Step into the strange and seductive world of Greek cinema as it lights up the screen at Palace Como and The Astor, as well as locations around the country. Now in its 23rd year, the latest edition of the Greek Film Festival boasts an expectedly eclectic program, ranging from fiction features to documentaries and a couple of Australian productions as well. The festival will begin with an opening night screening of Worlds Apart, a romantic anthology film from writer-director-actor Christopher Papakaliatis co-starring Oscar winner J.K. Simmons. It's one of a number of critically acclaimed contemporary films on the bill, with skewering social satire Chevalier and darkly comic thriller Suntan both deserving of a look. Other highlights including a pair of local productions by Greek-Australian filmmakers, in bold religious drama Sacred Heart and medicinal marijuana documentary A Life of Its Own. Audiences in Melbourne will also get the chance to delve into the back catalogue of 'weird wave' master Yorgos Lanthimos, in a retrospective stream featuring his films Kinetta, Dogtooth, Alps and The Lobster.
Go on, give yourself a holiday — or gift your loved ones a getaway as a present. It's peak season for flight sales, thanks to Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. After dropping two big rounds of discounted fares in November, then, Jetstar is in festive mode with its latest batch. Prices start at $35 for domestic trips and beginning at $149 if you're holidaying internationally, and there's 140,000 cheap seats on offer. This time, you have a few days to grab a bargain — until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, December 15. As always, the cheapest route within Australia is Sydney to Byron Bay and Ballina, which is where the $35 price comes in. Overseas, that $149 fare will get you from Perth to Singapore. And yes, these dollar amounts will be familiar if you were scouting airline discounts just last month. Prices obviously vary depending on where you're flying from and to, as per usual, but other domestic options include Melbourne to Hobart from $49, Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $54, Sydney to Uluru from $94, Melbourne to Hamilton Island from $114, Sydney to Busselton Margaret River from $139 and Perth to Melbourne from $174. Going global, overseas bargains span Darwin to Bali from $164, Sydney to Nadi from $199, Brisbane to Seoul from $269 and Melbourne to Phuket from $275, Brisbane to Tokyo from $329 — and plenty more. You'll be travelling within Australia from mid-January to early April 2025, and from late-January to mid-September 2025 if you're booking an international fare. The caveats: all prices apply to one-way fares; checked baggage is not included, so you'll want to travel super light or pay extra to take a suitcase; and dates vary according to the route. If you're a Club Jetstar member, you can score even more discounts, starting with Sydney to Byron Bay and Ballina from $29. Jetstar's 2024 Christmas sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, December 15 — or until sold out if prior. 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.
It was true when Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope hit cinema screens more than four decades ago, and it's still true now. If there's one thing everyone knows about the sci-fi world created by George Lucas, it's that it doesn't reveal its secrets quickly. All these years later, viewers are still watching the space opera saga's twists and turns in episodic big-screen instalments (and will soon be doing so on the small screen, too). If you've been keeping an eye out for news about Disney's new dedicated Star Wars theme park zones, it's been a somewhat similar process. Of course, the force is strong with this overall idea. Yes, we've definitely got a good feeling about it as well. From 2019, Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World in Florida will both boast dedicated Star Wars-themed zones, called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. With the two set to open between the middle and the end of 2019, Disney has started sharing a few details about what fans can expect — including what its main attractions will be. Earlier this year, Oga's Cantina was announced. It's a boozy watering hole that'll be part of both spaces, bringing alcohol to the California park for the first time. Now, Star Wars aficionados can also look forward to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The former will put you in the driver's seat of Han Solo's beloved ship, while the latter will see you caught in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order. Disney has also unveiled a sneak peek of both, with the video for Rise of the Resistance shot in the attraction itself according to the Disney Theme Parks Blog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssgGCjpFP4Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSxE-b2YDAQ Yep, prepare to say "punch it" a whole heap — and hopefully become best buddies with a loveable wookiee. You'll also be able wander around the outpost of Batuu, which is a hive for smugglers and rogues (naturally); drink blue milk at the cantina; and hop onto a star destroyer. And, while you're enjoying your time in this galaxy far, far away, you'll be listening to new Star Wars music by the man behind its iconic tracks, aka Oscar-winning composer John Williams. Galaxy's Edge was first made public back in 2015, will span 14 acres at each site and will prove the biggest single-themed expansion the respective parks have ever seen. The guiding concept behind both spots is to "transport guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life." More details are certain to come to light before Galaxy's Edge opens, but expect both zones to tie into all ten Star Wars movies to date and to feature an array of beloved characters roaming around. Expect to be able to buy plenty of merchandise at the gift shop as well. Eventually, visitors to Disney World will also be able to spend a night or several in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel too, although construction hasn't started yet and an opening date hasn't been announced either. That said, Disney has just revealed that a visit to the hotel will involve boarding a launch pod and taking part in "a fully-immersive, multi-day Star Wars adventure aboard a luxury starship", with high-end dining and cabins that apparently have a space view all part of your stay. Via Disney Theme Parks Blog.
UPDATE, December 24, 2020: The Night Before is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Seth Rogen on drugs. It's as predictable a filmic theme these days as lens flares from J.J. or bleeding penises from Lars Von Trier. Good news is, if you're into that sort of thing (Rogen, not the…blood), then his latest flick The Night Before should keep you sufficiently chuckling from go to woe. Rogen's in wildly familiar territory here, spending almost the entirety of the movie completely off his nut. Joined by his 50/50 co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and The Avengers' Anthony Mackie, The Night Before is like a prequel to The Hangover; a tale of three friends embarking upon the final run of their decade-long Christmas Eve partying tradition. Heavy drinking, karaoke, Chinese food and a search for the infamous yet illusive 'Nutcracker Ball' form the chapters of this quirky, crass film by director Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies), and while there's very little new material here, those 'under the influence' staples are handled with an assured touch. The Night Before also boasts an extensive supporting cast, with amusing appearances from Mindy Kaling, Lizzy Caplan, Tracey Morgan, Jillian Bell, James Franco, Iliana Glazer, Miley Cyrus and – best of all – Michael Shannon as the philosophical drug dealer Mr Green. Shannon's character is as trippy as the visions he facilitates for his customers, but it's a fine performance that lends the film a touch of otherwise absent class. Predictably, there's not much of a plot to speak of, and what little there is suffers from more than a few glaring inconsistencies – most notably Rogen's heavily pregnant wife (Bell) playing both facilitator and chief critic of his yuletide drug binge. Still, story is rarely what beckons audiences to this genre, and the over-the-top set pieces do deliver a solid stream of pop culture nostalgia, stoner gags and crude one-liners to keep you chuckling throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As1zja2shsA
Love art, or just need a hefty tome to decorate your coffee table? Either way, the Melbourne Art Book Fair has you covered. Following on from the considerable success of the last two year's events, the third edition of this literary luau will see more than 200 publishers take over the Great Hall at NGV International, showcasing art books, independent zines, limited edition prints and more. The fair begins on Thursday, March 16 with ticketed event the day-long International Typography Symposium, featuring a litany of local and international contemporary design practitioners. The main event will then kick off the following day with a ticketed Friday evening preview, complete with live music, food and a pop-up bar. What follows will be two straight days of workshops, book clubs, talks and book launches — all up there are 50 events. For the complete program visit ngvartbookfair.com. Images: Wayne Taylor.
Does Bradley Cooper wish he worked in music, rather than cinema? If the Nightmare Alley and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star's work as a director is any guide, perhaps. When he first jumped behind the camera just a few years back, it was for the latest take on A Star Is Born, in which he also cast himself as a rocker and sang with Lady Gaga. Now, he's following that up with Maestro, a biopic about famed American composer Leonard Bernstein. Yes, Cooper also plays the conductor, as well as helming — and co-writing the screenplay with Spotlight, The Post and First Man's Josh Singer. The focus isn't just on Bernstein's immense career, but also on his relationship with his Costa Rica-born actor wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. Slipping into the latter's shoes: Carey Mulligan (She Said). As the just-dropped first trailer for Maestro shows, audiences can look forward to Cooper picking up the baton, as well as a snapshot of all the acclaim that came Bernstein's way. There's certainly plenty to cover — seven Emmys, two Tonys, 16 Grammys, the music for West Side Story, and being considered one of the greatest conductors of all time all included. But scenes of the Bernstein making music magic aren't the main part of this first sneak peek. Instead, moments that navigate Leonard and Felicia's romance dance prominently through the teaser. Maestro hails from Netflix, with the film hitting the streaming service on December 20. Given that it's being poised as a prime awards contender for the 2024 Oscars, it'll also get a run in select cinemas from November 22, as the streaming platform tends to do with its starry end-of-year flicks. Before all of that, it'll premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September. As well as Cooper and Mulligan, Maestro's cast includes Maya Hawke (Asteroid City), Matt Bomer (Magic Mike's Last Dance), Sarah Silverman (The Bob's Burgers Movie) and Michael Urie (Shrinking). And among the producers? Just a couple of folks who know a thing or two about grand, lavish filmmaking: Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) and Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans). Check out the trailer for Maestro below: Maestro will release in select cinemas on November 22, and hit Netflix on December 20. Images: Jason McDonald/Netflix.
If you've ever wanted to know what Melbourne's best chefs do in the shadows, this is your chance. After a successful August debut, Ombra's ongoing monthly dinner series, Shadow Thieves, is back for a follow up feed — and this one looks like it's going to be even better than the last. For September, it's all about the understudies — that is, the young, up-and-coming sous chefs from the city's best restaurants. Josh Pelham of Estelle by Scott Pickett will be there, as will Peter Cooksley (The Town Mouse), Matt Hammond (Elyros), Andreas Becerra (MoVida) and McKay Wilday (Ombra). Taking on a course each, they've put together a five-course menu for the night, which you can take a peek at here. Needless to say, it's impressive. 'The Understudy' dinner will be held on Monday, October 5 at Ombra Salumi Bar on Bourke Street. A ticket will set you back $120 — but for forking out, you'll get five of Melbourne's best dishes matched with five stellar Victorian wines. The Shadow Thieves dinners are set to continue, with nights centred around cheese, crab and spirits all in the pipeline.
