After pledging to introduce a container deposit scheme by 2023, and to ban single-use plastics by the same year, the Victorian Government has announced its next big eco-conscious policy. This time, it's tackling climate change by committing to reduce the state's carbon emissions — and it has set ambitious targets for the next four, nine and 29 years. By 2025, the government plans to slash carbon emissions by up to a third (28–33 percent, to be exact). When 2030 rolls around, it's aiming to have cut them by half (or between 45–50 percent). And, after that, it has set a zero net emissions goal for 2050. The new emissions plan was revealed this week as part of the current Labor government's climate change strategy, which also highlights some of the strategies in place to meet those targets. On the cards: putting more than $100 million towards transforming the transport sector, working towards zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) comprising 50 percent of all new car sales by 2030, and giving Victorians who buy ZEVs up to $3000. The latter was announced on Saturday, May 1, and has already come into effect — and will cover more than 20,000 new ZEVs initially. The government has also outlined its intention to invest around $20 million in the agriculture sector — to work with farmers to make their farms more sustainable, and to research and trial new feed options to reduce emissions from livestock. It's putting another $15.3 million towards helping farmers store more carbon in shelterbelt trees, and to engage in agroforestry as well. By 2025, the government's own operations — which includes schools, hospitals, police stations and metro trains — will be powered with 100 percent renewable electricity. It's also aiming to have 40 percent of the entire state do the same by the same year, and 50 percent of the state by 2030. The government's targets are based on 2005 levels, with the state already cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 24.8 over the past 16 years. For more information about the Victorian Government's climate change strategy, head to its website.
You've seen the films, or at least some of them. You know that a whole lot of celebrities worked their famous magic to help get Andrea Riseborough a still-deserved Best Actress nomination. You've heard Austin Butler use his Elvis accent long after the movie wrapped. And you have thoughts — oh-so-many thoughts — about Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene. Whatever applies to you from that above list, that's how prepared you now are for Hollywood's night of nights — because today, Monday, March 13 Down Under, the 95th Oscars are here. Before evening hits, a heap of upcoming movies will be redoing their trailers to include the words "Academy Award-winner" next to their stars or director. Oh, and a bunch of talented folks will get the biggest cinema-industry recognition there is for one of their recent gigs. Your job for a few hours: watching, enjoying the film world's version of whichever sporting event takes your fancy and, if you're partial to a beverage or several, taking part in our Oscars drinking game. Depending on how you feel about the Academy Awards, it'll make a glorious celebration better or an overlong stint of back-patting bearable. Always drink responsibly, of course. If you're keen on perusing the nominees list, checking out who will and should win, and finding out where you can watch this year's nominees in Australia and New Zealand, we've put all of that together for you as well. A SMALL SIP: DRINK LIKE YOU'LL BE FEELING THE NEED FOR SPEED TOMORROW A winner gets played off. Austin Butler busts out his Elvis accent. Someone mentions Chris Rock, Will Smith and/or 2022's incident. We're all told that Tom Cruise or Top Gun: Maverick saved cinema. The words "need for speed" are mentioned. The Brenaissance gets a shoutout. Rihanna rubs her baby bump. Someone mentions nepo babies. Jamie Lee Curtis calls herself a nepo baby. Steven Spielberg gets a standing ovation. Someone mentions the multiverse. The words "movie magic" or "magic of the movies" get a mention. Babylon and jazz are mentioned in the same breath. Someone uses their speech — or presenting gig — to angle for their next job. A BIG GULP: DRINK LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND WON'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE Jimmy Kimmel pretends to go to sleep like he did at the 2022 Emmys. Someone comments that they forgot that Colin Farrell is Irish. The audience giggles when My Year of Dicks' name is read out among the Best Animated Short nominees. Jimmy Kimmel feuds with Matt Damon. Cate Blanchett tears into awards season. You hear an Australian or New Zealand accent. Paul Mescal leaves someone speechless because he's Paul Mescal. Andrea Riseborough brings one of the celebrities who campaigned for her nomination as her date. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Nicolas Cage. Meryl Streep wins without being nominated. Triangle of Sadness gets compared to Titanic. Someone makes up a new category. A FEW MOUTHFULS: DRINK LIKE YOU'RE CRUISING ON A LUXURY YACHT Someone reads out the wrong winner. Nicole Kidman forgets how to clap again. If you leap up out of your chair at home during the performance of 'Naatu Naatu'. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Grogu. The Daniels announce that their Swiss Army Man star Daniel Radcliffe is joining their directing team as the third Daniel. Triangle of Sadness filmmaker Ruben Östlund brings his two Palme d'Ors. David Byrne wears an oversized suit. Lady Gaga shows up in costume as Harley Quinn. James Cameron calls himself the king of the world again. Whenever there's a donkey. There's a cocaine bear. AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE: DRINK LIKE IT'S JAZZ-AGE HOLLYWOOD An Australian or New Zealander wins an Oscar. Australian Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker makes history as the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography. During Ke Huy Quan's Best Supporting Actor speech for Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Academy's terrible track record with nominating female filmmakers is called out — or this year's lack of women in the Best Director category. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read out the wrong winner. Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene is recreated live. Chris Rock presents an award. Will Smith turns up despite his ten-year ban after 2022's ceremony. Chris Rock and Will Smith take to the stage together. We get through the entire ceremony without anyone mentioning Chris Rock, Will Smith or 2022's incident. Tommy Wiseau shows up. The 95th Academy Awards take place on Monday, March 13, Australian and New Zealand time.
For five days in October, the Queen Victoria Market will become the cheesiest place in Melbourne, all thanks to its new Holey Cheese Festival. Running on Tuesday, October 23 and again between Thursday, October 25 and Sunday, October 28, this is the type fest that'll fill your stomach with all of things fromage — so if you're not fond of dairy, consider yourself warned. A good cheese fest is all about the tastings, and this one promises samples of the state's best hard, soft, blue, white, fresh and aged rinds from both regular market traders and local producers. When you're not nabbing a bite of gouda, camembert or raclette, you can tuck into cheesy meals from food trucks, pop-up eateries — including a 140-cheese pizza from 400 Gradi (just ten cheese's shy of its record-breaking pizza) — Melbourne chefs and, once again, the market's regulars. Throw in live music, a bar serving up wine, beer and cider, and cooking demonstrations — hopefully showing you how to whip up the cheesiest possible dishes at home — and you'll be having cheese dreams for days.
Always wanted to be part of a show but felt too nervous about being seen on stage? Well The Confidence Man may be just the ticket. This crime thriller from Side Pony Productions offers a one-of-a-kind participatory theatrical experience. The story is one of skulduggery in the suburbs, in which an ordinary family get drawn into a series of tragic events by the arrival of a bag containing a large sum of money. Each night, several audience members are invited to play characters in the tale. Anonymous inside large cushiony masks, the co-opted actors listen to an audio stream including instructions for their performance by headphones, providing an experience that, while unfolding publicly, is also intensely personal. Whether from within a mask, or watching and listening in from the audience seats, it is sure to an unusual, intimate and perhaps even chilling experience. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JmYM8Sb3FLo
Across its stable of renowned Italian eateries, mozzarella bars and delis, the DOC Group (including DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar Carlton and Sydney, plus DOC Espresso Carlton) has earned a solid reputation for many things. That includes its signature pizzas and top-quality salumi selection; however, those classics are taking a backseat at the team's latest addition — a new restaurant dedicated entirely to plant-based and gluten-free eats. Bio by DOC has taken over the Carlton site once home to The Town Mouse, where long-time collaborators Studio Strom have added a refresh. Think: locally made custom furniture, a new green-coloured bar, a leafy back courtyard and some clever splashes of neon. In the kitchen, veteran DOC Group chef Tomaso Bartoli is steering the new culinary concept, carefully intertwining the brand's trademark Italian sensibilities with a focus on vegan and vegetarian ingredients. Not only is it a reminder that meat needn't be the cornerstone of a great food offering, but impressively, the entire menu is also gluten-free. Snacks include the likes of mini eggplant parmigiana matched with burrata and a black cabbage pesto, plus a vegan-friendly tartare of grilled vegetables finished with capers, mustard and truffle paste. You can get your pasta fix with plates like the charcoal spaghetti; a beetroot casarecce finished with mushrooms and truffle paste; and a vegan lasagne layered with spinach pasta sheets, lentil ragu and bechamel. There's more plant-based fun to be had over on the dessert list, too — expect dishes like a classic tiramisu reworked with cashew cream, and sweet potato pancakes with popcorn ice cream. From the drinks lineup, the vegan cocktail offering features sips like a Japanese twist on the negroni, plus the Oasis — which uses rum, coconut water and a pineapple shrub. There's also a considered wine selection, showcasing both Italian vino and locally-grown varietals from the likes of Merli and Heathcote's Vinea Marson. Find Bio by DOC at 312 Drummond Street, Carlton. It's open 5pm–late Tuesday–Thursday, and 12–3pm and 5pm– ate Friday and Saturday.
No one usually knows what they want to do for their 32nd birthday. For most of us, it isn't a big milestone. But when you're the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and you have a whole new array of LGBTIQA+ movies to show, every go-around is worth celebrating. On the just-announced lineup for 2022's MQFF: Billy Eichner-starring gay Hollywood rom-com Bros, a Pink Flamingos 50th-anniversary showing and a spotlight on Brazil — and that's just the beginning. In total, over its 12-day run from Thursday, November 10–Monday, November 21, the fest will screen 49 features and 12 short film packages, including 35 Australian premieres. Taking place at ACMI, Village Cinemas Jam Factory and Cinema Nova, and with eight screenings taking place on the Victorian Pride Centre rooftop for the first time, the 2022 program arrives after a couple of years of pandemic-fuelled chaos — including back in 2020, its 30th year, when COVID-19 meant that festivities couldn't go as planned. MQFF has has run online and in hybrid formats since, and popped up with a mini fest as well; however, 2022's main event is all in-person. A virtual lineup will follow, but there's nothing like the physical MQFF experience. Other highlights include the Brazilian titles both launching and wrapping up the fest: opening night's Private Desert, about a genderfluid blue-collar worker in an online relationship who goes missing; and closing night's Uýra: The Rising Forest, focusing on trans-indigenous artist Uýra. The latter will take one of the rooftop slots, as will MQFF's official Australian feature of the year The Longest Weekend, about three siblings in Sydney's Inner West. Or, movie lovers can look forward to Blitzed!, about the eponymous London nightclub, with Boy George, Princess Julia and Spandau Ballet sharing their memories; Black as U R, a documentary about the lack of attention paid to the black queer community; and Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling, 2022's Rainbow Families session for MQFF-goers of all ages. Plus, Finland's Oscar submission Girl Picture focuses on three young women and Icelandic comedy Cop Secret charts a police officer falling for his partner — while Youtopia explores the inadvertent formation of a hipster cult, In From the Side is about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club, and My Emptiness and I hones in on a young trans call-centre worker. And in the retro category, alongside John Waters Divine-starring Pink Flamingos, is iconic 90s flick But I'm a Cheerleader — the director's cut, and one of Natasha Lyonne's (Russian Doll) best-ever roles. The 2022 Melbourne Queer Film Festival runs from Thursday, November 10–Monday, November 21 at ACMI, Village Cinemas Jam Factory, Cinema Nova and the Victorian Pride Centre Rooftop. For more information or to buy tickets — with members tickets on sale from Thursday, October 13 and general sales from Saturday, October 15, head to the festival website.
