The globe-trotting flavour fest that is Pint of Origin is back this 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. 2024's instalment runs from Friday, May 10–Sunday, May 19, shaking up taplists at much-loved venues like Co-Conspirators Brewpub, Terminus Hotel, The Lincoln and The Windsor Alehouse. Each drinking hole will spend 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 or even explore a rotation of UK brews at Whitehart. Also in the 21-strong lineup, Benchwarmer is spotlighting Japanese drops, Heartbreaker is slinging Canadian cold ones, and Fitzroy's Near & Far is diving into some full-blown appreciation for South Australian beers. Many of the venues are also doing guided tastings, pairing events, dinners, trivia and meet-the-brewer sessions throughout the takeover. 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
2025's Melbourne International Film Festival unveiled its initial titles in early June. A month later, the year's full program arrived with hundreds more movies on its slate, ready to play to the Victorian capital's cinephiles across 18 busy August days. Before July was out — so, well ahead of the Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 fest kicking off — Pasa Faho had already sold out every one of its MIFF sessions, becoming the first film to do so this year. Igbo Australian filmmaker Kalu Oji's debut feature deserves that warm, hearty, enthusiastic embrace; it offers the same to the Adelaide-born writer/director and visual artist's own community, thoughtfully and tenderly so. Pasa Faho shot "over a year and a half ago now, and it feels like it's been quite a long time since we've been in the real thick of the project", Oji tells Concrete Playground; however, Melbourne's response to the world-premiere screenings of the movie, sellouts included, "brings a whole new life to your relationship with the film". He continues: "as soon as it's out in the world and the audience embraces it and becomes part of that process, it's a reinvigoration of all those feelings and all that excitement that was so rich and so present a little while ago". Oji has channelled his own passion into a feature that sprang from him wanting to ask questions — a picture that moulds his queries into a father-son story, an exploration of African Australian life, an unpacking of family structures as well as communities, a musing on what it means to be an Igbo man today, an examination of expectations and clashes around them, an interrogation of straddling two cultures, and more. As it tells of Melbourne shoe salesman Azubuike (Nigerian stand-up comedian Okey Bakassi, Bank Alert) and his 12-year-old son Obinna (Tyson Palmer, Young Rock), Pasa Faho steps into their relationship, and also the existences of those around them, in a heartfelt yet equally clear-eyed manner. The film's title, a play on words stemming from "parts of a whole", is a clue to its emotional journey and tone. Two changes shake up Azubuike's routine: Obinna's move from interstate, which is initially cause for elation more on the former's part than the latter's; and the discovery that the store that Azubuike manages is being sold to developers. Oji's protagonist is caught, then, between trying to provide a solid foundation for his child, including fighting for the job, the paycheque and the proudly hardworking sense of himself that he believes is pivotal to that life, and being able to spend time and be open with Obinna — and between his perspective and ideals, as shaped by his upbringing far from Australia, and the experience of a son whose childhood couldn't be more different. Pasa Faho also spreads its focus to Amaka (first-timer Laureta Idika Uduma), Azubuike's sister and Obinna's aunt, and her tale of sacrifice to do what's expected — and to Yorgos (Kostas Makrygiannakis, The Slap), aka Bogo, the septuagenarian European florist whose own store adjacent to Azubuike's is equally under threat. And, it sees Azubuike's colleague Yrsa (Tardif Hélène, The Industry), a friend impacted by the impending building sale. In its sights as well: Nigerian preacher Edward (fellow newcomer Idika Mba Uduma), too, as he balances his ambitions with his responsibilities as a leader in Melbourne's Igbo community. Oji's filmmaking journey began at the Victorian College of the Arts, with his 2019 graduate film Blackwood making its way to the likes of Palm Springs Shortfest and the BFI London Film Festival, and winning awards at Flickerfest and the Atlanta Film Festival. 2021's The Moon and Me was acquired by San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora, while 2023's What's in a Name? picked up another Flickerfest accolade, plus the Craft Award at Sydney Film Festival. Each is "an essential part of series of steps" leading him to Pasa Faho, he explains. "They gave me experience in terms of being on set, and how I like to direct actors and direct, and what I find works when I've got a vision or an idea — and how I get close to that or 'if I do X and I get Y, do I like Y and would I apply that to my practice?'. And there's all those practical tools and practical experiences I think it gave me as a director." "And then mentally and emotionally — I guess energetically — how I like to be on set and the kind of environment I want to make films in, and the kind of space I want to create on the set. It gave me a very firm idea of that that we took into the feature film. And tonally, stylistically, I think if you watch the short films we made from Blackwood, they're all different stories but I think you'll see they're all very, very, very similar-ish tonally. I think that those years of making those shorts helped me find my style, helped me find the things I'm interested in — even though it's ever-changing — and helped me find the tools and the lens that I wanted to approach Pasa Faho through." That Paso Faho is personal, and also intimate — that it brings an insight into the Melbourne's Igbo community, too — was always key. Did that come with a sense of responsibility for Oji? "Many, many hands helped make this film, and many minds went toward what you see on-screen. And I think there is a responsibility for sure, and as a writer, as a director, I lead that in some way and I carry that," he notes. "But working in collaboration, I think, is always the best way to do justice to those ideas." What it means for this Melbourne-set and movie to have world-premiered in Melbourne, the questions that the film arose from, fleshing out the narrative from there, key elements that were always part of the filmmaker's vision for the feature, the consultation and casting processes: we also discussed all of the above and more with Oji. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MIFF (@melbfilmfest) On the Significance of Premiering the Melbourne-Set and -Made Paso Faho in Melbourne "The crew had been working together for quite a long time, and we've built somewhat of a film family over the last nearly a decade now. I think so many of the people that have supported that journey and have made it possible for us to continue that journey are here in this city, and in our families and our communities and all those circles. So I think to be able to launch the film with everyone who's made it possible for us to even be at this point feels like a blessing. It feels really really appropriate." On Pasa Faho Springing From Wanting to Ask Questions "I had started writing the script in 2020, towards the end of 2020. And I've made quite a number of shorts, and been wanting to step into the feature filmmaking space — while being aware and listening to what people were telling me in terms of 'it could take five, ten, 15, 20 years to get a film up'. So when I sat down to start writing, I was looking at 'what are the themes, what is the material that is most present in my mind that I feel like I'm going to be wanting to explore if it takes as long as it takes?'. And so for me, that's the place I started writing from. In terms of the questions and what I was wanting to explore in the film, obviously it's a world that's very, very close to me and characters that are very, very close to me. And I think a lot of the time, I think I've often felt — and this is for Azubuike, Obinna, Amaka, Bogo, for all these people, for all the characters that existed in my mind — I guess it was me wanting to go behind the curtains of these people's minds. I think these are characters, and the problems the characters face in the film are problems, that I've felt like I've seen versions of from the outside. And I think the film was me wanting to understand what's behind all of that, and what does that weight feel like, and what does that joy feel like? It was me wanting to understand these characters." On Fleshing Out the Film's Narrative From Those Initial Queries "I think it started, the way I wrote this film, I wrote a vomit draft and then refined it from there. I think the vomit draft was much more themes and ideas and character-based, and probably less of a plot. I think once I had those pieces, and once I became aware that 'okay, I'm wanting to explore fatherhood; I'm wanting to explore the relationship between a father and a son, and when you have these two people who look at the world through two different lenses; I'm wanting to explore expectation and the pressures, and the familial pressures that a character like Amaka receives whether directly or indirectly; I'm wanting to explore regret and how one comes to terms with decisions that they would have made differently in the past through the character of Bogo'; I'm wanting to explore religion, with the church and the church's relationship with my community, with the Nigerian community, and this relationship between church and land and ownership and all those things — once I had all those ingredients on the page in some way, I think I began to look for a thread and look for a plot that allowed me to speak about them. And, to explore them in the way I want to explore them, while also being very aware — and becoming more aware for our production as well — that I'm wanting to make a piece that is entertaining. And it's got twists and it's got turns, and there's stakes. And for an audience, it's not purely just an observational character piece, but it's a plot that the audience dig their teeth into as well." On Making a Work of Fiction That's Also a Very Personal Film — for Oji and for the Community "It's tricky. I think because you're not writing from a completely blank slate, it takes a very conscious effort to try to shake off any reservations or baggage that comes from these characters being abstractions of things that are really close to you in real life. And I think that work is a lot more active and conscious and tricky than if you're writing characters that are completely distant from you. So I think I probably felt that most in the development phase." On Pasa Faho Being Both Deeply Specific and Also Universally Relatable "In terms of making a film that felt it was very, very specific, while at the same time feeling universal, I think on the surface it's about a father and a son, and a father undergoing this set of trials and this reckoning which pushes him to ask questions about how he relates to his son, and brings them closer or further together — and I think that relationship between parent and child is inherently relatable. Everyone has had or has a parent, and lots of us also have children. So I think that, whether you set this story in the Igbo Nigerian community here in Melbourne, whether you set it in the Polish community in Warsaw, you set it wherever in South Africa, I think there's a relatability that is embedded in the exploration of that relationship." On Whether There Were Specific Elements About Being an Igbo Man in Melbourne Today and Straddling Two Different Cultures That Oji Wanted to Explore and Convey in the Film "Yeah, big, big time. I think a lot it, I wanted to capture this pressure that I feel like is often felt almost universally by people who are in the diaspora, and more specifically people who have been born and raised on the continent and moved abroad, especially moved to 'the west' — but the pressure that comes along with finding yourself in that position. You never exist in isolation. You're never just living for yourself. And that's a beautiful thing. And the fact that community and family and all those values are held so strongly in a culture such as ours, such as Igbo culture, is a beautiful thing. But there's also a lot of pressure that comes along with that, especially financially. And the weight of that pressure, I think, is often not talked about. I think there's an expectation you often just keep your head down and you move forward. I think those sacrifices that people also find themselves in — a character like Amaka, who, in another life, maybe she wanted to be a zookeeper or a painter or a football player or whatever she wanted to do. Someone in her position, you have very limited options in terms of what you're expected to do. And to feel the way that she feels in the film, it's a taboo thing. It's unspoken. So I definitely wanted to explore that. And I also very much wanted to capture the push and pull of being in a country like Australia, with your roots of family in Nigeria, and trying to raise a child in your shadow or in your values — where Nigeria and Australia are very, very different places, and it's hard when you have a child that is raised to look at the world through one certain way, but you've never had that lens or that vision because you were raised to look at a world in a very different kind of way. There can be a lot of tension in that experience, and I want to capture that." On Consulting and Engaging with Melbourne's Igbo Community to Help Shape Pasa Faho "Yeah, yeah, 3000 percent. All throughout the process, it's quite — I've forgotten at what point in development, but quite early on. I live here and these people I've known from before they were involved in the film. But at a certain point in development, we formalised workshops and meetings and sitdowns, and especially getting that perspective — because I don't have Azubuike's perspective, and we're trying to understand him as a character. Meeting with people of that generation of men, with men of that generation with children as well, who've moved here. We wanted to get a richness and authenticity. And also, it's very much I wrote and directed the script and the seed of it came from my heart, for lack of better words, but this character is crafted to be a depiction of that experience in general. And so what came from those meetings, and what came from those sitdowns and workshops, were a lot of the details that make up the film. The tension between Obinna and Oscar, and him taking on a different name, came from an anecdote that someone had told me while just sitting down and chatting. The inner workings of his character and his pride, and I guess where he draws that line, that came from sitting down and speaking to people who have lived more of that experience than I have lived. So yeah, definitely. It was intrinsic. It was essential to making this film." On the Importance of Casting, Especially Finding the Right Azubuike and Obinna "It was massive. It was massive. And I think I'm, as a director and the way I've worked in the past, and the way I worked with this film and the way I want to work in the future even more so, it's so actor-focused. I love, I love — I might say I'm an actor's director. I love getting people involved in the process early. I love bringing a blueprint of a character to an actor and letting them take it with both hands and build them together, and they're bringing their perspective, and their whole set of experience and expertise, to that character — and together we make that person, that character, as rich as possible. So for casting it, because it was language-specific, we started our process quite early for the character of Azubuike and for the character of Amaka. And it was long and it was extensive. And we were aware that this person, especially for Azubuike, he needed to carry the film. The film relied on him and Obinna and their relationship, but especially on Azubuike. So eventually we got to a point of process where we felt it made sense to reach out to Okey, especially as he's got a lot of experience and a lot of charisma as a performer. But it was also this material, I think, was also asking him to step into a space that he frequents less so. And so we thought it was exciting, it was a bit of an exciting opportunity. And then for Tyson, it was less specific — we cast the net more broadly. He didn't need to speak the language. It wasn't language-specific. But as soon as we found Tyson throughout the process, he was great, we knew it from two minutes into the audition." On What Oji Hopes Audiences Will Leave the Cinema Thinking and Feeling About, and Having Discovered From Pasa Faho "I hope they're there for the journey. The film is a domestic film and it's drama, but it's a ride, and we've tried to craft strong characters on-screen who the audience can really settle in next to and beyond that. I hope people laugh. I hope people cry. I hope it offers a broad range of emotions. And I think I also hope it brings up feelings and thoughts for the audience's own relationships with people in their life — whether that's a parent, whether that's a child, whether that's whoever is close to them. I hope that it opens up a door to a certain tenderness that exists and is important in those relationships, but it's not always voiced. I hope that's what it brings." Pasa Faho screens at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival. MIFF 2025 runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
When you think of Melbourne's west, you might initially call to mind a series of modern, industrial images; a far cry from the gentle, ancient Chinese religion of Taoism. It may come as something of a shock, then, to learn that Footscray is in fact home to Australia's largest Taoist temple. Heavenly Queen Temple comprises a series of traditional Chinese red-brick buildings with striking golden rooftops, situated along the Maribyrnong River. Various elements have been completed and opened to the public over recent years, though construction wasn't entirely finished until 2020. The site features a breathtaking 16-metre-high statue of Mazu, the Chinese sea goddess, plus an ornate entrance gate, Chinese gardens and the main temple. There's also a drum tower and a bell tower, an exhibition and conference centre and a traditional Chinese tea house and restaurant. While it's first and foremost a place of worship, visitors and tourists are welcome. Image: Jay Hynes Photography
