Though your Instagram feed might have been a clogged artery of your mates hanging out on the Amalfi Coast, strolling through Paris or getting sunburnt on a boat in Croatia for the past few months, we can assure you, you're not missing out on that much. There's a lot that happens in our own city that we're often unaware of, or that passes us by entirely while we're busy eating at our favourite trusty old restaurants or drinking at the same old watering holes. Melbourne is a veritable cultural melting pot of art, food and fashion, but it can sometimes be all too easy to forget just how cool our city is when we're living out the same routine day in and day out. So to help you break out of the repetitive work, eat, sleep schedule, we've partnered with Mitsubishi in celebration of its new Eclipse Cross, and created a handy little week guide of the things you can discover in and around the city. Think stuffing your face with banana roti, swapping the gym for rollerskating and shopping with ice cream in hand. We're just making it easy for you to be that person with the enviable Instagram story (even if you're not on a boat in the Mediterranean). MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10: MONDAY BLUES CURE Sneak in a banana roti for breakfast at Magic Mountain Saloon before work. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so Monday's breakfast must be the most important meal of the week since it's what you're kicking everything off with. That said, the folks at Magic Mountain Saloon are here to help you start your week properly and combat any creeping Monday Blues. From the same team that gave us Cookie, Toff, Revolver and Boney, Magic Mountain is a three-level bar and eatery — and the magic certainly comes in spades when it comes to its breakfast. With standard eggs and bacon nowhere to be found, the pick of the bunch might well be their brekkie roti, served with almond butter, grilled banana and condensed milk ($14.50). It's never too early in the day (or the week) for being really bloody decadent. [caption id="attachment_622098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nic Allchin.[/caption] TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: CHEAP LUNCH WITH DOG WATCHING Snag a $12.50 lunch at Moroccan Soup Bar's new takeaway joint. In good news for all those Moroccan Soup Bar goers, chickpea fans and anyone with a pulse who likes to eat, the hugely popular Fitzroy North Moroccan restaurant has opened a second, takeaway-focused offering. Moroccan Soup Bar Two Go rewards those who've come prepared with Tupperware and sends them on their merry way with the same $12.50 lunch packs they've been nabbing from the original restaurant. Head in around lunchtime, get that chickpea bake and go dog watch in the neighbouring Edinburgh Gardens for a spell. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12: SKATES ON Whip your hair back and forth on the rink at a RollerFit. Have you ever wanted to follow Drew Barrymore's advice in Whip It and just "be your own hero"? Well, at RollerFit in Flemington, you can. There's no better way to climb the hump that is Wednesday than in a pair of skates with some funky tunes. Pop into RollerFit in Flemington between 7.30pm and 8.30pm to take a beginner or intermediate class for $30 (including skate hire). With this hour of non-stop good vibes, you'll forget all about tomorrow being a work day. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: A LAND OF LEGOS FOR GROWN-UPS Meet some mates at a bar made entirely of LEGO. Thought you'd heard all the novelty bar ideas prevalent in Melbourne before? Nah, here's another one for the likes of you and your Thursday night. Head in to The Brick Bar, a pop-up bar in South Wharf, to find a bar made entirely out of LEGO — around a million bricks, according to the creators. Here you'll find DJs all day, huge LEGO sculptures dotted around and a DIY area for intrepid builders. Just make sure to book early so you can get in (how very Melbourne). [caption id="attachment_670755" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy.[/caption] FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14: BUTTERY, FLAKEY FRENCH PASTRY Grab a beauty of a croissant from Penny For Pound and eat it in Citizen's Park. Penny For Pound has Richmond's answer to the perfect croissant, with all its butter, flakes and I'll-have-ten-more-pleases found rife in its Bridge Road digs. If you're really in for a penny, in for a pound, why not get more than one? Grab a couple, head to Citizen's Park nearby and pull up a patch of grass. Who needs to be in Paris eating fancy baked goods under the Eiffel Tower when you could do much the same in Melbourne? Same amount of butter, much less money. That's a win. [caption id="attachment_678433" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas P. Peschak.[/caption] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15: ANIMALS IRL AND IN AR Take a National Geographic exhibition as an excuse to go to the zoo. National Geographic has been taking incredible nature photographs for around 130 years, so as you can imagine, the archive is staggering. Well, in a world first, the archive has been mined for the best bits to make into an exhibition. 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs is showing at Melbourne Zoo this spring and will have you ogling at some of the world's best wildlife shots in conjunction with an augmented reality experience, Air, Land and Sea. Celebrating how great animals are is a pretty great way to spend a weekend, especially when you can virtually interact with those in Africa, too. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16: DESIGN MARKET Grab an ice cream and shop for new pieces from local designers at Fed Square. Melbourne Collective Market's next outing takes place today with its Spring Design Market at Federation Square. Running from 10am to 4pm and with free entry, the market is sure to attract a crowd, so you'll want to get up early to roam and grab something pretty for a loved one — or yourself. A whole ton of Melbourne's small businesses will be around, with artisans and makers in fashion, jewellery, art, ceramics and home decor. There'll also be food (vegan options, too) for your inevitable realisation that you've been shopping for a whole day without sustenance. Where to next? Make the most of every week with Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and navigate to your next destination here.
There is nothing quite like saluting the sun from a Melbourne rooftop. Taking full advantage its own high-flying, inner city location, Sky Park is hosting a series of free weekly yoga and bootcamp sessions from October 15–November 28. Beginners and well-practised yogis alike are invited to get bendy at the CBD's recently opened sky-high park every Tuesday morning. Run in collaboration with Bupa, the 60-minute classes kick off at 7.30am and mats are provided. Adrenalin junkies can also get their fix at a free weekly bootcamp class, too. Held every Thursday morning, the hour-long sessions include cardio, intervals and strength training. As you stretch, sweat and relax, you'll look out over the city's sweeping skyline — and both classes end with free snacks and drinks courtesy of Home Vegan Bar, so you can head off to work rejuvenated and recharged. If that's not motivation, then we don't know what is While sessions are free, you will need to sign up over here. Yoga runs every Tuesday at 7.30m and bootcamp every Thursday at 7.30am.
Your birthday might just be another day of the year, but everyone likes to celebrate — even just a little. While you might not want to pop bottles in the back of a stretch limo, there are still plenty of opportunities to head out in Melbourne (and beyond) with your best buds. We've teamed up with affordable ridesharing platform DiDi, which has coincidentally just celebrated its first anniversary of operation in Melbourne, to present you with eight excellent ways to spend your big day. DiDi offers super competitive rates for getting you to your destination, so you'll have more cash to splash to make it one to remember. VISIT THE ICE CAVE AT THE PENINSULA HOT SPRINGS If you're using your birthday as an excuse to get out of the city, you can't go wrong with a visit to Peninsula Hot Springs. Though many people take the short drive down the coast to hit up the steamy baths, you can do things a little differently. Since undergoing a huge transformation in 2018, the springs now feature an ice component that's a little more refreshing. Alongside cold water and ice plunge pools, there's also an ice cave that can get as chilly as minus-25 degrees. Believed to assist with a host of mental and physical ailments, these frosty baths were popularised in Japan during the 1970s and offer something totally different on your next visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs. CAPTAIN A GOBOAT ON THE YARRA RIVER Having popped up around the world in locations such as Copenhagen and London, GoBoat has since turned its attention to Melbourne and the Yarra River. So, on your big day, you can captain your own boat and set off sailing through the middle of the city. These little vessels are capable of carrying up to eight of your best seafaring friends. Oh, and you don't need a boat license, so you're free to head out on your own. Be sure to pack a picnic, too, so you can enjoy a drink on the Yarra — just be aware that there are some alcohol limitations, so you may want to nominate someone else as skipper. DRINK URBAN WINE AT NOISY RITUAL The business might have started as a low-tech winery in co-founder Cam Nicol's basement, but Noisy Ritual has since established itself as Melbourne's first urban winery. There's no need to stress about organising a driver to take you and your pals to a distant winery in the great outdoors. Simply head along to Lygon Street and find an incredible cellar door right in the heart of the city. Open Thursday to Sunday, Noisy Ritual offers wine by the glass or bottle, plus grazing platters and shared plates to help ring in your birthday. PLAY VIDEO GAMES AT B. LUCKY & SONS Started by the brains behind Strike Bowling and Holey Moley, B. Lucky & Sons is an adults-only playground where you'll get to relive your youth alongside every video game imaginable. From Mario Kart and Space Invaders to shoot 'em ups and tabletop games, there's enough competitive action to keep you entertained for hours. That's all without mentioning the awesome neon cocktail bar slinging bubble tea cocktails. ICE SKATE AT THE WINTER VILLAGE It's around this time of year that Melbourne really starts to feel like winter. So it's completely appropriate that the Skyline Terrace at Federation Square has turned into a European-style alpine destination. Popping up until the end of August, the ice rink will once again be bustling with activity as you're invited onto the ice for 45 minutes of fun. Elsewhere around Winter Village, you'll find a charming collection of igloos, pop-up bars, live music and themed food events. RELAX WITH DUMPLINGS AT HORSE BAZAAR It's rarely the case that you uncover anything truly unique, but Horse Bazaar's Dumplings n' Massage events might just clear that lofty bar. Held every Tuesday night, this is where you should be celebrating your birthday when you're looking for something totally original (and affordable). For just $15, you'll get a 10-minute massage from professional massage therapists, plus a selection of three dumplings. You'll have a choice of classic pork, crispy fried cheese, egg and bacon, a few vegan options and even dessert-style dumplings. MAKE GIN AT THE BASS AND FLINDERS DISTILLERY Head to the coastal community of Dromana and you'll find world-class gin produced at the award-winning Bass and Flinders Distillery. Get your mates involved in a gin-making masterclass and pick up some trade secrets from the experts — like how slightly different combinations of fresh and exotic botanicals can lead to big differences in flavour. Once you've perfected this, it's time to move onto blending your own gin out of vapour-infused botanicals, before you finally produce your own 500ml bottle of gin that'll make the perfect addition to your birthday loot. HAVE A RIVERFRONT INDOOR PICNIC AT PILGRIM BAR Sometimes it's nice to kick back with a picnic as you complete another trip around the sun — but Melbourne's wintry conditions aren't exactly the most reliable. But Pilgrim Bar is on-hand to supply you with a bougie picnic basket at its home in the bluestone vaults along the Yarra riverfront. For groups of 12–40 people, you'll receive two hours of bottomless bellinis and a three-course picnic lunch, which features a spectacular selection of local cheeses, cured meats, share plates and a lemon myrtle pannacotta to round out the feast. Switch to DiDi and save heaps of cash that you'd rather spend on the fun stuff — like treating yourself to an epic birthday present. To start riding, download the app here and use the code CONCRETE to score up to $50 in vouchers. Top Image: Noisy Ritual.