Thirty-four-metres long, more than twice as big as a regular hot air balloon and ripped straight from Patricia Piccinini's inimitable mind, Skywhale might just be one of Australia's most recognisable recent pieces of art. It's a sight to see, and the largest-scale example of the artist's fascination with the thin line that separates nature and technology — and it's about to meet its match. In 2020, the National Gallery of Australia will unveil Piccinini's new Skywhalepapa, which is designed to form a family with Skywhale. They'll both float through the Canberra skies from March, with the second bulbous sculpture commissioned as part of the gallery's Balnaves Contemporary Series. In total, the pair will take flight from a site near the NGA eight times during the nearly three-month Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition, with the exact launch dates yet to be revealed. [caption id="attachment_751759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Skywhalepapa, 2019/20 (artist's sketch), Patricia Piccinini. Courtesy of the artist.[/caption] Just how big Skywhalepapa will be is also yet to be announced, but given the impressive size of its companion, expect it to be hefty. If you can't make it to Canberra to see the growing Skywhale clan, they will also tour the country for an NGA touring exhibition, with locations and dates to be confirmed at a later date. While both Skywhalepapa and the Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition will be big Canberra drawcards for the NGA next year, that's not all that the gallery has in store. In fact, it'll also welcome another incredibly famous artwork before the year is out: Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers. The 231-year-old piece will arrive in November 2020, displaying during the four-month-long Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London exhibition. In total, more than 60 works from European masters will line the NGA's walls, including Rembrandt's Self-portrait at the age of 34 from 1640 and Johannes Vermeer's A young woman seated at a virginal from 1670 — and most of them have never before travelled to Australia. [caption id="attachment_751757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sunflowers, 1888, Vincent van Gogh. National Gallery London; Bought, Courtauld Fund, 1924.[/caption] Art lovers can also look forward to Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now, which'll shine a spotlight on the nation's female creatives across more than 150 works; Belonging: Stories of Australian Art, a major collection of 19th-century Aussie pieces; a six-month focus on Chinese artist and activist Xu Zhen; and The Body Electric, a showcase of works by female-identifying creatives that are all about sex, pleasure and desire. Or, you can ponder the evolution of contemporary art with The Shock of the New and see a large-scale installation by the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings runs from March 7–May 30, 2020 at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes, ACT. For further information about the NGA's 2020 lineup, visit the gallery's website. Top image: Skywhale, 2013, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of anonymous donor 2019, Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Freedom Time, the masters of the outdoor dance party, are at it again, with a follow-up to their massive New Year's Day party planned for Saturday, June 3. As with January's event, this shindig is set to take over the Coburg Velodrome, counteracting that wintery Melbourne weather with what promises to be Freedom Time's biggest undercover dance floor yet. Beneath three big top tents, punters will be treated to a swag of visual and musical treats, across an impressive lineup of DJ sets, art projections, installations, and performances. Of course, under the guidance of Freedom Time, Wax'o Paradiso and Crown Ruler, you can expect the tunes to pack a serious punch; the lineup features the likes of LA's DJ Harvey, Kim Ann Foxman, and Melbourne's own utterly dance-worthy CC:DISCO. Image: David Boyd.
In January, Australia scored a brand-new local airline, with low-cost carrier Bonza finally hitting the skies after first being announced in 2021 but only securing regulatory approval this year. The fresh face in the Aussie aviation scene isn't just about cheap tickets, but also opening up routes to more of the country's regional destinations, flying 27 routes to 17 locations. And, it'll fly to some of those spots from Melbourne from the end of March. Bonza boasts two bases: the Sunshine Coast, where it's been soaring out of since January; and Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, which joins the list in autumn. Planes departing from the Victorian HQ will fly 12 routes to 11 destinations, with a trip between the airline's two main sites the first to take off from Melbourne on Thursday, March 30. Yes, if you're heading out of the Victorian capital — or to it, depending on where you're departing from — your 2023 getaways just got cheaper. One-way fares start at $49, which will get you from Melbourne to Mildura, with flights now on sale. Among the other options, flights to Tamworth cost $59, or you can get to Port Macquarie from $69. The fare from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast comes in at $79, as does a trip to Toowoomba. And, there's a heap of destinations available for $89: Bundaberg, Gladstone, Mackay and Rockhampton. Different legs will enjoy their maiden voyages from Melbourne on different dates throughout March, April and May. At present, flights are on sale right through to the end of October. To book, you'll need to download the airline's app. For travellers who have already done so, the carrier advises that you will need to delete it and then reinstall the latest version to get access to reserve flights. App-only reservations are one of Bonza's points of difference, unless you're booking via a registered local travel agent. Another: an all-Australian in-flight menu, spanning both food and craft beer. Passengers will get soaring in planes given names as Aussie as the carrier's itself: Bazza, Shazza, Sheila and Malc, with the latter based in Melbourne. The quartet are taking passengers to places they mightn't otherwise been able to fly to, too, with Bonza noting that 93 percent of its routes aren't currently served by any other airline — and 96 percent of them don't presently have a low-cost carrier. The airline has launched with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. Bonza's fares don't include baggage and seat selection, which you need to pay extra for — and it is cheapest to do so when you make your booking, rather than afterwards. Bonza will start flying from Melbourne on Thursday, March 30, with flights on sale now. For more information, and to buy fares, head to the airline's website, or download its app for Android and iOS. 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.
When The Afterparty arrived on Apple TV+ in 2022, riding a wave of revived murder-mystery comedy love that Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building had helped wash over screens big and small, it made one big risky move. Throwing a motley crew of characters together, then offing one? Tried, tested and a favourite for a reason. The ensemble cast attempting to sleuth its way through a shock death? Flawless. The genre-bending setup that saw each episode in the season parody a different style of filmmaking? Perfectly executed. Having the words "how great is this party?" uttered over and over again? That's what could've proven dicey if The Afterparty wasn't in fact great; thankfully, it very much was. There's a reason that phrase kept being uttered, because superfluous detail isn't this show's style: as in all great whodunnits, everything happens, is mentioned or can be spotted with cause. Creator Christopher Miller and his fellow executive producer Phil Lord, a duo with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie on their resumes as co-directors, know the format they're working with. Crucially, they know how carefully their audience will scrutinise every clue and element. And, in the show's first season and now the just-arrived second season — which streams from Wednesday, July 12 — they also know how to equally honour and spoof. Fittingly, The Afterparty feels like a murder-mystery comedy party as a result. Affectionate, adoring, irreverent, willing to get loose and shake things up: that's the vibe and approach. In season one, the series' title was literal thanks to a high-school reunion with fateful post-soiree hijinks. In season two, a wedding brings a disparate group together — and, following the nuptials and reception, The Afterparty's moniker comes into play again. To the horror of the returning Aniq Adjaye (Sam Richardson, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) and his ex-classmate, now-girlfriend Zoe Zhu (Zoe Chao, Party Down), another body then puts a dampener on the festivities; however, this second go-around doesn't get a-solving just in one night. Aniq and Zoe have recovered from their last confrontation with a killing at a celebration by diving into their romance, but it's the latter's younger sister Grace (Poppy Liu, Dead Ringers) who's getting hitched. Her groom Edgar (Zach Woods, Avenue 5) sports both family money and a cryptocurrency-aided bank-balance boost, he's an all-work-no-play socially awkward type as a result and, when he's alive, he's more fond of his pet lizard than most humans. Then he's found face down after the afterparty, plus his reptilian friend as well. Experiencing a hefty case of déjà vu — season two's episode, which focuses on him, is even called 'Aniq 2: The Sequel' — Aniq calls in the also-returning Danner (Tiffany Haddish, The Card Counter). His plan: to get his now former-cop pal to help him find the culprit before the real police arrive. This season's suspect pool spans another murderers' row of talent. Liu is distraught as Grace, but perhaps not as upset as one might expect in the circumstances. Elizabeth Perkins' (Barry) Isabel is standoffish and snobbish before her son is dead, and doesn't improve amid her gin-sipping afterwards. As Edgar's adopted sister Hannah, Anna Konkle (PEN15) plays the family eccentric — and as his business partner Sebastian, Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise) trots out a charm offensive. On Grace's side, Vivian Wu (Irma Vep) and Ken Jeong (Community) dote as the elder Zhus, and also worry about their baobing business. John Cho (Cowboy Bebop) plays absentee uncle Ulysses, and Paul Walter Hauser (Bupkis) a pining ex. All could have motivation to help shuffle Edgar off this mortal coil. As is The Afterparty's template, all have different perspectives on his demise, as well as the events leading up to it and then following his next-morning discovery. Miller has set himself a trickier task with season two, since The Afterparty's debut run took most of the obvious genres, worked in a murder-mystery and got lampooning. Aniq's new dedicated chapter is a rom-com follow-up, which the cast and writers alike have a ball playing with. From there, everything from Wes Anderson flicks, period romances and black-and-white gumshoe noirs to Hitchcockian suspense, Jane Austen romances and melodrama get a spin. The perceptive thinking behind the show's gimmick remains astute, demonstrating how differently each and every one of us sees not just shared events, but our overall lives. The Rashomon effect, cycling through varying takes on the same incident, also muses cleverly on cause and effect. And the execution largely remains smart and savvy; having to dive deeper with its genre homages only sometimes dulls the series' usually sharp writing. Swapping and hopping between stylistic filters has helped The Afterparty counteract the threat of formula and familiarity, too. Each batch of episodes takes place in one setting, after all, and retraces the same death again and again. Even if flitting between erotic thrillers and heists (and more) wasn't on the agenda, season two's main players would be a treat together — and most make the utmost of their stint in the spotlight. Cho scores a glorious 'Careless Whisper' dance, Hauser is a comic delight in his hard-boiled spoof, and Konkle makes certain that following in The Royal Tenenbaums' footsteps doesn't feel like a social-media meme or AI copy. Still, as the mismatched duo going all Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings, Richardson and Haddish are the show's MVPs — and hilarious. Odd-couple detectives are a sleuthing staple, but when they're done this well and with such fine-tuned performances, including in a caper comedy with Miller and Lord's penchant for mile-a-minute gags, they're the scaffolding that everything else hangs off. Richardson plays Aniq as sincere yet shrewd, fretting over impressing the potential future in-laws and doing everything he can to get in their good graces — and the Detroiters, Veep, Ted Lasso and I Think You Should Leave star is indeed the life of this party. Haddish's timing never falters, nor her pace and energy, nor her ability to ensure that Danner is never a stock-standard inspector in any way. Death at a Funeral has already been done, and twice, but a must-attend bash awaits however and wherever Miller reteams his two leads for a hopefully soon-to-be-greenlit third season. Check out the trailer for season two of The Afterparty below: Season two of The Afterparty streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, July 12. Read our full review of season one.