A magical-realist coming-of-age tale, a clear-eyed family drama, a twisty crime and detective thriller, a time capsule of Brisbane in the 80s: since first hitting the page in 2018, Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe has worn its happy flitting between different genres and tones, and constant seesawing from hope to heartbreak and back again, as confidently as readers have long envisaged Eli Bell's wide grin. That hopping and jumping, that refusal to be just one type of story and stick to a single mood, has always made sense on the page — and in the excellent seven-part Netflix adaptation that now brings Australia's fastest-selling debut novel ever to the screen from Thursday, January 11, it also couldn't feel more perfect. As played by the charmingly talented Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom), Eli's smile is indeed big. As scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Hotel Mumbai), directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas) with Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and with Dalton and Joel Edgerton (The Stranger) among the executive producers, the miniseries version of Boy Swallows Universe embraces its multitudes wholeheartedly. Like style, like substance: a semi-autobiographical novel penned by a writer and journalist who lived variations of plenty that he depicts, learned and accepted early that everyone has flaws, and patently has the imagination of someone who coped with life's hardships as a child by escaping into dreams of an existence more fanciful, Dalton's tome and every iteration that it inspires has to be many things in one bustling package. Its characters are, after all. Seeing people in general, parts of a city usually overlooked, and folks with complicated histories or who've made questionable choices — those forced in particular directions out of financial necessity, too — in more than just one fashion flutters at the centre of Boy Swallows Universe. In the Australian Book Industry Awards' 2019 Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year, and now on streaming, Eli's nearest and dearest demand it. So does the enterprising Darra-dwelling 12-year-old boy who knows how to spy the best in those he loves, but remains well-aware of their struggles. His older brother Gus (Lee Tiger Halley, The Heights) hasn't spoken since they were younger, instead drawing messages in the sky with his finger, but is as fiercely protective as elder siblings get. Doting and dedicated mum Frankie (Phoebe Tonkin, Babylon) is a recovering heroin addict with a drug dealer for a partner. And Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel, Black Snow), that mullet-wearing stepfather, cares deeply about Eli and Gus — including when Eli convinces him to let him join his deliveries. Slim Halliday (Bryan Brown, Anyone But You), the boys' sometimes babysitter and frequent source of wisdom, endured a lengthy stretch in the infamous Boggo Road Gaol for a murder that he's adamant he didn't commit. He's at peace with doing that time, but he also broke out (and he's based on an IRL person, name and all). Eli and Gus' biological father Robert (Simon Baker, Limbo) is an alcoholic and agoraphobic bookworm more comfortable with novels than people, initially estranged from his sons when Boy Swallows Universe begins, yet devoted to them in his affections. And Eli himself is all precocious charisma and keen curiosity mixed with unflinching nerve, whether being picked on at school, standing up to criminal thugs, breaking into a prison or talking his way into a job. Unsurprisingly, that's a combination that lands him in as many jams as it gets him out of. In all takes so far (the stage in 2021 among them), Boy Swallows Universe follows Eli as Lyle's illicit profession has consequences, Frankie is incarcerated and Robert re-enters his sons' lives. There's a bouncy air to the TV series as it works through its plot, with Eli doing everything that he can to make sure his mum is okay and get to the bottom of a disappearance, as continues when the show jumps forward to find him as a 17-year-old (then played by Totally Completely Fine's Zac Burgess). Again, the approach and atmosphere apes Boy Swallows Universe's protagonist, who can rarely be anywhere fast enough. This is a tale of darkness and violence — of addiction, murder, bullies, trauma, drugs, lopped-off limbs, loss, domestic assault, gang wars, jail, PTSD and fiendish plans — while also a story about working towards the best even in what seems to be the most dire of circumstances. Of course Eli keeps leaping towards brighter possibilities, then being pulled back into the shit (sometimes literally). A simple journey towards better days, this isn't, however. As its irrepressible central figure kicks around his neighbourhood, tags along with Lyle, writes letters to his prison penpal (Briggs, Get Krack!n), goes to school with a wannabe drug lord (Zachary Wan, Never Too Late) and endeavours to befriend The Courier-Mail's young star crime reporter (Sophie Wilde, Talk to Me), there's no shying away from the harsh realities surrounding Eli and almost everyone that he knows. Boy Swallows Universe doesn't revel in despair, though, but commits to seeing things as they are with no judgement — and zero traces of fatalistic certainty that nothing more will ever spring. That type of candour is as rare as spotting the areas of Brisbane that the narrative is set in on-screen. For locals, there's no mistaking that this is the River City, especially when there's no trace of Boggo Road, the Story Bridge or Brisbane City Hall in sight. Even as flying cars, red phones with mysterious voices on the line, eerie predictions and secret lairs factor into the plot, every second looks and feels lived in, turning an ace Brisbane book into an ace Brisbane-shot series. Tenderness and diligence linger in Collee's handling of Dalton's tale, and in Nalluri, Moorhouse and Mordaunt's attentiveness as directors. That said, if their efforts weren't matched by stellar casting, Boy Swallows Universe could've started to unravel the moment that it kicks off with Lyle being dragged away by nefarious heavies. The main adult cast members are superb, specifically in delivering unvarnished explorations of complex characters with a plethora of clashing — and realistic, and relatable — traits. Fimmel conveys Lyle's relentless attempts to take care of his family with both love and wildness in his every move. Tonkin is as resolute as she is adoring, while never sanding away the knocks she keeps taking. Baker turns in his second exceptional performance in the space of the year, and Brown perfects the role of a no-nonsense yet supportive mentor that it instantly seems he was born to play. Boy Swallows Universe's younger stars are equally as impressive. Expressive in their own ways — one in energy and movement, the other via quiet glances — Cameron and Halley know that they're the heart and soul of the show, and more than live up to the task. The former is missed when Eli ages up, but Burgess brings a deep-seated yearning to the part as someone who has spent his years approaching adulthood striving for so much that's constantly out of his grasp, despite still appreciating what he has. As with almost every detail seen and heard, that sense of absence when Eli gets older couldn't be more apt. This account of coping with day-to-day life at its most brutal and most fantastical doesn't only refuse to be just one thing, or stay with just one version of Eli, but wouldn't contemplate giving its audience anything other than the full emotional universe. Check out the full trailer for Boy Swallows Universe below: Boy Swallows Universe streams via Netflix from Thursday, January 11, 2024. Images: courtesy of Netflix © 2023.
Trying not to think about Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet is about to become impossible in Australia. So will getting Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' out of your head, where it's dwelled for most people since the Oscar-winning track was released in 1997. The reason: a Titanic exhibition has dropped anchor Down Under and docked at Melbourne Museum until Sunday, April 21. Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition has brought 200-plus items from the shipwreck to the Victorian capital in its Aussie trip after selling out its Paris season and also proving a hit in the US. The pieces on display were legitimately recovered from the vessel's wreck site, too, after the RMS Titanic's ill-fated voyage in April 1912 — aka the events that James Cameron (Avatar: The Way of Water) turned into the DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon)- and Winslet (Ammonite)-starring Titanic more than a quarter-century ago. For everyone bound to exclaim, "I'm the king of the world!" while walking through Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition's Australian-exclusive stop, this is the king of all Titanic exhibitions. In fact, it's the most extensive in the world. As well as seeing the genuine objects from the ship, attendees will wander through full-scale recreations of the vessel's interiors, such as the veranda cafe, first-class parlour suite and grand staircase. In addition to the recovered items and recreations of the Titanic's spaces, the exhibition will tell tales about those onboard the ship that launched its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, only to sink five days later on April 15, after hitting an iceberg. You'll be able to immerse yourself in the fateful events of that night with interactive exhibits like a touchable iceberg chilled to the temperature of the water the night of the sinking. This exploration of a tragic chapter in history will focus on passengers and crew alike while stepping through the vessel's class divisions and pondering the boat's legacy. Beyond the historical learnings, you can enjoy a Titanic-themed high tea designed by a Michelin-star chef to fully immerse yourself in the era in an elegantly designed lounge. Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition must close on Sunday, April 21. Evening sessions are also available. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Images: EMG / Alexandre Schoelcher / Eugene Hyland / Museums Victoria.
When you think of barbecuing, big backyard gatherings around the pool might spring to mind. But you no longer need lots of space to get the barbecue firing, thanks to the Weber Lumin. The compact, multi-functional barbecue is fully electric, so you can set it up in any space with a power outlet, including smaller balconies. Now that you can cook up a storm from the comfort of your apartment, you'll need some tips and tried-and-tested recipes from a pro. We've got you covered — we chatted to Weber Grill Master Laura Romeo about where her love of barbecuing started, what makes barbecuing different to other methods of cooking, her summer barbecue essentials and her advice for experimenting with recipes. [caption id="attachment_982415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] Laura's Recommended Recipes for Summer Get the festivities started with a smoky and spicy caramelised pine lime margaritas, which can be easily prepared with just pineapple, tequila, lime and a sprinkle of Tajin on the rim of the glass. Grilling the pineapple enhances the sweetness and flavour of the fruit, and also adds a touch of flair to the cocktail. Once that has your guests fired up, you can fire up the barbecue. Stay on theme with simple but fiery chorizo, prawn and lime skewers, made by preparing the skewers and then grilling it all together on the barbecue for 4–6 minutes. [caption id="attachment_982408" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] For the main course, start with a grilled zucchini, mint, labneh and pine nut salad. The labneh can be prepared an hour ahead (or even overnight), so all you'll have to do is grill the zucchini slices, caramelise the lemon and toast the pine nuts. [caption id="attachment_982406" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] To accompany the salad, prepare and shape some lamb koftas ahead of time, grill them for about ten minutes, and then serve on top of hummus with mint leaves and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. [caption id="attachment_982404" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] Where did your passion for food start, and how did you get into barbecuing specifically? My love for food started early on, right in my grandma's kitchen. Growing up, we'd often bake cookies and slices — I even perfected the pavlova by the age of ten. That continued over the years and turned into cooking for family gatherings. As I got older, I realised there was something truly unique and satisfying about cooking over a live flame. The boldness, the smokiness — it's a sensory experience that's both dynamic and personal. Barbecuing offered the perfect way to elevate my passion, combining my love of food with the art of fire and technique. What do you like most about barbecuing? There's something magical about barbecuing that goes beyond the food itself. I love how barbecuing brings people together. It's social and interactive — a time where friends and family gather outdoors, unwind and enjoy amazing food. It's versatile too. I love that you can sear, roast, bake, smoke or slow-cook to get a variety of tastes and textures, all from the same barbecue. Plus, it's addictive, because barbecuing enhances flavours in a way that other methods can't. [caption id="attachment_982402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] Why would you say it's worth getting a barbecue? How is it different from cooking on a stovetop, oven or air-fryer? A barbecue opens up a world of flavour that's hard to replicate on a stovetop or oven. The high heat and flame create that beautiful sear on steaks or crispy skin on chicken, with a smoky depth that can only come from the barbecue. Plus, barbecuing is an experience — it encourages you to be hands-on, you can disconnect from the world and allow yourself to connect with your food in a way that indoor cooking doesn't. Barbecuing can be just as convenient as a stove, oven or air-fryer, with the bonus that the flavours are deeper, more savoury, smoky, deliciously caramelised and honestly, unforgettable. What are some of your barbecuing tips for novices? For anyone new to barbecuing, I recommend starting simple. Don't overwhelm yourself with too many dishes at once. Begin with burgers or veggies, which are quick and easy to get the hang of. Also, don't skip preheating the barbecue, as it's essential for proper cooking, ensures you get that perfect sear, eliminates the food sticking and of course, encourages instant flavour. My biggest secret weapon is a meat thermometer to check for doneness, until you're comfortable with knowing the barbecue by sight and feel. If your barbecue has a lid, like most Weber barbecues, cook with it down! You get the best flavour when the lid is closed — trapping in the barbecue smoke cooks the food in a cloud of flavour, plus cooks the food quicker, too. [caption id="attachment_982416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Trezise[/caption] What are some of your summer barbecue essentials? I never head to the barbecue without my basics: a great pair of tongs, a sturdy spatula and a meat thermometer for perfect doneness every time. Salt and pepper is an easy go-to, but I do love mixing up flavours, so I also keep seasoning and rubs handy for added flavour. For the barbecue itself, I always have my Weber grill brush to give the grill a quick brush after it's preheated. Clean grills mean better-tasting food, prettier sear marks and longer-lasting equipment. Any tips for coming up with your own barbecue recipes? Start with perfecting the protein first. Just keep the seasoning simple: olive oil, salt and pepper. Once you have nailed it, then start experimenting with the flavours you love. Think about your favourite spices, herbs or marinades and consider how they might pair with different proteins or veggies. Don't be afraid to mix things up — try a new marinade or add a unique twist to a classic recipe by using seasonal ingredients. Remember, barbecue is as much about creativity as it is technique, so trust your palate and enjoy the process! What are some of your favourite features on the Lumin Barbecue? The Lumin Barbecue combines the ease of an electric barbecue with the quality Weber is known for. I love its versatility — it can smoke, sear and even steam, so you can cook a wide range of barbecue meals in a compact space. It also heats up quickly, which is perfect for those last-minute barbecue sessions. And, of course, the Lumin is an ideal option for apartment living, where gas or solid fuel barbecues are not permitted. What makes Weber products stand out? Weber is truly unmatched in durability and innovation. From the materials to the design of the cooking system, everything is built with the barbecuer's experience in mind. If you've tasted food off a Weber barbecue, you'll know that unmistakable Weber flavour. You'll find even heat distribution on every Weber barbecue, which allows you to focus more on your food rather than fussing with the flames. Plus, Weber's commitment to quality means these barbecues are an investment that last through years of family barbecues and outdoor events. Find out more about the Lumin at the Weber website.
A night out doesn't always have to cost half a paycheque. If you pick the right spot, you can get discounts and bonuses as a reward for well-planned reveries. Take The Pass, a mobile app that pays you back for purchases with credit that can be redeemed at partner venues. Which means you can enjoy savings in the long run. The app is free to download, and if you do, you will score $10 credit. Even better, it is running a spend-and-save offer during the month of October. Between Monday and Thursday each week, you can earn a $10 bonus credit when you spend $20 at select venues — which means you could earn up to $50 bonus credit this month. If you need a little inspiration on where to start spending to earn more credit? Here are our top picks. Hotel Esplanade Where better to start than an institute like The Espy? This multi-level St Kilda pub recently got a facelift that took it to new heights. The main feature is Espy Main Bar, a bustling space dedicated to casual eats and drinks, but there's also a low-key neon-lit Louey's Bar & Kitchen. Head upstairs to find Mya Tiger, a Cantonese restaurant and beyond that lies The Ghost of Alfred Felton, a lush cocktail bar dedicated to a late historic regular. There's no shortage of picks for your hard-earned credit here. Food ranges from full-plate pub classics to elegant charcuterie picks in the Main Bar to boozy yumchas at Mya Tiger. Our pick? A cocktail in the Ghost of Alfred Felton, all of which are themed on the menu in accordance with how he lived his extravagant life — as an international voyager, art collector and pharmacist. Garden State Hotel Another multi-level venue, Garden State Hotel, might have fewer years under its hat, but it occupies a space that has seen its fair share of owners and residents. In its current form, Garden State sits hundreds of people, centred around a beer garden that brings a bit of outdoors indoors thanks to greenery and a ficus tree tower. It is, at its core, a pub, but the menu also hosts a mix of produce-focused concoctions that veer a little further off the beaten pub-classic path. There are also two bars located on the premises, the basement space Rose Garden and the intimate Italian-style Tippy Tay. For The Pass users, Garden State Hotel is one of the exclusive vendors for Four Pillars Sticky Carpet Gin. App users who log on and order the spirit in shot or G&T form will get 250 points of credit added to their account. Morris House Once home to one of Melbourne's most beloved comedy clubs, Morris House is a CBD restaurant with it all. It stands as a seasonal-produce-led restaurant with terrace and rooftop bars and a historic basement comedy club that's been drawing crowds for years. The food is in the vein of European share plates in the main venue. But to reap the rewards of The Pass, we'd recommend heading upstairs to the rooftop bar. Described as an inner-city oasis, it's got its fair share of shareplates, too, but the real fun is on the drinks menu. As well as its fair share of classic cocktails, there are the likes of the frozen iced vovo margarita with blue agave tequila, curacao, coconut, lime and raspberry. Richmond Club Hotel If you're looking for a quintessentially Melbourne experience, you should check out the Richmond Club Hotel. Having stood for over a century, this pub is an institution in its own right. Don't be fooled by the historic facade — inside, you'll find a modern kit-out sprawled across three levels, including a beer garden and rooftop bar. The menu sports old-school pub classics with modern Australian fare, ranging from juicy burgers to crispy schnitties and succulent roasts. You can spend your The Pass credit on the wide range of brews on offer, including many from local and regional breweries. But if hops aren't your thing, don't worry — the bar also boasts an impressive wine list and a creative cocktail menu that's sure to please. Studley Park Boathouse Tucked away on the shores of the Yarra, this 160-year-old public boathouse has been in service for some time, but she still packs plenty of new tricks. Divided across three indoor spaces and a large outdoor area, visitors can take in some sunshine and waterfront serenity in front of a cracking meal during breakfast, lunch or dinner. On the food front, tuck into pub feeds and snack plates for lunch and dinner or even a spot of seafood, with local salt and pepper calamari alongside a 500g bucket of prawns. When it comes to using The Pass, ordering on the app during October means you can score an ice-cold Balter Cerveza for $10. The Duke of Wellington This list makes a strong argument that you can actually teach old dogs new tricks because The Duke of Wellington is Melbourne's oldest licensed pub, and you'll find it on The Pass all the same. The 160+-year-old two-storey city pub offers everything you need from your local, be it a hearty roast beef roll or a lighter serving of gin-cured salmon. The drinks menu is appropriately lengthy, with many brews available on tap and a good selection of wines across the spectrum. Cocktails are well-regarded at The Duke, so a great pick for The Pass would be a house specialty, such as the lemon meringue with vanilla vodka, Frangelico, Licor 43, lemon and sugar. Yarra Botanica Also found on the banks of the Yarra but closer to the heart of town than Studley Park, this floating bar is an exceedingly scenic spot that not only boasts multimillion-dollar views but also heroes Victorian produce and talent whenever possible. Take the pizzas. All use Aussie stoneground flour, Mount Zero pink river salt, cheese from Amore Cheese and locally sourced meats and veggies. Drinks are varied and crafty, with standout picks for The Pass users once again being cocktails. We'd recommend the Spiced Gin Bramble with Four Pillars Spiced Negroni gin, Marionette Mure, blackberry jam, honey and cinnamon. It puts credit back in your account and a dollar for every sale to protect the Yarra. Harlow Formerly The Great Britain Hotel, Harlow took the Church Street space and revamped it into an approachable, all-occasion kind of venue with a ground-floor bar and dining space, a sprawling beer garden and a basement bar. With room for 250, the dog-friendly courtyard comes decked out in festoon lighting and lively street art, with a separate entrance for those with four-legged mates in tow. The menu requires more than an empty stomach. You're bound to have a hard time choosing between heirloom schnitties, carbonara croquettes, tuna poke bowls and okonomiyaki burgers. You guessed it, keep The Pass ready, an ideal source of funds for an extra side or a cheeky cocktail like the Japanese Slipper with Midori, Cointreau, lemon and cherry. For more information on any of these venues, download The Pass app to start exploring and claim exclusive rewards across these venues.
