MIFF might not be here yet, but your year of good films is just beginning. The annual Cobs Peninsula Film Festival is set to kick off on the second weekend in February in Rosebud, showcasing the efforts of some of the best filmmakers in the country. And this year, for the first time ever, it'll be screening concurrently in Queenscliff as well. Along with film screenings, the three-day program includes workshops and pop-up cinemas — and, of course, the big ol' opening night do. In what began as a small event in 2011 — and is now a mainstay of the Peninsula, bringing thousands to Rosebud each year — 15 short films have been shortlisted. They'll be screened, then judged by a celebrity panel of judges. Held on the Village Green in Rosebud near the foreshore and the Queenscliff Town Hall, entry to the main event on Saturday, February 10 is free — just BYO rug, follow the crowd and come for some bite-sized film entertainment to go with your bite-sized food truck snacks. They're also holding a ticketed opening night event on the Friday with a screening of Australian film That's Not Me with star Isabel Lucas in attendance, and a Sunday afternoon session with actor, writer and director Leah Purcell. Image: Yanni Delaportas.
Mary Eats Cake celebrates the timeless tradition of pairing a nice cuppa with some delicious small bites, calling it a "high tea" and making you feel just that little bit fancy. With two teahouses — one in Brunswick and one in Montrose — Mary has hosted countless high teas, and now she's upping the ante by serving them alongside plenty of gin. Running on six Friday nights between August 23 and October 4, the gin-fuelled high teas will be hosted in collaboration with a range of Aussie distillers, including Anther, Tiny Bar and Brogan's Way. They're happening at the Brunswick venue, over a three-hour period between 6–9pm. The Scrumptious Gin High Tea will set you back $79 a head, and $84 if you have dietary requirements (with Mary's catering for vegetarian, vegans, gluten-free, gluten-free and vegan, halal, nut-free and pregnant women). Your indulgent night out includes a gin and tonic on arrival, a full High Tea menu of sweet and savoury treats matched to two more gin cocktails, and teas designed by a tea sommelier. And, in perhaps the most important news, you'll also have access to unlimited scones.
If the beginning of your year is always all about Mardi Gras but you live in Brisbane or Melbourne, you're likely currently considering a trip to Sydney across the end of February and beginning of March. Here's something that might sweeten the deal: as it first did from Brisbane in 2021, Virgin Australia is running glitter-filled flights from both the Queensland and Victorian capitals that'll be full of drag and DJs — and bottomless drinks. The pride flights are one-way legs from to Sydney that will include those non-stop beverages, DJs spinning classic pride tunes, pride flags a-waving constantly, and mid-air drag performances hosted by Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under stars Maxi Shield and Coco Jumbo. As you would expect, passengers will also be travelling on Virgin's most bright and colourful aircrafts, which'll be decked out in glitter and rainbows. After pre-departure parties (because this fabulous trip starts at the airport), the flights will leave from both cities around lunchtime on Friday, March 4, just in time for the final weekend of Mardi Gras 2022, including the parade — which'll be hosted at the SCG again this year to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. An array of parties, talks and performances are all also scheduled for the first weekend of March. Check out Mardi Gras' full program at its website. Tickets for the flight went on sale today, Wednesday, February 2, and are sure to be snatched up quickly. An economy seat on the flight will set you back $150 one-way or you can upgrade to business for $399. Whichever you opt for, $30 from the sale of each ticket will be donated to Australian charity Minus18, which works to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth. The one caveat: passengers will have to organise their own far less glitter-filled flight home following the weekend's celebrations. Of course, Sydneysiders wanting to experience the one-off flight can also head up to Brisbane or Melbourne prior to the Friday event, then use the pride flight to return home. Virgin Australia's Pride Flight will fly from both Brisbane and Melbourne to Sydney on Friday, March 4. Tickets are on sale now from the Virgin Australia website.