The awkwardness and clumsiness when two incongruous elements come together — that's The Danish Girl in a nutshell. The film tells the true tale of Lili Elbe, previously Einar Wegener, the transgender woman who became one of the first identified recipients of gender reassignment surgery, and is brought to the screen by The King's Speech and Les Misérables director Tom Hooper. Unfortunately, the importance of the former is overpowered by the prestige film sensibilities of the latter. That's not to say that Hooper doesn't realise the weight of the tale he's telling, nor that writer Lucinda Coxon's screenplay — based upon David Ebershoff's fictionalised novel of the same name — doesn't endeavour to do justice to Lili's story. The tone is always earnest, with the film looking lovingly and acceptingly at its central figure. Alas, any good intentions come across as laboured and overdone, packaged up a little too nicely and neatly in order to fit the Hollywood mould. The Danish Girl opts for a restrained approach, designed to carefully bring rarely seen subject matter into mainstream cinema. That's immediately apparent in the slow and stately narrative that charts Lili's (Eddie Redmayne) journey, beginning in Copenhagen in 1926. A raft of childhood feelings are reawakened when renowned landscape artist Einar Wegener dons women's stockings to pose for his portrait painter wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander). Soon after, Lili emerges. As Lili struggles with her identity, Gerda tries to remain supportive, even as their marriage is tested. Both find solace in the friendship of others, with Lili courted by the kindly Henrik (Ben Whishaw), and Gerda seeking out Einar's hometown pal Hans Axgil (Matthias Schoenaerts). He might've won an Oscar just last year for his work in The Theory of Everything, but here Redmayne proves as problematic as Hooper. The fragility he brought to his award-winning role is on display again — and indeed, that's what his performance leans heaviest upon. Yet for all his furtive looks and heavy breathing, he never really delves beneath the surface of an obviously complicated character. Thankfully, where Redmayne grates, Vikander soars, continuing her stellar run of roles and her ascent to certain stardom. There's no mistaking that her character is as much the woman of the film's title as Lili is, just as there's no mistaking that her nuanced yet open portrayal leaves the far greater impression. Vikander isn't The Danish Girl's only strength, courtesy of elegant, handsome imagery filled with intricate costumes and picturesque scenery. In fact, from the painted scenes that start the film to the many shots of Lili trying to find her femininity while looking in a mirror, Hooper crafts the feature to resemble a painting. At the same time, that mindset is also arguably the movie's biggest issue. While The Danish Girl might tell a tale that's vital, and touch upon a topic that's timely, it always does so from a distance, like it's glancing at something that's just too delicate to examine up close.
If you're thinking of heading to Tassie for Dark Mofo this year, this could be the clincher. MONA has just announced its next big exhibition, Zero — a celebration of Germany's radical artists of the 1950s and 60s. The show gets its name from the term the artists used, collectively, to describe themselves. They didn't identify as belonging to a movement, style or group, but instead felt connected by a "vision of the things", as explained by Otto Piene, one of the founders. "Zero's philosophical foundation was that art was not something to be painfully extracted in solitude, but assembled and constructed with others, using whatever materials came best to hand: metal, cardboard, glass, plastic, cloth, mirrors and smoke," says MONA's Senior Research Curator Jane Clark. "They banged nails, smashed bottles, poked holes and cut up each other's canvases." The show will feature artworks by original Zero artists, as well as those that have since absorbed their influence. These include Heinz Mack, Otto Piene, Günther Uecker and Adolf Luther from Germany; Lucio Fontana, Nanda Vigo, Grazia Varisco, Enrico Castellani and Gianni Colombo from Italy; with Marcel Duchamp, Yves Klein and François Morellet from France; Henk Peeters from The Netherlands; Christian Megert from Switzerland; Jesús Soto from Venezuela; and Yayoi Kusama from Japan. Given that these artworks were often ephemeral, many will be reconstructions. Expect sound effects, music, optical illusions, moving parts, shifting lights and reflective materials. There'll be a particular focus on vibration, which Mack described in 1958 as "resting restlessness…the expression of continuous movement, which we call 'vibration'…Its harmony stirs our souls, as the life and breath of the work." Taking care of curation is Mattijs Visser, founding director of the international Zero Foundation. "Zero is one of the most significant, yet largely forgotten, art movements since the Second World War...Zero needs to be discovered now, while several of their speakers are still with us," he says. Zero will open with a big party on Saturday, June 9 — and it's free for the public to attend (with registration). If you're in town for Dark Mofo — which will run from June 15–24 — it might be a good reason to head to Hobart earlier. The full lineup will be announced on April 6 — we'll keep you updated on that one. Zero will run at the Museum of Old and New Art in Berriedale, Hobart from June 9, 2017 until April 22, 2019. For more info, visit mona. Image: Gianni Colombo: Elastic Space, shot by Matteo Zarbo, courtesy of the Institute for Contemporary Archaeology.
Whether you're an early riser or perpetually out late with mates, Brisbane is a vibrant city with a jam-packed schedule of exciting to-dos — all year round. Sunlight or city lights, kid-friendly or up-past-bedtime, in 2023 you'll be more than set to explore the city your way. Early bird? Rejoice! You've come to the right place — it is the Sunshine State, after all. Sate your appetite for science with an intellectual festival feed. Be enraptured by song with a stellar calendar of music events. Take to the skies via artistic explorations of our earth's atmosphere in a world-class exhibition. Flock together for storytelling and cultural conversations. See your city habitat transformed by immersive installations that query the lines between art, science, human, nature and AI. There are tours and workshops, parties and playtime — all before the sun sets. Though, they don't call her Bris Vegas for nothing. Bright lights and late nights, baby. It's not the city that never sleeps — but there's more than enough to keep you occupied well into the night. In 2023, expect festivals and innovative cultural events, immersive experiences and guided night tours, groundbreaking theatre and augmented reality landscapes. Explore art, science and the space in between via pop-up installations; catch rare films in an art-gallery cinema; watch an epic opera al fresco; witness light shows and fireworks along the river; and feed your musical appetite at a huge urban festival dedicated to the most exciting, fresh talent in the Australian music scene. Whether you prefer to stay indoors or venture into the darkness, Brisbane will keep the lights on for you. Here, we've compiled a bunch of arty things to do and see in 2023, so that no matter what time you're heading out in Brisbane you're guaranteed to have a ripper time. Read on for all the daytime fun, then flick the switch above and we'll turn down the lights and show you the best events happening at night.
Corporate cats of Docklands, unite! There's a now a healthy refuge for you during lunch hour. Located on the bridge between Southern Cross and Etihad Stadium, Home Juice is a bit out of place in its big building surroundings — which in turn, makes it the perfect place to set up shop. As the name suggests, Home is all about juice, and their organic cold pressed juices and alkaline waters come in custom tall glass bottles, which can be reused or repurposed. Rushing to the office in the morning? Grab a bowl of raw cacao pops or chocolate chia pudding. Ducking out for lunch? There are a mound of raw salads and some amazing raw desserts too — we recommend the raw black forest cake.
Back in September, Afloat reopened for spring, this time with a Mexican theme that took over both levels of the floating bar. But the final piece of the Afloat puzzle was yet to launch: its summertime pool club. Thankfully, the wait for Yarra-adjacent swims is now over. Its eight-metre infinity pool is back up and running for summer, and has been paired with palm trees, a taco hut and a Tulum-inspired agave bar. Around 60 agave-based tipples will be available at the bar, from well-known tequila and mezcal to more underrated drops like sotol and raicilla. But if sips (or shots) of spirits aren't your thing, the team will also be serving up agave-based cocktails, tequila-filled margaritas and boozy popsicles. Plus, you can always head over to the main bar on Afloat for wine, beer and more cocktails. Then comes the taco hut. Here, the chefs will be slinging — you guessed it — a heap of tacos. The menu will change weekly, but you might just find corn tortillas filled with cactus, shredded pork, beef or even crunchy crickets (don't knock it till you try it). As happens in most years, this spot is expected to pack out during summer, so try to get in early to nab one of the poolside lounges. Shotgun your space to spend the day dipping in and out of the pool, intermittently stopping to grab some tacos and margaritas. We can think of worse ways to fill a hot summer day in Melbourne. Find the Afloat Pool Club at 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. Opening times change fairly regularly, so keep an eye on its Instagram. Images: Jake Roden / A Ludkin.
