After years selling their delicious delights at Night Noodle Markets all over the country, the geniuses behind Hoy Pinoy’s much-loved Filipino BBQ are setting up a permanent restaurant and bar. It's called Frankie Says and you'll find it tucked behind an apartment building complex in an obscure part of Richmond. The hidden-away location has some cracking advantages. First up, it's right on the Yarra River, so you get serene water views and bush vibes with your feast. Secondly, it's just over the road from IKEA. And it's way less crowded and frenetic than most other spots in the city — at least for now. Founders Megan Phillis and James Meehan designed the eatery to make diners feel like they're walking into a private kitchen. "Opening Frankie Says is like inviting people into our home," Megan says. "This is how we love to eat, with flavour, sharing and laughter turned up high." "We want Frankie Says to be somewhere people can feel totally relaxed as they enjoy a champagne brunch, catch up with friends over an afternoon antipasto, or simply take a moment to themselves in the leafy surrounds with a cup of coffee." The cheery, light-filled, high-ceilinged venue features solid timber pillars and glass walls, which open onto a vast, sunny, outdoor area overlooking the river. Inside, the feel is chic but informal, with hardwood floors, rendered concrete walls, mosaic tiles and pendant lighting. Meanwhile, the menu is designed to encourage repeat visits. Its ever-changing selection of yumminess include antipasto boards, house-made stone-oven pizzas and tasty breakfasts, like a deep dish pancake and truffle eggs with artichoke paste. They also have their own table wines: a 2013 sauvignon blanc and a 2012 cab sav, both from South Australia. You'll find Frankie Says at 15 Acacia Place, Abbotsford. It’s open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, from 7am - 4pm on weekdays and 8am - 5pm on weekends. Keep an eye out for dinner, which is set to happen soon.
When that sweet tooth of yours starts hankering for treats this weekend, we know just where to take it. Sate those sugar cravings by heading down to Tarts Anon's Collingwood digs for an irresistibly sweet food pop-up. From Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, the legendary dessert pit-stop is teaming up with your mates at ice cream brand Connoisseur to serve up some limited edition goodies — and to give away a stack of freebies. Head along from 11am each day to try two new creations made using the new line of Connoisseur Laneway Sweets ice cream tubs. The two new flavours, Crunchy Peanut Butter and Baked Choc Chip Cookie, are being scooped into bespoke Tarts Anon bases then sprinkled with a house-made dessert crumb to finish. You'll get to try the collaboration treats for free, though there's only a limited number up for grabs each day. There'll also be a range of chocolate-coated ice cream sticks to sample and live tunes keeping the festive vibes flowing all day long.
It may have been nice and mild today with temperatures in the city reaching a lovely 28 degrees, but all nice weather must come to an end — and, in classic Melbourne style, that's set to happen in the extreme. A cool change is on its way, and it's set to send the mercury plummeting this afternoon and into the weekend. According to Weatherzone, a southerly change is on its way over from South Australia and will see the temperature drop ten degrees before 6pm. It's not coming back up, either, with the chill sticking around through the weekend. In the city, the Bureau of Meterology is predicting a maximum of just 15 degrees (and a low of nine degrees) tomorrow — Saturday, March 30 — which would not only make it the coldest day of the year so far, but, according to Weatherzone, the coldest March day in 41 years. Oof. The cold snap (and some rain) will stick around until about Wednesday, when the BoM predicts the mercury will be back up to 23 degrees with a low of 15. This comes after an extremely hot weekend at the start of March and predictions that this autumn was going to be hotter than average. So you might need to pull out your winter coat for this weekend — but there's no telling how long you'll need it.
Right now in Melbourne, it's more important than ever to find little things in our days to bring a bit of joy into them. While we can't necessarily go to pubs or bars (yet), we can still find activities to put smiles on our faces and get some dopamine hits in. To help you out, we've teamed up with Oporto to bring you five after-work activities to add a little more joy into your Monday to Friday. Try your hand at an online cooking or dance class, take a virtual walk through a museum, or take it easy by ordering takeaway and putting your feet up. [caption id="attachment_783591" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrea Piacquadio[/caption] MONDAY: DANCE AROUND YOUR LIVING ROOM Shake off any Monday blues with an online live-streamed dance class. Get your blood flowing with energising movements thanks to Australian artist Erin Fowler's Bedroom Dancing for Isolated Times. Practise your expressive movements with Zoom Dance's all levels contemporary class — where, for $10, you'll get a full hour with two to four teachers taking you through each exercise. Or, get your jazz hands ready for an intermediate to advanced jazz class with 6th Position. Alternatively, pop on a YouTube dance workout and sweat it out all the same. Try Emkfit's Shrek workout for a real dorky time. [caption id="attachment_783906" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Museums Victoria[/caption] TUESDAY: GO ON A VIRTUAL TOUR Melbourne Museum may have its physical doors shut but, digitally, it's still open for adventure. Put on your comfiest trackies, make yourself a cup of tea and head off on a virtual tour of the Museum's Dinosaur Walk exhibition. You'll discover 17 skeletons of prehistoric animals dating back over 253 million years. This includes the likes of the duck-billed Hadrosaurus, the ten-metre-high Tsintaosaurus and the horned-face Protoceratops. The exhibition also includes multimedia activities, where you can learn more about what these ancient animals ate to survive. [caption id="attachment_770182" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Briscoe[/caption] WEDNESDAY: TAKE A GOURMET COOKING CLASS Get out your chopping board and apron and prepare to make a meal fit for the queen, king or non-binary majesty you are. Feel like Italian? Head over to Nonna Live where you can book a spot to cook pasta — using a recipe that dates back 100 years — with Nonna and her family via Zoom. Once your spot is confirmed, you'll be sent an ingredient list, suggested wine pairings and even a Spotify playlist. Or, try your hand at Asian-style vegan dishes with a class from Otao Kitchen. The plant-based cooking workshop utilises recipes from a number of different cultures and promises lots of flavour. [caption id="attachment_783596" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Shvets[/caption] THURSDAY: ROPE YOUR MATES INTO A PUB TRIVIA NIGHT Just because pubs are off limits doesn't mean you can't show off your superior general knowledge with your mates. You just need to rope them into a Zoom-based trivia session. As quiz master, you'll have control over the topics, meaning you can do a whole round on Zac Efron movies, Keeping Up with the Kardashians quotes or songs from the 80s. There are pre-made quizzes online if you're feeling like handing over the reins to someone else — World of Wanderlust's downloadable quiz or Kiss's 60 Questions are good places to start. FRIDAY: ORDER TAKEAWAY INSPIRED BY A BEACHSIDE SUBURB End your working week right by forgetting all about the cooking. Order in, instead. In fact, forget all the work emails, spreadsheets and finicky little tasks from the last four days. It's time to put your feet up and binge on some Netflix. And the real chill comes with Oporto's new Bondi Rappa, which provides a satisfying feast of two freshly grilled chicken breasts accompanied by crisp lettuce, cheese, creamy mayo and original chilli sauce, all wrapped in a warm pita bread wrap. Order online and then let those Bondi vibes wash over you. Check out Oporto's full Rappa Range here, then make tracks to your closest store — or order online. Top image: Melbourne Museum by Museums Victoria
Mad Max: Fury Road for kids. That’s how PAN ought to have been billed, but instead the studios went with “Every legend has a beginning”. Bit of a truism, but whatever. At least it sets us up with the expectation that PAN will give us the gritty, untold Peter Pan backstory, and — true to its word — on that point it does deliver. Curiously, though, it then leaves much of the remaining (and arguably more interesting) information untouched, rendering PAN more like the ‘beginning of the beginning of the legend’. So who is Peter? Well, in this latest version by director Joe Wright (Atonement), he’s an English orphan enduring the worst of the Nazis’ WWII blitz campaign over London. We learn his ninja-like mother lovingly deposited him at the orphanage as a baby, along with a pan flute necklace and a mysterious letter speaking of hopeful reunions in a far away land. Now as a 12-year-old (played by Aussie newcomer and definite star of the future Levi Miller), Peter discovers the letter but has scarcely a moment to process the information before he’s whisked away by pirates in the middle of the night and transported to Neverland, where his true story begins. The thing is, Neverland isn’t as we remember it. Here in Wright’s version, it’s a colossal mining pit populated by hundreds of thousands of orphan workers all searching for a rare mineral called Pixum — essentially the raw form of pixie dust. Their overseer is a deliciously evil and charismatic pirate named Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman), who we first meet amid a bizarre rendition of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. As he addresses his bedraggled slaves and enforcers from up high and promises them untold riches (or at the very least, confectionary), the comparisons to Fury Road’s Immortan Joe are hard to ignore, particularly when PAN then descends into something of an extended chase scene for the remainder of the film. Still, in this pit we meet all but one of the future figures who’ll feature prominently in the Peter Pan legend, most notably Smee (Adeel Akhtar) and Hook (Garrett Hedlund, turning in what represents a solid audition piece for the next Indiana Jones film, albeit with an accent borrowed straight from There Will Be Blood’s Daniel Plainview). Together, the trio escapes the pit into Neverland’s untamed jungle and goes in search of Pan’s mother with Blackbeard giving relentless pursuit. PAN is the very definition of ‘family-friendly movie’, what with its non-stop action pieces, colourful costumes and entirely palatable violence (when the friendly ‘savages’ are killed, they explode into puffs of brilliantly coloured powder, much like the ‘how it works’ section of a detergent commercial). The special effects are extensive but first-rate, remaining impressively clutter free in that you can always identify the focal point of any scene (compared to the epilepsy-inducing offerings of films like Transformers). Performance wise, the leads (including Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily) all do their best with what’s a regrettably threadbare script, and Jackman probably finds the most out of his character, switching back and forth between homicidal and nurturing so effortlessly that it’s unsettling. There are really only two major shortcomings in PAN, but combined they do a lot to detract from what could have been something truly special. Firstly, it’s all very dour for something that’s set in Neverland, a place where fun is not just a pastime but a mantra and an obligation. Secondly, for a backstory on the Pan legend, we not only end up with very little new information, but — if anything — more questions than before. Case in point: the relationship between Peter and Hook. PAN’s prologue explains “sometimes friends begin as enemies, and enemies begin as friends”, but by the film's finale we see the two characters as close as any two friends could be, even going so far as to laugh about anything to the contrary. How and why such allies become mortal enemies would have made for an excellent plot progression, and it’s hard not to think this was excluded for the presumptive 'prequel sequel’. Still, it’s a wonderful visual experience that’s sure to delight young and old alike.
