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.
With more than 150 years of winemaking history, the Mudgee region is a well-known weekend destination for wine lovers exploring New South Wales. Sheltered in the Cudgegong River Valley and surrounded by fertile farm land, it's the third largest grape-producing area in the state. The warm, temperate climate is ideal for varieties like tempranillo and garnacha. And many of the varieties you'd find in the Hunter Valley are also on offer here. Whether you're taking a road trip from Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney, we've partnered with Destination NSW to bring you a guide to spending 48 hours in the wine region, from which vineyards and restaurants you should visit to the boutique accommodation on offer in the region. Start planning your road trip now. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_790168" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pipeclay Pumphouse via Destination NSW[/caption] EAT Thanks to powerful promotion of local produce, Mudgee specialises in high-quality eateries. Market Street Cafe is one of them. The large, sunny space feels like a French country kitchen and the food follows suit — classic dishes, cooked with premium ingredients. For dinner, there's Pipeclay Pumphouse. It's part of the Robert Stein Winery and Vineyard, one of Mudgee's best-known winemakers. Opened in October 2013, the fine diner presents a range of seven- and ten-course degustations and you can add on matching wines from the Robert Stein range, or from Mudgee vineyards more broadly. Meanwhile, good coffee can be found at cute, French-influenced, courtyard cafe Alby + Esthers. [caption id="attachment_790162" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gilbert Family Wines via Destination NSW[/caption] DRINK Start your wine tasting experience at Lowe Wines. Headed by sixth-generation Mudgee man and intelligent farming advocate David Lowe, it's home to expansive organic, biodynamic vineyards, rescued donkeys and a recycled 'chook palace'. Take it all in on a self-guided walking tour. Next, head to one (or more) of several wineries in the area specialising in European varieties. Mudgee's warm, temperate climate is ideal for them. Vinifera is known for its excellent Spanish-inspired drops and was one of the first wineries in Australia to experiment with tempranillo. Then, at Di Lusso, you'll find a focus on Italian wines and food, and at Mansfield, you'll discover unusual Portuguese-style drops. There are another 30 or so wineries to visit, including slick, big-name operations like Robert Oatley and smaller, fifth-generation winemakers Gilbert Family Wines, so be sure to book into your favourites in advance to secure tasting sessions before you travel. [caption id="attachment_790153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roth's Wine Bar via Destination NSW[/caption] DO When you want to drink somewhere other than at a vineyard, head to Roth's. It's the oldest wine bar in New South Wales, having set up as an illicit operation in the 1920s. And the 80-percent local wine list gives you the chance to sample anything you might have missed on your tasting adventures. Just up the road, the Mudgee Brewing Company is where to sample locally made ales and, when up and running again, hear local live music. If shopping is more your thing, check out the diverse range of native products and foods at the cafe and shop by Indigiearth. [caption id="attachment_790157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dunns Swamp, Destination NSW[/caption] For those looking for some outdoor adventuring, there's the western fringe of the Wollemi National Park to explore, including the incredible scenery of Dunns Swamp, which forms the head of the Cudgegong River, and has plenty of opportunities for cycling, walking and kayaking. [caption id="attachment_790159" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sierra Escape via Cameron D'Arcy[/caption] STAY One of the most beautiful (albeit pricey) options for sleeping is Evanslea. The estate sprawls across nine acres on the Cudgegong riverfront, yet it's within walking distance to town. Accommodation takes the form of five-star luxury spa cottages, and there's a communal pool and a tennis court. Here's the clincher: private wine tours in a vintage Valiant can be organised on request. Alternatively, you can stay at luxury glamping site Sierra Escape, which is only 20 minutes' drive from the centre of Mudgee, but feels a million miles from anything as it's surrounded by rolling countryside as far as the eye can see. Two-person tents start at $440 per night. Or, for a more architectural experience, there's The Black Shed. The newly built shed is found five kilometres from Mudgee, set within a working vineyard with free-roaming chooks and farm dogs. Now that interstate border restrictions have started to ease, start planning a trip to this picturesque wine region in NSW. For more details, visit Destination NSW's website. Top image: Lowe Wines, Destination NSW
Renowned Melbourne street artist Rone is no stranger to the intersection of beauty and decay, and you'll find this theme tying together much of what he puts his hands to. But his latest work really slaps you in the face with it — part exhibition, part installation, the artist's newest large-scale works are located inside an abandoned weatherboard house in the Melbourne suburb of Alphington. Dubbed The Omega Project, Rone has transformed each room in the house — including the kitchen, dining room and bedroom — into haunting mini installations. He spent weeks working his magic within an actual demolition zone, given free reign by developers to transform the last remaining house on the former Amcor paper mill site from an early-1900s weatherboard cottage into what he describes as 'a fantasy film set'. In striking contrast with the surrounding destruction, the space features the artist's signature Jane Doe portraits adorning the walls, while interior stylist Carly Spooner has gone all out with the chenille bedspreads and wood-grain telly sets to recreate the look of a classic, mid-century suburban Aussie pad. This isn't Rone's first time at the demolition zone rodeo, either — last year he held a solo exhibition Empty in Fitzroy's about-to-be-demolished Star Lyric Theatre. And, adopting the transience of the street art you spy splashed across the urban landscape, this exhibition isn't sticking around for long at all — catch it from Saturday, July 22 until Sunday, July 30 before it, too, meets the demo crew.
Enjoy a taste of Paris without leaving Melbourne. World renowned French baker Gontran Cherrier is set to cut the ribbon on his first Australian boulangerie in Collingwood later in the year. Opening on Smith Street in June, the bakery and cafe will stock a mouth-watering selection of freshly baked treats, including croissants, tarts, buns, rolls and fluffy white baguettes. Très bien. A fourth generation baker, dreamboat and host of the popular French reality show La Meilleure Boulangerie de France (The Best Bakery in France), Cherrier currently owns boulangeries in Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul. His Melbourne shop will be designed by Eades & Bergman, the same team behind Kong BBQ and the Meatball & Wine Bar. The menu will feature a mix of traditional and modern food made with ingredients imported directly from France. Think lemon tarts, almond chocolate croissants, rye and red miso bread, and squid ink rolls. Those wanting to get an early preview can check out Cherrier at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival March 3-9. Our idea of a French fantasy #gontranmelb A photo posted by Gontran Cherrier Australia (@gontrancherrierau) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:21pm PST "I chose Melbourne for my newest international bakery because it is known for its excellence in food," said Cherrier. "I think it also shares a lot of similarities with Paris such as the café culture and laneways. I was in Melbourne in 2010 and was struck by the culture and lifestyle. Ever since then I have wanted to open a store in this city. I’m so excited that it’s finally happening." Cherrier's Melbourne boulangerie is expected to open at 140-144 Smith Street, Collingwood in June 2016. Keep your eye on Instagram for updates. Photo by Marie Taillefer.
