The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ has been accumulating some serious buzz around the world and in Australia and New Zealand, we are set to host it for the very first time. Meaning, with Sydney hosting some exciting games, the city will be bustling with football fever. The event will run from July 20 to August 20, adding some much-needed winter excitement to our lives — especially with the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Tumbalong Park. So if you are planning a trip to Sydney, let's not forget a key ingredient in the making of an unforgettable holiday: range. Make sure you balance out all that sporting fun with some art and culture to create a perfectly rounded getaway and keep all your travel buddies happy. We've tracked down some excellent cultural activities that prove Sydney isn't just sunshine and beaches. While the footy will undoubtedly captivate your attention, this guide will ensure you make the most of your stay by immersing yourself in the city's vibrant cultural scene. So beyond your dose of World Cup action, Sydney offers an array of experiences to satisfy any culture vulture. [caption id="attachment_884303" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Hamish McIntosh[/caption] ALL ABOUT ART Sydney's art gallery scene is one to impress traveller and connoisseur alike. From iconic institutions to small, independent galleries, there is a lot to explore when you aren't in the stadium. Don't miss Australia's iconic Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes for this year, showing at the newly expanded Art Gallery of NSW from now until early September. While you're there, be sure to check out the Brett Whiteley Studio, a museum in the former home of the legendary avant-garde artist. If contemporary art is more up your alley, you can't go past the impressive works in the MCA, located right on Sydney's idyllic harbour. Or, explore a world-class collection of Chinese contemporary art at the White Rabbit Gallery. And after you finish browsing, you can enjoy tea and dumplings at their tranquil teahouse. [caption id="attachment_813468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Daniel Boud[/caption] SPOTLIGHT ON THE STAGE With the Opera House and Sydney Theatre Company in its stable, Sydney is leading the way in global theatre. So once you are done with the international football stage, you can shift your focus to a different stage. Be sure to pay a visit to the harbourside icons and check out a classical music performance at the Opera House, or a production at Sydney Theatre Company's Roslyn Packer Theatre. Or roam the charming streets of Surry Hills and catch a play at the innovative Belvoir Street Theatre. For something further afield, you can check out Riverside Theatres and the Seymour Centre. There's no shortage of culture during your Sydney stay. [caption id="attachment_846614" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Destination NSW[/caption] THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC When it's time to take off the football boots and whack on your dancing shoes, head to a gig at one of Sydney's live music venues. Looking to hit the dance floor with a live DJ set? Then check out what's on at Oxford Art Factory. Or, if seeing local live talent and bands is more your thing, enjoy new music alongside beer and burgers at Mary's Underground or The Lansdowne Hotel. For something on a bigger scale, the Enmore Theatre is host to some of the top international acts in the game. Sydney is sure to provide you with plenty of options to dance the night away after a big football win. ON YOUR MARK(ETS), GET SET, GO You can't come to Sydney without doing a bit of shopping. So if you're in town for World Cup season, be sure to make time for some market and boutique-hopping when you aren't cheering in the stadium. The charming suburb of Paddington, lined with designer boutiques in Victorian terrace homes, is a must-visit destination. After enjoying a coffee at one of the leafy cafes in Five Ways, take a stroll up Glenmore Road, where you'll find a range of high-end boutiques from renowned Australian fashion houses such as Lee Mathews, Dion Lee, Venroy and more. Don't forget to explore Paddington Markets, held every Saturday on Oxford Street. Here you can immerse yourself in a wholesome community atmosphere with bustling stalls filled with artisanal goods from local businesses. Sydney boasts many more vibrant markets waiting for your perusal. For a unique and eclectic shopping experience, head to The Rocks, Bondi, or Glebe, where you'll discover a treasure trove of handmade goods, vintage clothing and gourmet food. Uncover hidden gems that reflect Sydney's creative spirit. [caption id="attachment_833493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Sharon Hickey[/caption] DIVE DEEP INTO FIRST NATIONS CULTURES Sydney will be bursting with international visitors, both on the field and in the stands, this World Cup season. We have a lot to celebrate in terms of our multicultural landscape, but it is also important to discover and celebrate Sydney's Indigenous origins and continuing cultures. If you are the type to crave a bit of time out in nature, then be sure to include time to explore the Jibbon Loop Track in the Royal National Park. Embark on a journey through ancient landscapes and sacred sites, walk in the footsteps of the Dharawal people and discover some Aboriginal carvings. The track is about an hour's drive out of Sydney, and takes about an hour and 45 minutes to complete the circuit. It's a perfect interlude to your Sydney getaway when you need a break from city-slicking. For those who prefer to stay city-side, then embark on a compelling Dreamtime Southern X Rocks tour. Led by knowledgeable Indigenous guides, this 90-minute tour takes you around the historic Rocks area to uncover the history of the Aboriginal people's saltwater heritage in Sydney Harbour. After your tour, you can head to Leichardt and immerse yourself in contemporary Indigenous art at the Boomalli Aboriginal Art Co-op. This space showcases the works of talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in a diverse range of mediums. Curated exhibitions are held regularly. If visiting Sydney for the FIFA Women's World Cup, be sure to check out the FIFA Fan Festival™ Sydney, taking place from Thursday, July 20 till Sunday, August 20 at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. Check out the website for the full schedule of events.
We've scored giant slip 'n' slides, trampoline gyms and bouncing castle obstacle courses. Now, it's time to get on board the latest kidult craze to hit our shores, as Australia's biggest game of hide and seek takes over a cruise ship on Sydney Harbour next month. That's right: hiding and seeking is no longer just child's play. In fact, Australia's even got its own national hide and seek adults team, the Nascondingos, who took out eighth place at the most recent world championships, which are a thing. And on Sunday, February 18, these guys will be honing their finding skills, playing a team of 'seekers' as locals of all ages hide onboard one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Ovation of The Seas. It's thought to be the largest official game of hide and seek ever played at sea — and, yeah, it probably is. Applications to compete in the game are open to just about everyone, with one game for kids aged 8–14 and another for adults aged over 15. There's a solid prize pool, too, with the last person to be found in the adult's game taking home a cool $10,000 and a cruise. Of course, it's all part of a huge promo for Royal Caribbean, but that shouldn't stop it being a bit of fun. If you fancy yourself a hide and seek pro, don't be shy about it — enter here by February 5.
A soundtrack of wall-to-wall floor-filler classics will echo across Australia this autumn, featuring tunes by Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada — but not exactly as you know them. Joining the dance-meets-symphony trend is the just-announced Alive Garden Party, which has enlisted the UK's Club Symphony to head Down Under to give the country another event in the style of Synthony and Ministry of Sound Classical. The setup: having a symphony orchestra play tracks normally known for getting clubs pumping, not concert halls. The concept isn't new; however, it is popular. Australia's latest instance is heading to outdoor venues, including some wineries — taking queues from A Day on the Green and Grapevine Gathering as well. Songs by Faithless, Swedish House Mafia and Eric Prydz will also feature when Alive Garden Party debuts in South Australia at the end of March, then tours to Moss Vale Showgrounds in New South Wales' Southern Highlands, Swan Valley's Oakover Grounds in Western Australia, the Gold Coast in Queensland and Rochford Wines in Yarra Valley in Victoria. The lineup will expand as well, beyond the Steve Anderson-, Dave Seaman- and Cliff Masterson-led Club Symphony, including vocalists. Attendees aren't just in for a treat for the ears, but also for the eyes and tastebuds. With the latter, the focus will be on gourmet local produce that you can enjoy while picnicking the afternoon away — plus drinks, of course — before getting dancing beneath the stars when night hits. Bringing your own blanket to sprawl out on is encouraged, as is relaxing on the grass. If you'd like the VIP experience, it includes express entry, premium viewing and a bar with an expanded range. [caption id="attachment_936463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] "This will be a visual and audible show that leaves audiences elated," said Jaylee Osborne on behalf of Alive Garden Party's organisers. "Alive Garden Party was born because music festivals aren't for everyone and concerts sometimes don't quite hit the spot. So we created a highly bespoke, beautiful and comfortable experience for every concertgoer." [caption id="attachment_936464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perry McLaughlan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_936462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] ALIVE GARDEN PARTY 2024 DATES: Saturday, March 30 — TBC, Adelaide, South Australia Sunday, March 31 — Moss Vale Showgrounds, Southern Highlands, New South Wales Saturday, April 6 — Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley, Western Australia Saturday, April 13 — TBC, Gold Coast, Queensland Saturday, April 20 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Alive Garden Party will tour Australia in March and April 2024, with tickets on-sale now — head to the event website for further details.
Sydney's newest hotel is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that, when it opens next month, it will let guests select their own rooms. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", Camperdown's soon-to-open Collectionist Hotel wants to push that concept of individualised guest experiences to a whole new level, letting them pick a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. It's slated to open next month in a former warehouse space, where a team of seven designers and 13 artists have been kept busy creating 39 unique rooms. But instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay over a welcome drink — a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art. No two two rooms are the same, apparently, as each will boast its own unique colours, textures and style. A great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel will open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown in May 2018. You can't book a room yet, but you can check the website for updates.
Much-loved for its waterfront beer garden and sweeping views across the bay, the Portsea Hotel is once again taking on the live music scene this summer — bringing festival vibes down to Mornington Peninsula. Their Summer Music Series kicks off on Monday, December 23, with Jesse James and Carter Walsh supporting Darley who takes to the stage for an early evening performance. New Year's Eve sees Jake Webb hit the Portsea Hotel's stage — helping partygoers dance their way into 2025 — with the help of Ventura and Alex Jozza. Beyond that, you'll find DJ Levi performing on Saturday, January 4, and Jon Stevens and Band on Saturday, March 9. But we are most stoked about The Presets hitting the Portsea Hotel on Saturday, January 25 (on the long weekend). Tickets for this one are expected to sell out fast. Each of the shows will run from around 5pm and kicks on until the sun sets. It's not a bad way to end a big summer's day by the beach.