We can't think of a much better way to alleviate all that hectic airport stress than some pre-flight puppy cuddles and wet-nosed kisses. Thankfully, Sydney Airport has a new team of four-legged employees that is very happy to help on all counts. In an Aussie first, American Airlines and Assistance Dogs Australia (ADA) have teamed up to launch a new program called emBark at Sydney International Airport, in an effort to make the whole travelling caper much more bearable. Two mornings each week, a group of ADA-trained floofers will be stationed near American Airlines' check-in desks, to help anyone, young or old, that needs a calming cuddle before tackling all that airport hustle and bustle. As well as proving excellent company and very effective stress relief, the dogs will also help to raise awareness about ADA's work and the huge difference these animals can make. As American's Managing Director – Asia Pacific Russ Fortson explained, "The atmosphere at check-in is noticeably lighter and more relaxed. If these inspiring dogs can accomplish this during short interactions with our customers, imagine the positive impact they can have on the daily lives of the people who need them." At present, emBark pups are stationed at Sydney International Airport's American Airline check-in desks between 7-9am, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Images: Christine Bernasconi Photography
Interactive detective game CluedUpp has taken over Australia's streets before — and if you like the idea of solving murders like you're in an episode of CSI, all while you run around town, then it's the pastime for you. Its next Melbourne event on Saturday, July 2 will bring the TV series to life throughout the city, and get you sleuthing while enjoying and outdoor adventure. Yes, it's like Cluedo come to life, too. Forget Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the study — this event will bring you and your friends closer to reality and out onto the streets to solve the case. The game will kick off at a secret location, and you can choose to start whenever you like between 9am–2pm. Then, how long it takes depends on how good of a detective you are. The best news of all, however, is that the event is dog friendly — and there are prizes to be won by both human and canine detectives. All you need to play is some friends and your phone. Dressing up to fit the theme is encouraged, so you can really get yourself into character. A ticket will set you back $97 per team of six, but you only need two humans to play. With only limited team spots available, getting in quick for your chance to solve the mystery is recommended.
What happens when director and choreographer Dave Coombs teams up with four of his fellow graduates from the National Institute of Circus Arts? The result is Uncovered, a tale about coming out set to a soundtrack of popular songs, with strobe lighting, smoke and a little bit of nudity thrown in. This steamy, high-energy circus-dance hybrid has been developed specifically for this year's Midsumma Festival in partnership with Gasworks Arts Park and AfterDark Theatre. Five shows only, beginning Wednesday, January 27.
When Good Beer Week returns to send Melbourne craft beer fiends into a frothy tailspin each May, it also coincides with the globe-trotting flavour fest that is Pint of Origin. Every year, this fan-favourite event sees bars and pubs across the city turn over their taps to spotlight top-notch beers from different corners of the world. 2023's instalment runs from Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 21, to shake up taplists at much-loved venues like Carwyn Cellars, the Local Taphouse, Beermash and Westside Ale Works. Each one will spend the ten days heroing brews from a different regional, interstate or international destination, giving punters the chance to broaden their horizons while scoping out some stellar new sips. [caption id="attachment_900291" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mr West[/caption] Each tap takeover will span a range of beer styles from a stack of different breweries — many of which aren't readily found in Melbourne. You can hit The Catfish for a taste of New Zealand's beer scene, explore a rotation of UK brews at Whitehart and raise a few pints to the beers of South Australia with a visit to the Palace Hotel. Also in the 20-strong lineup, Mr West is showcasing Canadian brews, The Lincoln is spotlighting Tassie drops, and Fitzroy's Near & Far is diving into some full-blown appreciation for Brisbane-born beers. Many of the venues are also doing guided tastings and meet-the-brewer sessions throughout the duration. Plus, if you keep track of your wanderings with a Pint of Origin digital passport, you'll be in with a shot at some great prizes. [caption id="attachment_761608" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carwyn Cellars[/caption] Top images: The Lincoln, Beermash
It’s time to teach you how to dance, real slow, at Slow Grind Fever. On the last Saturday of every month, DJs Richie1250, Pierre Baroni and Mohair Slim play their "slowest, spookiest, sweetest, swinginest" records all night long at The Tote. If you like the thought of slow dancing to moody music from the mid '40s to the mid '60s in a smoky, dimly lit room, this could be your kind of dance party. Slow Grind Fever post their mix a week before the monthly event commences, and they’ve been collaborating with Stag-O-Lee Records in Germany to create a series of Slow Grind Fever LPs and CDs for those looking to recreate the moody atmosphere elsewhere. Looking for an even spookier time? Slow Grind Fever will be hosting their own Halloween Special at the Gasometer this month. It’s $5 entry with costume, $10 without, so make sure you’ve dressed for the occasion.
Mockumentaries tend to get a bit of a bad rap in critical circles. 'Lazy filmmaking' is the most common smear, and — to be fair — they are a far gentler form of screenwriting than an out-and-out screenplay. They've also experienced massive growth in recent years, most notably in television, with the likes of Modern Family, The Office and Summer Heights High all achieving both popular and critical success. In film, This Is Spinal Tap set the benchmark way back in 1984 and has reigned supreme ever since — an 11 out of 10, if you will. The newest edition in the genre is What We Do In The Shadows, a collaboration between writer/directors Taika Waititi and Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement. Billed as "a couple of interviews with a couple of vampires", it's a fly on the wall 'documentary' about four vampires sharing a flat in present-day New Zealand and is, quite simply, hilarious. The subjects of the film are: Viago (Waititi), an 18th-century dandy whose anal retentiveness makes him 'that' flatmate; Vlad (Clement), a legendary Lothario and formerly prolific hypnotist; Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), the self-proclaimed 'sexy one'; and Petyr (Ben Fransham) an ancient vampire from the early days. Key to its appeal is the way What We Do In The Shadows presents the needs, problems and activities of vampires as entirely commonplace. It makes them immediately relatable, treating something like the accidental puncturing of a victim's jugular and subsequent living room mess with no more pomp or fanfare than a spilled drink on a beige couch. The flatmates cruise the clubs of Wellington seeking victims like others seek a one night stand, they jeer each other on when a back-alley argument descends into a 'bat fight', and they projectile vomit blood when they absentmindedly eat actual food. Yes, they've their share of 'vampire' problems (sunlight, vampire hunters, etc), but also more normal ones, like having to tell your best friend you're the undead and suppressing the unceasing desire to kill him. What We Do in the Shadows also comes in at the welcome length of just 87 minutes, but its brevity doesn't come at the expense of jokes. It's packed with laughs, both visual and scripted, as well as offering a decent dose of improv (a common trait for mockumentaries). There's also more than a bit of horror and gore (so much so that with minimal tweaking this could easily have been reshaped as a solid B-grade scary film), yet there's no fear of fear thanks to the unbroken procession of gags. If this is lazy filmmaking, then bring on the trackies and couch surfing, because it suits us just fine. Check out Concrete Playground NZ's interview with Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Cv568AzZ-i8
Located in the heart of the CBD along Collins Street, EARL Canteen knows how to craft a simple yet scrumptious sandwich. Its egg and watercress sandwich a particular winner. It's like the egg and mayo sandwich you grew up carting to school in your lunchbox, but made by Melbourne chefs with locally sourced ingredients for your more refined adult palate. Think free-range eggs, housemade mayonnaise and watercress between slices of wholemeal sourdough. It's as flavourful and creamy as ever, and healthier than most lunchtime choices you could make. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Sandwiches in Melbourne for 2023
Lee Ranaldo, one of the founding members of Sonic Youth, is performing some exclusive shows around Australia, and Melbourne is lucky enough to play host. Performing with his own band to promote his new album, Between the Times and the Tides, Lee is in the country as part of the Melbourne Festival. Hailed as one of the seminal musicians of his generation, Ranaldo was a pioneer for alternative indie-rock with his unique guitar playing and song writing ability. After stepping out on his own, he has collaborated with many notable musicians for his latest solo album, and is bringing his songs to Australian audiences. Supported by local veterans, We All Want To, this show is not to be missed, if only for the fact that Ranaldo is one of the greatest guitar players of the past two decades and is an incredible song writer in his own right.
