All those years you spent waiting for Hedwig to drop a Hogwarts acceptance letter in your letterbox or your fireplace were not in vain. No, my muggle friend, they were all leading up to this: the day when Hollywood's Universal Studios announced that they'll be opening the (wonderful) Wizarding World of Harry Potter, complete with a replica of the magical school itself. The date? April 7, 2016. Yep, you'll be able to enter into Hogwarts and presumably stand on the sacred ground where Harry got placed into Gryffindor by the Sorting Hat, Hermione punched Malfoy in the face and everywhere Snape threw shade. They'll also be replicating Hogsmeade, recreating shops like Ollivanders, Zonko’s Joke Shop and Honeydukes, as well as The Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. We assume you'll be able to order by way of accio butterbeer. This isn't the first Harry Potter theme park — there's already one in both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Japan — but this definitely looks like the coolest. Plus, it's Harry Potter. Losing your shit is totally acceptable. So keep an eye out for that acceptance letter. Or, alternatively, a return flight to LA doesn't seem too out of the question either. It's Hogwarts.
As one of the world's biggest cities, London sort of has it all. Now they've got scored something most cities most certainly do not have: an urban zip line. Zip World London has this week launched what they say is the world's biggest and fastest urban zip liner, right in the heart of the city. According to the Evening Standard, the adrenaline-fuelled experience will see punters hoisted 35 meters into the air before being pushed down the 225-metre zip line. It's been billed as the "fastest city zip wire in the world" and people will reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour, which is, well, pretty terrifyingly fast. The whole thing takes place right next to the Thames at Archbishop's Park in Lambeth, so — aside from gliding through the sky like Batman for 30 intense seconds — riders will also get to take in some of the best views of London's iconic skyline, Big Ben included. If you're escaping winter for a London summer, you're in luck, because the zip line is open until Sunday, October 1. Adult tickets are £22.50 and can be booked here. Via the Evening Standard.
If you can hold on tight for one teeny, tiny minute longer, the long weekend will be with us. We know you have all sorts of awesomeness planned, so to get you in the mood (and help you through this final, painful hour or two), we'd like to treat to you a little visual relaxation. These gorgeous, dreamy cinemagraphs (the technical word for GIFs that are partly animated but don’t qualify as video) are the creation of a Strasbourg-based photographer by the name of Julien Douvier. He’s a 24-year-old freelancer who studied design and is now making inroads into the visual world via various creative projects. On his Tumblr, Douvier says, "As you can see, I attach a great importance to quality and details in my work. I will never release something I'm not satisfied of [sic.], even if I have to spend a lot of extra time on it. The meaning is very important too; I could create a lot of personal projects, but I don’t want them to be meaningless." Douvier isn't in too much danger of that with this collection. Every carefully composed image is just begging you to take a moment out of your day and pause to meditate. And that would be Friday. Just. About. Over. Via PetaPixel. Image credit: Cinemagraphs by Julien Douvier
In early February every year, sweet-toothed souls the world over celebrate 'World Nutella Day'. The day of dessert eating is just around the corner once again — and it's safe to say Preston Market has your feasting well and truly sorted. The northside precinct is transforming into a treasure trove of chocolatey and hazelnuty delights for the occasion on Sunday, February 9, as a stack of its traders get into the spirit with a range of special offers, free tastings and one-off Nutella dishes. Swing by Local Pantry & Co to sample a free tasting of Pana Organic's hazelnut and chocolate spread, then road-test some Nutella croissants at both Publique Bakery and Dragisha & Nikola Bakery. Or head to Rustic Bean where you can snag a free chocolate croissant with any coffee purchase. Meanwhile, Les Crepes Gourmandes will be stacking Nutella pancakes and waffles, and Cannoeleria will be piping Nutella into its famed cannoli for the day. Sweet-toothed vegans will also be in excellent hands, with Super Raw's vegan Nutella smoothie bowls and raw vegan Nutella treats. World Nutella Day runs from 8am–3pm.
We know how it goes, the sun starts shining and your desire for a cocktail grows. You fish around in the fridge for some ingredients and end up with some flat tonic, a skerrick of sad-looking cucumber and you make do with a subpar G&T. Well, we're here to tell you, summer cocktails don't have to be last-resort failures. It's time to take some pride in your gin-based tipple and treat your tastebuds to something special. To set you off in the right direction, we've partnered with Greenall's and crafted five foolproof recipes for some top-notch summer cocktails — and with a particularly summery drop we might add. Inspired by the blackberries growing in English hedgerows, England's oldest gin distiller's Wild Berry Gin offers a delicate sweetness with subtle red fruit notes that develop into rich camphor and citrus tastes. While the spirit can be enjoyed simply with soda and lime, take things up a notch and try out these cocktails below. Whether you're shaking them up for a group of friends or giving your significant other a nice cool treat on a hot summer's day, these pink-hued cocktails are sure to impress. [caption id="attachment_683817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shansay.[/caption] DOLCE VITA 'Dolce Vita' is Italian for 'sweet life' and the surest way to keep things saccharine is to pair your Wild Berry Gin with palate-smacking zingy passionfruit and sweet vermouth. — 45ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 15ml Aperol — 15ml sweet vermouth — 5ml passionfruit syrup — slice of orange Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pour in all your molto bella ingredients — minus the orange, that comes later — and stir vigorously. Hey, you've gotta work for your sweet treat. Strain over an ice-filled tumbler — or a whisky glass and a chunk of ice, if you're feeling fancy — and garnish with a slice of orange. Salute, sweet tooths. PRETTY IN PINK Just like the 1986 Molly Ringwald masterpiece, this feel-good tipple is super sweet in all the right ways and bound to be a cult favourite. — 40ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml raspberry puree — 30ml cream — 10ml crème de fraise de bois Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker along with a good handful of ice, then holler at Ducky and get him to give it a good shake. Next, strain the pink concoction into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a fresh raspberry, or two. Get the 80s hits pumping and enjoy this pretty little drink. FLORA DORA This is Greenall's take on a West End comedy which went on to become one of Broadway's biggest musicals, a round of applause for the Flora Dora. Get ready, this cocktail is a real showstopper. — 40ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml fresh lime juice — 10ml raspberry syrup — ginger beer You're the choreographer to these sweet, tart and spicy ginger elements. Your job: build all ingredients in a highball glass over ice and give 'em a good stir to make sure they hit their mark. Then, take a bow and a well-deserved sip. FOREST FRUIT CUP Give the shaker a rest and make a cocktail jug to share instead. This fruity delight will draw all your long-lost friends out of the woods (or forest) and into your home. — 50ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 25ml fresh lemon juice — 10ml Cointreau — 15ml sugar syrup — 1 thin slice of ginger — 150ml ginger beer Gently press your ginger slice into the bottom of a large highball glass (a hurricane or sling will work equally well). Pour over the rest of the ingredients and stir. For added pizzazz, chuck in all the fruits of the forest along with some lemon, mint and cucumber. To make a jug, simply multiply by four. WILD BERRY FROSE Finally, you don't have to choose between your G&T, slushie or wine. It's a real problem, we swear. Greenall's have married together all three in this refreshing cocktail cool enough to tackle any heatwave. — 50ml Greenall's Wild Berry Gin — 20ml lemon juice — 10ml strawberry puree — 10ml raspberry puree — 30ml sugar syrup — 65ml rosé wine Grab your trusty blender and pulverise all ingredients with ice until a smooth granita texture is achieved. Pour the mixture into a large highball, hurricane or sling glass. Garnish with a strawberry fan if you're feeling fruity or a paper umbrella if you're feeling sassy. Make 'em all to find your go-to sweet Greenall's drink for summer. Top image: Leícia Almeida.
The man behind the book that inspired the movie about the man behind the movie affectionately known as the best worst movie of all time is on his way to Australia. If you found that sentence a little bit on the baffling side, just know that it's got nothing on the mind-bending saga behind the creation of Tommy Wiseau's The Room, aka a flick that really has to be seen to be believed. The Citizen Kane of Bad Movies, The Room is a bonafide cult classic. In fact, it's so beloved that Wiseau's co-star Greg Sestero wrote a book, The Disaster Artist, about how the whole thing came together. His text, in turn, has been turned into a film directed by and starring none other than James Franco. And to celebrate the film's Australian premiere, Sestero is heading down under. Sestero will take part in Q&A screenings in Sydney and Melbourne, at the Hayden Orpheum on November 17 and 18 and Cinema Nova on November 21 and 22. Make sure you come armed with a question… a maybe a couple of plastic spoons.
It brought Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance saga to the big screen. It helped make Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson superstars. Indeed, for its two biggest names, it saw KStew go soaring to everything from Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper to Charlie's Angels, Crimes of the Future and Spencer — earning an Oscar nomination for the latter — and RPatz going from The Rover and Good Time to High Life, Tenet and The Batman. And, now, The Twilight Saga is making a comeback. The undead don't die, after all, and neither does much in the pop-culture realm. No big movie franchise ever says goodbye these days, with making the leap to the small screen one sticky trend at the moment. The Marvel Cinematic Universe did it, as has the rival DC Extended Universe. The Star Wars realm took the jump, too. So did The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, IT and The Conjuring series are also on their way. There's also a John Wick show in the works — and yes, the list goes on. With Twilight, Lionsgate Television is in early development on a small-screen version, as per The Hollywood Reporter. That said, it apparently hasn't yet been decided whether this'll be a spinoff from the OG books and the movies that initially brought them to the screen, or if it'll take the remake route like HBO's new Harry Potter show is set to. Either way, given their careers right now — see: all those films mentioned above — it's probably safe to say that Stewart and Pattinson won't be involved. Of course, there's zero word on casting for Twilight's television iteration so far, with only writer and producer Sinead Daly (The Get Down, Dirty John, Raised by Wolves, The Walking Dead: World Beyond and Tell Me Lies) named as being involved and Meyer also expected to have some input. Exactly when the Twilight TV series will arrive, and where it'll air or stream, similarly hasn't been revealed. Forgotten what the five vamp films cover? They start with teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) moving to the small town of Forks, Washington, where she meets and falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen (Pattinson). This romance between a human and a vampire isn't particularly straightforward, otherwise there wouldn't be four books and five movies devoted to it. In cinemas, Twilight also starred everyone from Taylor Lautner (Cuckoo), Anna Kendrick (Alice, Darling) and Dakota Fanning (The First Lady) to Michael Sheen (Good Omens), Rami Malek (Amsterdam) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World Dominion). There's no sneak peek at the Twilight TV show yet, understandably, but as well as the original Twilight trailer above, plus the New Moon trailer, you can watch Eclipse and two Breaking Dawn trailers below: The TV version of Twilight doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
That whole car ownership caper can now be a little less stressful, thanks to the arrival of Melbourne's new car subscription service. Operating a bit like Netflix, only with cars, Carbar+ can hook users up with a vehicle based on their needs, for a minimum one-month period. Prices currently run between $169 to $400 a week and cover all insurance, services and expenses, such as rego. If you want to opt out, a simple two weeks' notice is required before returning a car. To hire a car, you'll also need to hand over either $2000 as a bond or $495 for a lifetime membership. It works out to be cheaper than renting a car and way more flexible than leasing one, with customers able to swap between car models depending on the sort of driving they're doing. So one week you could drive around the city in an Audi A4, the next go off-road with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The group's new program Carbar Connect, which will launch later this month, also offers users extra fuel savings and benefits for servicing. Car subscription services have already proved popular overseas, though Carbar is the first to operate on Aussie shores. After tackling Melbourne, the group has got plans to roll out its program across Sydney and Brisbane. That said, it could face competition further down the track, as international car companies claim a piece of the local action — Audi On Demand is already set to launch here by 2020. Pitched as a "vehicle owning experience", Carbar's four founders — Desmond Hang, Davie Saw, Richie Chen and Kenneth Teo — launched the company three years ago as a car sales website that allowed users a three-day road test period when buying a new or used car online. For more information and to sign-up for a car, head to the Carbar website.