I Know There's a Lot of Noise Outside but You Have to Close Your Eyes is a provocative nugget of a show — compact, elusive and funny. Performers Zoey Dawson and Anna McCarthy devised the piece in collaboration with writer and director Allison Wiltshire, and NIDA Independent has joined Melbourne performance collective I'm Trying to Kiss You to bring the piece to Sydney following its premier at the Melbourne Fringe in 2011. The piece is a deconstruction of standard theatre and the formulaic representations of women. Its abandon is refreshing, but the chaos, however organised, is perplexing. Two childhood friends are meeting each other for a girls' night out after a long time apart to compare their respective success in life. Like a 10-year school reunion, it's a cloak-and-dagger battle of egos presented as cattiness with a smile. McCarthy compliments her friend with a side insult, "I love your dress, it’s hilarious", whilst Dawson patronises, "You're still single? That's OK." This premise, which could easily follow the narrative of drunken admissions of childhood resentments followed by a sentimental reconciliation, unravels instead into a beat poetry dream sequence revealing their inner rage, desire and boredom. The show targets the ideal of women as having to simultaneously beautiful, polished and smart, and to this end Dawson's parody of Cate Blanchett's Oscar acceptance speech for The Aviator is hilarious and accurate. Standing in the spotlight atop a messy pile of chairs, draped in some old netting, she finishes the acceptance speech with, “Sorry, what was I saying?” This empty sentence becomes a repeated motif throughout the show, as the pair drift in and out of comprehensible thought and mindless chatter. The noise they create with their babble does make you want to close your eyes (and ears), as the show's title recommends, but the irritation is an effective way of exposing the banality of everyday conversation. The accuracy of their middle-class, twenty-something, Australian vernacular is excruciatingly good. Their dialogue shatters into mechanical units of speech and each performer flies off on tangential monologues. We quickly farewell any notion of narrative continuity and try our best to follow their thoughts. At times we're on board, at others we're squinting at the dimly lit edge of some woman's reality. The intangible nature of the show is a challenge to the audience to make head or tail of the two women's identities and motives. It's radically non-dramatic and radically non-didactic. This elusiveness means that the creative team can be equally commended for their innovation and criticised for their lack of clarity. But this isn't entertainment; it's an upright middle finger to conventional theatre and its representation of women. The show is as interesting as it is frustrating. This review was written based on the Sydney run of this production, in March 2013 at the NIDA Parade Theatres.
Like the scent of jasmine in the air or the overwhelming urge to Marie Kondo your home, the promise of Arbory Afloat reopening is a signifier that spring is well and truly approaching. The Yarra River's floating bar and restaurant has become a Melbourne summer staple, and as of September it will return for its eighth iteration, this time sporting a whole new persona as the newly minted 'Afloat Viva Mexico'. After having drawn inspiration from the Balearic Islands last year and Turkey's Turquoise Coast in 2021, the Arbory team has now spun the compass in the direction of Mexico, with nods to Oaxaca, Tulum, and Mexico City that will bloom to life across the interiors, the food and drinks menus, and music and entertainment throughout the warmer seasons. While the full program for Afloat Viva Mexico is still under wraps, Executive Chef James Gibson promises a menu that "will be fun, fresh and spice centric, curated with bold and complex flavours from across Mexico." Meanwhile, the drinks list promises an extensive selection of cocktails highlighting mezcal and tequila, all designed to match with the menu or simply refresh your parched throat in the summer sun. An exact opening date is yet to be announced but will be revealed in the coming weeks. Find Arbory Afloat at 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. Keep an eye on upcoming activities via Instagram.
Book-to-film adaptations can go either way. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather was so good that the novel's author, Mario Puzo, said he wished he'd written a better book. Conversely, The Cat in the Hat made you want to push sharp, salty popcorn into your eyeballs. It's usually when a film makes artistic changes from the source material that the ire of the book's fans is most extreme, and (arguably) nobody feels more passionately about the fundamentals of their favourite book than Christians. Now, I'll admit it's been a while since I read the Bible, but — try as I might — I simply cannot remember the bit about Transformers. Maybe it was in the Book of Michael? Or was it Bay? Suffice it to say, it was more than a touch surprising to see them turn up in the opening scene of Darren Aronofsky's highly anticipated film Noah. Rather than Autobots, however, these giant fallen angels (not to be confused with 'The Fallen' from, yes, Transformers) are called 'The Watchers'. Made ostensibly from stone and speaking with about as much clarity as an underwater Bane, they mark the first of several major departures from, or least reinterpretations of, one of the best-known stories of all time (the next being Noah's propensity to dispatch entire gangs of men with nothing but a tiny blade like he was some sort of biblical Jason Bourne). Thankfully, for Aronofsky, these embellishments and emendations contribute to, rather than detract from, what is literally the epic tale of good and evil. With a budget of US$125 million, Noah has the resources of a blockbuster and a narrative from scripture yet avoids many of the trappings of both. Cerebral and unsanctimonious, it is, in Aronofsky's words, "the least biblical film ever made". God is only ever referred to as 'the Creator', and themes of environmentalism and survivor's guilt outweigh those of sin and the downfall of man. As the film's eponymous lead, Russell Crowe is simply excellent. With his eyes alone he can sparkle with joy or threaten with burning menace, and in Noah that menace increasingly captures the character's singular, unwavering fidelity to his divine cause — culminating in a horrifying personal choice. Alongside him, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson play the loyal yet conflicted wife and adopted daughter, while Anthony Hopkins offers an amusing turn as Methuselah. Rounding out the ensemble is Ray Winstone as Tubal-cain, a descendant of Adam's son inserted into the plot to provide the film with a specific antagonist rather than relying simply on the generality of 'all sinful humanity'. Cinematically, Noah is every bit the sumptuous spectacle the story deserves, with the highlight being an enthralling time-lapse chronicle of the 'first seven days' from the Book of Genesis (albeit with an amusing cross-fade just as evolution progresses to the point of simians, whereupon — cue dissolve — man pops separately into existence). No matter your faith (or even the absence of), this is an accomplished piece of direction and a powerful story of belief, devotion and — perhaps — obsession. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UAfJulXFYlc
It's official: the warm weather has finally returned to our shores. If there is ever a time to plan a quick jaunt to Sydney, it's right now — the beaches are beautiful, the city is buzzing with activity and there are bars popping up all over the place, so you can get a good fix of vitamin D with a drink in hand. Once you've arrived, we're guessing one of the first things on your agenda is to sit in the sun and sip some cocktails by the water. And luckily, you can do just that — and catch some legendary art — at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art on your visit. The museum has teamed up with top-notch tequila brand Patrón to launch a summer pop-up bar. The bar opened on Thursday, October 31 and is running from 4–10pm every Wednesday through Sunday until February 16. It'll be running alongside the gallery's retrospective exhibition of British artist Cornelia Parker, also sponsored by Patrón, as part of the MCA's 2019/2020 Sydney International Art Series. It's an all-out celebration of art, culture and fine tequila — and everyone is invited. The ground floor terrace has been transformed into an airy, hacienda-inspired bar that looks straight out over the harbour. Expect an openair space with a polished concrete bar, colourful wall murals and heaps of leafy plants. The bar opens out onto a 'lawn' with wicker sling-back chairs surrounding tequila barrel tables. The space offers unrestricted views across to the Sydney Opera House and will surely give a few other harbourside bars a run for their money this season. Instead of using your usual gin or whisky cocktails, the bartenders will, of course, be shaking and stirring drinks with Patrón — namely Silver, Reposado and Añejo. The 100-percent agave tequila is hand-harvested and produced in small batches in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, which gives it its premium edge, so expect after-work drinks to get a lot fancier. You (and your mates) will be able to spend a balmy evening sipping negronis, highballs and old-fashioneds, all with a seasonal tequila twist. You can also opt for a Patrón, lime and soda, or the signature cocktail inspired by British artist Cornelia Parker — the Cold Dark Matter, made with Patrón Reposado, blackberry liqueur, lime and ginger ale. For the purists, there are classic margaritas and palomas on the docket, too. Apart from the cocktails, there are plenty of Mexican eats from Simon Fox (Graze Restaurant) to keep you going. Think bar snacks like margarita-spiced popcorn ($5) and chilli lime peanuts ($5), or, the star of the show, the Nixtamal tortilla tostadas. These tortillas have been made using a special ancient Aztec method of cooking and grinding corn, and you can nab three for $20. Varieties include slow-cooked pulled pork with pickled cabbage, salt and fennel crusted salmon with sesame yoghurt and an Asian-inspired version with crispy pulled duck, shallots and crushed peanuts. Two vegetarian options are also up for grabs — the mole verde with pickled cactus and chipotle aioli and the pickled eggplant with avocado, marinated olives and feta. And, since its the MCA, you can expect plenty of art, culture and entertainment happenings, too. There'll be interactive performances, DJ sets, art installations and VR experiences to check out throughout the pop-up. Plus, every Sunday, you can try out your own artistic hand — by painting and decorating a 200ml bottle of Patron, that is. If all that isn't enough, you can turn your visit here into the start of a very festive bar crawl around Sydney Harbour. In addition to the MCA pop-up bar, Patrón has also teamed up with a number of other bars around Circular Quay — Bar Patrón, Quay Bar and The Argyle — to create The Art of Patrón precinct. Just keep your Patrón cocktail coaster and scan it at each venue (all in one night or across the entire summer period) to score a complimentary ceramic mug. The Patrón Pop-up will run from Thursday, October 31 through February 16 (excluding public holidays and New Year's Eve). It is open every Wednesday through Sunday from 4–10pm. Visit Patron's website for more details.
First, there were cat cafes, the cosy spaces where sipping a coffee and getting friendly with some cute felines go hand-in-hand. Next came pooch and pint sessions, where taking your doggo for a drink is heartily encouraged. While pubs that welcome puppers aren't all that rare in general, one US watering hole is taking all of the above concepts, combining them and turning it into their own animal haven. The end result is Fidos, an Oregon establishment calling itself the world's first dog tap house. With the words "Eat. Drink. Adopt." emblazoned on its walls, Fidos is part craft beer tap room, part foster home for shelter dogs, with the ultimate goal of rehoming the canines within its confines. Located outside of Portland, it encourages patrons to come in for a beverage and a bite — and, like a cat cafe, they'll will be able to play with the puppers — then take a new four-legged buddy home with them. Opening back in January, but holding a grand launch on February 13, Fidos boasts 40 rotating taps, a room dedicated to interacting with the doggos — which are provided by Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals — and dog videos playing on the onsite TVs. Events such as art shows and dog training demonstrations are planned, in an environment that's all about having a few drinks, celebrating man's best friend, and supporting dog and animal charities. For more information, visit www.ilovefidos.com. Via PR Newswire.
The NGV's first-ever showcase of Australian interior design, the Rigg Design Prize 2018 is a groundbreaking exhibition that highlights the artistry of 10 local designers shortlisted for the leading Australian design award. For the exhibition — and coinciding competition — each designer was invited to create a room exploring this year's theme of 'domestic living', with the rooms judged on their use of different materials, methods and design aesthetics. This year, the $30,000 prize has been awarded to Melbourne design firm Hecker Guthrie. Lead designers Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie designed a room entitled The table is the base, which features a table as the centrepiece and uses terracotta throughout. The award's international judge, Shashi Caan said it was the design's simplicity that won it the prize, saying, "this project inherently addresses our social need for smaller footprints for today's responsibly designed domestic space." It's now on show at the NGV, alongside rooms designed by nine of Australia's leading interior designers: Amber Road, Arent & Pyke, Danielle Brustman, David Hicks, Flack Studio, Martyn Thompson Studio, Richards Stanisich, Scott Weston Architecture Design and The Society Inc by Sibella Court. The Rigg Design Prize has celebrated the best of interior design since 1994, having undergone a revamp in 2015 when the prize was expanded to encompass the work of designers from outside Victoria. Images: The table is the base, 2018, Hecker Guthrie; Imaginarium, 2018, The Society Inc by Sibella Court; We've boundless plains to share, 2018, Flack Studio; Our natural needs in a digital world, 2018, Richards Stanisich; Panic room, 2018, David Hicks; Take it outside, 2018, Amber 2018; Inner-Terior, 2018, Danielle Brustman. All photos by Shannon McGrath.