They say humans only use 10 percent of their brain capacity. Of course, 'they' are idiots, because even someone operating at just 10 percent would be able to plug that persistent non-fact into Google and discover: it's utter rubbish. Speaking of rubbish, Lucy — the new film by French director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Professional — opens this week. Here's the gist: Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) is a no-hope American student in China who ingests a new party drug that inexplicably boosts her brain capacity from 1 percent to 20 percent. The initial symptoms include: pain, inverted roof crawling and the (again inexplicable) immediate development of expertise in martial arts, small arms fire and quantum mechanics. She also gets shot and doesn't care. Kids: stay in school, because — apparently — smart people don't feel bullets. With her now enhanced brain, Lucy concludes she'll need more of the drug to stay alive and hence comes to blows with the Korean drug baron determined to instead spread it on the streets. And...that's...pretty much it. Lucy gets smarter, drug baron gets stabbier and the police remain phenomenally absent and/or ineffectual. Lucy begins by posing a question to the audience: "Life was given to us a billion years ago. What have we done with it?" 89 minutes later it concludes in a similar fashion: "Life was given to us a billion years ago. Now you know what to do with it". Wrong. Seriously, I've no idea what the message of this film was. Assuming it wasn't 'take drugs', then it could only have been the line driven by Morgan Freeman's philosopher character Professor Norman: that people with knowledge should pass it on. However, that's already what we do as humans, so actually, we've not learned anything from this film at all. The concept of wildly enhanced cerebral activity is an excellent one, and was similarly explored in 2011's Limitless. However, neither it nor Lucy felt confident enough to let the science or ethics of the issue be the sole focus. Both kept the chemistry to a minimum and instead padded their scenes with periodic action sequences and flashy special effects. It's precisely what Dustin Hoffman was referring to several years ago when he publicly bemoaned the lack of intelligent science fiction films and called for smarter scripts. The irony of movies like Lucy is that studios believe the only way to ensure box office success for stories about intelligence is to dumb them down to an almost unintelligible level. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MVt32qoyhi0
Chef Jerry Mai has been bringing Melburnians top-notch Vietnamese food for years now. She's responsible for the upmarket eats at Annam and casual CBD diners Pho Nom. It's no surprise her restaurants are so good (and popular), having cut her teeth at the likes of Gingerboy and Longrain, as well as London' s Zuma and Michelin-starred Nahm. As of August 1, Mai will be launching her latest venture: Bia Hoi. It'll pay homage to the beer halls of Vietnam, which pour fresh, locally produced brews — just like this new restaurant will. The 100-seat venue is set to open at The Glen's new outdoor dining precinct and will offer Vietnamese bar bites, a daily happy hour and bottomless brunch. The beer list will feature both local and Vietnamese brands, including Dandenong's Kaiju! Beer and Seaford's Mr Banks Brewing Co, along with 333, Bia Hanoi and Saigon Special. Apart from all the brews, there will Vietnamese-inspired cocktails and over 20 wines on offer, primarily sourced locally from small-batch producers like Billy Button, Pinemount and Cloak & Dagger. Head in from 5–7pm daily, when you'll find $4 pots and $6 wines during happy hour. [caption id="attachment_730158" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Render by Architects EAT[/caption] For eats, there will be bar snacks like crispy pork skin, house-made salted peanuts and dried squid, along with a range of rice paper rolls and skewers. The space will also include four barbecue tables, where guests to grill their own meats and build their own rice paper rolls — among the options are wagyu beef and shellfish, served with sauces, herbs, salads and rice noodles. On those cooler winter nights, you'll be able to opt for a 'steamboat': large hot pots for groups of two to four. Choose from the hot and sour canh chua, made with tamarind and pineapple broth and served with barramundi, prawns, rice noodles and greens; or the beef pho steamboat with wagyu sirloin, brisket, beef balls and rice noodles. If you want to try a bit of everything, stop in during the Sunday bottomless brunch. For $55 per person, you'll be treated to two hours of all-you-can-eat snacks — delivered by yum cha-style roving trolleys — along with unlimited beer, wine, mimosas and spritzes. You can enjoy this unlimited eats and drinks in either the large dining room, the U-shaped bar or the outdoor beer garden. Designers Architects EAT are responsible for this multi-space fit-out, which will include colourful hanging lanterns and old wooden shutters, plus red brick walls, rattan and terracotta finishes and concrete floors. Bia Hoi will open on Thursday, August 1 at The Glen, 235 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley. Opening hours will be 11am–late daily, with happy hour 5–7pm each day and bottomless brunch 11am–3pm on Sundays. Images: Architects EAT
Brunch and karaoke. They may seem like an unlikely pair, but if there's one company that's going to combine them well, it's Funlab. The group responsible for Holey Moley and adults-only arcade bars Archie Brothers and B. Lucky & Sons, is bringing together mimosas and 'My Sharona' at its 70s-themed karaoke joint Juke's. Located inside the Crown Complex, this one trades pinball machines and golf clubs for a psychedelic colour scheme, plenty of mirrors and mirrorballs, and decor that'll make you want to bust out your flares and big hair. Oh, and plenty of 70s bangers as well. Now, it's adding bottomless brunches to its repertoire, too. Running every Saturday and Sunday until April 11, the singing, drinking and eating sessions run for two hours and will set you back $50 a pop — which gets you quite a lot. As well as a cocktail on arrival (either a bloody mary or a mimosa), you'll get two hours of karaoke, two hours of endless beer, wine and cider, and food. To eat, you'll get burgers, mini hotdogs, chips and tater tots, with vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options available. The latter definitely veers more into lunch territory than breakfast, but you're also singing karaoke before sunset — all rules have already been broken. You do need a minimum of six people to partake — so, start rounding up your mates now. Bottomless karaoke brunch sessions run from 12–2pm and 3–5pm and can be booked by calling (03) 9070 5373.
If you're loving what they've been dishing up at Frank Camorra's Bar Tini, you can now recreate some of the magic at home, with the addition of a new Spanish wine and produce shop inside the Hosier Lane tapas bar. It's a bricks-and-mortar version of the chef's online retail offering Alimentaria, which launched last year, stocked with a selection of his favourite Spanish wines and artisan products. While you'll still be able to browse the range online and have goodies delivered to your doorstep, visitors to Bar Tini will now have the option of picking up gourmet supplies on their way home from work, or after that lunchtime tapas session. The selection features plenty of products used throughout Bar Tini's own menu, including tinned sardines and anchovies — that are hard to find elsewhere in Australia — artisanal jamón, and a solid range of imported Spanish wines, from the Aguila Picaro tempranillo to the Cucu verdejo. Pop in for a montadito and sherry at the bar, and leave with a little piece of Spain in your shopping bag. Find Bar Tini and its new retail offering at 3-5 Hosier Lane, Melbourne.
Victoria's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And it's just in time, too. To save Melburnians from these blustery days, they'll be churning out 31 hot chocolate flavours over 31 days. This year, the festival will be run across two locations: the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie in Bellbrae. Eight different flavours will be served up each day, so make sure you plan your visit(s) carefully as to not miss out on the best. Fan favourite flavours like triple chocolate brownie and Nutella will return to this year's menu, along with the more adventurous likes of Mad Camper — made with smoked dark chocolate and charcoal ice-cream — Ohh La La, which is served with a mini almond croissant, and an insect-spiked Jiminy Cricket. All limited edition hot chocolates will be served with an extra shot of hot couverture chocolate and a giant handcrafted marshmallow. Some of the highlights will arrive topped with edible bugs, exploding choc balls and edible drinking cups — the perfect antidote to any winter blues. The chocolateries together creates over 6000 hot chocolates per year, so newcomers can trust they know their way around this winter-warmer. If exploring the festival and enjoying all the free chocolate tastings isn't enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, you can also book into a 45-minute tasting session at both the Yarra Valley and Great Ocean Road stores. For $20 you'll be able to sample eight hot chocolates and make three of your own 'hot chocolate spoons' from over 50 ingredients to take home. The Hot Chocolate Festival will run daily from 9am–5pm, August 1–31 at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie, 1200 Great Ocean Road, Bellbrae, and the Yarra Valley Chocolateire, 35 Old Healesville Road, Yarra Glen.
If you are looking for your next date night or outing with friends, Chadstone – The Fashion Capital's latest entertainment offering could be your answer. Dreamweaver will be hitting the retail mecca from September 15 to October 1 and features a series of free and unique events and immersive experiences. Adding to Chadstone's retail, dining and entertainment offerings — including its new precinct The Social Quarter which serves up kidult fun with Funlab favourites like Strike Bowling, Holey Moley and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq — Dreamweaver presents yet another reason to visit the shopping mecca. You'll be spoilt for choice if you're here to unleash your playful side. Stroll outside Tiffany & Co. and discover the Dream Wall — a towering digital light-art wall that reacts to gestures or movements. This is brought to life at the three after-dark live dance performances from 4pm every Friday and Saturday night during the festival. Not to be outdone by dazzling performances, mirror infinity boxes will be outside Target. You can put your head inside these infinity boxes, see endless reflections of yourself, and be dazzled by lights and the patterns your reflections make. Your mate can snap a photo of the kaleidoscopic creation from a window at the side of the infinity box. So whether you're looking for something different, something for your kids during the school holidays or you want to add a little bit of dazzling dreamwork into your night out with mates, put Dreamweaver in your diaries. Dreamweaver at Chadstone – The Fashion Capital runs from Friday, September 15 until Sunday, October 1. For further details on the events in the schedule, head to the Chadstone website.
Feeling poorly? A wee bit under the weather? Then strap on your straight jacket and check yourself into The Asylum. For three terrifying nights only, Ormond Hall on St Kilda Road will be transformed into a haunted house on steroids, complete with sadistic surgeons, murderous matrons and maniacs around every corner. Enter at your peril. Visitors to The Asylum will be guided down the corridors of one of Australia’s oldest insane asylums. Tickets cost $25 (or $20 if you’re a student) and should be booked in advance, particularly if you’re planning on visiting after midnight. Dressing up is encouraged, naturally, although make sure you wear appropriate footwear — just in case you have to run for your life. Those of you not too traumatised by the experience will be able to kick on at The Village Bar adjacent to Ormond Hall, where they’ll be serving food and Halloween cocktails long into the night.
Fancy stepping into the mind of iconic artist Salvador Dali? For a one-month period early next year, you'll simply need to head to Perth's Fringe World festival. Between January 18 and February 17, 2019, the annual event will play host to a world-first exhibition dedicated to the great surrealist master — complete with more than 200 of Dali's works on display. Timed to mark the 30th anniversary of the artist's passing and taking place over four levels, Dali Land will boast his drawings, sculptures, photography, films, installations, graphics and more as part of a program that both highlights his work and pays tribute to Dali in a broader sense. The virtual reality experience Dreams of Dali will also make the trip, taking viewers into the painting Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet's "Angelus" in an immersive piece that's usually on display at the Salvador Dali museum in Florida in the US. Other highlights include a second exhibition called Unconscious Contemporary, which showcases works from both early surrealist artists and their contemporary counterparts, as well as Dada Cinema, which'll screen surrealist films. The list of names featured across both is hefty, with Jean Cocteau, Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Man Ray, The Crow filmmaker Alex Proyas and photographer Thor Engelstad all included. A lineup of live events and performances will also tip their hat to Dali, such as a surrealist-themed ball, a gig by Lily Allen, theatrical show Dali After Dark by Briefs and degustations dubbed 'Dali Dinners'. And, there'll also be 'surreal cocktails' at the late-night rooftop salon bar — which sounds a bit like a case of attaching the word 'surreal' to everything in the exhibition, but in a space that'll also feature live music, magic, burlesque and comedy. Dali Land comes to Perth as part of Fringe World, exhibiting at the former Metro City site at 146 Roe Street, Northbridge from January 18–February 17, 2019. For more information, visit www.dali-land.com.