Finding a drink to match the place you're in hasn't been too hard in recent years. For folks in Sydney, two different types of gin have paid tribute to the Sydney Opera House. For people in Melbourne, there's a juniper spirit that nods to St Kilda live music institution The Espy. And Brisbane scored its own themed gin, too. They're just some examples — and now Jetstar, of all companies, is serving up four more. Having a tipple to celebrate turning 18 is the done thing, after all. Yes, the discounted Australian airline has come of age, and it's hosting a two-day birthday flight sale to mark the occasion. But, once you've bought cheap fares, you can also say cheers to your trip — or just in general — by knocking back a few sips from Jetstar's new hard seltzer range. The boozy beverage line is a collaboration with 'Ray, the Hop Nation crew's hard seltzer side hustle. Obviously, a Melbourne-themed seltzer is on the menu — and it somehow tastes like a deconstructed cafe latte. If you're not so fond of the idea of coffee-flavoured seltzer, the other options include a coconut, fairy floss and sea salt number for the Gold Coast; mulled wine, cloves and cinnamon for Queenstown; and rambutan, soursop and hibiscus for Bali. The four tipples are also meant to exude a particular vibe that reflects their cities of inspiration — so urban vibes for Melbourne, good times for the GC, adventure for NZ and balmy nights for Bali. Or, maybe take that as advice on where and when to knock back said drinks, since who knows what "urban vibes" taste like. If you're keen to give the seltzers a sip, you'll have to nab some online via the 'Ray website. They'll be available from Tuesday, May 17 — and because they're a limited-edition affair, getting in quickly is recommended. Jetstar's Bali, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Queenstown seltzers will be available to purchase online from Tuesday, May 17.
Have an inkling your pooch is hiding some impressive artistic talents? Well, you can find out for sure when you take them along to one of Monrose Indoor Plants' upcoming sip-and-paint sessions designed especially for four-legged creatives. Located in Newport, the dog-friendly plant boutique is kicking off a series of Pimms, Plants and Puppy Pawcasso events, with the first happening on Sunday, April 23, and each of the remaining dates working to a different theme. The lineup includes a Mother's Day edition on May 11, and a singles night on May 25. [caption id="attachment_895674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Monrose Indoor Plants[/caption] Grab a ticket for you and your pup and join in the fun as they spend the next 90 minutes painting their own plant pot masterpiece, guided through the experience using pooch-friendly painting products and techniques. There'll also be doggy charcuterie for them to snack on. After the paw-some painting class, you'll get a chance to unleash some creativity of your own, whipping up a non-toxic indoor plant arrangement for your house, all while enjoying a Pimm's. Tickets come in at $95, which includes all supplies, food and drinks, plus a $10 indoor plant voucher to spend on the night. You'll want to be quick though — classes are limited to just ten spots each. [caption id="attachment_895673" align="alignnone" width="1920"] via Unsplash[/caption] Top image: Monrose Indoor Plants
Maybe your suitcase is still looking a tad dusty, following a few years that saw travel plans put on hold. Perhaps you've given it the best workout you possibly could ever since local, interstate and international trips became a thing we could all do again. Whichever fits, scoring flights as cheap as $55 should tempt you to give that trusty bag another spin. Your destinations? Everywhere from The Whitsundays to Japan, all as part of Virgin's latest flight sale. If you're after discounted fares to a heap of places — including around Australia and the globe — Virgin is slashing prices again. This batch of special flights has been badged the Bring on 2023 sale, and can be booked now. You've got until midnight on Monday, February 6 to lock in your plans, unless the cheap fares sell out earlier. As usual, there's a sizeable number of discounted flights on offer: more than 500,000 in this run. They cover local spots such Byron Bay, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Hobart, plus overseas destinations including Bali, Vanuatu, Samoa and Fiji. Offering up to 30-percent off, one-way domestic fares start at $55, which'll get you from Sydney to Byron Bay. As proves the case in every sale like this, that's cheapest route. Other discounted flights include Sydney to the Sunshine Coast from $75, Adelaide to Launceston from $85, Brisbane to Proserpine for the same price, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $99 and Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $119. Internationally, return deals include Sydney to Fiji from $459, the Gold Coast to Bali from $489, Melbourne to Vanuatu from $539 and Cairns to Tokyo from $699. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, the fares cover between Wednesday, March 1–Thursday, December 7, all varying per route. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Sure, the chaos of Black Friday and Boxing Day is behind us for another year, but everyone loves a holiday — and, even better, a bargain holiday. Virgin's Bring on 2023 sale runs until midnight on Monday, February 6 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Imagine Planet of the Apes, but hurtling 65-million years backwards in time rather than forwards. What would a crashed spaceship's survivors find? Jurassic Park's favourite critters, obviously. Now imagine that other hit franchise, but also with a twist. Instead of making a new playground for genetically engineered dinosaur clones, picture people being plonked in the prehistoric creatures' existing realm. Whichever of the above options that you're now thinking about, you're currently on 65's wavelength. There's a bit of the Predator series to the upcoming sci-fi flick's just-dropped first trailer as well. And, there's a touch of Logan and A Quiet Place, too. The latter actually gets a boost thanks to writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who penned the first AQP feature. Here, however, they're also giving the world what it's always wanted, even if it didn't know it yet: Adam Driver fighting dinos. The White Noise, House of Gucci, Annette and Star Wars actor has long had a knack for interesting choices, and 65 fits the bill for that whole Driver-versus-prehistoric animals setup alone. If a movie about Idris Elba fighting lions can exist, aka Beast, so can this . There's more to 65's narrative, of course but it really does sound cobbled together from all that aforementioned science-fiction fare. Driver plays pilot Mills, who is charting a long-range exploratory mission through space when his ship is hit by an undocumented asteroid. Out of the 35 passengers, only young Koa (Ariana Greenblatt, In the Heights) is also left once they realise where and when they've landed — which sparks a fight to survive. Chloe Coleman (Gunpowder Milkshake) is also credited among the cast, but this looks set to largely remain a two-hander — well, two people and however many dinosaurs come rampaging their way. Viewers can see the end result in cinemas in March 2023, after a few release-date delays over the past year. And, among the film's impressive pedigree, The Evil Dead filmmaker Sam Raimi is one of its executive producers, while Wednesday and White Noise composer Danny Elfman is on score duties. Check out the trailer for 65 below: 65 releases in cinemas Down Under on March 9, 2023.
Well, Monopoly just took its reputation as the game that will destroy your family to the next level. HBO is teaming up with Hasbro for the version we've all been waiting for: Game of Thrones Monopoly. According to Mashable, the game has locked in a 2015 release — we're hoping most likely to coincide with the Season Five premiere in April. Instead of the usual boardwalks of Rich Uncle Pennybags, the board will take bloody, bloody real estate to the key spots of Westeros. Ditching the dog and thimble, GoT Monopoly will let you play as a direwolf, three-eyed raven, White Walker, dragon egg, crown, and of course, and Iron Throne. And you'll be building villages and keeps instead of houses and hotels. “The Iron Bank is the Iron Bank.” Coming in 2015, Monopoly #GameOfThrones edition: http://t.co/UBuXb0iqcc @usaopoly pic.twitter.com/fubi9rdgKz— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) February 13, 2015 Hasbro haven't revealed the individual board spaces for the GoT edition. We're thinking King's Landing has a good chance of Mayfair, and we'd probably drop Craster's Keep on Old Kent Road. You'll likely be nabbing your Gold Dragons from the Iron Bank, and keeping everything crossed for a Get Out of The Wall Free Card. Game of Thrones Monopoly is set for release in 2015. Via Mashable.
If this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles secret lair Airbnb listing wasn't evidence enough that we're desperate to relive our youth through '90s TV shows, this latest pop-up should be. Some nostalgic diehard decided that Chicago didn't have enough diners that resembled that of high school sitcom hangouts, and has promptly launched a Saved by the Bell-themed diner and bar in the neighbourhood of Wicker Park. The Saved by The Max pop-up is a replica of The Max, the diner frequented by the Bayside High students. It's a perfect recreation of early '90s bowling alley meets milkshake bar decor with an insane clashing of bright, block colours, laminex tabletops, neon lights and a jukebox. It sort of hurts our eyes, but so did lots of things in the '90s. A photo posted by Saved by the Max (@savedbythemax) on Jun 3, 2016 at 7:52am PDT The pop-up will undoubtedly have patrons eating better than the characters did on-screen, with things like AC sliders, Tori's fried chicken and Max's Magical Sweet — which reportedly comes with words of encouragement — on the menu. Of course, there'll be milkshakes and floats, along with the addition of alcohol because we're all really old now. According to CBC News, the genius behind the pop-up is local bar events manager Derek Berry, who is "a former DJ at '90s nostalgia-oriented events". After collaborating on the concept with some friends, they then went to NBC Universal and got the rights to use the show as the diner's inspiration. So this is as legit as it gets. Saved by The Max opened on June 1 in Chicago. Unsurprisingly, they've been inundated with bookings, but you can still try your luck as a walk-in if you're in town. For more info, visit savedbythemax.com. Via CBC News.