If you want to step up your pasta game, you're going to need some top-notch sauce skills. And here to give you a helping hand in that department, is legendary chef Guy Grossi. Yep — the mind behind Italian hits like Florentino, Merchant and Ombra is joining forces with good mate, King & Godfree's Matteo Toffano, to help boost your skills with a free passata-making workshop. Taking over the King & Godfree deli on Saturday, March 26, as part of the venue's ongoing 150th birthday celebrations, this class is the expert guidance your sauce repertoire has been looking for. From 2pm, the two chefs will be teaching guests the ins and outs of whipping up an enviable tomato passata, and bottling a batch as you watch. What's more, if you're one of the first 100 guests on the day, you'll score a bottle of your own to take home. Further sauce serves will be available to buy for $10 a pop. [caption id="attachment_847220" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Sarah Pannell[/caption] Top Images: Sarah Pannell
The Night Poodle Markets is making its grand debut at this year's Melbourne Night Noodle Markets. So, if you've got a fur baby you'd like to flaunt, this is your pup's chance to shine. Hosted for one-night-only on Sunday, November 13, the inaugural Paw Parade – presented by Scratch – will feature a dazzling pink runway for all adorable canines to walk down. All doggos will be judged on character, costumes and cuteness by none other than Drag Queen, Sam T. In addition, dogs and their owners will be treated to a mini photo session at the dedicated photo wall, as well as free samples of Scratch's dog food and treats presented in a limited-edition doggy noodle box. Keeping in theme with the family-friendly occasion, Night Noodle Markets will also launch its first Family Day on Saturday, November 19 at 4pm. For three hours, the event will include a bubble artist, a magician, stage entertainment, yard games and a free kids' face painting session with Sparkly Sue. To register your pup for the Paw Parade, head over to this link for more details. Do also check out the Night Noodle Markets 2022 website to see what to expect from Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 27. [caption id="attachment_876884" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Night Noodle Markets - Supplied[/caption] Top image: Night Noodle Markets — supplied
At some point or another, it's likely you've found yourself sitting in front of a screen as it resolutely remains frozen — perhaps there was even a spinning wheel of death thrown in there for good measure. Life can feel a little same, same sometimes; everything gets a bit beige and starts to feel like your, well, frozen, stuck in your same old same routine. You might be — just like your computer — in need of a refresh. That's where we come in. To help you out, we've teamed up with our friends at Coopers to bring you a list of 'easy wins' — small things that'll make your day better and leave you feeling revitalised. MONDAY: DANCE IT OUT While it's tempting to become a bit of a vegetable after you drag yourself home on a Monday night, getting out and being active can be just what you need to take the edge off your 9-to-5 routine. Don an old leotard, do a couple of stretches and head along to a dance class that'll have you energised, sweaty and raring for your dinner. Try The Space in Melbourne, Dance Central in Sydney or Groove Therapy in Brisbane. TUESDAY: COOK DINNER FOR YOUR LOVED ONES It might have been a while since your mum fed you on the reg — care packages sent home with you after a visit don't count — but don't underestimate how difficult cooking for a family every single night can be. Props to all the mums, dads and others, who manage it week by week — it's certainly not easy, so it might be time to thank yours. Make your loved one sit down, pop on their favourite Joni Mitchell/Pink Floyd album and cook up a storm. Aim for the stars and go for a three-course feast, but even a one-course fish fingers effort might go a little way to saying "thanks for feeding me even when you were tired, sick and/or sick and tired of my teenage angst". It's a good way of getting you back in touch with what's really important in life, parents (and also fish fingers). WEDNESDAY: BUY YOURSELF A BUNCH OF FLOWERS There's a reason that your mood lifts as soon as spring rears its fragrant head — yes, the vitamin D and warmer temperatures have something to do with it, but it's the beautiful blooms that really get you smiling. And, being gifted flowers is one of the greatest things ever — it makes you feel like a spoiled, whimsical nymph — but why wait around for someone to do it for you? Buy yourself a bunch to brighten up your home or freshen up your stale office environment, the air and the feng shui will thank you for it. Plus, your co-workers will assume you've got a super romantic partner and will be extremely jealous. THURSDAY: CREATE A HOME CINEMA Going to the movies can be an expensive outing — once you factor in parking, tickets and, of course, the popcorn and Malteasers combo. Also, you have to contend with crowds, queues and people who ask stupid questions all the way through Iron Man 3. An alternative? Invest in purchasing a home projector (or hire one) and invite a couple of friends around for a private Marvel marathon where you can ogle Mr Hemsworth in the privacy of your own home. If that's a bit too pricey, get the sick set up going, cook some popcorn in the microwave and charge your mates a $5 cover fee — it's still cheaper than what they'd pay at the cinema. Plus, you can all don your favourite comfy trackies and BYO blankets, winning. [caption id="attachment_628248" align="alignnone" width="1800"] Kimberley Low.[/caption] FRIDAY: BUY A COFFEE FOR A STRANGER It's likely nobody has ever done this for you, but how good would it be if the legend standing in front of you comped you your first soy flatty of the day? Pretty good. And for it to happen on a Friday? What a way to kick off the weekend. Start a circle of caffeine giving by sparing $4 to buy whoever is behind you in line their drink of choice. It's more than likely that it'll make their day. Caffeine is the lifeblood of a productive person (them) and being generous for no reason is the lifeblood of someone feeling good about themselves and their lives (you). SATURDAY: BETTER STILL, SHOUT A STRANGER A BEER Yes, this one requires more than a $5 note, but stretch yourself and buy someone a pint. It might end up being closer to the $10 mark, but chances are if you're out buying yourself beers at a pub you can afford to shout one beer. Reclaim the old "buy ya a drink?" trope — prove it's not just the terrain of flush men trying to pick up women at the bar — and make someone's night. SUNDAY: SOAK IN A BUBBLE BATH Baths are your greatest weapon when it comes to making aches and pains disappear. They're also a pretty good way of making your body and brain feel calm and nourished. You can even add to the experience more by picking up one of those bath bombs from Lush, too. The company produces handmade vegetarian products, doesn't test on animals and stays away from plastic packaging, so you can rest assured that you're doing a bit of good while you soak. Hot tip: get one with sparkles to really indulge your over the top inklings and feel like a shiny mermaid or -man. You'll feel on top of the world and ready to conquer the week ahead. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates. Top image: Katje Ford.
'Ale' isn't just that word that has become interchangeable with 'beer' over the years. It's a specific type of brew, made using a warm fermentation technique that results in a particularly sweet and full taste. And, it's exactly what Wolf of the Willows specialises in. This Mordialloc brewery doesn't completely eschew hops, as some folks who focus on the bitter tipple do, but it sure does love its small-batch, hand-crafted ales. Wondering where to start? Wolf of the Willows literally started with an XPA back in 2014, and its blend of malt, passionfruit and citrus is still a firm highlight. Pick up Wolf of the Willows' beers via its online shop — where you can also nab yourself a beanie, t-shirt, hoodie, cap, glass and stubby holder, too.
If you thought Melbourne's hospo scene stood still when COVID-19 hit, think again. Bars shifted to delivering cocktails and many venues helped out those doing it tough by setting up soup kitchens and whipping up free meals for out-of-work hospo staff. The top restaurant in the country — Attica — even shook up its usual fine diner and launched a bake shop pop-up and home food offering. Some restaurants threw caution to the wind and actually opened during the pandemic. Rocco's Bologna Discoteca, an unapologetically kitsch takeaway-only sanga pop-up behind a boarded-up shopfront, was one of them. Now, taking over the Gertrude Street digs — sans scaffolding — is Poodle Bar & Bistro by the same fun-loving crew. Originally set to open in the Fitzroy space over the Easter long weekend, plans swiftly shifted when restaurants, bars and cafes had to close their doors in a bid to contain COVID-19. Instead of calling it quits, though, Chef Josh Fry (Marion and Cumulus Inc) turned part of the newly renovated venue into a sandwich shop. Now that most Melbourne restaurants are open for dine-in once again, the OG plan is back in full swing. Poodle is the first venture by husband and wife duo Zoë Rubino and Emilio Scalzo, with Fry still heading up the kitchen — but don't expect the same food as Rocco's. [caption id="attachment_774760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Derek Swalwell[/caption] Step inside the double-fronted venue and you'll find much more than a deli and sandwich counter. The interior, designed by local firm Bergman & Co, has leather banquettes, art-adorned walls, dark timber accents and an art deco-inspired bar — think a much moodier The Grand Budapest Hotel and you're partway there. Downstairs houses the 40-seat dining room, public bar and large sunny courtyard; upstairs houses a cocktail bar with a roaring fire and private dining room. Instead of picking up a NY-style meatball sub, fried bologna, bone marrow garlic bread and a heap of deli supplies to-go, you'll now be sitting in to feast. Created to hero local farmers and sustainably sourced produce, Fry's menu is inspired by classic European fare, with nods to the mid-century hotels of Europe. Expect dishes like prawn cocktails, vol-au-vents filled with spanner crab, taramasalata and Yarra Valley salmon roe, and charred pencil leeks with tarragon vinaigrette to start. Then, opt for the spatchcock with braised Tuscan cabbage, Ballarat truffles and jus or the potato and celeriac pavé served with aged sheep milk custard and a watercress and shallot salad. If you're still craving a Rocco's sanga, there's the Poodle club sandwich with ham hock terrine, crispy chicken skin, tarragon mayonnaise, tomato and iceberg lettuce, served with a side of salt and vinegar crisps. [caption id="attachment_774765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emilio Scalzo[/caption] For drinks, expect a concise (but impressive) wine list, featuring Australian, French and Italian drops, plus a range of brews, amaros and cocktails. There's the Wet Poodle, with vodka, dry vermouth and pickled onion; the White Ferrari, a concoction of Cocchi americano, gin and Lillet Blanc; and a twist on the classic French 75, the Loire 75 with Vouvray sparkling, gin and lemon. Poodle is currently offering a $70 'sneak peek' set menu, with a la carte available from Sunday, July, 19. Poodle Bar & Bistro is located at 81–83 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy and is currently open from 4pm–midnight Tuesday–Thursday, 11am–midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11am–6pm on Sundays. Venue images: Derek Swalwell. Food images: Emilio Scalzo. Until at least Wednesday, July 29, stay-at-home orders have been reintroduced in 12 Melbourne postcodes, which means their residents can only leave for one of four reasons: work or school, care or care giving, daily exercise or food and other essentials. For more information, head to the DHHS website.
Queen Vic Market is set to immerse visitors in the vibrant traditions of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year for a fifth year, promising a unique cultural outing on Sunday, April 28. From 10am–4pm, punters can follow the sound of live music and the scents of vibrant Sri Lankan cuisine to QVM's Sheds C and D, where all the festivities will take place. Food plays a huge part in Sinhala and Tamil New Year, so it's no surprise that a heap of food trucks will take up some of the prime positions within the market. Head to Taka Taka Kottu, Spice Garden, Don Daddy and more to find Sri Lankan dishes like kottu roti, devilled chicken and hoppers. Once you've got some food, park yourself at one of the picnic tables to catch some live music from Shivantha Wijesinha and The Batterii Band, dance routines from Tiya Dance Troupe and some live cooking demos from Don Sherman (AKA the Singing Chef). Sherman puts on a proper show and cooks delicious food, so pop by prior to getting your produce and let him inspire your shopping and cooking for the week. [caption id="attachment_825972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitchell Luoh[/caption]
If you're the kind of person who picks their getaway spots based on great travel prices, then we come bearing important news: you're going to Australia's Red Centre. That's a worthy holiday destination regardless of whether or not you can nab a deal, but Webjet's current flight sale is likely to get you packing your bags ASAP. Until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, August 18, the travel site is slinging one-way flights to the Northern Territory from just $15 one-way — at a discount of up to $200 off in total on some fares. Of course, that first figure is just the starting point, so you mightn't score such a cheap flight depending on which day you're planning to travel, but there are still some mighty cheap prices available. The sale covers trips to Uluru and Alice Springs, for travel between September 2022 — yes, next month — through to March 2023. Fancy a spring jaunt to the middle of the country? Making summer plans to help cope with the last of the winter chill? Know that you'll be craving an early-autumn break next year? They're all options. One key caveat: the discounted prices are available for inbound flights only, so you won't receive the same discount to come home. [caption id="attachment_773731" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NT by Tourism Australia[/caption] As always, the prices vary depending on where you're leaving from, too — but, at the time of writing, $16 tickets from Sydney to Uluru, $15 from Melbourne and $17 from Brisbane are available on select dates. A variety of airlines are covered, too. Wondering what to do once you get there? Uluru's incredible Field of Light installation is a permanent recommendation — and you can also check out our guide to visiting the Red Centre. [caption id="attachment_773730" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Field of Light by Tourism Australia[/caption] Webjet's Red Centre sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Thursday, August 18.
After screenwriter and TV showrunner Damon Lindelof played a pivotal part in bring Lost to screens, but before he revived Watchmen as a phenomenal miniseries, he was behind HBO's The Leftovers. Based on Tom Perrotta's 2011 book of the same title, the applauded show only ran for three seasons; however, it has been a constant topic of conversation since its 2014 premiere for good reason — namely, because it is thought-provoking, absorbing, exceptionally acted and, well, just excellent. The Leftovers is also grim, too. Starring Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Liv Tyler and Christopher Eccleston, it follows the aftermath of a world-changing event, with two percent of the planet's population disappearing in an incident known as 'the sudden departure'. That's 140 million people gone without a trace, and it has quite the impact — including on Kevin Garvey (Theroux), a small-town chief of police. And, while plenty happens in the show that makes it a must-see, the fact that much of its third season takes place in Victoria is a definite point of interest.