As if the shorter days and cooler evenings weren't already reasons enough to turn to comfort foods, these strange times are causing us to do so now more than ever. And up there with the ultimate belly-warming bites are those from Taco Bell. The Tex-Mex giant now boasts two stores in Melbourne, so if you're a big fan of Mexican-inspired food, chances are you've already started to make your way through its extensive menu. And, in some very good news, you can keep the flavour fiesta going while stuck at home in isolation. Yep, Taco Bell has teamed up with Menulog to offer free delivery for a limited time from its South Yarra and Hawthorn outposts. That means you and your housemates can get stuck into its signature tacos, cheesy quesadillas and the fan favourite Crunchwrap Supreme, which is stuffed with your choice of meat, nacho cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato and crunchy tostada shell, without being stung with delivery fees. And don't worry if you live alone or nobody else is hungry as there's no minimum spend — not that we'd judge you for ordering all of those tasty items mentioned above solo anyway. So, if you're all tucked up in your blanket burrito and suddenly get a craving for an actual burrito, you can stay cosy and warm inside your home while the food comes to you. All you need to do is head to Menulog and find out the closest Taco Bell store to you to place your order. Not within the delivery radius? The stores are still open and offering contactless takeaway. Taco Bell is offering free delivery across Melbourne via Menulog with no minimum spend for a limited time only. To place your order, head here. https://youtu.be/kaqlWl0DKxM
This year has been a real doozy. For us, one of the toughest parts of 2020 is missing out on live gigs, especially in the form of music festivals. It'll still be a while before Australia (and the rest of the world, for that matter) gets its festival groove back, but that doesn't mean you can't get those festival vibes into your life in other ways. We've teamed up with our fun-loving mates at Bacardi to help you do just that. Here are seven fun things you can do to throw your own mini festival at home. Think dance-inducing tunes, DIY glitter stations, epic decor and summery rum cocktails aplenty. All you have to do is figure out who's on the guest list, then get cracking. [caption id="attachment_790477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] PICK A FUN THEME Like any good party, your festival should have a theme. You could go for the simple dress code option, whether that's donning fun, fruit shirts, bad hats, neon ballgowns, 80s disco or chic The Great Gatsby-style threads. Or, take things up a notch and make your festival's overall vibe specific to a well-known festival and do your best to emulate its atmosphere. Go for the colourful masquerade of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, boho chic looks of Coachella or make it an EDM-style bash like Belgium's Tomorrowland. Then, there's the all-out rave in the same vein of Barcelona's Sónar. And, you should work in one Aussie festival for good measure, too — our pick is Meredith Festival. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to avoid cultural appropriation as you go all out and have fun with it. DECK OUT YOUR SPACE Next, deck out every corner of your space, giving each area a different purpose and feel. Try out rooms based around different music genres. One room could be electronica, another indie pop or R&B, one deep house and even a dedicated 90s den playing nostalgic tunes. But, music isn't the only reason we venture around the world for festivals, with some of the best multi-day parties having many other drawcards — think installation art, group-based activities and breakaway areas with things like outdoor cinemas and karaoke stages. So, work in some of these elements to ensure you're the master of a well-rounded mini fest, offering something for everyone. Be sure to balance it out, so there are both high energy and chilled out spaces to choose from. STREAM DANCE-INDUCING DJ ACTS No festival is complete without a stellar music lineup. While you exactly can't fly in the likes of Four Tet, Lizzo or Tame Impala for your at-home affair, you can still get some epic tunes blaring through your speakers — from streaming live gigs to revisiting old festival sets and whacking on a dance-worthy playlist. First up, check out Boiler Room, which offers heaps of sets from the world's top DJs via its Youtube channel. Think Aussie artist Flume, Canadian electronic songwriter Jessy Lanza, lauded British DJ Ross from Friends and Korean-American electro artist Yaeji, who also recently released her new mixtape in a session called Yaeji in Place, which is also worth a spin. For more Aussie content, there's Newtown Festival and Splendour-inspired Spotify playlists you can queue up. Create that multi-stage experience and build energy by setting up different streams in each of your themed rooms and move from emerging artists to big-name headliners just like the festivals do. Most importantly, though, make sure these acts will get your crew on the dance floor. WHIP UP NOSTALGIC PARTY SNACKS Your festival will need to have party snacks and there's nothing like having all of your nostalgic favourites in one place. That means party pies and mini sausage rolls galore. If you want to go fancy, ditch the frozen stuff and make your own. If you have a barbie, a pack of snags never hurts, either, and you could also chargrill some corn. Don't forget the fairy bread, chilli popcorn, cabanossi sticks and even jelly that's beem moulded into a fun shape while you're at it. We recommend you prepare to serve your eats at different intervals, so your guests can snack from the arvo well into the night. SET UP A DIY GLITTER STATION We've all been there, covering ourselves in as much glitter as possible when heading to a rave. After all, getting dressed up is part of all the festival fun. If you're not afraid to find sparkles scattered around your house for months to come, then give your guests the chance to up their look at a DIY glitter station. Order some biodegradable eco-glitter online, so you can rest easy that your partying ways don't impact the planet. Your DIY glitter station can have other makeup and accessories, too, like fun hair clips, hilarious sunnies, DIY lanyards and glitzy costume jewellery. Get glammed up, put the final touches on your look and get ready to party. [caption id="attachment_786187" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] SHAKE UP A SUMMERY RUM COCKTAIL One of the best things about hosting a festival at home is that you can serve any booze you fancy — and there won't be any overpriced, mediocre wine and beer at your mini fest, either. To really add to the party atmosphere, shake up a summery cocktail for the day. One of our favourites is a spiced piña colada. Simply shake up Bacardi Spiced, fresh pineapple and coconut water over some ice. It's sure to put all of your guests in the festive mood and it's also super easy to make. You can check out more fun rum cocktails over here if you're planning on making a few. Tip: an ice sculpture is always a fun thing to add to your punch bowl. HOST A POST-PARTY YOGA SESSION The day after a festival is always tough. You've had little sleep, your limbs are sore and, worst of all, the fun's over. To lighten the mood, host a post-party yoga session. Roll out the mats and deck out your space like a mini yoga studio. Choose a spot with bright, natural sunlight, put on some calming music and burn some incense. Unless you or one of your mates are a budding yogi, we suggest following Yoga with Adriene. Her chilled-out disposition makes her one of the best online yoga instructors out there. And she even has classes titled yoga for hangovers, yoga to calm your nerves and yoga for when you feel dead inside. You're sure to find something that will perfectly suit the post-festival mood. Do what moves you this summer thanks to the fun-loving folks at Bacardi. Once you've thrown your own epic mini fest, check out Bacardi's competition, where you and 20 mates could win the chance to attend Australia's smallest music festival. Top image: Mushroom Creative House
Fitzroy's Rose St Artists' Market has been teaming up with the Heide Museum of Modern Art for regular instalments of the Heide Makers' Market for almost two years now. And, as 2019 pulls to a close, it's time to make tracks to the museum-market hybrid once more. Taking over the lush surrounds of the gallery's sculpture park, it'll showcase over 120 stallholders selling handmade goods, across art and design, jewellery and homewares. Basically, all the things that make for good Christmas gifts. You can chat one-on-one with stall holders, or just saunter through the gallery's grounds with a cup of coffee in hand. If you're looking for something to do that afternoon, the gallery is exhibiting an interactive virtual reality exhibition from New York-based visual artist Jess Johnson and Wellington animator Simon Ward.
Once again, Melbourne's late summer openair cinema will occupy hallowed turf, with a pop-up cinema on the pitch at the MCG. Taking over the iconic sporting arena for the final weekend of summer, Cinema at the 'G will showcase a pair of feel-good films under the stars. On Friday, February 23, they're screening Wonder, the heartstring-tugging, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay-starring film that spreads a worth message about kindness. The following evening it's back onto the grass both on and off the screen with Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans, bringing a different type of football to the iconic stadium. The venue might seat 100,000 on grand final day, but only 2000 tickets are available for each night of cinema. Ticketholders can bring picnic blankets, pillows and snacks, or munch on food available for purchase on-site. Doors open at 6.30pm for an 8.30pm start, and proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Bank of Melbourne Neighbourhood Fund, which in turns supports an array of Victorian charities.
If you've got to the point in life where your local Thai place is saved in your favourites, they know your order and you don't even bother changing out of your daggy trackies to go pick it up, congrats. You, lounge dweller, are living your best life. But there is an alternate life you could be living, involving less humdrum routine and more exploring; it's the life of stepping out and trying new things. Say "it's not you, it's me" to your usual Wednesday pad see ew and start making a list of what the city has to offer that's new and exciting. We'll even give you a headstart — we've pulled together a list of restaurants that opened in the last few months around Melbourne to try on your next night out. From top-notch noodle joints to a Mexican-inspired pizzeria and tequila bar, if Melbourne's restaurant scene was a dating app, you would never stop swiping. So, start now.