Have you ever wondered how Concrete Playground articles comes to life? It's not quite as glamorous nor thrilling as TV shows such as The Bold Type and Succession make out, but, hey, indulge us for a second. Of course, most of the time we're writing about exciting and important things happening in the city right now. We keep an eye on breaking news — and what our readers are enjoying reading — and go from there. Every now and again we start off just by knowing we want to use certain imagery. And sometimes, ideas for articles come from somewhere completely random — like passing conversations with colleagues and mates. That's right boss, sometimes shooting the shit pays off. "I was looking back at some of our past articles with illustrations and it became clear that commissioned artwork can really lift a piece of content," says Concrete Playground staff writer Ben Hansen. "Later, I was having a conversation with a colleague about surf 'n' turf and wondering where the idea for the RSL staple came from. Knowing I wanted to do something fun with illustrations, a deep dive into the origins of much-loved dishes and drinks sort of just fit." And so Ben came up with a plan to up our illustrated article game whereby cartoons came first and concept came (sort of) second. Why? Well, why the hell not. The result: Seven Highly Entertaining Stories Behind Some of Australia's Most Loved Dishes and Drinks. THE BACKSTORY Before the fun fact-filled, beautifully illustrated article graced our homepage, Ben had a bit of work cut out for him. After he figured out the overarching idea, he had to decide what food and drinks to include. Luckily, we have a pretty good idea here at CP. For instance, we've had some luck with doughnut stories in the past, we know many Sydneysiders have heated debates over who does the best bahn mi in town and our readers go wild for bottomless espresso martini brunches. And, of course, the food-obsessed CP editors had some suggestions: footy fan Ellen Seah suggested the almighty Four'n Twenty pie and Cordelia Williamson threw in the prawn cocktail because of its retro pool party-vibes. It was looking good, the bread and butter was sorted. But there was one hold up, which was the fact that CP doesn't have an in-house illustrator. Considering this conquest all began with Ben wanting to level up our illustrated content game, he needed to find a freelancer — and fast. So, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters Fiverr. For those not in the know, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects you with experts from a range of disciplines — and we were in search of an A-class digital doodler. "The advantage of Fiverr is its huge database of freelancers, so you can find someone with your required skill set easily and quickly." After doing some digging, Ben put together a shortlist of illustrators and reached out to them. Most responded within about 30 minutes or, as Ben puts it, "almost too quickly". Once he had nailed down the talented asu_ad, based in Italy, as the chosen one, Ben says it was smooth sailing from there — and that "collaborating with an illustrator through Fiverr gave us the opportunity to flex our creativity". THE TAKEAWAY All up, the article took about a week to come together, with Ben describing the experience as "pretty seamless". He continues: "Fiverr made it simple to communicate with the illustrator, from briefing and commissioning to feedback and then receiving the final illustrations." He also mentioned Fiverr's integrated messaging system was a cinch to use, particularly as you can upload any file type. "It's also pretty affordable." Ben also shared some hot tips: "Just check your finances before you commit. We made the assumption that our chosen illustrator's rates were in AUD, when they were actually USD. And also be sure to factor in Fiverr's service fees, too." The good news? With basically no feedback on initial illustrations, and a tasty-looking end product, it was all worth it. With experts in everything from social media marketing, SEO services and website design to illustration, music and audio, and video and animation, Fiverr is a one-stop spot for when you need to outsource some work. "If there's a skill set you — or your team — don't have, then Fiverr makes it easy to find someone to fill that gap," says Ben. In our case, it was great to have so many illustrators at our fingertips. And the result was better than we expected. So, watch this space (AKA our website) for more illustration-packed articles in the future. Have your own booming side hustle or small business and need a task done stat? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Want more? See how two Aussie businesses — The Dough Co and The Zythologist — used Fiverr to give their side hustles a leg up. Images: asu_ad
Over the past few weeks, Victoria's COVID-19 situation has changed rapidly, resulting in the reintroduction of strict stay-at-home orders for all of metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. As part of reimplemented lockdown rules currently in place for at least six weeks, residents of both areas can only leave their homes for one of four reasons: for work or school (if you can't do this from home), for care or care giving, for daily exercise, or for food and other essentials. And, if you do venture out for one of these reasons, you'll now be required to wear a face mask. Since Friday, July 10, the Victorian Government has advised that Victorians living in metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire should wear masks when leaving home and where physical distancing is not possible. Now, on Sunday, July 19, Premier Daniel Andrews has advised that everyone over the age of 12 in those areas now must wear facial coverings in the above situations. To give folks time to purchase or make face coverings, the rule will only be officially enforced from 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 22; however, the government asks that "for those who can, please start wearing yours immediately". Specifically, metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire residents will be required to don facial coverings if "you are out of your home for one of the four permitted reasons", Premier Andrews explained, while also announcing that the state has recorded 363 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours. "Just as you remember to take your keys when you leave the house, you need to remember to take something to cover your face — to help keep you and our community safe". He stressed that it needn't be a mask, with scarves, bandanas and other pieces of fabric also sufficient. "This is on the advice of the Chief Health Officer that it's a relatively simple thing, but it's also about embedding behaviour which I think is just as important on the other side of this second wave as it is in bringing these case numbers down," Premier Andrews continued, advising that adhering to the new requirement is an important step to hopefully avoid further lockdown conditions. "If we see people wearing masks, so all of us when we're out and about for those four lawful reasons are wearing masks, then that will mean it is less likely we have to move to things like only doing that daily exercise, for instance, in your own local postcode. Or things like saying you can only go shopping within a certain radius or certain distance from your home." The new mandate regarding masks is compulsory and will be enforced from the aforementioned date — so you will be fined $200 if you don't comply from 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 22. That said, Premier Andrews also noted that "common sense will be the rule here". He provided examples: "if you're out running, part of your daily exercise, then it may not be practical to wear the mask while you are running. But you should bring the mask with you and you should wear it before and after you have gone for your run. There'll be some other environments, for instance, where you're going into a bank, then you would need to take your mask off. If you worked at a call centre, then it may be very challenging for you to perform your duties wearing a mask". If you're now wondering which type of face mask is best, where to get them or how to make your own, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website has put together a guide — as well as instructions on how to whip up masks at home. You'll also find information about how to wear a mask correctly, how to take it off, and when to wash and replace it. For more information about wearing face masks, and the Victorian Government's advice for metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire residents, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Even if you're not escaping Melbourne's chill with a Euro-summer holiday this year, a new opening is set to bring all the Italian vibes to St Kilda, slinging pizza, pasta and Eurocentric cocktails out of one of the area's iconic venues. The white brick facade of the Post Office Hotel, or the 'Posty', is now home to The Postina, a new eatery from the hospitality group behind House of Lulu White and The Hamptons Bakery. With executive chef James Turno (Grossi Florentino, The European) at the kitchen's helm, The Postina's family-style menu is a celebration of all things Italian. For those who live by the crust, there's a mammoth lineup of traditional pizza toppings, as well as the less-than-traditional 'McDowells big Mick sauce' for pizza dipping. Handmade pasta options include a pappardelle with slow-braised confit duck and porcini ragu, and a pumpkin Cappelletti with sage brown butter, toasted hazelnut and gorgonzola. For those of a veggie persuasion, there are enough fresh bites to keep everyone happy, including vegan pizza options and sides like shaved cabbage with preserved lemon, and heirloom tomatoes with burrata and black olive crumb. Eurocentric spritzes and cocktails will have aperitivo hour transporting you in holiday mode in no time, along with a wine list of imported Italian wines from regions like Chianti, Puglia and Campania and "Italian-inspired" drops from the Margaret River, Yarra Valley and Riverland. Also Italian-inspired is the hotel's refurbishment, which includes a new light-filled (and plant-filled) al fresco dining area and an intimate, wooden interior decor. A range of daily food and be specials will get you through to the weekend in good spirits, including a Tuesday 'Marg Duo' — $12 margarita pizzas and $12 margarita cocktails. For needing to escape a mid-week hump, Wednesday's 'Pasta Vino' special gets you a plate of handmade pasta and a glass of house wine for only $22, while $7 Malfy gin and tonics and $11 negronis, pornstar martinis and margaritas on Sundays will ease those Sunday scaries in style. The Postina can be found at 304-306 St Kilda Road, St Kilda, and is open Tuesday - Thursday, 2pm until late and Friday - Sunday, 12pm until late.
For every great story there exists, somewhere, a pornographic adaptation of it. However, it is rare for the adaptation process to go the other way and for pornography to be turned into art. This is just one of the things that makes The Rabble's Story of O such a remarkable work. As a choice for source material, 1950s French titillater Histoire d’O is certainly an outré choice. The novel tells the story of a beautiful Parisienne who is induced by her lover to become a sex slave for a bondage club, who operate as a kind of secret society in a country chateau. The slide into depravity is framed as a romance — the heroine, known only as O, consents willingly to all manner of indignities, driven by the desire to please her lover — and the book was doubly scandalous because the author was a woman. The Rabble’s interpretation is not so much a straight telling of the story as an evocation of its mood and an exploration of the broader social issues it raises. And what issues, with a questioning eye turned to the meanings of eroticism, power, free will and identity. As a piece of theatre, it’s a scorcher. The cast, a striking assemblage from the moment they appear posing louchely on carousel horses, deliver powerhouse performances, with Mary Helen Sassman giving raw intensity to the role of O. With a script incorporating snippets from De Sade and symbolist poet Renée Vivien, as well as ideas from essayist Susan Sontag, it is a far more artful text than the notoriously clunkily written original. The intellectualisation of its subject matter is openly and powerfully expressed at the same time as the show virtually redefines viscerality in its ingenious theatrical depictions of graphic sex. The gender blurring of some key roles — most notably Sir Stephen, the master of the sadomasochistic circle, being played by a woman (Jane Montgomery Griffiths, who delivers the role with a double serving of panache) — enables power to be examined as a symbolic entity, potentially if not entirely free of the scenario’s patriarchal overtones. Sex is by turns shown as garishly carnivalian, coldly clinical or, at times, downright harrowing. It makes for frequently confronting viewing but far from being relentless, the play is expertly timed, shock points spaced among moments of gentleness and humour. It is as if the play itself acts as dominus to the audience, with a fire and ice approach, alternating warmth and brutality, each heightening the other, dragging you ever deeper under its influence. Some may find it too shocking and I did see one walk out. It was telling though that half way through the act of leaving, the departing lady paused, transfixed by a development on stage, her decision to go made but the power of the piece not releasing her. I couldn’t have looked away for a second. Story of O is theatre that absolutely commands attention.