Do you have a friend in Wellington who likes writing, and going to cafes where the baristas are knee-deep in tattoos and serve organic ethnic blend coffees? A friend who knows what a cold brew is, can stomach eating fine cuisine on a weekly basis, and gets enthused about going to the latest Bats plays and being 'in the know'? Would that friend enjoy getting paid to do all of the above and more? Well, good. We're looking for writers in Wellington city and need someone like your friend (you can subscribe here to read about it soon). So pass this message on to them and get them to send us through their name and wee bit of their writing (no personal postcard to your aunt or your Mills & Boon-esque short fiction piece, please) to wellington@concreteplayground.co.nz We'll be waiting.
When Bondi's iconic Icebergs pool shuts for cleaning each Thursday it usually just gets a bit of a scrub. But this week something much more exciting than a high-pressure hose was put into the beachside basin — instead, a giant print of the Amalfi Coast was installed across the entire bottom of the pool. A post shared by Canon Australia (@canonaustralia) on Feb 23, 2017 at 12:46am PST If you're familiar with his work, you have probably already guessed that the print was shot by prolific Bondi ocean photographer Eugene Tan, a.k.a Aquabumps. The umbrella-lined beach print — named Peppermint Fresh and shot on the Amalfi Coast last year — is available to buy on Tan's website, but at a huge 50-metres-wide, this is definitely the most large-scale you'll get to see it. Unfortunately the installation was a one-day-only thing and the pool is back to its normal clear blues today. Nonetheless, it made for a great aerial shot. Top image: Amaury Treguer via Instagram.
It's been 21 years since the first of The Lord of the Rings movies had everyone rushing to cinemas, obsessing over hobbits and elves, saying "precious" too many times and ogling New Zealand's natural splendours. Come September, this time via your streaming queue, get ready for much of the above to happen all over again. After five years of talking about it, Prime Video's new series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is mere months away from reaching eyeballs — and the platform has just dropped another trailer to tease what's in store. Yes, Middle-earth is about to sprawl across your TV screen — or whichever other screen you use to access your streaming queue. The JRR Tolkien-inspired fantasy series will return to the franchise's elves, dwarves, epic cities and leafy landscapes, as its first sneak peek back in February made plain. And, thanks to the just-dropped new footage, it looks set to spend a fair amount of time looking up. "The skies are strange," viewers are told at the beginning of the minute-long clip — and a fiery ball in the heavens does indeed demonstrate just that. The clip is big on mood and light on story, but still offers a fresh look at The Rings of Power's world. Full sneak peek exclusively for Prime Members on https://t.co/cofBDVThEu. #TheRingsOfPower pic.twitter.com/Md8SAMk2aT — Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) July 6, 2022 The one catch: if you're keen to check out the whole new clip, you'll already need to be a Prime member. If so, you can head to Prime Video now to watch the full teaser — as part of the platform's push to promote its upcoming Prime Day. If you're not up to date on The Rings of Power, it features a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man). As seen in the initial trailer, it's also set to include elves catching arrows, humans stuck on rafts on stormy seas, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set a premiere date of Friday, September 2, 2022 back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, the series will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, The Rings of Power will follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power features an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. After you've hopped over to Prime Video to scope out the new trailer, you can revisit out the first teaser for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power below. And, watch this space — as announced in the just-dropped new clip, another trailer is coming on July 14, too. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
Some of Australia's dreamiest contemporary spaces have been given the ultimate tick of approval, taking out top honours at the Australian Interior Design Awards 2019. From the daring to the downright dapper, the esteemed awards recognised next level talent displayed in bars, hotels, cafes, public spaces and retail stores, all across the country. The top gong, known as the Premier Award for Australian Interior Design, went to George Livissianis for his work on sleek Sydney hair salon USFIN. The space was described by the 2019 awards jury as "genuinely clever" and "a bit sexy", with "a real joyfulness to it, despite its futuristic laboratory aesthetic". [caption id="attachment_724332" align="alignnone" width="1920"] USFIN[/caption] Elsewhere, BVN took out the Award for Interior Design Impact for North Strathfield's Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School, while the newly rebuilt Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Queensland, took home the award for Best Public Design. The designers behind some of your go-to hospitality spaces were also given serious props, including Melbourne firm Pierce Widera, which was awarded the title of Emerging Interior Design Practice. This is the team that brought us contemporary favourites like Cheek (and its rooftop bar Peaches), Richmond's Sister of Soul and Northcote cafe Bicycle Thieves. [caption id="attachment_724328" align="alignnone" width="1920"] United Places Botanic Gardens. Image: Sharyn Cairns[/caption] Melbourne-based studio Carr scooped up the Hospitality Design Award for South Yarra hotel United Places Botanic Gardens, which is also home to chef Scott Pickett's fire-driven restaurant Matilda 159 Domain. Further north, Herbert & Mason scored a Commendation in the Retail Design Award category, in honour of its work on Surry Hills' multifaceted wellness hub Paramount Recreation Club. [caption id="attachment_724331" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Escher X nendo: Between Two Worlds. Image: Takumiota[/caption] And the Installation Design Award honoured some familiar activations, with the top prize going to the National Gallery of Victoria and Nendo for the Escher X Nendo: Between Two Worlds exhibition. Anna Tregloan pulled a Commendation for her work leading us all down the rabbit hole at ACMI's Wonderland. You can check out the full list of award winners at the AIDA 2019 website. Images 1–2: Sister of Soul by Derek Swalwell. Images 3–4: Cheek by Jana Langhorst. Image 5: Waltzing Matilda Centre by Casey Vallance.
Spectacular spectacular news: we've just found the best excuse you'll ever have to head to Paris, other than, well, just generally heading to Paris. Making movie-lovers' dreams come true, and just fans of the French capital's as well, Airbnb has listed quite the iconic spot. When it comes to the Moulin Rouge's famous windmill, no other word comes close to describing it. You've seen it lighting up the big screen in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, spotted it as part of Moulin Rouge! The Musical's sets and, if you've been to Paris before, maybe even tangoed past it. Now, you can slumber in a secret room within the red-hued site. Yes, you'll be peeking behind the velvet curtains of the famed location — and walking through them. The space inside the windmill has never before been opened to the public, let alone been made available to book via Airbnb — and yes, it's decked out to look the part. The interior has been turned into a Belle Époque-inspired boudoir, so you really will feel like you've danced back to late 19th-century France or into a film (or both). To get the details exactly right, Airbnb worked with French historian Jean-Claude Yon on the renovations, with authenticity obviously a big driving factor. The results: that opulent boudoir, which comes filled with art nouveau features and a miniature paper stage; a dressing area filled with vintage costumes, perfumes and letters from admirers; and a private rooftop terrace with an ornate pagoda and garden furniture that would've been around at the time. Come what may, indeed. That's all stunning as it is — and the fact that you'll get backstage access to the theatre, a traditional three-course French meal and the best seats in the house for the Moulin Rouge's acclaimed show Féerie as well as an overnight stay makes it even better. So does the fact that your host for the booking is Claudine Van Den Bergh, lead dancer of Féerie. Then there's the cost, with all of the above only setting you back AU$1.49 / NZ$1.63 (or €1) for the evening. Yes, that price is correct. If you've tried to sleep in the Bluey house in Brisbane, or Dracula's castle in Transylvania — or shark tanks, van Gogh's bedroom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' secret lair — then you'll know that getting into Airbnbs like this is more about entering to score a shot than booking, though. In this case, the Moulin Rouge windmill will only be hosting three individual one-night stays for two guests each on June 13, 20 and 27 To get your chance, you'll need to head to the windmill's Airbnb listing when reservations open — at 3am AEST on Wednesday, May 18. If you score a stay, that AU$1.49 / NZ$1.63 doesn't cover getting you to Paris, unsurprisingly. Accordingly, your bank account will still get a workout. And, if you've always wondered about the windmill's history — well, since seeing Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor fall in love on-screen near it — it was first constructed in 1889, to nod to the site's rural origins. Then, after a fire, it was reconstructed three decades later. For more information about the Moulin Rouge windmill listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Wednesday, May 18, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Daniel Alexander Harris.
It's here. Oh God, oh God, it's finally here. After more than a year of bickering, speculation and a seemingly never-ending parade of scandals, in the next four to six hours we'll probably know the name of the next American President. Just about every new organisation on the planet will be covering the race. Below, we've put together a list of the best places to tune in to the finale of the most exhausting reality show in the history of modern democracy. GOOGLE This year, Google launched their new election tool that presents election results in real time. Just pop in "US election" into search. YOUTUBE Hop on to YouTube for live streams from NBC News, Bloomberg, PBS, MTV News, Telemundo and The Young Turks. Complex News is also streaming an election-night special at YouTube Space NY. TWITTER BuzzFeed News has teamed up with Twitter for an exclusive election live stream, available via election.twitter.com, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One. FACEBOOK LIVE A few US news outlets will be using Facebook Live to stream election results, commentary and analysis. Check out PBS NewsHour, AJ+, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Alternatively, Huffington Post are streaming a Donald Trump candle melting in real time. So, y'know, there's that. OTHER GO-TO NEWS PLATFORMS The Guardian has the most adorable and comprehensive map and tracker we've seen. Huffington Post and Fox News will be streaming through Verizon's go90streaming service. US news sites like CNN (also fronting a killer interactive electoral college map) and MSNBC will be streaming from their own websites, and Fox will be streaming from their Fox News Go app. BLOGS You definitely want to keep your eyes on Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight, along with The New Yorker and Politco. Oh, and The Onion, because laughing is better than crying. CLOSER TO HOME The ABC is operating an up-to-the-minute live blog, as is SBS and SMH. You can also stream ABC News 24, and yes, Antony Green will be on hand to break down all the numbers. VIRTUAL REALITY Yes, that's right, virtual reality. Because why wouldn't you want to get ever closer to Donald Trump. AltspaceVR have teamed up with NBC News to present VR coverage throughout the night. By Tom Clift and Shannon Connellan. Top image: The Guardian.