Have you ever promised yourself an ice-cold beer at the pub as motivation to workout? Well, the minds behind The Beer Run are on the same wavelength. They are quite literally combining brews with a five-kilometre fun run that stops at five Melbourne breweries along the way. And, because they're doing it in October, they're theming it after Oktoberfest. The run will kick off at noon on Sunday, October 13, making its way between yet-to-be-announced Melbourne breweries . Punters will enjoy a beer at each location before running on to the next, with the whole event expected to take around two to three hours. The $55 ticket price includes the five brews, a novelty medal and a numbered bib for the run. Tickets are on sale now — and given that the last Melbourne events sold rather quickly, you'd be best to get in quick.
There are very few faces as synonymous with Australian cinema as that of actor David Gulpilil. From his 1971 breakout in Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout to his recent collaborations with arthouse filmmaker Rolf de Heer, Gulpilil's career is full of unforgettable performances, many of which represent turning points for the depiction of Indigenous Australians on screen. His third and most recent film with de Heer marks the last part in a loose thematic trilogy — one that began with The Tracker in 2002 and continued with Ten Canoes four years later. But while those films dealt with Aboriginal history, Charlie's Country takes place in the present. It's also one of Gulpilil's first major film projects since his incarceration for assault in 2011; de Heer visited him in prison so they could work together on the script. It's perhaps for these two reasons in particular that the film feels so resoundingly authentic. Gulpilil's Charlie resides on an Indigenous settlement in Arnhem Land, the very same territory that his kinsmen have lived in for generations. But the truth is the land is no longer theirs. Charlie enjoys a genial relationship with the entirely white police force, yet differences in culture seem to make run-ins almost inevitable. When the cops confiscate his shotgun and destroy a lovingly made hunting spear, Charlie decides he's had enough. And so the ageing Charlie goes trekking into the bush, intent on living as his ancestors did before the first white settlers. For a time he's successful. He hunts, and paints, and sleeps in a makeshift hut. But then comes the rain and with it a sad realisation: the way of life he wants to return to is one that no longer exists. De Heer's slow narrative defies traditional arcing, the rewarding if occasionally directionless sense of realism enhanced by his naturalistic camerawork. The film's grim depiction of certain sections of the Indigenous community may put some viewers in mind of Warwick Thornton's Samson and Delilah. At times the film can be similarly difficult to watch, although on the whole it's much less unpleasant. Indeed, a warm sense of humour, particularly in the early scenes, puts harsher moments into relief. Gulpilil looks far older than his 61 years, but as Charlie he may never have been better — he's just taken home a best actor award at Cannes for it. It's a performance loaded with understated feeling, one that's obviously informed by a wealth of personal experience. His very face tells a story, about a country, its people, and its cultural and cinematic history. What a wonderful piece of acting in a likewise remarkable film. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ly8_7Su4m4c
Looking for your next weekend getaway? There's no need to leave your four-legged fur baby at home anymore: Pullman Melbourne on the Park has just opened a dedicated pet suite dubbed Paws on the Park. One of the hotel's signature suites has been turned into a pet paradise, including doggy room service, a private courtyard, grass mat and kennel. It's designed for guests and the owners of guests. Pullman's Pet Suite is both cat- and dog-friendly, plus, 10% of all bookings will also be going to the Lost Dog's Home, which is a lovely touch. "We are constantly looking for ways to expand our offering to make our guests' experience more enjoyable, and what better way than being able to bring your pet on holiday with you?" Pullman GM Stephan Leroy says. "We have extended our five-star service to cater to the needs of both pets and their owners, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay for all." Pullman has even teamed up with pet accessory brand, Gummi, to produce a Paws on the Park capsule collection. The range is free for all guests and includes co-branded tote bags and doggy treats, poo bags and a frisbee to take home. There's also a bunch of Pullman X Gummi gear in the room, which you can borrow during your stay. Food-wise, your pet can settle in with room service items like Unleashed Puparazzi — diced, cooked Australian beef fillet with mixed veggies and braised barley or the Pawfectly Healthy, a mix of poached chicken with oats, olive oil, spinach and egg. They also offer a human room service menu, you'll be relieved to hear. It's fair to say, if you're the sort of person who enjoys pet-related puns of the 'pawfect' variety, Pullan's Pet Suite is right up your alley. You can make Pet Suite bookings directly through the Pullman website from June 25, but there's also a special Open Day on June 24, which anyone can attend for free. Paw-some activities are guaranteed. Images: supplied.
It has not been a good month for controversial bike sharing service oBike. First, it was announced that the ill-fated bikes were vanishing off the streets of Melbourne. Now, the Singapore-based company has announced via Facebook and its app it will no longer be Singapore-based, stopping operations in the city on Monday, June 25, 2018. oBike was launched in Singapore a little over a year ago — in January 2017 — but faced difficulties meeting the requirements of the city's Land Transport Council. The council passed new laws in March 2018 requiring bike-sharing operators to register for new licences that regulated fleet size. Regulations were the reason the service pulled out of Melbourne, too, as the company was unable to comply with new guidelines imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, in which abandoned bikes blocking streets for more than two hours would prompt $3000 fines. There are also reports flooding social media that oBike is refusing to return deposits ($49 in Singapore and $69 in Australia), with some users saying the refund button has disappeared altogether and others saying that the deposits have been converted into subscriptions. If this affects you, a Consumer Affairs Victoria spokesperson recommends "consumers should first contact the business to seek a resolution. If the business does not resolve the issue, and a credit card was used for payment, the consumer can contact their bank or credit card provider for a chargeback." There's no word yet on whether the infamous yellow bikes will be leaving Sydney, with the oBike's recent announcement stating, "this decision will not affect oBike's operations in anyway in countries outside of Singapore". The company is still promoting its new rewards for parking responsibly and in designated parking spots in Sydney via Facebook. We'll continue to update the story as further announcements are made.
The design festival kicks off on March 14 and will see creatives from Melbourne and around the world showcase and discuss their ideas which this year focus around the question: how can design shape the future? Now in its third year, Melbourne Design Week has a reputation to live up to – one that only seems to be growing both in scope and ingenuity. In 2019, its biggest year yet, standout exhibitions, talks, and tours are showing an exciting tilt towards sustainable design while maintaining art-focused exhibitions like the immersive Sensory Experiments. With panels such as Toxic City? Symposium, exhibitions like Welcome to Wasteland, and informative conversations from the Waterfront: Reconnecting with Birrarung series, it's apparent that Melbourne Design Week will drive home the message that design is about much more than what meets the eye — it's laying the groundwork for a promising and sustainable future.
Man of the moment Matt Bax is fresh from opening his cocktail concept bar Bar Exuberante and ready to teach you a thing or two about mixology at this Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Essentials Masterclass. For an hour on Saturday, March 7 Matt Bax is yours, and he'll teach you how to make a killer cocktail. Remember, this is the guy who started Der Raum; he's a cocktail legend (and all-round interesting dude), so come with a few questions ready. Can't promise that he'll teach you how to make that Hot Cold Pina Colada, but you can damn well ask. Image credit: Carmen Zammit
If a drive down St Kilda Road is part of your daily commute, you could soon be pushed to opt for pedal power instead, as the Labor Government announces plans to ban cars from the two centre lanes of the perpetually busy, inner-city strip. If re-elected in November, the Andrews Labor Government has its sights set on boosting cyclist safety along the notoriously dangerous road, with plans to install two different bike lanes. One would see St Kilda Road's existing middle lanes, next to the tram, transformed into a cyclist 'safety zone', running from St Kilda Junction up to Linlithgow Avenue, across from the NGV. The second kind, riffing on the bike lanes used in Copenhagen, would run kerbside from the Junction to Carlisle Street, with a physical barrier protecting cyclists from cars. The proposed $27 million project seems like a big win for the pedalling population, given 196 crashes involving a pedestrian or cyclist occurred on St Kilda Road between 2000 and 2015, and that the stretch has purportedly played host to more reported doorings than anywhere else in the state. Labor is also promising minimal impact on those who prefer to stick to four wheels, confirming that clearways, in place during peak time, would allow for three lanes of car traffic. If the project goes ahead, it's slated for completion by 2025, coinciding with the opening of Melbourne's new metro tunnels.