Gracing pages for almost a century — plus screens big and small for decades — Winnie-the-Pooh has done many things in his time. Ever since AA Milne first conjured up the honey-loving, walking-and-talking teddy bear back in the 1920s, Pooh has enjoyed plenty of adventures, usually involving Christopher Robin and his Hundred Acre Wood pals Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo. And, of course, the cuddly critter's efforts to eat as much of his favourite foodstuff as possible have also earned more than a little attention. We've all seen the cartoons — and the toys — and watched films such Goodbye Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin in recent years, too. So far, so adorable. That said, Winnie-the-Pooh's next outing is set to prove anything but. Called Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, it's a slasher film. Yes, really. And, it'll turn Pooh and Piglet into serial killers — and carve into everyone's childhoods in the process. No, the idea that Pooh might turn murderous hasn't ever crossed anyone's minds before — he's a honey-fiending teddy bear who doesn't wear pants, after all — but that's changing thanks to director Rhys Waterfield. And if you're wondering about the tone of the film, other than horror, the filmmaker's other upcoming titles include Firenado, Sky Monster and Rise of the Loch Ness. Yes, viewers will clearly be in B-movie territory here — as the premise makes plain as well. The setup: after seeing their food supplies dwindle as Christopher grew up, Pooh and Piglet have spent years feeling hungry. They've turned feral, in fact, even eating Eeyore to survive. So when Christopher returns, it sets the pair on a rampage, which leads to them a rural cabin where a group of university students are holidaying. We've all seen what usually happens from there, even if this is the first time that it'll involve an iconic kids character. The phrase you're looking for: "oh bother". Whether Winnie-the-Pooh exclaims those two words is yet to be revealed, but you could probably put money on them getting uttered at some point. Exactly when Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey will reach screens Down Under, and where, also hasn't yet been announced — and the film's release date in the US and UK is also yet to be set at this point. Wondering why something that's usually so sweet and innocent is being given the creepy, bloody, eerie horror treatment — turning Winnie-the-Pooh into a killer, no less? It's because the character has just entered the public domain in America. Disney no longer holds the copyright, and no one can now hold the exclusive intellectual property rights over the character, opening the door for wild interpretations like this slasher flick. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are released. Images: Jagged Edge Productions.
Firework envy? Australia? Never! Not until now, that is. For the first time ever, the Brits have something we don't for New Year's Eve — the world's first smellable, taste-able firework display. When Big Ben hits midnight on December 31, the sky over South Bank on the River Thames will explode with not only the usual sounds and colours but a cascading fruit salad made up of strawberry flavours, banana confetti, peach snow and enormous 'zesty Spanish orange' bubbles. The brains behind the operation are culinary spectacular experts Bompas & Parr. This month, their epic gingerbread reconstruction of London's "lost and unbuilt architecture" has had crowds dropping jaws around Selfridges’ Oxford Street windows. Bompas & Parr have described their NYE plans as a “massive responsibility”. “The closer we get to it, the more we realise the scale of what we’re doing,” they said. “Hopefully, what we’ll be doing, is giving people the best night of their life.” Given that revellers are bound to be fighting for a spot at South Bank, event partner Vodafone has organised a synchronised augmented reality experience that will be streamed internationally. Plus, in another first, London’s original New Year’s Eve fireworks app will go live at midnight, with the download available 24 hours before. Via PSFK
If you've ever whiled away your evening hours watching MasterChef while enviously eating a two-ingredient pesto pasta for dinner, we have some good news for you: Jacob's Creek is setting up a pop-up kitchen in Sydney, and it's aimed precisely at those who want to refine their chef skills a little — i.e., you. Rather than defaulting to one of the well-worn tourist trap restaurants on your Sydney trip, head to Kitchen Collective for a more memorable experience. In this Surry Hills pop-up restaurant, Huxtaburger chef (and past guest judge on MasterChef) Daniel Wilson will guide attendees through a two-course cooking demonstration of one entree and one dessert. Diners will learn from Wilson and then take part in a little friendly competition as they recreate the two courses. While there will be prizes up for grabs, there won't be any eliminations (and hopefully no tears, either). To take a little of the pressure away, caterers Studio Neon will take care of your main course and Jacob's Creek Barossa Signature wines will be matched to each course. Wine expert Ambar Maddox will be present to chat through each free-flowing drop and share the secret to food and wine pairing. As well as helping you hone your top chef skills, the pop-up will also contribute to an even greater good: 100 percent of profits are being donated to SecondBite, a charity that provides food and support for the needy. It's the perfect excuse to book an interstate jaunt. Jacob's Creek Kitchen Collective will take place between Friday, July 27 and Sunday, August 12 in Surry Hills, Sydney. Daytime sessions will run from 12pm–4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and the nighttime experience will run from 6pm–10pm every Friday to Sunday. Only 16 seats are available for each session, so move quickly and nab your spot here.
After a huge 2011 - a new album and a year long world tour, the Arctic Monkeys landed in Australia post-Christmas. The band is back in Sydney this week to perform two sold-out shows and, lucky for us, the perfectly coiffed and sonorous toned lead singer, Alex Turner, took time out to chat to Concrete Playground's Rachel Fuller about counting down to 2012, Sydney and his current obsession - motorbikes. Hey Alex, thanks so much for chatting to me today and lovely to meet you. Hey Rachel, no worries. You too! I was down in Tassie for Falls and saw you guys play on the 30th, thanks for a great show! Yeah, it was a great festival, a great couple of days. We hadn't played for a while so we were a little rusty but it was good to get back into it. And you brought in the New Year at Lorne? What song did you go with? Yeah, well it was a bit of a fucking mess, it was all a bit confused. We were meant to go off and we thought there was going to be a countdown. But it was ok, we went off and then came back on and we played Fluorescent Adolescent and it was fine. Everyone was drunk and having fun – us included – so it really didn't matter in the end. My friends and I were talking about the logistical nightmare in getting all the bands from Tassie to Lorne and vice versa. Was it total chaos in the time-space continuum? Or are you guys just used to the back to backs? Sure, I mean, we flew the morning after the show and then had to get a coach from Melbourne to Lorne. It was a bit of a drive. And did you get to walk around the festival at all and see some other acts? Not really. We saw Aloe Blacc. No one else. But the kids were loving it. The kids! You must be totally exhausted after such a huge year of touring. After all this time have you perfected some sort of balance between the highs of performing and finding down time? Yeah, well we had a great year and we are really enjoying playing live. On top of that we have had a good response to the new record so we are having a buzz. But how do you sustain the buzz? Well, when I say buzz I mean internal buzz. We have got into a good rhythm and a good place this year. Really, we have hit our stride. And we have really been enjoying playing in the States; we have played there a few times this year. And you are heading back in a couple of months? Yeah, we will be supporting the Black Keys and we are huge fans of theirs. You are obviously a really talented songwriter, Alex, do you ever imagine yourself branching out and writing longer pieces, away from music? No, I don't think so. I don't think I am really capable of writing anything else. I'm happy with the song. And lastly, since you guys have been to Sydney quite a few times, is there anything you are really looking forward to getting up to whilst you are here? Yeah, well we have had loads of good times, too many to mention, Rachel. I had my birthday there once, down at the beach. I think we are just really looking forward to playing. I might try surfing, I keep saying that, but now might be the time. One thing we will be doing will be going to this place called Deus Ex Machina, they have this thing on. That's cool, I know the guy that runs Deus. Oh yeah? What's his name again? Dare Jennings. That's right. And he started Mambo, right? Yeah. So I am guessing you have a motorbike? Yeah. And Deus pretty much has the coolest bikes in the world. Yeah, the coolest! Well, you have fun Alex and best of luck for your Australian shows over the next couple of weeks. And thanks for your time! Thanks Rachel, we will, catch you round.
You don't have to go to Tokyo to have an immersive Japanese experience. You can when borders reopen, and everyone should at some point — because there's really nowhere else in the world quite like it. But if you're eager to eat like you're already there, watch performances and browse market stalls, you can save yourself the airfare at the Yokoso Collingwood Fitzroy Japan Festival. A one-day celebration at Peel Street Park from 12.30–7pm on Sunday, January 17, it's Melbourne's own ode to the country that brought us sushi, katsu, yakitori, sake, matcha lattes and more. Expect to find more than a few things from that list on offer, and plenty to see and do as well — with admission free. In the park, live music will feature everything from harps and Japanese drums to rap and hip hop. Both in Peel Street and at the Chotto Motto Vintage Market, you'll be able to shop for new and retro goods either from Japan or made using traditional Japanese materials. But the big highlight is the Taste of Japan passport, which costs $36.50 and serves up six mini dishes from six restaurants in the area. You'll mosey to Aka Shiro for battered vegetable and octopus puffs, head to Chotto Motto for gyoza, and hit up Wabi Sabi Salon for smoked tofu katsu curry. And, you'll stop by Shimbashi Soba for chilled soba noodles, tuck into Neko Neko's tofu with spring onions, ginger, daikon and nori, and enjoy a tasting of sake or some yuzu soda at Tamura Sake Bar. Top image: Chotto Motto
When the pandemic first hit, binge-watching movies about contagions, outbreaks and infections became everyone's go-to pastime. Some were eerily prophetic (yes, we're talking about Contagion, obviously); however, even when flicks in the genre didn't resemble our reality, they still lured us in. There's a sense of comfort in watching these worst-case scenarios. We watch for the same reason that we watch horror movies, because seeing these things play out on-screen helps us confront our fears in a safe space. The dystopian genre looks a little different through our weary eyes now, of course, but we're still viewing away. The next thing to add to your streaming queue: Y: The Last Man, the long-awaited TV adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. On the page between 2002–8, the comic book series stepped into a post-apocalyptic world where an eerie illness wipes out everyone with a Y chromosome, humans and other mammals alike. And yes, it does all sound a little like a reverse version of The Handmaid's Tale and Children of Men — with a few twists, clearly. In this fictional scenario, only Yorick Brown and his Capuchin monkey Ampersand manage to survive — alongside the planet's women, all of whom are now endeavouring to find a new status quo. So, that's what the Y: The Last Man TV series will chart, as teased in its trailer. Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra's graphic novel has actually been slated for the TV treatment for more than a decade — and before that, a film version was even floated but it didn't eventuate — and now the television series will start hitting Australian streaming service Binge from Tuesday, September 14. Ben Schnetzer (Pride, Warcraft, The Grizzlies) plays Yorick, and he's joined on-screen by Diane Lane (Let Him Go) as his mother — and the new US President — plus Olivia Thirlby (Goliath) as his sister. The cast also includes Amber Tamblyn (The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret), Ashley Romans (NOS4A2) and Elliot Fletcher (The Fosters), while The Killing and Animal Kingdom's Eliza Clark is on writing and showrunning duties. Check out the trailer below: Y: The Last Man starts streaming in Australia via Binge from Tuesday, September 14.