There's a week for everything, it seems — and in 2017, that includes design. The brand new, dedicated Melbourne Design Week will form part of the National Gallery of Victoria's just-announced inaugural Victorian Design Program. Yes, prepare to feast your eyes on a whole lot of local creativity. Other than making everyone say the word design more often than we might normally, and not to be confused with the previous Melbourne International Design Week, Melbourne Design Week will take place every March from 2017, showcasing and celebrating all things related to the field: the business behind it, how it works in practice, its social impact and just how it helps make Melbourne such a liveable city. To kick things off, the first event will focus specifically on design values when it takes over the NGV from March 16 to 26. The program will feature exhibitions, international guests and keynote speakers, product launches, programs for businesses and more, at both the NGV and other venues around the city. Anyone particularly interested in or working in a design-oriented area should be interested in the open-access component developed in conjunction with Open House Melbourne, which will connect Victorians to design-led businesses, manufacturers, facilities and institutions. While the full March lineup won't be announced until February 1, 2017, the broader curated Victorian Design Program will run year-round, so keep your eyes peeled for NGV's new slate of design-centric drawcards. "The Gallery's vision is to present and make accessible design and architecture for a broad range of audiences," said NGV director Tony Ellwood. Melbourne Design Week takes place from March 16 to 26, 2017. For more information, visit: www.ngv.vic.gov.au/melbourne-design-week-2/ Image: Haven't you always wanted ...? by M@STUDIO Architects for the 2016 NGV Architecture Commission. Photo: Peter Bennetts.
The festive season continues, and what better way to celebrate the Year of the Rat than with a five-course banquet and fancy cocktails — with stunning views, of course. Ocean 12 is going all out for Lunar New Year, offering a special menu and cocktails from January 24 until February 11. To make the most of the occasion, you'll want to book a table for Friday, January 24, when Southbank will come alive with dance, music and performances for the festival's official kick off. Plus, at 10pm, lion dancers will move through the restaurant. Start with a specialty Hennessy VSOP cocktail on the terrace. Choose between the Lucky Lychee Fizz, the Hennessy VSOP and Green Tea or the Fortune in the House — a zesty concoction of Hennessy, orange juice and kumquat. Then, tuck into a Chinese feast of dumplings, pork buns, steamed greens and fried chicken with Chinese salad. Or opt for the chef's daily special for $25. If you want to take things up a notch, you can settle in for a VIP banquet menu in one of Ocean 12's private karaoke rooms. You'll be hosted by the chefs and dining on dishes such as scallop and prawn dumplings; steamed grouper with spiced greens; sautéed lobster with egg noodle; and green beans in XO sauce. Oh, and an opulent wagyu steak drizzled with truffle oyster sauce. It costs a cool $250 a head and is available for group sizes of four to ten people, with the option of Hennessy VSOP pairings for an additional $100. Afterwards, pick up the mic and sing your heart out to keep the party going. Bookings are only required for the VIP banquet menu, which can be made via info@ocean12.com.au or Ocean 12's website.
As December rapidly approaches (it'll be 2020 before you know it, people) and temperatures soar, it's time to enjoy some of those traditionally festive flavours with an Australian twist. Ahead of the holiday season, Grey Goose La Vanille has returned to a selection of local bars for a limited time only. The premium French vodka is infused with natural vanilla flavours from beans harvested in Madagascar — there's no added sugar. The flavour originally swept through bars back in 2003, and though it's not available to buy in shops, it started reappearing on international shelves last year. Now, the bold caramelised toffee notes are back just in time to add a vanilla twist to classic vodka cocktails throughout the holidays. Thankfully, we have the hook ups — here's where you can get your lips around an exclusive cocktail with a vanilla twist. [caption id="attachment_705698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peaches by Kate Shanasy[/caption] WHERE CAN YOU DRINK IT? With such exclusivity surrounding Grey Goose La Vanille, bartenders around town are taking the opportunity to whip up some special creations for the occasion. At just a handful of bars around Australia — including Sydney's Maybe Sammy, Eleven Rooftop in Brisbane, Geelong's The 18th Amendment Bar and Adelaide's 2KW — you'll find some delightfully summery cocktails championing the smooth vanilla flavour. In Melbourne, get down to Peaches, the CBD cocktail bar just above barbecue restaurant Cheek, where a delicious vanilla cocktail is sure to go down a treat as you relax among the whimsical retro-pink decor. Down in Windsor, Aussie-themed cocktail bar and bottle shop Galah will be mixing up something special with homegrown flavours, too. GALAH: LIVING LEGEND This one is sure to live up to its name. The bold toffee notes of Grey Goose La Vanille meet a fruit salad of sweet and tart flavours, including lychee, passionfruit, grapefruit and lime. Not to stray too far from the Aussie tilt of a Galah, there's also native inspiration in the kakadu plum chardonnay and rivermint to round out the drink, which is shaken and strained into a coupe glass. Pair the Living Legend with modern Australiana bar food, like a leek and potato tart, crocodile skewers or fried cauliflower. [caption id="attachment_705708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] PEACHES: VANILLA WATERFOWLER The crew at CBD newcomer Peaches have kept it nice and simple with this one. In a collins glass, you'll get Grey Goose La Vanille with lemon, Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto Liqueur, vanilla sugar and five mint leaves. It's shaken and strained before being topped with Garage Project White Mischief Salted Peach Sour. It's sure to have you feeling refreshed on a hot summer day, and will go well with Peaches' beloved chicken sanga. Each Grey Goose bottle is distilled and bottled in France, and the high quality vodka has a 100 percent traceable production process, from crop to cork. Upgrade your weekend by choosing the premium vodka — with a vanilla twist — in your classic cocktail.
Italy, eat your heart out. According to the experts, our fair city is home to the best pizza in the world. To get your hands on the faultless stuff, make your way to 400 Gradi, where the man who won the 2014 World Pizza Championships serves up his award-winning fare to the Melbourne masses. Expect light, yeasty bases cooked to perfection and topped with delights like creamy buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, or marzano tomato. Simplicity is king here, though, with the margherita coming out tops. Follow up your feast with gelato at sister spot Zero Gradi, where classic flavours like pistachio and espresso are served alongside seasonal options. Produced in store daily and topped with whipped cream, this is Italian gelato at some of its most delicious.
Marvel's first Muslim superhero is coming to your streaming queue, but she'll have to conquer high school along the way. Come Wednesday, June 8, the ever-sprawling and always-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe will add its seventh new TV series in 18 months to streaming platform Disney+, and it's all about Pakistani American teenager Kamala Khan — better known to comic-book readers since 2013 as Ms Marvel. Arriving three years after Captain Marvel, the series that shares Ms Marvel's name focuses on a Carol Danvers superfan — who happens to discover that she has superpowers, too. Kamala (debutant Iman Vellani) doesn't feel like she fits in her hometown of Jersey City, and often escapes into gaming, writing fan fiction and her extremely active imagination; however, everything changes when she learns that she has more in common with her idol than she ever realised. As Ms Marvel's just-dropped first trailer shows, viewers can expect teen dreams and high-school hijinks aplenty — but with a superhero twist. How Kamala will handle living out her fantasy life will fuel the show's six-episode first season, in the leadup to 2023 big-screen release The Marvels, which'll feature Brie Larson as Carol, Vellani as Kamala, and also WandaVision's Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. Yes, while the MCU's slate of Disney+ series is taking a different approach in 2022 — focusing on bringing characters previously unseen on-screen into the fold, rather than giving existing franchise players their own shows (see: WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye) — it's still linking in with the bigger Marvel Cinematic Universe picture. Ms Marvel also gives the MCU a first — that aforementioned first Muslim superhero — after a decade and a half of hardly presenting diversity on-screen. Across the 28 films that will have hit cinemas before Ms Marvel drops, it took the MCU 18 movies to solely focus on a Black superhero, and 21 features across 11 years to do the same with a female superhero. It also didn't hand the directorial reins to a solo female filmmaker until its 24th movie, either —and, when Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals both released in 2021, they visibly and welcomely stood out from the bulk of the franchise in terms of representation. As well as newcomer Vellani, Ms Marvel's cast includes Aramis Knight (Into the Badlands), Saagar Shaikh (Unfair & Ugly), Rish Shah (India Sweets and Spices), Zenobia Shroff (The Affair), Mohan Kapur (Bullets), Matt Lintz (The Walking Dead), Yasmeen Fletcher (Let Us In) and Laith Nakli (Ramy). And, it'll hit your streaming queue following the MCU's other announced show for 2022 so far — the Oscar Isaac-starring Moon Knight, which arrives on Wednesday, March 30. Check out the trailer for Ms Marvel below: Ms Marvel will start streaming via Disney+ on Wednesday, June 8. Images: ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
These days, you'll find yakitori all over the city. But skewers aren't the only thing Japanese people cook over coals. There's a huge branch of the cuisine, yakiniku, that covers barbecued eats, and the new Yaki Nau is here to show us exactly what that can look like. Chef Hugo Mai (ex-Nobu) is overseeing the food concept here, which is casual, fun and heavy on the DIY barbecuing. Like your usual KBBQ joints, every table has its own gas-powered grill where you'll cook up whatever cuts of wagyu — including a selection of M9-grade cuts from Victorian producer Blackmore — you desire. You can also supplement your wagyu with a selection of flame-kissed eats from the main kitchen — the a la carte menu includes eight different types of yakitori, as well as share plates like a tomahawk pork chop katsu, carbonara somen, and a spicy wagyu fried rice. Classic izakaya bar snacks also feature for those wanting to spend the night grazing while sipping on sake and knocking back beers. You've got chicken karaage, wagyu tartare, donburi bowls, deep-fried garlic wings and soft-shell crab tempura, just to name a few. Pair all this with Japanese whiskies, sake beer and cocktails to get the full izakaya experience. There's a lot going on at Yaki Nau, giving you the chance to choose your own delicious adventure. Yaki Nau is located at 370 Queen Street, Melbourne, open every day for lunch from 11am–3pm, and for dinner from 5–11pm. For more information and to book a table, head to the venue's website. Images by Long Boy Media and Pablo Diaz.