Take a nod to one of Melbourne's first public houses, add hospitality legend Andrew McConnell and the team behind Gimlet, shake well over ice and serve — that's the recipe behind Apollo Inn, the CBD's newest cocktail bar. Apollo Inn occupies the ground floor of McDonald House at 165 Flinders Lane: a neo-Renaissance-style building that dates all the way back to 1924. Just the sort of heritage you want for a classic, moody European cocktail lounge. The name 'Apollo' is a nod to one of Melbourne's first public houses, located on the corner of Flinders Lane and Russell Street, where Gimlet now sits. This place is technically Gimlet's little sister, and you can see the team's fingerprints all over it. For example, ACME, the Sydney-based design firm that handled Gimlet's dining room, were called back to help with Apollo Inn. Still, the two venues aren't quite the same. Gimlet often feels light and airy, like a brasserie. Apollo Inn is going more for that underground, triple-distilled, wood-panelled, High Society vibe. The bar seats just 28 patrons, which keeps everything feeling intimate, and Gimlet's bar manager, Cameron Parish, is moving across the oversee the transition. As you'd expect from the latest venue in McConnell's Trader House portfolio, the attention to detail is bang-on, from the leather-studded front doors to the paper-topped table lamps. "We're excited to dedicate such a beautiful, intimate space to the refinement of great spirits," says McConnell. "It's a singular focus at Apollo Inn; to ensure that what's in the glass and on the plate are delicious and benchmark." Drinks-wise, you can expect wines by the glass and bottle, curated by Trader House beverage director Leanne Altmann, plus signature cocktails like the Lucien Gaudin, which combines gin, Campari, dry vermouth and Grand Marnier. Martinis come in four speeds: dry, dirty, Gibson (with the obligatory pickled onion), and café. Apollo Inn is more about booze than food, but there will be a stripped-back menu featuring snacks and small plates, designed to match whatever's in your glass. Expect prawn and spanner crab club sandwiches, raw tuna with cured sobrasada, or old-school classics like beef carpaccio. The menu is designed for snacking rather than feasting. Everything bite-sized, spiked with big flavours like anchovy and truffle. The perfect nightcap before calling an Uber. Following the success of other old-world Melbourne venues like Trinket and Bar Margaux, Apollo Inn looks like it's been time-warped straight out of 1956. And that's just fine by us. Lock it in for your next date night. Apollo Inn is now open at 165 Flinders Lane, every day from 5pm to 1am. Bookings can be made via the Apollo Inn website but walk-ins are encouraged. Images: Earl Carter
It's long lived up to its name as one of the west's most respected live music haunts, but Footscray's Reverence Hotel is gearing up to call last drinks, set to shut its doors for good in March 2019. Owners, Matt and Melanie Bodiam, took to Facebook in November to deliver the blow to the pub's many fans, thanking everyone who's supported their venture in its impressive six and a half years of life. Unable to secure another long-term lease on the site and with the current month-to-month operations putting a damper on any long-term plans, they've announced Saturday, March 2 as The Reverence's last hurrah. "Looking back we are really proud of our achievements, the community that has congregated, and the memories that have been made are immense," the owners say in the post. "What we've created here has far surpassed our expectations!" https://www.facebook.com/reverencehotel/posts/1333743773434885 As well as giving a shout out to the community, past and present staff, and all who'd given help and support, the owners hinted that the venue won't be going out without a sufficient bang. A massive 14 gigs will take place over the pub's last three weeks of operation, with a lot of regulars coming in to see it off, including Melbourne faves The Smith Street Band and locals Camp Cope. A few shows have already sold out, so make sure you snap up some tix for one last gig at the Rev. And keep an eye on the Facebook page for details around the final on Saturday, March 2 — it's set to be an all-timer. REVERENCE HOTEL FINAL GIGS Thursday, February 21 — Space Junk, Wicked City, Claws and Organs + Shane and the Dog Hunts Friday, February 22 — Hard Aches, Nothing Really, Premium Cable + Yo Lande (SOLD OUT) Saturday, February 23 — Camp Cope with Drmngnow + Hexdebt (SOLD OUT) Saturday, February 23 — Mount Defiance, Squid Fishing, Luke Seymoup + Eaglemont Sunday, February 24 — Wil Wagner and the Dead Salesmen Duo Tuesday, February 26 — Secret (TBC) + Taco Tuesday Wednesday, February 27 — Foxing + trivia Thursday, February 28 — Pridelands, The Gloom in the Corner, Caution: Thieves + Setmeonfire Friday, March 1 — Post Truth, Extinct Exist, Fourteen Nights at Sea, Diploid + Excircling Sea Saturday, March 2 — Secret (TBC) The Reverence Hotel is located at 28 Napier Street, Footscray. It will close its doors for the final time on March 2, 2019. Updated: February 19, 2019.
Ever wanted to nom on Louis XIV? Feast on Emperor Jing Zong? Connoisseur ice cream have taken some royal cues with their brand new dessert line: the Connoisseur 'Empire Collection'. An epic thematic stretch (but a tasty-sounding one we can raise a spoon to), the collection is inspired by historical figures or 'tastemakers' who supposedly "had a connection to the very origins of ice cream," according to the Connoisseur team. Though the historic heavyweights' connection to ice cream is somewhat vague (and annoyingly they're all dudes), we're not ones to say nay to academic dessert. Kicking off the all-star historic lineup is Emperor Nero, embodied in coffee-flavoured ice cream (because Italy) littered with chocolate-coated hazelnuts and hazelnut liqueur. In between all that tyrannic ruling, fire-starting and attempting to assassinate his own mother, the Roman Emperor apparently used to have ice brought from the mountains and top it with fruit. What a decadent ass. Next up, King Louis XIV trots in with a French vanilla ice cream (der) with chocolate flakes and armagnac sauce worthy of Versailles. Iced desserts were served at the court of the 'Sun King', so he makes the cut. The origins of ice cream are sometimes credited to the Chinese Song Dynasty, leading to our next ice cream inspirer Emperor Jing Zong — realised as red bean and toasted coconut. Finally, King Cyrus of Persia gets his own iced confection, with pistachio ice cream swirled with cinnamon, honey and date sauce. The Persians have a strong connection to the history of ice cream; they'd apparently pour grape juice over snow, making a kind of ancient snow cone. Royally-inspired ice cream needs some pretty packaging, so Connoisseur have enlisted the help of Melbourne street artist Steve Cross. "It’s a tale of four men, connected by ice cream and I really wanted to bring them to life through the packaging and design to create something truly unique,” says Cross. "I was inspired both by the ingredients used and the historic figures with their rich back stories. It’s a great acknowledgment to history, bringing these legends alive today — a beautiful demonstration of the blending of two eras.” You can check out the four flavours in the freezer section at Coles and Woolies for your less-than-Ben and Jerry's price of $7.99. The Connoisseur team are also pushing the collection further, with a one-week exhibition at Blank Space in Surry Hills: The Empire Collection Pop-Up Gallery (September 17 - 22). Couldn't have thrown in one female figure, guys? Queens dig ice cream too.
Plans for the renewal of Fishermans Bend have been in the works for a while now, but just exactly what it is all going to look like has been uncertain. However, the Victorian Government has just released a new framework for the new suburb, and it provides the most fleshed-out vision for it yet. If you're not familiar with Fishermans Bend, that's because you probably haven't had much reason to give it a visit. As you can see from the map below, it's the space of land below South Melbourne and sandwiched between Port Melbourne and the Yarra. To the south, it's accessible from Yarraville over the West Gate. At the moment, it's largely industrial — but the Andrews Government plans to turn the 480-hectare site into a brand new suburb, complete with residential housing, commercial buildings, new schools, community centres and plenty of green open space by 2050. According to the Government's newly released Fishermans Bend Framework, when developed, 80,000 people will live in the suburb and the same amount will work there. Labor is calling it Australia's largest urban renewal project. This new framework completely reworks the previous Liberal Government's rezoning of the area, capping building heights in an attempt to stop the suburb from becoming overdeveloped. To complement this, the Andrews Government has worked a considerable amount of parks and public spaces into its plan — apparently the open space will add up to the equivalent of 60 MCGs. It will also require all new builds to include at least six percent of affordable housing. The plan is for the suburb to be largely car-free, with residents and workers using bike lanes, walking tracks and public transport instead. While the framework does mention future tram and train connections, these don't appear to be fully worked in with current transport plans yet. For this all to go ahead, the Andrews Government will have to win at next month's state election. If it does, it will then work with the community and council to develop precinct plans, with the view for the first drafts to be released to the public in the first half of 2019. You can find all the documents and more info — and have your say on the renewal — here.
Feeling a little frosty? Can't find the motivation to leave your couch? Huddled under every blanket in your house? No, you're not just particularly susceptible to the wintry season — the mercury is plummeting, and Australia's east coast capitals look set to endure their coldest weekend of 2018. In fact, according to Weatherzone, Sydney hit just 6.2 degrees early today — which is the frostiest morning it has had so far this year. Suburbs such as Richmond and Penrith dropped even further, down to -2.2 degrees and 0.4 degrees. In other parts of New South Wales, records that have stood for decades are falling, with Dubbo's low of -5.8 marking the regional town's coldest night for a whopping 78 years. In Queensland, it's a similar situation. Brisbane Times reports that Brisbane has indeed just shivered through its coldest morning of 2018, with temperatures dipping to 6.7 degrees. That's just chillier than the previous coldest morning of the year, with the city hitting 6.9 degrees back on June 16. Elsewhere across the state, areas such as Applethorpe, Amberley and Toowoomba experienced their iciest climes in several years. For Victoria, widespread frost was predicted across the state by the Bureau of Meteorology, with temperatures dropping to 4.4 degrees in Melbourne and 2.4 degrees at the airport. The city didn't reach the low of three degrees that was forecast, however, which would've made it the coldest morning of the year. Alas, the colder temperatures aren't going anywhere for a few days — News.com.au reports that the east coast will be rather chilly until Monday. BOM's forecasts have Sydney hitting lows of five degrees on Sunday morning and then four degrees on Monday (with maximums of 17 and 18 respectively); Melbourne wavering between five and 13 on Sunday; and Brisbane will get down to six degrees again on Sunday as well. Via news.com.au / Brisbane Times / Weatherzone.