The last of Red Rock Deli's Secret Supper series is just around the corner. Giorgio Distefano, the chef behind Cremorne's celebrated Italian eatery Ms. Frankie, is hosting the next mouth-watering feast and will be cooking up a storm on Thursday, October 17. But what's on the menu? You might have guessed it, but there's an element of secrecy to this whole Secret Supper thing. Not only is the event to take place at an undisclosed Melbourne location, but we have no idea what kind of creative dishes Distefano will be serving up. All we know is the menu will be inspired by Red Rock Deli's new Chilli, Roast Garlic and Lemon Oil Deluxe Crisps. Add to this the event's theme of 'elevation of the senses' and we can probably expect some pretty big flavours. To find out more, we had a chat with the man himself to suss out what his favourite Melbourne restaurants, chefs and dishes are and where he draws inspiration from. "For me, food is all about bringing people together and creating connections," Distefano says, explaining that at the supper he wants to spark curiosity in diners and encourage them to get to know the people around them by sharing a menu of colourful and delicious-smelling foods. [caption id="attachment_608218" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Trattoria Emilia, Brook James[/caption] It's clear all the senses are important to Distefano, as all his favourite restaurants speak to him through more than just the food. He loves the "welcome and homely feeling" of Trattoria Emilia on Little Collins Street, where he enjoys the "earthly and delicate flavours" of dishes like the tuna tartare. Distefano mentions Chinatown's Seamstress for its shared menu (and the combo of fish and fruit in the spanner crab, papaya and mango salad), and Tipo 00 for the way the restaurant centres on shared entrees and homemade pastas. We're betting the chef's "simple yet authentic and flavourful Italian" style of cooking will shine through in some sharing plates during the supper. [caption id="attachment_725693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tipo 00[/caption] You might also have to get your hands a little dirty, if Distefano's love of interactive food is anything to go by. "I like the idea of people helping themselves to create their own dishes," he says, referencing Supernormal's bao with twice-cooked duck leg, plum sauce and vinegar. Distefano praises the Flinders Lane restaurant for its balance of Asian flavours in modern dishes and the way diners get to be involved with assembling their own food. He heads out of the city to Niddrie for his favourite open souvlaki at local restaurant Nobel Greek Tavern, which he loves for its big, flavourful portions. Praising the restaurant's simple approach to food, Distefano adds, "I enjoy the embedded flavours of herbs in the meat and the exceptional cooking of the meat on the spit." From homely traditional restaurants to the "sophisticated and flavourful cooking" of Neil Perry's Rockpool Bar & Grill ("I always order their aged beef with homemade potatoes"), Distefano draws inspiration from right across the spectrum of Melbourne's colourful culinary community. Taking pity on us in our quest for the hot menu gossip, Distefano reveals we can expect an interactive dining experience and "flavours which many would associate with home-cooking", hoping to get minds whirling and childhood memories back to the surface. To register for tickets to Giorgio Distefano Secret Supper, head over here. And, while you wait for the big night to roll around, you can get cracking on this Distefano-certified recommendation circuit. Top Image: Parker Blain.
After introducing Australian tastebuds to the double cheeseburger pie — and Tasmanian scallop pies, bangers and mash pies, and chicken parmigiana pies, too — the team at Banjo's Bakery Cafe has launched another culinary hybrid. Pastry is a feature, as usual. This time, though, it encloses layers of pasta, beef mince, tomato, vegetables and cheese. Yes, lasagne pies are now a real thing that exists on the bakery chain's menu. Melbourne's Pie Thief has been doing them since 2019, but now Banjo's is serving up its own version. And, yes, they're exactly what they sound like. The aim: to satisfy your cravings when you just can't bring yourself to choose between a pie and a slice of lasagne. If you're a little indecisive when it comes to choosing what to eat in general, you're probably already a big fan of food mashups that find ways to combine two popular dishes — and you'll likely want to add this one to your must-try list. The lasagne pies have joined Banjo's signature range, alongside the aforementioned other creative varieties. They'll be available from the company's stores from today, Wednesday, May 5, as well as via online click-and-collect orders and Uber Eats deliveries. In NSW, you'll need to head north to Glendale to get your fix. In Victoria, stores are located in Mornington, Traralgon and Mildura. Queenslanders can pick from ten spots, including Darra, Cleveland, Park Ridge and Redcliffe, while pie-loving SA residents can hit up Glenelg — and there's 29 stores in Tasmania. Banjo's Bakery Cafe's lasagne pie is currently on the menu at the chain's stores nationally. To find your nearest location, visit the company's website.