2023 was huge for women's soccer in Australia. 2024 mightn't boast the World Cup rolling out Down Under, sadly, but with the Matildas competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it's still a massive year for fans of the country's national squad. 2023 also brought documentary Matildas: The World at Our Feet to streaming queues, too — and 2024 is following suit there as well thanks to Stan's Trailblazers, which was announced earlier in the year and now has a Tuesday, June 4 release date. While The World at Our Feet chronicled the current team's path to the 2023 Women's World Cup, Trailblazers is taking a broader look at the Tillies' story and also at women's football in Australia, as the trailer for the doco makes plain. Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry and Teagan Micah all feature as interviewees — but chronicling the Matildas' journey before their current success is also in the documentary's remit. If your obsession with the Tillies started in July 2023, this is your chance to dive into the first FIFA-recognised game in 1979, the team's 2015 strike for equal pay and its fortunes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics — and to reflect upon the the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, plus the squad's qualification for Paris. So, you'll hear from and about earlier players, such as first-ever Matildas captain Julie Dolan, alongside Kerr and company. The Matildas' first Indigenous female player Karen Menzies also features among the discussions, as do fellow past players Melissa Barbieri, Kate Gill and Moya Dodd. Tommy Sermanni, who coached the Tillies from 1994–97 and 2005–12, similarly gets chatting. And, so does ex-Socceroos captain-turned-commentator Craig Foster. Stan is dropping Trailblazers not only in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, which take place from Friday, July 16–Sunday, August 11, but also just after the Matildas play two warmup friendlies in Australia on Friday, May 31 (in Adelaide) and Monday, June 3 (in Sydney) against China. Behind the scenes, Maggie Miles (Dare to Be Different) and Maggie Eudes produce, write and direct the documentary — aka your next chance to revel in all things Tillies. If you want to wear green and gold while watching, or the recently released (and soldout) purple Mackenzie Arnold goalkeeper kit if you got your hands on one, that's up to you. Check out the trailer for Trailblazers below: Trailblazers will stream via Stan from Tuesday, June 4, 2024.
Often, when actors start expanding their wardrobe to include a musician hat, the world heaves a sigh. But Hugh Laurie is one of those annoying people who can do just about anything he turns his hand to. And do it so well that, having just watched an episode of House, we find ourselves jumping online, scouring YouTube for clips of him playing the blues. Or tango. Or several other forms of American music. The excellent news is that Laurie, his many talents and the Copper Bottom Band are soon to pack their respective bags and wing themselves our way. Between April 19 and May 5, they'll be singing, playing and joking their way around Australia, making appearances at seven major cities. Laurie was last here in 1981, but that was for a comedy show tour. "We're really excited to be coming to Australia to perform," he says. "The last time I was there was 1981, in a comedy show, and the world has changed a lot since then. I haven't though. I'm exactly the same. It's uncanny. Obviously, I'll be hoping to restore some national pride after the Ashes. If anyone throws anything at me, I'll lob up an easy catch to the balcony." If you're a Laurie fan, you might already know that his role as Dr Gregory House has won him two Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as six Emmy nominations. He's also gained cult status for his roles in Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie (he and Fry are old buddies from Cambridge Uni) and Blackadder. All the while, he's been playing the blues behind the scenes. In fact, he started on the piano at the age of six. But it wasn't till 2011 that he teamed up with the Copper Bottom Band to release debut album Let Them Talk. Last year saw the launch of sophomore Didn't It Rain, which is a kind of history of the blues from New Orleans to the American heartland. Guests include soul vocalist Jean McClain and Guatemalan Gaby Moreno. Full tour dates below. Melbourne: Sat 19 April, Palais Theatre (Tickets through Ticketmaster) Canberra: Tue 22 April, Royal Theatre (Tickets through Ticketek) Adelaide: Thu 24 Apr, Thebarton Theatre (Tickets through Venuetix) Perth: Sat 26 Apr, Concert Hall (Tickets through Ticketek) Brisbane: Fri 2 May, Brisbane Concert Hall (Tickets through QTix) Newcastle: Sat 3 May, Civic Theatre (Tickets through Ticketek) Sydney: Mon 5 May, State Theatre (Tickets through Ticketmaster) https://youtube.com/watch?v=yYnJrluzbQY
We've all been there — waking up on a Sunday morning feeling more zombie-like than zest-for-life — but if you don't want to miss out on all the fun things you could get up to at the weekend, you're going to need a healthy feed to heal your body and soul. There's no need to knock back raw eggs in a glass (Rocky-style) to build up your stamina for the day — the hospitality folks of Melbourne know how to serve up deliciously diverse brekkie dishes that'll have you back on your feet, and ready to face the day. Plus, brunches that hero eggs give you a healthy serve of amino acids and cysteine, which helps you break down acetaldehyde, one of the root causes of hangovers. If fact, there are heaps of nutritional benefits to eating eggs (on any day of the week) and the Heart Foundation recommends healthy Australians can eat eggs without limitation as part of a healthy diet. So we've picked out six delicious, hangover-busting dishes to help you start the day as you mean to go on: with gusto.
If you're a Brisbanite with a fondness for trivia — and a head full of otherwise pointless tidbits just waiting to be scribbled down quickly — then you've likely been to one of Man vs Bear's events. Usually, its slate is filled with both general and themed trivia evenings at plenty of pubs and bars around town; however, when COVID-19 restrictions hit, it took its questions online for everyone everywhere to enjoy. Meet Isolation Trivia. No, all the questions won't just be about staying indoors — but because that's what we're all now doing, these trivia nights will be live-streamed. Man vs Bear and Not On Your Rider's Aimon Clark will play quizmaster, you'll jot down your answers at home and everyone can compare scores virtually — and battle for trivia supremacy. Isolation Trivia will be popping up regularly, with the next trivia nights live-streaming on Tuesday, September 22 and Friday, September 25 — at 6.30pm AEST. To play along, head to the event's Facebook page. Top image: Not On Your Rider
In news that's an actual Thing, everyone's favourite half-giant of few words is coming to Australia to host a series of Game of Thrones-themed rave parties later this year. Kristian Nairn, who plays the simple and loveable Hodor, is a legit house DJ — minds are boggled as to why this sort of party hasn't been thrown sooner. Thankfully touring company Falcona have jumped on the house-loving GoT favourite and we can party like we've finally found the three-eyed raven. As the name suggests, Rave of Thrones will be a series of GoT-themed parties in large-scale Australian venues — and dress ups are mandatory. Break out the faux fur, your finest armour or dye your hair silver-white; just leave your Valerian steel at the door. We're expecting to see Starks dancing with Lannisters, Tyrells and Tullys sharing mead, while Wildlings and White Walkers unite forces in the name of rave. These parties are likely to attract a larger crowd then the Red and the Purple wedding combined (and will presumably be way less murdery), so make sure you snap up some tickets faster than one of Ygritte's arrows heading for Jon Snow's heart. Nairn has recently been in Melbourne for Oz Comic-Con with Daniel Portman (aka Podrick Payne), so we're thanking the Old Gods and the New that he'll be returning to us shortly. Nairn will be joined by audio visual artist Ego who will be cranking out GoT-themed projections, and the night will include "surprise guests and garnishings" — we're not sure exactly what that entails just yet. HODOR! Rave Of Thrones dates (tickets on sale now): Thursday, 28 August The Hi-Fi, Sydney Tickets via The Hi-Fi Friday, 29 August Secret Warehouse, Brisbane Tickets via Moshtix Saturday, 30 August Villa, Perth Tickets via Villa Thursday, 4 September Prince Bandroom, Melbourne Tickets via Prince Bandroom Friday, 5 September Discovery, Darwin Tickets via Discovery Sunday, 7 September Zhivago, Adelaide Tickets via Zhivago https://youtube.com/watch?v=cxjw-w-V5k4 Via In The Mix.
A lacklustre vehicle for two fine actors, Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson are wasted in Joel Hopkins' Hampstead, a light-on-charm plod-along which harbours not much more than a giggle every now and then, some pretty scenery, and a particularly nice looking veggie patch. Keaton is Emily, a recently widowed woman who lives in an upmarket block of apartments in London's Hampstead, neighboured mostly by other rich women her age. Her days involve throwing her hands up in the air about her debts while wandering around with her peers signing petitions and having brunch. Unsurprisingly, she feels as though something is missing from her life. Enter Gleeson as Donald, a gruff Irishman who lives in a ramshackle hut on the heath, in perfect binocular-spying distance from Emily's attic. He grows his own food and fishes in the lake. One thing leads to another, there's some perfunctory plot development, and the two meet and strike up a romance. The only problem is that there's so little chemistry between the two that at one point, during a scene where they're kissing in bed, I found myself wondering whether it would rain tomorrow and if I had washing to put on at home. The two actors do their best with the cloying, Richard Curtis-wannabe script, which aims for whimsical and lands on limp. Turns out Donald has built a cottage on the Heath without permission, doesn't pay rent or taxes, and is being evicted by the council who plan to build apartment blocks in place of him, leaving him homeless without any relatives to rely on. Emily, on the other hand, is worried about whether she's going to have to sell her super lush apartment because she's bad at accounting. Naturally the two bond over their "similar" circumstances. Based on the true tale of Harry Hallowes, who did actually live on Hampstead Heath in a DIY shack, the story itself is quite interesting. But the romantic comedy angle feels as though it's being squeezed out of a nearly-dry sponge. Hampstead isn't bad. It just isn't, in the grand scheme of things, particularly good either. If you want to feel warm and fuzzy, there are plenty of better, sweeter and more charming British films worth watching. Also, if fishing and cheese picnics are someone's idea of "trampy" dates, then line me up. I'd swipe right on that any day of the week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsJv_bJBHSY
After heading Down Under for Laneway Festival earlier in 2023, Japanese Australian singer-songwriter Joji will finally give his Aussie and Kiwi fans the chance to catch a glimpse of him at his own headline gigs when he returns for a run of arena shows. The viral hitmaker will make his way Down Under following his current US run of gigs, starting by bringing the Pandemonium tour to Australia's east coast across three dates in November. The tour will kick off in Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on Thursday, November 16, before moving to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 18 and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Monday, November 2o. From there, Joji will cross the ditch and arrive in Auckland for a one-off New Zealand show at Spark Arena on Wednesday, November 22. Joji's debut headline Australian and New Zealand shows have been a long time coming. After fostering a cult following on YouTube, he pivoted his talents to music in 2017, releasing three studio albums across the following six years. The entire trio of albums has spawned Top 40 hits in Australia, New Zealand and the US, and Joji is one of only a handful of artists that can claim to have multiple songs with over a billion streams on Spotify — with 'Glimpse of Us' and 'Slow Dancing in the Dark' both passing this impressive milestone. Concertgoers can expect the heartfelt emotions of Joji's ballads alongside a sprinkling of humour, with his live shows receiving online notoriety for the performer's onstage hijinx between and during songs. Scottish dance producer and singer Sam Gellaitry will be supporting all four dates, alongside rapper SavageRealm, who is currently opening for Joji on his North American tour. JOJI'S PANDEMONIUM TOUR: Thursday, November 16 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, November 18 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Monday, November 20 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wednesday, November 22 — Spark Arena, Auckland Joji will play four shows in Australia and New Zealand in November 2023. Ticket pre-sales start at 12pm on Thursday, August 24 via Frontier Touring, followed by the general sale at 2pm on Friday, August 25. Head to the tour website for further details.