If you haven't heard of 28 Hongkong Street before now, don't feel too out of the loop. Sure, it's been voted Asia's best bar for three years running and knocks out some seriously amazing cocktails — but it also operates as one of those mysterious, super secretive, word-of-mouth-only venues, hidden away behind an unassuming 1960s shopfront. Plus, it's been hanging out all the way up in Singapore, 6000 kilometres and an eight-hour flight away. Until now. For three nights this month, 28HKS will be hitting our shores as part of Sydney Bar Week. The brief touchdown on Australian turf will see the Singaporean enigma visit Sydney and Melbourne to take over two of our own hidden cocktail bars and give lucky locals a whirlwind taste of all the cocktail magic. They're not cutting any corners, either. The Melbourne pop-up — which will grace The Everleigh in Fitzroy from September 21-22 — will offer a bang-on recreation of the 28HKS concept. Expect those award-winning cocktails alongside a selection of the American-leaning share plates, all delivered by five of 28HKS's mixologists, floor staff and chefs. They're even bringing over the soundtrack to round-out the experience. It's not the first time Australia's had a fleeting taste of international cocktail greatness and, given the success of Attaboy's February stints at The Everleigh and Dead Ringer, and last year's Please Don't Tell pop-up at The Black Pearl, it's probably safe to say that this latest cocktail-wielding visitor won't be the last. Unfortunately both sittings on both nights have already sold out. If you missed out, keep those cocktail cradling fingers crossed they release a few more spots at the bar.
This year's West Projections Festival is lighting up with the theme of 'synthesis'. Running every night from August 11–27, the annual after-dark festival will see an entire suburb bathed in breathtaking blue light as more than 28 unique spaces around Footscray play host to specially commissioned works of pop-up public art. Supported by Victoria University and Maribyrnong City Council, this year's festival promises to be the most expansive yet. Sites include Bar Josephine, Footscray Railway Station, gallery Trocadero and local hairdresser Le Tuan, while participating artists range from arts/engineering/science collective Skunk Control. Forming the spine of the festival are eight free hour-long art walks, each of which will take participants on a different route around the suburb and end at a participating bar. There'll also be spoken word performances, roving projections and a VR dance party – and don't be surprised to see a convoy of food trucks rolling around the neighbourhood, either. Images: Shuttermain.
Of all the ingenuity and creativity that helped make the original Star Wars films some of the most iconic sci-fi pictures of all time, one characteristic deserves credit above all others: it was a universe that had been lived in. Compared to the pristine, almost sterile visions of space portrayed by every other film of its kind, Lucas showed us something that felt entirely ‘real’, thanks to its grimy establishments, malfunctioning droids and a Millennium Falcon that only worked after a sturdy thump from its captain. Director J.J. Abrams has done well to remember this lesson. Things that were new at the close of Return of the Jedi are now old, and those that were old are now ancient, forgotten or gone entirely. Such is not just the feel, but indeed the very plot, of Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As the opening title crawl explains (yes, it's still there), Luke Skywalker has vanished and in his absence a sinister adjunct of the former Empire has arisen under the banner of ‘The First Order’. Led by a Sith-esque figure known as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Order is scouring the galaxy for any information as to Luke’s whereabouts so as to finally erase all vestiges of the very last Jedi. In its way (and also seeking Skywalker) stands the small yet unshakeable Rebel Alliance, now marshalled by General Leia Organa. Each side has part of a map, but neither can yet complete the full picture, and time is of the essence. There can be few things more intimidating than embarking upon the production of a new Star Wars movie. So steeped is the series in lore, so fanatical its supporters, that even the tiniest of missteps will attract the most merciless and unceasing fury the galaxy has ever seen (i.e: sternly worded blog posts). Thankfully, via his Star Trek reboot, Abrams has already proven his extraordinary deftness when it comes to blockbuster space operas, and The Force Awakens is no exception. It is riddled with allusions to the past, yet few are accorded more than a glance (you will find no stormtroopers sporting ‘vintage death star t-shirts’ here, for example, unlike the indelicate homages of Jurassic World). Instead we are made to feel right at home amongst our new heroes (the exceptional Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac) thanks to familiar musical flourishes from John Williams, the spine-tingling sound and visual effects from Industrial Light and Magic, and the return of our beloved Han and Chewie. New planets and old faces, original characters and veterans to guide them – this is a franchise reborn but not reinvented. If criticisms are to be levelled, they fall mainly upon the villains. Few cinema foes will ever match the menace of Darth Vader and his Emperor mentor, however here the film’s antagonists feel particularly thin. Andy Serkis’ CGI overlord Snoke is more distracting than daunting, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux is surprisingly hammy and Kylo Ren, whilst evil, is underscored by a petulance that borders on comedic. Thankfully, despite being masked and heavily synthesised, his voice does remain entirely comprehensible, as distinct from the recent broken PA system that was Tom Hardy’s Bane. Not to mention that his force grip is dead-set spectacular. Given the choice between normal and 3D, the latter does actually add that little bit extra here, and whilst parents will doubtless be eager to introduce their younglings to the franchise, be warned – Abrams shies not away from the ‘wars’ in Star Wars. Gritty, intelligent and utterly electrifying, buckle yourselves in folks, because we’ve got a damned good feeling about this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGbxmsDFVnE
Make sure you enjoy a good long sleep when you get home from work on Friday. Why? Because you won't be getting another wink until the sun comes up on Sunday. Come 7pm on Saturday, Melbourne will be pulsing with light, colour and sound. That's right nocturnal animals: White Night is back. This year's after dark arts festival will incorporate dozens of installations and spectacular light displays, as well as live music, performances and more. Revellers can catch a movie at the openair cinema on Lonsdale Street, before taking part in a dance marathon on Collins. And of course, no White Night would ever be complete without soaking up the air conditioning at ACMI. To help you get the most out of your moonlight adventure, we had a chat to artistic director David Atkins. In addition to giving us a behind the scenes look at how the festival comes together, he also had some tips for our walking itinerary. From fire-breathing organs to building-sized projections, here are ten things at White Night you can't afford to miss. Keep an eye out for giant inflatable rabbits too. STOP ONE: THE PYROPHONE JUGGERNAUT Anyone keen to avoid the hectic crowds would do well to start outside the CBD. Atkins recommends beginning your night in Carlton Gardens, and singles out The Pyrophone Juggernaut as one of the most explosive works north of the grid. Built from scrap metal and operated by a group of performance artists and musicians, the fire-breathing behemoth is billed as the world's largest hand-operated, multi-octave fire organ in the world. The Juggernaut will sail through the Melbourne Museum Plaza seven times throughout the night, with the first voyage set for 8pm. STOP TWO: RHYTHMS OF THE NIGHT Since you're already in the area, you should definitely make time to check out the façade at the Royal Exhibition Building. The southern side of the historic structure has previously provided the canvas for some of White Night's most impressive projections, so needless to say our expectations are pretty high. This time around, Atkins has tapped Artists in Motion, who lit up the Opera House at last year's Vivid Sydney. Rhythms of the Night promises to bind audiences together in a collective dream as it explores the four stages of sleep. [caption id="attachment_603012" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sonic Light Bubble[/caption] STOP THREE: SONIC LIGHT BUBBLE Atkins also draws our attention to Sonic Light Bubble, a giant inflatable bubble dotted with LEDs set to invade the Carlton Gardens after dark. The clear synthetic organism is one of a number of interactive works on this year's program that audiences will be encouraged to go up to and touch. "The idea was to get a bit more interaction and audience participation into the event," says Atkins. STOP FOUR: LONSDALE LOUNGE CINEMA From Carlton Gardens, we recommend heading into the city via La Trobe Street before turning south down Swanston until you hit Lonsdale. There, you can put your feet up at the Lonsdale Lounge Cinema, where they'll be showcasing Australian made short films all night long. This year the lineup will include a number of Tropfest finalists, shorts from the VCA archives, and the inaugural winner of the Made In Melbourne Film Festival's Script to Screen initiative. Mostly though, we're just in it for the comfy chairs. STOP FIVE: REBEL ELDERS As you continue south along Swanston Street, it'd be worth taking a quick detour down Rainbow Alley off Little Collins. That's where you'll find another one of Atkins' favourite pieces, in Andy Ferguson and Rose Turtle Ertler's Rebel Elders. Designed to break down unfair stereotypes about elderly people, the large-scale projection features senior citizens engaged in all sorts of 'youthful' activities, from highwire walking to race car driving. "It's a piece that talks about ageism and perceptions and I think those things are really important," says Atkins. STOP SIX: SWING CITY Dance marathons are something of a White Night tradition (even if you're not much of a dancer). Located on Collins Street between Swanston and Elizabeth, Swing City will feature pretty much every form of social dance, plus big band music from the '30s, '40s and '50s. "That section of Collins Street hasn't really been activated before," says Atkins. "You've got a 13-piece big band, ballroom dancers, jive dancers, competitions, marathon dancing..." STOP SEVEN: HOME LESS Another big White Night tradition is the activation of St Paul's Cathedral, which this year will play host to a projection spotlighting the plight of Melbourne's growing homeless population. Created by local artist Chase Burns, who last year lit up Swanston Street with a breathtaking work about rising sea levels, Home Less will take viewers into the dreams of a rough sleeper as she escapes the harsh realities of her waking life. "I think it's going to be a beautiful piece," says Atkins. [caption id="attachment_610276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bennett Foddy and AP Thomson.[/caption] STOP EIGHT: VIDEO GAME MIXTAPE While ACMI can sometimes get a little on the crowded side, the Fed Square cinema and exhibition space is still definitely worth a visit. This year, the ACMI Lightwell will play host to a retro video game installation that takes players and spectators back to the early days of arcade culture. Video Game Mixtape will merge live gameplay, interactive game art and music by 8bit DJs. Alternatively, you can relax upstairs in Cinema 1 where they're screening a mashup of classic films from Star Wars to Saturday Night Fever. STOP NINE: VIKTOR&ROLF – INSIDE OUT Once you're done in the city, you'll want to make your way across the Princes Bridge, following the tram tracks down to NGV International. As in previous years, the front of the gallery will be lit up with projected images from the current exhibition. In this case, it'll focus on the 'wearable art' of Dutch fashion duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren. "Bringing that exhibition out onto the façade is going to be another highlight," says Atkins. If you like what you see, the gallery itself will be open all night, although you will have to pay for a ticket. STOP TEN: UNPLUGGED At this point you'll probably feel like another little break. Fortunately, right across the road from the NGV are the Queen Victoria Gardens, home to the pop-up MPavilion. There you'll be able to enjoy a series of performances by musicians, singer-songwriters and other creative artists, including Katherine Hymer, The New Savages, Mana Moto and Rachel Caddy. "I think MPavillion, with the Unplugged performances, will be a really nice place to chill out," says Atkins. For set times, go here. White Night Melbourne is happening across the city on Saturday, February 18. For more weekend events, check out our handy round-up.