It's finally time to shed those winter coats. Spring is here and it's brought with it a week-long program of runways, workshops, panels, markets and stylish soirees. It's okay if you're not a professional model or a high-flying designer either. MSFW offers opportunities for people of all styles and threads; hell, even jeans and runners are making a comeback these days. Hardcore fashionistas will find their home this year with a vast selection of runway shows. For those wanting to cast their eye over garments that are actually somewhat affordable, check out the contemporary runway, which will feature the likes of local legends ALPHA60, búl and Kawaii. As always the emerging runway shows will prove to be a good chance to spot the up-and-comers, and a new event called ARTZ will combine the unlikely pairing of fashion and poetry on the catwalk. For everyone else, MSFW's Curated program is the way to go, with a whole slew of high teas, exhibitions, talks and workshops. The festival hub is smack bang in the middle of the CBD in City Square and will be quietly humming with excellent free events for the duration of the festival. Of course, you're not expected to do all this without a drink in hand. Campari is one of the official sponsors of the festival and will be mixing up crisp Campari Tonics at runway times for the duration of the festival. Also on display at the bar will be an exclusive collection of Campari artworks and advertisements that span 155 years, from vintage to the modern day — proving that, just like good fashion design, the signature ruby red Italian aperitif is timeless. Just make sure your outfit matches the drink. By Meg Watson and Lauren Vadnjal.
We're a nation of coffee obsessives. Many of us only consider a day to have truly begun once we've had our first sip of the life-giving elixir in the morning. Melbourne is one of the world's great coffee cities with a cafe to suit every mood. Good baristas and reliable coffee are worth investing in, especially if you take your daily caffeine with an alternative milk choice. So, together with oat milk purveyor Oatly, we've picked out the best coffee slingers, the greatest brunch pedlars and, yes, the top oat dealers to give you what you need to get your day off to the best possible start. If You're All About Good Vibes For those looking for a relaxing space to take a beat away from the non-stop grind of modern life, Acustico has got you. This Brunswick team of oat dealers prides itself on its atmosphere, having provided an intimate haven for the hungry, thirsty and soon-to-be-caffeinated of Melbourne for over a decade. Over in Fitzroy, there's Archie's All Day. The Instagram bio says it all, "brunch and good vibes – all day". There's a manifesto that anyone can get behind. The oat dealers at Archie's are dedicated to serving you the best coffee and the tastiest food, and they have a wicked way with cocktails if you arrive later in the day. Aesthetically, Collingwood's City Saints might have more in common with your favourite brewery than your local cafe. This might be a curious statement, but its commitment to having a great range of beans and roasters alongside hearty sandwiches and scrumptious fresh-baked goodies means every trip brings a new flavour experience. If you're in Collingwood and are looking for something a little different, you can't go wrong with Plug Nickel. The oat dealers at this establishment put a twist on the traditional flat white or cappuccino. Here, you can get a sparkling cold brew, an organic spiced chai or even a coffee-based winter toddy. Finally, Proud Mary in Collingwood is a wholesale store and a top oat-dealing cafe. Its ambience and attention to detail make it successful in both regards. It offers a wide range of specialty brewing products and by-the-bag beans while also acting as a welcoming community space. It's a great location to catch up with friends, eat good food, and enjoy a killer cup of coffee. [caption id="attachment_972077" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Coffee tasting at Calēre[/caption] If You're a Coffee Obsessive Tucked away on Brunswick Street is Calēre, a cafe that proves the old adage that good things come in small packages. This Fitzroy nook takes its coffee extremely seriously, offering masterclasses and experiences from its highly skilled baristas and oat dealers. If you fancy a brew, you can buy beans by the bag and pair them with a house-made toastie. Another outlet that takes its coffee seriously, Bench Coffee Company Roastery, keeps things clean, simple and deliberate. Think warehouse vibes, a plethora of coffee-making equipment for true aficionados and one of the most important things a coffee emporium can offer: consistency. Plus, it offers a subscription bean delivery service so you can perfect