Gambling sites are so often accused of being scummy. Confined to the cracked iPhone screens of sweaty middle-aged men watching the races, or nestled up against a footy fanatic's much-pounded Tinder app, these sites don't often conjure up images of class. But for this year's FIFA World Cup, Sportsbet have pulled out the big guns. They've called upon the classiest dude bro they could think of. They've let Jesus loose upon our skies. In a marketing stunt that seeks to mimic Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer, Sportsbet have created a hot air balloon in an arguably sacrilegious image of Jesus Christ. They've encapsulated his transcendent essence in 46 metres of gassy latex, slapped a hashtagged Socceroos jersey on him and launched him off into the atmosphere because culture or sports or betting or something. It's a move that's understandably enraged Melbourne's religious community. Director of the Australian Christian Lobby Dan Flynn has spoken out against the stunt on 3AW saying Jesus has been co-opted into endorsing gambling. "Jesus was very much for the poor and we know the effect of gambling on the poor, they take the biggest brunt of that," he said. The balloon has also been condemned by Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce, and the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne. However, Sportsbet's representatives claim the balloon is nothing more than a morale booster to get people behind the Socceroos this week. "Let’s be honest — the Socceroos need divine intervention to progress past their three group games, so the message we’re aiming to get across is that for all Aussies to keep the faith in [them]," PR manager Shaun Anderson told the Herald Sun. Sportsbet also claim they haven't received any complaints from religious groups directly. Spokesperson Matthew Campbell even went so far as to reassure readers at the Sydney Morning Herald: "We certainly don’t believe we’re being insensitive to anyone’s religious beliefs." This isn't the first time Sportsbet have been accused of insensitivity. In fact, their last controversy came only one year ago with this charming piece of good ol' Aussie animal porn. Any of the @QantasWallabies see this little guy upon landing in Melbourne today? #rootingforoz pic.twitter.com/NOei58MFNv — Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) June 23, 2013 Though today marks just the second day of flight for the holy balloon, it's already received a huge amount of attention. Not only has it faced scrutiny from those religious groups mentioned above, it's featured on the front page of mX, and made an appearance on both the Daily Mail and Wall Street Journal. How embarrassment. Despite all this, Sportsbet claim the only thing that could bring down our ever-present lord is the weather. The betting site intend to keep him airborne over Melbourne for the next couple of days before a national tour starting next week. If you weren't already having moral dilemmas with this year's World Cup, you sure as hell will now. Via Herald Sun and The Sydney Morning Herald. Photos via Sportsbet.
The duo behind Melbourne's sake brand Toji Sake, Shar and Yuta Kobayashi, brought a new taste of Japan to Richmond in 2019. The 100-seat restaurant on Swan Street is dishing up food inspired by both Australia and Japan, as well as sake cocktails. Kobayashi's Australian-Japanese roots and Chan's experience cooking Japanese fare have both influenced the menu, which focuses on izakaya-style snacks, such as yakitori, and dishes cooked on a hibachi (a Japanese charcoal grill). For yakitori, expect all the chicken parts — thigh, oyster, heart, breast — as well as leek, baby onions covered in miso and okra. Other snacks include the likes of duck gyoza with shiso and salted plum, kingfish sashimi with smoked daikon, smoked beef tartare and short ribs with chimichurri. Bigger items at Eazy Peazy might include okonomiyaki, porterhouse with wasabi, aged dashi eggplant and chicken karaage. Behind the restaurant's long concrete bar, you'll, of course, find a few Toji Sake concoctions. The brand's crisp junmai ginjo and high-grade junmai daiginjo sakes feature in a selection of cocktails, such as Aloe Peaches — with aloe vera juice, peach liqueur and cranberry — and the Shiso Crazy with shiso leaves, rum and soda. A mostly Australian wine list and a lineup of Japanese and local beers in tins, bottles and on tap round out the drinks offering. The Eazy Peazy fit-out, by award-winning Melbourne firm Carr Design, is meant to fuse traditional Japanese elements with modern touches. Think interior walls representing the rice fields of the Niigata Prefecture, a snow-like ceiling reminiscent of the Asahi mountain ranges and doors that look like raked sand in a zen garden. These elements are juxtaposed with projections of Tokyo's famed Shibuya Crossing and Japanese cartoon figurines used as handbag hooks. Images: Carly Ravenhall and Hortenzia.
The site of an old 1920s social club for workers in the CBD has reopened as a contemporary and comforting Italian restaurant. The Hardware Club, opening on Hardware Lane, is the maiden venture for childhood friends Nicola Dusi and Andrea Ceriani, who arrived in Melbourne from Verona, Italy, nine years ago. Their collective resume boasts stints at the likes of D.O.C Pizzeria, Baby Pizza, Chin Chin and +39 Pizzeria — so you know this one is going to be good. The intimate 65-seater combines elements of a neighbourhood Italian restaurant and an 80s household kitchen — homely, but refined — with marble bench tops, green banquettes, wooden tables and white tiles. A bar overlooking the laneway takes pride of place in the front space and is primed for after-work cocktails and snacks. Speaking of food, Head Chef Dusi has created a menu designed to comfort and nurture, rather than push too many boundaries. A daytime offering features small bites — think, 16-month prosciutto di Parma served with pickles, and buffalo mozzarella with lashings of olive oil — alongside classic pizzas, a handful of mains and a rotating lineup of pasta. You'll find the likes of amatriciana starring pork jowl and pecorino, seafood spaghetti and a milk bolognese rigatoni. [caption id="attachment_746955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Robenstone[/caption] Meanwhile, the dinner menu covers all the bases, running from snacks through to heartier main plates. Small plates like fried salt and pepper squid, and roasted marrow bones teamed with salsa verde make a good play for the after-work crowd, while those with bigger appetites can get stuck into dishes like an osso buco ravioli, and baked rainbow trout matched with crème fraîche and Yarra Valley roe. There's even an entire coil of Italian fennel and chilli sausage, with silverbeet and chilli oil. Sticking with the homely Italian theme, the drinks list showcases a diverse spread of Italian drops, alongside Aussie and imported brews, and a lineup of classic Italian cocktails. The upcoming summer months will be all about the negronis, Venetian-style spritzes and refreshing serves of Montenegro and tonic. Find The Hardware Club at 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne. It's open daily from 12–3pm and from 5.30pm till late. Images: Josh Robenstone. Updated: November 1, 2019.
Melbourne is in the grips of a rotisserie renaissance and it's really no wonder — that stuff is delicious. Sure, Belleville and Henrietta's have been flyers of the chook flag in recent times, but the man who started it all original rotisserie chicken pioneer Philippe Mouchel. And now he's opened a brand new restaurant on Collins Street with — you guessed it — rotisserie chicken on the menu. There's been a void in the city since Mouchel's much-loved French restaurant PM24 (and his revered rotisserie chicken) ceased to disappeared in 2014. Now he's back and throwing the doors on his new venture Philippe (you gotta be your brand, right?). Philippe is designed to be a little traditional and a little modern, with a menu chock-full of decadent French staples such as foie gras, escargot and brioche — but the real star of the menu is still the chicken. The spit method used to cook rotisserie chickens locks in juice and wraps it in a crunchy, charcoal coat. Mouchel's rotisserie consists of breast and thigh cooked two ways and served with natural jus, potatoes and mushrooms. The venue has been tszujed by Crosier Scott Architects and the reno includes a chic zinc bar with black steel shelving, leather bench seating and a lush green wall overlooking the venue. Tres chic and the perfect environment to sip some champers and slam down a hefty serve of juicy rotisserie chook.
Ever since 2025's Sydney Film Festival first started revealing its program back in March, the event was on track for a huge year. How big? By the numbers, the fest screened 242 films, and put on 448 screenings and events. Among that massive lineup of sessions, more than 150 sold out. So, it should come as no surprise that this year's SFF also made history thanks to its 150,000-plus attendees. That hefty number of folks who spent some or all of the festival's 12-day run from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 in a Sydney cinema is an 11-percent increase on 2024's attendance figure. It also makes SFF 2205 the highest-selling festival in its history. As Sydney Film Festival CEO Frances Wallace described it, "this year has been extraordinary". "It's amazing that after 72 years, the Sydney Film Festival is stronger than ever. It's a tribute to the organisers and the tens of thousands of film fans who've turned out. This festival, its fans and its filmmakers have once again created an absolute highlight in Sydney's events calendar," said New South Wales Minister for the Arts John Graham about the fest's 2025 achievement. "As the curtain falls on another unforgettable Sydney Film Festival, we look back on and celebrate the bold storytelling, diverse voices and shared cinematic journeys that lit up our screens and sparked our imaginations," added Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "I look forward to our continued partnership with the Sydney Film Festival and all that it brings to our fine city." The fest came to an end for 2025 with a closing-night gala that gave relationship comedy Splitsville its Australian premiere — and first screening anywhere beyond its Cannes debut — and announced this year's prizewinners. Receiving the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize for the most "audacious, cutting edge and courageous" movie in the fest's Official Competition: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, fresh from taking home the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, too, and with the iconic Iranian filmmaker himself in attendance in the Harbour City. That said, the event that opened with body-horror Together, gave Ari Aster's Eddington its Aussie premiere and boasted DEATH STRANDING's Hideo Kojima among its guests isn't actually quite done for 2025 so far. The official festival itself has said goodbye until 2026, but it's also screening Back By Popular Demand encore sessions between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20 at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas. Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening four days of encores via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Jafar Panahi images: Tim Levy.