No cruise ship festival fun for you, Australia. Sea N Beats, the event set to be Australia’s first ever music festival at sea, was supposed to set sail March 5-8, 2016. But this morning, the crew announced the cancellation of the event, due to "challenges that could not be overcome". Posted on their website and Facebook this morning, the organisers said: "Australia’s first cruise ship Festival, Sea ‘N Beats, announces with regret the cancellation of their March 5-8, 2016 event. Whilst every possibility in the hope of proceeding with Australia’s first cruise ship festival has been looked at, ultimately all parties involved concluded that conducting a music festival at sea comes with challenges that could not be overcome." "The risk factors surrounding the event were ultimately assessed by all parties involved as too great to continue. Whilst every potential avenue to save Sea N Beats was exhausted, ultimately we have been left with no option but to cancel." All ticket buyers have been individually contacted via email and full refunds will be issued. At this stage, Sea N Beats will not be looking at another departure date for the cruise. Set to boast seven stages and a huge pool deck, Sea N Beats was set to be one huge enterprise, with the likes of Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk, Allday, SAFIA, Wave Racer, Cyril Hahn, Tkay Maidza, Hayden James and more on the lineup. Tickets also included entry to an exclusive mystery island festival on an exclusive mystery island, somewhere off the exclusive mystery Queensland coast. Looks like the anchor will stay put on Australia's first answer to S.S. Coachella. By Shannon Connellan and Jessica Surman. Image: Sea N Beats.
If you love cookies, you've no doubt tried one of Butterbing's cookie sandwiches. The delicious morsels can be found in cafe cabinets across the city, but this weekend, Butterbing is bringing back its super-popular Flavour Frenzy pop-up to Brunswick's Code Black Coffeee. The crew has been busy whipping up a whole range of brand new flavours, which'll be showcased alongside the classics at the Flavour Frenzy pop-up this Saturday, October 6. There'll be a total of 50 tasty varieties up for grabs during the two-hour event, including a few wild and wacky concoctions born of recent fan requests. What's more, they'll be slinging each of them for more than 35 percent off the standard retail price. Also on the program is the one-off Code Black Coffee collaboration, featuring a scoop of Piccolina gelato and a Butterbing doused in coffee. What's more, these beauties are freezer-friendly — so bring a bag, stock up now and have sweet treats on hand for whenever you get a rampant cookie craving.
With a big, bright, red lobster at the entrance, it shouldn't be too hard to work out what makes Unabara Lobster and Oyster Bar one of the standout Japanese seafood joints in Melbourne. The lobsters at Unabara are all caught fresh daily, and they come in wild and wonderful iterations such as the Tokyo Lobster roll, which features 80 grams of the good stuff: nori, avocado, cucumber and wasabi mayo; the lobster linguine with fresh made pasta and lobster tail tossed in garlic; a thick and creamy lobster bisque with celery, onions, tomatoes and herbs; and the main event — a grilled half Western Australian rock lobster served with beer battered fries and your choice of garlic butter and mornay sauce (a rich bechamel sauce made with heaps of gruyere cheese). But don't forget the other half of the name. Even though there isn't an oyster to greet you at the entrance, they still take up their fair share of the menu. Try a grilled oyster with cheese; fresh oysters with ponzu, a Japanese style citrus vinaigrette; or the Unabara sashimi special featuring salmon, sweet prawn, scallop, tune and — you guessed it, oysters. Other options include seafood platters with prawns, sashimi and mussels, deep-fried calamari, fried mushrooms, katsu prawn burgers and New England seafood chowder. Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar has seriously good food, caught fresh and prepared to perfection, without all the seriousness that should go with this style of cuisine. It's casual in here, the kind of casual where you can make a mess at the table and not be banned for life. There's a good selection of wine to choose from too, with the staff able to help you if you need. For a unique experience, pair up some Japanese plum wine with your seafood platter.
Salami enthusiasts and hunters of simple, homemade Italian lunches, you'd better get yourself to North Melbourne. There's a brand new salami bar opened on Atkin Street dubbed Saluministi, run by a hard-working Melburnian team painstakingly dedicated to handcrafted, Italian-style cured meats and paninis. Owners and brothers-in-law Frank Bressi and Peter Mastro are on a mission to bring back nostalgic Italian classics they grew up with, combined with their love for making salami. The team's signature handcrafted salami (which they've been making for eight years) was judged top three in the Melbourne Salami Festa for two years running. But now their delicious cured meats have a permanent home, snuggled in a warehouse-style, exposed brick type of minimalist kitchen in North Melbourne. There’s many ways you can delve into the wondrous world of Italian-style meats at Saluministi. You can tuck into one of their absolute specialties: the humble panini, from the breakfast panini (above), to the Salsiccia (grilled pork and fennel sausage, roasted peperonata, pecorino cheese and rocket), the Cotoletta (crumbed free-range pork loin, vincotto mayo, Italian coleslaw and provolone) or the Porchetta (free-range slow-roasted pork, artichoke paste, pecorino and rocket), each sitting at a pretty damn good $11-12. Nibbles are simple and traditionally Italian — we’re keen to get our mitts on the seasoned polenta sticks ($3 each). Plus, there’s Italian-style baked goods on offer — the housemade warm Nutella bombolini ($4 each) look genuinely insane. Find Saluministi at 8 Atkin Street, North Melbourne, 0413 082 253, www.saluministi.com.au. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30am - 4pm. Via Good Food. Images: Saluministi.