your coffee skills at home. Brunswick's Kōhī No Deshi is from the same team behind Disciple Coffee, which only serves its coffee black. Unlike its older sibling, it takes the exact opposite approach when it comes to milk. In fact, here, you have the choice of eleven different types of milk (oat included, duh), plus a myriad of other variety drinks to change up your usual coffee order — think toffee apple and caramel peach. Finally, Wood and Co. scour the globe for the very best. These oat dealers are driven by the desire to find that elusive perfect cup of coffee and even offer step-by-step brewing instructions on their website alongside their superbly stocked online store. [caption id="attachment_972076" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archie's All Day[/caption] If You Need a Quality Feed with Your Cuppa In Collingwood, there's Alimentari. This is more than just a cafe. It's a kitchen serving the best in Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine, it's a store offering sweet treats alongside stylish home décor and it's a beloved Fitzroy deli. More than all of these, though, it's part of the oat-dealing community thanks to its Smith Street kitchen and patisserie. Also in Collingwood is Chiaki. The name translates to "a thousand autumns," and this is reflected in its vibes. Step inside this oat-dealing establishment, and you'll feel as though time slows down. You'll want to savour every sip of excellent coffee and every bite of the Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. If you want some South American flavour with your morning cup of joe, head to Sonido in Fitzroy and enjoy authentic arepas and empanadas with your coffee. Aussies do cafes well, but we all could benefit from a little Latin flair in our lives. For the sweet treat fiends out there, Brusnwick's Green Refectory is a cake lover's heaven. The team here bake a wide selection of cakes, from traditional favourites like carrot cake to their own signature creations, like the Tim Tam cheesecake. Not much goes better with cake than a good cup of coffee, so this is definitely a match made in heaven. If you want the ambience and design of a West Coast American diner but in Brunswick, you need Walrus in your life. These oat dealers offer stacked burgers and thick slices of pie and even have their own vintage filter coffee machine to fully commit to the bit. Finally, you've likely heard of Tarts Anon. With tarts so good that they're announced in drops via Instagram that sell out instantly, it's fair to say this Collingwood spot has been a huge word-of-mouth success since its 2020 launch. However, you still have the option to go in person, grab a coffee and enjoy the creations of former 'Dinner by Heston' pastry chef Gareth Whitton here or its Cremorne sibling. Explore all these venues through the Oatly oat dealer network, which will be active from Monday, September 16, to Sunday, September 22. For more information, to hear oats mooing, leave a message or redeem a code for a free oat coffee at participating cafes, dial 1800-OATFIX.
If jaffles are one of your main dietary go-tos, you'll be chuffed to know that you can now order one while also helping out an excellent cause. In March 2019, non-profit group Society Melbourne opened the doors to its latest social enterprise hospitality project, dubbed Home.Two. Sibling to the Crêpes for Change food truck and pint-sized Brunswick cafe Home.One, this newcomer has set down roots at the University of Melbourne, where it's slinging Wood & Co coffee alongside an all-vegan, gluten free-friendly lineup of jaffles. You'll find hearty fillings like cauliflower and vegan cheese, mushroom and pesto, a plant-based meat and cheese pie version and even a take on the classic cheeseburger. And they're all just $8. The space itself is located in a cheery pocket of the university's New Student Precinct, located across from the tram stop on Swanston Street. It's set up shop inside a converted shipping centre, complete with a patch of turf and minimalist design by Breathe Architecture. You can take a seat on one of the wooden stools or grab a toastie on the run to your next uni lecture. The socially minded venue continues Society Melbourne's fight against youth homelessness, with 100 percent of profits going to its education and employment program. Run in conjunction with charities Launch Housing and Melbourne City Mission, the program offers life-changing employment and training for young homeless Melburnians, as well as a supportive work environment for them to boost their skills and confidence, from front of house to behind the coffee machine. Home.Two's also doing its bit for the environment, with fully biodegradable packaging and discounts encouraging customers to bring their own reusable cups and containers.
