment by Brad Swartz Architect. OUTDOOR – Cut Paw Paw by Andrew Maynard Architects. SUSTAINABLE – QV8 by Breathe Architecture. HOUSE IN A HERITAGE CONTEXT – House in House by Steffen Welsch Architects.
If you're going to fork out an arm and a leg for candy bar concessions, the food may as well be good. That's the thinking behind the Coburg Drive-In Food Truck Festival, which after tantalising our tastebuds late last year is back in time for the whole summer. On selected date from January 7-30, you can sit back in your car and enjoy the latest Hollywood releases while chowing down on delectable offerings from Melbourne's leading mobile food vendors. Trucks on site include Sliders on Tires, Toasta, Taco Truck, Yogurddiction and The Brûlée Cart, whose popcorn-covered salted caramel crème brûlée feels perfect for the occasion. Get ready to break your New Year's resolution diets with an entire month's worth of in-vehicle dining.
Brunswick mainstay The Cornish Arms Hotel has expanded its offering into the sky with a new rooftop bar and garden. Known for its vegan eats and any day-of-the-week vibes, the pub's prime real estate along Sydney Road makes it an ideal spot for the new open-air oasis. The third-floor rooftop will be open from midday each day and boasts city views, classic cocktails and eight dedicated craft beer taps pouring local brews like Two Birds, Temple Brewing and Furphy Beer. The extensive wine list also includes chilled summer reds, a vegan tempranillo from Tumbarumba and a vegan pinot gris from the Mornington Peninsula. A separate Asian-inspired snack menu will be offered up top, which of course includes vegan fare — from smoked tofu yakitori and braised mushroom bao buns to potato pakoras and Korean fried cauliflower. For those loyal to the vegan parmas and souvas, the full pub menu is still available downstairs. A solid rooftop space is rare in Brunswick. Now, locals can enjoy some fresh air while looking out over the city, all with drink in hand. It doesn't get better than that. The Cornish Arms rooftop is open from midday daily at 163A Sydney Road, Brunswick. For more info, visit cornisharms.com.au.
"Beer and pies are a match made in heaven," says Goat Pie Guy owner and chef Mick Hobson. "The bite and flavour of hops or wheat or barley is perfect to cut through the buttery pastry and rich fillings that I make for my winter pie range." Brisbane-based bakery maestro Hobson is no stranger to mixing beer and baked goods. Rather than enjoying the two separately, Mick uses beer in his pies — there are no less than five pies on the Goat Pie Guy menu made with beer (and they're all Great Aussie Pie Competition gold medal winners). If he's using a brew in a pie recipe, Mick always matches his drinking beer too. "If it's a curry pie, I like to drink a pale ale or if it's one of my seafood pies, I always pair it with an amber ale." Mick actually uses beer in a lot of his recipes, not just pies. "Beer's an awesome base to build lively broths for seafood, rich sauces for grilled meat and lovely sweet and savoury layers in a slow braise." Certain beers with a more crisp edge, like a Little Creatures Original Pilsner, can cut through heavier, more buttery dishes, refreshing and reviving the palate, while more hoppy beers, like a Kosciuszko Pale Ale, can help you soldier on through spicy food. Let's get back to those award-winning beery pies. We're keen to test this secret ingredient for ourselves, so we asked Mick for a cheeky recipe. So what's Mick cooked up for Concrete Playground? One heck of a hearty wagyu beef and porter pie. "This one came about when I was experimenting for a meeting of brewers and meat merchants. It was important that both parties had their produce showcased in the best possible way so I decided to highlight the chocolatey flavours in the porter by caramelising it with the onions and adding the figs for extra sweetness. The beef flavour was intensified with allspice, black pepper and rosemary. Then I tossed them in a pot together, filled it with porter and crossed my fingers for six hours! And man, was it worth the wait." Let's do this. MICK HOBSON'S WAGYU BEEF AND PORTER PIE Ingredients: 2 medium brown onions sliced 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 50g raw sugar 1kg diced wagyu brisket 3 litres beef stock 60ml olive oil 4 sprigs rosemary chopped 2 bay leaves 10g cracked black pepper 15g allspice 150g dried figs 3.5 bottles James Squire Jack of Spades Porter 150g corn flour 1 egg whisked for brushing 4 sheets of shop bought shortcrust pastry (Borgs is a good brand) 2 sheets of shop bought puff pastry (Borgs is good for puff too) *(If you want to make your own shortcrust my recipe is below) Heat half olive oil in a heavy base pot. Brown onions in oil, add half a 330ml bottle of James Squire Jack of Spades Porter, balsamic vinegar, diced figs and sugar and reduce until sticky, then remove from pot and set aside. Heat remaining oil in the same pot and brown beef in small batches adding more oil as needed. Add all beef back into pot along with black pepper, allspice and chopped rosemary. Stir on low heat to completely coat beef. Add caramelised onion mixture, bay leaves, stock and porter. Bring to the boil then let simmer on low for three to four hours until beef can be cut with a fork. Combine corn flour with enough water to dissolve, and pour in slowly as you stir to thicken. You might like to add more or less corn flour depending on how thick you like your gravy. Grease pie tins with butter and line with shortcrust pastry, leaving a little overhang. Fill with thickened pie mixture and brush pastry edge with egg mixture. Cut puff pastry lids to suit base size and place on top, crimp base and top together with fingertips or a fork. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a cold James Squire Jack of Spades Porter. *Shortcrust Pastry 1 250g plain flour 125g unsalted butter, chilled, finely chopped 1 egg, chilled Process flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and one tablespoon chilled water in a bowl until combined, then with food processor motor running, add to flour mixture. Process until mixture begins to form large clumps, stopping machine before mixture forms a ball. Turn pastry out on to a work surface and knead gently to bring together. Form into a disc for a round tart or into a log shape for a rectangular tart. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours. Roll out to 3-4mm thickness and cut out required size. If you love discovering more things you can do with beer (and some surprising facts, like beer being 99.9 percent sugar free), visit www.beerthebeautifultruth.com. You'll find information on fusing beer and food, matching different styles of beer with your meals, and how particular foods can enhance the distinct flavours of a well-brewed beer. You can even learn a few nutritional myths around beer, and bust 'em while you're at it.