Staying ahead of the curve in Sydney's constantly evolving food scene is difficult. New restaurants, bars and cafes pop up every week, and in Sydney, a city already saturated with food and drink options, it's incredibly easy for hospitality businesses to fall behind. In partnership with William Blue at Torrens University, we're asking the hospitality graduates who run our favourite Sydney restaurants to talk about how they got started in the industry. In 2015, Adelene Stahnke helped to open Bang Street Food in Surry Hills with her partner Tapos Singha and designer Nicholas Gurney. In 2016, the same team opened Bang Street Food spin-off Trunk Road in Darlinghurst. Stahnke is only 23 years old, so helping to start up two successful Sydney restaurants is no small feat. We asked her how it all happened, and if she has any tips to share. FIND A GAP IN THE MARKET (AND STICK TO IT) "Tapos kept talking about wanting to open a Bangladeshi restaurant in Sydney. I thought it was a great idea, and really inspiring because nobody had brought great, traditional Bangladeshi food to the city yet. I encouraged him to stick to his dream because I could see that there was a gap in the market, and I had a really strong feeling that a space would open up in Sydney. Tapos pitched the idea to his business partner, and once a space appeared in Surry Hills everything took off from there." LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE CUISINE YOU'RE COOKING "Tapos went back home to Bangladesh for a few months to get some ideas flowing for the menu, and I went to Melbourne to cook at Tonka [an Indian-fusion restaurant] with Adam D'Sylva. I wanted to get some experience in sub-continent food because I didn't know much about it beforehand, and I think it's important to learn everything you can about a style of food before you start a business with it. I worked at Tonka with the goal to learn as much as I could and it was a really great experience. When Tapos and I both arrived back to Sydney, he showed me the menu and I understood the dishes in a way that I wouldn't have, had I not worked at Tonka. The menu was great, but it needed some refining, which is where I came in. I made sure that the menu would appeal to Surry Hills, while making sure that the Bangladeshi soul was still there." KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ON TO A GOOD THING — AND RUN WITH IT "At Bang we have a dish that people really love called 'Bang Boti Kebab', which is a roti kebab with steak filling. That dish really blew up so we thought we would take the opportunity and run with it. We said, 'let's do a restaurant based on that dish but in a smaller space, something cheap where we can do take-away as well'. That's how Trunk Road, our second restaurant, came about. We waited until we found the perfect space — a little terrace house in Darlinghurst — and the boys built the whole restaurant while my dad tiled it. I moved over to run the kitchen at Trunk once it was up and running. It's just a one-person, solo kind of thing in a really small kitchen, very different from Bang. We only serve four types of the 'roadie' kebab, a curry and some snacks." SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT SHARE YOUR ASPIRATIONS "In order to establish a really good business you need to have a concept and stick with that concept. It's also very important to have people around you that can compliment you and share your aspirations. Stay focused, and as long as it's still your hobby, you can make money from it because you love it. Having your own business is a lot of work, there are long hours right from the start. It's very different when it's your own project as opposed to working for someone else. Work everywhere you can and get experience in everything. I've studied hospitality and worked in hotels as well as fine dining, breakfast spots in Darlinghurst and Indian restaurants. You never know what will come in handy." William Blue at Torrens University offers courses in Culinary Management, Event Management, Tourism and Hospitality. Find out more about the diverse career options in hospitality, and kick-start your career via the website. Images: Kimberley Low.
Most visitors to Fitzroy's Vegie Bar would be more than familiar with the eatery's luscious sweet creations, which beckon from that cabinet beside the till every time you go to pay. Well, now those treats have become the stars of their own show, with owners Mark Price and Laki Papadopoulos launching a new dessert bar in the adjoining Brunswick Street space. Plant-based goodness is the name of the game at this sweet-tooth haven, with the menu at Girls & Boys full of vegan delights running from the virtuous to the downright decadent, and offering a hearty array of gluten- and refined sugar-free options. You'll be ready to beat the summer heat when shlepping up Brunswick Street with a range of house-spiced mylks, smoothies, thickshakes, and cold-pressed juices, alongside an impressive rotation of vegan desserts. With gems like a matcha almond tart, a maca fudge bar, and the signature Caramisu, we can't imagine you'll be missing those animal products in the slightest. They're also doing a slew of vegan gelato flavours, including blood orange and yuzu, and caramel and miso, along with a pretty epic vegan baklava soft serve. Having opened quietly over the weekend, Girls & Boys will be closing out 2016 with limited hours, before ramping up both the offerings and the opening hours in the New Year. With both Vegie Bar and Transformer next door and Smith & Deli just down the road, to say vegans are well-catered for in Fitzroy is an understatement. Girls & Boys is now open at 382 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. At the moment they're operating on limited hours, but as of January 10 they'll start trading 11am till late, seven days a week. For more info, visit girlsandboysfitzroy.com.
It's inevitable that once crowdsourcing platforms like Uber, Airbnb and Foodora began to take off, everyone would try to get on the source. Introducing the latest likeminded business, WelcomeOver, a platform for crowdsourcing dinner parties. This may sound a little strange, but think of it as a friend-food-fun-finding website that turns your dining room into a super exclusive restaurant. Co-founder Johan Schberg got the idea for WelcomeOver while travelling in Indonesia. "I saw a similar platform while travelling in Indonesia and thought that it would resonate perfectly with an Australian audience with our love of food and openness to new experiences. Trust is a core ingredient to the success of the product and if you look at how Australians have embraced platforms like Uber and AirbnB, where trust is also fundamental to success, we thought this would be a perfect market." At present WelcomeOver is focusing on Sydney, with ambitions to expand to Melbourne and Canberra before long. It's a pretty simple premise: the host (generally amateur chefs or hardcore foodies) will put together a menu, then set a time and a price per head and other users can opt into the event. Like most crowdsourcing ideas, the user rates their experience after the fact. The system runs on the joint pillars of trust and reputation, however, still faces the same questions about user safety that plague platforms like Uber and Airbnb — everything from online financial protection to physically putting yourself in the hands of someone you don't know. Home events have been a pretty top socialising choice for Sydneysiders since the introduction of the controversial lockout laws that have been hampering the city's nightlife. Schberg says the project isn't a direct response to the lockouts, but they don't agree with the laws either. "We believe a desperate measure like the lockout laws should only be the very last resort after all other options to provide adequate safety have been tried and proven unsuccessful," he says. "Besides, just a few months prior to the lockout laws, the very same government announced Sydney to be the safest city in the world, so how dangerous was it, really? Looking on the bright side, we are happy that you are still allowed to throw a dinner party at your home in Sydney, and through the WelcomeOver platform there is always a dinner party nearby where you and your friends are invited." There's no doubt though that the restrictive laws have forced party-goers to seek out other ways to have fun and allowed platforms like WelcomeOver to find their niche. And if that means more dinner parties options every weekend, we're so down. Check out WelcomeOver's website for more info. Top image: Krzysztof Puszczyński.
The super-adorable Finders Keepers Markets have been home to Melbourne's most creative and quirky designers for more than six years. The independent hip-fest is returning to their home at Carlton Gardens' Royal Exhibition Hall in October for three days of food, music and sweet, sweet design. The biannual, designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. You'll be able to nab some marvellous treats difficult to find anywhere else. From bespoke leather goods to bespoke stationary, upcycled journals to upcycled bicycle reflectors, every stall will be a unique shopping experience that combines innovative design with grassroots feel-goodery. As usual, there will be live music, a cafe, food trucks, a bar and thousands of other Melburnians celebrating independent art and design. Finder Keepers is open 6-10pm on Friday, 10am-6pm on Saturday, and 10am-4pm on Saturday.