These days, you won't find too many people yet to be bitten by the Melbourne plant-buying bug. If there's one thing we love, it's a dose of Mother Nature in the form of a leafy, green houseplant. And of course, that plant collection is a constant work in progress, because there is always room for one, two or seven more additions. Thankfully, Melbourne's got a mighty offering of expert-run plant nurseries that are more than happy to help fuel your obsession for all things green. Whether you're looking to jazz up your abode with some fresh plant talent, hunting the perfect pot, or in need of a spot of sound advice, here's a round-up of Melbourne plant shops worth putting on your radar. Recommended reads: The Best Bookshops in Melbourne Where to Shop Like a Local In and Around Melbourne CBD The Best Hair Salons in Melbourne
Whether you love spicy food for the taste or the thrill, Betty's Burgers is ready to reveal a limited-time offering that sits at the extreme end of the spectrum. Topped with hot sauce made from Carolina Reapers — one of the world's hottest chillis, estimated to pack 200 times more punch than your average jalapeno — the experience is so extreme, customers must first sign a waiver to bite into The Madman. But with ego-boosting food challenges no new thing, Betty's Burgers are serving up this range without the bravado. That means your order, all 1.6 million Scoville, can also come with a glass of milk and refreshing cucumbers, so you can quickly extinguish your taste buds if the heat becomes too much. "The Scoville rating speaks for itself. The waiver speaks for itself. But this isn't about proving you're the toughest person in the room. If you need milk, grab it. If you want to tap out, tap out. It's about bringing your mates and making it fun," says Betty's Burgers Head of Culinary, Jonathan Alston. Yet this hot new range is balanced by The Hot Shot, which delivers a more manageable heat. Dialling back the insane spice, this stacked burger is a more flavour-forward option that still offers a solid burn. While Betty's rates The Madman at maximum heat, featuring crispy chicken breast layered with fiery gochujang sauce and a Carolina Reaper chilli infusion, The Hot Shot skips the most fiery ingredients for a more pleasant experience, depending on your spice tolerance, of course. While people have been eating chillis since around 7000BC, extreme food challenges are a more recent invention. But new research shows that over a quarter of people now avoid food experiences designed to make people prove something. With its cooling sides, The Madman is made for fun, not a test of toughness. "Australians still crave bold flavour — they just don't want gatekeeping," says Alston. "People want to opt in, not be dared." Available at Betty's Burgers locations nationwide from Thursday, March 12–Wednesday, April 22, the Burners' range is made for experiencing with all your pals, spice-lovers or not. Just head along and sign the waiver, and trust that the built-in culinary safety net will offer up some much-needed protection from one of the world's hottest chillis. The Burners' range is available at Betty's Burgers locations nationwide from Thursday, March 12–Wednesday, April 22. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If there's one word that every film festival hopes will be used to describe the experience of watching your way through its program, it's this: discovery. Maybe you'll find your new favourite movie among its lineup. Perhaps you'll glean a fresh understanding of a particular director or actor's talents. You might see a star better known for their work on-screen blossom behind the camera. You'll also hopefully peer far beyond your own patch of the world. You could become a convert to a genre or a champion of a specific topic, too. The number of ways that sitting in a cinema can prove revealing, an unearthing and an exploration goes on. They all apply to the just-announced roster of titles for 2025's Melbourne International Film Festival — a list more than 275 flicks deep. Across Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24, MIFF is where The Chronology of Water, the feature directorial debut of Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding), will screen for the first time Down Under — and where Urchin, which notches up the same feat for Babygirl's Harris Dickinson, will as well. Both are heading to Melbourne fresh from their Cannes premieres. The Victorian capital's major annual film fest will also give the city its initial chance to see early pandemic-set western Eddington from Ari Aster (Beau Is Afraid), celebrate a music icon with the world premiere of Jimmy Barnes: Working Class Man, enjoy the full Norwegian Sex trilogy that culminated with 2025 Berlinale Golden Bear-recipient Dreams (Sex Love), get unsettled by Daisy Ridley (Cleaner)-led Australian found-footage horror We Bury the Dead, take the family to animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 based on Aussie author Aaron Blabey's books, pay tribute to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and much, much more. As it does every year, the Melbourne International Film Festival has been unveiling pieces of its 2025 lineup over the course of a month or so. Accordingly, movie lovers should already know that If I Had Legs I'd Kick You starring Rose Byrne (Physical) is the fest's opening-night pick, that Parasite composer Jung Jae-il is coming to Australia to conduct the movie's score live in an Aussie exclusive and that the Cannes Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi (No Bears) is on the lineup, too — plus The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter performed live and a heap of other titles. One film that was previously announced is Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley), but it's now just one of two of the director's features on the bill. The other: Nouvelle Vague, with the American helmer bringing the French New Wave to life. Her Smell's Alex Ross Perry is another filmmaker with two titles on the lineup. With Videoheaven, a movie essay solely comprised from movie and TV clips, he pays tribute to the video-store era — and with Pavements, he focuses on the band Pavement via an experimental blend of documentary, narrative, musical and more. The director is among MIFF's 2025 guests as well, including as a juror for its Bright Horizons award, the fest's $140,000 official competition for filmmakers that was introduced back in 2022. After Aftersun screened in the comp's debut year, its filmmaker Charlotte Wells is this year's jury president. The aforementioned Urchin and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You are in the running for 2025's Bright Horizon prize, as are the likes of Cannes hit Sound of Falling, Un Certain Regard award-winner The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, the Bangkok-set A Useful Ghost, and Matthew McConaughey (Agent Elvis)- and Kurt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters)-starring crime-thriller The Rivals of Amziah King. It isn't hard to find more standouts across the complete MIFF program, such as dramedy Sorry, Baby, which has had the film festival circuit talking since Sundance; Left-Handed Girl, with first-time director Shih-Ching Tsou boasting Anora Oscar-winner Sean Baker as her co-writer and editor; legal drama Two Prosecutors; and Kelly Reichardt's (Showing Up) Josh O'Connor (Challengers)-led The Mastermind. Others include O'Connor again in the small town-set Rebuilding, coming-of-age story Enzo from BPM (Beats Per Minute)'s Robin Campillo, Wagner Moura's (Dope Thief) Cannes-winning performance in The Secret Agent, Bi Gan's (Long Day's Journey Into Night) Resurrection, the surveillance culture examination of documentary The Perfect Neighbor, 1000 Women in Horror's cinematic celebration, Aussie animation Lesbian Space Princess, the true crime-focused Zodiac Killer Project, Peter Dinklage (Wicked) as The Toxic Avenger and horror-comedy Zombucha! with Jackie van Beek (Audrey). The festival's retrospectives titles are always a highlight, and 2025's picks are no different — whether you're keen to mark 25 years since Looking for Alibrandi reached the screen via a 4K restoration; also see Sweetie, the debut feature from Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), get the same restored treatment; flash back to BMX Bandits; or work your way through MIFF's largest-ever tribute to a single director via the 27-film Chantal Akerman: Traces strand. Hitting up a picture palace in metro Melbourne isn't the only way to dive into MIFF 2025, as has also become the case every year, thanks to both its regional screenings in cinemas across the rest of Victoria and the fest's nationwide online program on ACMI's streaming platform Cinema 3. The former runs across Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24, while the latter will get you tuning in virtually from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. "MIFF returns to illuminate the dark depths of Melbourne winter with a globetrotting array of exceptional cinema, incredible experiences, and the biggest festival celebration of Australian filmmaking on the planet," explains MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar about this year's lineup. "With over 275 films across 18 days in cinema, weekend regional expansions across Victoria and a further week online available at your place, all around Australia, MIFF is an invitation to discover a world of film, and the world on film; to up-res your cinephile credentials, and to binge your way through an epic program brimming with imagination and ideas." The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details and tickets, head to the MIFF website.
Unroll your posters, dust-off that secret diary and get ready to rock your body right: the Backstreet Boys are bringing their latest world tour Down Under in 2023. Get ready for another hefty dose of 90s nostalgia, too, given that you can now see the huge boy band and the vastly dissimilar blink-182 in Australia and New Zealand in the near future. With the sheer number of popular 90s gigs, nights and tours happening over the past five years or so, plus the remakes of childhood favourites like The Lion King and Aladdin, this is the run of shows that was always going to happen — and it was already supposed to. The targets of all your teenage affection were meant to hit our shores in 2020, but we all know what got in the way. Instead, Backstreet's back — alright — in 2023. Get ready to belt out the lyrics to 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'I Want It That Way', 'Larger Than Life' and 'Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely' when the famous five — aka AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and Kevin Richardson — head to Australia and New Zealand in February and March for a very nostalgic arena tour. Hitting up stadiums in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, the Backstreet Boys will also be performing songs off their 2019 album DNA, which debuted at number one on the charts when it was released and features Grammy-nominated single 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'. Fingers crossed that they also break out tracks from their new festive record A Very Backstreet Christmas, even though it won't quite be the season when the tour gets here. Either way, we know you'll most likely be there for the 90s and early 00s goodness. You've got a few months until the band gets here, so that's plenty of time to relearn the moves to 'Everybody' over summer. BACKSTREET BOYS DNA WORLD TOUR AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND 2023 DATES: Saturday, February 25 — RAC Arena, Perth Tuesday, February 28–Wednesday, March 1 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, March 4–Sunday, March 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Wednesday, March 8 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, March 11 — Spark Arena, Auckland The Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour heads to Australia and New Zealand in February and March 2023. Tickets are on sale now via Live Nation.
It feels so long ago that we were all asking each other, "what's your Roman Empire?" We had all sorts of answers, but for a lot of people, the answer was right there: the Roman Empire. For a civilisation that ended over 1500 years ago, it has a lot of staying power. The latest retrospective into the root of Western civilisation is coming to Melbourne Museum in April 2026. ROME: Empire, Power, People is a Melbourne-exclusive exploration of the rise, rule and legacy of the empire that, at its peak, stretched from the British Isles all the way to Africa and West Asia. At the centre of the experience is 150 objects dated from the Imperial period of 1st Century CE to the 3rd Century CE, each offering glimpses into the politics, culture and social lives of Rome's rulers and citizens. Each object has never been in Melbourne before, and the collection includes statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday objects. With these artefacts, visitors will be able to chart the history of Rome from the death of Julius Caesar to the rise, and eventual collapse, of the empire that would span across the continents — exploring everything from the luxury of the imperial court to the spectacle of the gladiator arena and down to the humble markets of Rome's cities. Beyond artefacts, the exhibition will incorporate scenography and multimedia to really bring the images of Rome to life. The experience is designed by Melbourne Museum in collaboration with curators from two of Italy's most prestigious museums — Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, and presented with the support of Ministero della Cultura, Dipartimento per la valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale and Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Toscana. "This exhibition offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand before treasures nearly 2000 years old and feel the pulse of a civilisation that shaped the world. Don't miss this extraordinary journey; experience the grandeur and humanity of Rome right here at Melbourne Museum," said Lynley Crosswell, CEO & Director of Museums Victoria. Federica Montani, Head of Exhibitions at Contemporanea Progetti, said: "This exhibition is the result of an exceptional collaboration between Australia and Italy. Our goal was to craft an exhibition that allows visitors to step into the heart of Ancient Rome — to create an experience that reveals not only the Empire's grandeur, but also the humanity of the people who shaped its history." [caption id="attachment_1051393" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Museo Nazionale di Firenze[/caption] Alongside the exhibition, Melbourne Museum will serve a wide variety of regional Italian cuisine at its eateries, the Museums Victoria store will sell exclusive retail items, and IMAX Melbourne will screen a series of classic Italian films throughout the exhibition period. 'ROME: Empire, People, Power' opens at Melbourne Museum on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Images supplied by Museums Victoria.
Stare at The False Mirror at Magritte, one of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' just-announced big summer exhibitions, and the masterpiece of a painting from 1929 will peer right back. One of Belgian surrealist René Magritte's most-famous creations, the piece features a giant eye looking at the viewer, while also filled with a cloudy blue sky. It's an unforgettable work, and it's one of the stars of the 2024–25 Sydney International Art Series. Another striking painting that's hitting the Harbour City from Saturday, October 26, 2024–Sunday, February 9, 2025: Golconda, Magritte's 1953 work that brings two other pieces of popular culture to mind. Just try not to think about Mary Poppins and The Weather Girls' song 'It's Raining Men' while you feast your eyes on the sight of bowler hat-wearing men streaming down from the heavens. [caption id="attachment_959955" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'Golconda (Golconde)' 1953, oil on canvas, 80 x 100.3 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, V 414 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Paul Hester.[/caption] At Magritte, which is exclusive to Sydney, The False Mirror, Golconda and 1952's The Listening Room (La Chambre d'Écoute) — which shows an oversized apple — will have ample company at AGNSW's south building Naala Nura. In total, 100-plus works are set to display. This will not only be a huge retrospective dedicated to the artist, but also Australia's first retrospective dedicated to the artist. More than 80 of the pieces will be paintings, demonstrating why he's considered one of the most-influential figures in 20th-century surrealism; however, archival materials, photographs and films will also feature. Sydney International Art Series isn't just about one major exclusive showcase, of course. From Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, April 13, 2025, AGNSW will also host Cao Fei: My City. Over at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from Friday, November 29, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025, Julie Mehretu will be on display as well. [caption id="attachment_959956" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The listening room (La chambre d'écoute)' 1952, oil on canvas, 45.2 x 55.2 cm, The Menil Collection, Houston, gift of Fariha Friedrich, 1991-53 DJ © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo: Adam Baker.[/caption] Cao Fei: My City is also an Australian-first retrospective and the largest showcase of its namesake's pieces Down Under, putting the Guangzhou-born, Beijing-based artist in the spotlight. Expect cyber futurism to grace AGNSW's walls in a 1300-square-metre space in Naala Badu, the gallery's south building, as part of an exhibition designed by Cao Fei with Hong Kong's Beau Architects. Your entry point: a replica of a Beijing cinema from the 60s. And your exit point isn't a gift shop, but a Sydney yum cha restaurant. As for Julie Mehretu, it will be the southern hemisphere's first major survey of the Ethiopia-born, New York-raised artist's output, spanning over 80 paintings and works. Some will date back as far as 1995. Others have been created just for the exhibition. Mehretu herself will also be in Sydney for the showcase's opening. [caption id="attachment_959957" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cao Fei 'Nova' 2019, single-channel HD video, colour, 5.1 sound, 97:13 min, 2.35:1 © Cao Fei, Vitamin Creative. Courtesy Sprüth Magers.[/caption] "Magritte and Cao Fei are giants of their respective times and leading figures in both the modern and contemporary art worlds. Magritte will consider the Belgian artist's groundbreaking contribution to surrealism in an exhibition that highlights the uniqueness and independence of his artistic vision. This Art Gallery-exclusive exhibition will give Australian audiences the chance to experience Magritte's practice in deeper and more profound ways than ever before, providing a real glimpse into the evolution of his practice," said Art Gallery of New South Wales Director Michael Brand. "Naala Badu, our new SANAA-designed building, allows us to stage inventive kinds of exhibitions as never before, and the imaginative format of Cao Fei: My City is Yours befits the playfulness of one of the world's most prominent and innovative living artists. This exhibition builds upon the Art Gallery's proud history of staging exhibitions of Chinese art since the 1940s, and with this show we celebrate the pioneering creativity of this globally acclaimed artist, as well as the boundless possibilities that art offers for deeper understanding and connection. With both Cao Fei and Magritte on show this summer, we have an unmissable offering for visitors to Sydney and local art lovers alike," Brand continued. [caption id="attachment_959961" align="alignnone" width="1920"] TRANSpaintings (green ecstatic), 2023–24, courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery; TRANSpaintings (emergence), 2023–24, courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery; TRANSpaintings (recurrence), 2023, Pinault Collection; TRANSpaintings (skull), 2023, courtesy the artist and White Cube; TRANSpaintings (mask), 2023, courtesy the artist and White Cube; Your Eyes are two blind eagles, That Kill what they can't see, 2022–23, private collection. Installation view, Julie Mehretu. Ensemble, 2024, Palazzo Grassi, Venezia. Ph. Marco Cappelletti © Palazzo Grassi, Pinault Collection.[/caption] "The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is delighted to be presenting to audiences in Australia this remarkable exhibition by an artist who is undoubtedly one of today's most exciting living painters, and whose dynamic language of abstraction speaks so powerfully to the contemporary world in which we live," added MCA Australia Director Suzanne Cotter about the Julie Mehretu exhibition. "The experience of Mehretu's paintings is nothing short of a visual and physical event. We are proud to present this year's Sydney International Art Series with Julie Mehretu to build upon the MCA's history of introducing to the public in Australia the work of today's most influential artists." [caption id="attachment_959954" align="alignnone" width="1920"] René Magritte 'The false mirror (Le faux miroir)' 1929, oil on canvas, 54 x 80.9 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 133.1936 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence 2024.[/caption] Sydney International Art Series 2024–25: Saturday, October 26, 2024–Sunday, February 9, 2025 — Magritte, Art Gallery of NSW Friday, November 29, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025 — Julie Mehretu, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, April 13, 2025 — Cao Fei: My City, Art Gallery of NSW [caption id="attachment_959963" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cao Fei 'Nova' 2019, single-channel HD video, colour, 5.1 sound, 97:13 min, 2.35:1 © Cao Fei, Vitamin Creative. Courtesy Sprüth Magers.[/caption] Sydney International Art Series 2024–25 runs from October 2024 — head to the AGNSW and MCA websites for further details. Top image: excerpt of René Magritte 'The false mirror (Le faux miroir)' 1929, oil on canvas, 54 x 80.9 cm, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 133.1936 © Copyright Agency, Sydney 2024, photo © The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence 2024.
The vision of a blacksmith's bar is a little rough around the edges. You'd expect sooty walls, a near-constant clang of metal on metal, a sweltering heat and probably nothing more comfortable to sit on than an anvil. Lucky that's just in your imagination, then. The real Blacksmith Bar is far from it inside its historic home on Swan Street, which is completely soot-free. Drawing a crowd with its outside seating alone, getting out of the cold means getting into a space of white stone walls and dark wooden furnishings. It's purposely Prohibition-esque, harkening back to the building's past as an actual blacksmithy in the early 1920s. That thematic dedication extends to everything from the menu to the uniforms. You might not be surprised that the cocktail menu puts classics front and centre, but there's a nice selection of house specialties to sip, too. On a hot day, don't overlook the completely customisable Summer Swizzle or Blacksmith Martini, the former of which lets you pick from four flavours and four spirits to DIY a flavour profile, while the latter uses The Botanist Gin and Indian Tonic with your pick of nine floral and fruit flavours. On the premade end, a cold day calls for the Masala Harvest (caramel-infused Havana Especial, pear juice, sugar and homemade chai soda) or the Two-Faced Bitch (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Montenegro, blackberry syrup, orange bitters, Angostura bitters, lime and whites. Sweltering? Try Hold the Salt, an outside-the-box spin on a margarita. On the food front, gourmet bar snacks are the name of the game. Chips, dips, olives and cheese are all in rotation, but you'd best not pass on larger bites. Take the three-cheese toastie in all its crispy, gooey glory, or go full stickyfingers with a plate of pork ribs served with a sticky Stone & Wood Pacific Ale glaze.