This post is presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan. There's plenty of fun to be had in this city each week, but there's only a small handful of truly fresh urban adventures to be had. We've partnered with Toyota to bring you a series showcasing the very best of these shiny-new experiences in Melbourne. Presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan, these are our picks to put you on the road to a lifetime of goodtimes. Now your only challenge is getting to them all. This week we recommend you visit Texas, Louisiana and New Orleans without getting on a plane; discover the significance of Cuban baseball; and make friends with a contrarian Hungarian. Eat: Le Bon Ton Le Bon Ton, from the American brothers behind Chignon, is the latest to jump on the southern-style bandwagon. As soon as you step inside you'll be hit with the smell of the meat smoker that lives in the courtyard, supplying luxuriously tender beef, pork and sausages. The meat is smoked as if in Texas, fish is prepared with thoughts of the Louisiana Gulf Coast, and there's an underlying ode to the French-influenced city of New Orleans. There's a sophisticated authenticity here that other venues lack. Also a saloon, cocktail bar and absinthe house — with a 24-hour license, no less — Le Bon Ton is a real all-rounder. 51 Gipps Street, Collingwood Drink: Los Barbudos Think Cuba. Loud, warm, filled with rum and bound to result in good times. This small space boasts a wall of framed pictures which make you feel as though you've stepped into a place rich of history, and the bar is stocked to the brim with great booze. Well-known rum cocktails like the mojito ($10) and the daiquiri ($16) mix in with others like the Nacional ($16) or the Amor y Sabor, a combination of kaffir lime leaf, guava, rum, campari and lime ($16). Baseball is the theme here — staff are decked out in outfits reminiscent of baller uniforms, harking back to baseball's popularity in Cuba and the fact that members of Castro's army were once invited to a Havana Sugar Kings game. These men were called barbudos — the bearded ones. Hence the name of the venue. 95 Smith Street, Collingwood See: Neighbourhood Watch Neighbourhood Watch, the newest production from the Melbourne Theatre Company, is first and foremost a character study. Firstly, there's Catherine (Megan Holloway), a struggling young actress and altogether flimsy stereotype of the troubled millennial. Then Ana (Robyn Nevin), a headstrong Hungarian migrant who lives alone with her ravenous German Shepherd, Bella, after surviving a World War and outliving two husbands. No prizes for guessing who steals the show. Based on a real-life friendship of the playwright, Lally Katz, this endearing story is a masterful creation of unlikely friendship and strong character. Nevin's bittersweet and fierce portrayal of Ana is undeniable — a show unto itself. March 17 - April 26; The Sumner, Southbank Theatre, 140 Southbank Boulevard Do: Meet the Makers When curator Bernadette Alibrando travelled to New York in 2006, she discovered an amazing non-profit organisation, TOAST, that started discussions between emerging artists and the general public. Meet the Makers is a Melbourne version of that same event. From March 27-30, artists from Fitzroy and Collingwood are inviting you into their studios and working spaces to talk about art, free of charge. A simple booking via email gets you a VIP ticket into the heart of spaces like Strange Neighbour, Fehily Contemporary and SLOPES to talk to makers as diverse as iPad artist Rebecca Jones and stencil painter Ha Ha. Discover some new and exciting work straight from the source. March 27 - 30; Various locations around Fitzroy and Collingwood
There's more to going to the movies than just seeing the flicks that fill megaplexes, as Australia's thriving film festival scene demonstrates. The country's third-largest capital city might've just been robbed of its major annual cinema showcase, but our love of films beyond the mainstream can't be thwarted that easily. As far as Hollywood's addition to the movie-making fold is concerned, that's where the American Essentials Film Festival comes in. Founded in 2016 as a way to fill select Aussie cinemas with the kind of US titles that don't usually make it to our shores, the touring festival returns for its second run with another lineup of noteworthy inclusions — 31 films and 20 Aussie premieres, in fact. Making its way around the country between May 9 and 28, complete with runs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide, the fest kicks off with an Oscar-nominated performance, boasts a documentary dedicated to a talent who makes films (and TV shows) like no one else, and features everyone from Greta Gerwig (twice!) to Australia's own Bond to Ewan McGregor jumping behind the camera. Prepare for a busy movie-viewing month. Fresh from earning a nod for best original screenplay at this year's Academy Awards — and garnering lead actress Annette Bening a Golden Globe nomination, too — 20th Century Women will get the festival started, marking writer/director Mike Mills' first movie since 2010's Beginners. Bening stars as a mother coping with the fact her son is growing up, and calling in pals played by Gerwig and Elle Fanning to help. As promised, Gerwig also features in Todd Solondz's Wiener-Dog, which comes to the fest after having its Australian premiere at last year's Sydney Underground Film Festival. Also on the bill, and impeccably timed given that the third season of Twin Peaks starts airing during May, is highly anticipated doco David Lynch: The Art Life, while docudrama Becoming Bond keeps the factual fun going by delving into the Aussie that once played oo7. American Pastoral is the aforementioned McGregor's first stint as a director; California Dreams explores the real folks trying to make it in LA, La La Land-style; G-Funk dives into the style of hip hop started by Warren G, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg; and 2016 Cannes hit The Transformation follows a 14-year-old who thinks he's a vampire. As well as highlighting new flicks, with Are We Not Cats' magical realism and Detour's crime thrills also on offer, American Essentials shines a spotlight on classic titles in its Masters & Masterpieces retrospective. That's where audiences can watch Lynch's inimitable debut Eraserhead for its 4oth anniversary, as well as his 2001 standout Mulholland Drive — plus the Carrie Fisher-written Postcards on the Edge; Andy Warhol's Bad, which is the last film the artist produced before his death; and a Charles Bukowski double of doco You Never Had It: An Evening with Bukowski alongside the semi-autobiographical, Mickey Rourke-starring 1987 favourite Barfly. The American Essentials Film Festival tours Australia from May 9, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from May 9 to 24; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth and The Astor Theatre from May 11 to 24; and Brisbane's Palace Centro from May 17 to 28. For more information, visit the festival website.
Rejoice, fans of excellent television, fried food and pop culture-themed pop-ups alike — Los Pollos Hermanos is coming to Sydney. Ever since the TV-viewing world was first introduced to Gus Fring's fast food chain, every fried chicken fiend has been hankering for a piece of their juicy poultry. Yes, we all know that it's a fictional chicken empire in a television show, but Breaking Bad was just that damn addictive. With Los Pollos Hermanos' head honcho once again crossing paths with Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) in the third season of ace Breaking Bad prequel spin-off Better Call Saul, subscription streaming video provider Stan is making everyone's dreams come true with two days of chicken goodness. The pop-up will take over Potts Point's Thirsty Bird for lunch and dinner on April 11 and 12 — and it that's not that's not exciting enough, good ol' poultry-cooking, drug baron Gustavo himself, aka actor Giancarlo Esposito, will be there. Is everything to your satisfaction? It's the event we've all been waiting for since the idea that Los Pollos Hermanos could actually become a real-life restaurant first came up, and it's timed to coincide with Better Call Saul's season three premiere on April 11. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their very best Better Call Saul-themed outfit, so expect to see plenty of pretend dodgy lawyers around. No word yet if anything blue will be on the menu. Find the Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up at Thirsty Bird, Shop 3, 2-14 Bayswater Road, Potts Point from 11.30am-3.00pm and 5.00pm-8.30pm on April 11 and 12. For more information, check out the event Facebook page. Image: Robert Trachtenberg/AMC/Sony Pictures Television. Copyright: © 2017 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In the last couple of years there has been a noticeable rise in businesses starting up that are looking to help more than just themselves. In fact, it’s estimated that there are 20,000 social enterprise organisations currently running in Australia. An important thing to note with social enterprise is that these are not charity organisations; they often work with charities to distribute their profits but are not one themselves. What they offer is a product, something that consumers actually want and can use, and they reinvest the profits from said product in ways that create a social impact. Some social enterprises are also interested in giving opportunities to those who need it most, in the form of employment or skills building. If you’re keen on helping others and receiving a great product at the same time, may we suggest you direct your dollars towards these guys. One Night Stand Sleepwear In 2011 Jamie Green was having a little trouble with a cafe he owned, which led to some uncertainty about his next move and where he was going to sleep at night. From that experience One Night Stand sleepwear, a social enterprise business directed to help youth homelessness, was born. “I knew that I wanted my next venture to address social issues, and my experiences with being young and having unstable living arrangements made me super passionate about issues surrounding youth homelessness, so it just made sense!” says Green. Their products include everything from oversized boyfriend T-shirts to sleep in to socks covered in cute prints and pillowcases with ‘I’m Cactus’ scrawled over them. One Night Stand works with charity partners such as Open Family's Chatterbox bus service to distribute meals to youth sleeping rough. One Night Stand has attracted a young following, which is exactly who Jamie wants to engage, “I'm excited about the unique opportunity One Night Stand has in shifting consumer mindsets for young people,” says Green. Who Gives a Crap Toilet Paper Toilet paper is a totally obvious necessity that we don’t think twice about, except when we need to pick up a few rolls from the supermarket. But when Simon Griffiths, Jehan Ratnatunga and Danny Alexander learned that 2.5 billion people don’t have access to a toilet, they took matter into their own hands. Who Gives a Crap sells eco-friendly, 100 percent recycled toilet paper online, and they donate 50 percent of their profits to WaterAid to build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. “On average, every roll sold provides someone in need with access to a toilet for one week,” explains chief operating officer James Castles. “We've turned a mundane, everyday product into a powerful force for social good that is changing lives, one crappy pun at a time!” Dear Gladys Vintage Clothing Located in Melbourne, Dear Gladys is a vintage clothing and accessory shop owned and operated by the good people behind Fitted for Work, a not-for-profit organisation that raises money for disadvantaged women and helps them re-enter the workforce. “We help transform the lives of women experiencing disadvantage by providing them with the skills and confidence to get work and keep it through our various client programs,” says retail manager of Dear Gladys Mel Westwood. Fitted For Work also works with The Conscious Closet Sale, on at the end of every month in Melbourne’s CBD. Dear Gladys sells a range of vintage clothing and accessories from '50s formal dresses to more modern pieces. All proceeds from Dear Gladys go to Fitted For Work. “Guilt free shopping for a great cause! What more could a girl want!” says Westwood. Also Check Out: The Social Studio is a fashion school, a designer clothing label, a cafe, and a community space. It is also a social enterprise that provides support to new migrant and refugee communities in the form of clothing production, retail and hospitality, and encourages young people to follow their aspirations. Great clothes, great coffee — get down to Collingwood sharpish. Thankyou Water, Food and Body Care When a grotesque amount of the world’s population does not have access to clean water, and Australia alone spends $600 billion on the bottled water industry, it’s pretty clear something isn’t adding up. “We set out to start a bottled water company that would exist solely to give all profits to safe water access projects in developing nations,” says managing director and cofounder Daniel Flynn. “There were already so many fantastic charities doing great work, so we thought that instead of starting another charity, we’d start a social enterprise and partner with those charities to implement high quality projects.” Thankyou has also launched a food range and body care range to tackle the issues around food aid and hygiene in disadvantaged areas. To date, Thankyou has funded safe water access for 90,368 people, health and hygiene training for 87,765 people and short-term food aid and long-term food solutions for 15,216 people (and it no longer funds the evangelical group that landed it in trouble last year). "It's about educating and empowering consumers that they can make a difference, one product at a time," explains Flynn. Also check out: Free Is Better water may not strictly be a social enterprise, but giving bottled water away for free benefits anyone and everyone. On top of that, the bottles are oxo-biodegradable, 100 percent recyclable and made from recycled materials. Free Is Better water is also about to be distributed internationally. Huzza! Shebeen Shebeen is more than just a banging bar/cafe with an excellent band room to boot; it’s also a non-profit business. They focus on selling exotic wines and beers from developing countries, with 100 percent of the profits being donated to seven different beneficiary partners located in these areas. For example, drinking an Ethiopian beer at Shebeen supports farmers in rural Ethiopia, and buying a glass of South African wine supports education projects in KwaZulu-Natal. “We wanted to show that it is possible to run a business focussed on doing something good instead of just creating profit for the business owners," explains Shebeen’s director Simon Griffiths. Yes, that's the same guy involved with Who Gives a Crap. “Our hope was that Shebeen would challenge consumers to think a little bit deeper about what it means to be both buying things and engaging in philanthropy, and challenge business owners to think about different ways to run their business.” That’s one way to guarantee feeling great after a night out. Also check ut: STREAT cafes in Melbourne are doing great work with youth homelessness and disadvantage. They assist young people who have been living on the street or are at risk of being on the street and offer a supported pathway to long-term employment. Put this one on your list of places to pop into on your lunch break.