The annual Melbourne Food & Wine Festival — Victoria's biggest and arguably greatest food and drink fest — is returning in 2025 with another stacked lineup of experiences. All in all, over 200 different food- and drink-filled events have been squeezed into the ten-day festival, which is running from Friday, March 21–Sunday, March 30. The World's Longest Lunch will once again kick off the festival, this time led by Curtis Stone. He's based in LA these days, but will be returning to Melbourne to lead the massive three-course communal feast, which takes place along a 600-metre table in Kings Domain. A couple days later, we then get to experience another iteration of the World's Longest Brunch, this time led by Julia Busuttil Nishimura. But unlike previous years, this version won't be set up along another long table outside at Kings Domain. Instead, you'll spend the morning moving throughout the Botanical Gardens, dining at three different locations. The first stop is at Tecoma Lawn, where brunch-goers will sample Julia's cinnamon buns, lemon mascarpone tart, and chocolate and almond pasticcini. This is followed by a selection of savoury bites at Taxodium Lawn and a grazing feast at The Alto. There'll even be a huge cake station at this year's World's Longest Brunch, which has carved itself out as the cooler, younger version of the World's Longest Lunch. But these two headline events are just the beginning. You've then got the Global Dining Series, which sees 20 international chefs, drink legends and producers descend on Melbourne for a heap of takeovers and collaborations. Most notably, Daniel Calvert from Sézanne — currently ranked number one in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants — will be joining Dan Hunter at Brae for two intimate services. London's much-celebrated St John and Brat are also running their own residencies, bringing a taste of British fine-dining to Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_842980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World's Longest Lunch[/caption] Some of the city's top bakers and patissiers are also joining forces again this year for the Baker's Dozen pop-up, which will be taking over Fed Square on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. No need to traipse all over Melbourne to find your favoruite sweets — they'll all be in one place for this hugely popular two-day event. This year, you'll stop by and find treats from To Be Frank, All Are Welcome, Antara 128, Lumos, Baker Bleu, Kudo, Lulu & Me, Mietta by Rosemary, Madeleine de Proust, The Flour Melbourne, Monforte Viennoiserie, Raya, Tarts Anon, Lune, The Invy Baker x Urbanstead, plus special guests AP Bakery (from Sydney) teaming up with local bakery Iris. But pastry fans don't just get to celebrate during these two days. Throughout the week, you can also pop over to Melbourne Quarter to try cardamom buns and other sweet treats from Richard Hart's pop-up bakery. His cardamom buns are world-famous, and you can usually only find them at his bakery Hart Bageri in Copenhagen. [caption id="attachment_981421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Busuttil Nishimura by Kristoffer Paulsen.[/caption] Three free events are also on the agenda for the 2025 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, with over 3000 free bites up for grabs across the week. First, you can drop by Emporium's Dim City for free dim sims that have been reimagined by top chefs Rosheen Kaul, John Rivera and Eun Hee An. Something Saucy then sees the crew from Super Norma give away bowls of their hugely popular pasta down a Melbourne laneway. And lastly, Taco Truck founder Raph Rashid is teaming up with Tom Sarafian to create a mashup of Mexican and Middle Eastern eats that are also all free. A lot of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival events can be pretty expensive, so it's a huge win to see these free events included in the lineup. Regional Victoria is also getting a shoutout this year, with over 30 events taking place beyond Melbourne. This includes a long lunch run by some of Murrindindi Shire's top hospitality teams, brewers and winemakers; a luxe dinner championing fermented food and bevs at Healesville's Giant Steps Wine; a Macedon Ranges winemakers lunch; and a big bush dance out at the Gippsland Jersey farm. We've touched on a heap of events here, but this really is just the surface of what's on offer. As always, we highly recommend you dig through the festival's website to discover more of what's on offer — and book out your faves before tickets sell out.
Food enthusiasts in Fitzroy are in for a good time at Bontempo Pizzeria. In fact, that's literally what the name of the restaurant means, 'good time'. The second venture from the team behind Fratellino in South Yarra, this newly opened Brunswick Street eatery is serving woodfired pizza alongside an array Italian staples, and is generally doing everything it can to deliver what it promises. "With the space we have we can cater to everyone, from couples to families and larger groups," says co-owner Joe Kavanagh. "We know that if we keep it simple by teaming good quality pizza and pasta with affordable drinks in a casual atmosphere, the rest will take care of itself." Kavanagh points to The Bont, the restaurant's signature pizza made with whiskey-infused Western Plains pulled pork, fresh basil, garlic, sage, tomato and mozzarella, as a menu highlight. Other standout options include the Salsicce e Funghi with pork and fennel sausage, mushrooms, garlic, parsley and mozzarella; and the Zucca, a vegetarian number with roast pumpkin, feta, basil, pine nuts, spinach, rosemary, garlic and tomato. All Bontempo's pizzas are made in a Valoriani clay wood-fire oven imported from Italy and custom-built on site. If you're not in the mood for pizza (although we can't fathom why that would be), you might want to try the Fettuccine Gamberoni made with king prawns, white wine, garlic, cream and a dash of napoli. Alternatively, you can sink your teeth into a chargrilled swordfish steak. For dessert, choose from classic Italian sweets such as affogato and chocolate calzone. As for beverages, Bontempo offers a wide range of local and Italian wines, as well as beers from Fitzroy Cellars and Thunder Road Brewing, and cocktails from The Everleigh Bottling Co. Find Bontempo Pizzeria at 416–418 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. For more info, visit their website. Images: Tom Ross.