The Victorian Government will continue the strict enforcement of social distancing and isolation rules until at least midnight on Sunday, June 21, with the government announcing the extension of its COVID-19 State of Emergency. First made in March and due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency was initially extended until Monday, May 11. With the new extension, current restrictions — which came into force today — are now in place for three weeks. The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past two months as the state responds to the coronavirus. Announcing the extension, Sutton noted that the continued restrictions are needed to continue to keep slowing the spread of COVID-19. "Victorians have done a great job sticking to the coronavirus restrictions – their actions have saved countless lives," he said. "We know restrictions can be frustrating, but they are working. It's vital we continue to follow these directions to keep our community transmission numbers low and protect more Victorians." https://www.facebook.com/healthgovau/photos/a.991516417558722/3176855505691458/?type=3&theater With new restrictions coming into force today, Monday, June 1, the message has changed from "stay home" to "stay safe". While Victorians can now visit restaurants and pubs, head on regional holidays and gather in groups of up to 20, they're encouraged to continue following social distancing measures, practising good hygiene and avoid crowds. They're also required to continue working from home if possible. You can find out more about what you can and can't do from today over here. Fines are being handed out to folks who breach the restrictions, with Victoria Police issuing 5957 fines since Saturday, March 28, according to The Age. The state's financial penalties span up to $1652 for individuals and up to $9913 for businesses. Under the State of Emergency, people who refuse to comply can also be taken to court, where the fine imposed could reach up to $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Lazing on the couch. Wearing your comfiest clothes. Feeling very, very cosy. For folks trying to find something — anything — to be positive about from the past year or so, these benefits of spending so much time at home should rank highly. And, whatever the weather, they're also a recipe for blissful lounge sessions. Fancy feeling extra warm and fuzzy? Keen on some agreeable viewing options that'll not just make you feel cosy, but nostalgic too? Need a feel-good fix that only a nice animated blast from your past can rustle up? Jump into that groove you've got going on the sofa, put on your snuggest outfit and settle in to relive brighter, sunnier times — we've rounded up a whole heap of retro animated flicks that you can stream or watch on VOD right now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92a7Hj0ijLs ALMOST EVERY STUDIO GHIBLI FILM Getting spirited away, spending time with Totoro and chasing a moving castle are now as easy as clicking a few buttons whenever you feel like it. So is revelling in the heartwarming delights of one of the best animation studios there is, too. Over the past four decades, Studio Ghibli's reputation and popularity have only grown with each new film, with the Japanese outfit beloved the world over — for a very good reason. Whether you're fond of the talents of the great Hayao Miyazaki, or you've fallen hard for gorgeous animation by fellow Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, Miyazaki's son Gorō Miyazaki, and other directors Yoshifumi Kondō, Hiroyuki Morita and Hiromasa Yonebayashi, you'll find them all available to stream on Netflix. In fact, from Kiki's Delivery Service and My Neighbour Totoro to Spirited Away and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, every solely Studio Ghibli-produced animated feature except Grave of the Fireflies and the recent Earwig and the Witch is on offer, as well as made-for-TV movie Ocean Waves. Twenty-one Studio Ghibli films are available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgW6hUO2oyg FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST Mention the words Robin Williams and animation in the same sentence, and one film springs to mind. Aladdin deserves the instant recognition; however the 1992 hit was actually the second movie released that year to feature Williams' vocal stylings, after FernGully: The Last Rainforest. In the latter, he voices Batty Koda, an unstable bat who says he's been experimented on by people. He's fantastic, obviously — and he raps. But that's just one of the highlights of this environmental musical fantasy, which follows a logger, Zak (voiced by Jonathan Ward), who is shrunk down to fairy size by the winged, magical Crysta (Samantha Mathis). Christian Slater, Tim Curry, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong and Tone Loc also provide voices, and the movie's message against pollution and deforestation is a worthy one. Oh, and any Aussie 90s kid knows, the entire film is set in Australia. FernGully: The Last Rainforest is available to stream via Fetch TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZisWjdjs-gM