There's a particular texture to Los Angeles after dark that suits stories of crime and self-interest to a tee. A desolate urban badland of freeways and fast food joints, there's this eeriness; this unnaturalness; this inescapable sense of menace; that seems to creep out of the concrete and set your nerves on edge. You can feel it in Michael Mann's Heat, or in Collateral a decade later. You can feel it in sections of Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive. And you can feel it in Nightcrawler, from writer-director Dan Gilroy, as it glides out of the darkness and seizes you by the throat. Always at his best when playing characters gripped by obsession — Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain, Robert Graysmith in Zodiac, or Detective David Loki in last year's masterful Prisoners — Jake Gyllenhaal is in career-best form as Lou Bloom, Gilroy's unsettled protagonist, and our tour guide through the sordid LA underbelly. Inspired after witnessing a car accident, Lou decides to carve out a career as a 'nightcrawler', videotaping crime scenes and selling them to a local TV station for broadcast on the 6am news. Read our full review here. Nightcrawler is in cinemas November 27. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have ten double passes to give away in each city. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
A near-silent depiction of a nightmare boarding school for girls, a stage adaptation of a 1950s pornographic novel, a drag odyssey through Australian history — this is hardly the usual fare for the MTC crowd. Yet it's all on the program at NEON, the Melbourne Theatre Company's festival of independent theatre. It's packed with the kind of edgy theatre-making you'd more expect to find in shoebox venues around Fringe season, rather than in a mainstream house like Southbank Theatre. It is, says artistic director Brett Sheehy, one of the company's most significant initiatives to date. "With NEON, we celebrate Melbourne's unique and thriving independent theatre landscape and its astonishing artists," Sheehy says. "Part of our mission is to literally throw open our doors to all of Melbourne and to make Southbank Theatre a place of connection, accessibility and welcome, no matter what form of theatre Melbourne desires." For the festival, which runs from May to July, 2013, Sheehy approached five of Melbourne's most innovative little theatre companies — The Hayloft Project, THE RABBLE, Daniel Schlusser Ensemble, Fraught Outfit and Sisters Grimm — and offered them free access to MTC's stage and technical resources, as well as free creative rein. Benedict Hardie of The Hayloft Project, whose By Their Own Hands looks to be a confronting and stripped-back take on Greek tragedy, says that while creative freedom comes with the territory of independent theatre, practitioners need to work hard for that freedom and it is rare to get the kind of support MTC has offered. Having that support, Hardie says, has enabled the artists involved to push themselves further creatively. "It's an opportunity to dream a bit bigger," he says. The shows on the lineup promise to be confronting, intense, bizarre or even — as with THE RABBLE's adaptation of Story of O, a French novel that was the 50 Shades of Grey of its day — erotic. THE RABBLE's co-artistic director Emma Valente sees the festival as a turning point for the companies involved, not just because of the resources and the greater audience potential provided by MTC but because of what the very existence of the festival says about changing attitudes toward the independent theatre scene. "What it means for independent theatre at large is exciting," says Valente. "In fifteen years doing independent theatre, playing in a mainstream house is something I never would have thought possible." The festival opened on May 16 with Menagerie, Daniel Schlusser's homage to Tennessee Williams and will also feature a program of forums and free workshops featuring a topnotch lineup of playwrights, producers, performers and critics. So whether you are an audience member avid for the avant garde or an underrated artist working on a society-shaking script of your own, Southbank Theatre is, perhaps surprisingly, about to become the place to be. To see the full program of events, head to the MTC website. Tickets to each show are $25, or you can see all five for $100. Top image: The Hayloft Project by Patrick Boland. Second image: Daniel Schlusser Ensemble by Sarah Walker.
The historical city of Ballarat is home to one of the most widely anticipated brewing festivals in Australia. And on Saturday, Janaury 19, it'll return for its fourth instalment, serving up a mind-boggling selection of Aussie craft beers and ciders. The Ballarat Beer Festival is set to showcase 43 makers in the picturesque new location of Ballarat's Northern Gardens. Expect to see offerings from old hands such as Little Creatures, Grand Ridge and Bright Brewery alongside newer ventures like the ever-growing Stomping Ground Brewery, and many others. But it's not just for hopheads — artisanal cideries including Flying Brick and Cheeky Rascal will also be popping up to pour a few, and wine lovers can look to the stalls of Taltarni, Blue Pyrenees Estate and The Mallow Hotel for some top-notch tipple. There'll also be a number of beer education events, beer trivia and beer-fuelled yoga sessions on offer. A food garden, hosted by brewing powerhouse Hawkers Beer, will take care of your appetite with a wide variety of food trucks and stalls available from Benny Burgers, GoGo Icecream, Opa Greek Food, East India Trading Company and more. Plus, live music and DJs will perform throughout the day, with such acts as nine-piece band Butterfunked, crooner Frank Sultana and blues artist PJ O'Brian. Located just 90 minutes from Melbourne CBD, you could easily make Ballarat Beer Festival a day trip — but then there's the awkward conversation of who'll be designated driver. Instead, use it as an excuse for a weekend jaunt, then check out our guide of other things to eat, see and do while you're there. Getting there early will also mean you can get a head start on the beer festivities with a special degustation on Friday, January 18. Held at Housey Housey, this dinner will feature two craft beer specialists taking guests through five beer and food pairings ($125 per person). General admission tickets for Ballarat Beer Festival cost $51.37, with discounts available for group bookings. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
Regal drama fans, it's time to give The Crown a rest and direct your streaming queue towards a different take on the UK monarchy. The Emmy-winning hit Netflix series isn't the only on-screen source of royal intrigue of late, and you'll find plenty of the same bases covered in Spencer — 90s-era chaos and tension galore, especially — as well as Kristen Stewart doing career-best work playing Princess Diana. KStew just got nominated for an Oscar for the part, in fact, and it's easy to see why. Saying that Spencer director Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Ema) has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. And, although the film only hit cinemas Down Under in late January, it's doing what many flicks do recently — including Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, The French Dispatch and The 355 in just the past month — and jumping to streaming while it's still showing on the big screen. Your next royal date arrives on Friday, February 18, which is when Spencer will be available to watch with Prime Video subscriptions. Obviously, heading to the cinema will always be the most glorious way to see a movie, but having options regarding when and where you can watch is always welcome. In the bold and enthralling slice-of-life biopic, the year is 1991, the time is Christmas and the place is the Queen's (Stella Gonet, Breeders) Sandringham Estate, where the Windsors converge for the holidays (yes, Spencer is now prime seasonal viewing). As scripted by Peaky Blinders and Locked Down's Steven Knight, the choice of period puts Diana (Stewart, Happiest Season) in one of the most precarious situations of her then decade-long married life, with her nuptials to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing, The Lost Daughter) turning into an "amicable separation" within 12 months. Spencer's focus is on three days, not all that defined the People's Princess' existence before or after, but she can't stop contemplating her past and future. The Sandringham grounds include the house where Diana was born, and those happier recollections — and time spent now with her children (debutants Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry) — give her a glow. Alas, all the monarchical scrutiny simmers her joy to ashes, unsurprisingly. Timothy Spall (The Last Bus), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) and Sean Harris (The Green Knight) also feature, but Stewart is obviously the star of the show. With two-plus decades as an actor to her name, she hasn't spent her career as a candle in the wind, with her flame both blazing and flickering since her first uncredited big-screen role in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas — but, by Elton John's definition, she's always known where to cling to. After jumping from child star to Twilight heroine and then one of the savviest talents of her generation, she's gleaned where to let her haunting gaze stare so piercingly that it lights up celluloid again and again, too. Spencer joins Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. Check out the trailer for Spencer below: Spencer is still showing in cinemas Down Under, and will be available to stream via Prime Video Australia and New Zealand from Friday, January 18. Read our full review. Top image: Pablo Larraín.
Although the weather outside is starting to tempt us with cosy nights in, Glenmorangie is giving us six reasons to toss a scarf on and head out to enjoy some fine single malt scotch. World Whisky Day is just around the corner (Saturday, May 18) and the Scottish distillery has partnered with six cocktail bars across Melbourne to celebrate. Each venue will revisit the classic highball — Glenmorangie Original 10 mixed with soda, tonic or ginger ale and fresh orange juice – and rework it, creating reinventions of the classic with a distinct flair. These cocktails will be shaken and stirred until the end of the month because let's face it, one day just isn't enough to applaud this fine spirit. Warm your belly up at Arlechin with a Pink Possum, which features fig, thyme and cabernet shrub, or enjoy the Tarlogie Tang, with notes of fino sherry and apple pulp soda, at Boilermaker House. Meanwhile, Attic at Black Pearl has concocted a spiced coconut, honey and vinegar number — The Pictish Highball — and Williamstown's Sebastian Beach Grill & Bar focuses on peach, fig and cinnamon flavours with its Basque on the Peach. If you're feeling adventurous with your whisky sampling, head to Trinket Bar and try the nutty The Danseur, made with peanut butter, hazelnut oil and orangeade. Or, to get nice and toasty, sip on Iki-Jime's Highball 16, featuring Glenmorangie 10 mixed with the house soda of toasted barley, chamomile, orange zest and leatherwood honey. Top image: Black Pearl
If Melbourne town's end-of-year weather is getting you down — sweltering one day, streaming from the skies the next — here is some small solace for you. Melbourne's Boho Luxe Market (their words, not ours) is determined to make you remember those times when you could dip your toes in the ocean without needing an umbrella, and take you to a sun-dappled place of dreamcatchers and flower crowns. Plus, this year, everything sold will be 100 percent vegan. For the 2018 festive run, you can treat yourself to a day of plant-based Christmas wanderlust in the Atrium at Federation Square. There'll be heaps of stalls featuring ethical activewear and accessories, skincare products and lots of yummy things that will keep you sustained over a vegan Christmas. Expect snacks, live music and festive vibes.