First it was The Guardian. Then came The Huffington Post. And now it looks like The New York Times will be the next international publication to launch in Australia. Overnight Joe Pompeo of the U.S. edition of Politico reported that the Times plans to expand to two new markets: Canada and Australia. The @nytimes' next two global expansion targets: Canada and Australia. They're working on setting up ops in both https://t.co/GfUX5LqZFJ — Joe Pompeo (@joepompeo) August 23, 2016 The expansion to the two new markets will be a an attempt to increase their paid digital audience, and will be similar to the Mexico City-based newsroom they set up earlier this year. Politico also reports that they're in the early stages of hiring reporters. Reps have been tight-lipped so far, but The New York Times' head of communications Eileen Murphy told Crikey that the publication is "focused on Australia" as part of their global expansion. We'd be stoked to see some locally-focused (and locally-produced) stories from the Times — but we'll await official confirmation. Stay tuned. Via Politico and Crikey.
You've watched every episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo back to back, applied the 'spark joy' test to all of your worldly possessions and still your home is in desperate need of an organisational bootcamp. Sounds like it might be time to call in the experts. Luckily for any disorderly folk out there, IKEA is here to lend a helping hand. The Swedish furniture and homewares giant has assembled a team of tidying wizards to help whip 100 lucky Aussie homes into shape. It's currently taking submissions from locals desperate for a spruce-up and will choose 100 of them to each win a two-hour home organisation session. Winners will be guided through an organisational masterclass by one of Ikea's experts and even score themselves a $300 swag of new Ikea smart storage products to help keep everything in tip-top shape. We're expecting you'll pick up some ninja-level tidying skills to make even Marie Kondo proud. To enter this comp, you need to live within 20 kilometres of an IKEA store and to submit a photo of your messy pantry, bathroom or bedroom (and some words about why it frustrates you) over here. In another nod to Japan's organising queen, IKEA is holding a separate competition open to anyone named Mary who lives in a condo (or apartment). One of the lucky applicants will win a year's worth of tidying services, which involves a three-hour monthly home visit from an Ikea 'tidy professional'. Just imagine all the extra joy you'll spark by handing over decluttering duties to someone else. Jump over here to submit your plea for a home tidying session before midnight on Wednesday, February 12. Enter IKEA's Mary search here before midnight on Tuesday, February 18.
Summer has arrived early in Australia. We've already got more sunshine and heat than we know what to do with, and you might feel a need to get out and enjoy it. Dodge the heat and hit up Gin Tins & Tunes, a nationwide series of events from Four Pillars Gin that combine drinks, vivid beats and beloved venues, including a one-night-only launch party at Bondi's Beach Road Hotel, but more on that shortly. But why? Well, Four Pillars Gin has launched its latest ready-to-drink gin drink, Navy Strength Gin & Ginger, and they want to celebrate with you. From Sunday, October 1, you'll be able to sip on the new can made with Navy Strength Gin and a bespoke ginger beer, alongside the rest of the Four Pillars Gin tin family – Fresh Yuzu Gin & Soda, Rare Dry Gin & Tonic and Bloody Shiraz Gin & Tonic – at Sunday sessions in beloved venues across the country, from Ponyfish Island in Melbourne to The Federal Hotel in Perth. Local musical talents will provide soundtracks, and every event will offer unique ways for you to grab a Four Pillars bucket hat. The series highlight is the official launch party at Sydney's Beach Road Hotel on Sunday, October 15. It's quite the step up from your at-home gin o'clock session, and this particular event has more than just local musician talent on the lineup. Leading Aussie DJs like Late Nite Tuff Guy, Yolanda Be Cool, and Mell Hall will be performing throughout the evening to soundtrack your sips. Tickets start at $15 and include a Navy Strength Gin & Ginger and Four Pillars bucket hat, check the math, that's pretty good value if you ask us. As mentioned, the main Gin Tins & Tunes series begins before the launch party, starting at Beach Road Hotel and The Federal Hotel in Fremantle, WA on Sunday, October 1. The following weekend will see the events expand to three more venues nationwide on Sunday, October 8: Newcastle's Merewether Surfhouse, Byblós in Brisbane and Ponyfish Island in Melbourne's Southbank. Then, the final addition, The Royal Hotel in Mornington, joins the fun on Sunday, November 26. From the opening Sundays, the respective venues will host sessions for another three weekends. For more information on Gin Tins & Tunes or to book at any venue, visit the website.
When it comes to wandering your way through Australia's vast expanses of forest, sometimes a well-worn phrase applies. If you can't see the forest for the trees when you're trying to find the absolute perfect place to stroll or camp from the wealth of choices, that's perfectly understandable. After all, the country has 125 million hectares of forest — which equates to 16 percent of Australia's land area — according to the Forests Australia website. For those doing their exploring in Victoria, the government has released a new app that should assist immensely. Called More to Explore, it offers an interactive map of the state's forests, including activities such as camping, picnicking, walking and fishing, plus four-wheel driving, mountain biking and trail bike riding. Almost 400 camping and picnic sites are featured, plus more than 240 recreational trails. Real-time information, as maintained by Forest Fire Management Victoria field staff, will help you both plan your trip according to the current conditions, and keep up-to-date while you're roaming. You can also use the app to download maps to your phone before you go, ensuring that you won't get lost if your phone loses reception. Which, obviously, is something that can happen when you're moseying through a leafy thicket of trees. "With more than three million hectares of State Forest to explore in Victoria, this app will make it quicker and easier for everyone to discover our state's breathtaking natural beauty," said Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D'Ambrosio. At present,More to Explore is available for free via iTunes, with an Android also version expected mid this year. For those stepping into New South Wales' state forests, My Visit is the NSW equivalent.
Once you've had your fill of chocolate eggs and hot cross everything, you can hop over to Hawker Hall for a different kind of Easter feasting experience. The buzzy hawker-style food hall is dishing up a long weekend yum cha menu, running 12–4pm daily from Friday, April 7–Monday, April 10. Clocking in at $45 per person, it's a hearty spread, filled with nods to all the yum cha classics. You'll get to choose six savoury plates and something sweet to finish, with options like chicken siu mai, prawn rice noodle rolls, Cantonese-style fried noodles and lettuce cups loaded with shiitake mapo tofu. The dessert lineup includes egg tarts and banana fritters, and there are add-on dishes if you're feeling extra hungry for some duck pancakes or char siu pork. As for the drinks, you'll find a bunch of long weekend specials on offer, including $14.50 glasses of Chandon Blanc de Blanc, and an aptly named Honey Bunny cocktail made with rum, honey and blood orange. Book your table online to nab a spot. [caption id="attachment_843531" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hawker Hall[/caption]
Clear, starry skies, legal, open fires, cosy, feather-stuffed sleeping bags and an excuse to cuddle up to your dog all night long — winter camping definitely has its advantages. Beyond the magical, glittering nights, there are also lovely, crisp days for adventuring without fear of raging bushfires, nasty sunburn and mad summer crowds. From Brisbane down to Sydney and continuing on to Melbourne, a surprising number of spots cater to winter campers with all kinds of warming activities, from free, hot showers to wine tasting tours. We've scouted out the best ones to suit your needs. So, it's time to finally accept summer is over, and head out of the city to try one of these beauties. BEST FOR FIRES: TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN CAMPING PARK, QLD This idyllic spot lies an hour's drive south of Brisbane, nestled in Tamborine Mountain's northern valley, in the Gold Coast hinterland. Every site has its own fire pit, where you're legally permitted to create a roaring blaze. Plus, there are free hot showers. In between toasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories, explore the local area. Just next door is Thunderbird Park, where you can go horseback riding and conquer Tree Top, a high ropes course with more than 100 challenges. Further afield, you'll find art galleries, cafes and glow worm caves. [caption id="attachment_624402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Kevin Rheese.[/caption] BEST FOR WINE TASTING: WINE COUNTRY TOURIST PARK, HUNTER VALLEY, NSW One surefire way to get warm on a frosty evening is with a bottle of fine wine or two. Go camping in the Hunter Valley's Wine Country Tourist Park, and you'll have ample drops at your doorstep. In fact, there's no caravan park closer to the region's vineyards and cellar doors, plus Potters Brewery is just a stumble away. Plus, facilities are pretty schmick: you get barbecues, a camp kitchen, a laundry, plenty of power and your pets are welcomed with open arms — there's even a run dedicated to doggos. Should you chicken out and yearn for four solid walls, you can even upgrade to a caravan or cabin. BEST FOR DOGS: WARBURTON HOLIDAY PARK, YARRA VALLEY, VIC Gather all your dogs and all your mates, because there are acres and acres of dreamy grounds to explore at Warburton Holiday Park, just a 90 minutes' drive east of Melbourne. One and a half kilometres from Warburton, the park sits on the banks of the Yarra River, where you can fish for trout and go platypus spotting. What's more, the Yarra Valley's wineries are just a hop, skip and a jump away, as are loads of trails for biking and walking, including the Ada Rainforest Walk, which visits one of Victoria's oldest trees. The park's facilities include legal fireplaces, power, barbecues, a laundry and picnic tables. BEST FOR HIKING: MOUNT SAMARIA, VIC Generate some heat by hiking around Mount Samaria State Park. Found 130 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, this beautiful area gives you an extraordinary range of scenery, from tranquil eucalypt forests and granite boulders to stunning views of the Victorian Alps and tumbling waterfalls. There's a bunch of campsites and fires are permitted. So pick a spot to pitch, and make sure to take on the Mount Samaria Summit Walk, which carries you to a height of 953 metres. The hike can be done as a 4.8-kilometre trek from Spring Creek Sawmill campsite or as a steep, 2.5-kilometre circuit from Mount Samaria Road. Take note: although fires are allowed, facilities are unpowered, rustic and mostly beyond mobile reception, so be a good scout and turn up prepared. [caption id="attachment_630526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wee Jasper Reserves.[/caption] BEST FOR FISHING: WEE JASPER RESERVES, NSW If your idea of a perfect winter's day involves hanging out by a rushing creek, waiting for a bite, then popping your fresh catch on a crackling fire and cooking up a feast, take your tent to Reflections Wee Jasper – Campground, between Canberra and Gundagai, about four hours' drive southwest of Sydney. Here, you'll find several camping areas with the best fishing around at Billy Grace and Swinging Bridge, plus the prettiest picnicking at Micalong Reserve. Similarly to Mount Samaria, facilities are minimal and there's no power.