PIXAR'S ENTIRE CATALOGUE Disney+, Disney's very own streaming platform, was always going to become the one-stop-shop for all of the entertainment behemoth's many famous brands, franchises and studios. That includes Pixar — and with the company spending the past quarter-century making lively, thoughtful, soul-lifting animated features, there are plenty of movies for fans to stream, re-stream and then stream yet again. In fact, all 25 Pixar features to-date are available on the platform, including last year's Onward and Soul, and this year's Luca as well. That means you can now spend, hours, days and weeks reliving the ups and downs of the Toy Story saga, enjoying the antics of Ratatouille's wannabe chef, being overwhelmed with emotion thanks to Inside Out and pondering the life of a dutiful robot left all alone in WALL-E. Pixar's entire feature catalogue is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rpEUuxgmY THE LAND BEFORE TIME If The Land Before Time taught us anything, it's this: even in prehistoric times, when you're a cute baby dinosaur and your species rules the earth, life isn't just about roaring, eating and playing. For "longneck" Littlefoot (voiced by Gabriel Damon), his trek to find the Great Valley is filled with peril — but it also fuels one of the most beloved non-Disney, Pixar and Studio Ghibli animated films there is. Of course, Littlefoot's journey also involves life lessons, endearing adventures and plenty of other cute, tiny dinosaurs, all in a movie that sparked a whopping 13 direct-to-video sequels between 1994 and 2016 (as well as a TV series). It seems that a pre-Jurassic Park Steven Spielberg knew what he was talking about when he decided he wanted to produce a movie like Bambi, but with dinosaurs. Also a producer on this heartfelt flick: George Lucas. The Land Before Time is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1huZhKwhIQc A HEAP OF DREAMWORKS FLICKS When DreamWorks jumped into the animation game back in the 90s, it did so with a splash. In one year, 1998, it released both the computer-animated Antz and the traditionally animated The Prince of Egypt. Then, in 2001, it had audiences everywhere falling for a cranky, green, Mike Myers-voiced ogre in Shrek. Not every DreamWorks film has hit the mark, of course. For every franchise-starter such as Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, there's been the less-successful likes of Shark Tale and Over the Hedge — and, more than many other animation studios, its flicks entertain actual kids far more than kidults. But if you're still keen for a DreamWorks-shaped trip down memory lane, both Netflix and Stan boast a sizeable array of the company's aforementioned movies, including everything from Bee Movie, Megamind and Monsters vs Aliens to How to Train Your Dragon and more. A variety of DreamWorks films are available to stream via Netflix and Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq2FZdvQXXg THE IRON GIANT What it means to be alive is one of humanity's oldest questions, and one of our most frequent literary and cinematic narratives as well. In The Iron Giant, a 100-foot-tall metal-eating alien robot voiced by Vin Diesel is doing the pondering, after the eponymous figure plummets from the sky and lands outside the town of Rockwell, Maine circa 1957. There, in a tale based on Ted Hughes' 1968 novel The Iron Man, he befriends a curious nine-year-old called Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal), as they both try to hide from the Soviet-fearing Cold War-era US government. Marking the debut feature by director Brad Bird (The Incredibles and its sequel, Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland), the result is one of the smartest, sweetest, most ambitious and astute all-ages animated films there is — which you'd expect from a movie that uses a towering space robot to contemplate not just human nature, but our ability to defy expectation and choose who we wish to be. The Iron Giant is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMlIpQ5pbCk DISNEY'S CLASSICS For decades now, no childhood has been complete without a whole bunch of animated Disney movies. The Mouse House has been in the business of making feature-length animated flicks for 83 years — since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs first released in 1937 — and it's still going strong. Obviously, everything from Pinocchio, Bambi and Cinderella to The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood and The Rescuers are all on Disney+. More recent films, such as The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, are too. And so is the movie that combined a cartoon mouse, eight pieces of classical music and over two hours of gorgeous animation into a masterpiece: the pioneering, imaginative and highly experimental hit Fantasia. Disney's animated films are available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v6-T52zLO0 FANTASTIC MR FOX Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson and stop-motion animation: that's a match made in cinematic heaven. Dahl wrote the acclaimed 1970 