For those whose bloodshot eyes lit up at the name of this venue, we're sorry to inform you that this restaurant does not serve actual bhang. The good news, though, is that if you've got a case of the munchies, then this buzzy Mitchell Street spot is an excellent place to fuel up, thanks to its menu of pan-Indian street food-inspired plates. As well as excellent curries and a wide selection of vegetarian dishes, the stars here are the sharing dishes from the charcoal oven — highlights include a Kerala-style barramundi biryani; Hyderabad charcoal chicken with almond and pistachio curry sauce; and Old Monk rum-soaked beef ribs. Pair your dishes with a selection from the mostly Australian wine list, or a tipple from the clever cocktail list that showcases Indian spirits and flavours. Images: Kate Shanasy
It's a time-travelling romantic dramedy shot in the desert on the cheap, but what The Infinite Man lacks in size it makes up for in brains and heart. In that way, the film is a lot like its protagonist: the jumpy, obsessive, hopelessly romantic Dean (Josh McConville). A scientist of non-specific genius, Dean wants desperately to give his girlfriend, Lana (Hannah Marshall), the perfect anniversary weekend. Instead, his controlling behaviour ends up driving her back to her ex (Alex Dimitriades). Not to worry though. Dean can just casually invent a time machine and give the holiday another go. And another. And another. And another. Supported by the same South Australian funding initiative that helped pay for 52 Tuesdays, The Infinite Man is the rare sort of film that feels invigorated, rather than hamstrung, by its obvious financial constraints. Limited to just three cast members and a single, isolated location — an abandoned desert motel — first-time writer-director Hugh Sullivan has very few crutches to fall back on, and is instead forced to draw on a deep well of creativity to ensure his movie is a success. The Infinite Man is showing at Sydney's Dendy Newtown and Melbourne's Cinema Nova from September 18. Thanks to Infinite Releasing, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review of The Infinite Man here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au
Calling all history buffs: now is an excellent time to plan a long weekend in Canberra, with an incredible exhibition celebrating the might of the Roman Empire arriving at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) on Friday, September 21. Rome: City and Empire is a collaborative exhibition with the British Museum and makes the NMA only the second institution to host it worldwide — and the only museum that will do so in Australia. The exhibition showcases over 200 jaw-dropping objects, including marble sculptures, illustrations, geometric jewellery, gold medallions and burial chests — many of which have never toured internationally, let alone reached the Southern Hemisphere. This is once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Whether you're a history aficionado who smashes all the ancient Rome questions at trivia or a total novice, the exhibition offers an opportunity to step back in time to experience what daily life was like in one of the most sophisticated, culturally diverse and creative civilisations the world has ever known. You'll leave with an insight into just how Rome became such a mighty empire — one whose aesthetics, ingenuity and approach to design continue to influence us today. Rome: City and Empire will run from Friday, September 21, 2018 to Sunday, February 3, 2019. Tickets can be purchased via the NMA's website. Images: Fragment of a diadem, Naukratis, Egypt, 67–98 CE, gold; Roman Republican coin for Julius Caesar minted in Rome, Italy, 44 BCE, silver; Mosaic panel, Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum), Turkey, 4th century CE ©Trustees of the British Museum
Heading off on holidays should feel like an adventure, right down to the place you choose to rest your head after a fun-filled day. With this in mind, London's Miller Kendrick Architects have come up with what might be one of the most imaginative and impressive hotels possible. Created for Visit Wales's 'Year of Legends 2017' design contest, not only does it celebrate the Welsh landscape, but it is inspired by the legend of King Arthur — and the cave him and his knights allegedly stayed in. As far as unique accommodation goes, the aptly named Arthur's Cave proves a two-for-one affair: soak in the natural surroundings in a cabin that really has been crafted to emulate a cave, and soak in a slice of British legend. It's also a case of blending the old with the new, namely all of the above with building materials and techniques. Inside the timber and glass structure — which uses locally sourced sheep's wool insulation for thermal insulation against the elements — you'll find a cosy sleeping space with a double bed, chair and woodburner, aka everything you need for snuggling up and staring out over the landscape around you. Don't spend all of your time looking outside, though; with the cabin made from plywood rib-like shapes that expand and contract, the undulating and sinuous interior is a sight to behold too. Sadly, Arthur's Cave is only available for a short season, taking bookings between now and mid-September in two sites: Snowdonia and Llŷn Peninsula. Stays range between £795 and £1995; however, you're not just getting somewhere to sleep — you're getting a one-of-a-kind pop-up glamping hotel that should be on everyone's travel bucket list. Via AWOL.
University students might be accustomed to pairing their education with a few alcoholic beverages; however most don't expect their tertiary institution to have its own tipple. That rings particularly true when one of the most famous and prestigious universities in the world is involved — but, as well as teaching bright minds, Oxford University is bursting boundaries. The British uni has just added an official brand of gin to its list of achievements: Physic Gin, aka an especially aptly named juniper spirit. It's a product of The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD), which is located in the same city, but is separate from the university. With their collaboration — the result of one of TOAD's distillers meeting one of Oxford's botany professors — they've created the first gin made for the university and bearing its name. Branding isn't Physic Gin's only Oxford connection. It's also flavoured using plants from the uni's botanic garden. Founded in 1621 to help teach herbal medicine, the patch of greenery in question is the oldest of its kind in the country. In total, 25 botanicals grown and foraged in Oxford's garden are used in the tipple, most of which were listed in a catalogue kept by its first keeper back in the 1640s. According to TOAD master distiller Cory Mason, anyone keen on a sip should expect a rich, earthy taste thanks to ingredients such as wormwood, rue and sweet woodruff — which "bring a deeply complex flavour to bear and take us back to the time when plants formed the base of all medicine." TOAD also use ancient, organic, super-sustainable grains in their production of Physic Gin, plus their original Oxford Dry Gin and Oxford Rye Vodka. For more information, visit www.spiritoftoad.com Via The Guardian. Image: The Oxford Artisan Distillery.
Remember March 2020, when lockdowns first hit, panic-buying toilet paper became a thing and everyone watched the same true-crime docoseries? It now seems like an eternity ago, but our memories do still stretch back that far. We'll all always equate the beginning of the pandemic with Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, after all, and do the same when it comes to last year in general and Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin-related news. Netflix isn't done with all you cool cats and kittens just just yet, however. When Tiger King became a huge hit, another season of the docuseries itself was floated — and now the streamer has confirmed that Tiger King 2 will surface before 2021 is over. Exactly what it'll focus on hasn't yet been revealed, but an incarcerated Exotic pops up in the brief snippets seen in the platform's new trailer for its upcoming true-crime slate. Also featured: Baskin, obviously. Last year, when news of more Tiger King first did the rounds, it was expected that the filmmakers behind the popular doco would actually turn their attention to a different big cat-related tale: the 2003 mauling attack at a Siegfried and Roy show. That might still come to fruition; however, for now, all you cool cats and kittens are heading back to familiar territory. And yes, other projects leapt on the Joe Exotic bandwagon over the past 18 months, endeavouring to capitalise upon the worldwide obsession with him, Baskin and the duo's strange intertwined story. So, in the near future, you'll also be watching a dramatised series with Kate McKinnon as Baskin that's been shooting in Australia this year. Sadly, another drama with Nicolas Cage as Exotic that was announced last year has since been scrapped. Back to Netflix, the platform also has four other big true-crime titles in the works. In January 2022, three-part series The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman will hit the service, with the filmmakers behind The Imposter telling a tale that dates back to 2005 but still has new developments today. Then, in February 2022, get ready for The Tinder Swindler, a film that's clearly about another conman — one who posed as a billionaire playboy on Tinder — and the women who decided to bring him down. Also arriving next year sometime is movie Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King, about investors trying to get to the truth behind cryptocurrency multimillionaire Gerry Cotten's suspicious death, and also attempting to find the missing $250 million they think he stole. And then there's Bad Vegan, a series that sees celebrity restaurateur Sarma Melngailis get scammed out of millions after a man convinces her that he can grow her food empire and make her beloved pit bull immortal. Yes, really. Check out the teaser trailer for Netflix's true-crime slate below: Tiger King 2 will hit Netflix sometime before 2021 ends — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. For further information about the streaming platform's upcoming true-crime slate, head to the Netflix website.
There are plenty of things to do in Federation Square, whether staring at the big screen, visiting ACMI, sitting in a bar or just enjoying a stint of people-watching is your kind of thing. Or, on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21, you could simply climb a very tall wall. We're not recommending that you attempt to scale any of the buildings onsite, obviously. And if you're not fond of heights, we're not recommending that you day any climbing. But if you're keen for a scamper, you will be able to hoist yourself up a rock wall thanks to YoPro. Between 10am–4pm each day, just head to the Swanston Street Forecourt to start literally moving up in the world. As well as nabbing a few yoghurt samples to fuel your fun, you can also pick up a number of prizes.
We've all been there: you're eating something delicious and your adorable dog wants some, but it's just not good for them. Everyone who shares their life with a barking four-legged best friend has experienced this scenario, because pooches always want to do whatever their humans are doing — and eat whatever they're eating, too. Sadly, while cute pups love the sight and smell of plenty of human treats, they just can't stomach some foodstuffs. Chocolate is a culprit, as everyone remembers come Easter. Thanks to its milk and sugar content, ice cream is another. If your four-legged best friend goes yapping mad over heaped ice cream cones, here's the good news: Gelatissimo is releasing a new limited-edition flavour that's both human and canine-friendly. We're not saying that you and your fluffball should share the same cone of the frosty dessert, but you definitely could. Made fresh in-store, the new scoop is banana and strawberry flavoured. To make it suitable for dogs, it's made with oat milk, so it's also vegan. It also features cavendish bananas and strawberries, unsurprisingly. That said, puppers with a history of pancreatitis or allergies do need to steer clear. Those who can tuck into a tub will find it at Gelatissimo outlets around the country from early October, but only for a limited time. If it all sounds familiar, that's because Gelatissimo did something similar back in 2019, but with a peanut butter flavour. "Our last pup-friendly gelato was the hugely popular, limited-edition Pawesome Peanut Butter," says Filiz Kaya, Gelatissimo's Head of Product Innovation. "It is still requested to this day, so we wanted to bring back the concept, but this time with a fresh and fruity twist." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harvey the Border Collie 🐾 (@henlo.itsharvey) Vegan banana strawberry gelato is available at all Australian Gelatissimo stores for a limited time from early October. For more information and to find your nearest store, visit Gelatissimo's website.
"It isn't the prettiest spectacle...seeing a couple of middle aged types hacking away at each other..." Too right. Winterfall Theatre is inviting audiences to step through the marital shredder as it resurrects Edward Albee's classic, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? this June and July. When George (the orator of the above quote) and Martha invite Nick and Honey over for an impromptu party, they're expecting a relaxed tipple and maybe some sly bookshelf judgement. Instead, they become embroiled in the carnage of their hosts' marriage, as George and Martha spit, kick and scratch their way through an evening of mutually assured destruction. Directed by Denis Moore, this production is Winterfall Theatre's first in their new headquarters, Blackbox Theatre in Kew. Expect more than one vital organ to be left on the stage after curtain.
If you think that there's nothing sweeter than the word "weekend", except for the words "brunch" and "drinks", then you're in hot darn luck. Fancy Hank's, barbecue eatery and general provider of comfort in the form of hot food and cold drinks, is launching a new Sunday brunch session – and, to sweeten the deal even more, it's bottomless. At $50 per person, you can pick two items from the brunch menu and then qualify for bottomless Kentucky Ice Tea and Pomelo Spritz. On the menu are brekky tacos, chicken tamale, spicy spare ribs and – don't worry vegos, they've got you, too – a so-smoky-it's-almost-meaty eggplant dish. You can order an extra dish for $12.50, but bear in mind you've only got between the hours of 12pm and 2pm to stuff yourself and your hollow legs. If you end up wanting to kick on, don't forget Good Heavens is right upstairs. Fancy Hank's bottomless brunch will run every Sunday from 12–2pm. Reservations can be made via the website.