Since 2015, gin lovers around the country have tripped over themselves to get their spirit-loving fingers on a bottle of Four Pillars' Bloody Shiraz Gin — and that's before they've even had a sip of alcohol. The limited edition shiraz-infused concoction really is that good. It's one of the most coveted booze releases of each year, in fact. So, we thought you'd like to know that the next batch goes on sale on Tuesday, May 31. If you haven't come across the gin before, it's basically what it says on the label: gin infused with shiraz grapes. This gives the spirit a brilliant deep cerise colour and some sweet undertones (without a higher sugar content). That, along with its higher alcoholic content — 37.8 percent, compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin — makes the Bloody Shiraz Gin a near-perfect specimen. It can be used in cocktails where you'd usually use your regular gin — or you can keep things simple with a G&T. Four Pillars initially created the game-changing gin when it came into a 250-kilogram load of shiraz grapes from the Yarra Valley. Experimenting, the Victorian distillers then steeped the grapes in their high-proof dry gin for eight weeks before pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin, and hoping like hell it would turn out well. It did. 2022's bloody great Bloody Shiraz Gin also comes as a limited-edition option, with Australian photographer and artist Luke Shadbolt helping create an eye-catching bottle. His impressive artwork is printed directly onto the glass, using a copper etching of one of his photographs of the Australian ocean — and is designed to take its cues from Hokusai's The Great Wave. Also bloody excellent: doing more than just selling the cult-favourite drop, Four Pillars has also made Bloody Shiraz Gin chocolate. Using leftover grape skins from crafting the tipple in the spotlight, these fruit and nut chocolate bars have been whipped up by Hunted+Gathered using ground grape skins mixed with cocoa butter and raw sugar, plus cashews and sultanas. If your tastebuds are tempted, it's super-limited, and you can get it in bundles with the Bloody Shiraz Gin. Clearly, it's been a bloody nice time for Four Pillars of late, with the Bloody Shiraz Gin range dropping just weeks after it relaunched its revamped Healesville base. And yes, that's one of the places that you can pick you the new gin and chocolate. The 2022 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin and Bloody Shiraz Gin chocolate will go on sale around the country on Tuesday, May 31. Bottles cost $85, while bundles with chocolate cost $90. Head to the Four Pillars website to make a purchase — or hit up the Four Pillars Distillery at Healesville, Victoria and the Four Pillars Lab in Surry Hills, Sydney.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival knows how to perfect the art of headliners. It also knows how to make the most of a jazz-fuelled spring night under the stars at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Fresh from welcoming Chaka Khan to the openair venue in 2023 for an Australian-exclusive show, as joined by Nile Rodgers & Chic, the Victorian fest has announced fellow icon Herbie Hancock as its big name for 2024. Hancock will help kick off this year's MIJF, which runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 and will announce the rest of its lineup in August. The 14-time Grammy-winning legend will play Jazz at the Bowl, making the event's third year particularly memorable. This is the man whose career includes playing in the Miles Davis Quintet in the 60s, winning an Oscar in the 80s for Best Original Score for Round Midnight, and giving the world compositions such as 'Cantaloupe Island' and 'Chameleon' — and 'Rockit', too — after all. Joining Hancock at Jazz at the Bowl are fellow American musician Marcus Miller — who has also worked with Davis; boasts playing on albums by Hancock, Khan, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Frank Sinatra and more; and is making his first trip Down Under — plus Noongar artist Bumpy. In excellent news for folks who won't be in Melbourne on Saturday, October 19, when 2024's Jazz at the Bowl will take place, Hancock has also announced a string of Aussie dates. Before and after hitting up MIJF, he'll play the Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre, QPAC Concert Hall in Brisbane, Festival Theatre in Adelaide and Perth's Concert Hall. "Having Herbie Hancock and Marcus Miller perform on the same evening at the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl is nothing short of extraordinary," said Melbourne International Jazz Festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni. "These two icons have shaped the soundscape of modern music in profound ways. Bringing them together in such a historic venue underscores the significance of Jazz at the Bowl and offers our audience a unique experience. It's a celebration of iconoclastic excellence that will resonate for years to come." Herbie Hancock Australian Tour 2024: Friday, October 11–Saturday, October 12 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Monday, October 14 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra Thursday, October 17 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 19 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Sunday, October 20 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Tuesday, October 22 — Concert Hall, Perth [caption id="attachment_964817" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Georgia Mein[/caption] Herbie Hancock's tour of Australia will take place across October. Head to the tour ticketing website for further details, and for ticket presales from 9am on Wednesday, July 10, then general sales from 9am on Thursday, July 11. The 2024 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets for Herbie Hancock from 1pm on Tuesday, July 9.
Victoria's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And, like in past years, it's also bringing the decadence to you. Whether you're a Melburnian who can't make it to one of the three venues outside of town, or you're located elsewhere and you really love hot chocolate, the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and the Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie are churning out at-home kits filled with creative hot choccie flavours. This year's physical fest boasts a wild range of flavours, with the at-home version following suit. Whichever you choose between Tuesday, August 1–Thursday, August 31, you'll receive couverture flavour-infused melts, a giant marshmallow and interactive elements to add to your choice of hot milk at home. Wondering which inventive flavours will tempt your tastebuds? The full 2023 lineup is as OTT and indulgent as ever — and as tasty. Kicking things off: a nod to Barbie via a pink-infused hot chocolate, as well as an Iced Vovo hot chocolate that features chocolate iced doughnuts for dunking. Or, you can sip on a poached pear and hazelnut version, a dulce de leche churros hot chocolate and a Biscoff hedgehog variety. Pick the Happy Vegemite hot chocolate and you'll get handcrafted caramel koalas to dip — or go for the Harry Potter-inspired hot choc to score a chocolate wand for doing the same. Some flavours come topped with waffles or pretzels. Yes, the list goes on. Only a selection of flavours will be available to make at home, but the ones on offer can be ordered throughout August for $6.50 per single-flavour kit. There's also a flat-rate shipping fee of $15 to anywhere in Australia. Images: A Myszka.
Solar power? Wind power? Sure. But pee power? Human urine serves as an energy source for Melbourne's pop-up Greenhouse restaurant. Open March 2 through to the 21st as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Greenhouse is the brainchild of Joost Bakker, a designer who has proven that an entirely waste-free restaurant is indeed possible, and is making its debut in Melbourne after appearing in Sydney last year. The restaurant contains custom-built lavatory facilities designed to collect patrons' urine. The urine is then diluted and used as canola and soybean plant fertilizer. Nontraditional and maybe a little off-putting to some, pee collection is a surprisingly effective plant fertilising method. According to Bakker, “Urine is incredible for nitrogen, it’s so valuable — you only need the urine of 25 people to provide fertiliser for a hectare of crop.” Greenhouse boasts other eco-friendly features as well. The building is constructed out of a light gauge steel frame and ECO-ply plywood walls. Held together by glue made entirely of soybeans, the whole structure is 100% recyclable. The restaurant runs on energy generated and fuelled by pure canola oil, and is insulated by locally sourced straw bales, an agricultural by-product. [via Gristlist]
Babylon in the Park is ideal for those not up for the 230-kilometre journey from Melbourne to Carapooee West for Babylon Festival — let's face it, rounding up the crew is hard enough when the destination is in the city, let alone when there's whole weekends to book off, camping gear and transport involved. The spirit of Babylon will be alive and well at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on February 23, with some of the 2020 festival lineup's best artists booking it back to the city to bring the party to you. The open-air event in the heart of the city include three stages, pumping out techno, house and psychedelic music. The lineup includes Babylon regular and curator Carl Cox, DJ Ann Clue who'll take things to a deep, dark melodic techno realm, and synth king and electro veteran Reinier Zonneveld. Plus, UK DJ Alan Fitzpatrick and the crew from Bushtechno will be presenting the Hanging Garden Stage — inspired by the Australian bush festival culture. Alongside the music will be food trucks to keep you fuelled, installations from Bushtechno and Fullcrum Designs, plus otherworldly art to take you to a mind-blowing place.
It's one of the world's biggest sporting goods retail brands, found in over 30 countries and dubbed by many as 'the ALDI of activewear'. And now, France's famed Decathlon — which launched an online store here last year and opened its first Sydney store in December last year — is expanding its physical Australian footprint. Two Melbourne stores are due this month, while the brand has just today opened the doors to its second Sydney outlet. Located on Paramatta Road in Auburn in the city's west, the new space is stocked with products relating an impressive 70-plus sports and activities. If it's anything like its Tempe counterpart, it'll boast 7000 sport-related products. Decathlon promises savings galore — so if you've got a sports nut or fitness fiend in your life, put this one at the very top of your Christmas shopping hit-list. When the first Sydney store opened last year, CEO of Decathlon Australia Mr Olivier Robinet said that the company wants to make sport accessible to all locals. "Australians are some of the most active people in the world, the whole country is like a playground," he explained. "Until now many Australians have had to spend hundreds of dollars to get a quality product. Decathlon has now changed this." So how cheap is it? Well, a pair of yoga pants range will set you back between $12 and $40, while a two-person tent is $30. More than just a standard store, Decathlon also features dedicated active zones, where customers can roadtest certain products, and its own community sporting areas, where local sports clubs can host sign-up days, barbecues and fundraising events. The Auburn store officially launches on Tuesday, November 20 — but if you sign up for free membership now and then drop by this weekend during the soft opening, you'll nab a free gift. Find Decathlon at 300 Paramatta Road, Auburn. The store is open from 7am–11pm seven days a week For more info, visit decathlon.com.au. Image: Decathlon via Facebook.
Not content with decking out its outdoor spaces with murals and more, Berlin is boosting its street art game. The German city now boasts its own street art museum — and, in keeping with its status as Europe's graffiti capital, the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art earns the honour of the world's largest street art gallery. Opening its doors on September 16 in Schöneberg in the city's inner south, the five-storey facility features original pieces from more than 100 well-known street artists, such as Shepard Fairey, Evol, 1010, and Icy and Sot. Curated by an international team of experts, and designed to grow and evolve, the site not only displays its art works in the traditional way, but turns its Wilhelminian-era building into a canvas. That means decking out its architectural features and exterior surfaces, including its facade, which will be covered in 8,000-square-foot murals that can be transported, rotated and stored. The nearby train tracks will also be fitted out with installations by more than 30 artists, expanding the museum's influence beyond its walls. Inside, visitors will find a bricks-and-mortar addition in the form of a catwalk stretched across the two-storeys of the building's interior — ensuring that displayed pieces can be properly seen both from a distance and close up. Free to enter and view, in keeping with street art's usual creed, the latest project from Urban Nation continues their efforts to turn Berlin into one huge street art gallery. Well, it continues them and adds a huge street art gallery. That said, the Museum for Urban Contemporary Art mightn't keep its title for too long, with a massive, warehouse-based street art museum currently coming together in Amsterdam for a 2018 launch. Paris also has its own, featuring 150 works; however, Urban Nation director and curator Yasha Young told Conde Nast Traveler that the Berlin gallery, "will be the world's first museum that covers all genres of urban contemporary art, including graffiti, paste-ups, sculptures, acrylic designs, and other forms typically found in cityscapes." For more information, visit the museum website. Via Conde Nast Traveler. Image: Urban Nation.
