Anytime's a good time for oysters, but there's only one occasion where it's perfectly acceptable to gorge on them to the point of no return: the Oyster Frenzy. You probably heard of the Oyster Frenzy back when it was held at the Albert Park Hotel (and, later The Prince) — it gained quite a reputation as the night where Melbourne's biggest oyster lovers could converge to eat as many of the molluscs as they could humanly handle. Well, it's back. One of the organisers of the OG Oyster Frenzy, Tom Walker, is reinstating the night of mollusc madness at the Bleakhouse Hotel on Thursday, September 12. Here's how it will go down. Tickets are $85. As well as all-you-can-eat freshly shucked oysters — yes, all-you-can-eat — from SA, Tassie and NSW, there will also be lots of barbecued mussels, crab and other canapés. You'll also get unlimited wine and craft beer for the night, which wraps up at 9pm. It's at the same time the fanciest and the messiest buffet we can imagine. Previous frenzies have seen over 20,000 oysters shucked and swallowed, so do what you need to prepare. And maybe try and get Friday off work. Images: Brook James.
If a stint of shopping is on your weekend agenda, expect to see plenty of smiles while you're browsing and buying. Victoria's mask rules are easing again come 6pm on Friday, March 26 — and you'll no longer need to cover your face while you're perusing the aisles. Donning masks indoors at shopping centres, and in retail stores inside shopping centres — including department stores, electronics stores, furniture stores, hardware stores and supermarkets — will no longer be compulsory. Nor will wearing them at indoor markets. That'll be the case no matter the size of the space, too. Instead, you'll just have to wear masks on public transport, and when using ride shares or other commercial passenger vehicles, such as taxis. They're still mandatory in these situations, and in aged care facilities and hospitals as well. As has proven the case when mask requirements have eased in the past, you will need to carry one with you at all times, though. And, if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or you're suspected of having it, you have to mask up if you're leaving your house for an allowed reason — such as getting medical care. Your close contacts will have to pop masks on as well. Acting Premier James Merlino said made the announcement about masks today, Tuesday, March 23, as part of a press conference about eased COVID-19 restrictions in general. A heap of current rules are changing, including allowing more people to gather in homes, in public and at venues. If you're still wondering where to grab a mask, we've put together a rundown of local companies making and selling them. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
Pidapipo has heard your cries: the gelateria's famed hot chocolate has been given a plant-based twist, making it perfect for vegan and non-dairy drinkers. However, it won't last long, as it's available at the Fitzroy Laboratorio this long weekend only. With the OG becoming a much-loved winter tradition for many locals in recent years, this vegan-friendly alternative remains as indulgent as ever. Hitting much the same notes as the original, this new creation replaces the dairy base with soy milk. This decadent creation also goes a step further, topping the drink with Pidapipo's ever-popular vegan pistachio gelato. Then, a light dusting of Australian pistachios rounds out this winter-warming beverage. If you're keen to get a sip, know that Pidapipo's vegan hot chocolate is available for a strictly limited time and in strictly limited numbers. Served from Friday, June 6–Monday, June 9, the team is only producing 100 cups across the long weekend. So, if you've been hanging out for a taste since Pidapipo co-founder Lisa Valmorbida and head of production Nicola Totaro created this headline-grabbing hot chocolate in 2023, head along to the Fitzroy Laboratorio early to avoid missing out. Primed for a sweet treat on a chilly Melbourne morning, warming up is made easy with this steamy plant-based drink grasped firmly in your hands. Score a cup of Pidapipo's vegan hot chocolate and satisfy your curiosity for $10.50. Pidapipo's vegan hot chocolate is available at the Fitzroy Laboratorio store from Friday, June 6–Monday, June 9. Head to the website for more information.
In sweet, sweet news for southside pastry fiends, seasonal bake sale Flour Market is finally venturing across the Yarra, set to host its next pop-up pastry showcase at the Prahran Town Hall, on April 8. It's the first southside foray for the cult event's Melbourne arm, which assembles the most coveted of the city's emerging, underground, and artisan bakers for an all-out sugar fest every three months. This Southside Slice edition will offer a condensed version of the usual bake sale extravaganza, though with debuting vendors like Penny for Pound, Shortstop, and Cremorne Street Bakers joining old favourites like Butterbing, All Day Donuts, and 5 & Dime Bagels, it looks set to be as much of a crowd-puller as ever before. As always, entry to the Flour Market will cost just $2 at the door. That said, if you're keen to avoid the guaranteed queues, grab a $10 early bird ticket for skip-the-line privileges and an extra half-hour of pastry perusal before the event opens to the general public at 9am.
Prepare for a mesmerising experience as Broad Encounters has brought When Night Comes bacchanalia to Melbourne this winter. Offering a unique blend of immersive theatre and delectable drinks, this is one event you must add to your calendar. This hedonistic-themed experience caters to small groups, taking you on a journey through multiple rooms filled with otherworldly characters and delicious deviances. You may be invited to interact with the performers but you can always watch from a distance. Choose a VIP ticket for the best spots and extra treats, or opt for a standard ticket. Either way, you will enjoy the multi-room adventure in a small group and be in the centre of the action. Savour cocktails (or mocktails) and scrumptious treats—options for alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages are available at booking. The stellar cast, co-directed by Kirsten Siddle, Mike Finch, and Scott Maidment, features faces new and returning, including Meg Hickey, Gina Tay Limpus, Elizabeth Dawson-Smith, Jeremy Lloyd, and Kristian Šantić. You might recognise some from Broad Encounters' past large-scale, free-roam productions Love Lust Lost (2023) and A Midnight Visit (2019). With a limited nightly capacity and the season closing August 24, this show is selling fast and limited tickets remain. Don't miss this chance to experience a night of tantalising surprises. For more information and to book your tickets head to the website. Images: Jeff Busby and Broad Encounters
Big things come in small packages. It’s a familiar adage, but one that feels perfectly suited to an innovative new housing movement gathering momentum around the world. Built no larger than caravans, with wheels to circumvent construction codes, tiny houses emphasise clever design and efficient use of space, minimising the structure’s environmental impact while saving homeowners house-loads of cash. Inspired by the growing real estate phenomenon, Tiny: A Story About Living Small follows the attempts of director Christopher Smith to build a miniature residence of his own. Originally envisioned as a two or three month project, the enormity of building even a tiny house soon becomes apparent, as the year blows by rapidly. But Smith and his girlfriend (and co-director) Merete Mueller remain committed, soldiering on through financial constraints, the weather and the scepticism of family and friends. In addition to chronicling their own journey, Smith and Mueller also reach out to other tiny house owners, exploring the various reasons — both practical and philosophical — that inspired them to start thinking smaller. Certainly, in the wake of the global recession, the movement makes a certain amount of sense. Not only are tiny houses cheaper to purchase, they also cost less to heat, power and maintain. Moreover, in a society where we’re conditioned to define ourselves based on our possessions, there’s something rather liberating about the idea of living with less. Truthfully, the conversations with the tiny townsfolk are more engaging than Smith’s building project, which, despite being an intriguing starting point, lacks the weight to really anchor an entire documentary. The amateur builder reflects on his motivations in voiceover — born into a military family, Smith lived in more than a dozen different houses as a child, never in one place long enough for it to really feel like home. Yet as the movie stretches on, the narration grows rather repetitive. At just over an hour in length, Tiny exists in a weird middle ground between full length feature and short film. Given that the movement it documents is all about the efficient use of resources, one wonders if it couldn’t have been condensed. Ultimately though, while Smith and Mueller’s vision has a few more rooms than are necessary, the tiny house movement itself ensures the film is still an interesting watch. Who knows: it may it even inspire you to draw up some floor plans of your own.
After nearly a decade of Westerosi power struggles, obsessed fans and soaring ratings, HBO found itself with a Game of Thrones-sized gap to fill last year. The network isn't completely saying goodbye to the world created by George RR Martin, with at least one spinoff in the works — but it's also eager for something else to help pick up where GoT left off, fantasy-wise. First debuting late in 2019, and due to return for a second season in November, His Dark Materials is one of the US network's prime candidates. It's based on Philip Pullman's award-winning young adult trilogy of books of the same name: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. And if it sounds familiar — and not just because you watched the initial batch of episodes — that's because one of the tomes, The Golden Compass, was already turned into a movie back in 2007. HBO is keeping things simple with its adaptation by sticking with the franchise name, other than individual book monikers — hence the His Dark Materials title. It has also bet big on star power, with the series boasting a hefty cast. James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, Da 5 Bloods' Clarke Peters and Logan's Dafne Keen all feature, while Fleabag's Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge will also pop up in the second season. Yes, it'll be a reunion for the two series newcomers, although you'll be seeing Scott on-screen as Colonel John Parry and hearing Waller-Bridge's voice as Parry's daemon. What's a daemon? It's one of the key parts of His Dark Materials. Here, Keen plays an orphan by the name of Lyra Belacqua — who seems just like everyone else, but hails from an alternate universe where a person's soul manifests as a shape-shifting animal called a daemon. In the show's first season, as Lyra looks for a kidnapped friend in the Arctic, she discovers a church-run stolen children ring, learns about mysterious particles known as Dust and ventures through different worlds, including the one we all know. McAvoy pops up as a powerful aristocrat, Wilson is his ex, and Miranda plays a balloonist and adventurer. If you're eager for the next season, HBO dropped its first sneak peek a few months back, releasing a trailer as part of this year's Comic-Con at Home — and it has just revealed a new trailer as well. As for when you'll be watching it, it returns to screens on Tuesday, November 17, Australian and New Zealand time. In Australia, it airs on Foxtel. Check out the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CdQm6gLHUM His Dark Materials' second season will start airing from Tuesday, November 17 on Foxtel in Australia, and will also be available to view on-demand. Images: HBO.