Recently transformed from an old Carlton favourite into a sleek new pub and beer garden, the Prince Alfred Hotel has now added a rooftop bar to its offering. Designed by Hot Black Architects, the rooftop highlights the rich textures and blue hues of the newly fitted ground floor and offers both indoor booth and outdoor umbrella seating — so it works well for Melbourne's four-seasons-in-one-day weather conditions. The rooftop overlooks the University of Melbourne and is sure to become the go-to for after-class pints and lunch breaks, with the $15 student menu including parmas, steaks and risotto. The new space boasts the full restaurant menu, too, so punters can enjoy refined pub grub while taking in some fresh air. Think dishes like twice-cooked pork belly with caramelised apple and leek, or Prince Alfred's take on classic pub fish and chips — battered rockling with fries, lime and seaweed tartare. The venue has space for 300 all up and the bar boasts a whopping 60 beer taps to choose from, which range from local craft brewers to the well-known big names. Weekends play host to bottomless pancake parties (yes, it's a thing) for $25 and boozy brunches with bottomless mimosas, bloody marys and pints of Hoegaarden for $65 per person. There are few things we love more than rooftop drinking sessions and the space is a welcome addition to an already exciting new opening.
Already scheduled to headline Listen Out 2013, dance music's brothers-of-the-moment have just announced that they'll be gracing us with sideshows in both Sydney and Melbourne. Over the past 12 months, the UK-born and raised siblings have emerged from their bedrooms to dominate the dance charts and sell out international tours. That's especially impressive given that the youngest of the two, Howard (18), is only just out of school uniform and his brother, Guy, recently celebrated his 21st. Not only have party-goers been keeping the boys on high rotation, they've also won a few critics' (often hardened) hearts. The ever-revered Pitchfork awarded Disclosure's debut album, Settle, with a whopping 9.1/10, while UK radio host Zane Lowe described it as his "favourite album of the year so far". Featuring a selection of guest vocalists (including Ed McFarlane of Friendly Fires, Jamie Woon, Jessie Ware and AlunaGeorge's Aluna Francis), Settle represents a move towards balancing the duo's two major stylistic influences: dance and pop. "The main thing we tried to do with it is get a mixture of the more clubbier sides of the music we do with the more sample based stuff that's made for the dance floor and then kinda the other side of it, which is the more pop structured songs with vocals," Howard told the Listen Out team in a recent interview. "We wanted to take a balance between those things." Sydneysiders will be able to catch Disclosure on October 1 at an all-ages show at The Hi-Fi, and Melbournites will see them at the Prince Bandroom, Prince of Wales, on October 2, with an early show (5.30-8.30pm) catering for under-18s and a later one (10pm-1am) keeping the oldies on their feet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4nsKDJlpUbA
A staple of Melbourne's cultural calendar for 80 years and counting, the Sidney Myer Free Concerts are back for another year. Held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the latest of this long-standing favourite will, as always, feature a trio of performances from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Whether you're a classical music buff or just want to stretch out with a picnic on the grass, there's a good reason these concerts have become a summertime tradition. After kicking off on February 7 and keeping the fun going on February 10, Melburnians can enjoy the last evening in the series on February 14. Making the most of the date, the MSO will perform a series of love-inspired music, opening with Richard Strauss, and followed by several pieces by Giacomo Puccini and others. Performances begin at 7:30pm however gates are open at 4:30pm — be sure to arrive promptly with your picnic basket in hand.
As the city continues to wake from its lockdown-induced slumber, we've got a brand-new laneway market experience to add to the calendar. Kicking off November 19 and running Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until January 30, Postal Lane Markets is set to deliver a weekly curation of locally-made wares, tasty eats, live tunes and summery sips. Making its home in the iconic Postal Lane adjacent to the GPO building, the market aims to bring a touch of buzz back to the CBD, while celebrating some great local talent. Friday evening sessions (4–8pm) will be all about the food, with stalls slinging a tasty array of cheese, pastries, bread and gourmet pantry goodies, alongside a bar offering. And an extended footprint on Saturdays and Sundays (10am–6pm) will host a shopper's oasis, slinging fashion, skincare, accessories, jewellery, art, plants and more. Some of the stallholders already on the roster include leisurewear label Jasmine Alexa, Japanese kitchen Nama, IRock Jewellery and Long Paddock Cheese, with plenty more set to join the mix. Top Image: Kit Edwards
You could celebrate International Tea Day (Sunday, May 21) the obvious way, by downing a nice hot cuppa. Or, you could sate your sweet tooth instead and mark the occasion with a tea-inspired treat. Or hey, why not double down and do both at once? This year, the innovative dessert masters at Tokyo Lamington are teaming up with iconic tea brand Lipton to deliver a limited-edition collaboration that's sweet as can be. From Friday, May 19–Friday, May 26, it's serving up a specialty (or special-TEA) lamington creation inspired by the go-to hot drink that is Lipton's Quality Black Tea. The new dessert features a base of black tea sponge, with boba-spiked tea custard and a biscuit crumb to finish. If that sounds like something you'd like to get your mitts on, simply head into Tokyo Lamington's Carlton store and nab a limited-edition pack for $15. Each one contains one of the Lipton-inspired treats, as well as an OG signature lamington and 15 Lipton tea bags — so you can really make a great afternoon of it.
While it feels like it was only yesterday that we were eating boozy Christmas pud with nan, it's somehow already December (again) — which means, yes, we're almost at the end of 2019. And Melbourne's bar scene has continued to grow at an impressive (alarming?) rate. Not only have new drinking holes popped up across the city — opening everywhere from CBD rooftops to former mechanics warehouses in Abbotsford — these libation stations are multi-faceted, doubling as breweries (with indoor lagoons), nightclubs with 24-hour licences and record shops. So, here are our favourite ten bars to throw open their doors in 2019. Add them to your list. Tick them off. Just as Santa's doing now.
A third birthday party may not be your ideal Saturday night scenario, but we bet downing some bao with beer and ice cream is. If that just made you shiver a little, get your bao-loving self down to Wonderbao on Saturday. August marks three years since they started steaming buns in a city laneway, and they're holding a party to celebrate. This Saturday, instead of turning off the steamers and closing the doors at 5pm, Wonderbao will be cranking up the music and getting the party started. For one night only, the little laneway restaurant will be licensed, meaning you can enjoy your bao with some Mountain Goat beer or wine from Kooyonga Creek. The classic bao and gua bao will be available, as well as some special birthday creations. And because it's a birthday, there's cake too, in the form of bao ice cream sandwiches. Wonderbao's Cream Supreme creations — a deep fried gua bao filled with Messina ice cream — will making a special appearance, in flavours like black sesame, green tea and coconut. If you haven't managed to get your hands on one of these babies yet, now is your chance.
Already home to stunning sights across its coastal landscape, Victoria's Great Ocean Road is set to welcome a new attraction: a 50-acre nature park dedicated to observing and learning about native animals in their natural setting. Called Wildlife Wonders and expected to commence construction this year, the site will sit just outside Apollo Bay, overlooking the ocean — and will offer guided walking tours conducted by qualified conservationists. Under their guidance, visitors will stroll through bushland to see Australia's native critters living freely — and predator-free — in their own habitats. Expect to spot the area's animals like you've never been able to before, spying koalas sleeping in trees, bandicoots scampering through the foliage and kangaroos hopping wherever they please. More than that, patrons will mosey through an experience designed by Brian Massey, the art director on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. If you're thinking "wasn't he blessed with great landscape on those flicks?", well, you're not wrong — but he also turned landscape designer with New Zealand's Hobbiton tourist attraction. Here, he'll be involved in a site that includes a themed field-research base, a visitor arrivals building, and a cafe and retail outlet that'll highlight local products. The Victorian Government will support Wildlife Wonders via a $1.5 million grant to the Conservation Ecology Centre, while the Federal Government has already $2 million to the project. When it's up and running, the park's profits will be used to further the centre's conservation efforts, including ecosystem restoration, ecological research, species recovery programs and community education programs. For more information, visit the Conservation Ecology Centre website.
If you were planning on catching an Uber to work or uni this morning, you may need to think again. Thousands of drivers have logged off the app — during Monday's peak hour — in a bid to curb upfront pricing and penalties. At present, drivers receive an upfront amount instead of being paid for time and distance travelled and are penalised for opting out of UberPools. Drivers also want rates increased by 15 percent, which were reduced back in 2016. The strike comes amid strong competition from Ola and Taxify, both which offer cheaper fares for riders and take a smaller commission cut compared to Uber — Taxify takes a 15 percent cut compared to Uber's 20-25 percent. The drivers will strike until 9.30am today in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. via news.com.au
Midway through summer each year, mollusc madness descends on the quaint coastal town of Portarlington, as punters flock in their thousands to celebrate its most famous produce: fresh, juicy mussels. This year, the long-running Portarlington Mussel Festival hits the bayside hub on Saturday, January 14 for another huge day of local eats, drinks, tunes and ocean-fresh seafood. Mussels will be the undisputed stars of the show, featured in a swag of different ready-to-eat dishes, as well as a range of take-home packs. You can also pick up all the tips and tricks needed to recreate mussel magic at home. On top of that, you'll find more than 200 market stalls slinging produce and other local goodies, a program of cooking demonstrations, an art show, and lots of beer and wine tastings. And the tunes will be flowing, too, with live sounds from the likes of Yacht Rock Revival, ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again and stacks more. And if you fancy travelling there in style, you can snap up one of Port Phillip Ferries' VIP packages — the ferry will zip you from Docklands to Portarlington Pier in 70 minutes, with tickets from $41. Entry to the festival is an easy $5 for adults.