Forget stale chips and overpriced packets of lollies. A Melbourne-based outfit is looking to change the way you think about vending machines, with a new automatic outlet dispensing a variety of healthy options, including salads, falafel and even freshly-chopped celery and carrots. Best of all? Unsold salads go to Melbourne's homeless population. Nice one. Built out of recycled timber, the first FüD vending machine is officially up and running in the Westfield Doncaster food court, full of gourmet meals made using healthy, organic produce. Jars of salad will cost you $10 a pop, and come in a number of different varieties including the ‘Pump It Up’ (pumpkin, roast shallots, beetroot chips and white bean mousse), the ‘Super Soba’ (green tea soba noodles, zucchini and carrot) and the ‘Roast Dutch’ (carrots, roast capsicum, Danish feta and house-made dukkah). For an extra $4 customers can add a protein, be it falafel, roast chicken or a hard-boiled egg. The machine is also stocked with a variety of snack options, including ‘Overnight Oats’ (organic oats soaked in coconut milk, with banana, hazelnut and rice malt syrup) and ‘Holy Granola’ (natural organic yoghurt drizzled with homemade raspberry coulis and paleo granola). Got dietary requirements? The FüD vending machine is stocked with a number of choices for people on paleo, vegan, sugar-free or gluten-free diets. All meals are made fresh and delivered daily, and the machine is refrigerated to ensure nothing spoils. Best of all, leftovers are donated to Homeless of Melbourne, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. Total legends. In addition to their Doncaster dispensary, FüD will launch a second machine in the HoMie store in Melbourne Central on July 6, with five more locations planned for later in the year. They currently have no plans to expand beyond Victoria, although All Real Food already runs a similar operation up in Brisbane. For more information, visit www.thefudrevolution.com Via Good Food.
It’s not often one says “let’s head out to Preston", since we've all pretty much accepted that there's nothing much to do past Bell Street. We have a suspicion that's all about to change though, with the recent opening of Stray Neighbour. This new bar and eatery has opened on Plenty Road, the culmination of a three-way partnership between Chew Burger co-owners Andrew Chew and Ben Stray, and Ben's brother, Daniel. Melburnians are most likely immune to the opening of a new hip eatery, since it seems to happen about once every twenty minutes. But even hardened veterans should be excited by Stray Neighbour, because they’ve got genuine soul. The aim of the venue is to give something back to Preston residents and showcase local farmers, butchers and producers. In their words, it’s an establishment for the locals, by the locals. Ben and Daniel Stray – a builder and landscape gardener, respectively – have turned their keen eye to kitting out the venue. Built inside a rejuvenated panel beaters, Stray Neighbour offers three different spaces for all variety of visitors, from bar hoppers to groups to serious diners. And we haven’t even mentioned the menu yet. Sous chef Romina Gagliardi has crafted a simple, compact and European-inspired menu that plays to the strengths of local produce. Think seared scallops, pea puree and guanciale crumb for starters, chicken with tarragon, sweet corn and sherry jus for mains, and vanilla creme brulee for dessert. The bar, meanwhile, has been built with 12 (yes, that’s right, 12) taps that will rotate with seasonal offerings, and is complimented with a predominantly Australian wine list. But I think we can agree the best part of the whole place is the custom built dog-head tap handles. Because we’ve always wanted to drink beer that streams forth from a cute doggy’s face (you heard us). With reasonable price points and oodles of integrity, we have a feeling that Stray Neighbour is going to become a favourite with more than just the locals. Stray Neighbour is located at 463 - 467 Plenty Road, Preston. For their operating hours, visit www.strayneighbour.com.au
A stretch of the iconic Route 66 in Missouri is getting a major upgrade — and an environmental one at that. As part of its 'Road to Tomorrow' initiative, Missouri's Department of Transportation is joining forces with an Idaho-based startup called Solar Roadways to repave with state-of-the-art solar panels. These specially engineered panels are made of tempered safety glass and are super strong — as they'd have to be to sustain constant use by heavy vehicles. Apart from the whole 'harnessing the power of the sun' bit, the panels also come with LED lighting, which can efficiently replace road lines and signage. Basically, they're a badass piece of technology. The installation will no doubt be pricey, but Solar Roadways is prepared for it — the group raised more than $2.2 million through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. In addition to these funds, initiative leader Tom Blair received a $100,000 prototype grant from the Federal Highway Administration and two $750,000 research grants from the US Department of Transportation. Yep, that's federal funding for solar. The other good news is that their modular design allows for easy and cheap repairs by just swapping out broken panels for new ones. These bad boys are sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly — a seriously awesome invention that we hope to see more of on our own highways. Missouri may not be the first to experiment with solar roads — we wrote about the possibility of a crowdfunding campaign to pave American parking lots with the things back in 2014 and the recent plans to create solar roads in France earlier this year — but it sounds like Route 66 will be the first of its kind to actual get to the finish line. The Solar Roadways panels are expected to be completed by the end of 2016. This achievement is, almost inconceivably, awesome and hopefully will pave the way for the rest of us. Images: Solar Roadways.