New York may have The Sartorialist and Paris may be the home of the most recognised (albeit staged) street photo of all time, but Melbourne too has a rich collection of street photography. Posted on blogs, published in weekend newspapers, uploaded to Instagram, each photo captures a different moment in the heart of the city. Shot in the Heart of Melbourne is a curation of those fleeting images, showcasing street photography and photojournalism captured in the CBD and surrounding pockets. Back for it’s second year, the collective exhibition features the work of local artists who endeavour to capture their experience of the city in photographs. As well as the local photographers who, between them, self-curate and cooperatively manage the project, the exhibition welcomes international guest artist, Berns Gilna-Murphy. A renowned photographer on the streets of Valencia, Spain, she will share the beauty of her own city through a selection of black and white images. These photos are not just street style; they capture ephemeral moments — raw, unrehearsed and completely unique. Shot in the Heart of Melbourne is an artistic, candid homage to the people that bring this city to life each day. Image via Rhoufi
Many Melburnians have childhood memories of lining up at Queen Vic Market's American Doughnut Kitchen van to get a bag of freshly made hot jam doughnuts. It's been kicking around since 1950, and still has masses of locals and tourists lining up every weekend to score a serve of the goods. The team has always managed the small space well, cramming a heap of staff into the van and pumping out hundreds of doughnuts each day. But, ahead of its diamond anniversary next year and no signs of slowing down, an upgrade was calling. The result: American Doughnut Kitchen officially opened its first-ever bricks-and-mortar store at Prahran Market on Saturday, July 6. The new shop has been cleverly designed to give off the same look and feel as the famous van. You'll find the signature white-and-blue colour scheme, plus a similar open workstation where customers can watch the doughnuts be cut, cooked and filled with that famous raspberry plum jam before being tossed in sugar. Like the van, these are the only doughnuts that will be available. The family running the shop see no need to experiment with new flavours and offer different varieties — truly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, one change is coming, with American Doughnut Kitchen's southside spot also selling coffee. That means you can get your sweet treat and caffeine fix all in one spot. "Our handmade doughnuts that we still make using the same original recipe have been a favourite among Melburnians for generations," said American Doughnut Kitchen Managing Director Belinda Donaghey. "The opening of our Prahran Market shop represents another exciting milestone in the American Doughnut Kitchen legacy. We look forward to serving our delicious doughnuts to new and existing southside customers for years to come." You'll find American Doughnut Kitchen at Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, open every day of the week except for Mondays and Wednesdays. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Daylesford and its surrounding villages will once again transform into a musical haven as Winter Sounds returns to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. More than your average music festival, Winter Sounds will see a host of celebrated Australian musicians present their tunes in a series of intimate, unusual and atmospheric spaces. Taking place in the region's storied country halls, bush schools, historic churches and even aboard vintage trains from Thursday, August 14–Sunday, August 17, these weird and wonderful locations make the festival's lineup a unique experience for all attendees. For the third edition of the festival, expect a mix of legendary acts and rising names. For instance, Sarah Blasko will take over St Peter's Church, while rock 'n' roll icon Tim Rogers is one of many to perform at Bullarto Hall — be sure to catch a chartered train through the Wombat State Forest before the show. Then, you've got the likes of Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Bad//Dreems, Maple Glider, Quality Used Cars and many more lighting up various venues across town. With individual tickets or three- and four-show packages available, tailor your ideal Winter Sounds festival and make the most of your time in the hills.
Melbourne’s transportation system has become a little bit greener (and whole lot more fun) with the arrival of Melbourne Bike Cabs. They're the brainchild of industrial designer Tim Collins and artist Stephen Mushin, who are both passionate about rescuing the environment through innovative design. Many cities in the world including London, New York and Paris are home to rickshaws, and given Melbourne’s geography, it seems like a no-brainer. "Melbourne is well-known for being one of the most liveable cities in the world, but there are things that still need improving," explains Collins. "Traffic congestion in town is worsening, getting from A to B has never been so stressful and our air quality is deteriorating too. We simply use cars too much, especially for short trips and entering the CBD. With traffic lanes being removed to make way for wider bike lanes, driving is becoming less and less appealing." Melbourne Bike Cabs are here to counter all this. They're run on a combo of pedal power and tiny electric motors, which are driven by lithium batteries recharged with renewable energy. So they're faster than walking, more accurate and efficient than trams and trains, and more sustainable than taxis. In fact, if everyone used Bike Cabs for short trips (as opposed to taxis), we'd save up to twenty tonnes of carbon every year. That's equivalent to planting about two thousand trees. Collins describes his pedi-cabs as "a modern revival of the classic cycle-rickshaw from around the world." What’s more, they're surprisingly affordable. For quick trips, flag fall costs just $5 and each kilometre just $2.50 a pop. Tours are available at the cost of $30 per half-hour. That's looking like some serious competition for the Melbourne taxi industry. In start-up mode at the moment, the business currently has two vehicles cruising around the Melbourne CBD. "The response has been overwhelmingly encouraging," Collins says. "People from all corners of Melbourne and beyond are really getting behind us." Passengers have lauded the service's convenience, fun factor and the fact that it gets you from door-to-door. So Collins and Mushin are working hard to expand as quickly as possible. To do that, they've set up a Pozible campaign that aims, not only to raise funds, but also to connect with supporters. Money raised will be used to get more pedi-cabs on the road and pay for a bunch of logistical and administrative needs, including insurance, council permits and bike storage. The good news is that any pledge of $30 or more buys you a stack of Bike Cab rides. And by the way, Kimbra's a huge fan.
Melbourne's Hotel Nacional has become a gluten-free haven on Hardware Lane, featuring five levels of Mexican-inspired food and drinks — with stellar panoramic views to match. Now, on the cusp of its first birthday, the venue is celebrating with a discounted fiesta from Monday, June 23–Friday, June 27, slinging the entire menu for half price. Moving into the former home of Campari House 12 months ago, each space within this sprawling operation has been designed to make a big impression on guests. Wandering from one floor to the next, a vibrant combination of earthen tones, arched walkways, textured walls and colourful cacti combines modern Mexican aesthetics with a breezy, beachside feel. As you might expect, it goes hand in hand with the venue's feel-good flavours. Head Chef Sergio Tourn's (Tino, The Vale) contemporary fusions combine fresh seasonal produce with native ingredients. Recently added to the winter menu are highlights like pumpkin tamales with zucchini and poblano peppers; Mexican chicken balls with chipotle and tamarind sauce; and chamoy-glazed pork with sweet potato, kale and hibiscus. Best of all, the entire menu is coeliac-friendly, making it a go-to choice for avoiding cross-contamination. "I always try to mix a bit of tradition with modern learning so I can honour both," says Tourn. "Each diner that walks through the doors of Hotel Nacional will not only enjoy our Mexican food offering but also taste the experiences I have had with flavourful and native ingredients. A standout dish on the menu is the chamoy-glazed pork, which is a mix between sweet and smoky, and my upbringing as an Argentinian child." Co-owned by Alex Greco, Hotel Nacional is not his only gluten-free establishment. Elwood's Repeat Offender and St Kilda's Rufio are also forward-thinking restaurants and bars, serving Latin-inspired flavours to those with special dietary requirements. All three venues feature numerous vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring diners have plenty of choice when it comes to indulging in a top-notch feed that aligns with their needs and musts. So, with this special birthday discount only happening for a few days, now is your chance to experience Hotel Nacional's laidback, accessible vibe. "The past 12 months have been an incredible journey for our team — from launching something so bold and unique to seeing it embraced by the Melbourne community," says co-owner Taylor Granchi. "We're proud of what we've built, and our first birthday is the perfect opportunity to say thank you." Hotel Nacional's first birthday discount is available from Monday, June 23–Friday, June 27 at 23–25 Hardware Lane, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.
The Australia Day debate will be well and truly in the spotlight at a star-studded stand-up comedy gig this January 26. Emceed by Judith Lucy and Uncle Jack Charles, the Reconciliation Comedy Gala will feature a who's who of Aussie comedians raising money for a worthwhile cause. Expect plenty of laughs — some of them fairly uncomfortable — as a roster of funny folk tackle the furore around our divisive national day. The gala kicks off at 2.30pm at Malthouse Theatre in Southbank. Wil Anderson, Tom Ballard, Anne Edmonds and Hannah Gadsby are but a few of the comedians who'll take the stage that afternoon, alongside performers from the Koori Youth Will Shake Spears Dance Group. Proceeds from the gala will go to the City of Yarra's Stolen Generations Marker project. The artist commissioned to create the monument, which will pay tribute to the Stolen Generations, will be announced at the event.
First it was the Cheese Festival, then the Sausage Fest, and now Prahran Market is completing the holy trio of meats, cheese and chocolate with — you guessed it — a chocolate festival. The Wicked Chocolate Festival will be held at Prahran Market on Saturday, May 7. As well as on-stage talks about the stuff, a kitchen where you can see how it's made and tasting events, Melbourne's finest will be pulling out their best chocolate creations at the Pop-Up Chocolate Precinct. This will include — are you ready for this? — chocolate doughnuts from Doughboys, chocolate cookie sandwiches by Butterbing, Nutella pizzas from A25 Pizzeria, as well as treats from Burch & Purchese, Bibelot, Fritz Gelato and Pana Chocolate. There'll be everything from hot chocolate to cold chocolate (read: ice cream), and rich chocolate mousse to raw vegan Snickers bars. The market is known for their decidedly delicious events, and this one is set to be just as epic and coma-inducing — especially if you enter the chocolate eating competition. The Weiss Chocolate Eating Comp will see seven contestants pitted against each other to see who can eat the most chocolate in two minutes. They'll win a $300 prize pack, which includes market goodies and — you guessed it — more chocolate. Contestants will be selected by ballot — so to enter, just email your name, age and phone number through to chocolate@prahranmarket.com.au before April 26. And in the meantime, we suggest you start practicing with some blocks of Cadbury Dairy Milk and a few rounds of The Chocolate Game. Fingers crossed you roll a few sixes.
Shortstop are celebrating their birthday in the best possible way: by giving away a boatload of free donuts! Friday, September 8 marks three tasty years since the coffee and donut specialists started slinging rings of dough and cups of joe from their Melbourne store. To mark the anniversary, they've crafted a special limited-edition Birthday Cake Donut, a vanilla bean concoction topped with glaze and sprinkles, which they'll be giving away free with every purchase. "It's a small way for us to say thank you to all our customers for their loyal support over the past three years," says Shortstop's Anthony Ivey. The donut giveaway will take place at Shortstop's Melbourne and Sydney stores for as long as stocks last. One per customer, so don't get any bright ideas. Find Shortstop Coffee & Donuts in Melbourne at 12 Sutherland Street, Melbourne and in Sydney at Shop 3, 23 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo.