Pirates of the digital kind will be well aware of Village Roadshow's quest to rid the country of internet plundering, with the film company stepping up their efforts in the last year or so. This time twelve months ago, they commenced legal action against one movie streaming site. In October, co-chief executive Graham Burke announced plans to start suing illegal downloaders. A successful bid to stop Australians from accessing The Pirate Bay and four other sites followed in December — and they're just getting started. In their latest move, the folks responsible for releasing films such as the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, The LEGO Movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and more on our shores have filed a Federal Court application to block 41 additional piracy-enabling culprits. Torrent sites, streaming portals and direct download sites are included, spanning the likes of Demonoid, EZTV, ExtraTorrent, LimeTorrents and Torrent Downloads, as well as CouchTuner, 123Movies, Putlocker, WatchFree and WatchSeries. In many cases, multiple URLs are included for each site. Given their success last time around, Roadshow wants the next round of bans to be modelled on the last, which didn't include rolling injunctions — that is, the ability to add proxy and mirror sites to the list as they spring up. To combat that inevitable occurrence, they're proposing that ISPs file and affidavit and pay $50 per domain name whenever a new site arises. For anyone with access to a VPN, this news probably won't drastically alter your content acquiring behaviour. Or, the awareness that the driving force doesn't always keep in step with the rest of the globe when it comes to releasing big films. Indeed, one of Roadshow's most eagerly awaited titles of the year — The LEGO Batman Movie — arrives on Aussie screens more than a month and a half after most of the world. In a nation already known to swashbuckle when it comes to timely access to new films and TV shows, that might just send them flocking to their computers rather than the cinema. Via Computerworld. Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
The best of Czech and Slovak cinema will once again make its way to Melbourne, as part of the fourth annual Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia. From Wednesday, September 14 through to the following Friday, an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary titles will light up the screen at ACMI, showcasing the unique, sometimes strange perspective of filmmakers from Bratislava to Prague. This year's festival features nine new release films that will compete for a cash prize awarded by members of the Australian Film Critics Association. Features in competition include opening night horror film The Noonday Witch, big screen fairy tale The Seven Ravens and the FIPRESCI prize-winning Eva Nova. Completing these films is an intriguing selection of films from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Of these, some of the most intriguing include the strange, pulpy, Little Shop of Horrors-inspired comedy Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet, and the seminal adaptation of Dobroslav Chrobák's novel Dragon's Return. For the full program, go here. Disclaimer: Tom will serve as an AFCA jury member at this year's CaSFFA.
Spend a day meeting and greeting puppies at the Guide Dogs Victoria Community Fair. Not only will you be getting more than your fair share of fluffy cuddles, you'll also be supporting a good cause. The fair is all about sharing the world of guide dogs with the public. On top of meets and greets, there'll be chances to see puppies in training, watch puppy demonstrations and see first-hand the difference that guide dogs can make to people's lives. Plus, there'll be a live performance by singer Rachael Leahcar, who placed third in The Voice in 2012. Other special guests on the bill include Collingwood Football Club's Mason Cox, Carlton Football Club's Jack Silvagni, and comedians Anthony 'Lehmo' Lehmann and Dolly Diamond. In between all that, wander through market stalls, feast on local eats and check out Guide Dogs Victoria's world-first fully accessible campus. It's a game-changing space for people with low vision or blindness.
When Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi invited the world to experience the vampire sharehouse mockumentary genre, one of the best comedies of the decade wasn't the only result. Every film seems to spawn sequels, remakes, spinoffs and the like these days, but no one's complaining about spending more time in the What We Do in the Shadows universe. A follow-up, We're Wolves, is in the works, focusing on the undead bloodsuckers' Rhys Darby-led lycanthrope enemies. So is six-episode television spinoff Wellington Paranormal, following the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural, and expected to air in New Zealand mid this year. Add a US TV remake of the original flick to the pile as well, but withhold any "do we really need a remake?" judgement. First revealed by Waititi last year and now moving ahead, the pilot has been written by Clement, and is expected to shoot this year. He won't appear on camera, however; speaking to Indiewire as part of the Television Critics Association press tour for Legion, which he stars in, Clement said the series will be about a documentary crew in America. With What We Do in the Shadows actually starting its life as a short back in 2005, the concept of flatting members of the undead arguing about bloody dishes has taken quite the journey since those early beginnings. If any idea was going to come back in multiple guises, it's this one. Of course, so have Clement and Waititi. Clement also revealed that he'll be filming a Flight of the Conchords TV special for HBO later this year to coincide with their new US tour, while Waititi just directed a little superhero-filled box office blockbuster called Thor: Ragnarok. Via Indiewire. Image: Kane Skennar.
In case you were wondering if the IKEA/Airbnb experiment was actually any good, their guests were woken up in the most painfully adorable way possible. After a night staying in the IKEA showrooms, three families were woken up with breakfast in bed, live classical orchestras and tiny, tiny, extra fluffy puppies. But we don't care, not even, shut up, we're not jealous, you're jealous, whatevs. Just a couple of weeks ago, IKEA became the latest registered accommodation on Airbnb, offering Sydneysiders the opportunity to stay the night instore at the furniture giant's Tempe store in Sydney. For free. Setting up their room displays as so-called quirky accommodation, IKEA let three winning families snuggle in to their fake homes for one epic slumber party on Sunday, August 31. After a Sydney-wide competition, IKEA selected three young families to take the three temporary stays — leaving the unwashed, debaucherous rest of us to wait for some kind of bad review with crossed fingers. After the three winning families were to a big communal dinner feast (featuring dem meatballs), the lucky ducks had Playstations to take the slumber party vibe next level. Airbnb put on a whole bunch of sessions with top notch hoster Claire Ferguson on how to make your home better equipped to become an Airbnb hosting (there's the branding exercise). Before all those rotten customers rolled in for the day, IKEA woke up the three families in three pretty kickass ways (even though, you know, you're snuggled in with your parents and surrounded by flashing cameras, no biggie). Awkward strings: Sweet, sweet breakfast in bed with your parents: AND ADORABLE FLUFFBALLS: Plus, they got to keep their sheets. So. Have a great sheetless, puppyless day.
One great thing about the scorching summer is the music festival season. It is the time where Melbourne’s music lovers come out of winter hibernation and get ready to party – and this year is going to be no exception. Parklife is the first warm weather music festival to hit Melbourne's stages. The touring dance festival hits all major cities, with Melbourne set to dance the night away on Saturday, The line-up includes killer acts like The Presets (pictured), Passion Pit, Robyn and Chairlift, with a host of other international and national acts in support. Break out your summer clothes and your dancing shoes, summer music is here at last.
Let’s take a moment to talk about destruction. Scales of destruction, to be precise. For earthquakes, we use the ‘Moment Magnitude Scale’, for tornados it’s the ‘Fujita Scale’ and hurricanes are classified according to ‘Saffir-Simpson’. There’s no official system for classifying destruction in movies per se (the ratings system is too broad), but if we were to put a name to it, the ‘Marvel Scale’ might be a good place to start. -A ‘5' would be the most severe: your full-blown, blown-up world situation, where entire planets are either destroyed or critically imperilled (see: Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer). -A ‘4’ would cover city-wide destruction, where entire skyscrapers tumble like box office records, generally with little or no regard for their hapless occupants (see: The Avengers, The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron). -A ‘3’ is a shocking amount of destruction localised to a single area, such as a small town or neighbourhood, otherwise known as ‘a standard fight’ in just about every Marvel movie (see: Thor, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, X-Men Origins: Wolverine and anything with a Hulk). -A ‘2’ would cover destruction on the human scale, where countless pawns (ideally ‘baddies’, then soldiers/cops and, when permissible, innocent bystanders) are mowed down by alien weapons, unwieldly superpowers or falling debris (see: Blade: Trinity, X-Men: The Last Stand). What, then, is a ‘1’? The answer is Ant-Man, where the violence is kept to such a minimum that the most meaningful casualty is an actual ant. An ant named ‘Antony’. What we get instead is a family-friendly Marvel movie where humour and dialogue offer a refreshing respite from all the usual, unimaginable carnage. Marvel actually frames Ant-Man as a heist movie, and that’s a good way to look at it. When an unscrupulous scientist (played by House of Cards’ Corey Stoll) perfects the science of atomic manipulation – allowing humans to be shrunk to the size of an ant whilst capable of enormous feats of strength – his former mentor and the original inventor of the technology (Michael Douglas) recruits a cat burglar named Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to steal the prototype military suit and destroy all related records, believing it to be a threat to global security. Lang is given his own special suit, one that allows him to shrink back and forth as he pleases, then trained both in martial arts and the ability to communicate with insects. Think 'Honey I Shrunk The Doctor Dolittle', combined with a little Matrix and a lot of Oceans 11. The implications of a ‘Marvel-1’ movie cut both ways. The downside is that the stakes feel significantly lower, with ‘end of the world’ being replaced by ‘might get caught’ as the biggest threat for most of the film. Generally, though, it’s all upside, with the smaller-scale storyline (and unavoidably concomitant puns) allowing for a funnier and more intimate superhero tale. The size-related jokes are predictably frequent, but thankfully also creative enough to surprise, and apportioned evenly to allow for more general comedy as well. As the title character Rudd is perfectly cast, allowing his boy-next-door charm to deliver Tony Stark level wise-cracks without the ego or arrogance to sour them. It’s the Peter Parker model, where self-deprecation reigns supreme and heroism is steeped in humility. Coupled with the comedic offerings of his ex-con buddies (led by a scene-stealing Michael Peña), and bouncing off the dry wit of his instructor/love interest Hope (Evangeline Lilly), Rudd simultaneously leads Ant-Man as confidently as any of his comic book compadres whilst downplaying it to a point that almost parodies the Marvel world in which it exists. Funny, charming and very family friendly, Ant-Man is unquestionably light fare, but also a solid debut for what will almost certainly develop into a meatier and more assured trilogy.
Due to open in Newport in the coming weeks, the new Australian Islamic Centre promises to be like no other mosque in Melbourne. Designed by award-winning architect Glenn Murcutt, who has spent close to a decade on the project, the modern centre embraces contemporary design in an attempt to create a community centre capable of fostering intercultural conversation and cooperation. To that end, NGV Australia's new exhibition, Glenn Murcutt: Architecture of Faith, lets visitors go behind the scenes of Murcutt's design process, and gain unique insight into his unconventional use of material, geometry and colour. The gallery will also host a pair of related public discussions. On the evening of Tuesday, August 9, Murcutt and his design partner Hakan Elevli will recount the story of the building's ten year design and construction process, while on Saturday, August 13 Elevli will join project builder Mohammed Haddara and Newport Islamic Society representative Dr Abdul Kamareddine, to discuss the centre in relation to the new dialect of Islamic architecture in Australia. Image: Installation view of Glenn Murcutt: Architecture of Faith at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, 9 August 2016 – 19 February 2017. Photo: Sean Fennessy.