Here in Melbourne, we're proud to be one of Australia's premiere late-night destinations. Melbourne comes to life at night. A vast range of places to eat and drink thrive until the (very) early hours — not only can you get a cocktail after 2am, you can also get a Le Bon Ton cheeseburger with table service, partake in a hot dog eating competition until 4am, or eat pizza whenever you damn well like (24-hours pizza shops). You'll often hear cities complain about their public transport system, but here in Melbourne we've come to kind of like ours. Mainly because all night public transport has helped transform our city into a 24 hour oasis, where there's something to eat, drink or do at any hour of the night, and a safe way to get home afterwards. Unlike our friends in Sydney and Brisbane, we can save ourselves a bit of money at the end of the night by hopping on the Night Network of train, tram and buses during a night out or on the way home. Here is our extensive late night guide to Melbourne. Read this, stay out until dawn and get home safe. WHEN YOU'RE AFTER A LATE NIGHT BITE Isn't Melbourne the best? Our selection of food to eat only slightly dwindles after 12am. Melbourne establishment Mamasita on Collins Street is renowned for two reasons: their bomb, late-night Mexican menu and the fact that it's mostly gluten free. They're open until midnight on Friday and Saturday night (make sure you book beforehand). We seriously recommend the pork and pineapple taco as a late night snack. Not keen for Mexican? Collingwood's Le Bon Ton is a short walk from the Peel Street stop on the 86 tram, and they serve Melbourne's best cheeseburger (big call, but you gotta try it) and smoked stacks of meat (chargrilled wagyu, cheese and various charcuterie) until 3am. Follow it up with a house-made sweet pie for dessert — the banana cream with white chocolate, vanilla custard and toasted meringue is calling you. Ramen is an anytime food, but it's especially a late-night food. Our 24-hour ramen bar Shujinko Ramen enables your late-night habits. Stop by anytime (literally). Bourke Street trams and Swanston Street trams are equidistant. Close by in Chinatown is Belleville Chicken, who know that the best way to cook a chook is over an open flame, and the best way to serve it up is with a side of poutine. They serve food until 1am on weekends in a social, mess hall style atmosphere. More Japanese: fancy supper club Izakaya Den (just off Bourke St in the CBD) is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and 11pm on weeknights. The prices are high, so this isn't the best place to stop after a few drinks. Although, you can indulge and save on cab fare by getting the tram home, the spicy tuna tataki with garlic soy will melt in your mouth and the Kurobuta pork belly will change the way you think about pork belly. 8-bit down the road is open for precious, gooey, meaty burgers and salted caramel milkshakes until 11pm in the CBD. Choo Choos, within the Toff in Town, stays open and serves dinner until 5am on weekends, 3am on weeknights and is conveniently located near the Swanston Street tram. See also: Lord of the Fries, Massive Weiners on Chapel Street (hot dogs until 4am on weekends), The Black Pearl in Fitzroy for cocktails and nachos until 3am, and Milk the Cow in Carlton for cheese plates and wine until 1am. ONE LAST DRINK BEFORE YOU LEAVE Many people don't know that Nieuw Amsterdam has a 24-hour license. The CBD cocktail bar regularly stays open until 5am, so you can head down at any time of the day or night to try out both their stunning 1920s interior design and their tasty drinks. The basement bar serves food all the way up until 5am. Settle into a fancy booth and eat some food until it's time to hop on the train home. The people responsible for The Everleigh on Gertrude Street also run Heartbreaker in the CBD. She's described as The Everleigh's seedier sister and she certainly is (but not in a bad way). You can grab yourself one of their famous cocktails in a bottle — choose between a Negroni, Old Fashioned, Martini and Manhattan and relax in the grungy, retro atmosphere until 3am. Siglo on Spring Street will make you feel like you're in a Woody Allen film. It can get pricey, but it's open until 3am every night serving whisky and cocktail in a very luxurious atmosphere. The intimate terrace overlooks the city and they make a mean rum cocktail. On that note, the equally as classy Melbourne Supper Club is open until 7am. Cheeseboards, ploughman platters and drinks are available until 3am at whisky bar Boilermaker House. Glamorama is perfect for a dance, and open until 5am. Magic Mountain Saloon serves food and cocktails until 3am, and the classic place to sip on a gin and tonic, Bar Ampere, is open until 3am as well. FEEL LIKE A LATE NIGHT DANCE? Boney is always good for a dance and hosts some quality gigs, but generally the party doesn't kick off until late. It's super central, sitting on the corner of Little Collins and Exhibition Street — close to both late night food and public transport. There's something for everything at the Toff In Town on Swanston Street, it's like a layer cake of possibility. Whatever your poison, you'll find it at the Toff. It's always loaded up on gigs, dance floors and excellent company and, in summer, a most excellent rooftop bar called Rooftop Bar is open until 1am above it. Nearby is Lounge, open until 3am on weekends and (weirdly) Tuesdays. New Guernica is right near the Elizabeth Street tram, that stays open and is generally packed with people dancing until 5am. Outside of the city but close to tram lines is Revolver Upstairs (classic), and the tiki bar of your dreams in Fitzroy, LuWow. Yah Yahs on Smith Street is always a winner, open until 5am and almost guaranteed to have 'Come On Eileen' on the playlist every night. Rock and roll bar Cherry Bar can't be forgotten — generally open until 3am on weekends. MUSIC, MOVIES AND KARAOKE Cinema Nova near the Swanston St tram does it old school in many ways. You can take your drinks into the cinema, they only take cash and they do late (we mean late) sessions. Fearlessly walk into a 11:00pm session and enjoy the empty theatre, knowing that the late night trams from Lygon street have you covered on transport. If you're on the south side check out The Astor, they regularly host late night screenings of classic movies and movie marathons, or Hoyts in Crown Casino has a regular 11pm session and its own dedicated tram stop. There are gigs all around town to catch. The Public Bar in North Melbourne is one of the few venues in Melbourne with a 24-hour license, and while they don't normally stay open until then, you're definitely in for a late one if you head here. Rainbow Karaoke in the CBD is a karaoke bar with 44 private rooms and three VIP rooms, each with its own decor. Have a late night one and don't worry about getting home — the Night Network runs all night and on weekends. Words: Imogen Baker and Kelly Pigram.
It's an oldie but a goodie. Jimmy Kimmel pulled one of his most loved pranks at SXSW this week, asking punters whether they knew fake bands with his 'Lie Witness News' crew. Unknowing SXSWer after SXSwer praised the likes of Mary-Kate and Nasty, Cheese Whiz Khalifa and DJ Gluten — "hard to tolerate?" — with one punter even going so far as to describe DJ Underwire as "mixing it up with turntablism". Heh. It's straight-up baffling how Kimmel (and subsequent spin-offs) has managed to do this at festival after festival and catch starry-eyed posers in the act of posing, having pulled this stunt year after year, Coachella after Coachella. But my giddy aunt, it's fun to watch. These aren't the only shenanigans going down at SXSW. Check out our roundup of nine incredible things you're missing at this year's festival.