When Indigenous Australian artist Archie Moore made history at the 2024 La Biennale de Venezia, aka the Venice Biennale, in April by winning the event's coveted Golden Lion for Best National Participation, he also did Brisbane's major art galleries proud. When the First Nations talent earned Australia the top gong at the Olympics of the art world for the first time ever, he did so with an exhibition curated by Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's Ellie Buttrose, and with a date with the Brisbane sites as part of their 2025–26 program. kith and kin will open in South Brisbane in August 2025 — and it's also being gifted to QAGOMA permanently. The Australian Government has just announced that it has acquired the work to give it to the Brisbane art institution, as well as the UK's Tate, its acquisition partner. Accordingly, gallery visitors both in Australian and the United Kingdom will be able to explore kith and kin after its current Venice run. In Italy, the work is on display until Sunday, November 24, 2024. "I am so grateful for this generous donation that enables kith and kin to be seen both here in Australia and overseas, in the near and distant future," said Moore of the news. "Encountering Archie Moore's kith and kin at the Venice Biennale was a spectacular and moving experience that resonated with the weight of history and ancestry. In its unimaginable endeavour to map a personal genealogy through more than 2000 generations, Moore has summoned up an extraordinary image of human connection through deep time," added Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art Director Chris Saines. "kith and kin has that rare power to still you into silence and reflection. We are profoundly grateful to be the joint custodians of this historic work and we look forward to showing the project, curated by QAGOMA's Curator of Contemporary Australian Art Ellie Buttrose, in Brisbane from August 2025." kith and kin didn't just make history with its Venice Biennale accolade. A hand-drawn genealogical chart that spans back 65,000 years, the piece also chronicles it. Both a personal and a political work, kith and kin steps through Moore's Kamilaroi, Bigambul, British and Scottish heritage across the installation's five-metre-high, 60-metre-long black walls. More than 2400 generations are covered. The exhibition uses chalk on blackboard, with a reflective pool sitting in the middle of the room and 500-plus document stacks suspended above it. Every aspect of kith and kin makes a statement. With its size and scale, it speaks to Australia's Indigenous peoples being among the world's longest-continuous living cultures. The use of black is also designed to look like a celestial map, and therefore nod to the resting place of First Nations ancestors. Highlighting the decrease in Indigenous Australian languages and dialects since colonisation, the fragility that stems from not being able to pass down knowledge and injustices such as deaths in custody are all also part of the work — with the aforementioned piles of paper primarily from coronial inquests. "The phrase 'kith and kin' now simply means 'friends and family'. However, an earlier Old English definition that dates from the 1300s shows kith originally had the added meanings of 'countrymen' and also 'one's native land', with kin meaning 'family members'," notes Moore's explanation of the work. "Many Indigenous Australians, especially those who grew up on Country, know the land and other living things as part of their kinship systems — the land itself can be a mentor, teacher, parent to a child. The sense of belonging involves everyone and everything, and for First Nations peoples of Australia, like most Indigenous cultures, is deeply rooted in our sacred landscapes from birth until death." "I was interested in the phrase as it aptly describes the artwork in the pavilion, but I was also interested in the Old English meaning of the words, as it feels more like a First Nations understanding of attachment to place, people and time." kith and kin will display at Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane, from August 2025. We'll update you with more details when they're announced. kith and kin is on display at the Australia Pavilion, Giardini di Castello, 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, until Sunday, November 24, 2024 — head to the exhibition website for further details. Images: Archie Moore / kith and kin 2024 / Australia Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024 / Photographer Andrea Rossetti / © the artist / Images courtesy of the artist and The Commercial.
You've already marked your calendars. If you live in a regional town, you've already submitted the part of Australia that you call home to go in the running to host, too. Now, it's time to find out who'll be playing when Triple J's One Night Stand returns on Saturday, September 14, 2024 — but you'll still have to wait to discover where the music festival is taking place this year. Leading the lineup: G Flip, Ruel, What So Not with some friends and Thelma Plum. Amid their sing-alongs and jam-packed dance floors, they'll have company on the bill from Sycco and DICE. One Night Stand 2024 will also feature a competition winner from Unearthed, and there'll be special guests as well for the event's long-awaited comeback. As for the location, as picked from a huge 2087 submissions, that'll be revealed on Thursday, July 25 — and tickets on sale at 9am the same day. Twenty years ago, the ABC station gave the Victorian town of Natimuk a day to remember when the spot 300 kilometres out of Melbourne hosted its very own major music fest, with Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe and The Dissociatives (aka Daniel Johns and Paul Mac) all getting behind the microphone. So began One Night Stand, which became a yearly tradition, with Triple J putting on a fest in different regional locations every year between 2004–2014, then again from 2016–2019. There's no prizes for guessing why One Night Stand hasn't taken place since 2020, but that gap in the event's history is finally coming to an end this year. Triple J announced the return of the festival back in April, then opened the call for folks to submit their towns to play host — and make a convincing case about their area — before one lucky place is chosen. The all-ages event is returning at time when the Australian live music scene has been suffering, and after a spate of festivals have been cancelling or saying farewell forever. In 2024 alone, both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass announced lineups, then scrapped this year's fests mere weeks later. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also didn't go ahead. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather this year — and Mona Foma, the summer fest also held by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, has advised that its 2024 event was its last ever. With the state of the industry in mind, bringing back One Night Stand is not only much-needed and well-timed, but will also raise funds Support Act, the charity for the Australian music industry. In the past, the event has also been to Ayr, Dalby and Mt Isa in Queensland; Port Pirie, Tumby Bay and Lucindale in South Australia; Cowra and Dubbo in New South Wales; Collie and Geraldton in Western Australia; Sale and Mildura in Victoria; Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; and St Helens in Tasmania. One Night Stand Lineup 2024: G Flip Ruel What So Not + Friends Thelma Plum Sycco DICE triple j Unearthed Competition Winner + special guests 2024's triple j One Night Stand will take place on Saturday, September 14, with location details set to be revealed on Thursday, July 25 — and tickets on sale at 9am the same day. For more information in the interim, head to the radio station's website for more details. Top image: Callum Walker Hutchinson.
Whether you're celebrating your mum, grandmother or any other maternal figure, they deserve more than just a bunch of flowers for Mother's Day. But on top of whatever gift you have planned, or wherever you're taking the mama in your life to celebrate, you can nab them free florals — because when it comes to marking the occasion, this really is a more-the-merrier kind of date. DoorDash and Coles are teaming up on a flower giveaway, which means that you can get them delivered to your mother's door, too. There's 5000 up for grabs and, while it isn't all about bouquets, they're among the range on offer. If your mum would love nothing more than a surprise bunch of petals, order away. If she'd prefer a single rose, or potted daffodils or hyacinths, they're available as well. And, you don't have to spend any cash getting anything else from Coles; however, there are delivery and service fees. Obviously, you need to order via DoorDash, with the freebies available across Saturday, May 13–Sunday, May 14 to the first 5000 orders. You also need to use the code MOTHERSDAY to redeem the free flowers, and you can't pick anything over $30. The floral giveaway is only available at select locations, and you can only score one redemption per customer. Also, if you select free flowers that cost less than that amount, you won't get the difference credited to you or be able to choose something else. Your mum can expect her blooms in around 45 minutes (on average) after you place your order. Still looking to book in a breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks with the mum in your life as well? Check out our guides for top-notch spots in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To score free flowers for your mum, be one of the first 5000 people to place an order via DoorDash across Saturday, May 13–Sunday, May 14.
Less than two weeks after their animated tribute to The Simpsons went viral on YouTube, a pair of Melbourne animators have confirmed their video will be featured on the show. Creator Al Jean even high-fived the pair on Twitter. Created by roommates Ivan Dixon and Paul Robertson, the two minute pixel art animation (below) recreates the program's iconic opening sequence in the style of classic video and arcade games. Full of clever references to both old games and classic Simpsons moments (Mr. Sparkle makes a late appearance), the video has amassed more than two million views since it hit the internet on February 1. After catching wind of the video, The Simpsons team emailed Dixon and Robertson, asking them to call as soon as they could. While the pair initially assumed the message was a hoax, they got in contact. Now the video is set to open the show's next episode, which airs in the United States this Sunday at 8pm. Both Dixon and Robertson work in animation. Dixon is one half of independent animation studio Rubberhouse, while Robertson has worked on episodes of Disney's Gravity Falls. The announcement sees the pair join an exclusive group of people who have been invited to retool the show's famous titles. Cult animator Bill Plympton had Homer fall in love with the couch... ... while Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro provided this creepy take for Halloween. British graffiti artist Banksy raised the eyebrows of Fox executives with his scathing take-down in 2010... while last year's effort by Oscar nominee Don Hertzfeldt is amongst the weirdest things the show has ever put to air. Via The Age.