Melbourne has hosted some pretty prestigious bar takeovers in the past few years, with New York's Please Don't Tell, London's The American Bar and 28 Hongkong Street just some of the high-profile cocktail-shaking legends that have come to play. But never before have we been part of a week-long international bar swap quite like next month's globe-trotting takeover series, Week Well Spent. This one's the brainchild of UK spirits label Ableforth's and Melbourne is one of the key players, as Fitzroy's famed Black Pearl hosts the crew from Japanese favourite Music Bar. Running from August 5 to 11, Week Well Spent will spawn seven international bar takeovers in seven days, in a nod to the seven-day cold-compounding process that goes into creating Ableforth's signature Bathtub Gin. The tour's local leg sees Bar Manager Mizuguchi Takuya of Tokyo's Music Bar descend on Black Pearl for an evening of show-stopping cocktails on Thursday, August 8. He'll be flexing his creative muscle to create a one-night-only drinks list, putting Ableforth's spirits to work in a slew of clever ways. Elsewhere around the world, global stars including Scotland's Panda & Sons, lauded London bar Lyaness and Parisian legend Little Red Door all help round out the Week Well Spent lineup. Black Pearl's Matt Linklater will also head to Tokyo to return the favour at Music Bar, taking the acclaimed Melbourne bar — a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and last year's Best Bar in Australasia — on the road. Catch Black Pearl's Week Well Spent takeover at 304 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, on Thursday, August 8. It all kicks off at 8pm upstairs in The Attic. There's no tickets, just first in, best dressed.
Not to be outdone by The Continental's multi-million dollar renovations down the road, Hotel Sorrento has just announced its own expansion plans. And they are ambitious. As in, shoot-for-the-moon ambitious. For nearly 150 years, Hotel Sorrento has sat on the cliffs overlooking Sorrento front beach. The historic sandstone building has been tweaked and renovated dozens of times, but this is by far the biggest overhaul yet. By early 2023, the Pitt family — who have owned Hotel Sorrento for three generations — want to install 50 luxury suites, a new 30-metre pool, a wellness retreat, a pool bar, a new restaurant, a rooftop yoga studio, a gym and two state-of-the-art conference centres. They're also pulling in some serious culinary muscle. While The Continental has thrown its hat in with Scott Pickett, Hotel Sorrento has teamed up with George Calombaris, who will be managing hospo strategy behind the scenes. "I'm really enjoying working with the Hotel Sorrento team," Calombaris says. "The owners have taken a holistic, root and branch approach, and there's no doubt the Hotel will become a beacon for local and visiting lovers of food, all year round." It doesn't look like Calombaris will actually be heading up the new kitchen – that'll be the job of longstanding chefs Matt Henke and Shane Holt – his role will probably be Bigger Picture. But you can already see his fingerprints, with the Hotel recently launching a Summer Souvas pop-up bar, which will be running throughout summer. "Lounging on the lawn with an ice-cold drink, a magnificent view of the water and a delicious 'souva' in hand, is a great way to celebrate summer," says co-owner Robb Pitt. There's also Cellar Bar: a new wine and cocktail bar set to open in late December. This will be the Hotel's 4pm-till-late venue, dishing up fancy bar snacks and top-shelf booze to Sorrento's clientele. As Hotel Sorrento gears up to celebrate its 150th birthday, it'll be exciting to see these new renovations take shape. The build is expected to wrap in early 2023, but it'd take a brave person to predict anything these days. In the meantime, grab yourself a souva and enjoy the views.
"History has a way of repeating itself. The dangers we've seen foretell an even more menacing future." After growling about understanding real fear for the first time in the initial trailer for The Witcher season three, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill, Zack Snyder's Justice League) is still painting a dark and brooding picture for the Netflix fantasy hit's big return, which also sees Princess Ciri (Freya Allan, The Third Day) with ghost cavalry on her tail — plus more sinister forces. Yennefer (Anya Chalotra, The ABC Murders) also has her own scares to deal with, and things are looking chaotic in general — not just in that debut sneak peek from a few months back, but in the just-dropped new trailer for The Witcher's third season. When this next batch of episodes tosses a coin to its namesake, it will take its cues from Time of Contempt, the second book in writer Andrzej Sapkowski's series. Season three hits streaming queues this winter Down Under, featuring eight instalments split into two parts. Volume 1 arrives on Thursday, June 29, with Volume 2 following on Thursday, July 27. Need a refresher on the story so far? Haven't watched the first two seasons yet? If The Witcher's name sounds familiar, that's because it's based on Sapkowski's short stories and novels — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. In the Netflix series, Cavill plays the witcher of the title. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer and young princess Ciri. One of Netflix's hefty successes, The Witcher has been renewed for a fourth season, too, which happened back in 2022 long before its third had any trailers — something that also occurred with season three before season two dropped as well, and with season two before season one debuted before that. But instead of Cavill as Geralt, The Hunger Games, The Dressmaker and Independence Day: Resurgence's Liam Hemsworth will replace him, as also announced in 2022. The Witcher franchise doesn't just include the show itself, but also animated flick The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which hit Netflix in 2021. And, there's 2022 prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, which takes place 1200 years before Geralt's time, spans four episodes and stars Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh. Check out the full trailer for The Witcher's third season below: The Witcher's third season will hit Netflix in winter 2023 Down Under, releasing in two parts — with Volume 1 arriving on Thursday, June 29 and Volume 2 on Thursday, July 27.
This month, the Yarra Valley rugs up to show off its finest winter offerings, for the return of region-wide food and wine festival Fireside. Running from Saturday, July 9–Sunday, July 24, the program is set to plate up a slew of events for all palates; from winemaker dinners and twilight markets, to fireside brunches and cosy overnight stays. And through it all, there'll be scores of opportunities to sample some of the area's finest vino. Enjoy a cheese-matched tasting of new-release drops in the Giant Steps barrel room (July 10), join mates for brunch at Chandon pairing sparkling pours with chic eats (July 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 & 24), and visit Six Acres Wines for a chilled afternoon dedicated to vino and vinyl (July 16). On July 16, Pope Joan's Bente Grysbaek hits Seville Estate for a four-course wine-matched dinner centred around fire and smoke, and on July 17, Healesville Sanctuary invites you for a drinks festival among the wildlife, featuring local beer and wine, live tunes and top-notch eats. Throw in a truffle feast, Tokar Estate's Spanish fiesta, a traditional asado dinner at Oakridge, and a pop-up cellar door manned by some of the region's winemaking legends, and you've got yourself a smorgasbord of wintry wine-filled fun.
Last year's lockdowns left little opportunity for scouting out fresh, exciting local booze. But there's a new campaign that promises to help rekindle your appreciation for homegrown tipples, and get your 2022 drinking habits off to a much more adventurous start. Brainchild of the Victorian Drinks Alliance (VDA), Drink Victorian launched last month as a six-month pilot program, aimed at celebrating — and improving access to — the state's finest booze creations. Supported by the Victorian Government, the initiative has seen the VDA team up with 100 leading Melbourne restaurants, bars and pubs, shaking up their drinks lists to showcase even more great Victorian wine, beer, cider and spirits. And in the process, to give customers more opportunity to get acquainted with top-notch local drinks talent. Drink Victorian's aim is to remind drinkers of the diversity of world-class drops being made here in our own backyard, and to encourage the city's drinks lists to champion locality as much as its food menus currently do. [caption id="attachment_839210" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blackhearts & Sparrows' Smith Street store[/caption] To that end, prepare to see a wealth of fresh local talent heroed on the menu next time you visit any of the participating venues — whether it's for memorable cocktails at Byrdi, Ugly Duckling or Capitano; some tasty brews at Beer Deluxe or Hopscotch; or a wine-sipping session at the likes of The Moon, Marion or Congress. Also onboard is Melbourne-born indie drinks retailer Blackhearts & Sparrows, which is leading its own push to encourage customers to buy local when it comes to wine, beer, cider and spirits. Drink Victorian will also run a series of industry events and tastings aimed at growing the relationships between local drinks producers and the venues pouring them. The program will run on a trial basis until May this year, when it'll wrap up with a huge two-day drinks showcase held as part of the 2022 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. More on that to come. Drink Victorian started in December 2021 and runs until May 2022, involving 100 participating venues across the city. For more details and to see which venues are taking part, head to the initiative's website. Top image: Carmen Zammit.
Two Spiegeltents, two labyrinths and close to two hundred events are part of the program for Sydney Festival 2015, announced today. A happy 85 of the events are free this year, so it's looking like a long, wallet-friendly summer. "What’s really special about Sydney Festival is the diverse programming, with the best local and international artists from high arts — opera, theatre, and contemporary dance — to circus and family shows," says festival director Lieven Bertels. "Sydney Festival gives audiences the perfect excuse to celebrate the city in summer." Music Music at Sydney Festival has doubled this year, with Domain concerts, Spiegeltent gigs and late-night parties dominating the program. Latin and South American tunes take centre stage, from The Life Aquatic-popularised Brazilian legend Seu Jorge to Afro-Brazilian hip hop powerhouse Karol Conka and Argentinian WTF genre-spanners Frikstailers. Beats stake their claim as festival favourites this year, from Warp Records legend Nightmares on Wax to Young Turks’ Oneman, while strummers like #1 Dads and Kim Gordon’s Body/Head take things up a notch from the myriad of female folk artists on the bill — Alela Diane, Olivia Chaney, Jessica Pratt, Tiny Ruins. Anna Von Hausswolff takes to the Sydney Town Hall grand organ supported by NZ’s Aldous Harding, Moroccan trance dancers Fez Hamadcha explore Sufi sounds, co-founder of The Saints Ed Kuepper delves into a retrospective, while Ben Frost and Tim Hecker team up for a co-headline show at the Opera House. Then Tex Perkins plays Johnny Cash tunes at the historic Parramatta Gaol (check out the Parramatta program, announced yesterday over here), while Gotye realises the music of William Onyeabor with members of LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip, among others. Sydney Festival’s love for the eclectic ‘who the hell?’ wildcards shines once more, from frenetic Barcelona multi-layering duo ZA! to the unexpected J-pop-meets-noise-pop team-up of Salyu and Cornelius. International hype cards How to Dress Well, Omar Souleyman, Wye Oak and return SydFester Dan Deacon are sure to get punters' paws rubbing. Giving local artists a sophisticated SydFest high-five, one third of the program features Australian musicians. Raise a plastic cup to the likes of Client Liaison, Kirin J Callinan and Firekites among the big Tex Perkins/Gotye guns. Public art Home to much of the festival's music, two Spiegeltents will be anchoring the expanding Festival Village, one of the real successes of last year and a true hub for hanging out in. Also within it will be a huge-scale art work from Ireland's answer to Banksy, street artist Maser. The maze-like, colour-splashed, two-storey-high installation, called Higher Ground, is said to be "a dream come true for those who always wished they could step inside a painting", and will be the focus of everyone's Instagramming this festival (which for the first time in two years, is Rubber Duck-less). Maser will be the artist-in-residence at the Village, though as he operates in anonymity, we don't expect to see too much of him. Other highlights among art installations include the must-ride Waterfall Swing at Darling Harbour, a giant swing that sends you flying towards a curtain of water that, thanks to the work of sensors, parts just before you hit it. Over at Carriageworks is another super-enticing labyrinthine experience, Inside There Falls (by UK-based Mira Calix), an immersive, tissue-paper environment you walk through, guided by haunting audio and the occasional glimpse of dancers. Also at Carriageworks, you can watch the meditative, 45-minute SpongeBob SquareTimes, an accidentally shot video of a man in a SpongeBob suit trying to make friends in Times Square. Performance Another big pillar of the festival is international theatre, dance and performance works. This year the big draws are Belgium's Kiss & Cry, a cinematic romance performed by two hands (yes, hands); India's The Kitchen, a spectacle of cooking and drumming from the creator of The Manginyar Seduction; France and the UK's The Night Dances, a celebration of the words of Sylvia Plath and music of Benjamin Britten, performed by Charlotte Rampling; and France's On the Harmful Effects of Tabacco, a Chekov one-act comedy performed by Theatre Des Bouffes du Nord (former home of Peter Brook) with costumes by Christian Lacroix. These join the already announced Tabac Rouge, a festival centre piece from another French innovator, circus performer James Thierree. On the smaller and more experimental side, there's one-woman memory mission I Guess If the Stage Exploded and, told entirely through the contents of one man's shoebox, Wot? No Fish!!. There's plenty of Australian contributions too, of the likes of Kate Mulvany's Masquerade, Force Majeure's Nothing to Lose, ambitious multimedia ethical exploration The Experiment and the return of the folks from Alvin Sputnik for Falling Through Clouds. On the circus side of things, the new Aurora Spiegeltent will be home to both last year's Limbo and new minimal circus artists A Simple Space, while the USA's Wau Wau Sisters lead the cabaret lineup. Those still holding a torch for the iconic Festival First Night will have to keep holding it; there's no sign of its return any time soon. Absent that inclusive and accessible event, hit up Sounds in the Domain, the Festival Village and the POP Parramatta Opening Party for free outdoor shenanigans. The 2015 Sydney Festival is on from January 8-26. Multipack tickets go on sale on October 24 (tomorrow!) at 9am, and will get you nice discounts. Single tickets go on sale on October 27 at 9am. To buy tickets and check out the full program, see the festival website. By Rima Sabina Aouf and Shannon Connellan.