The Melbourne International Film Festival has been showcasing the best that cinema has to offer for seven decades now, but it has never hosted a fest like its upcoming 2021 event. Given that every year's festival heralds a fresh lineup filled with new big-screen gems, that's always true in a fashion; however, this is the first time that MIFF is going both physical and digital in a significant way. MIFF's just-announced full 2021 program boasts plenty of must-see movies, including opening night's previously revealed Australian standout The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson; Adam Driver-starring musical Annette, which screens straight from opening this year's Cannes Film Festival; and a festival-record 40 world premieres in total. It also offers multiple ways for audiences to watch its selection, including folks who aren't or can't make the trip to Melbourne. Accordingly, between Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22, Melburnians can head to a range of local cinemas — and from Saturday, August 14–Sunday, August 22, cinephiles all around the country can watch from home, too. Neither group will be short on options, although the in-person lineup is considerably bigger than the program of flicks that'll be available to watch on the festival's new online viewing platform, MIFF Play. In total, this year's fest spans 283 titles, including 199 features, 84 shorts and 10 virtual reality experiences, with 62 of those also available to watch digitally. MIFF's 2021 closing night pick is one of the films that movie buffs can choose to view in either setting. Directed by and starring Natalie Morales (The Little Things), and completely filmed via Zoom in 2020, Language Lessons is a platonic rom-com about a Spanish teacher (Morales) and her new student (Mark Duplass, Bombshell). It's also one of the big-name titles on the full lineup this year, alongside Memoria, which features Tilda Swinton in Cemetery of Splendour filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's English-language debut; Bergman Island, the Tim Roth and Mia Wasikowska-starring latest title from Mia Hansen-Løve (Things to Come); No Sudden Move, Steven Soderbergh's crime flick with Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro and Jon Hamm; and Pig, which sees Nicolas Cage play a truffle hunter (yes, really). Also on the newly revealed complete bill: centrepiece gala selection Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), which is directed Questlove and looks back on the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969; Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, a documentary charting the late presenter and chef's life; and River, the latest musing on the planet we all call home by Sherpa director Jennifer Peedom. There's also Cow, which sees American Honey director Andrea Arnold explore the existence of a dairy cow; Street Gang: How We Hot to Sesame Street, about the beloved children's television staple; and Year of the Everlasting Storm, in which the aforementioned Weerasethakul is joined by six other filmmakers on an anthology about life under lockdown and the power of cinema. Festival attendees can similarly check out There Is No Evil, the searing 2020 Berlinale Golden Bear-winner which screens as part of a showcase of new Iranian cinemas; collaborative doco Those Left Waiting, which has been filmed by refugees around the world; music mockumentary The Nowhere Inn, starring Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney) and Annie Clark (St Vincent); In the Earth, the new film from Free Fire and High-Rise's Ben Wheatley, which steps into a world ravaged by a virus; and blistering thriller New Order, which delves into power and oppression in Mexico City. From the Australian contingent, Fist of Fury Noongar Daa dubs the Bruce Lee-starring Fist of Fury in an Aboriginal Australian language, and becomes the first feature to ever do so — while The Kids looks back on the seminal 90s film Kids, competitive swimming drama Streamline is based on Ian Thorpe's experiences, and Friends & Strangers is an Aussie slacker satire. On the must-see list, these newly revealed titles join the likes of Australian drama Nitram, about the lead up to the events in Port Arthur a quarter-century ago; Petit Mamam, the new film from Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Céline Sciamma; and tweet-to-screen comedy Zola — all of which were announced last month in the fest's first batch of titles. MIFF's physical venues for 2021 include Comedy Theatre, the Forum, RMIT Capitol Theatre, ACMI, Kino Cinemas, Hoyts Melbourne Central, Coburg Drive-In, The Astor, Palace Cinemas Pentridge, The Sun Theatre and Lido Cinemas — and, if you're wondering about the big move into digital as well, that follows 2020's online-only fest, which became MIFF's largest festival ever, audience-wise. The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22 at a variety of venues around Melbourne. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
When we think of the perfect way to close out the working week, it invariably comes back to a great night out and an alcoholic beverage of sorts — which is why we haven't been able to get enough of the NGV's Friday Nights. Changing up the pace of your usual Friday night out and typical gallery visit, these lively evenings combine a headline exhibition with world-class tunes and some gin drinks brought to you by a Bombay Sapphire pop-up bar. Even though summer has officially left us, there are still a few more weeks left of summer's blockbuster show, Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds, before it wraps up on Sunday, April 7. To get you out there, we've picked out a few must-see things to experience before the exhibition is through. Grab a spritzy ginger, mint and gin cocktail from the Bombay Sapphire garden bar, and jumpstart your weekend surrounded by art, music and your fellow culture vultures. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE POP-UP BAR We'd be lying if we said drinking cocktails while museuming wasn't at least a little part of the appeal of NGV Friday Nights. And it's easy to understand why, with Bombay Sapphire partnering with the NGV to transform its garden into an awesome openair bar. The design draws inspiration from Escher and Nendo's hypnotic works inside, offering up a creative and lush area to rest your feet while sipping fresh cocktails. At this garden bar, you can try the full range of Bombay Sapphire Twists, combining fresh citrus and herbs together across spritzy options. Opt for something fruity like the raspberry and basil, spicy like the mint and ginger, something fresh with lemon and thyme or classic like a good ol' gin and tonic, as you discuss the mind-bending works inside. [caption id="attachment_700126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy.[/caption] ESCHER X NENDO: BETWEEN TWO WORLDS If you somehow haven't yet heard the buzz, Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds is something of a landmark event. Pairing the mesmerising artworks of celebrated Dutch artist MC Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo, the exhibition weaves the duo's creative spirits seamlessly come together in a massive presentation that's taken over the NGV. From captivating installations to warped spaces and paper works, experiencing this show is a must for, well, everyone. The blockbuster exhibition runs till Sunday, April 7, coinciding with the final NGV Friday Nights event. Make sure to plan your weekends accordingly so you can get at least one visit in before it's all over. BACH X REIMAGINED: PRESENTED BY ANON The NGV Friday Nights sessions might be dominated by some of the biggest electronica names in Aussie music, but that doesn't mean we can't also take a moment to appreciate a bit of Bach. Exploring the possibilities of classical music, renowned Melbourne-based collaborative project Anon unites a host of Australian live performers to reconceptualise the legendary compositions of Bach. The project brings forth new baroque, jazz and classical songs and explores Escher's own admiration and enjoyment of the composer — he believed Bach's work had a similar 'infinite appeal' that's also found in Escher's own art. Anon performs three times at each event, plus there's a specially commissioned soundscape that's been designed as part of the Friday Nights sessions. [caption id="attachment_611703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wayne Taylor.[/caption] MELBOURNE DESIGN WEEK, MELBOURNE ART BOOK FAIR AND JONTI The NGV's March 15 Friday Nights showcase is a particularly special time to visit. That's because there's even more to check out than usual with the timely launch of Melbourne Design Week 2019 and the Melbourne Art Book Fair — which will also see the Bombay Sapphire bar popping up for the full run of Melbourne Design Week and the opening night of the book fair. This year, the week's theme focuses on 'Design Experiments' seeing more than 200 exhibitions, talks and workshops consider how design will play an important role within our collective futures. Also in attendance will be Australian hip hop and electronic producer Jonti. Emerging from his bedroom studio to collab with an eclectic selection of international artists such as The Avalanches, Warpaint and Badbadnotgood, Jonti is sure to present a soundtrack to this Friday Night you won't want to miss. [caption id="attachment_636238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Confidence Man at BIGSOUND 2017 by Bec Taylor.[/caption] CONFIDENCE MAN It probably shouldn't come as a surprise, but if there's something Melbourne-based duo Confidence Man has in spades, it's confidence. And in all honesty, it's completely justified. Coming off the release of the 2018 debut album Confident Music for Confident People, the pair has graced pretty much every major venue and festival stage Australia has to offer and has recently turned its attention to the hoards of European and American fans. But before the duo jets off overseas, the dancing duo is bringing energetic tracks to the final NGV Friday Nights session of the season on April 5. Delightfully self-assured, this is bound to be a non-stop dancing send-off. Check out the full lineup of Friday Nights here and make tracks to the NGV to sip some spritzy Bombay Sapphire concoctions as you absorb a whole heap of culture. Tickets for non-members are $35 online or $40 at the door.
When Australia's last Blockbuster store closed its doors back in 2019, it marked the end of an era — especially if you spent your childhood and teenage years trawling through racks of VHS tapes, renting as big a stack as you could carry, then gluing your eyes to the TV every weekend. Every Aussie city also has its own stories about losing beloved independent video shops and, if you're still a fan of physical media in the streaming era, you might even have a few ex-rental bargains from closed-down stores sitting on your shelves at home. It's these fond feelings for a part of life that's now gone that new live cinema performance Coil aims to tap into, all while paying tribute to all the long-lost spots that once celebrated and nurtured cinephilia. Video stores were more than just places to rent tapes — they were havens of filmic discovery, sources of inspiration and thriving local communities — and that's all baked into this production. Coil made its world premiere at this year's Mona Foma, and brings its tribute and farewell to Australia's video shops to Sydney and Melbourne — playing PACT in Erskineville from Thursday, February 10–Saturday, February 12, then heading to Brunswick Mechanics Institute from Thursday, February 17–Saturday, February 19. The latest work from re:group, a collective of artists based between Hobart, Wollongong and Sydney, Coil stages its show in a set that recreates a 90s-era video shop. The focus: telling a tale of nostalgia, loneliness, friendship and viability that pays homage to those gone-but-not-forgotten spaces and celebrates the communities forged within them. It's a performance designed to ponder questions — including what we've lost now that we browse online sites for flicks instead of physically walking the aisles. That's a line of thinking that resonates with re:group well beyond simply yearning for the glory days of renting out VHS tapes. The collective itself started almost a decade ago with a cast of ten, but now only has one performer. "It parallels our own story as a theatre collective continuing to make work despite the clear unviability of it all, trying to survive in the business of live performance in an age of online streaming," explains co-creator and performer Steve Wilson-Alexander. And if you're wondering how a live cinema performance with a one-person cast works, Coil takes place live on stage before its audience, but deploys video design that lets its lone performer play every character in cinematic scenes. You'll be watching all of that happen, with the show combining verbatim interviews with real-time filmmaking — all to make the kind of performance that you definitely won't see on streaming. Coil plays PACT, 107 Railway Parade, Erskineville, from Thursday, February 10–Saturday, February 12, then heads to Brunswick Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Road, Brunswick, from Thursday, February 17–Saturday, February 19. For more information, head to the production's website. Images: Rosie Hastie.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, Legoland sees you, tips you their hat… and raises you an adults-only night at its Melbourne Discovery Centre. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free rein of Legoland to check out the 4D cinema and rides, take a factory tour, and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build and vie for the prizes up for grabs — and go full inner child mode, obviously. It all takes place from 6.30–9pm on Friday, February 7 — and BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory, and creativity to enter the model of the month competition. It'll be a fierce one.