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve — the site that houses the Caulfield Racecourse — could soon look a whole lot different, all thanks to a new revitalisation strategy announced by the Victorian Government. Melburnians, get ready to welcome lots more green space, parkland and recreation facilities for all to enjoy. The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust's ambitious vision for the precinct throws a renewed focus on its capacity as a public recreation space that people can use all year round. Mapped out in the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Land Management Plan is more than $500 million worth of projects and upgrades for the sprawling site, which covers 54 hectares — the space of around ten MCGs. The final plan has been revealed this week, after a draft version was released last year and community feedback was gathered. Over the next 15 years, the reserve can expect to score a bunch of new sports and recreation facilities, walking and running tracks throughout, and picnic areas. A new sports hub will feature an indoor stadium and outdoor sports fields, with car parks beneath the pitch, and there are big upgrades in store for the lake and wetland areas, including the addition of an Indigenous heath. Also slated: a pavilion for concerts, community gardens and play areas. There'll also be a focus on improving access to the site, including to some parts not currently open to the public, all of which will set it up to be able to host a whole range of additional events each year. And, the racecourse itself will get undergo upgrades as well. Back in 2018, the Victorian Government committed $1 million towards developing the strategy and managing the reserve, which is one of the largest open public spaces south of the CBD. The Melbourne Racing Club is putting $285 million towards the precinct's racecourse-related improvements. The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Land Management Plan is being implemented over the next ten years. For more details about what's involved, jump over to the website.
Would you change your outfit if your partner asked you to? What about your haircut? Or, supposing they wanted to act as your personal stylist — would you let them? What if you'd always felt slightly frumpy, and they were suave, sexy and sophisticated? What if, as in Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things, opening on Thursday for a season at the No Vacancy gallery, you were a shy college student named Adam and they were a stunning art sophomore called Evelyn, who seemed to be inexplicably smitten with you? You'd do anything for love, right? Directed By Peter Blackburn, the play has been performed around the world and was even made into a feature film in 2003, starring Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz. The Shape of Things propels Adam and Eve out of their idyllic Garden and into the plastic surgeon's office to suggest that modern relationships have quite enough venom to effectively exile happiness without the seductive snake. It's an acidic take on the relationships between men and women and what it means to change someone. When a person becomes a project, maybe all's not fair in love and war. Image via no-vacancy.com.au
Carbe diem, folks. Our favourite experts at That's Amore have announced a new run of pasta-making classes, guiding beginner chefs through the art of making gnocchi or filled pasta from scratch. Learn the secrets of both potato and ricotta gnocchi from Masterchef contestant and cookbook author Pia Gava on Saturday, May 6, before sitting down to an Italian lunch featuring your creations and a glass of wine. Potato gnocchi is paired with a rich four-cheese sauce, while ricotta-based gnocchi is laden with cavolo nero pesto. Alternatively, a three-hour tortellini and ravioli session led by Piera Pagnoni, owner of Piera Pasta Fresca, will run on Saturday, May 27. Roll up your sleeves across this in-depth, interactive workshop which will take you through the process of making, kneading and shaping two kinds of filled pasta. The first is a balanzoni, a green, tortellini-like stuffed pasta hailing from Bologna stuffed with ricotta, mortadella and parm. The second is a half-moon ravioli di pesc starring crab meat, snapper, mascarpone, thyme and lemon. A glass of wine and lunch is also included. Tickets come in at $140 per person which includes a That's Amore apron for your home kitchen. Images: Supplied.
What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while answering questions, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. That's the concept behind ABC TV show Spicks and Specks, which took a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, pit Aussie musos and comedians against each other, and has proven a hit several times over. It was a weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011 — and it will be again from today. As fans will already know, Spicks and Specks just keeps coming back; however, that has meant different things over the years. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it did so with a new host and team captains, for instance. And when it started to make a return with its original lineup of Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough, it first did so via a one-off reunion special. That 2018 comeback proved more than a little popular. It became the ABC's most-watched show of that year, in fact. So, the broadcaster then decided to drop four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20 and, for 2021, to bring back Spicks and Specks in its regular format. As first announced last year, the show is returning for a full ten-episode season — and, as the broadcaster revealed last month, it'll kick off on Sunday, April 18 at 7.40pm. You'll be able to watch it on TV when it airs, or stream it via iView afterwards. Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough are all settling back into their old chairs, obviously — and, guest-wise, they'll be joined by music stars such as The Teskey Brothers, Alice Skye, G-Flip, Vika and Linda, and Missy Higgins, as well as comedians including Anne Edmonds, Nazeem Hussain, Luke McGregor, Dave O'Neil and Denise Scott. So, add playing along with the show from your couch to your end-of-weekend plans from tonight onwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT5t-G4iGDc Spicks and Specks returns to ABC TV for a regular full season from 7.40pm on Sunday, April 18, with episodes airing weekly afterwards. You'll also be able to stream the series via ABC iView.
Game of Thrones was always going to spark spinoff shows. Indeed, when HBO started thinking about doing a prequel five years ago, before the huge fantasy hit had even finished its run, it was hardly surprising. And, when the US network kept adding ideas to its list — including a Jon Snow-focused series with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show, to name just a few prequels and spinoffs that've been considered, but may or may not actually come to fruition — absolutely no one was astonished. So far, just one fellow GoT-related series has hit screens: House of the Dragon, which jumps back into House Targaryen's history. When it arrived in 2022, it became an instant success. Accordingly, it was quickly renewed for season two. But if you've been hanging out for the next part in its story, and hoping to see it in 2023, you might have to wait a little longer. In an interview with Variety, HBO and HBO Max content CEO Casey Bloys has advised that viewers likely won't be returning to Westeros until sometime in 2024. He said that timing for House of the Dragon season two's debut "is a good guess", and that it probably won't be eligible for the Emmys held that year — which means that new episodes might be coming in winter Down Under, fittingly. The first season also started screening and streaming during Australia and New Zealand's winter, so that'll mean a two-year gap — or thereabouts — between the show's maiden go-around and its second effort. And, it means thinking "winter is coming" to yourself all over again, amid pondering the GoT realm's relationships, flowing long blonde hair, dragons, stabbings and fights for the Iron Throne (whether or not you turn watching House of the Dragon into a drinking game, as we did). The series kicked off 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story, and gave HBO its largest American audience for any new original series in its history when it debuted. Yes, House of the Dragon is basically a case of new show, same squabbles, as it was easy to foresee it would be. Yes, it's pretty much Game of Thrones with different faces bearing now well-known surnames — and more dragons. If you haven't yet caught up with the series, it dives into the battle for the Iron Throne before the one we all watched between 2011–19. Paddy Considine (The Third Day) plays King Viserys — and it's exactly who should be his heir that sparks all the Succession-style fuss. The words "succession" and "successor" (and "heir" as well) get bandied around constantly, naturally. The king has a daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Upright's Milly Alcock, then Mothering Sunday's Emma D'Arcy), who is also his first-born child. But because putting a woman on the throne isn't the done thing, the King's younger brother Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith, Morbius) considers that spiky iron chair his birthright. And, this wouldn't be Westeros if plenty of other people didn't have an opinion, including Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans, The King's Man), the Hand of the King; his own daughter Alicent (The Lost Girls' Emily Carey, then Slow Horses' Olivia Cooke); and Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint, It's a Sin), who is married to Princess Rhaenys Velaryon (Eve Best, Nurse Jackie), who had a better claim to the throne when Viserys was named king instead. Also yes, this latest adaptation of George RR Martin's popular fantasy books is bound to continue on for more than just two seasons, but that's all that's confirmed for the moment. Check out the full House of the Dragon trailer below: House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one. Via Variety. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
Beloved Swanston Street nightclub Lounge might have abruptly called last drinks earlier this year, but you can rest easy knowing that some of the minds behind its long-running greatness have a shiny new 24-hour music venue up their sleeves. Liam Alexander and Benny Rausa — who also have hands in music collective 6am at the Garage, one-day festival Something Unlimited and popular Lounge club night Lucid — are just weeks away from gifting Melbourne with their latest venture, Colours. Making its home in the two-storey, 300-capacity Queensberry Street space once home to Yours & Mine, the nightclub and music venue is set to open its doors on Thursday, October 3. The guys are out to unearth some of the vibrancy of Melbourne's glory days, at a time when live music spots and late-night haunts are dwindling. And, from the looks of it, they've got all the right tools to make good on those promises. The space will have a state-of-the-art sound system, downstairs and upstairs, while a first-floor band room boasts space for up to six-piece acts. The venue has also been jazzed up with new furniture, fresh lighting and a healthy splash of colour. [caption id="attachment_701736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The now-closed Lounge[/caption] It's all being put to good use right from the get-go, too, with events from the likes of natural wine launches, club nights and parties by the name of Neurotiq Erotiq and Club D'erange just some of what's been locked in for the starting lineup. It's an offering that's only set to blossom when teamed with Colour's 24-hour licence, which it can tap weeklong — except for between 7 and 10am Sundays. The venue's set to operate as a bar and band room from 5pm Tuesday to Thursday, kicking into club mode on Fridays and Saturdays from 9pm. A fittingly grand launch party on October 3 will feature sounds from András, Noise In My Head, Sui Zhen, Interstellar Fugitives and Lori. Find Colour at 229 Queensberry Street, Carlton, from October 3.
Drop everything. Nothing is as important as this Game of Thrones-themed wine tasting. Are you still recovering from The Red Viper versus The Mountain? Are you feeling a little nostalgic for the days when Tyrion could lay around boozing on vino? Perhaps you should be drinking your sorrows away with some like-minded Thrones fanatics. Confused? We’ll lay it down for you. Game of Rhones is a wine-tasting event touring Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne that's now in its second year. Featuring over 40 producers and 100 wines, this glorious day at St Kilda Town Hall will be an all-out trial by combat to determine the best offering of the grape varieties from the Rhone Valley in France — Shiraz, Grenache, and Viognier among others. There will be wines, ciders and beers from every corner of Kings Landing/Australia all of which have been confirmed to contain no poison and you, the humble commoner, will be entrusted to pick the victor. Of course, it wouldn't be Thrones-worthy if there weren't a few extra kickers. To accompany your wine, there will be a selection of feast-able treats available such as suckling pig and venison pie — if you’re a vego or a vegan you might have to BYO tofu — and there's also the option to come in costume. As far as we can tell, it appears that patrons have either gone all out, or rocked up in jeans. Obviously we suggest the former, because quite frankly it would be amazing to see a hoard of drunken Daenarys' walking the streets of Melbourne screaming "WHERE ARE MY DRAGONNNNNS??!" Your Game of Rhones ticket price includes a special wine chalice and all tastings from 1pm-6pm, however food prices are not included. For more information see the Game of Rhones website.