Looking for some crackin' Christmas presents for the sweet toothed souls in your life? We think you'll find what you're looking for at Koko Black's new festive pop-up, Koko Pop. Making its home at 220 Collins Street from now until December 28, the one-stop chocolate shop is stocked to the brim with the artisan chocolate maker's full Christmas 2018 range. Simply look for the front windows plastered with cheeky one-liners — think, 'After Turkey Treats', 'To My Brat of A Child' and 'For the Boozy Buddy' — and head on in to find an array of Christmas-themed creations. Chocolate soldiers and ballerinas are sure to tempt kidult's tastebuds, as are the collectible pencil tins, filled with miniature chocolate animals, snowmen and Christmas trees. Elsewhere on the shelves, fancy blocks of chocolate are spiked with native Aussie ingredients such as wattleseed and macadamia, toasted sesame and spice, and vanilla and almond nougat. And of course, any Secret Santa will be pleased as punch to unwrap one of Koko Pop's gift boxes, a chocolate-filled 'Star Jar' or a festive hamper loaded with artisan goodies. Koko Pop is open from 9am–6pm, Monday–Wednesday and 9am–9pm, Thursday–Saturday. Images: Bryce Ford.
Hunting for a few spots to wine and dine in Melbourne across the long weekend? Luckily this city has no shortage of cafes, restaurants and bars that are dishing up the goods in celebration of the Queen's birthday. Here are a few spots that are open and ready to whet your whistle and fill your belly. [caption id="attachment_764366" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Firebird by Parker Blain[/caption] EATERIES ARBORY Saturday — Monday: 11am-9pm BABY PIZZA Satuday–Monday: 12–10pm BKK Saturday — Monday: 11.30am-1am CHANCERY LANE Saturday: 6pm–until late CHIN CHIN Saturday: 11am-11.30pm, Sunday, Monday: 11am-11pm ESTELLE Saturday, Sunday: 12–65pm and 6pm–until late, Monday: 6pm-11pm FIREBIRD Saturday and Sunday: 12–4pm and 5.30pm–11.30pm GOOD TIMES MILK BAR Saturday, Sunday: 8pm - 4pm, Monday: 8am - 3pm GRILL AMERICANO Saturday, Monday: 12pm-10pm HAWKER HALL Saturday, Sunday: 12pm-11.30pm, Monday: 12pm-10.30pm HER Saturday— Monday: 7am - 3am HELLA GOOD Saturday: 10am-9pm, Sunday: 10am-7pm, Monday: 10am-5.30pm KING & GODFREE Saturday, Sunday: 9am-11pm, Monday: 9am-10pm MAMMOTH ARMADALE Saturday — Monday: 8am-3pm MATILDA Saturday and Sunday: 8.30am–3pm and 6–8pm, Monday: 6pm-10pm MJOLNER Friday: 5–11pm, Saturday and Sunday: 5pm–late NEW QUARTER Saturday: 12pm-11pm, Monday: 12pm-10.30pm REPEAT OFFENDER Saturday, Sunday: 8am-11pm, Monday: 5pm-10pm STALACTITES Saturday: 11am-2pm, Sunday, Monday: 11am-12am STOKEHOUSE Saturday — Monday: 12pm-12am YAKIMONO Saturday — Monday: 12pm-11.30pm [caption id="attachment_744580" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moon Dog World, Kate Shanasy[/caption] BARS AND PUBS AGOSTINO Saturday, Sunday, Monday: 12pm-10pm ALBERT PARK HOTEL Saturday — Monday: 12pm–late ARBORY AFLOAT Satuday–Monday: 11am–late ARBORY BAR & EATERY Saturday–Monday: 11.30am–late BAR CAROLINA Saturday and Sunday: 11.30am–late BURNLEY BREWING Saturday–Monday: 12pm–late THE EVERLEIGH Saturday, Sunday: 5pm–1am GLAMORAMA Saturday: 7pm–5am, Sunday: 7pm-5am HARLOW Saturday: 12pm–1am, Sunday, Monday: 12–10pm HEMINGWAY'S WINE ROOM Friday and Saturday: 12pm–late JOHNNY'S GREEN ROOM Saturday: 12pm-12am, Sunday, Monday: 12pm-11pm MOON DOG WORLD Saturday: 11.30am–12am, Sunday, Monday: 11.30am–10pm TETTO DI CAROLINA Saturday: 3pm–1am, Sunday: 3pm–11pm WELCOME TO THORNBURY Saturday: 12pm–12am, Sunday: 12pm-10pm [caption id="attachment_801858" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Queen Victoria Market[/caption] MARKETS PRAHRAN MARKET Saturday: 7am–5pm, Sunday: 10am-3pm PRESTON MARKET Saturday, Sunday: 8am–3pm QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET Saturday: 6am–4pm, Sunday: 9am–4pm SOUTH MELBOURNE MARKET Saturday and Sunday: 8am–4pm Top image: King & Godfree
When you think 'patron of the arts' your local council probably doesn't spring to mind. Thanks to our Art/Work interview series, we're fully aware of the extra work our local artists put in to keep themselves in canvas and oils, and perhaps Blacktown Council could help. Now in its sixteenth year, the Blacktown City Art Prize has grown in popularity and reputation to become one of the most popular art competitions in Western Sydney. There's a grand total of $24,000 available in prize money and acquisition funds across several categories. Entries are invited for four official sections: painting, watercolour, works on paper and sculpture. There are also open prizes for Aboriginal artists, youth artists, environmental art, and local artists. Don't worry if you don't actually live in Western Sydney, that last category is the only one restricted to Blacktown city residents. Entry forms must be submitted by Tuesday August 23, and selected works will be displayed at Blacktown Arts Centre from 24 September – 22 October, admission free.
An old man, haunted by history, leans forward and whispers almost imperceptibly to a young, wide-eyed boy: "…let me tell you a story". As a narrative device it's far from new, though few films have used it as effectively as 1987's The Princess Bride. For lazy writers it's an easy way of skipping from one big scene to the next without having to weave in difficult or dreary exposition. For clever ones, it's a chance to play with form and occasionally even wink at the audience. In The Lone Ranger, it's just plain unnecessary and entirely unwise, instantly robbing the movie of much of its tension by revealing in the opening scene that at least one of its two protagonists lives to be an old shirtless man. The Lone Ranger reunites actor Johnny Depp with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, whose last collaboration was the hugely successful Pirates of The Caribbean. Creatively, it seems none of them have quite been able to let go of the past, with The Lone Ranger adopting (to its peril) much of the Pirates franchise's aesthetic and form. Even Depp's character, Tonto, just looks like Jack Sparrow without his hat and for whatever reason, the style doesn't hold water when it's not set on it. The Lone Ranger is, quite simply, an overly long (149 minutes) series of exaggerated action sequences without much of a plot to bind them together. Now you may have noticed that, despite him being both the star and title of the film, this review has so far overlooked the actual Lone Ranger. Why? Because that's exactly what the movie does. From the first teaser it was clear this film was being built around its biggest star, Depp, and not Armie Hammer, who last had to share billing with himself as the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. Hammer makes a fine Ranger: tall, charming and good looking — he's every bit the polite and polished hero that our mothers loved. But this is the age of the gritty reboot, and pitting a deliberately unarmed lawyer against a villain who literally eats parts of his victims was like slamming two entirely different movies together and hoping nobody would mind. The brutality of the film's opening stages is impressively unsettling and William Fichtner makes a fine bad guy; however, the darkness quickly gives way to quirkiness, robbing the Ranger of any chance to be a proper hero. The Lone Ranger has some great moments, and no matter how incongruous it feels compared to modern soundtracks, the eruption of the iconic William Tell Overture during the film's climax will bring a smile to most faces. But it's just too long, and without any truly defining back story or characteristics, the Ranger will struggle to find an audience calling for this one-off to become a franchise.
This news isn't like rain on your wedding day. It doesn't resemble finding a black fly in your chardonnay. And it definitely isn't anything like hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, either. But, it will have you singing those lines — and it is news that you oughta know, too — because 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill is heading to Australia. The acclaimed production is making its first trip beyond Broadway, in fact, when it hits the Theatre Royal Sydney from Thursday, December 2. And, when the curtains are raised, it'll help mark another milestone, reopening the Theatre Royal five years after it closed its doors in 2016. Inspired by Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill the Musical weaves a story around songs from that iconic record. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Famed tracks 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. And, songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. At present, tickets are on sale for shows until Sunday, December 19, all starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte. She'll play Mary Jane Healey, with Jagged Little Pill the Musical telling the Healey family's tale as they struggle with their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a story about social issues relevant to today, but also with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Images: Jagged Little Pill the Musical original Broadway cast, Matthew Murphy. Updated September 27.
Chances are, you burnt through your entire puzzle collection during the first lockdown and now you're in desperate need of fresh jigsaw talent to see you through these next few weeks of lockdown. If that's the case, Australia Unseen's Vincent Rommelaere is here to help. The photographer is known for capturing idyllic scenes of Aussie beaches and rockpools, which are sold as prints on his website. But as iso-life became the new normal earlier this year, Rommelaere began transforming some of his NSW snaps into stunning, 500- and 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, bringing the great outdoors into living rooms across the country. Now, with Melbourne swept back into Stage 3 restrictions, Australia Unseen has kindly gone and dropped a new batch of puzzle designs, this time featuring a couple of iconic Victorian sights. You can keep your fingers busy piecing together a scenescape of the 12 Apostles ($65), or assembling an early morning view of the Princes Bridge and the Melbourne CBD skyline, complete with hot air balloons dotting the sky ($65). Or, if you're ready to start dreaming of future summer travel plans, try something from the original lineup — maybe a shot of waves crashing over Icebergs, a slice of Byron Bay paradise, or a bird's-eye view of a busy Bondi Beach. Each design is available to purchase on its own, or as part of a gift box teamed with an A4 art print and a personalised postcard message. In the coming weeks, there'll also be options to add thoughtful extras like chocolate and candles. All jigsaw puzzles in stock are shipped from Sydney within two business days and you'll score free shipping on orders over $100. Australia Unseen jigsaw puzzles are now available to buy over here.
Melbourne’s largest free street festival, which has been running for over 30 years, is back once more to celebrate all over the St Kilda precinct. While it is certainly worth checking out the festival over the nine days, the highlight is definitely Festival Sunday, where 5 stages will be set up and the streets will be closed down so punters can freely wander between venues. Here, you can expect to look forward to the likes of Art vs. Science, The Bamboos, Mat McHugh from The Beautiful Girls, Busby Marou and Kingswood all performing on the main stage. Alison Wonderland will be closing the main events with a killer DJ set, so make sure you’re in it for the long haul too. Alternatively, if you want to see some fantastic young guns, check out King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Gold Fields, Dustin Tebbutt and Wave Racer, who will be playing at the O’Donnell Gardens Stage. For something a little more chilled out make your way to Bob Evans and Mama Kin on the Alfred Square stage. The lineup is big enough to challenge some of the main festivals this summer, and better yet — it's all free. For more information including the full lineup, check the St Kilda Festival website.