Over the past decade, Disney has made a hefty commitment to remaking its animated classics as live-action movies, as seen via the two Alice in Wonderland films, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin, to name a few. The next to get the same treatment is 101 Dalmatians, and the Mouse House is going with the same approach it used with the Maleficent flicks. Yes, there'll be spotted dogs in Cruella, but this Emma Stone-starring spinoff is all about its villainous namesake. Set to release in May — and currently slated for cinemas, rather than making the move to Disney+ like Mulan did last year — Cruella focuses on Estella de Vil before she becomes the puppy-kidnapping figure that everyone already knows. It's the 70s, she's in London, and she's an outcast and a grifter. Estella is also desperate to become a fashion designer, and draws the attention of industry veteran Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson, Last Christmas). Obviously, Estella's relationship with the Baroness isn't going to end well. Even if you only have the faintest memories of 101 Dalmatians, Estella clearly has to morph into that tale's antagonist. And, based on the just-dropped first trailer for Cruella, she's going to do so in a movie that seems to have seen what Joker did — including the fact that it won Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar — and decided that's a good model to run with. As well as Stone, her two-tone hair and striking outfits — and Thompson, too — Cruella features Richard Jewell's Paul Walter Hauser, Outside the Wire's Emily Beacham, Yesterday's Joel Fry, The Good Place's Kirby Howell Baptiste and 1917's Mark Strong. The film marks a reunion between Hauser and director Craig Gillespie, after they worked together on I, Tonya, while the script is co-written by Isn't It Romantic's Dana Fox and The Great's Tony McNamara. If a live-action version of Cruella de Vil sounds familiar, that's because Disney has done it before. Back in 1996, Glenn Close took on the role in 101 Dalmatians, and then sported a heap of black and white again in 2000 sequel 102 Dalmatians. So, never one to leave its past works alone for too long, the Mouse House is following in its own footsteps in multiple ways with Cruella. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmRKv7n2If8 Cruella releases in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on May 27.
Fresh from his stint in the jungle on I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, TV and radio personality Nazeem Hussain is taking the stage at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his new show Public Frenemy. As he did time and time again in his brilliant, Logie-nominated sketch series Legally Brown, expect Hussain to carve up social prejudices, shatter expectations and break down in frank, funny terms his "love/not-so-love relationship" with modern day Australia.
Let's face it, you can't buy a whole lot for 50 cents in 2022. But on one day — Wednesday, April 6 to be exact — you can consider that little dodecagonal coin your best friend. That's all you'll need to grab a cheeseburger at McDonald's on that date, with the fast-food giant treating the whole country to 50-cent burgs. If this sounds familiar, that's because Macca's has dished up this deal a few times now. On this current occasion, which coincides with the launch of McDonald's new chicken range, there are 350,000 50-cent cheeseburgers available Australia-wide. So, you'll want to get in early to get this classic combo for pocket change — beef, bun, onion, pickles, ketchup, cheese and all — because that cheap price will apply on a first-in, first-served basis. To claim your 50-cent burger, you'll first need to download the MyMacca's app via the Apple Store or Google Play. Then, log on, check the My Rewards section and boom — Ronald's your uncle. Unfortunately, there's a limit of one 50-cent cheeseburger per customer, which probably isn't enough to make a meal of. But we're sure there are a few other Macca's menu items that might tempt your tastebuds while you're there. Because you have to use the MyMacca's app, you'll only be able to get your cheap burg via takeaway, drive-thru or in-store — not through McDelivery. McDonald's 350,000 50-cent cheeseburgers are available on Wednesday, April 6 until sold out via the MyMacca's app.
While Melbourne's got no shortage of great artisan markets happening across the city each weekend, the inner west has missed out on most of the action. But that's changes with monthly market Footscray Finds, which launched in the carpark of Footscray Library in 2017. With a focus on the boutique, the unique and the handmade — and held in conjunction with Maribyrnong City Council — this event's got an offering to rival that of many of its more established, cross-town counterparts. Scheduled for the third Sunday of each month, it showcases a stellar lineup of local producers and makers with a huge array of stalls covering everything from covetable vintage fashion and books, to vinyl, handcrafted homewares and fresh vegan produce. Meanwhile, a rotation of your favourite food trucks serves up easy eats, and local acts will be dropping all sorts of live sets. Anyone wanting to be a stallholder themselves can apply now for a car boot or marquee space, which clock in at $50 each. Footscray Finds will run from 8am till 1pm on the third Sunday of each month. Entry is free.
UPDATE, FEBRUARY 12 — 12.44pm: The Victorian Government has now classified all of Terminal 4, Melbourne Airport as a Tier 1 exposure site. Anyone who was at Terminal 4 between 4.45am–2pm on Tuesday, February 9 must isolate immediately, get tested and remain isolated for 14 days. As Melbourne's Holiday Inn COVID-19 cluster continues to grow, with 13 cases linked to the outbreak as of 11pm on Thursday, February 11, more sites continue to be added to the list of exposure sites. Five new locally acquired cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of active cases to 19, with the list of venues visited by a positive case now sitting at 30. One venue added to the exposure site list as of last night is Brunetti, Terminal 4, Melbourne Airport. The airport cafe was visited by a positive case on Tuesday, February 9 between 4.45am–1.15pm — yes, eight hours. This venue is classified as 'Tier 1', which means anyone who visited the venue during the designated times is required to immediately isolate, get a test and remain isolated for 14 days, regardless of the test result. Other exposure sites that have recently been added to the Tier 1 list include Commonwealth Bank, Glen Waverley between 1.30pm and 2.15pm and HSBC Bank, Glen Waverley between 2.15–3.30pm, both on Tuesday, February 9. One location has also been added to the Tier 2 exposure site list. Anyone who visited the Sunbury Shopping Centre between 3.40–4.30pm on Friday, February 5 is required to get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1359858045526761473 You can find the full list of exposure sites at the Victorian Government Department of Health website. For those looking to get tested, a new drive-thru testing site has opened in Sunbury at the former Masters carpark on the corner of Vineyard Road and McDougall Road. You can find a list of testing sites including regularly updated waiting times here. Victoria had previously been 28 days without any new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, before a hotel quarantine worker at the Grand Hyatt Hotel tested positive to the virus on Wednesday, February 3. Just four days later, a second hotel quarantine worker, this time at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport also tested positive. For further details on the latest exposure sites and updated public health advice, see the Department of Health and Human Services website.
There are so many rankings in the culinary world! It was only a couple of months ago we were showering praise on Attica for being the best restaurant in Australia as per the rankings in Restaurant magazine. Then, earlier this week, Gourmet Traveller weighed in on the debate and reaffirmed Ben Shewry's Melbourne restaurant as the best. Now the Weekend Australian and their annual 'Hot 50 Restaurants' ranking have deemed Neil Perry's Rockpool as the greatest in all the land. We don't know what to believe, but we do know that having too much delicious food everywhere can hardly be a bad thing. The poll, self-described as "Australia's most honest snapshot of the national restaurant scene," was released this weekend. Rockpool Sydney took out the top gong and various other awards were divvied up across the nation. The titles of both 'Hottest Regional' and 'Hottest Victorian' restaurant was awarded to Dan Hunter's Brae in Birregurra. Wasabi was named the best in Queensland. Martin Ben from Sydney's Sepia was named 'Hottest Chef'. And Melbourne's Stokehouse, rebuilt this year after a devastating fire, was named 'Hottest Classic' without a hint of irony. Editor of the Weekend Australian Magazine Christine Middap had endless praise for both Sydney, Melbourne and South Australia in her published list, though openly derided the restaurant scene in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. "An almost obsessive, market-driven surge in informality too often has translated to slackness [in these regions]," she said. Foodie cattiness aside, the list itself proves some interesting reading. While some Melbourne and Sydney favourites — Attica, Chin Chin, Momofuku and Rockpool — are regulars to the yearly ranking, 28 of the 50 restaurants included are new additions from last year. Chances are you'll be able to comb the list and find something new near you. However, all that depends on how much money you're willing to fork out. Though they do award a 'Hottest Value' title — Adelaide's nose-to-tail eatery Daniel O'Connell — the rest of the list is bound to set you back a few clams. Maybe save these ones for a special occasion and stick to Concrete Playground's advice for the rest of your trips out. It is The Australian after all. Via The Australian. See the full published list of restaurants here.
If you have dreams bubbling away of swanning about on the French Riviera and downing cocktails as a gentle wind caresses you, and then an irresistible French person arrives and sweeps you off your feet, we've got good news for you. Well, on the first bit — we can't control the weather or your love life, unfortunately. Grey Goose, purveyors of very fine vodka, have whipped up a very European-style summer pop-up for you: the Fountain of Goose. For five days this December, a white marble fountain will be set up in Melbourne's Federation Square, and it's going to be offering more than just a beautiful summer aesthetic. It'll be serving up complimentary vodka, lime and soda mini-cocktails — a classic, summery and simple concoction that requires the best quality ingredients, starting with the vodka. At the bar, you can also catch a glimpse at Grey Goose's collaboration with French fashion label Maison Labiche for its limited-edition 'Riviera' bottle. Plus, at the pop-up, you'll enjoy spontaneous entertainment and other experiences. You'll also be able to pick up a specialty cocktail coupon which you can redeem at Madame Brussels, Ludlow Bar & Dining Room or Spice Market to keep the good summer vibes going. The Fountain of Goose pop-up bar will be open from Saturday, December 7 through Wednesday, December 11. It'll be open from 4–8pm on Saturday and Sunday and from 3–7pm on Monday—Wednesday.
If you've been struggling to defeat the winter blues, here's a little helping hand. And it won't cost you a cent. From October until the mid-November, Serotonin Eatery — an eatery and exercise centre in Burnley — is offering free exercise classes twice a week, every week. Head along to Serotonin Eatery at 7am on a Wednesday or Thursday (or both) and get ready to move your body. The 60-minute workout involved stretching, cardio and strength work and is suitable for all levels of fitness. All you need are runners and a water bottle. While you're at it, you can score a complimentary session with Serotonin's nutritionist, who'll discuss how your eating patterns could be affecting your mood. If you've time to spare afterwards, hang around for a healthy brekkie. There'll be 20 free classes all in all. Should you make it to every single one, you could save yourself $2400 in fees you'd otherwise be paying. Online registration, which you can do over here, is essential. Serotonin's free exercise classes kick off on Wednesday, October, 10 and wrap-up on Thursday, December 13.