Australian playwright Van Badham is known for her political, sometimes violent plays. Now, after a relationship breakdown and drawing on inspiration from a relic of Ancient Greek pottery in the Ashmolean Museum, she has written a romantic comedy. Based on the Minotaur myth, The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars is the story of two museum staff whose romantic frisson gets them into a bit of a tangle. With a mix of wordplay, humour and romance, Badham believes she's found a feminist way into a traditionally fluffy genre. This co-production between Merrigong Theatre and Griffin has already received glowing reviews following its premiere in Wollongong and is set to woo Sydney audiences in early May. We chat to Van about feminism, classics and the Minotaur. So, you wrote a play! I wrote a play! Tell me a bit about it. So, about two years ago, in 2011, I was asked to write an audio play based on a piece of pottery held in the collection at the Ashmolean Museum. It was an extraordinary commission; it was funded by the Onassis foundation, which supports a program at Oxford that promotes classical Greek literature and drama. I got this piece of pottery that had a man and a bull and I thought 'wow, that's pretty interesting', because I was mad about Greek myth as a child and I decided I would write something about the Minotaur. So you pulled a whole play out of a shard? The hook with the story was the idea of a museum and what a museum represents, which is the bricolage and mess of the past, the discarded remnants. And it's the discarded remnants that tell you a lot more about a civilisation than its official history. I was in the dying days of a long-term relationship at the time so I was thinking about relationships a lot and it all coalesced into this story, about two people who work in a museum, one of whom is married, and the attraction between them conjures a monster. That is what the Minotaur represented to me, a symbol of misplaced desire and a transgression — a mythological exploration of the Minotaur. So can we talk a bit about myth and classics more generally? Obviously in your case you were commissioned to write a play about a Greek myth so there's a clear starting point, but I have a suspicion that playwrights use classics as a way of tacking on intellectual heft to their plays. No, it's not about intellectual heft. The reason why theatre makers do revert to classical drama and adaptations is that it's very fucking hard to write a play and it's hard to write a play structurally. It's very hard to get it right where you combine spoken verbal language that has semiotic heft as well as create that uncanny valley of interpretability for an actor in performance as well as hooks, mysteries, stories and climactic patterning. So using classics is fine then as a helping hand? Yeah, investing an original structure in any form of literature is very hard. That's the actual challenge. And there's that theory that says there are only nine stories and everything else is a variation. Okay, but shouldn't that be taken as read? That classics will inform all new original works, rather than explicitly basing dramas on classics? Yeah, but realistically, one of the reasons that adaptations are so popular is that they sell tickets. I think that's what Australian audiences adore, going to a show and going 'great, I'm getting cultural cache because one, it was entertaining and two, it ticked the intellectual box of being based on a classic.' Well, this is the thing. Now that I work in programming, I can really see that brand recognition is how people make buying choices and the theatre is not spared from that. I wonder if that makes Australian playwrights scared of doing a straight-out original work that could one day be a classic in its own right. I don't think that's the issue at all. I think it gets back to fact that it's really damn hard to write a very good play. I mean my job at the Malthouse is to read plays. And good writing, brilliant writing is rare. In the time that I was at the Finborough, of the two thousand plays I read I recommended three for production. Three! It's really hard to write a classic. So knowing how hard it is as a playwright, what drives you? You're known as a political playwright, but this play is a romantic comedy... Yes it's a romantic comedy but it's a feminist play. It's about a woman whose real journey is about surviving desire and I don't think I've let women down by writing a play about that. It fulfills all the genre obligations of a romantic comedy but at the same time, I hope, based on my rather extreme level of knowledge in terms of the number of plays I've read in the past few years, I'm pretty close to something that is original in form and content. Ariadne is the female romantic lead in your play and she's defined by her romantic relationship first with Theseus and then with Dionysus. How do you balance this identity with your feminist project? Do you know what's amazing? Is that feminists, some of them, have relationships with men! And they can be really complex. And if you look at the genre of a romantic comedy in a patriarchal paradigm, generally it works with a woman having to make herself more attractive to the masculine ideal of what women should be like. And you've found a way around that? Well, this is what I try to do. My feminist project is to attack that [patriarchal] narrative whilst at the same time working within genres that are associated with women and women's enjoyment. It's romantic and funny, there are some language games in it that are clever and funny that I'm really proud of. It's about the subjective experience of desire and of love and that is quite intoxicating. The Bull, the Moon and the Coronet of Stars is at Sydney's SBW Stables Theatre from May 2 to June 8. More information and tickets here.
There’s an adorable, somewhat maternal trend emerging on the Melbourne restaurant scene. Our favourite eateries have been creating mini-me versions of themselves — snack bars, cocktail lounges, take away windows, food trucks — that channel the same vibe but are the antithesis of chain expansion. Mr Miyagi, Chapel Street's incredibly cute Japanese eatery, is following this example and opening an even cuter little cocktail bar next door. Yukie’s Snack Bar (named after Mr Miyagi’s eternal love Yukie, nawww) is opening next Tuesday, December 15 in the space next door to Mr Miyagi. The pair will work in harmony with each other, sharing opening hours — which, just FYI, are 5pm till late, seven nights a week. Yukie’s will serve bite-sized counterparts of the food you know and love at Mr Miyagi (think along the lines of the Nori Taco people lose their shit over). There'll be kingfish cured on a Himalayan rock salt slab with green chili, coriander cream and crispy quinoa, and Applewood hot smoked salmon tostadillas, served with fennel, apple, coriander, with yuzu shoyu dressing (mmmf *drools*). Yukie's will also offer a unique and extensive cocktail menu including a raspberry and tonka bean margarita with black lava salt (what even is that?) and a salted watermelon martini garnished with Midori-infused 'faux' olives (very intriguing). Yukie’s is designed as a self-contained bar offering lighter snacks while you pound drinks, or as a destination for a post-Miyagi meal cocktail. Welcome to the family, Yukie. Yukie’s Snack Bar, 99 Chapel Street, Windsor, opening on Tuesday December 15. Images: Simon Shiff and Timothy Grey
Keep Everything is dance theatre for people who can appreciate the absurdity of human social behaviour and love hearing a beat drop. This new offering from Chunky Move continues the company’s mission to playfully redefine the limits of contemporary dance. It's charming, entrancing and fun. It begins dramatically: human bodies barely visible through surging projections and thick smog. We are transported to a post-apocalyptic landscape — made magical by the music of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes (of The Presets fame). Yet, just as soon as we’re accustomed to the electronic rhythms and droning atmosphere of this sci-fi wasteland, all the lights are up and the performers are over-exposed. The scene transitions through the piece are carefully thought-out and a joy to experience. Lighting, music and projection all work together to hurtle us along the evolutionary journey of humans — from morphing jellyfish-masses to haute-couture models. The choreography by Antony Hamilton never takes itself too seriously. It is clear to see that improvisation and repeated physical and verbal phrases have formed the basis of the work, which seems to respond to gibberish emitting from the mouths of the dancers and to laugh out loud at the direct audience address, “How are ya?” The trio of dancers (Benjamin Hancock, Lauren Langlois, Alisdair Macindoe) speak in grunts and abstract sounds and dance in digital code. They push the boundaries of their human spines and structures to create part-machine, part-animal bodies that offend our civility. They tell us the human body is simply a series of circles and angles then prove this point with a prolonged unison dance sequence so precise I dubbed it the ‘robot rebirthing’... only moments before it deteriorated into a night-club rave. At the heart of Keep Everything is an exploration of how humans connect and communicate, and the audience is forced to reflect and critique our own speech. Aren’t we all just speaking gibberish that we somehow collectively understand? “Ye-ah”, comes the dancers’ answer, as they learn onstage to make meaning out of random patterns. The set is a clean white floor, covered on one side with what appears to be pastel building-blocks, and on the other with industrial waste: from order and progress to pollution and disrepair. This bittersweet view of human evolution is maintained throughout, from the seamless switches of organic, fluid movements into robotic body isolations to the rogue 'lap dog' (brought brilliantly to life by Langlois), who refuses to submit to human control any longer. The work claims to keep everything, but is neither too long nor indulgent. It casts a questioning eye on our human behaviour and makes us laugh at how far we’ll go to try to connect.
If yoga is a thing you like to do with your body on your weekends but negronis are also a thing you like to do with your body on weekends, fear not — there are ways of ticking both boxes. Howler is holding a yoga and negronis session on Sunday, September 16, proving that you can have it all, and that Sundays are for doing things good for the soul and the stomach. With yoga by yoga expert Rosie from I Live In Balance and DJ Zev Tropp on soundtrack duties, you'll be downward dogging your way to weekend bliss and whispering "shavasana" as your get-you-through-the-week mantra. The yoga class itself will be more of a fun, accessible-for-all vibe than a difficult sweaty time, and there'll be a guided full body relaxation included at the end. Tickets are $30 and include a negroni each.
Melbourne is fuelled by a mix of coffee and beer, so really it makes logical sense that we've got a festival combining the two. Coming to Thornbury's 3 Ravens Brewery for the second year this Sunday, March 25, On The Bend / On The Mend will see eight local breweries team up with eight beloved coffee roasters on eight unique beers featuring coffee as a key ingredient. Collingwood's Stomping Ground (beer), neighbours Proud Mary (coffee), Preston's Tallboy & Moose (beer) and Brunswick's Industry Beans (coffee) are just a few of the collaborators to jump on board. Last year's creations included a cold brew-infused English bitter and a white stour brewed with sea urchin, cacao nibs and coffee beans — which should give you some idea of how wild things can get. Entry is free, and all the coffee, beer and coffee-flavoured beer will be available to purchase. Or, if you want to lay down $20, you can partake in a masterclass, which includes a tasting paddle of all eight brews.