Here's an easy recipe for a movie, and a TV show as well: take a bunch of famous faces, throw them into the same space, knock off one of their characters and let a couple of them get sleuthing, pointing the finger at everyone else. It worked for Knives Out, gloriously so. It's made Only Murders in the Building a treat across not one but two seasons. And while it hasn't really hit the mark in recent Agatha Christie adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile — especially the later — the same setup remains intact in both flicks. The next film to give the premise a whirl is new whodunnit See How They Run, which definitely has the star-studded cast part taken care of. As seen in the just-dropped trailer, Sam Rockwell (Richard Jewell) plays veteran detective Inspector Stoppard, while Saoirse Ronan (The French Dispatch) steps into the shoes of enthusiastic newcomer Constable Stalker. And, the case they're tasked with looking into also brings Adrien Brody (Succession), Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials), Reece Shearsmith (Venom: Let There Be Carnage), Harris Dickinson (The Souvenir: Part II), Shirley Henderson (Stan & Ollie) and David Oyelowo (Chaos Walking) into the mix — and more. Set in 1950s London, and in the West End to be precise, the movie follows the aftermath of a big-name death — a Hollywood director who was set to turn a smash-hit play into a film. Cue Stoppard and Stalker entering the sometimes-glamorous, sometimes-unseemly theatre world, trying to work out who's the killer. Slated to hit cinemas at the end of September, the flick hails from first-time feature director Tom George (TV's Defending the Guilty and This Country), with Mark Chappell (Flaked and The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret) on scripting duties. Then mood: jaunty. The tone: comic. Yes, it's firmly murder-mystery comedy. That's another regular part of the whodunnit equation, of course — turning a shock death and the investigation that follows into an amusing picture, that is. Check out the trailer for See How They Run below: See How They Run opens in cinemas Down under on September 29. Images: Parisa Taghizadeh. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
It is little wonder that, for many of us, bikes are our preferred means of transport when getting from A to B. They're cheaper, greener, and ensure the health and general perkiness of various muscular groups. Yet while we love our bikes, we rarely share the affection with the cycling paths we ride on — indeed quite the opposite. But that may be about to change. French industrial designer, Ines Le Bihan, has recently developed Bicycle Road, a modular bike path with benefits galore. The Bicycle Road consists of small square-shaped panels which are easily assembled and disassembled, which means they take the labour, disruption and cost out of painting pesky white lines. The Bicycle Road is also well-equipped to deal with seasonal changes and to cope with the natural inclinations of the road. It also promises to be a safer alternative. And Greener. What is not to like about the Bicycle Road — it promises to be a greener, safer, more economical alternative to the less than adequate bike tracks that currently trail around our city street. We may even end up loving our bike tracks as much as our bikes. Maybe.
Unfortunately, it's not an unusual problem. You arrive at your destination, but your bag doesn't. For all the airline staff know, it could have been shuffled off to Zanzibar by now. Or maybe it never even left home. With 90,000 or so flights in the air every day, worldwide, its location could be anyone's guess. In an effort to decrease the frequency of the all-too-common mislaid luggage dilemma, British Airways, in conjunction with Densitron and UK-based creative agency Design Works, have come up with a digital solution. They're currently trialling electronic bag tags, which have the potential to replace the current paper-based system. After checking in, the ticket-holder can use a smartphone to send flight details to the tag (via an app). Then, rather than having to stand in lengthy queues, he or she can drop off his or her bag for scanning. Not only does the electronic bag tag promise to make the tracking of luggage easier, it also means more efficient check-in procedures. Plus, it's reusable. "[The e-tag] is more expensive, but ultimately it is re-usable — you would acquire and use it multiple times," Lewis Freeman, an industrial designer from Designworks told the BBC this week. "The life of the product is up to five years. I imagine the technology would move on faster than the tag would need replacing." If the tags prove to be successful, they'll be publicly available in 2014. [via Hypebeast]
Your mission, movie lovers, should you choose to accept it: watching the first sneak peek at the new instalment in one of cinema's biggest franchises. The initial teaser trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One is here and, yes, it's filled with espionage intrigue, explosions, chases, fights and Tom Cruise wearing masks. Also covered: stunts, stunts and more stunts, plus even more stunts still. At this point in his career, all new Cruise movies seem to belong to a broader saga. That'd be: "one of the world's biggest stars does death-defying stunts to lure audiences into cinemas". The Mission: Impossible flicks have been keeping those daredevil flames burning for almost three decades now, and its leading man just keeps upping the ante. And yes, he's still committed to doing as many dangerous feats as he can himself, including riding a motorcycle off a cliff this time around. Arriving more than a year before the movie hits cinemas — it'll release Down Under on July 13, 2023 — the debut glimpse at Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One isn't big on plot. There is a story to stitch together all those stunts, though. First, Cruise's Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt is told that his "days of fighting for the so-called greater good are over", and that the mission now is to control the truth, as well as the concepts of right and wrong. So, that leaves him needing to pick a side. So far, so vague — but that's what first glimpses are usually about, including at Tom Cruise-starring future blockbusters that are debuting their initial sneak peeks because another Tom Cruise-starring certain blockbuster (that'd be Top Gun: Maverick) is reaching the silver screen this week. The Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One trailer does cover plenty of other familiar faces, however, including the characters of Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg, The Boys), Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson, Dune), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, Father Figures), and Alanna Mitsopolis (Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman). Also popping up: Hayley Atwell (Avengers: Endgame) and Esai Morales (How to Get Away with Murder), both as new figures — and the latter as the movie's key villain. Four years after helming the series' sixth film, 2018's Mission: Impossible – Fallout, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie returns for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One — his third M:I flick in a row after also doing the honours on 2015's Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. And yes, as the name makes plain, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One will have a sequel, which is set to release sometime in 2024. Check out the trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One below: Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One releases in cinemas Down Under on July 13, 2023.
As always, Midsumma starts off with a bang with the Midsumma Carnival and T Dance in the Alexandra Gardens. There'll be hours of live music and entertainment on the main stage, over 140 stalls in the Carnival Village, plus the return of the Midsumma Dog Show and a grown-up sized jumping castle. Then, once the sun starts to set, the park will be transformed into one enormous dancefloor, with DJs and bands performing well into the night. It's the perfect way to get into the Midsumma mood – and best of all, it's 100 per cent free.
If you're planning on heading into the new year sans frustration and worry, you might want to avoid catching public transport for the first few weeks of it. The Victorian Government today announced that sections of 11 Melbourne train lines will be closed in January to complete more work on the Metro Tunnel make way for a shiny new fleet of high-capacity trains. What does that mean? Replacement buses. If you travel on any of the lines that service the east, southeast and western suburbs, you'll have to switch from the train to a bus as you come into the city. Those on the Glen Waverley, Alamein, Belgrave, Lilydale Werribee, Williamstown and Sunbury lines will only have to deal with it for a weekend, but Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston passengers will need to do the switch for a whole two weeks after the new year. The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines are already closed from Westall onwards, with the government offering free travel up until December 23. Passengers won't be able to claim free travel for this round of closures. Here's what's happening on each of the affected lines. Cranbourne and Pakenham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Westall stations between January 2–13. Frankston: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Moorabbin stations between January 2–13. Sandringham: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Elsternwick stations between January 2–6. Glen Waverley, Alamein, Belgrave and Lilydale: Buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Burnley stations for the weekend of January 12–13. Werribee, Williamstown and Sunbury: Buses will replace trains between Kensington and the city for the weekend of January 19–20. Plus, V/Line services will be affected as well. Buses will replace trains on the Gippsland line right up until January 23, and you'll have to swap to a bus if you're travelling past Sunbury to get to Bendigo, Swan Hill or Echuca from January 12–27. Something to keep in mind if you're travelling home or out of the metro area over the holiday period. The good thing is that the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will have new seven-carriage high-capacity trains up and running by mid-2019. The new vehicles will have the ability to carry 20 percent more passengers than any other train on the network — so maybe you'll actually be able to sit down on your commute. The State Government is advising commuters to leave an extra 45–75 minutes for travel in the case of delays, so it's advisable that you plan your trip carefully. For up-to-date info, your best bet is to check the disruptions map on the government's Big Build website. Image: Visit Victoria.
Everyone has an opinion about Aaron Sorkin. Whether it's a gushing adoration for imagining Josh Lyman and Jed Bartlet, an intense frustration for his silver-tongued yet repetitive Sorkinisms, or a disbelief in the fact he can't write a decent female character to save his life (barring CJ Cregg, of course). We've all had arguments about the 52-year-old screenwriter at some point, and his highly criticised HBO drama The Newsroom only intensified the debate. Now, in a discussion at Tribeca Film Festival, Sorkin finally (if not a little begrudgingly) acknowledged its faults. "I’m going to let you all stand in for everyone in the world, if you don’t mind," said Sorkin to a live audience. "I think you and I got off on the wrong foot with The Newsroom and I apologise and I’d like to start over." If only that were possible. The show, soon entering its third and final season, has faced harsh scrutiny since its 2012 premiere for its overt preachiness, malformed relationships between characters, and ultimately for the fact that it's nowhere near as good as The West Wing. “I feel like I’m just now starting to learn how to write it,” Sorkin said. "I wish that I could go back to the beginning of The Newsroom and start again... but I'm feeling really good about how the third season is going." The bulk of his 'apology' went out to the journalists offended by the show's seemingly overt criticism of the modern press. “I think that there’s been a terrible misunderstanding," Sorkin said, sounding a little too much like Gob from Arrested Development. "I did not set the show in the recent past in order to show the pros how it should have been done. That was and remains the furthest thing from my mind. I set the show in the recent past because I didn’t want to make up fake news... I wasn’t trying to and I’m not capable of teaching a professional journalist a lesson. That wasn’t my intent and it’s never my intent to teach you a lesson or try to persuade you or anything.” Every scene from the show ever, would beg to differ. #sorrynotsorry Via Huffington Post.