Pick a number between five and 100, and that's the average number of times you've probably watched Home Alone. You'll note that we haven't dared to suggest you've only seen it once, or twice, or even just three or four times, because we know how unlikely that is. We're guessing you've viewed the first sequel to the 1990 favourite quite a bit, too, because we all have. If you haven't given Home Alone 3 and Home Alone 4 as much love, though, that's understandable. Here's an important question for you moving forward, however: how many times do you think you'll give Home Sweet Home Alone a whirl? A very real movie that will soon exist thanks to streaming platform Disney+, Home Sweet Home Alone will jump back into the festive-themed franchise that's all about being left behind by your family at Christmas. On paper, the overall concept doesn't sound all that merry — but as we all know, these flicks have been an end-of-year staple for three decades. So, of course the Mouse House is adding a new chapter to the saga. It sure does love reviving and extending past hits, after all. And, of course Disney will add the resulting movie to its streaming service just in time for the jolliest part of the year. Mark Friday, November 12 in your calendar, as that's when you have a date with this new version of an old favourite. This time around, a kid called Max Mercer is the focus — as played by Jojo Rabbit's Archie Yates. Obviously, he's left at home while his family goes away. They head to Japan for the holidays, he gets forgotten, and soon he's fending off a couple that's trying to break into his house. We all know how the story is going to go from there, with this remake even giving a screenplay credit to the original's writer/director John Hughes. Filmmaker Dan Mazer is in the director's chair on Home Sweet Home Alone, after previously helming I Give It a Year and Dirty Grandpa, and writing Bridget Jones's Baby, Office Christmas Party and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. On-screen, Yates will be joined by Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Rob Delaney (Wrath of Man), Aisling Bea (This Way Up), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Tim Simons (Veep) and Chris Parnell (Rick and Morty). There have been rumours that Macaulay Culkin will make an appearance, too, but you'll obviously need to watch to see if that pans out. Home Sweet Home Alone doesn't yet have a trailer, but you can check out this sneak peek at the original until it does: Home Sweet Home Alone will be available to stream via Disney+ from Friday, November 12. Top image: Home Alone.
Seriously, our hearts are pounding from the adrenaline released by watching this ad for the Guardian and Observer Weekend, which is nothing more than the weekend edition of the highly respected daily newspaper. The ad makes fun of blockbuster action movie trailers with its booming voiceover for weekend mundanities, but it also features a PSA by Hugh Grant, self-parody of their marketing tagline, and a surreal elevator exchange. Created by London-based agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the three-minute ad follows on from their Cannes-winning 'The Whole Picture' campaign last year, which encapsulated their Open Journalism project through the story of the Three Little Pigs'. We hope if rumours of an imminent Australian edition of the Guardian turn out to be true, they launch it in a fashion equally overblown.
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and now we've scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. Debuting this autumn, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2018 are Canberra favourites Safia, Indie pop darlings San Cisco and Brisbane rockers Dune Rats, along with other local legends Holy Holy and Ruby Fields. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop's set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally-focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. Catch it at Torquay Common on March 31.
Get ready for your Instagram feed to explode with cherry blossoms because these highly photogenic trees are nearly in bloom once again. If you're looking for the best of the bunch, head to the Yarra Valley for the annual Blossom Festival at CherryHill Orchards. The festival will run from September 26 through October 6, 9am–5pm daily. Apart from the blossoms — which you'll most likely spend the entire day taking selfies with — there'll be live music and giant lawn games to keep you entertained. If you forgot to pack a picnic (or were too lazy to do so), there'll be plenty of food options from the visiting food trucks, which'll be serving up everything from tacos to dumplings and burgers. And you can expect plenty of cherry-flavoured goods, too — think ice cream, pie, cider and spritzers. Yarra Valley's Four Pillars Gin will also be on hand, stirring cherry-spiked cocktails. Tickets will cost a tenner (and include a complimentary cherry spritzer), and you can bring the kids along for five bucks each, but sadly your fur baby will have to stay behind as this is not a dog-friendly festival. CherryHill Blossom Festival is open from 9am–5pm daily. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, July 18.
This Monday, our good friend the moon will be closer to the Earth than it has been in 68 years. How close? About 30,000 kilometres closer than the average — that's how close. And, as a result of this lunar proximity, the moon will appear much bigger and brighter than it normally does. The phenomenon is called a supermoon, which sounds pretty darn exciting on its own. For science nerds, though, it's called a perigee moon. In this instance, the term describes an event where the moon appears to be nearly 14 percent bigger and almost 25 percent brighter than usual. Now, a full moon is pretty visible from everywhere, but the full effect is apparently much cooler if you look east of the horizon. Lucky for Australians, there's a plethora of beaches on our eastern shore that provide an excellent vantage point, and groups are popping up all over social media to gather fellow lunar lovers to watch the unique event. Although all those photos you're bound to be taking are going to look pretty sweet given the subject matter, Australian Geographic insists that the best snaps are taken the days preceding or proceeding the full supermoon. If you need some more tips, they've even put together a list for getting perfect photographs. Although supermoons are pretty common, the moon won't be this close again until 2034. Also, it hasn't been this close since 1948. That was the year that the US Navy first allowed women to enlist as regular troops, a great step forward for equality in America. The supermoon will reach its absolute pinnacle of awesome at 12.52am on Tuesday, November 15 (Monday night, daylight savings time). So, look to the east to catch a glimpse of the coolest moon of most our lifetimes, #nofilter. Image: Andrew C.
He captured imaginations and made his artistic mark with big-screen hits like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. And, he once designed a Milan cafe that resembled one of his film sets. In the coming months, he'll release his new stop-motion animated movie Isle of Dogs — but that's not all that acclaimed director Wes Anderson is working on. Known for his visual distinctive style and fondness for symmetry, Anderson will also take his creative vision into the art world, playing museum curator alongside his partner, set designer and illustrator Juman Malouf. The pair have been invited to put together an exhibition for Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, which you've got to admit looks like it's been plucked from a dreamy Anderson flick itself. The exhibition is set to kick off this September and run until January 2019, featuring a broad collection of in-house artifacts, as chosen by the creative couple. Pieces like historical musical instruments, suits of armour, foreign antiques, carriages and sleighs will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue — sure to be a swoon-worthy piece of art in its own right. Via architecturaldigest.in. Image: Wes Anderson and Juman Malouf in the Picture Gallery, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband .
Forget the pub with no beer — in central western Queensland, a resurrected watering hole will soon operate in a place with no residents. After closing its doors back in 1997, the Betoota Hotel will reopen in the ghost town this weekend. Brisbane smash repairer Robert Haken is bringing the famed spot back to life, telling Brisbane Times that he first fell for its charms around 30 years ago. Revisiting the empty, rundown site in 2015, he was driven to act. "When I walked into the place I just thought, what an amazing bit of Australia history and why isn't someone doing something with it." After buying the pub before Christmas, Haken's plan was to restore it to its former glory by late-August. The pub's reopening, unfortunately, hit a snag, with a post on Facebook saying it had been delayed because of red tape and paperwork. "Owners of the iconic OLD [sic] Betoota Hotel side wish to sincerely thank all that have given so much to help us attempt to reach our goal, a goal which is not gone, simply the finish line is further away than we hoped." Although it won't be opening for good quite yet, the pub has received a temporary licence to open on Friday, August 24, and Sunday, August 26 — just in time for the famous Betoota Races, the area's signature event, which often attracts more than 400 people to the resident-less town — and all profits from sales on the two days will go to charity. On Friday, from 11.30am–6.30pm, the Betoota Hotel will host an Australian Anti Ice Campaign (AAIC) awareness and education day, with 50 percent of profits going to AAIC and the other half to Rural Aid's Buy a Bale campaign, which supports drought-affected farmers. It'll be serving steak burgers, sausage sangas and, of course, plenty of frosty beer. It'll be closed on Saturday for the races, which you can, if you're so included, buy tickets for here. As they say, "when in Rome"... The day after, on Sunday, August 26, the pub will host the Cricket Cup from 12pm–7pm, with profits once again being split 50/50 to Rural Aid and AAIC. The same Aussie snacks and refreshments will be available, and there'll be raffles and prizes for the best-dressed cricketers. Once it's up and running — for good — Betoota Hotel will operate during the area's tourist season, between April and November. Due to the heat, it won't open in summer. The pub remains the only building in Betoota, and boasts quite the past, dating back to 1885. Previous owner Sigmund Remienko ran the place for 44 years until 1997. When he passed away in 2004, the town lost its last remaining resident. If it sounds like the kind of story you might read in The Betoota Advocate, that's understandable; however, while the satirical publication takes its name from the deserted spot, this isn't one of their amusing tales. For anyone keen to make the drive when the pub reopens, expect to trek more than 1500 kilometres west from Brisbane (a 20-hour drive), 1800 kilometres northwest of Sydney (a 24-hour drive) and 20,000 kilometres north of Melbourne (a 26-hour drive). Betoota Hotel is located at 6 Daroo Street, Betoota. For more information about its opening, keep an eye on the Facebook page.
Want to learn dance moves worthy of a Kanye music video? Or, more specifically, the epic booty pops thrown down by the devastating Teyana Taylor in that Flashdance-inspired clip for 'Fade'? If your answer is 'yes' (and of course it is), you'd best start limbering up in anticipation, because Amrita Hepi is here to teach you all the basics, and ensure you're set to slay in all future dance floor endeavours. The gun choreographer and dancer will take over The Toff in Town's bandroom on May 15, hosting two beginners dance classes inspired by those pulsating moves that make Kanye's video so damn watchable. All bodies and skill levels are welcomed — all you need to bring is a fierce attitude. The classes will take place at The Toff in Town on Monday, May 15, with the first kicking off at 6.35pm (buy tickets here) and the other at 7.30pm (buy tickets here).
Australian theatre fans haven't yet had the chance to see Dear Evan Hansen on the stage without leaving the country, but that's finally changing in 2024. When Sydney Theatre Company announced its season for this year, it revealed that the six-time Tony Award-winner would grace theatres in the Harbour City. In excellent news for folks around the rest of the country, the season will now make stops in Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide as well. When a musical becomes a Broadway sensation, FOMO tends to sink in for Aussie theatre aficionados. Rave reviews might start pouring in, and awards as well, but seeing whichever production has New York talking usually requires a Big Apple trip — an expensive endeavour even for the biggest stage aficionado. The other option: waiting patiently for NYC's brightest shows to head Down Under. It happened with Hamilton eventually, and now it's happening with Dear Evan Hansen. Dear Evan Hansen premiered in the US in 2016, then made the leap to the big screen in 2021. The next stop, back in stage form, is Sydney's Roslyn Packer Theatre from Saturday, October 12, then Playhouse Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne from December 2024, Canberra Circuit Theatre from February 2025 and Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide from April 2025. Brisbanites and Perthians, runs for both cities haven't been revealed as yet — so start crossing your fingers. Created for the stage by songwriting and composing duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul — who nabbed an Oscar for La La Land's 'City of Stars' — with playwright Steven Levenson (Fosse/Verdon), the musical spins a coming-of-age story about a plethora of high school struggles. Dear Evan Hansen follows its titular anxious teen, who is advised by his therapist to pen letters to himself to highlight the good aspects of his day. Then one of his notes ends up in a similarly lonely classmate's hands, sparking a complex chain reaction. STC, who is putting on the production with Michael Cassel Group, has also announced a number of cast members who'll bring Dear Evan Hansen to life on Australia's stages. Get ready to see Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins) as Evan's mother Heidi, Natalie O'Donnell (MAMMA MIA!, Come From Away) and Martin Crewes as Cynthia and Larry Murphy, Georgia Laga'aia as Zoe Murphy, Harry Targett as Connor Murphy, Carmel Rodrigues as Alana Beck and Jacob Rozario as Jared Kleinman. You'll need to wait until August to find out who'll be following in Ben Platt's (Theater Camp) footsteps — after he played the lead part on both Broadway and in the film — as Evan in the Aussie show. Dear Evan Hansen Australian Season: From Saturday, October 12, 2024 — Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney From December 2024 — Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne From February 2025 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra From April 2025 — Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide Sydney Theatre Company's production of Dear Evan Hansen will kick off in Sydney in October 2024, then tour the country. Head to the show's website for tickets, waitlists and more details. Images: Universal.