And just like that, there was a teaser trailer — for HBO's new Sex and the City spinoff And Just Like That..., that is. First announced back at the beginning of 2021, and already locked in for a December release, the ten-part series reunites Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon more than a decade since they last shared a screen in the terrible 2008 and 2010 Sex and the City movies. And, if you're wondering what's in store, the first teaser trailer has just been released. Obviously, Parker's Carrie Bradshaw narrates the sneak peek. It really wouldn't be a Sex and the City-related series otherwise, and you'd probably want to a pair of Manolo Blahniks at your screen in protest if that was the case. This time, the famed fictional New Yorker is waxing lyrical about life's changes — and obviously the words "and just like that" get uttered. The teaser doesn't provide much in the way of narrative detail, but it is filled with images of Carrie, Miranda (Nixon) and Charlotte (Davis) going about their lives — and of plenty of other familiar Sex and the City faces as well. The series' main trio won't have Kim Cattrall's Samantha for company, but Chris Noth, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler and the late Willie Garson all return. Yes, that's Big, Anthony, Steve, Harry and Stanford all accounted for. Grey's Anatomy's Sara Ramírez features, too — and, in news that's worth raising a few cosmopolitans, the ten-episode spinoff now has an exact release date. So, you'll be able to stream the first two episodes on Thursday, December 9 via Binge in Australia, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays afterwards. In New Zealand, it'll air on Neon and Sky Go from Friday, December 10, with new episodes dropping at 1pm each week. It'll also head to SoHo from 9.30pm on Mondays from December 20. Due to Cattrall's absence, And Just Like That... is being badged as a "new chapter' in the Sex and the City story, rather than an additional season of the existing 1998–2004 program. Parker, Davis and Nixon are also named as producers on And Just Like That..., alongside Michael Patrick King, who worked as a writer, director and executive producer on the original (and on the two movies). Check out the first teaser trailer below: And Just Like That... will start streaming in Australia via Binge from Thursday, December 9. In New Zealand, it'll air via Neon and Sky Go in New Zealand from Friday, December 10, and also on SoHo from 9.30pm on Mondays from December 20.
There's a whole swag of ways to celebrate Lunar New Year in Melbourne, but if your ideal one involves feasting on Singaporean and Malaysian flavours, you'll want to book a table at Hawker Hall. From Friday, February 9–Sunday, February 11, the hawker-inspired eatery is launching into the Year of the Dragon with an exclusive banquet menu, plus lion dances, giveaways and more. Head in to enjoy a sumptuous $88 set menu, starring plates like kingfish sashimi paired with red chilli sambal and lychee, roast duck wontons, Singapore-style Moreton Bay Bugs doused in chilli and served with Chinese doughnuts, and more. Plenty of a la carte options will also be available to order individually, and you'll even find a few Lunar New Year-inspired cocktails on the menu. Visit for dinner between February 9–11 and you could also nab yourself prizes ranging from free drinks to $888 restaurant vouchers just by cracking open your fortune cookie. On Friday and Saturday night, there will also feature traditional lion dance performances weaving through the dining room. And if you can't make it for these nights, don't fret. The Lunar New Year set menu will be running a little longer, up until Thursday, February 29.
Whatever your opinion of Julia Gillard's prime ministership, national politics and gender were as inseparable as Tony Abbott and his speedos between June 2010 and June 2013. Whether it was Howard Sattler's obsession with her sex life or Grace Collier's obsession with her cleavage, none of us were allowed to forget for a moment that Gillard was, is, indeed, a woman. Of course, the nation's first female Prime Minister did not fail to air her perspective to the world with that speech that went viral. So it's fitting that in her very first public appearance since her June farewell speech, Gillard will appear in conversation with one-time head of the Hawke government's Office of the Status of Women, Anne Summers. After Gillard's exit, the author, journalist and editor wrote, "We are now, apparently unashamedly, a country where bullying, stalking, undermining and outright treachery are not just tolerated but the new way of doing business. So the next time your child comes home complaining about being bullied in the schoolyard, you will have to say, 'Suck it up kid, this is the way we are.'" Three months down the track, Gillard and Summers will spend two evenings together in the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall and the Melbourne Town Hall, reflecting on what Gillard's experience meant, and might mean, to the story of Australian politics. According to the promo, Gillard has committed to "a candid and wide-ranging conversation", and there'll be time for an audience-driven Q & A session. It's the first event in 'Anne Summers Conversations', a series of live one-on-one interviews featuring various personalities to have appeared in Anne Summers' online magazine The Looking Glass. Julia Gillard and Anne Summers will be appearing at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Monday, 30 September, and at Melbourne Town Hall on Tuesday, 1 October. Tickets are available from the Sydney Opera House website and Eventbrite.
The Maribyrnong River Trail runs alongside the Maribyrnong River through the northwest suburbs of Melbourne and it's often populated with runners, walkers and cyclists. When you're taking the trail, you're on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Country, which has a rich history dating back over 40,000 years. Today, there are plenty of places to stop while pacing the route, whether to rest, check out some community gardens or to grab a green juice or cup of coffee to keep you going. To help you make the most of it, we teamed up with Adidas to bring you seven rewarding pit stops to make when you're tackling the trail. Take a look, then plan your own adventure using the map below. [caption id="attachment_804268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parks Victoria[/caption] BRIMBANK PARK Start off amid native grassland and wetlands at Brimbank Park, located in Keilor East. The expansive green space neighbours the Maribyrnong River, and it's home to diverse wildlife, including ducks, wallabies and native birds. There are plenty of picnic areas and open spaces where you can warm up with lunges, leg swings, arm circles and side shuffles. It's also right next to Horseshoe Bend Farm, a rural-farm space where, though there aren't any animals, you can peruse its original 1930s weatherboard cottage while you get blood flowing to your muscles. [caption id="attachment_804270" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elaine Casap; Unsplash[/caption] AVONDALE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY GARDENS Make a pit stop at Avondale Heights Community Gardens to soak in some good community vibes and admire the local produce and plants. While you walk around the plots, take time to get some oxygen back into those lungs. You may even learn a thing or two about organic and sustainable gardening practices and principles. Or, if you're lucky, you'll find yourself at an open day with produce, preserves, seeds and seedlings on sale. PARTICLE CAFE Particle Cafe is the perfect spot to pick up a green juice or mid-run coffee. The eatery on Military Road, in Avondale Heights, is 100-percent vegan — with gluten free options available, too. It also has nut-based milks, like macadamia, cashew, hazelnut and almond. Alternatively, try a chia pudding, healthy choccy bowl, tofu scramble or a 'Vegan is Possible' burger. Whatever you choose, it'll be jam-packed with plants, which can only fuel your run ahead. [caption id="attachment_804692" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moonee Valley City Council[/caption] CANNING RESERVE LOOKOUT As you run on you'll reach Canning Reserve Lookout, just by Canning Reserve Playground. It's a great spot for a photo — or to stare out at the scenic views, including Melbourne's skyline in the distance. There's a walking dock so you can keep moving, or plenty of spots under gum trees to have a breather. Simply enjoy the fresh air while nodding to the other runners as they pass by. [caption id="attachment_803175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samson Katt[/caption] FAIRBAIRN PARK Mix up your run by stopping off at Fairbairn Park. The wide-open space is ideal for interval training on the sports fields. The park also has access to the river and dogs are allowed off-leash here, so be prepared to share your space with some cute, furry friends. While you're in workout mode, try not to be swayed by nearby Highpoint Shopping Centre. [caption id="attachment_803451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maribyrnong City Council[/caption] MARIBYRNONG AQUATIC CENTRE Take a break at Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre, adjacent to Thompson Reserve and Pipemakers Park. Take to a lane in the heated 50-metre pool and swim a few laps to get in some extra cardio, or hang out in the leisure pool for a while. Alternatively, head straight for the spa to start relaxing, followed by the sauna and steam rooms to sweat it out and unwind. Bookings are essential right now, so make sure to jump online and time your run to finish here. It's $12.90 for a spa, sauna and steam session. Access to the pool is $7. CAFE BOUTIQUE Reward yourself at the end of your run by heading to Cafe Boutique, on Cumberland Drive at the corner of Harbour Park. It's time for a pancake and a well-earned latte with waterfront and Flemington Racecourse views. If you're there for brekkie, enjoy the likes of yoghurt-layered muesli, french toast or eggs florentine. Or, if stopping in for lunch, sink your teeth into a salmon salad, carbonara or greek salad with lamb. You could also grab a takeaway sandwich and head to the park nearby for a snack and a nap in the shade. You've earned it. In need of a new pair of runners? Take a look at the new Adidas Ultraboost 21 runners here. Launch the map below to start plotting your own running adventure in and around Melbourne. Top image: Visit Victoria
Everyone has their favourite places to eat, and their favourite dishes to order while they're there. But what happens when a new tastebud-tempting dish arrives to whet your appetite? We've all experienced the kind of menu indecision that can spring in this exact situation, where we're torn between a tried-and-trusty tasty option we already know we'll love and opting for something new — and with its latest addition to its range, Betty's Burgers has an answer. Firstly, folks who don't partake in meat, rejoice: the chain has just launched a new plant-based version of its popular Betty's Classic burg. Called Betty's Classic Plant, it's made with soy-based plant patties from Love Buds, then piles on the lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and Betty's special sauce that you'd find on the carnivorous option. And, while the patty is already both vegan and gluten-free, you can ensure that the whole burg is, too, by getting it without the milk bun — on a vegan bun instead — and sans sauce and cheese. If that's set your stomach a-rumbling, the new burger is on the menu now — and trying it out comes with a two-bite guarantee. Give it a couple of chomps, then either keep eating if you love it, or swap it for a regular Betty's Classic or a Betty's Classic Vegan straight away if you don't. While usually you need to get in quickly for Betty's Burgers fresh additions — its limited-time-only lobster rolls and prawn rolls, for instance — this new plant-based burg is a permanent newcomer, and will set you back $11.50. And if you're new to all things Betty's, it's known for its Shake Shack-style burgs and frozen custard desserts (called concretes). While you can now grab one of the chain's burgers at a heap of locations across Australia, including in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, the company first began in Noosa, and then expanded to the Gold Coast. For more information about Betty's Burgers and its new Classic Plant burg, head to the chain's website.
On Saturday, September 3 from 11am, right through until Sunday, September 4 at 9.10am, three Melbourne cinemas will become the most magical places in the city. That's when and where all eight Harry Potter films will grace the big screen again, as part of a whole day and night of wizarding wonder. BYO time-turner if you don't think you'll be able to get through it all otherwise. On the bill at the Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas: watching Harry, Hermione, Ron and co spend their first day at Hogwarts, play quidditch, search for the deathly hallows and battle He Who Must Not Be Named. They'll navigate potions classes, bust out spells, face off against evil and their classmates, and get plenty of enchanting help, too. You know how the story goes, of course — and now, 21 years after Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone first hit cinemas, you can revisit the whole saga in one big go. Potter Party — All-Night Harry Potter Marathon does include two breaks: 55 minutes for dinner between Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and 20 minutes for breakfast to split up Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Dressing up in costume is always highly recommended, as is indulging in 22 hours Potter nerdery — with tickets costing $50.