At Belle's Hot Chicken, Christian Robertson and Morgan McGlone have made a hero of natural wine, just as much as of their beloved spicy fried chook. But that less-is-more, organic-focused philosophy that's so big in the wine world, had yet to sneak its way into the rest of the pair's booze program. That is, until now. Dreamed up on a recent jaunt to Japan, McGlone and Robertson's latest venture is Kyoto Protocol — a pop-up cocktail bar concept named after the city where their idea was hatched. "It's built on the idea that we could have a natural wine approach to a cocktail program," explains Belles Beverage Director Robertson. Debuting at this year's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the bar puts a fresh spin on the whole cocktail caper, showcasing four of what the boys call "lo-fi" drinks. They're easy to make, easy to enjoy and crafted on organic ingredients, with no unnatural additives and minimal garnishes. Operating out of a repurposed shipping container at MFWF's House of Food and Wine, Kyoto Protocol will be slinging all four concoctions from March 9 to 11. Clocking in at an easy $12 a pop, you'll find creations such as the Basic B, which blends vodka, organic yuzu from NSW, Japanese yuzu soda, cold-pressed watermelon and a cucumber syrup. Another, dubbed the Hentai, mixes peach bitters, Hennessy and a peach iced tea, made to a recipe McGlone picked up over in Nashville. Backing the stronger stuff, there'll be a hefty selection of natural wine, as the boys raid their extensive, long-built cellar collection. Expect a good 100 bottles featured across the weekend, with plenty of hard-to-find options and a solid range on offer by the glass. "They're bottles that people don't get the opportunity to taste very often," hints Robertson. Sticking with the natural approach, the bar will be using only 100 percent wheat straws and biodegradable cups. What's more, all those used cups will be collected and displayed throughout the pop-up, to help keep customers mindful about another important impact of their boozing. The final haul of waste will be recycled and repurposed into something useful — think, a park bench, rail sleepers, or plastic bricks — by the legends at Closed Loop. Kyoto Protocol will be popping up alongside a slew of food stalls and masterclasses from some of Australia's — and the world's — best chefs. You'll be able to down the lo-fi cocktails alongside eats by Belles, Sundae School, Mamasita and more. Day passes to the House of Food and Wine start from $65 and can be purchased here. Find Kyoto Protocol at Melbourne Food and Wine Festival's House of Food and Wine at The Coopers Malthouse Theatre, Southbank, from March 9–11, 2019. Images: Parker Blain and Daniel Mahon.
Tackling climate change can feel like an impossibly tough task at times, but having a positive impact on our planet is possible — and more so when you get your house in order. With around eight percent of greenhouse gases caused by food waste, making smarter decisions at the shops and implementing sustainable kitchen tricks are just some ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. Whether you learn how to pickle old fridge veg or make the switch to buying organic, seasonal produce from local growers, these small choices can equate to something much bigger. We've teamed up with Glad to celebrate its new Glad to be Green range — and to bring you six simple ways you can combat climate change from your very own kitchen. LEARN HOW TO PICKLE You might be tempted to instantly dump shrivelled, scary-looking vegetables you find at the back of the fridge straight into the bin. Don't be so hasty, though, as you could be throwing away an easily pickled snack. Not only are pickled veggies tasty, but they will also rapidly cut down your food waste at home — if you make them yourself, that is. Pickling has been a go-to preserving method for thousands of years and it's pretty easy to do. Just reach for those old apples, onions, carrots, cucumbers and basically any other plant-based product. Throw in whatever combination you want inside a sterilised glass jar. Add the brine, which is made up of water, vinegar, salt and your favourite spices, and make sure all produce is submerged. Seal tight and put in the fridge. Depending on what kind of pickling you're going for — quick, canned, fermented — the process can take as little as 90 minutes and sometimes as long as around five weeks. Still feel a bit daunted? The pickle legends at Cornersmith run online classes as well as in-person ones for Sydneysiders. [caption id="attachment_778329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jacqui Manning[/caption] BUY ORGANIC, SEASONAL FRUIT AND VEG FROM LOCAL GROWERS Australia is blessed with some of the best produce around, so why not go straight to the source? Hitting up your local farmers market for organic, seasonal fruit and vegetables ensures you get your hands on the freshest produce available, meaning it's likely to keep for longer. It doesn't matter if the produce is 'ugly' by supermarket standards, either, so pick up that wonky carrot or gnarly lemon and know that at growers markets, it's all about the taste (and reducing the waste). Plus, buying local often means less food miles involved and pesticide-free produce is better for the environment, too. You'll also get among your community and directly support local farmers. GROW YOUR OWN HERBS The right herbs can make or break a dish. But going to the supermarket for another bunch of basil when you only need a little isn't exactly an environmentally friendly choice. Yep, after a few days that basil will become brown and sad and you'll chuck it. And so the cycle continues. Unless, that is, you start your own mini herb garden. You can do this on your windowsill, balcony or in your garden and, when you need to liven up your meals, all you have to do is cut off a few leaves. Don't have a green thumb? Rest assured that keeping a herb garden alive is easy with some simple planning. Just decide on a selection of herbs you'll actually use, choose a sunny spot and go easy on the water. START A WORM FARM When food waste breaks down in landfill, it releases methane: one of the most potent greenhouse gases. So, instead of chucking your scraps in the bin, why not start a worm farm? That way, your scraps are repurposed and take on a new life. Fortunately, compost worms, such as tiger and red worms, love to munch on many food types, so you can load them up with vegetable scraps, fruit skins and coffee grinds. A thriving worm farm traps gases released from scraps in the soil, diverting some of the emissions that are usually a direct result of the food waste coming from your kitchen. Visit your local hardware store to find ready-to-go worm farms or make building one your next DIY project. Some local councils even offer discounts on worm farms via Compost Revolution. [caption id="attachment_766152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Fotios[/caption] COMPOST YOUR ORGANIC MATTER (OR DONATE IT) According to Foodbank Australia, the average Australian household throws away 2.5 million tonnes of edible food each year. So, it's no wonder reusing our waste in worm farms and compost has proven to be one of the best ways to reduce food waste and its harmful gas emissions. Many Aussie councils have started implementing composting schemes, so check out your local council to see if you can hop on the bandwagon. All you have to do is throw your scraps into an organic matter bin for collection and, eventually, it'll be turned into compost. The Glad to be Green Compostable Kitchen Caddy Liners are made from 30 percent renewable material cornstarch and are certified compostable to Australian standards. Or, if you have a proper compost operation going — and too much product to fertilise your own garden — you can donate your compost to local community gardens, schools and other organisations. STORE YOUR LEFTOVERS PROPERLY It might sound simple, but so much food goes to waste just because it hasn't been stored properly. If you've cooked up a storm and need a convenient way to store leftovers, you don't have to stock up on cheap plastic containers that'll end up in the trash before long. If you're keen to invest in some snazzy reusable lunchboxes, consider this the dangling of the proverbial carrot. Otherwise, you can opt for Glad to be Green's Reseal Bags and Cling Wrap, which are made from 50 percent plant-based materials, including sugarcane, and provide a robust bio-based alternative. Go green and visit the Glad website for more tips and tricks. Top image: Cottonbro, Pexels UPDATE: Friday, June 25 —Sydneysiders who work or live in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney Councils are currently under stay at home orders. Buying essential groceries is one of the four reasons to leave home, but you must wear a mask. You can stay up to date with the developing COVID-19 situation in Sydney, as well as current restrictions, at NSW Health.
When the 2023 Coachella lineup was announced, Frank Ocean topped the bill alongside Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK as this year's headliners. And when the schedule for the Californian festival's first weekend was announced, his top slot on the Sunday night — Monday Down Under — was eagerly anticipated. But for folks watching along from home, that date with Ocean didn't occur, with his set pulled from YouTube's online feed. It won't happen on Coachella's second weekend, either, with the artist now dropping out completely. As Variety reports, Ocean has pulled out of his second 2023 Coachella set for medical reasons. "After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend one, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity," a statement from his management advises. "On doctor's advice, [Ocean] is not able to perform weekend two due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg." There's no word yet from Coachella's organisers, either regarding Ocean taking himself off the bill or a replacement. But Variety reports that blink-182 is expected to slip into the Sunday-night headlining slot, after being a late addition to the first weekend's lineup — playing on the Friday, and breaking out the newly reunited group's classic lineup. Set times for the second weekend also haven't dropped yet, for those keen to make shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing (and live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California, as well) regardless of who takes to the stage. Fellow big name Björk didn't livestream her set on the first weekend either, and there's no indication so far regarding if that'll be the case for weekend two as well. As for the rest of the Coachella 2023 lineup, it includes The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Blondie, Kaytranada, Pusha T, Idris Elba, Calvin Harris, The Kid LAROI, ROSALÍA, Charlie XCX, boygenius, The Breeders, Underworld, Fisher, Porter Robinson, Gordo, Weyes Blood and more. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella's second 2023 weekend runs from Friday, April 21–Sunday, April 23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST on Saturday, April 22 Down Under. Via Variety.
Mitzi began as an alias for two guys from Brisbane to make some music under so that nobody knew they were two guys from Brisbane. Now there are four guys, one EP and one era-defying single, and anonymity is pretty much a thing of the past. Mitzi are at the forefront of an Australian electro-dance tidal wave propelled by acts like Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts, except they're doing it with disco. Mitzi will support Foals at their sold-out Oxford Art Factory shows before joining Lindstrøm and Classixx at Future Classic's Sydney Festival bash. Future Classic will also release their debut album Truly Alive on February 15 (you can pre-order it here). In the interim we pulled drummer Cale Suesskow aside to talk about what it's like to be one of the most exciting things happening in Australian music right now. You had a well-received eight-date single tour at the end of last year to promote single 'Who Will Love You Now'. How did you spend Christmas and New Years? Did you manage to get some time off? Yes, time off was welcomed with a few celebratory drinks. We spend Christmas and New Years with friends and family, did some writing (without any pressure) and have also been DJing quite a bit. Now that were all refreshed, we're pretty keen to get out there and play some more shows. You've performed sets at Parklife, Splendour and Stereosonic, and supported acts including Neon Indian, Little Dragon and Whitest Boy Alive. What have been some of the highlights? Neon Indian support was our third ever show and the first time we played to a packed room, there was such an energy that night and I think it really helped cement the thought that we might be onto something good. The Whitest Boy Alive tour was incredible, we are all massive fans of their music and it was great to see how they work close-up. The best thing about being given the opportunity to support great acts is learning things from people that are more experienced than we are. Sydney's electronic/dance scene has been swelling lately. Have you seen similar things happening in Brisbane or do people still associate it with Brisvegassy clubs? There isn't really much of a scene for good house music in Brisbane and people don't go crazy for it, but there are a few places where tasteful bangers like Disclosure go down a treat. We went and saw Todd Terje before Christmas, playing a small club to a half full dance floor, which pretty accurately portrays dance music in Brisbane. How did you come to work with Jono Ma on 2011's EP All I Heard? His new project Jagwar Ma just signed to Future Classic too, which is pretty cool. We had all known Jono before Mitzi started, he's a talented guy and we wanted him to mix our EP so we asked him, not much of a story, sorry. But yeah, it's great they're releasing through Future Classic, more good music to welcome to the family. What local artists/tracks have you been vibing to lately? Jagwar Ma, hahah. Oh, and new Seekae with vocals. Your music draws from a wide range of influences. What acts were you listening to while you were making the new album? Nothing out of the ordinary really, stuff like Fleetwood, Chic, Fela Kuti, lots of house music and electronica, a little bit of Hip Hop and RnB. The Kindness album dropped last year and we were pretty blown away by the production. The Blood Orange album also came out while we were in the studio and it showcased, in our opinion, some pretty awesome songwriting. How do you achieve that familiar retro sound while also creating something new and something that has longevity? I guess that comes from the way we record, which stems from our musical influences. We like to record the core elements of the band in a way that is true to the 70's style, that is, with vintage pre-amps and mics, lots of compression and lots of muffling things up. But then we add lots of synths and effects that stems from our house and electronic influences. Sometimes these sounds can be quite spatial and reverberated, which is a nice contrast to the retro sounding drums and bass. How did you come to work with Ash Workman on the upcoming album? How has that, and signing with Future Classic, influenced your sound? Another boring story here, basically we loved Metronomy's The English Riviera and emailed Ash's manager to ask if he'd be up for working with us. We had already finished the songs, so I don't think these factors influenced the sound, rather the sound influenced who we wanted to mix and release the album. We've been with Future Classic since the E.P and we haven't made any acute changes in direction so its only fitting that we would wish to continue the relationship. You're also known for putting on great DJ sets and doing cool mix tapes. What are some of your favourite venues to DJ at? For us, Djing can be great fun, especially places where we can play the club music we love and the audience vibes just as hard. Spice Cellar is always a good time, and we played a place called Moloko Night in Townsville just before Christmas that went pretty crazy, contrary to what we had assumed it would be like. We've also had some good nights at Bowler Bar in our hometown too.