In the 17 years that Gelato Messina has been in business, over 4000 special flavours have made their way through its 20 gelato cabinets around the country. To celebrate some of these oldies but goodies, Messina is dedicating an entire weekend to its top 40 greatest hits. From July 27–28, lucky Sydneysiders and Melburnians will be able to treat themselves to an entire cabinet worth of limited-edition gelato flavours. The deal will only be available at Sydney's Rosebery and Melbourne's Fitzroy stores, where none of the classic flavours will be available. Instead, expect specials like the Just Like a Milkshake and Have a Gay Old Time. While the team is still compiling the full list, you'll definitely get to taste the Jon Snow (white chocolate gelato with dark chocolate mud cake and almond praline), the Fairy Bread (toast and butter gelato with 100s & 1000s) and the Robert Brownie Jnr (milk chocolate gelato, chocolate brownie and chocolate fudge sauce). Also making the cut is red velvet cheesecake number and peanut butter gelato with chocolate brownie and dulce de leche. If you've got your fingers crossed for an old favourite, Messina is taking suggestions via its Facebook, so be sure to let them know ASAP. Gelato Messina's Greatest Hits will be available from July 27–28 at Sydney's Rosebery (58 Mentmore Avenue) and Melbourne's Fitzroy (237 Smith Street) stores. Only the top 40 specials will be available from 11am until sold out — no classic flavours and no Deliveroo.
Now here's some casually beautiful design for your day. Japanese design house Nendo have created a box of chocolates that wouldn't be out of place in a contemporary art museum. Having already made you insatiably hungry with chocolate pencils and ice cream cakes far too beautiful to eat, Nendo decided to celebrate their new title as Maison&Objet's Designer of the Year by creating some of the most stunning truffles you're likely to come across. Geometric little bite-sized pieces they are, Nendo's truffles were created for M&O's upcoming design show in Paris; an event for which they're also creating the visitor lounges where visitors can soothe their weary tootsies. There are nine chocolates in total, all of which will be handed out to these weary visitors — a stunning little treat we'd be likely to attempt a furious commute home to the fridge with. According to Co.DESIGN, the cubic chocolates represent different geometric forms; everything from a representation of a soundwave to a wireframe cube. Nendo's chocolate boxes will only be available to buy at the Maison&Objet design show in Paris from January 23 - 27. All we're saying, if you're desperately trying to impress someone with a romantic gesture, bringing a box of chocolates that look like modern art back from a Parisian design show is a decent idea. Via Dezeen and Co.DESIGN.
Anything that Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin can do, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan and now Pinocchio can, too — if by anything you really mean get the live-action remake treatment by Disney, that is. The Mouse House sure does adore giving its animated classics do-overs with actors, realistic CGI or both, and it's now doing just that with the wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy. Indeed, the company's new take on Pinocchio will arrive on Disney+ on Thursday, September 8, Pinocchio has hit screens before with humans rather than pixels filling the frames, including recently via a fantastical Italian movie that starred Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. Also, back in 2002, Benigni made his own version first, but played the titular role instead. The key difference with this new Pinocchio: Disney remaking Disney, although the underlying tale behind every version always hails back to 1883 children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Disney boasts two big drawcards for its latest remake: America's dad Tom Hanks and filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. The former returns to the screen fresh from getting somewhat villainous in Elvis, the latter opts to give an already-beloved book-to-film story another spin after not faring so well with The Witches, and the pair reteam following everything from Forrest Gump and Cast Away to The Polar Express. Hanks plays Geppetto, obviously. And in the just-dropped full trailer for the new film, he looks the kindly, loving part. As always, the story sees the wood carver build and care for a wooden puppet who then wants to become more than timber, but faces challenges finding his way in the world. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor) voices Pinocchio, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber) does the same with Jiminy Cricket — and the cast also includes Cynthia Erivo (Chaos Walking) as the Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key (The Bubble) as 'Honest' John, Lorraine Bracco (Blue Bloods) as new character Sofia the Seagull and Luke Evans (Nine Perfect Strangers) as The Coachman. Clearly, this is one of those Disney remakes that considers hefty doses of CGI as closer to live-action than animation. No need to wish upon a star to see the end result, Disney fans — and yes, that song does feature, as performed by Erivo. If you're wondering why Mouse House's latest remake is heading to Disney+, and so soon, it'll drop on what the Mouse House has dubbed 'Disney+ Day' — alongside Thor: Love and Thunder's streaming debut, a behind-the-scenes look at Obi-Wan Kenobi, and sing-along versions of Frozen and Frozen 2. Check out the trailer for Pinocchio below: Pinocchio will be available to stream via Disney+ from Thursday, September 8. Images: courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
One of the grimmer works on the Midsumma program, Member chronicles the spate of gay hate crimes that plagued Sydney throughout the '80s and '90s, a period when as many as 80 gay men lost their lives at the hands of roaming gangs. Weaving in witness testimony, legal transcripts and other archival material, writer and performer Ben Noble tells the tale of Corey, a former gang member forced to confront his shameful past when his son comes out as gay. While the material will no doubt be hard going, Member promises to provide an unflinching look into a piece of Australian history that we can't afford to forget. Image: Luke Cadden
The Bridge Hotel is a Richmond institution. Located in a 100-year-old building — split in two by a quaint cobblestone laneway — the pub-cum-diner received a neat renovation back in 2011. It's now decked out with leather banquettes, lush hanging plants (and bikes), lots of exposed brick and quiet nooks and crannies to hideaway in. But don't get too distracted by the Bridge Hotel's impressive interior, the food and drink specials are why we're here. There's a weekday happy hour (with $4 pots and $5 wines), cheap parmas and steaks on Tuesday and Wednesday, $13 espresso martinis all day on Friday and $5 recovery Coronas on Sunday. And then there's Saturday — where a whole host of deals are on offer. As Saturdays are always busy — naturally — it's recommended that you book a booth. Each reservation comes with a free bottle of sparkling and a guest list, so that friend who's always running late can still make it in. You have to pre-pay a $100 bar tab to reserve your spot, but you can put this towards the Bridge Hotel's other promotion: the Match the Bar Tab. Until the end of May, pre-pay any tab (up to $150) and the pub will match your contribution. Meaning you can get up to $300 of drinks, of which 50-percent is free. The pub is sweetening the deal, even more, by throwing in a free jug of a the Skipping Girl Sour cocktail with every matched tab. It's a mix of Absolut Citron, coconut cream, pineapple juice and lemon or mint garnish. Don't delay, booths get snapped up fast.
Another day, another international ride-share company prepares to hit the streets of Australia. This time, it's an Indian-born platform called Ola, which we're told operates in over 110 cities, hosting a whopping one billion annual rides worldwide. That's over two million trips each day, and growing fast. Less than a week after rival Taxify launched in Melbourne (with half-price rides, no less), Ola today announced plans to roll out across Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, and has already put the call out for potential local drivers to register. The company counts its driver-partner focused approach as its main point of difference, hoping to tempt Australian drivers with incentives and upskilling opportunities. As Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal explains, that should result in a more competitive industry all round. "With a strong focus on driver-partners and the community at large, we aim to create a high-quality and affordable travel experience for citizens and look forward to contributing to a healthy mobility ecosystem in Australia," he said. Expect to see Ola cars cruising around town and competing with Uber within a matter of months.
First, the bad news: if you're not fond of peanut butter of you have an allergy (and therefore you've decided deep down in your stomach that it tastes awful), Krispy Kreme's latest batch of limited-time-only doughnuts definitely isn't for you. For everyone else, get ready to treat yourself to a dreamy mashup, because the fried pastry chain and Reese's have joined forces. A couple of years back, gelato brand Gelatissimo scooped up Gelato made with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Now, it's Krispy Kreme's turn to give those American sweets the doughnut treatment. The three-option range does indeed go all in on peanut butter — two with chocolate, too, and one in a cheesecake variety. If you opt for Krispy Kreme's peanut butter cheesecake made with Reese's doughnut — a mouthful to say and to eat — you'll be munching on the brand's original glazed doughnut, which has been dipped in white truffle, topped with peanuts and then given a Reese's Peanut Butter cream cheese frosting swirl. As for the others, the Krispy Kreme Reese's Peanut Butter and choc doughnut takes the usual Krispy Kreme shell, fills it with Reese's Peanut Butter sauce, then dips it in chocolate ganache, and sprinkles on peanuts and Reese's Peanut Butter Chips. Then there's the Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter choc brownie made with Reese's doughnut, which jams its shell with Reese's Peanut Butter and choc brownie butter, then gets plunged in milk chocolate ganache, and comes with Reese's Peanut Butter drizzle, choc crumbs and peanuts on top. You'll find the first two varieties — the Krispy Kreme's peanut butter cheesecake made with Reese's doughnut and the Krispy Kreme Reese's Peanut Butter and choc doughnut — on sale from today, Tuesday, September 20, at all Krispy Kreme stores nationwide. The cost: $3.90 each and $29.90 for a dozen. The Krispy Kreme Peanut Butter choc brownie made with Reese's doughnut will only be available from Tuesday, October 4 from 7-Eleven stores for the same price. Krispy Kreme's Reese's range is available for $3.90 each/$29.90 for a dozen for a limited time — with two varieties available at Krispy Kreme stores from Tuesday, September 20, and a third from 7-Eleven stores from Tuesday, October 4.