This Sunday session sees Sydney's Wayward Brewing Company bring its smash hit Sydney Beer Week event down to Two Birds Brewing's nest bar for the second instalment of Fempocalypse on May 13. The day brings together female brewers, musicians and artists in an arvo that celebrates the boss women of the hospitality and creative industries. For Melbourne's Good Beer Week, expect beers from both breweries on tap, along with four live music sets (Nimbus Trio, Old Hat Jazz Quartet, The Hosies and Alison Ferrier) and two DJ sets (Whiskey Houston and Renee Delay), plus circus, dance and burlesque performances. Female-operated food stalls will sit next to artisan craft stalls by the likes of local illustrator Hannakin, shoemaker Betty Bossy Boots and graphic designer Refiloe Khobane's African-inspired wares. Included in the $15 ticket price is a half-pint on arrival, a brewery tour voucher for two and special release brews, along with a full day of tunes. Images: Simon Shiff
Melbourne is no stranger to the work of Julien Moussi, whose Only Hospitality Group is behind a stack of loved local venues — including Bentwood, Glovers Station, Hotel Collingwood and Juliette Coffee & Bread. But now it's Geelong's turn for a taste of the action, as the team ventures out of town to open the doors to their new twin venues Pavilion and Caledonia Shores. The pair are neatly cohabitating in the former red brick bathers' pavilion overlooking the Geelong Waterfront, with the two-level space reworked with natural tones and a breezy coastal-inspired fitout. [caption id="attachment_864992" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pavilion[/caption] Occupying the ground floor and promenade terrace, you'll find daytime cafe Pavilion. Coffee here comes courtesy of Only Hospitality's own Inglewood Roasters, while the food menu packs enough flair to satisfy even the most discerning inner-city brunchers. There's a dish of tom yum-inspired beans on sourdough with fried ginger and an egg; a prawn and kimchi omelette; cauliflower and haloumi fritters paired with beetroot hummus and tabouli; and a french toast starring roasted macadamia and a white chocolate milk crumb. Pavilion also has its own kiosk, slinging coffee, cold drinks and a fitting lineup of beachy snacks — chicken burgers, fish and chips, and potato cakes all make an appearance. [caption id="attachment_864984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caledonia Shores[/caption] Then, as the day wraps up, the upstairs space that's home to bar and restaurant Caledonia Shores comes alive. Up here, sweeping bay vistas provide a backdrop to an offering of punchy, Asian-accented fare and considered cocktails. Kickstart the party with snacks like Sichuan calamari, wagyu puffs teamed with wasabi mayo, and corn on the cob slathered with coconut sambal butter, curry salt and 'snowing' cheese. Deeper in, you'll find the likes of XO clams with Chinese doughnuts, DIY brisket bao, sticky Xinjiang-style lamb ribs and a lively papaya salad dressed with tamarind. Meanwhile, the cocktail list also features plenty of big flavours, with sips like a gochugaru-spiced margarita, the Thai Basil Smash, and a lavender- and lychee-infused riff on a Tom Collins. Find Pavilion and Caledonia Shores at 95 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong. Pavilion is open daily from 6.30am–4pm, while Caledonia Shores opens from 5–10pm Monday to Thursday and 4pm–late Friday to Sunday.
It's not as if you need an excuse to tuck into fried chicken and natural wines on a Thursday night, but, just in case you do, Belles Hot Chicken has you covered. Their new weekly party, dubbed Limited Release, will kick off this Thursday, July 6 with a weekly changing line-up of food, booze and tunes at the eatery's Windsor outpost. Acting as a head start to the weekend, these Thursday night parties will see punters celebrating their Friday eve with a little help from all that Belles goodness — we're talking about a curated list of rare natural wines to sip on; tunes spun by PBS legend DJ Manchild; and a tidy range of one-off dishes from Belles owner and chef, Morgan McGlone. He's turning out specialities like oozy pimento cheese and fried baloney sandwiches, along with a decadent white chocolate and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. If you're looking to kick start the weekend, you've come to the right place.
Winemakers of Rutherglen have been doing good things with grapes for a while now out in northeast Victoria. But, luckily for Melbourne, they've decided to come cityside again this October for one-day wine event Rutherglen in the City. The pop-up cellar door will situate itself at The Timber Yard at Port Melbourne from 11.30am–5.30pm on Saturday, October 14. Sixteen winemakers will take over the space, transforming it into an inner-city winery with over 100 different drops. For $35 pre-purchased and $40 on the day, you'll get a free glass and be able to sample the best of the region's wine varieties, including durif and muscat, plus rare and boutique drops. The winemakers themselves will also be on-hand for a chat and, if something takes your fancy, you can even order a few bottles from them direct. There'll be a range of masterclasses you can partake in, too. Full glasses of wine and other drinks can be purchased from the bar, and some nosh will be on sale. And to set the mood: live tunes.
Anyone who's been to Saint Crispin will tell you the same thing: it's incredible. Us included. And if you're looking for an excuse to treat yourself to their culinary delights, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is presenting you with the perfect one. For one day in March, the Saint Crispin kitchen is swapping the hum of Smith Street for the saltiness of St Kilda beach, popping up at St Kilda Bowling Club for lunch, dinner and lawn bowls. Feel the sea breeze on your skin as you savour each mouthful of head chef Joe Grbac's dishes, and sip on drinks from the restaurant's upstairs bar, Thomas Olive, on the green. Just to sweeten the deal, dessert comes from Pierre Roelofs: the guy that does the dessert evenings at Cafe Rosamond. A seat at the table will set you back $160, but includes five courses with matched drinks, as well as a healthy game of lawn bowls afterwards. Go for lunch at 12pm or dinner at 6pm.
Good Beer Week is giving Melburnians a legit excuse to head out to Geelong on a Tuesday night when two of the city's best businesses team up at this highlight event. Blackman's Brewery is turning its bar and restaurant over to The Hot Chicken Project's Aaron Turner, who will serve up a menu of his signature Nashville-style treats alongside the launch of a seasonal produce-inspired brew. An award-winning chef, Turner has come into more specific spotlight since opening nearby high-end restaurant Igni in 2016. It focuses on small growers and regional produce, with a menu that changes by the day. This ethos pairs nicely with Blackman's brew, which uses seasonal produce to create a beer that is truly a taste of Geelong. This local-as event will give patrons a chance to meet both brewers and chefs, learn a thing or two about seasonality, and of course tuck into some fried chicken and craft beers.
There's no wrong way to visit a winery, whether you choose to participate in a boozy fun run within the grounds, cycle between a couple of wine-slinging spots, or simply stop by for a few hours, taste some tipples and make a few purchase. Or, you can stay for the night, which isn't a new concept — but one South Australian vineyard is letting folks sleep right next to the vines in a luxury pod. Wineries from Queensland to Victoria boast glamping facilities; however The Vineyard Retreat McLaren Vale now has an Escapod. As the name suggests, it's all about escaping from the hustle and bustle, which is definitely on the agenda in what's essentially a luxury detached cabin right in the heart of the vineyard. Measuring 72 square metres, the pre-fab structure includes an open-plan dining and lounge room, a king-sized bed, an open fire and two small external decks, plus a fully functioning kitchen, a separate bathroom and a storage room. On the mod cons front, it also has the requisite appliances, under-floor heating, reverse-cycle heating and cooling, and automated blinds — although you'll want to keep them open to enjoy the vineyard views. Furthermore, the pod can be connected to the main power or can go off the grid via a solar power battery, rainwater tanks and a wastewater treatment system. Built off-site then brought to the winery, the Escapod can also be moved again in the future if needed. It'll be available for bookings from September — and it's one of two pods destined for the McLaren Vale spot, although just when the second will arrive is yet to be determined. If the pod has you planning a boozy getaway, there's some other good news — more are planned. In total, Escapod is hoping to roll out 20 pods across South Australian sites across the next year. Find the first Escapod at The Vineyard Retreat McLaren Vale, 165 Whitings Road, Blewitt Springs. Visit the retreat website for further details. Via The Lead. Images: The Vineyard Retreat / Escapod.
The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular — better known as just GABS — returns to the Royal Exhibition Building for its eighth year over the weekend of May 18–20. After humble beginnings right here in Melbourne, the festival has now expanded to cover three cities, two countries, and is rightfully considered by most as the best craft beer and cider festival in the Asia Pacific region. Creators Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone (The Local Taphouse, Stomping Ground Brewing Co.) have again wrangled up the best breweries from the region and are offering up over 500 brews in all, including 170 festival beers and ciders. These exclusive and often wacky specialty brews are created just for the event and are generally the festival's main draw, giving attendees the rare chance to try brand-spanking new beers while meeting the brewers behind them. This year's festival brews include ingredients like Great Ocean Road snails, crickets and durian, plus a laksa ale from Brothers Brewing, a whisky sour beer from Wayward and an umami beer with miso, soy and seaweed from Morrison Brewing. We've also noticed a specific increase in the use of herbs and botanicals this year. Apart from beer, the event will also play host to the first Holey Moley pop-up course, along with a cocktail bar by Starward Whisky and Four Pillars gin. The much loved 18-metre-high beer Ferris wheel will make its return, as will the usual wandering performances and local food stalls. The weekend-long event is categorised in five sessions, with the season passes to all sessions already sold out. We wish those ticket holders the best of luck.