Back in May, when you were still desperately waiting for the almost three-year gap between Stranger Things season three and four to end, Kate Bush mightn't have been a big part of your life. She should've. You should've already had a date to dance to 'Wuthering Heights' dressed up as the iconic British singer, too. But when Netflix dropped the first seven episodes of Stranger Things' fourth season, Bush mania exploded. While you've been listening to 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)' on repeat for the past month or so — especially during the gap between the season's initial batch of episodes and the supersized final two — you might've been obsessing over something else in the process. Been wondering what song might save you from Vecna? Haven't we all. And, so has Spotify. Timed to coincide with those last couple of season four instalments — all four hours of them — the music streaming service is now creating personalised Stranger Things playlists that'll pick the tunes it thinks will keep you from falling prey to villainous forces. Each listener will get a different range of tracks, which'll include your recent and past favourites, as well as selections from the team behind the show. The theme: high-energy music that'll empower you to vanquish nefarious foes. Obviously, unlike Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink, Fear Street), you won't be pumping soul-saving tunes into your ears from a cassette. Also, you don't really have a big bad like Vecna to deal with. But you get the idea — and the excuse to keep indulging your Stranger Things love until the fifth and sadly final season of the hit sci-fi series arrives. Your own personalised Upside Down playlist will update every day, if you need another excuse to keep your headphones on you. Spotify is also streaming official Stranger Things soundtrack albums, plus a playlist filled with songs either from the show or picks inspired by it. Naturally, on the latter, tunes from the 80s are well represented. (And yes, Metallica's 'Master of Puppets' — aka the song you're likely to be obsessed with throughout July — is on there. Of course it is.) Check out the trailer for the second half of Stranger Things season four below: To access your personal Upside Down playlist, head to Spotify. Stranger Things is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review of Stranger Things season four volume one. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
From the remnants of war and conflict, Saught aids the creation of wearable pieces of art. Aiming to support sustainability in post-conflict countries worldwide, with a current focus on Cambodia, the organisation strives to make the entire jewellery-making process a collective effort on the part of people recovering from a period of war, from metal scrap collecting through to design and sale. For the 'Freedom From Fear' collection, pieces of discarded metal from landmines and unexploded ordnance were collected by the Cambodia Mine Action Centre. Then, artisans from Cambodia NGO partner workshops, with input from designers, handcrafted individual jewellery pieces. On sale for AU$160, the necklace pictured above, called the 'Bricks of Hope Statement Necklace', is made with brass pieces plated in rhodium to symbolise three decades of bombing in Cambodia; the orange silk is incorporated to represent hope for reconstruction. These workshops allow local Cambodian artisans to both collect income and to improve their craft and business skills. The result is a simple yet striking piece of jewellery. [Via Lost At E Minor]
"He came to Italy, moved into Dickie's house. He just wouldn't go away." That's what Patricia Highsmith's 1955 book The Talented Mr Ripley charted when it introduced fictional con artist Tom Ripley. It's also the plot of 1960 crime-thriller Purple Noon starring French acting icon Alain Delon, then of 1999's Matt Damon (Oppenheimer)-led The Talented Mr Ripley as well. And, it's part of Netflix's new Ripley, too. Move over Damon, Delon, the great Dennis Hopper, Lawmen: Bass Reeves star Barry Pepper and John Malkovich: there's a new Ripley in town. Actually, Malkovich hasn't gone far. Netflix's upcoming limited series stars All of Us Strangers and Fleabag favourite Andrew Scott as its namesake, but he's joined by an actor who has also played the Highsmith-penned part. That was unveiled in the show's initial teaser; now, Ripley has just dropped a moody full trailer. An eight-part effort arriving on Thursday, April 4, Ripley isn't short on drawcards, then — Scott chief among them. He's stepped into classic characters' shoes before, and suave yet scheming folks that can't be trusted, thanks to his stint as Moriarty in Sherlock. So one of the internet's boyfriends taking on Tom Ripley feels like a stellar and natural next step. Where The Talented Mr Ripley also featured Gwyneth Paltrow (The Politician) as Marge Sherwood and Jude Law (Peter Pan & Wendy) as Dickie Greenleaf, Dakota Fanning (The Equalizer 3) and Johnny Flynn (One Life) are doing the honours this time. As seen in the initial sneak peek at Ripley, Malkovich (Billions) also pops up in the series, which follows its eponymous figure to Italy. Tom's gig: being paid by a rich man to persuade his son to come home. Steven Zaillian, who has excellent fellow miniseries The Night Of on his resume alongside screenplays for Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York and The Irishman, plus an Oscar for Schindler's List, scripted and directed all eight episodes. He takes his cues from the novelist who also gave the world Strangers on a Train and The Price of Salt — with the first brought to cinemas by Alfred Hitchcock and the second adapted as Carol. And if you're wondering about Malkovich's time as Tom Ripley, he played the character in 2002's Ripley's Game, the second adaptation of Highsmith's third Ripley novel of the same name after 1977's The American Friend with Hopper. The author also wrote Ripley Under Ground, which was turned into a 2005 Pepper-led film, plus The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water. Check out the full trailer for Ripley below: Ripley streams via Netflix from Thursday, April 4, 2024. Images: Lorenzo Sisti / Stefano Cristiano Montesi, Netflix.
By now, you've probably had an absolute gutful of winter, not to mention of everyone else's European holiday snaps clogging up your Instagram feed. Plus, daydreaming about tropical getaways doesn't quite stack up to the real thing, right? Well, wannabe jetsetters, if you've got a vacation-shaped hole in your life, it turns out this is your lucky week, because a mammoth travel sale is hitting the internet tonight. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy Travel sale returns for a 29-hour online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm on Tuesday, August 2019. And it's chock full of airfare, cruise, accommodation, tour and holiday package deals, for all kinds of budgets. Though, with a lineup of over 600 sales, it's going to be pretty hard to book just one trip. Virgin Australia's offering up to 40 percent off a range of domestic and international journeys, with prices starting from just $69. You can nab some wild discounts on holiday packages in the likes of Bali, London, Europe and Fiji from the crew at Luxury Escapes, or take advantage of savings of up to 50 percent on select Intrepid Travel trips to destinations including the Galapagos Islands and Croatia. [caption id="attachment_661817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Intrepid Travel trip to the Galapagos Islands[/caption] Cantik Bali Villas is offering luxury private pool villas from $85 per night, G Adventures is knocking 25 percent off some of its worldwide tours, and Kogan Travel is slinging an array of hot deals including an 11-day China tour from $699. You'll also find $1057 return Air New Zealand flights departing Melbourne and Sydney for sunny Buenos Aires, as well as a stack of Beyond Travel deals, including mega savings on a 2020 Iceland cruise tour. In a Click Frenzy Travel first, this week's sale will also feature a cool 99 percent off 'Go Overboard' deals, up for grabs in limited quantities. The lineup is set to include everything from $2 Beats headphones (usually $250) to $500 Flight Centre vouchers priced at just $5. Dust off that suitcase and start plotting your annual leave — it's holiday time, finally. The Click Frenzy Travel sale runs from 7pm on Tuesday, August 20, until midnight on Wednesday, August 21. You can find it and all the tasty travel bargains here. Top image: Underwater temple ruins in Bali.
Collingwood's favourite late-night pizzeria and wine bar is turning five this week. And to celebrate, Lazerpig is hosting a big ol' birthday bash on Friday, April 12. It'll be filled with all of the things the venue does well — tunes, booze and pizza pies — and everyone is invited. A lineup of local heavy-hitters will take the stage throughout the night, including Memphis LK, C.FRIM, BBY.B and Jadaboii — with no cover whatsoever. To mark the occasion, South Australian winemaker Alpha Box & Dice has also donated a few cases of its Zaptung Prosecco to give away from 6pm. And there'll be a few pizza giveaways early in the evening, too. The party kicks off at 6pm and will go into the wee hours of the morning — but, if you want to get in on those freebies, best to get in early.
Not a sauv blanc fan? Think rosé is just alcoholic red cordial? That's cool (though we'll defend rosé 'til the death). Or perhaps you're simply a lover of all boozy beverages. Whatever your stance, the Bendigo Craft Beer and Cider Festival may be right up your alley. This one-day event returns to Tom Flood Sports Centre on Saturday, March 23. Brewers from across Australia will be represented, with more than 100 different beers or ciders to take a punt on. The 2019 lineup boasts heavy representation of Victorian craft brewers including local Bendigo crew Brookes, plus Tooboorac Brewery, Cornella Real, Shedshaker Brewing and more. Meanwhile, The Side Project, Modus Operandi and Green Beacon Brewing Co will be making the trip from South Australia's Limestone Coast, Sydney and Brisbane respectively. There'll be live music, food trucks and festival games to keep the mood up for the day, too — think Giant Jenga and table tennis. Nabbing a VIP marquee for your crew is an option, but we think the real win would be just plonking yourself down on the nearest haystack and sipping your cold brews through the afternoon. Entry to Bendigo Craft Beer and Cider Festival is $38.80 with discounts available for group bookings of five or ten people. To purchase tickets, head this way.