This is the only place in Australia you can dive headfirst into the French chic of A.P.C. Well-respected purveyors of stylish yet work-appropriate clothing, A.P.C. are a leading designer for both men and women. Plus, they collaborated with Kanye. So that's something. While only distributed through concept stores like Incu in the past, Melbourne's QV space is A.P.C.'s only dedicated store in Australia. Stocked to the brim with navy knits and iconic horizontal stripes, this is the place to go if you've ever wanted to look like a lead in a Jean-Luc Godard film.
Last year — much to the delight of Bayside locals — the team behind St Kilda East's perennially popular Hank Marvin Market launched a second market site in Brighton. Now, it's moved to a new permanent home just a suburb over in Sandringham. Running weekly from April 7, Hank Marvin 2.0 is destined to be one of Sandringham's new go-to Sunday sessions, dishing up a smorgasbord of eats, drinks, shopping and entertainment every week from 9am till 3pm. Here, punters young, old and canine can expect the same sort of winning weekend formula that's earned the original such a cult following. Living up to its name — Hank Marvin is a play on British Cockney slang for 'starving' — there'll be a globe-trotting lineup of culinary delights, with everything from bao, waffles, momos, yakiroti, American barbecue and vegan Indian snacks on the menu. Artisanal food stalls, slinging everything from gluten-free cakes to hot sauce, will sit alongside those selling homewares and plants. There'll be coffee from the likes of Hallelujah Coffee to fuel your day, plus fresh-pressed juices and a pop-up bar stocked with craft beers and ciders. And while the littlies get stuck into some face-painting, grown-ups can kick back with a burger, a brew and some tunes served up by the day's selection of local DJs. Images: Shara Henderson.
Carlton, coffee and cocktails. A fearsome combo that viral cafe Good Measure nails. During the daylight hours, this Lygon Street space plays host to those in search of the precious bean juice, but when the sun sets, it trades coffee for cocktails. The best news? There's no "best time" to see it firsthand, with both faces being equally strong. If you visit during the day, be prepared to face a line. Many patrons are likely to be lining up for one particular specialty treat: Mont Blanc. This coffee is filtered, iced, served in a tumbler, and a far cry from Melbourne's typically bougie coffee until it gets its ceiling of fresh cream and a dusting of orange zest and nutmeg on top. Grab that and a pastry, a spiced, sweet cinnamon babka, a slice of cheesecake or a thick sando to go. When darkness descends, the warm timber interiors trade sunlight for lamplight and flick into bar mode, with as many delicious menu entries as there are during the day. Instead of Mont Blanc, you could grab an Irish Coffee with Archie Rose Double Malt, ice-filter coffee, black sugar, cream and tonka bean. Not a coffee fan? Explore the seasonal cocktail menu instead, the range of sake or a simple glass of Guinness. The menu still includes sandwiches, but there are also bar snacks aplenty, including the extremely popular crispy chicken skins with chilli crisp mayo, kimchi fries with cheese sauce and chicken tenders with house ranch.
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. But visitors to the Chippendale space between now and Sunday, August 1 can expect a particularly luminous experience, with its latest eye-catching multimedia exhibition centred around the wonders of light. Showcasing works from 30 artists, Lumen's lineup stretches from interactive light pieces and frozen copper sculptures to video projections and rooms full of LEDs. As well as grabbing attention, each work on display uses light in a thought-provoking, awe-inspiring or fully immersive fashion. The boundary-pushing Zhang Peili, dubbed the father of video art in China, is displaying 2012 Portraits, a series of 14 portraits in which the both the subject and the viewer are blinded by light. Or, there's Yao Chung-Han's DzDz, which invites the audience to stand under movement-sensitive beams of light and create music by using their bodies. And, thanks to Wu Daxin's Ashley's Heart, you'll see copper tubes suspended in the shape of a heart and gradually frozen over the course of the day, creating a unique ice sculpture. [caption id="attachment_807673" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LUXURYLOGICO, Miniature, 2015, stainless steel, copper rods, LED lights, computer 207 x 576 x 168 cm[/caption] Art collective Luxury Logico is presenting two works as part of the exhibition. The first is Solar, a twinkling representation of the sun created using donated desk lamps — while the second, Miniature, is one of the exhibition's showstoppers. The display of LED lights draws upon images from a video reel, with each LED corresponding to a pixel. Both vivid and architectural in its appearance, the work is designed to remind viewers of celestial bodies in the sky, all while cycling through everything from reality TV and ads to soap operas and Adam Sandler movies. Lumen is running over all four levels of the White Rabbit Gallery. As usual with the site's exhibitions, entry is free and there are no bookings, so folks can just rock up and enjoy the art. And, free guided tours are available at 11am, 1pm and 3pm Wednesday–Sunday. [caption id="attachment_807667" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cong Lingqi, Dust 2, 2008, plastic, paint, metal, spotlights, dimensions variable[/caption] Lumen is on display at White Rabbit Gallery, 20 Balfour Street, Chippendale, until Sunday, August 1 — open from 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday. Top image: Miniature by Luxury Logico.
Bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to our own bayside suburb of Sandringham, Baia Di Vino is Melbourne's newest beachfront wining and dining destination. Regardless of the weather, this shoreline gem channels balmy Amalfi Coast sunsets and laidback holiday sessions, sporting a warm fitout of rattan and exposed timber by Samantha Eades Design. Big arched windows overlook the ocean, while an impressive marble bar boasts front-and-centre kitchen-side seating. From that kitchen comes a coastal-inspired menu packed full of modern European flair. Local produce shines through in considered dishes like fried sardines matched with fennel cream and an orange emulsion, as well as seared duck breast with butternut pumpkin and nerone rice. Plenty of plates make a hero of ocean-fresh ingredients, like the Brodetto Di Pesce, featuring scampi, king prawn, Cloudy Bay clams, Port Arlington mussels, scallops and squid in an aromatic prawn broth. Living up to its name, which translates to 'wine bay', Baia di Vino also boasts a carefully curated wine offering, showcasing drops from across Italy and greater Europe, alongside European grape varieties from some top Aussie producers. A Coravin system means you can sample some premium international pours by the glass, perhaps alongside elegant small plates like the duck and foie gras terrine, or veal-stuffed ascolana crumbed olives. And come home time, there's an onsite wine store replete with yet more Euro treats. Images: Jake Roden
Long considered one of Melbourne's go-to steak destinations, The Station Hotel sure knows how to make a good piece of meat shine. And that also means the kitchen's got the goods when a proper Sunday roast is on the cards. Hit this gorgeous heritage pub in Footscray from 12pm each week and enjoy one of the ten varieties of steak on offer — split into grass fed or grain fed options. Oysters, parmas, burgers, risottos and fish and chips also make an appearance, for those wanting other traditional pub offerings. Wash it all down with a long list of regularly rotating Aussie beers and wines — or some top shelf spirits — to have the ultimate Melbourne pub experience at Footscray's Station Hotel. Appears in: The Best Pubs in Melbourne for 2023
With a swag of Aussie outposts under its belt and over 1500 stores worldwide, Gong Cha is something of a bubble tea veteran. This one's named after an ancient Chinese phrase describing the act of offering tea to the Emperor — fitting, given its menu features a whole kingdom's worth of crafty tea drinks. Fruit fiends will find themselves tempted by fusions like the mango and fresh milk tea loaded with mango-flavoured pearls, or the passionfruit green tea sporting a thick crown of jellies and boba. Meanwhile, milk-based offerings might feature the likes of a unicorn-hued strawberry taro tea, a layered oat milk tea dense with toppings, or a sticky brown sugar milk blend starring a healthy serve of brown sugar tapioca pearls. Gong Cha also has nearby outposts in Sunshine and at Highpoint, as well as in the CBD, Richmond and all over the southeast suburbs.
If you're in the mood for free live tunes to see out the rest of summer, simply get yourself down to Federation Square. The CBD precinct is dishing up an array of sonic treats with the return of its ever-popular music series Fed Live. This slew of free gigs kicks off on Saturday, January 21, with Aria Award-winning rockers King Stingray joined by surf-pop act The Moving Stills, Arnhem Land's Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and alt-country artist Babitha. [caption id="attachment_884407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Stingray[/caption] Next up, on Saturday, February 18, you can catch electro-pop legend Vera Blue, supported by Filipino Australian songstress Vetta Borne, indie-pop darling Gretta Ray and emerging Afropop star Jewel Owusu. Sydney-based rap star Masked Wolf helps wrap up the series on Friday, March 24, joined on the final bill by a bumper lineup of hip hop and funk acts — Big Twisty & The Funknasty, Kootsie Don, Agung Mango and Pookie included.