In White Oaks, New Mexico you won't find much. It's a ghost town. The place now only exists in the collective memory of 'Merica as the place frequented by Billy The Kid and other Old West ratbags; if the saloon doors could talk, they would have had a lot to say. That's why they called it the Wild West. So, from one saloon to another, Greville Street's White Oaks Saloon Bar & Dining is a world away from the New Mexico desert, after which it is named. But the best thing is that it doesn't matter — White Oaks isn't a venue that relies on the theme of the southwest pocket of the States, but one that simply encompasses it in its details, drinks and bar food. It's not so much a love of the Wild West that spurred Nick Welch to open the western-inspired bar, but a love of the regions' spirits. He also runs an importing business — bringing in top-shelf spirits, bitters and liqueurs from the US — so the shelves are stocked with lots of interesting liquids. This ensures the cocktail list sees a classic repertoire spun with a unique, southern influence, even boasting a few barrel-aged sips. Hard liquor shouldn't be ingested on an empty stomach, so the White Oaks kitchen matches the booze with some warm, heavy comfort food. Choose from things like the Cajun chicken tacos, deep-fried shrimp sliders, Louisiana crab cakes and southern fried chicken. This stuff's good for snacking, but comes secondary to what's behind the bar. It's all in the details here though: the special Japanese ice machine, the metal straws, the brass-topped bar. It's also in the fact that Welch knows his stuff about spirits (just ask) and can make you a drink you probably won't get anywhere else in the city. The ability to book a table might have something to do with it, too. If you don't want to sit up at the bar under their red neon sign, the space continues into the next shopfront, with many a dark corner to cosy up into. Tackling the southern-western double whammy without sending the theme into overdrive is a tough line to toe, but White Oaks does it with finesse. This isn't a themed bar — although swinging saloon doors do feature — it's a bar with style and some of the best cocktails south of the river. Images: Griffin Simm.
Victoria's 61-day run of no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases has come to an end with the state recording three new cases in the 24 hours leading up to midnight on Wednesday, December 30. As a result, the Victorian Government has introduced new gathering and mask restrictions ahead of tonight's New Year's Eve celebrations. As of 5pm today, Thursday, December 31, gatherings at private homes will be limited to 15, which is down from the previously allowed 30. Which means, you may need to quickly reassess your plans for this evening. Additionally, masks will be mandatory in all indoor settings — except from when you are eating and drinking — from 5pm. "If you are planning to leave your home at the moment, we ask people to carry their masks with them, we are now asking them to wear a mask if they are indoors in any location which is not their private home," Acting Premier Jacinta Allen said in a press conference today. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1344398374485843973 The Victorian Government has also announced new border restrictions, with Victorians located in Wollongong and the Blue Mountains having until 11.59pm tonight Thursday, December 31 to return to the state. On return, they will need to get tested and self-isolate for 14 days regardless of the result of the test. After this time, Victorians that have visited these areas — as well as the previously announced Greater Sydney area, the Central Coast and the northern beaches — in the last 14 days cannot enter Victoria. You can find out more about Victoria's border restrictions at the Victorian Government website. The Government has also strongly urged Victorians to reconsider plans to visit NSW. "Do not go to New South Wales, if you are in Victoria," said Minister for Health Martin Foley. "If you are a Victorian in New South Wales, well beyond Wollongong and the Blue Mountains, come back. Do not want to be caught on the wrong side of a rapidly evolving situation." https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1344195448752406528 All three cases recorded yesterday dined at Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant in Black Rock on Monday, December 21, and anyone who visited the restaurant on that date must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative test result. The Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services has also released a list of additional venues that have been linked to positive cases on its Twitter page and website. More locations are expected to be added across the day, too. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1344429850933645315 For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and current restrictions, head to the DHHS website.
Here's an incredibly obvious but still always true statement: the finest sushi you'll ever eat is found in Tokyo. That's just a delicious reality, but so is struggling to get into the best sushi joints during your Japan holiday because they're impossible to book. Thanks to Melbourne eatery Uminono, however, there's now a tour jetting out of Australia this spring that'll let you spend five nights eating your way through Tokyo's finest sushi restaurants. And yes, it takes care of all the reservations for you — including to quite the selection of exclusive spots. First, you'd best check your bank account. The Uminono x Plan Japan Luxury Sushi Discovery Experience doesn't come cheap, costing $9600 if you're willing to share a room and $11,900 if you want to bunk solo. But that fat stack of cash will get you the kind of Tokyo holiday you've only dreamed of, as co-guided by Uminono sushi chef Arnaud Laidebeur. Between Sunday, September 25–Friday, September 30 — departing out of Melbourne, and presumably assuming that Japan allows tourists back in by that time — this trip will hit up the likes of eight-seater boutique Sushi Amamoto, which boasts two Michelin stars, plus acclaimed chef Masamichi Amamoto in the kitchen; and Sugita, an extremely well-known standout that uses traditional Edomae skills to make its sushi. Also on the list are Ginza's Hakkoku, a six-seater that serves up to 30 different fish varieties; and Sushi Kimura, which is all about aged sushi and non-conventional fish varieties. While sushi is the main focus, the tour also includes a range of Tokyo fine-diners with a particular focus on French-Japanese fusion. So, that means a meal at the world-acclaimed Sugalabo, as well as Florilège and Été, with the latter only seating up to four guests a day. The exact itinerary hasn't been locked in just yet, but other restaurants on the list include Arai, Shimazu, Takamitsu and Sushi Ryujiro among the sushi spots; Ode from the French-Japanese eateries; and also eight-seater upmarket seafood and steak joint Tacubo, yakitori standouts Torishiki and Yakitori Eiki, yakiniku spot Yoroniku, the wagyu-covering Wagyumafia, Toyosu market, and a heap of street food and ramen places. Only six seats are available for the tour's September dates — so if this'll let you live your sushi dreams, and you can afford it, getting in quick is obviously recommended. And, you'll be slumbering in hotels to match the luxe culinary experience on offer, such as Palace Hotel Tokyo in the Marunouchi district and Shangri-La Tokyo, which is right near Tokyo Station. The Uminono x Plan Japan Luxury Sushi Discovery Experience arrives in Tokyo on Sunday, September 25, then returns to Melbourne on Friday, September 30. For more information or to register your interest, head to the Plan Japan website.
Quiet achievers Little Dragon are a bit of an elusive bunch. Despite jamming together for nearly two decades, the Swedish quartet only gained a serious fan-base following their breakout hit 'Twice' in 2009. But these high school pals-turned-internationally touring chart-toppers are proof that sometimes the best things take time. Making their way around Australia for a string of Laneway Festival appearances, Little Dragon have squeezed in a couple of sneaky sideshows for those not festivaling. Channeling their signature blend of genre-bending beats, their latest fourth studio album Nabuma Rubberband sees a smooth set of dance tracks with strong electro-pop and R&B tendencies. Previous collaborations with the likes of the Gorillaz, SBTRKT and Big Boi have seen these guys go from virtual unknowns to a globally recognised act. With captivating vocals courtesy of Yukimi Nagano guaranteed to get audiences grooving, these performances won't disappoint. Supported by Kilter.
It's a tale as old as time: feuding siblings, an envy-fuelled rivalry, and an attempt to survive in harsh conditions. All three elements drive Icelandic effort Rams, as do the titular animals. Yet there's little about this perceptive examination of the bonds of blood, the struggles of farming life, and the importance of finding hope and humour in even the bleakest of circumstances, that feels routine or overly familiar. Perhaps focusing on the woolly creature's importance to rural townships helps, with the feature's narrative following brothers Gummi (Sigurður Sigurjónsson) and Kiddi (Theodor Juliusson) as they operate neighbouring sheep farms. Perhaps the measured pace, meticulous detail and observational atmosphere does as well, all stemming from writer/director Grímur Hákonarson's documentary background. Indeed, though Rams is a work of fiction, in exploring the hardships of working the land it seems ripped straight from reality. After entering their prized beasts into an annual competition, Kiddi emerges victorious, but a bitter Gummi is convinced that something is awry. Secretly inspecting the winning critter, he spies signs of a highly contagious disease that could wipe out Kiddi's flock, infect his own and cripple the entire village's livelihood. The duo hasn't spoken in four decades, exchanging messages via sheepdog to communicate when needed. However only by working together can they hope to save their animals and their community. While compromise might be called for within the story, as the bickering brothers are forced to unite to fight a shared cause, the movie itself prefer to dwell upon contrasts rather than find common ground. Hákonarson doesn't try to soften the difficulties he depicts, even when he's giving them the quirky comic treatment. Instead, he endeavours to present both tough times and happy moments, and demonstrate the importance of taking the good with the bad. Accordingly, Rams becomes not just an empathetic tale of striving to triumph over adversity, but an intricate exercise in balance. The film shows amusing attempts to outwit the agricultural authorities one minute, and the fearsome impact of the unforgiving Icelandic environment the next. But it never lets the former overpower the latter or vice versa. Of course, when a feature revolves around squabbling siblings, more than a bit of to-ing and fro-ing is to be expected. What makes the film soar isn't its determination to delve into opposing sides, but the way in which it embodies those underlying divides in everything from its visuals to its performances. Cue images that jump between vast sights and intimate interiors, and portrayals that similarly pit bold and subtle traits against each other. In Hákonarson's hands, the many juxtapositions prove not just effective in conveying the story, but insightful as well. Here, the extremes of existence exist as part of a continuum, constantly coming into conflict and yet still managing to coexist. That's the core of Rams, and the secret to making a film feel both immediate and timeless.