Light, art and photography – it's a proven winning combination. Australian artist Denis Smith is a professional light painter whose Ball of Light project combines traditional long exposure photography with continuous movements of lights directed by the artist. Surreal, glowing orbs are captured in peaceful yet unlikely places – a cemetery, a mountainside, a beach. Eerily they hover between land and sky, buzzing with strange energy and varied hues. Would you believe that Smith doesn't use Photoshop to edit these incredible images? Smith says "there is so much post processing of photography today, I wanted to create something that was real, yet unreal. No pixels are added or subtracted from the Ball of Light images." [Via Flavorwire]
Practise your Cockney accent, rehearse your favourite drunken London tale and prepare for high tea: the British Film Festival has arrived in Australia for the first time ever. There'll be a dozen contemporary features, five 20th-century classics (The Third Man and Lawrence of Arabia among them) and a chance to quiz Eric Bana during a live Q&A session, and a simply smashing closing night party. Here are five of our must-sees: Jump A massive hit at the Toronto International Film Festival and winner of the Palm Springs Festival's Bridging the Borders Award, Jump is a comic thriller set on New Year's Eve in Derry, Northern Ireland. A witty, fast-paced script captures the stories of three troubled individuals, who find themselves entangled by doomed romance, theft and revenge. Good Vibrations This eccentric, unstoppable rock movie comes to the British Film Festival following sold-out sessions at the 2013 Melbourne International Film Festival. Set against Ireland's Troubles of the 1970s, it follows the story of rebellious, maverick music lover Terri Hooley, Belfast's 'godfather of punk', and his determination to show the world the power of the seven-inch single. Dom Hemingway A gangster film in the style of Sexy Beast, Dom Hemingway stars Jude Law as the outrageous, volatile Dom, and Richard E. Grant as his best friend, Dickie. Following Dom's release after 12 years of imprisonment, the two travel from London to the south of France, encountering all number of misadventures along the way, from a car accident to an inevitable femme fatale. Mission to Lars How far would you go to meet your favourite rockstar? In this quirky documentary, siblings Kate and Will Spicer find out when they take their autistic brother, Tom, to Los Angeles to pursue Metallica's Lars Ulrich. Still Life The latest offering from Uberto Pasolini (producer of The Full Monty), Still Life is a drama in the British humanist tradition. A calm, meticulous ex-councillor, John May (Eddie Marsan) enters the lives of a mischievous adventurer, Billy Stoke, and his abandoned daughter, Kelly (Joanne Froggatt). Check out the full program here.
Summer at the Mornington Peninsula just got a lot hotter (in a good way). Hotel Sorrento, a mainstay since 1872, is set for a grand unveiling in December — revealing a luxurious transformation that's all about premium leisure and maximum relaxation. The renovation was announced early last year, and the team is ready to show off the new and improved Mornington fave. Let's start with the new digs. Thirteen new Sunset Suites have been constructed, starting from $550 per night. These suites will feature expansive windows with lush views, outdoor marble baths, rooms filled with bespoke Jardan furniture and amenities from Hunter Lab. The love isn't confined to the new suites — the existing rooms have also received a facelift. Meanwhile, the new Marlo Spa, hidden away in a private part of the hotel by a peaceful Japanese-inspired garden, is ready to pamper guests with massages, fire and ice therapies and more. And here's where it gets exciting: a 30-metre lap pool set in a travertine-walled terrace, surrounded by greenery and olive trees, has been installed. It's like swimming in the Mediterranean, without the hassle of a 16-hour flight. Add a nice cocktail while relaxing on the new poolside custom-made sun lounges by Grazia, and you've got a recipe for the perfect sunset relaxation session. Bookings are now open for December 2023. Find Hotel Sorrento at 5/15 Hotham Rd, Sorrento.
Every year, when spring hits Toowoomba, the regional city becomes the brightest place in southeast Queensland. Blooms blossom, greenery sprouts and flora reaches towards the sun — that's right, it's Carnival of Flowers time. Usually, the carnival only runs for ten days. In 2021, however, it's sticking around for an entire month. Accordingly, mark all of September in your diary — from Wednesday, September 1–Thursday, September 30 — and start planning a weekend trip west for the event's 72nd year. As always, the Carnival of Flowers will bloom at a variety of Toowoomba locations — including Laurel Bank Park and the Botanic Gardens of Queens Park — showcasing all of the gorgeous florets, growths and gardens around town. Each year, more than 170,000 blossoming bulbs and seedlings are planted, so this huge (and free) carnival won't be short on natural splendour. Attendees can also expect everything from park tours to kaleidoscopic arrays of tulips, petunias and poppies. Food trucks slinging bites to eat, a food trail showcasing local eateries and a ferris wheel with a blooming great view are also on the bill, as are a series of talks in local pubs, a dog-friendly program so that your pooch can get in on the action, both guided and non-guided walking tours, a big food and wine festival, a cinema under the stars and a floral parade. And, yes, the illuminated night garden will return as well. If you're keen to check out live tunes in flower-filled parks, the lineup for this year's ticketed Festival of Food and Wine within the broader carnival includes Sarah Blasko, Ash Grunwald, The Beautiful Girls, Grace Knight, Wendy Matthews, Richard Clapton and GANGgajang. They'll be hitting the stage between Friday, September 10–Sunday, September 11. Basically, there's no bad time to visit — and you might want to make the trek more than once. Indeed, when it comes to scenic spring sights, there's no prettier place to be. And, given it takes less than two hours to head up the mountain from Brisbane, it's perfect for a weekend day trip. Make a playlist, take a picnic and there's your Saturday or Sunday sorted. Naturally, the event will be adhering to COVID-19 requirements — so expect some social distancing with your bouquets. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland Updated June 1.
The Archibald Prize isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of artistic gadgetry. This coveted national portrait prize is often full of celebrities, sure, but they're usually rendered in expressionistic swathes of paint or meticulous photorealism. It's rare that we get treated to something on the vanguard — and even rarer to have someone deem Wil Anderson's familiar one-liners worthy of a place in one of the nation's best galleries. The portrait, which has been submitted for consideration of the Archibald Prize this week, is the work of Canberra artist Luke Cornish (aka E.L.K.). Predominantly known for his stencil work, Cornish has stepped out into unfamiliar territory creating an interactive artwork of the much-loved comedian that comes to life with the help of a video app. While the piece that hangs on the wall appears as a regular stencilled portrait, when you point a tablet of smartphone at the artwork, the image turns into a real-time video within the frame. A creepy virtual reality version of Wil Anderson leaps forth from your device and starts riffing on religion and Steve Jobs. It's as excellent as it is terrifying. The result of a collaboration with augmented reality specialist — aka the person with the coolest job ever — Amber Standley, this work looks like the start of something very exciting not only for the Archibald itself, but for art in general. "My plan is to start doing some large-scale mural portraits," the artist told The Herald Sun. "You can imagine walking down Elizabeth Street and holding your phone up to a mural and it just comes to life." A far cry from the unsightly QR codes that we still don't quite know how to figure out, this is some gadgetry we can definitely get behind. Instead of walking down the street flipping mindlessly through Instagram and Facebook we could now be interacting with the street art around us — while still firmly affixed to our phones, of course. As far as Cornish's portrait goes, we won't know if it's a finalist for the prize until July 10, and we won't be able to see it until the exhibition opens in Sydney on July 19. But, suffice to say, we have a good feeling it'll get through. Get your smartphones at the ready — this is definitely one to check out (even if you can't stand Wil Anderson). Via Herald Sun and Citynews.
If you've got a thing for bouncy castles and the likes, you're going to feel quite at home tripping through the latest immersive installation from Nottingham's Architects of Air. Famed the world over for their glowing, inflatable 'luminarium' structures, the artists are headed to Narre Warren's Bunjil Place to show off their latest creation, Katena Luminarium. Once you enter the maze of geometric domes and tunnels, all bathed in a swirling colour palette of glowing light, the moniker makes perfect sense. It's named after the catenary curve, which is the shape of a chain suspended, and is inspired by Antoni Gaudi's design for the Sagrada Familia. You'll start your journey through Katena in an airlock chamber, opening into a tunnel of domes filled with over 100 catenary curves. The mind-bending main dome boasts an intricate fine mesh shape, ablaze with over 200 colour highlights, including a vibrant green apex. While you can't actually bounce in it, you can wander through, or simply find a curve, settle in and soak up the supposed calming and energising effects of the ambient space. Katena Luminarium is open from Monday– Friday 10am–4pm and Saturday–Sunday 10am–5pm. Images: Alan Parkinson
Now in its 65th year, the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival features over a million tulips planted across 25 acres of farmland. This huge collection of tulips is the perfect excuse to wander through endless fields of flowers to celebrate the start of spring. There's heaps of stuff happening at the tulip farm throughout the month, which sits on the cusp of the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley (east of Melbourne). For the food fans, we would highly recommend pencilling the Food, Wine & Jazz Weekend (September 27–29) into your eating plans. Boasting locally brewed beer, wine and a tasty snacks from the area — including warm, buttery fire-baked scones, mini dutch pancakes and loaded baked potatoes among the tulips. If you're still not convinced, entry includes complimentary wine and beer tasting. Similarly, the Dutch Weekend (September 20–22) will showcase the best that the Netherlands have to offer – other than tulips — with music, markets, unique crafts (wooden tulip-making, anyone?) and Dutch food available inside the festival. Or, head by on the Irish Weekend (October 11–13), where Irish pipers and dancing will perform (and plenty of Guinness and Kilkenny-drinking will take place) around the site's floral rainbow The Tesselaar Tulip Festival runs from Saturday, September 14 through to Sunday, October 13. Tickets are available at the farm, but you can buy them online in advance to skip the queue.
A film festival that brings the best and brightest new Japanese movies to Australian cinemas each year is a film festival to cherish. Also ace: a film fest that features a solely digital lineup of flicks and TV shows from Japan that you can check out from your couch. So, while it isn't time for the IRL Japanese Film Festival for 2024 yet — it last hit locations around the country across September–November 2023 — the Japanese Film Festival Online will keep you entertained come winter. Both fests serve up a handy way to view the latest and greatest Japanese fare without hopping on a plane, but only the online version lets you do so from home. Running from Wednesday, June 5–Wednesday, July 3, 2024's version will feature 23 films and two TV dramas, the latter serving up 20 episodes. And, you'll be able to check out for four Japanese horror shorts, too, all of which initially debuted in 2023 at the first-ever Horror Film Competition in Japan. The other big drawcard: Japanese Film Festival Online screens its program for free. Accordingly, this lineup won't test your budget, whether you're keen on I Am What I Am, which stars Drive My Car's Toko Miura; Anime Supremacy!, about a new director and a hotshot facing off while making their own competing anime; Single8, a Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)-influenced picture about Star Wars-loving teens making their own movie; or classic anime Kimba the White Lion from 1966. Film lovers will be catching the movies on the program between Wednesday, June 5–Wednesday, June 19. Fellow feature options include Father of the Milky Way Railroad, a biopic about poet and novelist Kenji Miyazawa; magazine drama Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction; Baby Assassins, where teen assassins are forced to give up the murderous life; and The Handsome Suit, about a magical outfit. TV fans will be tuning in from Wednesday, June 19–Wednesday, July 3, with 2017's Rikuoh starring Kôji Yakusho (Perfect Days), and stepping inside a traditional Japanese sock company — and 2015's Downtown Rocket based on Shitamachi Rocket novels about an ex-aerospace researcher who leads a factor that he inherited. While you won't pay a thing to watch, you do still need to register via the fest's website. Won't be in Australia at the time? The fest is available in 27 countries. "JFF Online 2024 is not just a film festival; it's a cultural bridge connecting fans of Japanese cinema across the globe," said The Japan Foundation in Sydney's Manisay Oudomvilay. "From the comforts of your home, you can traverse a wide array of genres — from heartfelt dramas and engaging documentaries to captivating anime stories. This festival celebrates the breadth and diversity of Japanese storytelling." "Our lineup includes films that challenge the norms, explore deep human connections, and celebrate the artistry of both seasoned and emerging Japanese filmmakers. We invite cinema lovers and Japanophiles alike from around the world to join us in this unique virtual celebration of Japanese cinematic artistry," continued Manisay. The 2024 Japanese Film Festival Online runs from Wednesday, June 5–Wednesday, July 3. For more information and to register to watch, visit the festival website. Top images: Single8 Film Partners / Jun Ikeido, TBS / Kenji Yamamoto / Anime Supremacy! The Movie Production Committee.