Golden spinach and feta pastries, boat-shaped shanklish pies flecked with herbs and syrupy layered baklava. One peek at the goodies on show at A1 and it's easy to see why this Lebanese bakery and grocer has been a Sydney Road favourite for almost two decades. The ovens here are turning out an array of classic Middle Eastern breads, from soft souvlaki-style rounds, ready to roll, through to five-inch pita pockets. But for lunch fiends, it's all about the homemade grab-and-go options, such as the haloumi-stuffed pies and pizzas topped with the likes of sujuk, falafel and labneh. All of this gets A1 on our list of the best bakeries in Melbourne and the best cafes in Melbourne. Images: Julia Sansone Appears in: The 13 Best Cafes in Melbourne for 2023 Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Melbourne for 2023 The Best Bakeries in Melbourne for 2023
Luke Mangan is well known for serving up classic French cuisine in Sydney — with restaurants in the Hilton Hotel Sydney, Kimpton Margot Hotel Sydney and the Pylon Lookout inside the Sydney Harbour Bridge. His latest venture Bistrot Bisou follows the same tried-and-tested formula. Mangan has set up a contemporary French restaurant in another city hotel — this time, Melbourne's Hotel Indigo. Here, you won't find food that challenges or feels particularly playful. Instead, Mangan and his Head Chef Rory Kennedy (Vex Dining and Bar Romantica) have stuck to nailing the classics — think: steak tartare, cheese soufflé, confit duck legs, lobster thermidor, tarte tatin and crème brûlée. There might not be any surprises, but the dishes are executed with great finesse and also showcase top local produce. The flamed-cooked steaks are a standout. These are cooked in the open kitchen over a roaring fire, which fills the room with a slight smokiness that makes the space feel incredibly cosy and welcoming. Those ready to brave the heat can even sit up at the bar and eat while watching the chefs do their thing. "We want this to feel like a second home for guests, whether they're Melbourne locals or visitors wanting a relaxed place to dine after a long day of sightseeing," says Mangan. "The French bistros of Paris have an ambience about them no matter what time of day or night it is, which is what we are creating here." [caption id="attachment_959622" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glen Percival[/caption] And Mangan has lucked out with the 96-seat dining room, which was only fitted out a few years ago for Beso, the former Spanish restaurant that once called this space home. The kitchen is mostly the same as it was before, as is the front bar. The space is full of cream and light brown tones, accented with leather banquette seats and brass finishes. There's also a seperate nook for semi-private dining. At the front bar, which boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Spencer Street, folks can also sit up on a stool while they sip and snack. Tim Davey (French Saloon) has created the impressive cocktail list for Bistrot Bisou, which includes eight martinis, plenty of signature creations, and a hefty list of French aperitifs for those wanting a little pre-dinner sip. As expected, the wine list features a great selection of French and Victorian vinos, while Taittinger Champagne is also available by the glass. If you're a fan of classic French fare in elegant yet laidback surrounds, you're in for a real treat at Bistrot Bisou. Images: Jana Langhorst.
From web searches and browsers to email and document storage, Google has its fingers in plenty of different online pies. Many of its services have become such a part of our daily lives that we no longer give them much thought, but every now and then the company has fun with one of its platforms — bringing Pac-Man, Mario Kart and Where's Waldo? to Google Maps, for example. For the company's latest entertaining attempt to direct everyone towards one of its specific sites, it's playing with another retro title, combing Snake with Google Maps. And, no, you don't need a Nokia 3310 to play it. This time, though, instead of an 8-bit snake, you're driving a train around one of six cities, and picking up passengers, landmarks and local dishes for points. And Sydney is one of the cities you can play in. Driving one of its famed yellow trains, you'll pick up bathers from Bondi and the northern beaches, the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and pavlovas — while trying not to crash into the train's 'tail' or the perimeter (Gladys wouldn't be too happy if you crashed one of her trains, guys). Elsewhere, you can drive trains in Cairo, São Paulo, Tokyo, London, San Francisco or the 'World' — where you'll find landmarks and dishes from all six cities. While it's been launched as an 'April Fool's Joke', it's a game that you can actually play right now, and, supposedly, until the end of the week. To play it in the Google Maps, head to the menu and click on 'Play Snake' under 'Offline Maps'. If you don't have the app, you can head to Google Map's standalone Snake site on your mobile or desktop, too. Head to the Google Maps app or the Google Maps Snake website to start playing.
The house where the Kerrigan family came to enjoy the serenity in the 1997 Australian film The Castle is now up for sale. While there's no pool room, the two-bedroom fibro shack boasts an open-plan kitchen, bathroom, laundry and combined dining and living area which opens onto the verandah, complete with original mozzie zapper. In recent years, the property has been used as a rental home, attracting city dwellers who want to reconnect with nature, family, and the vibe. Located 2.5 hours drive north-east of Melbourne on the banks of Lake Eildon, the beloved Bonnie Doon is a waterfront haven for those who love water sports, carp fishing and the smell of a two-stroke engine. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PmlMv5givwQ The property is enhanced by a magnificent set of power lines adjacent to the property, which stand as an important reminder of man's ability to generate electricity. It's also flanked by a vacant plot, so there's lots of spare ground if you want to dig a hole or practise kickboxing. As well as the property, the buyer will also be the proud owner of other pieces of memorabilia from the film, including Tracey Kerrigan's diploma of hairdressing from Sunshine TAFE, as well as a set of jousting sticks – a must-have for all family holidays. Sydneysider Richard Moseley first bought the property in 2006 for $170,000. It went on the market again in 2011 with an asking price of $195,000 but failed to sell and now it's set to hit the market again next week for $240,000. The last time it went to sale, the real estate agent was bombarded with calls from people who would ask the price — only to be followed with "You're dreamin!" and a dial tone. It apparently began to wear thin quite quickly. Via Domain.
From 2025, what will Burleigh Heads have in common with Los Angeles, New York, Cannes, Bordeaux, Ibiza, Singapore, Seoul and Hong Kong? As Miami, Doha and Mexico City boast, too, it'll become home to a Mondrian hotel. Alongside fellow upcoming openings in Tulum and Dubai, the LA-born chain is launching its first-ever Australian outpost, heading to a breezy patch of the Gold Coast. For vacationers, the brand's debut Aussie site will feature 208 hotel rooms — some suites, some studios, some two- and three-bedroom beach houses. Also available for travellers: the venue's Sky House at its apex. Mondrian Gold Coast will also include residential apartments, however, if you're cashed up and looking for luxe new digs. Mondrian calls its hotels creative hives — and values its guests not just swanning in and feeling like they could be anywhere in the world, but becoming immersed in their surroundings. The 24-floor Burleigh Heads address will boast views that do plenty of heavy lifting in that regard; if you're not peering at the pine tree-lined beach, you'll have hinterland vistas. "Australia has long been a strategic focus for Mondrian's growth, and the Gold Coast was a focal point thanks to its phenomenal natural setting, rich cultural landscape and vibrant social scene," said Mondrian Hotels & Residences's Brand Chief Operating Officer Chadi Farhat. "Over the last couple of years, we have seen a rising demand for lifestyle brands, where locals and international guests are looking for authentic, creative and immersive experiences — all the hallmarks of the Mondrian brand. It felt a natural choice to bring Mondrian to the Gold Coast and we believe it will resonate strongly with the local market and lend something entirely new to the hospitality space," Farhat continued. Art, architecture, design and culture are also at the forefront of the chain's approach, with Mondrian Gold Coast skewing sleek courtesy of Australian architects Fraser & Partners and Studio Carter — the latter taking cues from the sand and pandanus shrubs for the hotel's textures and tones. Architecture and design practice Alexander &Co joins in with the as-yet-unnamed ground-floor restaurant, which will be just one of the location's spots to eat. Here, think: a space that sprawls both inside and out, complete with a sunny terrace. Up on the third floor, visitors will be able to eat with a vantage over the ocean, or enjoy kicking back at the hotel's pool club. While there's no menu details as yet, local produce will take the spotlight on the menus across the site. And for relaxing, the hotel will also feature a wellness space and sp. For partying, there'll be an events space as well. Find Mondrian Gold Coast at Burleigh Heads, Queensland, from sometime in 2025 — and head to the hotel's website for more information.
For all of us in Melbourne, it's a wonderful time to be alive. We're living in golden period of entertainment and you know what that means? Waterslides. Yep, we can do that fancy VR and high-tech stuff any day — but when an opportunity to have some good, clean (albeit slippery) fun presents itself, we just can't let it pass by. So we're very happy to hear that Slide the Square is returning to Federation Square from January 4. After a summer of slidey fun last year, the is a 75-metre slip 'n' slide will once again be set up in the square for 12 days this January. Sessions last for 50 minutes from 10am till 7pm each day and will set you back $20. It's a bit exxy for the opportunity to barrel down a wet piece of plastic, but you know it's going to amazing fun and way better than lying on the couch covered by a wet cloth to avoid the heat.
Australia's most prestigious portrait award is almost upon us for another year, with the paintings vying for the 2021 Archibald Prize just announced. Ahead of anointing the winner on Friday, June 4, 52 portraits have just been shortlisted for the coveted gong — and, for the first time in its now 100-year history, an equal number of male and female artists have made the cut. More of this year's portraits depict women than men, too, although that isn't a first. Among the highlights: Kirsty Neilson's Making Noise, a portrait of Grace Tame — and Oliver Watts' Dorian Gray (Eryn Jean Norville). Other finalists include Matthew Clarke's Del Kathryn Barton is a good listener; Rachel by Thea Anamara Perkins, which depicts the latter's aunt and Jasper Jones filmmaker Rachel Perkins; and Natasha Bieniek's image of actor Rachel Griffiths. Mirra Whale's Repose, which features fellow artist Ben Quilty, has been shortlisted as well — as has Jonathan Dalton's portrait of artist Ramesh Nithiyendran. Kathrin Longhurst's Kate is in the running, and has also taken out the coveted 2021 Archibald Packing Room Prize, which is chosen by the packing room team. The portrait depicts singer and songwriter Kate Ceberano. [caption id="attachment_813770" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2021 finalist. Kathrin Longhurst, 'Kate'. Oil on linen, 122 x 122 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Jenni Carte.[/caption] Also spanning Sally M Nangala Mulda's Two town camp stories, Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu's Me and my sisters, Peter Berner's Stop pouting, you've had your turn and Kim by Kim Leutwyler — all self-portraits — the 52 shortlisted works are all in contention for the Archibald's $100,000 prize. Speculation about who will be awarded the coveted prize — and, more often than not, the Archibald winner itself — usually causes much-heated debate. From 2018's five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win to Tony Costa's win with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — the first portrait of an Asian Australian to pick up the prize — it's hard a win to pick. All that's really assured is that it'll be a portrait of a person by an Australian. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. [caption id="attachment_813771" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2021 finalist. Oliver Watts, 'Dorian Gray (Eryn Jean Norvill)'. Acrylic on canvas, 213.5 x 137.5 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Jenni Carte[/caption] Held at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW every year, the Archibald runs in conjunction with the Wynne and Sulman Prizes — recognising the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figure sculpture, and the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project, respectively. This year, 2021's winning works and finalists will be on display from Saturday, June 4–Sunday, September 26. And if it feels like all of this just happened recently, that's because 2020's Archibald Prize happened later in the year due to the pandemic. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Wednesday, September 1. ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2021 DATES Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW — June 4–September 26, 2021 Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, Victoria — October 8–November 21, 2021 Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Art Centre, Gymea, NSW — December 3–January 16, 2022 Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, NSW — January 23–March 6, 2022 Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra, NSW — March 18–June 22, 2022 Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW — July 8–August 21, 2022 If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Archibald Prize 2021 finalist. Kirsty Neilson, 'Making noise'. Oil on linen, 50.1 x 60.1 cm, © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins
In much of The Queen's Gambit, Beth Harmon sits at a chessboard. As a child (Isla Johnston), she pulls up a chair in the basement of the orphanage she calls home and demands that janitor Mr Shaibel (Bill Camp, The Outsider) teach her the game. As a teenager (Anya Taylor-Joy, The New Mutants), she plays whenever she's able, earning a reputation as a chess prodigy. As her confidence and fame grows, she demonstrates her prowess at tournaments around America and the globe, while also spending her spare time hunched over knights, rooks, bishops and pawns studying moves and tactics. None of the above sounds like innately thrilling television unless you're a chess grandmaster, but this seven-part Netflix miniseries firmly proves that you should never judge a show by its brief description. Based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, written and directed by Oscar-nominee Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Logan), and dripping with lavish 50s and 60s decor and costuming to reflect its period setting, The Queen's Gambit doesn't expect that all its viewers will be chess aficionados. But it's made with a canny awareness that anything can be tense, suspenseful and involving — and that every different type of game there is says much about its players and devotees. The series doesn't lack in creative and inventive ways to depict chess on-screen, whether projecting imagined matches onto the ceiling or peering down on competitive bouts directly from above. It knows when to hang on every single move of a pivotal game, and when to focus on the bigger story surrounding a particular match or Beth path through the chess world in general. And it's especially astute at illustrating how a pastime based on precision and strategy offers an orphaned girl a way to control one lone aspect of her tumultuous and constantly changing life. Indeed, from its very first moments, the series peppers all that chess gameplay throughout a knotty coming-of-age tale — because, while this is definitely a show about chess that serves up an underdog sports narrative, it's really a story about Beth's journey. After a family tragedy, she arrives at a Kentucky orphanage as a defiant slip of a girl. Forced to navigate a stern and strict environment, she finds solace in the tranquillisers that are handed out to the children like lollies, and in the game that instantly piques her curiosity from the moment that she spies Mr Shaibel playing it. Both will change her life, not only during her stint in institutionalised care, but when she's later adopted by the lonely Alma Wheatley (Marielle Heller, who is best-known for directing The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood) and her frequently absent husband (Patrick Kennedy, Peterloo). By the time that Beth is busing around the US and jetting around the world to compete with the game's most formidable players, however, she's also leaning on alcohol as a coping mechanism. Taylor-Joy has had a busy 2020 — or, to be more accurate, audiences Down Under have been spoiled for opportunities to see her on-screen this year. The New Mutants finally reached cinemas after hefty delays, Radioactive just arrived locally after debuting overseas in 2019, and Emma released back before the pandemic changed 2020 forever. But The Queen's Gambit is her best role of the year and, alongside 2014's The Witch, her best work yet. Playing a teen and then a young woman who is constantly changing from moment to moment, and making that reality feel authentic and relatable, she's one of the key reasons that the series is so compelling. She's also crucial to all those chess scenes, with her determined stare and the gleam in her eyes the source of much of the show's weight and tension. She's in excellent company, too, not only thanks to Heller and Camp but also first-timer Moses Ingram as Beth's fellow orphanage resident and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Game of Thrones, Love Actually) as the cowboy hat-wearing reigning US chess champ; however, she's always the most pivotal piece on the board. Before his death in 2008, Heath Ledger had been preparing to bring The Queen's Gambit to cinemas. It would've marked his directorial debut, and he would've co-starred alongside Ellen Page as Beth. We'll never know how that might've turned out, but this tale works exceptionally well as a miniseries, with the longer duration giving it room to breathe and affording its central character and the themes she's grappling with the space they need to ferment. The Queen's Gambit also benefits from arriving post-Mad Men, a show that it shares a time period with, and visually resembles again and again. And it now reaches viewers at a time when more stories about women fighting their way through male-dominated realms are being made; Frank himself was also behind Netflix's seven-part western Godless, for example. When you start dreaming about chess after watching a single episode, you'll know you're hooked. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDrieqwSdgI The Queen's Gambit is available to stream via Netflix. Top image: Phil Bray/Netflix.