How do you solve a problem like the dreaded middle seat, everyone's least-favourite spot to sit on a plane? While Qantas is letting customers pay extra to have no one next to them, Virgin has taken a different approach: hosting a Middle Seat Lottery to encourage passengers to nestle in, with a heap of prizes on offer as incentives. One such reward for slotting into the middle? Limited-edition Virgin bar carts. If you've always wanted your own at home — and, based on how quickly Qantas' fully stocked versions sold when it put them up for grabs during the pandemic's early days, you do — you just have to agree to sit somewhere you usually wouldn't by choice to go in the running. There are four money-can't-buy Virgin bar carts on offer, all with a different theme. These ones don't just come stocked with booze, either, with each hand-refurbished cart filled with goodies focused around either disco, day spas, watching flicks at home and sports. The first cart, which is the prize for whoever wins the lottery for flights between November 14–20, includes a spinning mirror ball, cocktail shaker, Bluetooth speaker and smoke machine. That'd be the disco fever cart, clearly, and it's all shimmery on the outside as well Exactly when the other carts will slot into the Middle Seat Lottery's prize pool hasn't yet been revealed, but they're all similarly packed. The day spa cart comes covered in rattan, and features a robe, eye mask, slippers, aromatherapy diffuser and candles, while the at-home cinema cart includes a customisable cinema-style letter board, a popcorn maker, candy bar and movie projector (and it's upholstered in red velvet). Or, sports fans can enjoy a cart with a removable esky, drinks coolers, a Marshall speaker, an AFL Sherrin and a pop-out basketball hoop. Running since late October until Sunday, April 23, 2023, the Middle Seat Lottery is as self-explanatory as it sounds. Plonk yourself down in the abhorred seat — with a ticket, of course — and you could score goodies for your trouble. The freebies change each week, but there's more than $230,000 in prizes on offer across the six-month competition — only if you either select the middle seat or you're assigned it. As well as the bar carts, those prizes span Caribbean cruises with Virgin Voyages, complete with flights to and from the USA; a helicopter pub crawl in Darwin, again with flights there and back included; and a Cairns adventure package, which covers flights, accommodation, bungy jumping, river rafting and other activities There's also flights and tickets to your AFL team's away games in 2023 — and, still on Aussie rules, an AFL Grand Final package, covering a lunch, tickets to the game, being on the boundary line before the match, merch and an after party. One prize will be given out each week, with 26 prizes in total across the competition's duration. And if your week doesn't coincide with a holiday giveaway, platinum Velocity Frequent Flyer status with one million points is also on the freebies list. An hour or so in a seat you wouldn't normally pick for the chance to win holidays, heaps of footy or frequent flyer points to book more holidays? Worth it, probably. To go in the running to win any of the above, you do need to be a Velocity Frequent Flyer member over the age of 18. And, you'll have to fly somewhere within Australia, on a Virgin Australia-operated domestic flight, during the competition period — in a middle seat, obviously. Also, to enter, you then need to use the Virgin Australia app within 48 hours of your flight's scheduled departure time, tapping on the Middle Seat Lottery tile, finding your flight and entering your details. From there, winners will be drawn each week and contacted if they're successful. Virgin Australia's Middle Seat Lottery runs until Sunday, April 23, 2023. For more information, head to the Virgin website. Images: Carly Ravenhall. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Check out the efforts of Melbourne's budding sculptors at a new exhibition hosted in the World Trade Centre atrium. Curated by MARS Gallery, the six week long Artists Emerge @ WTC exhibit will shine a spotlight on the works of talented local artists, with the chance of an extended solo show for the public's favourite piece. The Artists Emerge exhibit marks the second collaboration between the independent Melbourne gallery and the Yarra-side complex, following another sculpture exhibition, 25 Sculptures @ WTC, in August of 2013. Members of the public will be able to peruse the works at their leisure, submitted by more than 30 artists working in a variety of styles. From there, visitors can take to social media and cast their vote for the best entry on display. The winner will get the atrium space to themselves for a whole additional month.
There's no shortage of things to do on a trip to Paris, or iconic sights to see. Between now and September, visitors can add taking a dip in a canal to their travel bucket list — and while it mightn't initially sound all that special, it's the first time Parisians have legally been able to do so in nearly a century. As part of the annual Paris Plages, a summer-long event that turns the banks of the river Seine into short-term artificial beaches, the Bassin de La Villette now boasts three temporary pools. Measuring 100 metres in length in total and 16 metres across, the trio of splash-tastic bodies of water is comprised of a shallow paddling pool for kids, a second shallow pool with a depth of 1.2 metres and a 2.2-metre deep pool for adults. Given that going for a swim isn't just about jumping into some refreshing H20, with lazing around afterwards also part of the fun, the pool area includes a beach with huts, deckchairs and palm trees — aka a tropical getaway right in the heart of the city. And if you're wondering why it's all so novel, Paris' canals have historically been known for their murky state, making the fact that the Bassin de La Villette is now clean enough for people to soak in an event worth celebrating. While the pools will be dismantled at the end of the season, it is hoped they'll return next year. Paris has further plans to open up its waterways, including in the Daumesnil lake in the Bois de Vincennes on the eastern side of the city, as well as part of its 2024 Olympics bid. In Australia, similar plans have been mooted for Melbourne and Brisbane, although neither have come to fruition yet. Via The Local / The Guardian. Image: Jmpoirier1
The past few years have seen virtual reality, technology spawn some pretty nifty things in the world of film and TV. Film festivals from Cannes to Byron Bay have added VR programs to their lineups, and cities across the globe have introduced festivals dedicated entirely to the technology. But you know VR has really taken hold whenthe world's oldest major film festival jumps on board, and in a big way. Kicking off its 74th run this week, the Venice Film Festival looks to have its sights set firmly on the future, hosting its inaugural Venice Virtual Reality competition and even taking over an abandoned island to showcase the selections. Creepily enough, Lazzaretto Vecchio was once a quarantine island and leper colony, but during the festival, which runs from August 30 - September 9, its hospital hallways and semi-renovated buildings will instead play host to a lineup of VR installations. There'll also be a dedicated VR theatre inside a former hangar, complete with revolving seats. The Venice Virtual Reality program features just 22 VR pieces from over 100 submissions. Six of those are huge, room-scale installations, which find visitors interacting with the space around them, and sometimes even with live performers. Highlights include Danish film Separate Silences, which features a near-death experience in hospital; and Alice - The Virtual Reality Play, an Alice in Wonderland-inspired piece from France, where viewers interact in real time with the film's characters. Credit: submarinechannel.com / Image: La Biennale di Venezia
Remember The Matrix Revolutions? It’s okay if you don’t. The final instalment of the Wachowskis’ groundbreaking trilogy possessed a litany of problems, chief among them being a Matrix film featuring little to no Matrix. It was like setting The Wizard of Oz entirely in Kansas, or Waterworld on land, or Policy Academy on a holiday in Miami (see: Police Academy 5: Assignment in Miami). In the same vein, the most disappointing aspect of Tomorrowland is that it spends the lion’s share of its 107 minutes in Todayland. Under Australian consumer protection law, you might call that ‘misleading and deceptive conduct’. Under film law, you’d just call it a giant shame. If the name ‘Tomorrowland’ sounds familiar, you’ve probably been to Disneyland. Like Pirates of the Caribbean, this is a movie based on a theme park attraction, and while that’s not quite the nadir of creative inception (Battleship surely holds that ignominy), it’s not much of an improvement either. Theoretically, the land of tomorrow is a creative utopia; an alternate universe where all the dreamers — be they artists, inventors, musicians or scientists — can actually change the world free from the negative influences of politics and greed. If it sounds good, it looks even better: a sort of shiny retro future not unlike the one envisaged by The Jetsons. The question, of course, is how do you get there? This forms the basis of much of the film. A young Frank Walker (George Clooney in his later years, Thomas Robinson as the child) attends the 1964 World’s Fair to pitch his homemade jet pack. The judge (a curmudgeonly Hugh Laurie) sends him packing, but his daughter Athena (newcomer Raffey Cassidy) takes a liking to Frank and sneaks him into Tomorrowland. The story then jumps to the present day, where an apparently ageless Athena has turned her attention to the rebellious yet unfailingly optimistic Casey Newton (Britt Robertson). Athena slips Casey a magical pin that grants her a vision of Tomorrowland, fleeting in its duration yet enticing enough to send her on a quest to get there. Standing in her way are some spectacularly unexplained automaton villains and the gruff older Frank, who’s been exiled from Tomorrowland. There’s a sense Tomorrowland needs Casey, but nobody's prepared to say how or why. On the production front, Tomorrowland boasts an impressive team: a Disney vehicle written by Damon Lindelof (Lost) and directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). No surprise, then, that it looks spectacular and maintains a rollicking pace throughout, with the action sequences offering a terrific blend of thrills and imaginative visuals. The performances, too, are mostly strong, with two-thirds of the leading trio coming in the form of intelligent, capable and determined young women. What lets Tomorrowland down is the heavy-handed messaging, repeatedly ramming its ‘we’re harming the planet’ line down our throats without a trace of subtlety, save for the one amusing Laurie gem: “We have simultaneous epidemics of obesity and famine. How does THAT happen!?" Tomorrowland's other significant problem is the violence. The action sequences contain a surprising level of graphic savagery, including multiple beheadings, innocent bystanders frequently being vaporised and Casey at one point going full Pesci on an automaton with an old baseball bat. Coupled with the clumsy environmentalism, Tomorrowland finds itself too preachy for adults yet too confronting for children. All the ingredients are there for an excellent adventure, and it routinely offers moments of genuine brilliance, but the overall result is something less. The constant product placement, Disney branding and clear merchandising take their collective toll, crippling the Lindelof/Bird creative utopia with the very corporate influences it sought to denounce.
Wearable technologies seem to be at a bit of an impasse. We vaguely recognise that they're the way forward but haven't quite got the design down. Do we want to draw pictures in the air with a ring a la Minority Report, or are we actually going to embrace the clunky computer-faced chic of Google Glass? Presumably neither. New technologies always start in the dorkiest way possible. But with Google's latest release of Android Wear — and, more specifically, a smartwatch that isn't at all ugly — the future of wearable technologies is looking a little more bright. Android Wear is basically a wrist-sized version of Google's already released Now software. The service, which is surely putting actual personal assistants out of business, is a nifty little program that self-organises information from your email, calendar, maps and apps to create appropriately timed reminders and messages on your smartphone. Yes, it's got that familiar brand of Skynet creepiness, but it sure is helpful all the same. As a smartwatch, this service appears a lot less intrusive. There won't be a million windows popping up on your phone and the miniaturised, clean aesthetic allows for brevity and concision. Also, as the video shows, you now have the opportunity to say "OK Google" into your wrist like a freakin' special agent. The watches are set to be released by Motorola and LG sometime in the next few months so keep an ear out for the no-doubt exorbitant prices and stockists. A bit further down the track, the plan is to team up with fashion labels, starting with Fossil, to produce watches fitted with the operating system. Via The Verge.