I’ll never forget my original Magic Mike experience. In a packed cinema of some 750 people, I was one of just nine men, and of those, (probably) the only straight one. After a brief welcome, the film's promoters introduced two male strippers who danced, disrobed and lap-danced their way through the crowd like bejewelled beagles at Customs, singling out the most awkward and uncomfortable with astounding accuracy. Coupled with the trailer, everything seemed in place for a movie designed to entertain everyone but me, and yet — two hours later — I stood both corrected and utterly entertained. Armed with that memory, I approached Magic Mike XXL with a much more open mind, only to once again be surprised by a film whose suggestive marketing, racy trailer and heck, even its name, belied a film of far greater substance and maturity. Magic Mike XXL is not a story about male strippers entertainers, but an old-fashioned road movie about self-discovery and friendship, where it is souls and vulnerabilities — not bodies — that the men are dared to reveal. As it happens, it's also a cracking comedy. The story itself is as scant as a stripper’s costume. Mike (Channing Tatum, whose real life story provided the inspiration for both films), finds himself visited by his old dancing buddies on their way to the annual 4th of July Strippers Convention (yes, it’s a thing). Their former emcee and manager has skipped town with the young star Adam, meaning this is to be their swan song before retiring to whatever 'normal' jobs they can find. Recently single and finding his own furniture business low on the thrills, Mike joins them in the hope of purging his demons and starting life afresh. In some ways, it’s best to think of Magic Mike XXL like a musical, given the way its stars spontaneously burst into dance routines and, this time round, singing (showcasing the talents of both Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, and Matt Bomer, whose voice is so remarkable it’s baffling we’ve not been treated to it sooner). Unlike most musicals, however, Magic Mike XXL navigates the almost impossible transition from acting to dancing without it ever feeling forced — the best example also being the film’s standout scene, featuring Joe Manganiello (True Blood) stripping in a gas station to a Backstreet Boys staple for no other reason than to elicit a smile from its store clerk. Funny yet provocative, childish yet heartwarming, it encapsulates everything Magic Mike XXL is about: honest desire, spiritual growth and — most importantly — intimacy. Almost every dance in this film is centred on one woman. Any woman. Every woman. No matter how large the crowd, someone is always singled out and treated to a publicly private performance, "a queen being reminded of her beauty", as Mike’s former flame Rome (played magnificently by Jada Pinkett Smith) puts it. Yes, the dancing is extraordinary (Tatum’s routines in particular are jaw-dropping in their athleticism and eroticism), but just as appealing are the ladies’ reactions — a blend of shock, lust and pure exhilaration that imbue each and every fantasy piece with a genuine sense of realism. There’s more sensuality in this film than fifty Fifty Shades of Greys, yet it never once feels sleazy, instead veering closer to something uplifting and sincere. By all means come for the bodies, but stay for everything else.
Stroll the catwalks of Europe's premiere fashion houses, or get up close and personal with the dying art of men's tailoring, as part of the latest documentary line-up at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Presented as part of the cultural leg of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, ACMI's Fashion on Film program covers all things haute couture. Produced by James Franco during his tenure as the male face of Gucci (because of course that happened), The Director: An Evolution in Three Acts presents a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most influential fashion labels in the world. Première: Ellery in Paris takes viewers from Sydney to Paris with celebrated Australian designer Kym Ellery. While on a more intimate note, Men of the Cloth explores the devotion of three old-school Italian tailors to their disappearing craft.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 3, 2020 — Get ready to belt out 'Great Southern Land' and 'Electric Blue' when Icehouse return to St Kilda Festival. Performing a show entitled 'Icehouse Plays Flowers', the pub-rock legends will nod to their first performance at the free beachside festival back in 1980, when the group was named Flowers. If you're a fan of tasteful tunes and exuberant summer vibes that don't bruise the budget, the annual St Kilda Festival should be at the top of your summer bucket list. The nation's largest free music festival turns 40 this year, and returns to St Kilda's foreshore for a blowout celebration. You can expect multiple stages of live music, a tonne of food and market stalls, and interactive workshops stretching from Catani Gardens to the south end of Acland Street. As well as banging tunes, the air will be filled with the scent of delicious eats emanating from more than 100 food vendors. There'll be everything from curry to burgers, ribs and sushi — providing plenty of sustenance for all that dancing. You'll also need energy if you plan on attending one of the festival's free activities, which include bubble soccer, disco yoga and Latin dance workshops. The free fun begins just after 10am and runs well into the night. The 2020 extravaganza features more than 50 bands and DJs representing the diverse spectrum of Australian talent. On the main stage, you'll be dancing through the decades with Hot Dub Time Machine, bopping to pop duo Busby Marou and swaying to The Kite String Tangle. You'll also be partying to the seven-piece Horns of Leroy and Thando over at the Alfred Square Stage; singing along with hip hop artist Dallas Woods and Teenage Dads at the Fitzroy Street Stage; dancing with 15-strong girl group The Rebelles and Yergurl at the O'Donnell Gardens Stage; and, yes there's more, soaking up the sounds of First Nations artist Bumpy and singer Pirritu at the Little Catani Stage. You can check out the full lineup over here. Images: Nathan Doran
Great news, fans of LGBTQIA+ cinema: Mardi Gras Film Festival organiser Queer Screen is back with its second cinema celebration of 2023. That happens every year, but it's only been recently that the Sydney-based outfit's two fests both stream online — and nationally. So, getting cosy on the couch while watching your way through this year's Queer Screen Film Fest is 100-percent on the agenda between Wednesday, August 23–Sunday, September 3. Whether you're a Sydneysider with too heaving a social calendar to hit the picture palace in-person or you live outside of the Harbour City, a feast of new queer highlights and retrospective standouts awaits. Must-sees include the Berlin-set Drifter; the AIDS in Hollywood-focused Commitment to Life; and Equal the Contest, which follows regional women's Australian rules football team Mount Alexander Falcons in an exploration of the barriers still faced for women and gender-diverse people on the field. Gay, sapphic, and trans and gender-diverse shorts sessions are also streaming. And those retro titles? They span Anchor & Hope, about a trio's complicated relationship; German coming-of-age romance Centre of My World; rom-com Nina's Heavenly Delights, focusing on a woman reuniting with her Indian family in Scotland; and the southern Chile-set The Strong Ones.
Thornbury locals will know Pastificio Sandro well. The Italian grocer fills its cabinets with its own handmade pasta and ready-made meals, along with stacks of local and imported produce. To enjoy Sandro's cooking prowess in its full glory, you used to have to buy its pasta and sauces separately (or its excellent meat lasagne) and cook it all up at home. But there's now another way. Every Friday and Saturday night, diners who book a seat online can head around the back alleyway and find the entrance to its new secret restaurant p r o v a. Here, you'll either sit at the large table where they make the very pasta you'll be eating or at one of the smaller tables by the pasta cabinet, and tuck into a six-course feast ($125). Head Chef Adrian Bressanutti (ex-Stokehouse and Tipo 00) has created a menu of contemporary Italian eats — of course, featuring plenty of pasta. Bressanutti has worked at some of the best pasta spots in Melbourne, so we have very high expectations. We're also hoping the team's limoncello tiramisu and cannoli make their way onto the plates. Diners can also add wine pairings to the whole experience, curated by Andrew Barry (ex-Gingerboy and Anchovy), or just order as they please from the small selection of wine and beer. And don't worry too much if you can't get one of the 14 seats. You can always settle on Pastificio Sandro's fresh pastas, sauces and desserts while you wait for availabilities. You can find p r o v a at the rear of Pastificio Sandro, located at 822 High Street, Thornbury. It's open from 6pm–late on Friday and Saturday nights. For more information, head to the venue's website.