Many would agree that it was Mamasita, opening her doors back in 2010, that led Melbourne's still-simmering Mexican charge. Now, six years, a couple of family additions, and plenty of location hunting later, owners Matt Lane and Nick Peters are at it again, having launched their second venue. The hotly anticipated Hotel Jesus has set up shop in the iconic Collingwood Post Office building, with the lofty, light-filled space now setting the scene for Smith Street's own Mexican fiesta. As a casual tostaderia, Hotel Jesus eschews Mamasita's well-loved restaurant formula in favour of a more easy-going drinking and dining affair. Here, you can drop by for house-made tostadas, cocktails on tap, and Mexican beers, served straight from a supersized ice trough behind the bar. With Yasser Garcia on the pans, expect a food menu that's authentic, lively and mostly familiar, running from ceviche and seafood, to tacos and those tostadas. Meanwhile, a "tacowey" (that's their way of saying takeaway) section has a more experimental edge, dabbling in a looser interpretation of Mexican cuisine. Those looking to jump on the mescal bandwagon will find plenty of opportunity to do so here. Peters is Australia's only Master Mezcalier (it's a thing), and the drinks list he's created provides a solid introduction to the agave spirit — which comes just in time for summer. Backing that up, there's an expectedly great tequila lineup, a tight selection of natural wines, and plenty of easy-drinking, imported brews. UPDATE JUNE 29, 2017: Because tacos taste even better when they're dirt cheap, Hotel Jesus has introduced $2 Taco Tuesdaze. Every Tuesday, they'll be whipping up $2 vego, chicken and beef tacos from 5–9pm. Book a table or rock up early. Images: Thomas Friml and Carmen Zammit.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we turn our eyes to the holiday hit of Bali, specifically Hotel Komune Resort and Beach Club on the Keramas coastline. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Bali's legendary sunshine and tropical conditions have cemented it as a standout holiday destination, and its practically un-Australian if you haven't visited at least once. But that popularity can cause a bit of a crowding issue, especially in southwestern tourist hotspots like Kuta or Denpasar. Further east is Keramas, a quieter coastal town that calls this resort home. Hotel Komune has a few outposts around the world, but this one draws a crowd with its adjacency to the black sand beach and epic surf conditions. If you're an avid surfer or someone who just loves being close to the water, this should be at the top of your list for your next Bali stay. If you book through our exclusive deal before Wednesday, December 20, you can get a serious discount on a three- five- or seven-night stay in Hotel Komune. THE ROOMS Hotel Komune's rooms are split between four choices. Beachfront Suites (pictured above) feature stunning views of the Lombok Strait and the renowned Keramas surf break plus private pools, waterfall showers and deep soak tubs (and the iconic Bali floating breakfast). Beach Villas offer similar features in a spacious but private one- or two-bedroom layout, perfect for romantic holidays or small families. Komune Suites are designed for a similar level of space as a more budget-friendly pick with a similar amount of space, and Resort Rooms are your standard accommodation if you're more interested in getting out and exploring Keramas. FOOD AND DRINK Tropical holidays are synonymous with good food and cold drinks, either very close to the water or surrounded by plant life. Here at Hotel Komune you can have it both ways. The resort offers three on-site food and drinks choices, the Beach Club, Health Hub and the Surfers Warung. The Beach Club is the primary pick, situated in sight of the surf break and surrounded by organic gardens and 180 square metres of lawns. The menu covers all meals of the day and drinks (including a very generous juice selection and room service juice cleanses) and a huge range of food to satisfy any craving. The aptly named Health Hub specialises in nutritional serves for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a traditional dining setting or poolside food service in an adults-only pool. There's also a 100% plant-based menu and all food is sourced from either the hotel's own gardens or local farmers. Finally, there's the Surf Warung, a traditional hangout for pre- and post-surfing snacks and drinks that predates the resort and sits right on the beach. The food there is all traditional Balinese style and after dark the space also becomes a buzzing rum bar. [caption id="attachment_912047" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nurture via iStock[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA Keramas is mostly known for its surf break, a heavy right hander that breaks onto a shallow reef, if you know your surfing jargon. The beach itself is ideal for a quiet stroll, the area is generally a bit quieter as most of the local coastline is backed by fields, stretching out to 1.8 kilometres from end to end, but sadly the beach is less suitable for swimming thanks to the consistent heavy surf. Beyond the beach, a brief trip inland takes you to the village of Keramas. Here you can eat, shop, explore and visit attractions like Keramas Park, an outdoor venue with dining and activities like ATV rides, paintball and a small water park. Up the coast is the Bali Safari and Marine Park, which hosts a range of Asiatic animals and up-close feeding and safari experiences. THE EXTRAS Hotel Komune offers itself up as a choice venue for events, with packages available for weddings and fitness/yoga retreats to be hosted on the beautiful coastal property, or if you're looking for a personal holiday, remember you can book a discounted three, five or seven-night stay through our exclusive package on Concrete Playground Trips if you book before Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Images: Hotel Komune Resort and Beach Club
Previously, if you wanted to get hot food at Queen Vic Market, you'd have very limited options. Throughout the week, there are a few ready-to-eat spots in The Dairy Hall — look no further than The Borek Shop — plus the iconic American Doughnut Kitchen will forever be popular with locals and visitors alike. Food trucks were only really found here on Sundays and during the night market. But the Queen Vic Market crew has taken it to the next level, recently opening its new Food Truck Pit Stop. Within E Shed — on Tuesdays and from Thursday–Sunday — you'll find nine different food trucks serving a diverse range of food and bevs . Grab your coffee from Expresso Time and Bean Brewed, German snags from Galaxy Taste, Ethiopian eats from Eat Enjera, sweet and savoury crepes from Kiki's Crepes, falafel wraps and spicy chicken shwarma from Wesh, Japanese pancakes from Kicca Okonomiyaki, Mexican bites from Tacos El Habanero, momo and stir-fried noodles from Oz Tibet Kitchen, plus heaps more. QVM has needed a bigger lineup of hot food traders for a long time now, and we are stoked to see them deliver. We'll be sure to check out the Food Truck Pit Stop next time we're visiting for a grocery shop or needing a lunchtime bite. You'll find Queen Victoria Market's new Food Truck Pit Stop at E shed, open during normal trading hours on Tuesdays, and from Thursday–Sunday. For more details, you can check out the market's website.
Lately, there have been enough new venues opening — or planning to open — in iconic hospitality sites to make it something of a trend. Think, Nomad Melbourne, Fitzroy's Kewpie and, soon, Cucina Povera. Well, here's another one to add to the list. Launched last week, Bar Bambi is the plush new venture from Nick and Daniel Russian (founders of Eve Bar), taking over the revered rock 'n roll site that once housed the original Cherry Bar. You can push aside all thoughts of the four-legged Disney character — the venue's in fact named after and inspired by a bar the duo's Nonno owned in Trieste, Italy, 80 years ago. Here on AC/DC Lane, they're paying homage to their heritage while delivering a dazzling late-night joint that aims to help reignite Melbourne's party spirit. [caption id="attachment_833174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Roper[/caption] It's a sumptuous lounge bar with design nods to the drinking dens of both LA and Europe, celebrating glam vintage touches throughout. Step through the door and into a space filled with curved banquettes and staircases, and sporting a healthy appreciation for the colour pink; all the work of awarded designer David Hicks. Italian share plates rule the menu, with finely-tuned familiar favourites interspersed with contemporary surprises. A loaded carbonara toastie and a tiramisu cannoli fall into the latter group. Elsewhere, you'll find the likes of rigatoni done with wagyu bolognese, a spicy vodka pasta, calamari fritti and a hefty pork cotoletta on the bone, Meanwhile, the antipasti lineup includes bites like mortadella, burrata caprese, nduja and polpette, which you can match with serves of Italian flatbread. [caption id="attachment_833177" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Roper[/caption] A well-matched drinks offering has a soft spot for spritzes and negronis, with a multitude of options and large-format serves available for each. If you're game, try yours by the one-litre carafe; or really impress that group booking by arranging your own negroni fountain ($2200). They're backed by a slew of other classic Euro cocktails, a healthy spread of Italian and Aussie wines, and a cheeky after-dinner bottle service. And, since entertainment is every bit as important as the wining and dining action here at Bar Bambi, expect a diverse program of extra fun running into the wee hours — from DJs, to piano singers, to live performances gracing the front stage. Find Bar Bambi at AC/DC Lane (near corner of 103 Flinders Lane), Melbourne. It's open 5pm–late Wednesday–Friday and from 5pm–5am Saturdays. Sunday sessions will launch shortly, running 12pm–late and showcasing the new Bambi Brunch. Images: Mark Roper
Nestled in The Archway on Katherine Place, Delhi Streets brings authentic Indian market food to the city of Melbourne. Owner Charan Singh likes to pride himself on not running a typical Indian restaurant. Expect a more snack-based, market style affair. The menu kicks off with a 'Feed Me' option, designed to take the stress away from the indecisive diner and let them sit back and relax while the chefs decide. Alternatively you can back yourself and order away off the 'Street Chaat' menu, which includes delights such as the pain puri, crispy cracker balls stuffed with potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind and yoghurt, or the Mumbai staple; pav bhaji, a spiced mixture of mashed veggies served in two toasty, buttery buns. It also does pizzas and wraps with an Indian focus, which sets this place apart from the more traditional Indian restaurants in Melbourne. The tandoori chicken pizza is an open-faced naan with masala sauce, chicken tikka, cheese, tomato and onions while the paneer pizza is a mouth-watering vegetarian option with capsicum, coriander, tomatoes, onions and crumbled Indian cheese on masala sauce. Then there are thali classics. This includes butter chicken or goat served with rice, naan, pappadum and pickles as well as heaps of vegetarian options. Keeping it all in the family, his dad, Resham, is manning the tandoor. From the tandoor oven, we recommend you try a mixed grill or stick with the classic chicken in a garlic and ginger marinade. Open Monday to Friday for lunch and Monday to Saturday for dinner, Delhi Streets is the perfect venue for any occasion, so long as the brief is fun and laidback.
Don't expect to see any rolling hills at Melbourne Winery – an innovative wine destination looking to redefine how people indulge in a glass of vino. Situated in the heritage-listed Ross House on Flinders Lane, this immersive venue blends wine, dining and art to shape a sensorial experience intended to flip the script of what you think you know about wine and dining. Opting for metamorphosis, rather than getting bogged down in tradition, doing things differently is the whole point. Brought to life by hospitality group Barman & Larder (Left Bank, Il Mercato Centrale, Flour Child), the dining concept sees wine, not food, become the focal point for your meal. With each dish designed to elevate what's in your glass, the restaurant prods guests to reconsider how they perceive and interact with wine. Treating the drink more like art, this sense of storytelling resonates through virtually all aspects of the space. "Melbourne Winery isn't about tradition – it's about transformation," said a spokesperson. "We're creating a space where people don't just drink wine, they engage with it. Every bottle tells a story, and we're giving our guests the chance to be a part of it." However, dining is just one part of the equation. Melbourne Winery will also push boundaries through interactive masterclasses and a creative arts and culture program designed to unlock the mysteries of wine and inspire an increasingly curious palate. With the in-house team coming together from different walks of life, expect grape stomping sessions, guided tastings and rotating art exhibitions that present a love affair with wine captured through a Melbourne lens. As for the wine itself, Melbourne Winery has partnered with Scotchmans Hill – a respected name in Australian winemaking situated amid the cool maritime climate of Bellarine Peninsula– to present 32 varietals as part of its initial wine range. Spanning three distinct collections – Essentials, Elevated Classics and Indulgence – these reflect different tiers, from the staple vino you'd reach for at home to times when only the best will do. Launching this April, the venue, stretching an impressive 552 square metres, has no rustic farmhouse hidden within these walls. Instead, you'll find a wine lab, cheese room, oyster bar and various opulent private dining spaces. Says the Melbourne Winery team: "Drinking wine is deeply personal. It's like art – how you experience it, how you interpret it, is completely your own. We wanted to show people what a winery could look like – if it was born right here in Melbourne." Melbourne Winery launches in April 2025 at 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.
The folks behind Welcome to Thornbury, Welcome to Brunswick and Belles Hot Chicken are to thank for this pizza-slinging, DJ-fuelled party spot on Sydney Road. NONO sits within the former Penny Black digs, with space for 950 across its public bar, roomy beer garden and dedicated rave cave. Kicking on until late, NONO is a surefire hit for night owls and music fiends alike, with a top-notch roster of local DJs on the decks curated by Music Director Anyo Castro. Thursdays are reserved for a riotous drag bingo night, you'll find $6 knock-offs every Thursday and Friday, and the vinyl-filled Sunday sessions have people flocking. An unpretentious menu features top-quality $8 pizzas, all hand-rolled to order. Visit for options like a classic margherita; a mushroom, mozzarella and fontina number; and a lamb kebab pizza topped with slow-cooked shoulder, spinach and tzatziki. And yep, they're $8, all day, every day; so are extras like a rocket salad and the crinkle-cut fries bathed in Belles' famed seasoning. Meanwhile, an easygoing drinks offering features classic cocktails alongside signatures like the Northside Lights (Patient Wolf Gin with Pampelle Ruby Grapefruit liqueur and rosemary syrup, $19) and the Super Silver Haze ($18), crafted on Don Juilo and jalapeño brine. There's also a couple of cocktail jugs, a tap lineup starring plenty of 4 Pines brews, and fridges stocked with tinnies from the likes of Young Henry and Mountain Goat.
Mark your calendar: if you like free ice cream, as everyone should, then you have a date with a Ben & Jerry's store in April. Each year, the dessert brand chooses one day per year to give everyone a treat without paying a cent. In 2024, that day is Tuesday, April 16. If there's one thing this chain loves above all else, it's the obvious: ice cream in a huge array of ridiculously named flavours. It's the brand behind Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia, Phish Food and The Tonight Dough — and has been responsible for Liz Lemon Greek Frozen Yoghurt, Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream and Schweddy Balls, too. But, to the delight of your sweet treat-loving tastebuds, on Free Cone Day it loves giving away free scoops just as much. The occasion is exactly what it sounds like: a day where your ice cream is on the house. It ran annually since 1979 until the pandemic, then took a break for obvious reasons — returning in 2023 for the first time since 2019, and now backing it up in 2024. Here's how it works: if you adore ice cream as much as Ben & Jerry's adores ice cream, then you just need to hit up your local participating store (which is most stores) between 12–8pm. You can choose whichever flavour you like, and you can also line up for a free cone as many times as you like within that eight-hour period. Free Cone Day is happening Australia-wide — worldwide, too, in more than 35 countries — at both Ben & Jerry's Scoop Stores and its Hoyts outlets. Victorians have St Kilda, Flinders Lane and Burwood East stores to choose from, plus some Hoyts cinemas.