Cliffhangers aren't a new creation. On the page, abrupt endings and shock revelations that leave you hanging for the next chapter date back centuries, in fact. On the screen, they've been around as long as movies and TV shows have existed, too, and have popped up in everything from The Empire Strikes Back to Twin Peaks. Streaming platforms love them with a particular passion, however. End an episode with a cliffhanger, and viewers will ideally keep watching the next instalment right there and then, and the one after that, until they've just binged the entire program in one go because they simply couldn't wait to find out what happens. We've all been in that situation — and, once you press play on Dr Death, you're likely to find yourself in that same terrain again. Now streaming on Stan, the true-crime series deploys the tactic masterfully. When each episode ends, the audience desperately wants more. That's a product of the show's structure, with jumping around between different years in Christopher Duntsch's life part of its approach, and also a result of the stressful story itself. As played by Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere), Duntsch is full of charm when he's trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he's attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries end horrendously. And if he's not endeavouring to sweet talk someone to get what he wants — and maintain the reputation and lifestyle he demands — the neurosurgeon's charisma melts into pure arrogance, including when he's dealing with his patients post-surgery and/or their loved ones. That's the narrative that Dr Death charts, all based on Duntsch's real-life tale — with the series following The Case Against Adnan Syed and the first and second seasons of Dirty John in jumping to the small screen from podcasts. If you've heard the Wondery release that shares Dr Death's name, you'll know how it all turns out, but that doesn't make the show any less effective. If you're coming to it all anew, prepare to watch a horrific scenario unfold over and over in this eight-episode drama. The longer he's allowed to operate, the bleaker Duntsch's story gets, all while fellow Texas surgeons Randall Kirby (Christian Slater, Dirty John) and Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin, Pixie) do whatever they can to bring his misdeeds to light. Working in Dallas during the past decade, Duntsch was originally a rising neurosurgery star. Then, as the series charts, his patients started leaving the operating theatre either permanently maimed or dead. And, as Kirby and Henderson begain to realise, these weren't just the kind of mistakes that any highly skilled surgeon might make. If you've ever faced going under the knife, this is pure, unfettered and deeply disturbing nightmare fuel — and Dr Death rightly treats it as such. The plot here is inherently petrifying anyway, given that it all really happened; however, directors Maggie Kiley (another Dirty John alum), Jennifer Morrison (also an actor on House) and So Yong Kim (Lovesong) draw out every ounce of terror and tension, as does series creator Patrick Macmanus (Homecoming) and his writing staff. Playing Duntsch, Jackson is worlds away from his well-known work on Dawson's Creek, The Mighty Ducks and Fringe. When the situation calls for it, he can win over whoever he needs to, but something chilling lingers in every moment. It's a powerful performance in a series that also boasts great work from Slater and Baldwin — the former sliding into his usual talkative on-screen persona, and gifted one particular line that'll make Mr Robot fans laugh; the latter operating in a quieter and more solemn tenor. As the Dallas prosecutor who takes the case, AnnaSophia Robb (Words on Bathroom Walls) plays dogged and determined with aplomb as well. Obviously, this is grim viewing — and gripping, anxiety-riddled, cliffhanger-filled and highly bingeable viewing, too. It's also a damning indictment of America's health system, the push for profits infiltrating medicine, the lack of checks and balances afforded egotistic white men with high-powered jobs, and the rockstar standing that's handed out much too easily and quickly to those same culprits. Check out the trailer below: Dr Death is available to stream now via Stan. Top image: Scott McDermott/Peacock.
Channel your inner adventurer, and spend a weekend exploring a region full of bushwalking trails, untouched forests and waterfalls. Only a 75-minute drive from Melbourne, West Gippsland will inspire you to seek out the many potential adventures the region has to offer. Pack your walking shoes and discover the most photogenic spots on foot, or strap your bike to the roof and spend an afternoon pedalling along a local trail. After adventuring around, refuel with some of Victoria's best produce at one of the many spectacular dining options, before setting in to fall asleep to the sound of nature. This is Gippsland. [caption id="attachment_645713" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Noojee Trestle Bridge.[/caption] DO If it's a bike ride that tickles your fancy, you'll be spoiled for choice in West Gippsland. Arguably the most famous track around is the meandering Grand Ridge Rail Trail in the pristine Strzelecki Ranges. Soak up the scent of native plants and keep your eyes peeled for one of Gippsland's most vocal attractions — the lyrebird. Another option for bike riding is the Noojee Trestle Bridge Rail Trail. Cycle along the track, and you'll reach Victoria's tallest surviving wooden trestle bridge. Soak up views of the 100-metre-tall bridge and surrounding valley before enjoying a picnic lunch at the nearby reserve. [caption id="attachment_645714" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Toorongo Falls.[/caption] At the end of your walk, explore the Toorongo Falls Reserve to see the eponymous falls cascading down the cliff face. The Mushroom Rocks Trail is equally rewarding, ending with a maze of giant and extremely photogenic granite tors. If these tracks sound a little too tame for your inner adventurer, pack your mountain bike and book a shuttle to the summit of Mount Baw Baw. The recently launched shuttle offers thrill seekers the chance to power down the mountain at one of three difficulty levels. With a total descent of three kilometres, this ride is not for the faint of heart. And if extreme mountain biking is a bit too much for you, the Mount Baw Baw National Park by foot is pretty spectacular, too. [caption id="attachment_645715" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Walhalla Goldfields Railway.[/caption] Finally, head to the historic mining town of Walhalla to explore historic buildings, hike up to the old cricket pitch and venture into the area's (possibly) haunted ghost towns. Visitors can also embark on the Long Tunnel Gold Mine Tour through the old mines or, on the weekends, catch a ride on the historic Walhalla Goldfields Railway. [caption id="attachment_617431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK In 2006, former truck driver Craig Robins set up a coffee business after being consistently disappointed with the standard of coffee available in the region. With help from wife Jenni, he gifted the region with Southern Addictions Coffee, which now supplies good coffee to cafes throughout the area, including the couple's first permanent outpost in Yarragon, The Shot House. It's a great stop for an early caffeine hit; grab a comfy stool at the espresso bar to try one of the daily single origins, or nab a table in the sun and order a sweet treat with your brew. Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey. Just a ten-minute drive up the road, you'll find Warragul. With no shortage of interesting eateries and a tangible Melbourne influence touching most venues in town, this lively country town will definitely keep you well fed. For a simple, produce-driven meal, head to Stella's Pantry, a cafe and retail store where you can pick up almost every kind of local product imaginable. Peruse the packed shelves for a little piece of Gippsland to take home with you, before plonking down on a comfy chair with some charcuterie, cheese and antipasto. Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. For a meal with a more historic feel, head around the corner from Stella's to Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. The gastropub's menu is full of local produce, but the real star is the local beef. Come for lunch, and order the Gippsland beef sirloin — char-grilled to your liking — and pair it with a full-bodied red wine for a decadent way to refuel after a massive hike. If you're looking to really treat yourself, though, plan a visit to Warragul's Hogget Kitchen. This famed rural restaurant serves some of Gippsland's best ethical produce, including berries, veg and herbs grown in the on-site garden. As expected from such a localised production, the menu changes daily, so you may find yourself here a few times during your trip so you can try several different dishes. [caption id="attachment_645440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivere Retreat.[/caption] STAY For a centrally located getaway, book one of the three self-contained cottages at Vivere Retreat in Neerim South. The Retreat, Studio and Cottage each offer something a little different in terms of style and size, and each comes with a standout feature including fireplace, spa bath or a patio perfect for sunsets. Head a little further into the hills and you'll find Vue at Jindivick, an eco bed and breakfast tucked away in the forest. Set on 36 acres of land, a stay at Vue is ideal for those looking to embark on bushwalking, cycling and bird watching adventures throughout the region. If you visit from September through April, you'll also be able to take part in an on-site beekeeping workshop. Another option is to head to Poowong East to hidden gem Marge's Cottage. In a secluded spot, the handcrafted cottage includes an indoor fireplace, luxurious bathtub and, as a bonus, homemade snacks. Wake up to the soothing sound of the property's friendly milking sheep before making a gourmet brekkie with supplied local produce. For a Gippsland getaway with friends, book a stay at 100-year-old Fieldstone House. This rustic accommodation sleeps eight people and includes a private infinity pool and gorgeous English garden. It's equally ideal for that romantic weekend away you've been trying to plan for months now. Discover more of Gippsland here.
First, the bad news: if you don't already have a ticket to Laneway Festival 2025 in Melbourne to see Charli XCX, Djo, Beabadoobee, Clairo, Barry Can't Swim, Remi Wolf and more, they've completely soldout. Now, some good news: in the Victorian capital, Laneway is throwing an official afterparty. The small club show features RONA., nate sib and more — and it's your next chance to get in on the Laneway action. The date for the shindig is obviously the same as the Laneway date. Accordingly, you'll be heading to The Night Cat on Friday, February 14. Melbourne's gig also features DJ Ivan Berko and Laneway Festival's DJs. Tickets are limited — so, like all things Laneway, getting in fast is recommended. As for the festival itself, if you've been lucky enough to nab tix, its lineup also features BICEP doing their CHROMA AV DJ set, Olivia Dean, Eyedress, Skegss, Hamdi, Joey Valence & Brae, 2hollis, Ninajirachi, Julie, Girl and Girl, and more.
These cold winter nights require a little extra incentive to leave the house. Luckily, the already warm and inviting Chato has your new midweek fix — of the all-you-can-eat variety. Every Wednesday from July 4 through September 27, you can devour plates upon plates of their signature tapas to your stomach's content from 5pm—9pm. For $30 per person, you'll be free to indulge in everything the tapas buffet has to offer — think patatas bravas, grilled spicy scallops, empanadas and fried calamari, along with all the paella you can handle and, our personal favourite, the coliflor rebozada (deep-fried cauliflower in saffron and manchego butter). Wash it all down with a glass of Spanish wine, a cocktail or both and you've got yourself one hell of a winter pick-me-up. And if you somehow still haven't gotten your fill, head to all-you-can-eat dumplings at POW Kitchen on Thursday night — you legend.
Maybe you lived through the 90s rave scene. Perhaps you spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s. Or, you might just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes. Ministry of Sound was around to see both, and now it's revisiting the experience — bringing back its massive Testament parties for another year, this time touring them around Australia over two weekends. If cutting loose like you've travelled back in time is your ideal way to mark absolutely anything, then you'll want to make a date with Testament when it hits up Melbourne. For two nights across Saturday, August 12–Sunday, August 13, the event will have you making shapes to 90s and 00s bangers at The Timber Yard. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, so fans of old-school tunes can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks, and lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. Leading the bill at the 90s party are Barbara Tucker, Inner City, Phil Hartnoll and Tall Paul, while The Bloody Beetroots, Digitalism, Freq Nasty and Stanton Warriors are their 00s counterparts. On the Melbourne-specific leg of the national tour, Papa Smurf, John Course, Anthony Pappa, Jason Digby, Kasey Taylor, Mark Dynamix, Mark Pellegrini, Sean Quinn and Sgt Slick are also on the 90s bill. Fleshing out the 00s: Boogs, Dirty South, Orkestrated, Andee Van Damage, Bang Gang Deejays, Gab Oliver, John Course, Minx, Sunshine and T-Rek.