As the popularity of mobile dating apps comes to an explosive peak, Melbourne bars have noticed a sudden increase in clientele on first dates. Walk into any city bar on a weeknight and you'll no doubt notice the coupled patrons tucked into darkened corners, exchanging awkward questions about where they live or work and what their hobbies involve, and inevitably drinking too much wine to calm their nerves. Choice of bar is a crucial factor to setting up a successful first date; the venue must be quiet enough to encourage conversation but retain sufficient buzz and ambience to avoid awkward silences. Here's our list of Melbourne CBD (and nearby) venues that provide optimal first date conditions. Sister Bella Rough and relaxed in the greatest possible way, Sister Bella epitomises Melbourne's haphazard, milk crate-cramped, longneck-lovin' laneway culture that made our small bar scene famous. It's a little tricky to find — be sure to budget a bit of extra time so you're not late to your date — but once you arrive you'll find it as comfortable as drinking in your mates' sharehouse. Just be sure to walk past the first bar in the alley (Baroq House) and keep going to the end of the lane, or else you could end up experiencing a very different evening altogether. The bar staff at Sister B's are brilliant and are more than happy to set the mood (extra candles, flowers, and prime position in a cosy nook) if you get there before your date shows up and give them a heads up on the deal. 22 Drewery Place (enter via Sniders Lane), Melbourne, facebook.com/sisterbella Cookie (back bar) While the main bar/restaurant is rambunctious with noise — laughter, clashing cutlery and clinking glassware — the secretive back bar is mellow, and conducive to a late night liaison any night of the week. There's something to please everyone on the drinks menu here (it's more appropriately described as an encyclopaedia volume), whether it be beer, wine or cocktails — making the venue ideal for those occasions when you're unsure of your company's tastes. Being one of those 'must-see venues for Melbourne tourists, it's unlikely you'll run into any regular mates here — unless of course they're on sneaky dates too. First floor, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne, (03) 9663 7660, cookie.net.au LongPlay It's eclectic, laid back and charming — just like your Tinder bio. But with the inclusion of occasional live music and the small cinema out back, LongPlay delivers spectacular first date conditions in which to enjoy either intense political debate or eyelash-batting and footsies. To take pressure off the situation, busy yourselves by nibbling on offerings from the European-inspired bar snack menu, which features restrained, but contemporary constructions of risotto, salad and tapas. If conversation isn’t flowing, a few rounds of the relatively affordable cocktails should make time go by more rapidly. A neighbourhood favourite for Fitzroy North dwellers, the bar is best avoided if you're already a local. If not, it's the perfect place for an anonymous rendezvous. 318 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North, longplay.net.au City Wine Shop Situated opposite Parliament and alongside the theatre strip, City Wine Shop is not the place to venture for a beer and happy hour special. On the contrary, this is the place you go for a glass of Chablis, cheese board and a serve of crispy whitebait. Choose from the by-the-glass wine list — which changes regularly — or simply buy a bottle from the on-premise bottle shop and settle in at an outdoor table, overlooking the Spring Street suits. It's a classic setting for year-round romance, whether you're seeking sanctuary from winter inside CWS's rich wooden warmth, or a splash of sun with your latte on an street-side seat. 159 Spring Street, Melbourne, (03) 9654 6657, citywineshop.net.au The Standard While everyone else is hovering for a seat and queuing for their parma at The Napier down the road, The Standard has retained a suite of loyal locals since it was first built in the 1860s. Sometimes neglected, the pub boasts an outdoor beer garden, broad range of wine and a cracker list of kitchen specials that proudly stand up against surrounding pubs in the area — only without the competition to find a place to park your bum. Plus, there are tramlines on nearby Smith and Brunswick Streets if the date goes badly (or really, really well) and you decide to abandon ship in a hurry. 293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy, (03) 9419 4793, thestandardhotel.com.au Neapoli This lesser-known, all day wine bar — which is reminiscent of a 1950s diner — is worth a visit just to check out the architecture, with its wide windows, curved lines and spectacular mezzanine (why it features a life-size birdcage remains a mystery, but it will surely provide a solid talking point if conversation requires rescuing). An excellent option for a cheeky daytime wine or late lunch date, the menu spans everything from charcuterie platters and club sandwiches to oysters and duck curry, with a superior but accessible wine list. 30 Russell Place, Melbourne, (03) 9650 5020, neapoliwinebar.com.au Gin Palace After Neapoli, head a few doors down to subterranean speakeasy Gin Palace. Renowned for its martinis, late night snacks and popularity with both insomniacs and Melbourne's hospitality crowd, it's a great location to bag a bartender after a long shift. Rich, luxurious and flush with cushioned surfaces and secretive enclaves, it almost begs for a sneaky pash on a dim corner lounge. Ever better, escape with your date to the hidden, fairy-light-lit den that links the venue to Bar Ampere next door... 10 Russell Place, Melbourne, (03) 9654 0533, ginpalace.com.au The Rum Diary Named after the Hunter S. Thompson novel, this Brunswick bar tips a tiny nod to Johnny Depp, lord of sexy pirates. Amongst the nautically-themed dark wood decor sits a world-spanning selection of the devil's tipple — we're talking over 150 rums, from Angostura to Diplomatico, to their own house-made specialty. It's a great space for a quiet chat with a new acquaintance (maybe even the odd grope, depending on level of rum consumed), or just to test your date out on the down-low. Alternatively, you can secure prime street-view position at the window seats if you've hit the online dating jackpot and want to showcase your dating success to the rest of Fitzroy. Or just perve at the tattooed, bearded blokes of Brunswick Street. 334 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, (03) 9939 0616, rumdiarybar.com.au Gerald's Bar Old fashioned and charming, just like its owner Gerald, this local European wine bar is as close as you can get to taking your date home with you without being so forward. It's welcoming and homely, and ideal for intimate discussions while still creating a lively mood (largely thanks to the vinyl records rolling around the turntable at a moderate volume, without being overbearing). Super-slick staff intuitively know when to rescue the conversation, and when to back off. For instance, at those moments when you are gently caressing a woman's thigh or — just as good — enjoying a platter of wafer-thin jamon. Open evenings only. 386 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North, (03) 9349 4748, geraldsbar.com.au Whisky & Alement Ladies, this is the kind of advice you'll never read in a Cosmo mag, but bring your date here and he'll be forever impressed by your whiskey knowledge. If you don't actually have any whiskey knowledge at all, just order something with 'Glen' in its name and you should be safe. Although the venue stocks around 500 bottles of the bespoke booze, there's no need to be intimidated — the staff are overwhelmingly friendly, unpretentious, and happy to guide the uninitiated. Plus, the venue is always swarming with well-dressed men, so if the date doesn't quite work out, you can get straight back on the wagon. 270 Russell Street, Melbourne, (03) 9654 1284, whiskyandale.com.au View all Melbourne Bars.
She's the grand dame of St Kilda, having carved out 140 years of history and a place in the hearts of generations of Melbourne pub goers. After closing suddenly in May 2015, the Esplanade Hotel is set to reopen later this year after an impressive revamp at the hands of local hospitality group Sand Hill Road. The new owners — whose portfolio includes Richmond's Terminus, CBD's Garden State Hotel and Prahran Hotel — purchased the St Kilda landmark last year and have announced plans to reopen the historic building in November, following what's set to be one of the most ambitious pub redevelopments the city's ever seen. Already, 12 months have been dedicated to research and community consultation, as the team sets out to restore The Espy to its former glory. This next phase of life has the beachside institution showing off parts unseen for decades. Pub goers will be able to venture from the a basement band room and public bar up to the sprawling main bar, garden terrace with bay views and the renowned Gershwin Room. Three stages spread throughout the venue will carry on The Espy's live music legacy. Upstairs, you'll also find a dedicated and upscale cocktail bar dubbed The Ghost of Alfred Felton. This intimate spot pays tribute to a famed ex-Espy resident, who back in his day, was benefactor both of the National Gallery of Victoria and a swag of local charities supporting victims of domestic violence. The venue will also be home to two very different dining options. Downstairs, in the pub's old loading bay, will be a casual kitchen filled with rotisseries, pizza ovens and charcoal grills. On the upper level , there'll be a modern Cantonese bar and restaurant Mya Tiger, decked out with hanging roast ducks. If you're hungry after a gig you'll be able to grab a snack — a hot dog, perhaps — from a food cart outside the Gershwin Room. As with the rest of the venue, The Espy's broad-ranging dining offering boasts something for every taste, headed up by Executive Chef Ash Hicks (Garden State Hotel). Expect a casual, fire-driven menu from the impressive open kitchen downstairs, while Mya Tiger dishes up fast-paced Cantonese classics, teamed with sweeping sunset views.
Federation Square is about to be overrun by legions of ravenous zombies, as part of a Halloween promotion for Call of Duty: Black Ops III. A partnership between the game's developers, Activision and Secret Squirrel (aka the awesome folks behind Underground Cinema), the Black Ops III Zombie Escape Room will throw you into a real-life version of the game's popular zombie mode — albeit without the live ammunition. Popping up at Fed Square from October 30 until November 6, the immersive experience brings to life Shadow of Evil, the film noir-inspired horror narrative from Black Ops III, in which four strangers must work together to fight off the undead hordes. So too will Escape Room participants have to work together uncovering clues and solving puzzles, in order to find a way out before it's too late. Participation is free, but places must be booked online. To secure your spot, head to the registration site.
The Premier's Active April is here once more — a whole month-long bonanza of free classes, discounts on sportswear and sport programs, and some pretty great deals that'll have you rediscovering your inner kid and the energy you once had (you can go to Legoland, you're never too old). A yearly campaign run by the Victorian Government, Active April encourages Victorians to do 30 minutes of physical activity every day during the month of April. To take part, you just need to register online — it's free and you can download an app to log your progress and explore what's going on in your local area. Just to start, you get heaps of free stuff, including ten free passes to participating YMCA facilities, free tennis court hire, free croquet coaching sessions and five free dance lessons at Dancesport Victoria. There are also a heap of discounts, including 15 percent off at Sportsmart — so you can stock up on activewear — and a two-for-one offer at Golf Victoria courses. Then there's the two-for-one Otaway Fly Treetop Adventures scenario, plus 30 percent off entry at the Legoland Discovery Centre and Melbourne Aquarium, too. By signing up and participating, you also go into the draw to win a slew of prizes, which include tickets to the 2020 Australian Open finals. As well as snaggin' some sweet discounts, you'll be able to prove your "drunk talking New Year's Eve post-midnight" self right – you will get more fit this year. Head online to register for Active April — you have until April 30 to signup — and start popping squats all over the place.