Lego is awesome. It is brightly coloured, easy to use and small enough to fit in your pocket and take to the park. Until you step and fall on a piece when you're trying to do something important like run to answer the phone or stumble to the kitchen for coffee and aspirin because you're hungover. Those pointy edges hurt like hell. Small children, and grown ups who were once children, have been making mind-boggling things from Lego for quite a while, but while pinball machines, iPods and even a camera might be impressive, it's always seemed harder to create real-live people out of the coloured plastic bricks. However, Fine Clonier, specialists in Lego minifig customisation, ran a competition inviting people to create historical literary figures out of lego. The winning design went to Mark Twain, the man who wrote Huckleberry Finn, sporting a particularly dashing haircut, and who sagely proclaimed "go to heaven for the climate and hell for the company." But other literary Legos were also included which are equally worthy of your attention. A smug F.Scott Fitzgerald, a brooding Ernest Hemingway, and a very French and goateed Rene Descartes round out the literary Lego figures and give some much needed bookish cred to the otherwise sober Danish amusement. [Via Booklicious]
Melbourne is best known for its ever-changing weather — but even so, we're often caught off-guard when it rains for more than 15 minutes. But, this shouldn't be an excuse to hide in bed under your doona all day. Our city is teeming with wet weather-friendly activities, so don't let a bit of drizzle keep you from making the most of Melbourne. Here are some ideas to keep you entertained and sufficiently dry — binge-watching Netflix not included. HOLE UP IN A COSY BAR At the first sign of threatening weather, gather your best group of drinking buddies and head straight for your local watering hole. Nab a cosy corner, order a few rounds and stay put until the skies clear. Quality booze, food and friends are really all you need, but to take your rainy day pub game up a notch, choose somewhere with games and activities, like any of these spots. For the coziest vibes on a rainy afternoon, try tiny Collingwood 70s-themed pub-come-wine bar Gum, or get comfy down in the hidden drinking den at State of Grace. GET CULTURED IN A NICE DRY GALLERY A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to finally catch that exhibition you've been meaning to see. Escape the elements and step into a haven of vibrant and colourful artworks that will surely take your mind off the wild weather. Some of our go-to inner Melbourne galleries include the NGV, Gertrude Contemporary, Anna Schwartz Gallery and ACCA. If you haven't yet ventured to The Lume, Melbourne's new 3000-square-metre, 11-metre-high immersive digital art gallery, now is the time as it features giant projections of the works of Vincent van Gogh. Why battle the outdoor elements when you could walk through artworks like The Starry Night and Sunflowers while listening to a classical music score? Outside of the city, the TarraWarra Museum of Art has two new exhibitions opening on Saturday, December 4: Sidney Nolan: Myth Rider and Heather B. Swann: Leda and the Swan. Spend all day browsing the talent and leave with some newfound inspiration to pick up a paintbrush. [caption id="attachment_664322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tinny Tang[/caption] SNUGGLE INTO A CINEMA SEAT Is there anything better on a rainy day than snuggling up to watch a movie, popcorn in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? The next time it starts to drizzle, swap Netflix for a new release at one of Melbourne's boutique cinemas. The art nouveau theatre and adjoining bar at Thornbury Picture House make it the perfect place to while away a rainy afternoon. You can chase a film with Aussie spirits, local beers from the likes of Stomping Ground and Hawkers, a tidy selection of independent wines and batch brew coffee by Padre. Of course, there's plenty of homemade popcorn to round out the moviegoing experience. Carlton's Cinema Nova reopened in October after months of closure with a whopping 37-movie lineup, so if you've been saving any of them for a rainy day, the time has come. CURL UP IN A CAFE One of the best places to be on a rainy day is in a window seat at a cozy cafe, where you can watch the rain from a safe, dry distance. Add a cup of steaming coffee (or a glass of wine), a hearty meal and a good book, and you're all set for a delightful day indoors. With Melbourne's cafe scene constantly expanding, there's no shortage of options to choose from, but our list of best cafes for working or studying in should help you out. Key requirements include lots of natural lighting, a chilled-out soundtrack and friendly staff. If they're also serving all-day breakfast, you know you've found a winner. Or get away from the grey skies into a brighter atmosphere into Carnegie newcomer Major Mitchell — the bright pink interior will have you walking on sunshine in no time. HAVE A SPA DAY Treating yourself every now and then is essential for your health, so use the next rainy day as an excuse to sneak off to the spa for a little dose of zen. Relax and rejuvenate with a facial and massage, or even rope your significant other in for a couple's treatment. Melburnians are spoilt for choice when it comes to spa experiences, so take your pick from the best. Nothing is more luxurious than spending the day wrapped up in a robe, with cucumbers on eyes to complete the experience, of course. BOOK YOURSELF INTO THE THEATRE There's a certain element of romance to the theatre, which always seems to heighten on a drizzly night. The next time it's forecast to rain, book tickets to a show and you'll see what we mean. Whether you prefer the classics or are a fan of more contemporary productions, there's bound to be a theatre with shows suited to your tastes. Our favourites include Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Red Stitch and Theatre Works but they're not the only theatre companies worth checking out. Broadway hit Moulin Rouge! The Musical is having an almost sell-out run at the newly-renovated Regent Theatre. If you're more classically inclined, the Australian Ballet's Celebration Gala is bound for Arts Centre Melbourne in December, and it is set to be a sensation. BE A BIG KIDULT Don't let the rain put a dampener on your spirit. Take a break from your busy week of adulting and let your inner kid run wild for a day with some of the best kidult activities in Melbourne. Surely you can't resist a friendly game of laser tag or a visit to Timezone that will inevitably stir up some nostalgia (yep, Timezone still exists). If you're in need of exercise but can't face the gym, Bounce is your go-to for a decidedly more thrilling workout that happens to involve trampolines, dodgeball and a half-pip trampolining wall.
Back in 2001, when now-The 40 -Year-Old Virgin, Superbad, 50/50, Pam & Tommy, The Fabelmans and The Studio star Seth Rogen earned a role in Undeclared, his second TV series, Nicholas Stoller (You're Cordially Invited) was one of the show's writers. With the college-set sitcom's creator Judd Apatow (The Bubble) — who Rogen had first worked with on Freaks and Geeks — the pair co-penned an episode together. On-screen, Carla Gallo (Mayans MC) was also among the core cast members. Rogen, Stoller, Gallo: in their professional relationship, this trio was just getting started. In 2010, when Stoller helmed Get Him to the Greek, his second feature, then-Two Hands, The Goddess of 1967, Troy, Marie Antoinette, 28 Weeks Later and Sunshine talent Rose Byrne (Physical) was one of his leads. Gallo also popped up, as she did in the filmmaker's debut Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jump to 2014 and Bad Neighbours — or simply Neighbours in the US, but renamed Down Under for obvious soap opera clash-avoidance reasons — saw Byrne, Rogen, Stoller and Gallo all join forces. Again, the quartet's collaboration was just beginning. Bad Neighbours and its sequel Bad Neighbours 2 enlisted Byrne and Rogen to play a married couple with a new baby, grappling with the major change of lifestyle that comes with becoming parents while also dealing with living next door to a fraternity. What if Byrne and Rogen instead portrayed pals, not a couple — specifically, past BFFs who've drifted apart due to the complicated balance of attempting to juggle their platonic relationship with their romantic lives (aka: one didn't like the other's spouse and said so), and then reunite? Thanks to Platonic, that's when the Bad Neighbours team became focused on good friends. In a series co-created, co-written and co-directed by Stoller and Francesca Delbanco (Friends with College), Byrne plays Sylvia, a stay-at-home mother when the first season of Platonic premiered in 2023. The setup with her husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane, Invincible): she put her law career on hold for their children, while he kept his, becoming the family breadwinner. Rogen is Will, who kicked off the show as a beer-obsessive brewpub co-owner whose life couldn't be more different from his old friend from college's suburban existence. The two haven't kept in touch since she was honest about her thoughts on his wife, however — but that changes when Sylvia hears about Will's divorce, reaches out and reignites their chaotic dynamic. When you're making a comedy about messy friendships, including with Gallo as Sylvia's pal Katie, does it help to be making it with friends? "Definitely," Rogen tells Concrete Playground. "I think in this case it did, yeah. For sure," adds Byrne. "I think when you're doing something like this — kind of outwardly comedic, and you're being expected to take swings and try things — the better you know the people, the more comfort there is with all that. And the easier that is to put yourself out there and try ridiculous things," pipes back in Rogen. "I agree. And Nick Stoller and Seth have known each other since Seth was 18, so that's such a wildly long friendship," continues Byrne. "A very long time, yeah," Rogen adds again. "And Nick gave me my first comedic role in Get Him to the Greek. So that, to me, is a very seminal moment for my career. I feel very sentimental about that at this point. So it's nice to reunite," Byrne reflects. "And this show is so fun. It's a really fun job that we have fun on — genuine fun on-set doing." Buddy-comedy gold, and also a deeply relatable and hilarious exploration of what it means to be best friends as life tears you in an array of directions and keeps throwing crisis after crisis your respective ways — personal, professional, family, romantic, the works — was the end result in Platonic's first season. The show's second run begins with almost an inverse of where its predecessor commenced, and proves both funny and thoughtful once more. Will is about to get married, and seems to mostly have it all together in love and at work. Meanwhile, Sylvia hasn't had the success that she was hoping for with her events company, and is also in a rut with Charlie. As it follows where these new starting points take its key duo, Platonic again digs into the complexity, codependence and sometimes-toxicity of Sylvia and Will's relationship, exploring their similarities and differences, and examining what it means to have a fulfilling and supportive friendship — and one that comes with so much history. The series' second season continues another of the show's pivotal elements, too: pondering the fact that no matter if you're married with kids or thinking about it, or where you are in your work realm, no one ever really feels grown up — or, at least, how you think being an adult and in your 40s will feel when you're younger. Among other topics, we also chatted to Byrne and Rogen about that crucial theme, unpacking the impact that a friendship like Sylvia and Will's has on the romances in their lives, Rogen's fondness for examining friendship on-screen and Byrne's physical-comedy prowess. On Stepping Back Into Sylvia and Will's Shoes for a Second Season Rose: "I'm just always nervous. You're just hoping it's going to be funny again." Seth: "Yeah." Rose: "'Is this going to work?'. That feeling of butterflies doesn't necessarily go away. It's just like 'okay, this was good. We got something good last time' — but the stakes are almost higher when you go back again, because 'okay, how do you make it better?'. But I feel it's actually stronger this season. I think they wrote even more to our strengths. And TV takes a minute to settle in — it takes a minute season by season to really enrich the characters. So I was still definitely nervous starting." Seth: "For sure, definitely." On Whether There's Something That Appeals to Rogen About Digging Into Friendships On-Screen Across His Career, Including in The Studio This Year Seth: "I guess so. I think it's people. It's something I just really relate to. I think part of it is probably that my creative partner is my friend. And so I think a lot of our creative output comes through this lens of friendship, and of collaboration and of attempts to communicate things with other people. It's just very relatable. And people, as much as it speaks to my personal life, it seems to speak to other people's lives as well. And I think conflict with your friends is something that I've also found to be very interesting and entertaining subject matter, and trying to reconcile a working relationship with a personal relationship, and things like that. They're just things that are big things in my actual life, so that's always what I'm trying to put into my work. And it's also a bigger source of conflict. I've been in a very happy marriage for like 20 years, or we've been together for like 20 years. And there's not a ton of conflict or comedy that comes from that. Much more comedy comes from the things my stupid friends do — and so we write more about that." On the Importance of Platonic Also Being a Show About the Fact That No One Ever Truly Feels Grown Up, Even When They're Entering Their 40s Rose: "I like that. I enjoyed the fact that they're in their 40s, they're at very different stages of their life — Sylvia's in the trenches with little kids, raising her family, and Will is still trying to capture the heydays of being in his 20s and 30s. So it felt ripe for comedy in that way — getting older, how do you navigate that and how do you have friendships when you're raising a family? It's really hard. How do you figure that out? And again, to Seth's point, I could really relate to that as a mum, as a working mum, and all that sort of stuff." On What's Interesting About Unpacking How Friendships Can Impact Relationships Seth: "To me, what's interesting is, when you're friends with people, is the constant conundrum of 'how involved do you get in their romantic relationships?' and 'how honest do you be about your feelings about their partners and their relationships with their partners?'. And I think that's what the show really gets into. And what I really relate to when I watch it is 'if your friend is in a relationship with someone you don't think they're right for, do you say something? Do you not say something? Do you let it go? If your friend's partner seems to be going through something, do you say something? Do you not say something?'. And to me, it's more of like there's no right or wrong answer that's across the board. I think it's very specific to different situations. But it's a really interesting thing for the show to explore, because it's something that I see a lot of in my real life." On Byrne's Knack for Physical Comedy — and What Excites Her About Getting to Give Those Talents a Workout Rose: "I feel so spoiled. I love it. And Nick and Francesca write me these crazy sequences. I always get nervous. They're often with Seth and I'm falling all over him and being crazy, and in somewhere weird — where were we? Some convenience store last season. Some of my favourite performances have great comedic, physical setpieces. So it's always a big swing, and you don't know if it's going to work, but they're so fun to try to do." On Whether Platonic Is Filling a Comedy Gap on the Small Screen That's Been Missing From the Big Screen in Recent Years Seth: "Maybe. It's a little light on concept for a movie, perhaps. It could maybe use a bit more plot if it was going to be a movie. But I think tonally it captures what our movies capture. But I think what's interesting is, especially when they pitched the idea to me in the first place, that's what was exciting about it — that it was sort of capturing this energy of these R-rated comedies that we made, but more tailored to a television sensibility. Which I think means it is more of a long game — it's more of a marathon and not a sprint, which I think allows the plotlines to be a little more grounded and relatable in a lot of ways. And you're not looking for a hook where it's like 'you've got 24 hours to get a guy to a theatre' or 'you're trying to buy beer for the party that night'." Rose: "Yes, yes." Seth: "It allows them to be a little bit more slice of life, which I think is cool, but it also has the tone of these big raucous comedies we used to make." On What Gets Byrne and Rogen Excited About a New Role and a New Project at This Stage in Their Careers Rose: "I'm the fan. I love seeing stuff and meeting people — and meeting directors and writers. I still don't take for granted working in this industry." Seth: "Yeah." Rose: "I mean, Seth made a whole show about it." Seth: "Yes." Rose: "It's real. I feel like if that feeling goes away, then I should go away. For me, it's still such a thrill to work. Obviously having a family changes things, and you have to prioritise and all those sorts of stuff, but every working parent has to do that. But I still feel like I'm still the fan — when I meet people and I still get starstruck and I still want to work with people, and all those sorts of things. So for me, it's still really a thrill to be doing it." Seth: "Yeah, me too. Exactly." Platonic streams via Apple TV+, with season two premiering on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Read our review of season one.
Sometimes, you just want a sweet treat and a few film facts. For Australian fans of lollies and movies, Fantales have always come through. Sure, the chocolate-covered caramels are great for a sugar fix, but they've become an iconic Australian favourite thanks to their yellow wrappers printed with stories about the big screen's stars. And yes, they're the perfect snack when you're hitting the cinema. Well, they were. Fantales have been around for almost a century, debuting in the 1930s, but the Aussie chocolate is going the way of silent the age. Come mid-July, they'll cease production, with Nestle announcing that it is closing the curtain on the lollies. If you were a pre-internet kid, you'll remember gleaning film tidbits about famous faces thanks to the sweets back in the day when every piece of information about every celebrity wasn't available online instantly. But apparently that hasn't been enough to keep folks buying Fantales. Indeed, Nestle's decision has been made due to declining sales, plus the upgrades that'd be needed to the machinery that makes them "We know our decision to stop making Fantales will be sad news for many people," said Nestlé Oceania Confectionery General Manager Andrew Lawrey. "Many of us grew up with Fantales and have fond memories of them. Despite the sense of nostalgia Fantales evoke, unfortunately people simply aren't buying them as often as they used to," he continued. "In addition, our Fantales equipment needs significant investment. It's become increasingly difficult to get the parts we need to maintain it and, with declining sales, replacing it isn't viable." Before you start fearing for that other Aussie childhood staple — that'd be Minties — Nestle has confirmed that they're sticking around, as are other party bag go-tos like Snakes Alive and Allen's Party Mix. Fantales will cease production in mid-July 2023. You'll find them on supermarket shelves for now while stocks last.