The Victorian Government's designs for an elevated rail on the Cranbourne/Pakenham train line have brought plenty of controversy; however, once the $1.6 billion Skyrail project is completed, it looks like they'll also bring a hefty increase of open spaces to Melbourne's south east. Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan yesterday revealed plans to use the area freed up by the line's elevation to create "11 MCGs worth of new open space." Included in the proposal is a 17-kilometre walking and cycling track running from Caulfield to Eastlink, as well as multi-purpose sports courts, rock climbing walls, skating facilities, parks and play areas. Clayton and Noble Park will also each score a fenced dog park, while an extra 4000 trees are set to be planted in the area as well. The proposed plans come as the government prepares to remove nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong. "By removing the most dangerous and congested level crossings we are making our communities safer," the minister said. "And, by providing more open space we're making them a better place to live." The government says the plans are the result of extensive consultation from a Community Open Space Expert Panel, which was chaired by Director and Chief Executive at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Tim Entwisle.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here's 15 you can watch right now at home. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Don't mistake the blaze that starts the exceptional Nightmare Alley for warmth; in his 11th film, Guillermo del Toro gets chillier than he ever has. A lover of gothic tales told with empathy and curiosity, the Mexican The Shape of Water filmmaker has always understood that escapism and agony go hand in hand — and here, in a carnival noir that springs from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel and previously reached cinemas in 1947, he runs headfirst into cold, unrelenting darkness. That burning house, once home to the skulking Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper, Licorice Pizza), is surrounded by America's stark midwestern landscape circa 1939. Still, the terrain of its now-former occupant's insides is even grimmer, as Nightmare Alley's opening image of Stan dropping a body into a hole in the abode's floor, then striking a match, shows. From there, he descends into the carny world after being given a job by barker Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man: No Way Home) and doing whatever's asked, including helping clean up after the geek act — although, even with his ambiguities evident from the outset, stomaching a cage-dwelling man biting the heads off live chickens to entertain braying crowds isn't initially easy. While set in an already-despondent US where the Depression is only just waning, the shadows of the First World War linger and more are soon to fall via World War II, Nightmare Alley still gives Stan flickers of hope. Adapted from the novel by del Toro with feature debutant Kim Morgan, and filled to the brim with outstanding performances, the movie doesn't ever promise light or virtue, but kindness repeatedly comes its protagonist's way in its first half. In fortune-teller Zeena the Seer (Toni Collette, Dream Horse) and her oft-sauced husband and assistant Pete (David Strathairn, Nomadland), Stan gains friends and mentors. He takes to mentalism like he was born to it, and his gift for manipulating audiences — and his eagerness to keep pushing the spiritualism further — is firmly a sign. Soon, it's 1941 and he's rebadged himself as 'The Great Stanton' in city clubs, claiming to speak to the dead in the pursuit of bigger paydays, with fellow ex-carny Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara, Mary Magdalene) as his romantic and professional partner beyond the dustbowl. But then that scam attracts the attention of Dr Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Don't Look Up), and this drifter-turned-grifter gets caught in someone else's plan. Nightmare Alley is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. KING RICHARD In King Richard, Will Smith does more acting than expected with his back to the on-screen action. He does more acting in general — while the Ali and Concussion star can be a transformative performer, here he feels like he's overtly playing a part rather than disappearing into a role — but the way his eponymous figure handles his daughters' matches instantly stands out. Richard Williams is a tennis parent who despises the usual tennis parent histrionics. At the time the film is set, in the early 90s, he has also coached Venus (Saniyya Sidney, Fences) and Serena (Demi Singleton, Godfather of Harlem) since they were four years old, and penned a 78-page plan mapping out their futures before they were born. He's dedicated his life to their success, alongside family matriarch Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country); however, he's so restless when they're volleying and backhanding that he can't bring himself to watch. These scenes in King Richard are among Smith's best. As directed by Joe Bell helmer Reinaldo Marcus Green — making another movie about a real-life person that makes his male eponymous figure the centre of someone else's story — he's anxious yet determined, and lives the feeling like he's breathing it. They're some of the movie's least blatantly showy and most quietly complex scenes as well. The Williams patriarch has wisdom for all occasions, forged from a tough childhood in America's south, plus the hard work and hustle of turning Venus and Serena into budding champions, so he'd likely have something to say about the insights gleaned here: that you can tell oh-so-much about a person when they're under pressure but nobody's watching. If he was actively imparting this lesson to his daughters — five of them, not just the two that now have 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them — and they didn't glean it, he'd make them watch again. When they see Cinderella in the film, that's exactly what happens. But his courtside demeanour is teachable anyway, recognising how all the preparation and effort in the world will still see you tested over and over. King Richard is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SPENCER With two-plus decades as an actor to her name, Kristen Stewart hasn't spent her career as a candle in the wind. Her flame has both blazed and flickered 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. The new regal drama should do just that, of course, given its subject — but saying that director Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Ema) has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. 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 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. Spencer is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. Six decades ago, an all-singing, all-dancing, New York City-set, gang war-focused spin on Romeo and Juliet leapt from stage to screen, becoming one of cinema's all-time classic musicals; however, remaking that hit is a task that Spielberg dazzlingly proves up to. It's his first sashay into the genre, despite making his initial amateur feature just three years after the original West Side Story debuted. It's also his first film since 2018's obnoxiously awful Ready Player One, which doubled as a how-to guide to crafting one of the worst, flimsiest and most bloated pieces of soulless pop-culture worship possible. But with this swooning, socially aware story of star-crossed lovers, Spielberg pirouettes back from his atrocious last flick by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Shakespeare's own tale of tempestuous romance still looms large over West Side Story, as it always has — in fair NYC and its rubble-strewn titular neighbourhood where it lays its 1950s-era scene. The Jets and the Sharks aren't quite two households both alike in dignity, though. Led by the swaggering and dogged Riff (Mike Faist, a Tony-nominee for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen), the Jets are young, scrappy, angry and full of resentment for anyone they fear is encroaching on their terrain. Meanwhile, with boxer Bernardo (David Alvarez, a Tony-winner for Billy Elliot) at the helm, the Sharks have tried to establish new lives outside of their native Puerto Rico through study, jobs and their own businesses. Both gangs refuse to coexist peacefully in the only part of New York where either feels at home — but it's a night at a dance, and the love-at-first-sight connection that blooms between Riff's best friend Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and Bernardo's younger sister María (feature debutant Rachel Zegler), that sparks a showdown. West Side Story is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. HOUSE OF GUCCI For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Eschewing the earthy naturalism of her last film performance and tapping into her famed on-stage theatricality instead, she's perfect for the part of Patrizia Reggiani, aka Lady Gucci, aka the daughter of a trucking entrepreneur who wed into one of the world's most prestigious fashion families, helped unstitch its hold on its couture empire, then went to prison for murder. She's exceptional because she goes big and lavish, and because she knows that's the type of feature she's meant to be in: a soapy spectacle about money and power that uses its depiction of excess as an interrogation technique. Complimenting Gaga for nailing the brief — for acing it so dazzlingly that she's sauntering down her own catwalk as most of her co-stars virtually watch from the floor — gives House of Gucci a tad too much credit, though. Ridley Scott's second film in mere months following The Last Duel, and his third in a row to examine wealth and influence after 2017's All the Money in the World, this fashion-world saga skews large, lush and luxe with each choice, too, but doesn't land every sashay with quite the outsized lustre of its crown jewel. If House of Gucci's veteran director was picking an outfit instead, he would've chosen a killer gown, then wavered on the accessories. Some of his other decisions gleam, as seen in the movie's knowingly maximalist and melodramatic air, and in Adam Driver's (Annette) casting as Patrizia's ill-fated husband Maurizio Gucci. Others prove fine, like its jukebox-style soundtrack of 70s and 80s bangers. A few moves are so cartoonish — Jared Leto's ridiculousness, and the Super Mario-style accents sported by almost everyone on-screen — that they play like cheap knockoffs. House of Gucci is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST When Succession roves over New York's skyline — in its opening credits, as set to that bewitching theme tune, or just during its episodes — it gleams with wealth and privilege. Depiction doesn't equal endorsement, however, with the stellar HBO satire sharply cutting into its chosen world at every chance it gets. As one of the show's supporting cast members, Dasha Nekrasova slides into that realm, too, but that's not her only dalliance with the city's architecture, power brokers and all that both represent. The Scary of Sixty-First, the Red Scare podcast host's feature directorial debut, also savages the rich and seemingly consequence-free. It clasps onto a real-life story that's made that case inherently, abhorrently and monstrously. There's no gentle way to put it, but the fact that Nekrasova plays a woman investigating if a bargain Upper East Side duplex was one of Jeffrey Epstein's "orgy flophouses" says much about this purposefully provocative conspiracy thriller horror-comedy. College pals Addie (Betsey Brown, Assholes) and Noelle (the film's co-screenwriter Madeline Quinn) can't believe their luck when they find the cheap property, even if it does visibly need a clean — and have mirrored ceilings, as well as some questionable lock choices — and even if they don't appear completely comfortable with committing to live together. But from night one, the literal nightmares begin. Soon they're spying blood stains, scratched walls and eerie tarot cards, and feeling unsettled in a variety of ways. Enter Nekrasova's stranger, who comes sporting a dark-web rabbit hole's worth of paranoia and bearing the Epstein news. Addie and Noelle take the revelation in vastly different fashions, with the former seeming possessed by one of Epstein's child victims, and the latter diving deep into potential theories with her unnamed new friend. The Scary of Sixty-First is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. SCREAM Twenty-six years ago, "do you like scary movies?" stopped being just an ordinary question. Posed by a wrong-number caller who happened to be a ghostface-masked killer with a fondness for kitchen knives, it was the snappiest and savviest line in one of the 90s' biggest horror films, and it's now one of cinema's iconic pieces of dialogue. It gets another whirl in the Scream franchise's fifth movie, which is also called Scream — and you'd really best answer it now with the heartiest yes possible. Taking over from the late, great Wes Craven, who also directed 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3 and 2011's Scream 4 but died in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett task their next generation of slasher fodder with showing their devotion to horror with all the subtlety of a masked murderer who can't stop taunting their prey. That'd be a new Ghostface, who terrorises today's Woodsboro high schoolers, because the fictional spot is up there with Sunnydale and Twin Peaks on the list of places that are flat-out hellish for teens. The same happened in Scream 4, but the first new attack by the saga's killer is designed to lure home someone who's left town. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera, In the Heights) hightailed it the moment she was old enough, fleeing a family secret, but is beckoned back when her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega, You) receives the feature's opening "do you like scary movies?" call. Soon, bodies are piling up, Ghostface gives Woodsboro that grim sense of deja vu again, and Tara's friends — including the horror film-obsessed Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown, Yellowjackets), her twin Chad (Mason Gooding, Love, Victor), his girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar, Jappeloup), and other pals Wes (Dylan Minnette, 13 Reasons Why) and Amber (Mikey Madison, Better Things) — are trying to both survive while basically cycling through the OG feature again, complete with a crucial location, and sleuth out the culprit using their scary movie knowledge. Everyone's a suspect, including Sam herself and her out-of-towner boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid, The Boys), and also the begrudging resident expert on this exact situation: ex-sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette, Spree). The latter is the reason that morning show host Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Cougar Town) and initial Ghostface target Sidney Prescott (Skyscraper) make the trip back to Woodsboro again as well. Scream is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN Start how you mean to go on is common-sense filmmaking advice. It's the medium's obvious first step, but it's also an elusive achievement. And, it's a feat that's usually only evident in hindsight — when a viewer can see if a stellar introduction really did signal just as sublime things to come, or vice versa. Never Gonna Snow Again perfects the concept, however. In its arresting opening moments, a man walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland, and everything about the scene ripples with moody intrigue. The grey fog infusing the film's setting, the enigmatic look on the mysterious protagonist's face, the feeling that anything and everything could happen: filmmakers Malgorzata Szumowska (Mug) and Michal Englert (also the movie's cinematographer) deliver it all at the outset, and then back it up over their feature's 116 minutes. In Never Gonna Snow Again's initial images, that inscrutable man is Ukrainian masseur Zhenia (Alec Utgoff, Stranger Things), who walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland. His destination is lined with lavish identical houses — the kind that the song 'Little Boxes' has satirised for almost six decades now — but he's about to be its most extraordinary visitor. His hands can help knead away physical troubles, a must for everyone with his profession. But as he works his physical magic, his touch can soothe minds as well. Trundling his massage table from well-appointed home to well-appointed home, he quickly builds up a devoted client list of well-to-do residents desperate for his help. He steps into their worlds, spying their outward gloss — the similar wreaths on each door, the doorbells chiming with snippets of classic music — and palpating away their inner pain. Never Gonna Snow Again is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET On a fictional New York street that's home to a cross-section of the city's multicultural population, young and old alike, and also to boisterous muppets, sunny days have been sweeping the clouds away since November 1969. Eager to educate preschoolers, Sesame Street has taught multiple generations of children the alphabet, to count — with help from Count von Count since 1972, of course — and about life in general, and both its longevity and the beloved turf it holds within popular culture speak to its enormous success. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street knows that it's profiling a seminal piece of television, and that virtually everyone born in the past half-century grew up watching the adored series; however, it's also keen to tell the story behind that story. Nostalgia drips through this behind-the-scenes documentary, gleefully so, but so too does a chronicle of how Sesame Street became the icon it is — and against the odds. The show's backstory starts with TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett, and with a dinner-party conversation that saw them float the idea of a television series that might help American children prepare for school — particularly kids of colour. The path to Sesame Street reaching the air wasn't smooth from there, or plain sailing once it got to screens (its focus on racial integration didn't go down well in parts of Mississippi, for instance), but education-meets-entertainment history was nonetheless made. Inspired by Michael Davis' 2008 non-fiction book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, documentarian Marilyn Agrelo (An Invisible Sign) fashions her film as an insider's window into a miraculous program, blending informative details about how it came to be and its early years with clips of its muppet-fuelled magic. Both elements of the movie engage, as do its recent and archival interviews. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SHANE Paul Kelly named a song after him. Eddie Perfect went one better and wrote an entire musical. But if Shane Warne had lived out his childhood dream, he would've played AFL for St Kilda instead of becoming a tune- and stage show-inspiring star cricketer. That tidbit isn't new news; however, Warne talks it through in new Australian documentary Shane — an early inclusion that demonstrates the film's handling of its well-known central figure. Warne's sporting career rose spectacularly from his failed attempt at Aussie Rules, which he also chats through. It dipped via several scandals, professional and personal alike, which he takes to with considerably less glee. Warne is a candid and engaging interviewee and, while joined by other cricketing and celebrity figures in recounting his life to-date, he's Shane's main source of information, but the film still spins the story that he's happy to share. There's no shortage of details for directors David Alrich (Griff's Great Australian Rail Trip), Jon Carey (Forbidden Games: The Justin Fashanu Story) and Jackie Munro to cover, all of which they unfurl in chronological order. Warne was an AFL-obsessed kid who played under-19s and one reserves game, only to be told he wouldn't make it at the top level. He then considered tennis, but found his calling — and global renown and acclaim — in spin-bowling wickets. Even to viewers unfussed by cricket, Warne's achievements are common knowledge, as are his decades in the spotlight. So too are his controversies; the bookmaker situation, the match-fixing proposition put to him by Pakistani captain Salim Malik, the year-long suspension for taking a banned diuretic and the breakdown of his marriage all get a mention, and all earn Warne's current thoughts. He's also especially eager to discuss his prowess for sledging. Shane is available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review. THE KING'S MAN When something shows you its true colours, believe it. The Kingsman franchise certainly did when it debuted in 2014, as viewers have been witnessing ever since. That initial entry, Kingsman: The Secret Service, gave the espionage genre an irreverent and energetic spin, and landed partway between update and parody. But, while making Taron Egerton a star and proving engaging-enough, it didn't know when to call it quits, serving up one of the most ill-judged closing moments that spy flicks have ever seen. Since then, all things Kingsman haven't known when to end either, which is why subpar sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrived in 2017, and now unnecessary mostly World War I-centric prequel The King's Man — all from filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, Another year, another dull origin story. Another year, another stretched Bond knockoff, too. It's in a prologue in 1902 that Ralph Fiennes (No Time to Die) makes his first appearance as Orlando Oxford, a duke travelling to South Africa during the Boer War — and soon made a widower, because The King's Man starts with the tiresome dead wife trope. Twelve years later, Oxford is staunchly a pacifist, so much so that he forbids his now-teenage son Conrad (Harris Dickinson, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) from enlisting when WWI breaks out. But the duke hasn't completely given away serving his country himself, overseeing an off-the-books intelligence network with the help of his servants Shola (Djimon Hounsou, A Quiet Place Part II) and Polly (Gemma Arterton, Summerland). That comes in handy when a nefarious Scottish figure known only as The Shepherd interferes in world affairs, with King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (all cousins, and all played by Bohemian Rhapsody's Tom Hollander) his targets. The King's Man is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE After more than a few pandemic delays, Ghostbusters: Afterlife has finally reached screens — and it floats into a world that's made worshipping previous glories one of the biggest cash-spinners show business could've ever dreamed up. The fourth feature to bear the Ghostbusters name, but a new legacy sequel to the original 1984 film, this reanimated franchise entry certainly sports a fitting subtitle; treating its source material like it's nirvana is firmly filmmaker Jason Reitman's approach. To him, it might've been. Although he established his career with indie comedies such as Thank You for Smoking and Juno, he's the son of director Ivan Reitman, who helmed the OG Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. To plenty of fans, those two initial comedy-horror flicks were something special as well; however, acknowledging that fact — and trying to recreate the feeling of being a kid or teen watching the first Ghostbusters nearly four decades ago — isn't enough to fuel a new film. To be fair, the younger Reitman isn't particularly interested in making a new movie; Be Kind Rewind's "sweded" Ghostbusters clips are more original than Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Instead, he directs a homage that sprinkles in links to its predecessor so heartily that it's probably easier to name the scenes and details that don't scream "hey, this is Ghostbusters!" as loudly as possible. The focus: Phoebe (Mckenna Grace, Malignant), a new inhabitant of the cringingly titled Summerville, Oklahoma. With her mother Callie (Carrie Coon, The Nest) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch), she's made the move because the granddad she never knew just passed away, leaving a dilapidated rural property to his estranged family. The townsfolk speak his nickname, "dirt farmer", with mocking and intrigue, but his actual moniker — and all that equipment he's left behind — brings big changes Phoebe's way. While being Dr Egon Spengler's granddaughter doesn't initially mean too much to her, other than giving her love for science a genetic basis, she's soon segueing from testing out ghost traps with local teacher Mr Grooberson (Paul Rudd, The Shrink Next Door) to cracking Egon's secret efforts to stop a world-shattering supernatural event. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. BLACKLIGHT In most movies, Liam Neeson's Blacklight character wouldn't be the protagonist. Secret FBI fixer Travis Block likely wouldn't even be given a name. Instead, he'd merely be a brief presence who popped up to help other on-screen figures — the federal agents he gets out of tricky situations, for instance — as they went about their business and connected the script's necessary plot points. Turning someone who'd usually be seen as disposable into its lead is this action-thriller's one good idea, but the flattened henchman scene in Austin Powers gave the notion more thought than the entirety of Blacklight demonstrates. There's a difference between thrusting a character to the fore and fleshing them out, especially when a film is happy to define them solely by the actor in their shoes. Here, Travis Block is another prosaic entry on Neeson's action resume first and foremost. The film he's in is directed by Neeson's Honest Thief writer/director Mark Williams, too, who doesn't stretch himself or his star in their second collaboration. When Blacklight begins, Block has spent his career doing whatever FBI Director Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn, Elementary) has asked. Typically, that's assisting on-the-books operatives struggling with off-the-books missions — and Block is great at his job. But when he's tasked with aiding the suddenly erratic Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith, Shadow in the Cloud), he begins to see more in the rogue agent's story than his old Vietnam War pal Robinson wants to share. Crane has quite the wild tale to tell, tied to the assassination of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-style politician Sofia Flores (Mel Jarnson, Mortal Kombat) and filled with dark government secrets, and he's eager to share it with scoop-chasing reporter Mira Jones (Emmy Raver-Lampman, The Umbrella Academy). That's exactly what Block is supposed to stop, with his new crisis of conscience putting his daughter Amanda (Claire van der Bloom, Palm Beach) and granddaughter Natalie (debutant Gabriella Sengos) in peril. Blacklight is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SING 2 Star voices, a jukebox worth of songs, anthropomorphic animated critters, cheesy sentiments: that's the formula fuelling far too many all-ages-friendly films of late. Back in 2016, Sing used it to box office-smashing success by doing little more than spinning a colourful version of American Idol but with zoo animals doing the singing. It wasn't the worst example of this kind of flick, but perhaps the most interesting thing about it was the skew of its soundtrack, which favoured songs that the adults in its audience would like more than the pint-sized viewers entranced by its bright hues, talking lions and koalas, and frenetic pacing. It should come as no surprise, then, that Sing 2 doubles down on that idea by not only mining the discography of U2, but by also casting Bono as a reclusive ex-rockstar. For the Irish frontman, the double payday must've been nice. Returning writer/director Garth Jennings begins Sing 2 with a saccharine rendition of Prince's 'Let's Go Crazy', but that song choice isn't instructional or descriptive; nothing here departs from the expected. This time around, after already gathering a gang of music-loving animals via a singing contest in the first flick, koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey, The Gentlemen) has a hit show filling his theatre — but he still wants to make it big in the bigger smoke. Alas, Suki (Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), a dog and a talent scout, advises that Buster's ragtag crew don't have what it takes. He's determined to prove otherwise, taking pigs Rosita (Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show) and Gunter (Nick Kroll, Big Mouth), gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton, Rocketman), porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow), and elephant Meena (singer Tori Kelly) to Redshore City to pitch directly to wolf and media mogul Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Canavale, Nine Perfect Strangers). Sing 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 As 2019's stop-motion The Addams Family did, The Addams Family 2 boasts a few stellar strokes of voice casting, but that can't save a film that's distressingly eager to be as bland, flat and lazy as possible. Once again, returning directors Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (Sausage Party) — who team up with first-time co-helmers Laura Brousseau and Kevin Pavlovic — only manage to make viewers wish that Oscar Isaac (Dune) and Charlize Theron (Fast and Furious 9) could've played Gomez and Morticia in a new live-action film, instead of lending their voices to this mess. The lines they're tasked with uttering, as penned by screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu) along with Ben Queen (Cars 2) and Susanna Fogel (Booksmart), have less life (and inspire fewer laughs) than a corpse. And, as with the first animated movie, they're still caught up in a flick that has Snoop Dogg cast Cousin Itt so that it can drop in his songs (and yes, that's supposed to be funny, apparently). Story-wise, The Addams Family 2 focuses on Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz, Tom and Jerry), who feels she doesn't fit in with her relatives even before she's told she might've been switched at birth. But forget the dark humour that's always been the backbone of all things Addams since its first days on the page. Forget any sense of personality that isn't just "ooh, they're odd and they like grim things" — and forget anything that you wouldn't see in any other all-ages film, too. The script could've been written for any old characters, then had Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley (Javon 'Wanna' Walton, Utopia), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll, Sing 2), Thing and company shoehorned in, although its family vacation setup does take all the wrong cues from the aforementioned Addams Family Reunion. It hardly helps that the animation style looks ghoulishly unpleasant, but at least the character designs nod to Charles Addams' original cartoons. Nothing else about this unwanted sequel even comes close, in a feature that proves the antithesis of its characters: mundane, safe, routine and only unnerving in how terrible it is. The Addams Family 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows.
We're over halfway through Sydney's winter festival of Light, Live (music) and Ideas. Fans of Vivid have been capturing the best of the spectacle, and we're celebrating the best of this year's pics taken from folks like us — appreciators of light art sculptures, awesome projections, and perfect timing. If you haven't made your way down to Circular Quay and its surrounds, hurry. Vivid Light 2012 wraps up next Monday, June 11. Customs House, taken by Alex Wain (via Flickr). What lies beneath... Photo taken by Patrick Shirey (shared via Instagram). Don't feed the piranhas - photo taken by @keithmcinnes (via Instagram). A forest of bubble trees. Taken by iwoolf (via Flikr). A very vivid merry-go-round. Taken by Welsay (via Flickr). Museum of Contemporary Art, taken by @koltonlol (via Instagram). Sunflowers in the Rocks, taken by Real_ARMOTUR (via Flickr). Lighting of the Sails by URBANSCREEN. Taken by Artistiquephotography10 (via Flickr). Main photo courtesy of Destination NSW. Follow the latest fan photos on Vivid Sydney's Facebook page.
If you love a good spud, Thorpdale Potato Festival is where you'll encounter a huge celebration dedicated to the humble root vegetable. Of course, there's no shortage of potato-based goods to munch on, with an assortment of food trucks and stalls putting their spin on this essential ingredient. Yet what has helped the Thorpdale Potato Festival stand the test of time since 1977 is how this event extends far beyond just a good feed. Instead, the schedule is jam-packed with old-timey fairground games centred around the spud. For instance, the Vin Rowe Spud Run sees competitors race around a course with 50 kilos of spuds balanced over their shoulders. Other challenges include growing a massive pile of spud bags higher and higher, alongside gruelling potato-picking games and mashed potato-eating competitions. There's even Hessians on the Field, where budding fashionistas take to the runway to see who wore the demure potato sack best. Also on the agenda are sheep shearing demonstrations, motorbike stunt shows, face painting, kids' carnival rides and live music featuring some of Gippsland's most foot-stomping bands. So, if you love all things potato, start planning your trip to Thorpdale on Sunday, March 9. Don't stress – there's still plenty of time to perfect your haute couture potato sack garment.