The mornings have lost their icy chill. The weekends are getting sunnier. And — if you're like us — you might be feeling a little sluggish from all that raclette and cheese-wheel pasta and binge-watching Stranger Things 2. So, now's the perfect time to dust off your runners, get outside and start training. Keen to conquer your first fun run? Determined to beat those City2Surf hills that took the wind out of you this winter? Upping the stakes from a half- to a full-marathon? We've teamed up with Hahn to track down the most picturesque running locations in your city. Whether it's a waterside run in the CBD or a rainforest trail a short drive away, we've found it. And because we all need a little motivation to get those hearts pounding and those legs moving, we've also picked the best pub nearby to cooldown with a post-run beer. Balance is key. SYDNEY CBD: MRS MACQUARIE'S CHAIR THEN OPERA BAR Smack bang in the centre of the CBD is one of Sydney's most picturesque runs. Start in the Domain, jog up to Mrs Macquarie's Chair and continue around the sparkling harbour to the Sydney Opera House. Stop to take a photo (because how else can you prove you've been for a run if you don't document it on social media?) and continue around Circular Quay to The Rocks. If you're feeling extra active, we suggest running across the Harbour Bridge — the views alone make it worth the extra kilometre. When you're done, head back to Opera Bar for a cold pint. The best part? You can easily fit this run into your lunch break. SYDNEY FURTHER AFIELD: SPIT BRIDGE TO MANLY THEN HOTEL STEYNE If you, like many Sydneysiders, have jogged the Bondi to Bronte path a few (hundred) times, you're probably looking for somewhere less populated, but equally photogenic to visit. Look no further than the Spit Bridge to Manly trail. The 10-kilometre trek takes runners through the Sydney Harbour National Park, past small beaches and inlets and up high with elevated views over the city. If you stray off the track, you may run into Crater Cove's historic (and hidden) 80-year-old cabins. A word of warning: it's a hilly run (with more than a few steps) so we suggest packing plenty of water, a camera and your credit card, and heading toward the waterside Hotel Steyne for a cooldown dip and icy pint when you finish. MELBOURNE CBD: YARRA TRAILS THEN FORESTER'S The Main Yarra Trail, which runs from the northeast suburb of Eltham to Southbank, is a cool 33 kilometres. If you're up to this stage in your training, great — tie up those laces, slap on that Garmin and start jogging — but, if the thought of running that far fills you with dizzying, nauseating dread (we feel it), fret not. The Yarra Trails encompass a range of different length runs for different levels of fitness. Head to the lush Yarra Bend Park, a short ten-minute drive from the CBD, and pick your distance. You can head off on a quick one-kilometre jog around the oval or a seven-kilometre loop past Dight Falls. When you've finished, walk (or run) across to Forester's Beer & Music Hall for a pint and a parma (hot tip: the pub offers $5 parmas every night from 5–10pm). MELBOURNE FURTHER AFIELD: BLACK ROCK TO BRIGHTON THEN HALF MOON Black Rock may only be a 30-minute drive from the city, but its isolated location and stunning views over Port Philip Bay make it feel much further away. It's also the perfect place to go for an early morning run. Start the ten-kilometre track at the Black Rock Yacht Club, pass the Red Bluff Lookout, do some sand sprints on Hampton Beach and end at Brighton Beach's 82 colourful bathing boxes. If you're looking to extend your run, continue up the coast to Elwood beach or even further to St Kilda Pier. Once you're done, head back to Half Moon in Brighton. The rustic pub boasts six different dining areas where you can unwind with a pint. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE CBD: THE RIVER LOOP THEN THE CHARMING SQUIRE A waterside jog isn't a bad way to spend a lunch break, especially when it's right in the middle of the CBD. How far you want to run is up to you, but we recommend kicking off on the southern side of Goodwill Bridge. After something short and sweet? Jog down to Victoria Bridge, over and back for a 3.5-kilometre loop. Something a bit longer? Head the opposite way to Story Bridge for a 6.5-kilometre loop. Getting close to completing a marathon? Look to the 35-kilometre Brisbane River Loop. It follows the river from South Bank all the way to Indooroopilly and back. When you're done The Charming Squire is serving up brews and views, waterside. BRISBANE FURTHER AFIELD: MOUNT COOT-THA THEN SUMMIT RESTAURANT & BAR Half-an-hour drive from Brisbane's CBD is Mount Coot-tha Forest — 1500 hectares of lush eucalypt forest. Inside this reservation, you'll find a heap of different running tracks. While the Brisbane City Council gives a full rundown of all your options here, these are a couple of our favourites. The Summit Track, a four-kilometre round loop, takes you from JC Slaughter Falls picnic area to Mount Coot-tha Lookout. It's a steep run up, but you'll be rewarded with an easy jog downhill on the way back. If you're more ambitious, there's a ten-kilometre loop that starts at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, heads across to the lookout, then follows Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, through the trees and back to the starting point. Since you survived, you deserve a beer and Summit Restaurant & Bar (next to the lookout) has some chilled for you. Top image: Brooke James Get outside and on a run now — there's an ice cold Hahn waiting for you at the end.
Forget about Ingmar Bergman, Stellan Skarsgard and Noomi Rapace. The cinema of Sweden has a brand new face — and by new, we mean very, very old. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is the single most profitable film in the history of Swedish cinema. What drove audiences in such numbers to such a singularly unfunny comedy we'll chalk up to cultural misunderstanding The film, to its credit, delivers exactly what it promises to. On the day of his centennial, geriatric explosives expert Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) decides he's had enough of life in his retirement home and promptly shimmies through the curtains for a stroll. While at the bus station purchasing a one-way ticket to wherever, Karlsson accidentally comes into the possession of a suitcase full of drug-money — the first in a series of hi-larious coincidences and knee-slapping misunderstandings that follow the senior citizen wherever he seems to go. Indeed, the addlebrained pensioner is no stranger to misadventure. As flashbacks soon reveal, Karlsson apparently met, and influenced, most of the major figures of the 20th century, including Franco, Stalin and both Eisenhower and Reagan. He was also the lynchpin in the Manhattan Project, served as a spy for both sides during the Cold War, and spent some time in a Siberian gulag for his troubles. The film's most obvious compatriot would be something like Forrest Gump, but frankly, the comparison doesn't flatter. Gump wasn't exactly the sharpest hammer in the cutlery draw, but he had a certain childlike innocence that helped endear him to an audience. Karlsson, on the other hand, is just plain dumb. As such, it's difficult to care about either his past or his present, the latter of which sees him on the run from some skinhead bikers, intent on getting their money back in whatever way they can. The comedy is broadly slapstick, but with an undertone of callous black humour. Putting aside the fact that Karlsson helped invent the atom bomb and apparently feels not the least bit bad about it, the film regularly sees him cause the deaths, albeit mostly accidental, of people who cross his path. As it turn out, stupidity and nastiness doesn't make for an entertaining mix. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared can hardly disappear from cinemas soon enough. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6SEiaODjTZw
In excellent news for locals who care about their planet, Victoria's recycling systems are set to score a game-changing transformation. As announced this week by Minister for the Environment and Climate Action Lily D'Ambrosio, an Australian-first recycling reform is set to be rolled out across the state by 2030. As you might have guessed, those much-talked-about four household bins are set to play a starring role in the overhaul. They're still in the process of being rolled out statewide, but eventually every Victorian household will have these four separate units — used for general household waste (red lid), food and garden organics (green lid), glass (purple lid) and other mixed recycling (yellow lid). It's anticipated that once the four-bin system is in use throughout Victoria, it'll have a hugely positive impact on our recycling habits. What's more, in the coming years, households will also be able to use these bins to recycle soft plastics and soiled food containers. [caption id="attachment_807584" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Fewings via Unsplash[/caption] Also on the agenda: the Victorian Government has announced it's dropping $1 million to fund a new facility that will turn hard-to-recycle materials — like those pesky disposable coffee cups — into sustainable building products. It's also set to spend $175,000 on another facility that'll be used to process larger green waste into organic soil additives for the farming industry. The changes are part of the Government's plan to divert up to 80 percent of waste by 2030. Our incoming container deposit scheme will also help this effort, as will the state's ban on single-use plastics, which kicks off in February next year. Find out more about the Victorian Government's recycling reform and have your say on the four-bin system before October 26, 2022 over at the website.
Punters heading down the Bellarine Peninsula for a wintery weekender now have another cosy stop to add to their itinerary. Award-winning winery Bellarine Estate is kicking off a new regular series of Saturday sessions that'll team barbecue eats and blues tunes with their beloved signature vino. Launching on May 20, with further dates locked in for June 10 and 24, July 15, August 5, September 9 and October 14, is BBQ & Blues. Each session invites you to get acquainted with this family-run winery's standout cool-climate wines, while soaking up the sounds of a different local artist. The launch event will feature tunes from Alister Turrill, while Phil Para Duo takes the mic on June 10 and Don Fisher pops in to host musical trivia on June 24. The estate's new Texan barbecue eatery will also be showing off the goods, serving up its signature menu of smoked meats and classic American sides — a hearty nod to co-owner Lizette Kenny's Texan roots.
Platform sneakers, Union Jack-themed apparel, glittery outfits and anything that screams 90s girl power — it's all currently making its way around Britain as part of a huge new Spice Girls exhibition. Now open in London until August 20, moving to Manchester from August 24 to September 4, and planning to keep touring the country into 2019, Spice Up is exactly what it sounds like. If you wannabe indulging your nostalgia for one of the biggest acts of two decades ago, this is the event to zigazig-ah your way to — and attendees can also see the Spice Bus, aka the double-decker vehicle immortalised in Spice World. In total, more than 7000 items are on display, spanning everything from costumes worn by Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham — hundreds of them, in fact — to as much merchandise featuring the group's name and likeness as the organisers could find. Or, if simply spicing up your life by looking at various Spice Girls-themed bits and pieces isn't enough, the exhibition has also recreated a typical fan bedroom from the group's heyday for the ultimate blast for the past. Tickets cost £10 (AU$17.57), if you happen to be in the UK in the next two months — and there's no word yet if Spice Up will take the show on the road beyond Britain. Just cross your fingers and say you'll be there if it does.
It might not be quite the same as jetting off on an international getaway, but Federation Square is about to get a taste of Miami beach life as part of a two-week pop-up this February. A whole heap of sand will transform the CBD space into a tropical oasis inspired by the beaches of the South Florida city from February 7–20. As well as a 'beach', the pop-up will have lots of deckchairs, cabanas, live music and even its own openair cinema, which will be completely free. You can head along to a screening of Puberty Blues on Friday, February 7, sob (again) to The Notebook on Valentine's Day or cheer on Thelma & Louise on Saturday, February 15 without spending a cent. You can check out the full lineup of films below. There'll be lots of fun snacks, too, so you can laze in a cabana and tuck into ice creams and sliders after work. Watch out, also, fir life-sized seagulls trying to steal your chips. If you head along on opening day at 5pm — and quote a password that'll be shared on Fed Square's Facebook page — you can score yourself one of 100 free ice creams and a performance by Melbourne singer Ernest Aines. FED BEACH FREE MOVIE LINEUP Surf's Up (2007) — Friday, February 7: 6pm Puberty Blues — Friday, February 7: 8pm Delama Warri — Saturday, February 8: 7.30pm Big Wednesday — Saturday, February 8: 8pm Strictly Ballroom — Friday, February 14: 6pm The Notebook — Friday, February 14: 8pm The Goonies — Saturday, February 15: 6pm Thelma & Louise — Saturday, February 15: 8pm Fed Beach is open from 7am–11pm daily.