In a rare instance of critics and audiences agreeing with each other, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dressmaker were the two big winners at the 2016 Australian Film Critics Association Awards. Held last night at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, the ceremony reflected on the past 12 months of Australian cinema, with the year's two biggest box office takers proving popular with critics as well. Critically acclaimed action blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road took home the award for Best Film, as well as Best Director for George Miller and Best Cinematography for John Seale. The Dressmaker, meanwhile, swept through the acting categories, with Best Actress for Kate Winslet, Best Supporting Actress for Judy Davis and Best Supporting Actor for Hugo Weaving. The film's director and co-writer Jocelyn Moorhouse was present to accept the awards of behalf of her cast, while also taking home the Best Screenplay Award for herself and husband P. J. Hogan. Ryan Corr won Best Actor for his work in Holding the Man. In the international film categories, last year's Oscar winner Birdman took home Best English Language Film, while German drama Phoenix won for Best Foreign Language Film. Amy Winehouse doco Amy won Best Documentary. The association also gave out its annual writing awards, bestowed by a panel of journalists and film industry practitioners. This year's winners were critics Rebecca Harkins-Cross, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Luke Goodsell. You can check out the winners here. To get a head start on the next crop of likely AFCA Award winners, check out our list of the ten Australian films to watch out for in 2016.
Gin lovers are in for a treat come September, with the opening of a specialty gin bar in the CBD. Gin Lane is the brainchild of James Tait, whose previously tended bar at such boozy institutions as Coda, Black Pearl and 1806. The man knows his liquor, that's for damn sure. Along with his wife Cara and business partner Peter Bartholomew, Tait will offer up 400 varieties of gin, as well as a healthy stock of wine and a selection of around 20 beers. Not bad for a bar named after an 18th century artwork about the evils of alcohol consumption. The bar will also serve food, with Tait bringing in a mysterious 'consultant chef' whose identity has so far been kept a secret. Given that Bartholomew's investment portfolio includes such mouth-watering spots as MoVida and Lee Ho Fook, our expectations are fairly high. Gin Lane will occupy a two-story space at the Parliament end of the city, on the corner of Bourke Street and Windsor Lane. The second level will include a sizeable outdoor area, with Tait telling Gourmet Traveller he wanted to create "a great place to enjoy a drink on a sunny afternoon or a warm evening." He also promised a space that was "bright, organic, fresh and light. There's a lot of greenery in Melbourne's bar scene at the moment, but we're making a statement that we're not one of those dingy places." Gin Lane is slated to open in September at 19-21 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Via Gourmet Traveller. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Overcoming systemic discrimination, both in the music industry and society more broadly, Indigenous hip hop artists are the vanguard of an exciting new era of Aussie hip hop. In the words of politically-conscious rapper Briggs, star of the ABC's Cleverman and Black Comedy: They're growing up fast, they're growing up tough, They're giving back everything they never got as a pup, And if they want something, you're giving it up, If they want something, you're giving it up. It's tempting to say that Indigenous hip hop is undergoing a renaissance of late, but it wouldn't be entirely accurate — the scene has been strong for years, it's just that now it's finally starting to get the attention it deserves. One initiative responsible for this greater recognition is Klub Koori, a regular showcase of emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians produced by Koori Radio. So, before they storm the stage on Thursday, July 7 at Carriageworks and with NAIDOC Week in full swing, we thought we'd introduce you to some Indigenous artists who are coming up fast and coming up tough. Oh, and they do want something: the throne. JIMBLAH Hailing from the Larrakia Nation in the Northern Territory, Jimblah sums up the paradox of 'traditional' (read: predominantly white) Aussie hip hop when he raps: "I see your fans, they're a bunch of racist kids, so who's to blame?" While there are few examples of overt racism in the local scene there is a definite racist undertone — so much so that those paragons of Aussie hip hop Hilltop Hoods felt compelled to write a whole song about it. Jimblah's fiery pull no punches lyricism — highlights include: "Australia just look what we made here/From slave ships to Great Britain's blood on their hands/Understand the royal fam, flying the flag/Unlawfully stands a generation unlawfully here" — has seen him garner significant critical acclaim. LADY LASH A Kokatha/Greek woman from far western South Australia, Lady Lash is a generic anomaly. Combing equal parts jazz, hip hop and soul interwoven with powerful storytelling, her music pushes sonic boundaries in profoundly beautiful ways. Having taken out the Victorian Indigenous Performing Arts Award for Most Promising Act and The Age Music Victoria Award for Best Indigenous Act with her debut album Crystal Mercy: The Fisherman's Daughter, Lady Lash is set to release her third album Therapy Tapes later this year. NOOKY 2016 has been an exciting year for Yuin Nation rapper and @IndigenousX host Nooky. Taking out the Australia Council Dreaming Award at the National Indigenous Arts Awards not only came with prestige but also a very tangible $20,000 grant towards developing his debut album. Signed to Briggs' label Bad Apples Music and having collaborated with Taboo from The Black Eyed Peas (after a chance encounter and cypher at The Block in Redfern), it's safe to say that his debut album is being hotly anticipated. It seems as though it's only a matter of time before Nooky blows up, so get on board early. TASMAN KEITH Splitting his formative years between inner city Sydney and Bowraville in the bucolic Nambucca Valley, Tasman Keith's music reflects these contrasting locales, combining sun-kissed beats with an effortless flow and lyrical dexterity reminiscent of early '90s East Coast hip hop. Having burst onto the scene in 2015 with his debut single 'B You', Tasman, the son of legendary Australian hip hop pioneer Wire MC, pays homage to his Gumbaynggirr heritage while epitomising the thoughtful, soulful sound that seems to be emerging in the local scene. At just 18 years old, Tasman Keith is definitely one to watch out for. Klub Koori is happening at Carriageworks on Thursday, July 7 at 7pm. Tickets are just $10 +BF.