No one can know for certain what tomorrow will bring; however, the tales told on screens big and small, and through games and comics as well, have delivered plenty of visions of what might come. Will androids dream of electric sheep? Will a Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4)-voiced rock star and terrorist make their presence known? Will Afrofuturist technologies transform life as we know it? These are some of the future possibilities conjured up by beloved pop-culture titles — and they're all part of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's just-announced world-premiere exhibition The Future & Other Fictions as well. Displaying at the Melbourne screen museum across Thursday, November 28, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025, taking pride of place as its big summer showcase, The Future & Other Fictions is a love letter to and deep dive into futuristic storytelling. More than 180 works will be on display, including from Blade Runner 2049, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Creator. Saltsea Chronicles, comic series NEOMAD and Björk's music video 'The Gate': they're all also featured. Before he was just Ken, Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) starred in the 35-years-later sequel to Blade Runner — and before he brought Dune and Dune: Part Two to the screen, Denis Villeneuve directed Blade Runner 2049. The Future & Other Fictions lets attendees follow in their footsteps via miniature sets, which are one of the exhibition's definite must-sees. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets the nod thanks to Academy Award-winning costumes by Ruth E Carter, while sketches from NEOMAD also feature — as do concept art from The Creator, Cyberpunk 2077 and Saltsea Chronicles. This showcase isn't just about well-known renderings of the future, though, thanks to work by Olalekan Jeyifous, Osheen Siva and Tāgata Moana art collective Pacific Sisters. Plus, via new commissions, DJ Hannah Brontë has her own take, and so does Liam Young and Natasha Wanganeen (Limbo). [caption id="attachment_974744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Thomas Huang[/caption] As it celebrates how screens imagine the years ahead via its array of artwork, sets, props and scripts — alongside clips, costumes and original design materials, too — The Future & Other Fictions also features a film season focusing on Björk, complete with Björk: Biophilia Live on the lineup. "This exhibition reminds us that the way we imagine the future is shaped by popular film, TV shows and videogames. Many alternative visions of the future can and do exist," explains ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan. "From two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E Carter to Italian fashion designer Alessandro Michele; New Zealand's renowned special effects studio Wētā Workshop to the Pilbara's own Love Punks. We hope that visitors leave optimistic about what might be possible — and find hope in designing the futures we need." [caption id="attachment_877485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_974749" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mahia Te Kore[/caption] [caption id="attachment_920309" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_974745" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Thomas Huang[/caption] [caption id="attachment_974750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mahia Te Kore[/caption] The Future & Other Fictions will display at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Thursday, November 28, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025. Head to the venue's website for more details.
Fitzroy's Grub is teaming up with some of the sweetest folks in town for a series of extravagant weekly high teas. After a sold-out run last year, Sweet Set will again treat punters to an eight-course menu in Grub's upstairs space every Sunday afternoon from July 14–September 1. Each week will include four savoury creations from the Grub kitchen paired with with four sweet numbers from a rotating lineup of Melbourne's best pastry chefs. Expect native ingredient-spiked hot chocolates and rich cakes from Mörk, pastries and doughnuts aplenty from Penny for Pound and some next-level baked goods from All Are Welcome's Boris Portnoy, who used to be the head pastry chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Meadowood in the Napa Valley. The whole thing costs $69 per person, and includes a glass of Puncheon prosecco and either a pot of tea or Market Lane coffee. Sessions will run at 11.30am, 2pm and 4.15pm each week, and we suggest getting your friends on board now — these pastry parties sold out last year. We promise not to tell your dentist if you promise not to tell ours. SWEET SET 2019 LINEUP July 14 — Bethany Claire Cakes, Candied Bakery, Cherry Cakes, Miss Ladybird Cakes July 21 — Don't Lose Your Temper, Tivoli Road July 28 — LuxBite, Penny for Pound August 4 — Bibelot, Emelia Jackson August 11 — Geoffrey Michael Patissier, Cobb Lane August 18 — Fig & Salt, Alice Wright August 25 — All Are Welcome, Lisa Van Zanten September 1 — Mörk Images: Ewen Bell.
They're the minds that transformed the underground car park at Marvel Stadium into thumping events space B3. Now, music agency Novel is at it again, taking over a Thornbury warehouse for its next heart-pumping edition of Smalltown. Another dazzling lineup of local and international musical talent will be coming to play on Saturday, May 11, headlined by Berlin legend (and Berghain resident) Ben Klock, French-born DJ Jennifer Cardini and Italy's brother duo Mind Against. And they're making the journey Down Under very worthwhile, each delivering a mammoth three-hour set. Meanwhile, home-grown support acts include favourites like Jennifer Loveless, Suzuki Drift, Edgework, Walter Juan and Marli. Of course, in true Smalltown form, the tunes and dance floor action will be just one part of the day's adventures. Expect some killer light displays by creative studio John Fish — whose work you've seen at the likes of Melbourne Music Week and Pitch Music & Arts — and a Funktion-One sound system to take it all to the next level. Smalltown will run from midday–11pm. Images: Duncographic
A much-loved northside summer pop-up is making its long-awaited return next month, as the Coburg Night Market takes over Coburg Courtyard from Friday, December 9–Sunday, December 11. Whether you're stocking up on prezzies or just want to soak up the start of those long summer nights, the free, dog-friendly market promises three days jam-packed with good stuff. Not least of which are the live tunes, curated by the selectors at Triple R. Pull up a picnic rug and treat your ears to sounds from the likes of Rainbow Chan, Yung Shogun, dj pgz, Simon Winkler, Srirachi, Jaguar, Small Fry and more. Shoppers will also find a tidy curation of market stalls from local creatives and businesses. Expect threads by the likes of Winkie Vintage and Green Ant, accessories from names like Fiona Howes and Polypairs, and artworks by Lawz Drawz, plus homewares, candles, condiments, textiles, whisky, pantry goodies and more. And no one will be going hungry, thanks to a bumper lineup of food and drink pop-ups slinging their wares across all three days. Bring your appetite to feast on dishes from the likes of Bao Melbourne, Brat n Roll, Nohadra's Kitchen, Porcupine Eatery and Real OG Burger, to name a few. Coburg Night Market will run from 5–10pm on December 9, 12–10pm on December 10 and 12–8pm on December 11. Images: Nic Cleary and Coburg Night Market
When winter begins to thaw, with leaves growing back on trees and flowers coming into full bloom, we want to celebrate the warmer weather and the world's annual rebirth. And, come September, Australia's biggest festival of spring will roll around. Now in its 34th year, Floriade will once again fill Canberra's Commonwealth Park with more than one million blooms. But this month-long flower festival is more than just smelling the tulips. After a successful introduction last year which saw more than 80 community groups plant a stunning tulip trail through Canberra's suburbs, the Floriade Community initiative will return with an additional 300,000 bulbs and annuals available. While you're in town, you may as well take the time to check out Canberra's best microbreweries, cafes and cultural hotspots, too. Start looking at accomodation ASAP. [caption id="attachment_736041" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martin Ollman Photography[/caption] Top image: VisitCanberra
For the third time in seven days, the Australian Government has introduced new restrictions on non-essential mass gatherings. On Friday, March 13, a ban on outdoor mass gatherings over 500 people was introduced, and was followed by a ban on non-essential indoor events of over 100 people on Wednesday, March 18. The latest, announced this afternoon, Friday, March 20, by Prime Minister Scott Morrison concerns non-essential indoor events of less than 100 people. A limit of one person per four square metres has been recommended by the Australian Government and Chief Health Minister. Airports, public transport, age care, correctional facilities, law courts, parliaments, food markets, supermarkets, office buildings, factories, mining sites, hotels, motels, schools, universities and transit spots — such as Bourke Street Mall, Martin Place — are considered 'essential', but cafes, pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, bars and cinemas (ones that are not already closed) will need to adhere to the new limits, the Prime Minister has today revealed. It's not clear how and if these limits will be enforced, but it's likely many venues will need to introduce new limits on capacity. With hospitality venues across the country closing and becoming takeaway-only already, it's also likely these new restrictions will lead to even more closing their doors, at least temporarily. The Prime Minister has also encouraged essential gatherings to adhere to the new guidelines, saying if it's done so more broadly we have a greater chance of "flattening the curve" (the term adapted for reducing the exponential spread of COVID-19, as shown by this graph). He has also, once again, pressed Australians to practise social distancing. It's predicted the above measures will be in place for "at least the next six months". For now, the bans on non-essential gatherings are in place indefinitely. A limit on one person per four square metres is now recommended for all non-essential indoor gatherings of fewer than 100 people. The Australia-wide bans on non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people on non-essential outdoor events of more than 500 people are still in place. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kitti Gould
The flash mob has become synonymous with making a statement, a bold one at that. It isn't everyday that a group of people randomly assembles in a public place to perform a silly choreographed dance number, so on the rare occasion a flash mob does take over the streets, passersby pay attention. American Airlines took advantage of this increasingly popular public display to make a statement of their own. The airline broke away from traditional methods of advertising and organised a flash mob at the U.S. Bank Plaza in downtown Los Angeles to promote the launch of their new flight services. The performance began with a single man dancing past a father and his daughter, and he was soon joined by 40 dancers descending the steps of the public plaza. After shocking onlookers with their meticulously choreographed routine, the mob created the American Airlines logo with their travel bags above their heads and then nonchalantly dispersed. Few things grab attention quicker than a flash mob, but this form of marketing has surely been done to death. And what are the new services that this quirky advertisement was meant to showcase? The airline now offers daily non-stop flights from LAX to Shanghai as well additional flights to nine new U.S. destinations. https://youtube.com/watch?v=a_w0lX3NIOk
Illustration, beauty, photography and nature come together in Darkness of Noon, a new exhibition and book to launch at this year’s L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Week. Photographer Derek Henderson focuses on capturing life in its true essence, whilst illustrator Kelly Thompson showcases her deep understanding of creating the female form, with both artists drawing on the delicate and subtle beauty of model Zippora Seven. The nude likenesses of Zippora are tasteful, natural and have an element of fantasy about them, creating a world that one wants to lose some time in. The exhibition will showcase a portion of what can be found in the coffee table style book designed by Australian based designer Fabio Ongarato, who has worked with the likes of Baker D. Chirico and Country Road. Only 1000 copies will be printed. Image credit Derek Henderson and Kelly Thompson.
The roll call of food favourites announced for CBD development 80 Collins are slowly starting to open their doors. We'll get our first glimpse inside opulent champagne bar Nick & Nora's when it opens on Thursday, July 2, but, before that, we can swing past Maverick for a golden waffle and a bloody mary. Fronting Little Collins Street, Maverick is the next offering from the minds behind Richmond's Mayday Coffee & Food, brother and sister duo Adam and Elisa Mariani. The space comes courtesy of Pitch Architecture and is warm and playful, filled with apricot and navy hues, futuristic lights and a terrazzo bar as its centrepiece. While CBD foot traffic isn't quite what it was pre-pandemic, with many Melburnians still working from home, those who do drop by on their lunch break can pick up coffee by specialty roaster Axil and pastries from Richmond's Penny for Pound or linger over Head Chef Eugene Yap's (The Kettle Black) eggs benedict with house-made pastrami, roast pork belly rolls and three-cheese and chilli scrambled eggs. If a coffee — albeit an oat-milk flat white, a single-origin long black or a batch brew — isn't quite going to cut it, the cafe is also licensed. You can pair a house spritz with the seasonal mushrooms on thick-cut rye, perhaps, or a Victorian montepulciano from Delinquente with a dry-aged stead sandwich — or, you can ditch the alliteration, and go for a martini with a bowl of bircher. [caption id="attachment_711890" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of 80 Collins[/caption] Come the end of 2020, Maverick will have some fairly fancy food company in the new food precinct. As well as Nick & Nora's, it'll be home to a new fine-diner from Chin Chin's Chris Lucas and Sepia's Martin Benn and Vicki Wild, Alejandro Saravia's new paddock-to-plate Farmer's Daughters restaurant, an urban cellar door from Handpicked Wines, a two-story dessert bar from Christy Tania and Colours Bowls from young gun chef Charlie Carrington. The giant 80 Collins development is going up on the site of the heritage-listed Le Louvre building, on the corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets. The high-rise, along with a newly refurbished commercial tower on the same block, will boast a futuristic new office tower, a 255-room boutique hotel and a luxury retail offering alongside the hospitality precinct. Find Maverick at 95 Little Collins Street, Melbourne from 7.30am–3pm Monday–Friday. Images: Michael Woods