Daniel's Donuts, a 24-hour doughnut store on Princes Highway in Springvale, has inspired queues, sell-outs, and (probably) tears over its sweet, doughy goods. It's the second venue for the family-run business, after its bakery in Melbourne's west became well-known for churning out thousands of Nutella donuts. The bakery gained media attention in 2015 for the sheer amount it was producing, using around 2400 kilograms of the sweet hazelnut spread each week. The treats are no less sweet and a little more expanded in variety at the Springvale outpost, and they're now heading northside — the bakery will pop up in Brunswick's Barkly Square for the month of July. Situated next to Kmart, the pop-up doesn't quite match the Springvale mammoth effort of being open all day, every day — but it comes damn close. It's open from 6am–10pm (or until sold out), so you've got generous time either side of your work day to get there. But we recommend being the early bird, if past reports and reviews of its Springvale store are anything to go by. Flavour-wise, you can expect Ferrero, raspberry white chocolate, lemon meringue and — of course — the requisite Nutella filled situation. No word yet on whether the infamous durian doughnut will be available to purchase but fingers crossed, we guess.
Midweek dining just got more comforting — Brunswick East hotspot Etta is serving its famed coconut curry laksa in the front bar every Wednesday throughout winter. Created by Head Chef Lorcán Kan, the dish has long been a restaurant favourite not only for guests, but also the staff seeking an enriching pre-service family meal. Delving into the ingredients, it's not hard to understand why it's become so popular. Headlined by a rich aromatic broth steeped in lemongrass, garlic, makrut lime, galangal and chilli, a mix of egg and rice noodles combine with house-made golden tofu, fresh herbs and punchy Nonya sambal. There are just 20 serves available each Wednesday, so book ahead to secure your bowl. Each laksa is complemented with lok-lok, a skewer of deep-fried school prawns which you're invited to dip. Inspired by classic Malaysian street-food vendors, affectionately known as 'skewer aunties', this much-loved steamboat-style skewer is ever-present in the country's night markets and roadside stalls. Opened in 2017 by renowned restaurateur Hannah Green, Etta has become one of Brunswick East's most cherished restaurants. Kan's Chinese-Malaysian heritage guides the venue's menu, bursting with forward-thinking but approachable dishes. Supported by a stellar wine list, Etta's reputation has only grown stronger in recent years. Now Green is preparing for the launch of her next project just a couple of doors down, with Daphne expected to open in the former home of Bar Romantica in September. Focused on elevated woodfired cuisine, expect a welcoming space that Green hopes will feel like stepping into her home, where you can stop for a quick wine or a fully fledged meal. In the meantime, Lorcán's Laksa & Lok-Lok special is more than enough reason to plan a midweek visit to Brunswick East. Priced at $30, the special also lets skewer fans explore additional lok-lok options for $8 — including house-made fish balls of flame tail snapper, arrowhead squid brushed in sambal and cooked over hot coals, and woodfired satay curry-marinated chicken. Etta's Laksa & Lok-Lok special is available every Wednesday night throughout winter. Head to the website for more information. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.
After revealing its December programming last month, Moonlight Cinema has unveiled the next part of its 2021–22 program. As always, one piece of advice bears repeating: pack your picnic basket and get ready to watch a heap of flicks under the summer evening sky. While the outdoor cinema runs until different dates in different parts of the country — till mid-January in Adelaide, the end of January in western Sydney, late February in Brisbane, the end of March in Melbourne and Perth, and early April in Sydney — it's latest announcement focuses on its January films. So if you're keen to catch a movie under the stars over the break, take note. As always, plenty of recent favourites and new movies are on the bill — including No Time to Die, Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home and West Side Story, as well as King Richard, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci and The Matrix Resurrections. Depending on your city, there's also the new Scream, The French Dispatch, Kristen Stewart playing Princess Diana in Spencer, sing-along sessions of Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born, and late-90s classic 10 Things I Hate About You. It's also worth remembering that every city is BYO except Brisbane — but, wherever you're settling in for an outdoor cinema session, there'll be food, snacks, a bar and (if you'd like to pay for them) bean bags as well. And, in great news for movie-loving pooches, you can bring them along to all venues except Perth, too. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2021–22 DATES Adelaide: Friday, November 26–Sunday, January 16 (Rymill Park) Brisbane: Friday, November 26–Sunday, February 20 (Roma Street Parkland) Melbourne: Thursday, December 2–Sunday, March 27 (Royal Botanic Gardens) Perth: Thursday, December 2–Sunday, March 27 (Kings Park and Botanic Garden) Sydney: Thursday, December 9–Sunday, April 3 (Centennial Park) Western Sydney: Thursday, November 16–Sunday, January 30 (Western Sydney Parklands) Moonlight Cinema runs through until April 2022. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the cinema's website.
When Cillian Murphy first came to widespread fame two decades ago, it was for acclaimed British director Danny Boyle while pondering the end of life as we know it, with zombie masterpiece 28 Days Later the spectacular end result. Since then, he's become a regular for fellow UK filmmaker Christopher Nolan and, in their latest collaboration after The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Dunkirk, Murphy again faces an apocalyptic scenario in Oppenheimer. Set to be 2023's most explosive movie, Nolan's first flick since Tenet explores a little thing called the atomic bomb. Focusing on J Robert Oppenheimer as the name makes plain, this biopic keeps promising a tense time at the movies — in its first teaser, initial full trailer and just-dropped new sneak peek — as befitting a situation where the world risked total annihilation in order to be saved. Yes, Nolan is going back to the Second World War again, focusing on the eponymous American physicist, aka the man who helped develop the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. Charting Oppenheimer's life, his part in birthing the atomic bomb and how it changed the world — and the fallout — should make for gripping viewing, as viewers will see from July 20, 2023. Oppenheimer's story also includes heading up Los Alamos Laboratory, plus observing the Trinity Test, the first successful atomic bomb detonation in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Nolan is always in serious mode, but this is a solemn affair even by the Memento, Interstellar and Dark Knight trilogy filmmaker's standards. And, it looks like quite the sight, in no small part thanks to being shot in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography, including sections in IMAX black and white analogue photography for the first time ever. Based on Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film boasts an all-star cast, including Emily Blunt as the physicist's wife, biologist and botanist Kitty (reteaming Blunt with Murphy after A Quiet Place Part II) — plus Matt Damon (The Last Duel) as General Leslie Groves Jr, director of the Manhattan Project; Robert Downey Jr (Dolittle) as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission; and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) as psychiatrist Jean Tatlock. Also set to pop up: Josh Hartnett (Wrath of Man), Michael Angarano (Minx), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon), Jack Quaid (The Boys), Rami Malek (No Time to Die) and Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile). Oh, and there's Dane DeHaan (The Staircase), Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) as well. Check out the latest trailer for Oppenheimer below: Oppenheimer will release in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023. Images: © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Whether 2023 has been your best year ever, something far more average, completely life-changing or just cruisy business as usual, it has definitely been missing one thing: Spicks and Specks. Thankfully, 2024 won't have that problem. Announcing its lineup for next year, the ABC has confirmed that the beloved music game show will be back — and with Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough, of course. Among everything that the ABC has broadcast — news, entertainment, after-school kids shows, oh-so-much Doctor Who and late-night music videos to keep you occupied after a few drinks all included — Spicks and Specks is up there among the favourites. Exactly how many more instalments are on the way in 2024 hasn't been revealed, but watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music will be back on the agenda. So will watching them do all of the above while answering questions, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. That's the concept behind the series, which takes more than a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, pits Aussie musos and comedians against each other, and has proven a hit several times over. It was a weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011 — and, as it keeps being resurrected. As fans will already know, Spicks and Specks has enjoyed more comebacks than John Farnham, although that has meant different things over the years. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it did so with a new host and team captains, for instance. And when it started to make a return with its original lineup of Hills, Warhurst and Brough, it first did so via a one-off reunion special. That 2018 comeback proved more than a little popular. It became the ABC's most-watched show of that year, in fact. So, the broadcaster then decided to drop four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20 and, for 2021, to bring back Spicks and Specks in its regular format. In 2022, ten new episodes hit. Exactly when Spicks and Specks will start airing in 2024, and who'll be hitting buzzers among the program's guests, hasn't yet been announced. Still, you can add playing along with the show from your couch — yet again — to your plans before 2024 is out. Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV sometime in 2024. You'll also be able to stream the series via ABC iView. We'll update you when an exact release date is announced.
MPavilion, Queen Victoria Gardens' pop-up building designed by Barcelona architect Carme Pinós, is hosting one of the year's largest collections of free events — 400 of 'em, to be exact. As well as architecture, events and a community space, MPavilion is also holding the Christopher Boots Halloween Ball VII. A free event, the theme this year is "bioluminescence" — aka, the production and emission of light by living organisms. Think glow-worms and weird sea creatures. The more creative your costume, the better, so best invest in some glow-in-the-dark paint. There'll also be live performers and DJs, and food and drink by the MPavilion kiosk, so you won't be going hungry or thirsty. Let the lights guide you to this (free) ball — but don't forget to register for a (free) ticket. Image: John Gollings
Every music lover has dreamed of owning their own record store. What hasn't factored into everyone's fantasies, however, is what happens when that passion for vinyl leaves you with crates and crates of albums, and then crates and crates more. Yes, there are only so many sleeves that even the biggest shop run by the biggest music buff can handle — meaning that, often there's some additional stock needing a new home. In Rathdowne Records' case, it's coping in the best possible way. On Sunday, March 17 from 10am–3pm, the store is holding a huge garage sale to sell off stacks of albums, including newly imported wares. The best part? Records start from $2, with 5000 up for grabs for that price. You can also rifle through a thousand dance releases and take your pick for $10 (or nab 3 for $20), with discounts of between 10–50 percent on shop stock also on offer. Yes, you can boost your vinyl collection for little more than spare change, with thousands and thousands for sale — including house, techno, hip hop, RnB, Japanese pop, anime soundtracks and jazz. While you'll find the store on Northcote's High Street, head into the sale via the garage in the Regal Ballroom carpark.