Melbourne's southeast has just scored a huge new Asian-fusion restaurant and bar — Chicki Chan — thanks to Johnny Jong and Kelvyn Yeoh. Jong is running the back of house as Director, leaning on his hefty 28-plus years experience to create this venture — having worked as Executive Chef at both Crown Sydney and Lucas Restaurants. And he has enlisted the help of Yeoh to run the kitchen, who's also worked at Crown and Lucas Restaurants — overseeing venues like Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Yakimono, and Grill Americano. With such impressive credentials, you can't help but have high expectations for the duo's own restaurant. Similar to Lucas Restaurants venues (where the duo previously worked and seem to have gained inspiration), Chiki Chan is big on the vibes, decking out the two-storey space with a long bar backed by wave-like walls (plus another bar in the room out back), neon artwork, polished concrete floors, screens showing futuristic videos, and pumping music. They have clearly learned a few things from the one and only Chris Lucas, making the space ooze cool. When it comes to food, you can expect an eclectic mix of Asian-fusion eats — think Italian-style burrata with Szechuan chili oil, fennel jam and macadamias; crispy barramundi with an Asian remoulade, jalapenos and palm sugar sauce; and a coconut chantilly served with strawberry conssome, Thai basil oil and raspberry sorbet. Set menus are also on the docket — a necessary addition to any restaurant these days — which cost an easy $55, $65 and $85 per person. As expected, Asian-inspired cocktails make it onto the menu alongside Aussie wines and beers on tap, either found in the restaurant or adjoining Hiki Bar. At the cocktail bar, you can also find a tapas-srtyle food offering to appease the sip and snack crowds and those waiting for a table in the main dining room. Jong and Yeoh are ticking all the right boxes with Chiki Chan, clearly understanding how to stand out (while also fitting in enough as to not scare off customers) within Melbounre's highly competitive hospitality industry. You'll find the new Chiki Chan at 6 Centreway, Mordialloc, open 12pm–late from Wednesday–Sunday. For more details and to book a table, you can visit the venue's website.
Melbourne has fallen a little in love with omakase, a Japanese philosophy derived from the phrase 'leave it to the chef'. From omakase served in sumptuous subterranean spaces to untraditional, flame-filled menus — omakase is certainly having a moment in Melbourne. The latest pint-sized restaurant to join the party is Aoi Tsuki, a 12-seat omakase bar nestled on a busy section of Punt Road. Tucked around the corner from South Yarra favourites including France Soir, Bar Carolina and Bistro Gitan, Aoi Tsuki's 20-course menu rotates regularly, underpinned by a deep respect for seasonality. It's a place that's been in the making for head chefs Tei Gim and Jun Pak for years, following a few years of running a popular, lockdown-induced sushi box business. Their combined resume spans stints at Japanese institutions Kisumé and Nobu. While the seasonal menu rotates daily, it may run to the likes of steamed abalone, tempura-fried eel and chawanmushi, a traditional steamed Japanese egg, that's refreshed here with black caviar and blue cheese. But the real highlight of this sharp, smart exploration of excellent produce comes in the form of a nigiri series: soft squid, gleaming salmon, sea urchin, King George whiting and several cuts of tuna laid upon expertly-crafted sushi rice. The experiential dining adventure clocks in at $235 per person, with a paired sake flight or a tidy drinks menu available to add on. Aoi Tsuki is open at 384 Punt Road, South Yarra. It's open from 6pm–late Wednesday through to Sunday. The two hour omakase session starts at 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday, while on Friday, Saturday and Sunday diners can choose between a 6pm or 830pm seating. Images: Griffin Simm, supplied.
Somehow, entirely inexplicably, we're already into the second half of the year; soon we'll be thinking about Christmas. This year, skip the typical department stores and instead pick out unique gifts for your family and friends at The Big Design Market. Coming to Melbourne for the seventh time this December, the three-day independent designer extravaganza features over 230 stallholders selling furniture, fashion, homewares, textiles, and much more. With such a wide range of products, you're sure to find something for even the pickiest people on your list. The Big Design Market also offers a series of creative workshops (create your own works of art with The Plant Society and designers Abbey Rich, Sandra Eterovic and Cat Rabbit), a beautifully-designed outback-themed kids play area, and a smorgasbord of food options from local favourites like Gelato Messina, All Day Donuts, Harper and Blohm, Earl Canteen, Mörk Chocolate, ACE Cookies, Sensory Lab Coffee and Starward Whisky. You'll also have the chance to catch a specially-commissioned floral installation of five-metre-high flowers in giant gold vases by designer and illustrator Pete Cromer. Each year the market also puts together a showbag of goodies from some of Melbourne and Sydney's best designers, including Georgia Perry, Champ Co., Leif, Kester Black, Kleins Perfumery and Little Veggie Patch Co. A limited number will be available to purchase for $30 ($190 value). So prepare your bank account, and get ready to have your Christmas shopping done earlier than you ever have before. The market will be open from 10am till 9pm on Friday, 10am till 7pm on Saturday and 10am till 5pm on Sunday.
Neil Mills and Phil Gijsbers have helped gift Melbourne with a slew of hospitality gems, as two of the minds behind Richmond's Burnley Brewing, Small Print Pizza Bar, Green Acre Pizza Bar and Rusty's Sandwich Parlour. And they've just added another to the family, revamping a 113-year-old North Melbourne pub for their latest venture, Bobbie Peels. The OG Robert Peel Hotel (also once home to The Keeper's Arms and The Crimean) has been gently transformed into a contemporary take on the classic watering hole, with interiors by Margo Studios nodding to the building's rich history. They've retained all of the pub's charming, cosy nooks and crannies (along with the name of its most recent predecessor), kept its old-school pressed metal ceilings, and finished off the look with vintage subway tiles, gold velour curtains and comfy booth seating. You'll find a secluded beer garden tucked out back and, at the top of the original staircase, an upstairs event space with room for 100. The guys have made sure there's some great drinking to be done here, with a solid lineup of indie beers sitting alongside lots of local craft spirits — including pours from Mountain Distilling, where Mills has been honing his booze-making skills. The wine list is a broad-ranging one, filled with interesting drops and with as much love for new-world styles as for the classics — perhaps a chardonnay from the Yarra Valley's Dominique Portet, a McLaren Vale nero d'avola by Lino Ramble, or a French rosé out of Languedoc. Meanwhile, the kitchen is focused on drinks-friendly share plates and fresh pasta that's hand-rolled daily in-house, all of it guided by whatever's on offer at the nearby Queen Victoria Market. Order a glass or a bottle and snack your way through the hot and sticky pork ribs; chilli mussels with house-made bread for mopping; brussels sprouts finished with honey and pancetta; and pesto bruschetta topped with peppers, goats cheese and heirloom tomato. Meanwhile, pasta fiends will be more than happy faced with options like the squid spaghetti sprinkled with lemon and breadcrumbs, a vegan pistachio pesto orecchiette with feta and asparagus, the beef and pork pappardelle, and a classic carbonara. Find Bobbie Peels at 351 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne. It's open 4pm–late Tuesday and Wednesday, and 12pm–late Thursday to Sunday.
The time has come. Nintendo's highly anticipated new mobile Mario Kart game has raced onto smartphones everywhere, giving fans what they've always wanted: the ability to play the iconic title anywhere and everywhere, and zoom around tracks inspired by real-life locations. Yep, Mario Kart Tour ticks both boxes. Released yesterday — Wednesday, September 25 — on both iOS and Android, the game is a big deal for Nintendo, marking Mario Kart's first foray into the mobile realm. For the past 27 years, if you wanted to hop in a red-coloured kart, pretend you're the company's famous character and hurl shells at your competitors (all virtually, of course), you had to have a Nintendo console or handheld device — such as a Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Cube, DS, Wii, 3DS, Wii U or Switch. While Luigi, Bowser, Peach and the gang reappear in the game as they've always done, the fresh courses are also a huge achievement. Say goodbye Rainbow Road — Mario Kart Tour features tracks in Paris, Tokyo, New York and more. You can drive past Tokyo Tower, rush beside the Arc de Triomphe and zoom along Broadway, among other spots. The global tours will change every fortnight, too, so you can look forward to more locations. And, on select courses, some beloved Mario Kart characters can navigate their own special variations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJO3000GXU Free to play (with in-app purchases), you use your finger to steer, drift and sling items. Otherwise, it's basically business as usual. Cycle through different karts and drivers, hit the accelerator and get ready to collect coins and unleash oh-so-many banana peels. Mario Kart Tour is now available for free on iOS and Android via the Mario Kart Tour website.
Winter is when Aotearoa really turns it on. There's snow on the mountains, clear skies over Lake Tekapo and hot pools to warm you up on freezing days. Whether you're hitting the slopes, exploring the wine regions, or just settling in somewhere cosy, New Zealand is all about slowing down, clearing your head and enjoying every moment. To help you plan the perfect escape, we've rounded up eight of the best winter stays across the North and South Island – and every one of them is ten percent off when you book via our dedicated travel platform, Concrete Playground Trips using your Visa card. From boutique gems to lakeside luxury, these are the hotels worth checking into this season.
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.
Spent too much time staring at your same old furniture this winter? Wish you were relaxing somewhere coastal? Digging the desert oasis vibe? Here's one solution to all of the above: Kmart's latest homewares range. The department store's furniture drops have picked up cult followings, perhaps even more so in these steep cost-of-living times. Taking its cues from sandy locales, the August 2023 collection will only fuel that trend. When it comes to decking out your house with impressive but affordable items, Kmart has been giving IKEA a run for its money in recent years. Indeed, if you're already a convert, you probably know just how popular the department store gets whenever it drops a new range — or, you've likely seen everyone else's Instagram snaps that prove it. The current collection arrives on Thursday, July 27 with a mix of neutral tones and bursts of colour, cues taken from seashell and palm silhouettes, a heap of contrasting textures, and even coastal- and desert-themed items for pets. Expect it to fly off the shelves as always. With prices starting at $1.75 — for dinnerware, should the contents of your kitchen cupboards need a revamp — the August Living range in Australian and New Zealand stores is also about mixing and matching trends and styles. Yes, you can deck out your place like it's the beach and somewhere peppered with cacti all at once. Yes, you can do just that without stretching your budget as well. Covering items for the living, bedroom, bathroom and dining room, Kmart's current drop spans everything from oh-so-soft throws and salted caramel-scented candles through to globe-shaped lamps, timber bathroom furniture and several options for four-legged friends. The next time that your cat gets the urge to sharpen their claws, as all felines do, don't get them scratching on any old post. Direct your mouser towards a cactus-shaped version. And when your dog wants to get comfy, perhaps they'll sleep more soundly on a lush green bed. For humans, towels, crockery, wavy glasses, palm-print cushions, forest-hued quilt covers and shell-shaped bath mats are just some of the other items featured. You know how they say that change is as good as a holiday? It isn't, obviously, but swapping your home decor to the kinds of items that you might find on a getaway to the sea or desert should help lift the vibe at least. The August living range goes on sale online, in-store and via Kmart's app from Thursday, July 27 while stocks last. Kmart's August Living range goes on sale in Australia and New Zealand online, in-store and via the brand's app from Thursday, July 27 while stocks last.
UPDATE Monday, July 19: Pasta Poetry is offering a rotating menu of its freshly-made pasta varieties and other finish-at-home Italian dishes, for home delivery and click & collect. There's also a selection of vino and bottled cocktails available to add onto any order. And you can even set up a regular delivery if you'd like to make pasta night an ongoing thing. For more details on Victoria's current restrictions, see the Department of Health and Human Services website. As Melbourne's frosty winter temperatures kick in, so do the cravings for comfort food. Specifically, big bowls of fresh saucy pasta, cooked just how Nonna would like it. But, if you haven't got the skills (or patience) to hone your own at-home pasta production game, you'll find a new culinary saviour in Fairfield's newly launched Pasta Poetry. The brainchild of Melbourne hospitality veteran Theo Krambias (CH James), Pasta Poetry is a multifaceted homage to the art of pasta-making. The boutique pasta shop is now open, with an adjoining restaurant set to launch later this year. Heading up the kitchen is a dynamic duo — Executive Chef Elena Kavallaris, fresh from a trip spent training in Bologna, Italy, and Head Chef Robin Turner (La Luna Bistro in Carlton, Zsa's Bar and Bistro in Northcote). Together, they're whipping up the store's signature range of fresh handmade pasta and traditional sauces, ready for you to take home and turn into a masterpiece of your own. [caption id="attachment_813368" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Simon Shiff[/caption] On the ever-changing menu, you'll find expertly executed varieties like egg tagliatelle, tortello tondo stuffed with spinach and locally made ricotta, and cappelletti filled with 18-hour braised ox cheek. Gluten-free and vegan options abound, with gnocchi crafted using chickpea and tapioca dough, and a saffron pumpkin ravioli. Sauce options run to the likes of a creamy parmesan zabaglione, a buttery white wine number and the classic Bologna-style slow-cooked ragu. If you get overwhelmed with choices, friendly staff are on hand to help you mix and match your way to new pasta night heights. In-store, you'll also find a couple of ready-to-heat lasagne varieties, house-made garlic bread and a classic two-person tiramisu. Plus, there's a tidy selection of pasta accompaniments including cheeses, herbs and a range of wine. By June, Pasta Poetry's online store will also be up and running, offering the latest lineup of seasonal creations for home delivery. And if you'd like to enjoy the fruits of Kavallaris' and Turner's labour without the kitchen clean-up, stay tuned for the onsite restaurant, opening in late 2021. You'll find Pasta Poetry at 86 Station Street, Fairfield. It's open Sunday to Friday from 10am–7pm, and on Saturdays from 8am–6pm. Images: Simon Shiff
A blazing red neon sign is your first view of Lucy Liu, not Charlie's Angel, but one of Melbourne's most popular laneway eateries for great food and vibes in the heart of the city. Effectively sandwiched between Flinders, Russell and Collins streets, you've got no shortage of dining options in this area. You'd be kicking yourself if you passed her by. Once inside, the space is open and warm, with a design choice that never fails: an open kitchen. Time your booking or walk in at the right moment, and you could end up sitting with a view straight into it. Lucy's just turned 10, with much of the original kitchen team still a part of the family, so these veterans have every teaspoon and presentation detail locked down. What's on the menu? There's a healthy offering of bites, buns, plates both small and large and set menu banquets. A few suggestions: caramelised tofu betel leaf with pineapple and chilli or Pacific oysters with ponzu and Lucy's Sriracha to start. Follow that with a plate of kingfish sashimi with green nan jim, coconut and Thai basil (an original menu item) or fried chicken ribs with sour plum salt, lemon and kewpie. Go big with Lucy's softshell crab jianbing or a roast pork bun with house-made kimchi and sriracha mayo — or go full-feast and order another OG: drunken chicken with Shao Xing Wine and green onion dressing or a hefty slice of market fish. The banquet menus, ranging from $58pp to $78pp, give you a taste of all the hits in five or seven plates (vegan alternatives are available). The drinks menu is just as colourful and tasty to wash down all those treats. With nine specialty cocktails to choose from, plus half-strength cocktails or cocktails to share, so you're catered for whether you're planning on driving home or not. Wine comes by the glass, and Lucy has a few of her own bottles on offer, with an impressive lineup of local and imported beers and spirits to round it out.
While you may have been spoilt these holidays, with a scented candle or an adult colouring book, you may not have gotten what you really wanted for Christmas. As the festive season comes to a close and we head into the new year, you can treat yourself to some new cruelty-free makeup, exceptionally soft linen and bottles of wine for just $8.50 a pop, thanks to a heap of online Boxing Day sales. We've rounded up some of the biggest right here.