children's novel about the canny and cunning titular fox, of course, while Anderson brings it to life with a voice cast that includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson. While Fantastic Mr Fox is his first animated feature, the director behind Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a natural when it comes to witty comedy paired with playfulness, ample sight gags and a whole lot of visual symmetry. As for the story, it follows Mr Fox's (Clooney) efforts to outsmart a trio of mean farmers — and it's told here with energy, personality and Anderson's usual charm. Fantastic Mr Fox is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1-0Fst-J08 WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT It's the part live-action, part animated film that's really not for kids, and it's still a delight more than three decades later. Who Framed Roger Rabbit steps back to 1947, plays with both neo-noir and comedy, and creates a world where humans and cartoons — or Toons as they're called — co-exist. A who's who of Hollywood's late-80s best and brightest were all considered for the part of private detective Eddie Valiant (Harrison Ford, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy among them), but Bob Hoskins is pitch-perfect in the role. Also working a charm is the film's dark but funny tone, its exceptional special effects, and the reteaming of Robert Zemeckis and Christopher Lloyd after Back to the Future. Oh, and the fact that this always-entertaining PI tale is basically an oddball take on all-time classic Chinatown. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmhXPNg3DZ8 THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS More than a quarter-century ago, Tim Burton and Henry Selick served up one of the most enchanting holiday films to hit the big screen — and one that doubles as both Halloween and Christmas viewing. It's Burton's name that everyone remembers; however a pre-Coraline Selick is actually in the director's chair on The Nightmare Before Christmas, which charms with both its offbeat story and its gorgeous stop-motion animation. Burton came up with the narrative though, because Jack Skellington only could've originated from the Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands filmmaker's brain. Imaginative, original and engaging (even as it nods to Dr Seuss a few times), it still remains a treat for all ages no matter the time of year. The Nightmare Before Christmas is available to stream on Disney+.
Nick Cave, skateboarding? Nick Cave, skateboarding? NICK CAVE, SKATEBOARDING? Any way you say it, it sounds more like a metaphor than something that happens in real life. But according to Aussie skateboarding company Fast Times, the 57-year-old singer-songwriter is a "good friend and customer". And so, the poet and the skater have teamed up for a next level (and rather odd) merch project: the official Nick Cave skateboard. Rock art illustrator Chuck Sperry, who hails from San Francisco, is the man behind the design. Drawing on 'Nature Boy' for inspiration, a song from Cave's 2004 album Abattoir Blues, Sperry has created a female figure with wild blonde hair surrounded by flowers. Cave's lyrics are included: "She moves among the flowers, she floats upon the smoke, she moves among the shadows, she moves me with just one look." If you've been too busy sitting at home poring over poetry to learn to skate, you could always use it as a pretty striking wall hanging. And the good news for art collectors is that it's a limited edition. Alternatively, you could just settle for the t-shirt. By way of spreading the word on their collaboration, Cave and Fast Times have released a promo video, soundtracked by 'Nature Boy' and featuring some super-slick moves. Via Pitchfork.
Some venues tell you exactly what they're about right there in their name, and Bridge Road Brewers' latest location is one of them. The pop-up watering hole's moniker: 'A Bar Made of Cardboard'. And yes, that label is 100-percent accurate. At this short-term spot at East Brunswick Village in Melbourne, cardboard features everywhere. It has been fashioned into tables and chairs, so patrons will sit on it — and at it. It's been turned into shelves, signs and light fittings as well. In fact, the only things that aren't made of cardboard are the beer taps, fridges and dishwasher, for obvious (and soggy) reasons. The aim: to set up a completely zero-waste bar while Bridge Road Brewers works on opening its second brewery in the same location. Come December this year, it'll be home to a 350-person venue — but, while that's in the works, A Bar Made of Cardboard can welcome in 60 beer lovers inside and out for the next six months. Cardboard designers Boxwars and industrial packaging specialists Kebet Packaging have helped Bridge Road Brewers out with their temporary cardboard digs — and, yes, the whole place has been fashioned to be sturdy, as well as eco-friendly. Thanks to all that cardboard, the venue is entirely constructed from materials that are either recycled themselves — the cardboard is made up of at least 75-percent recycled material, in fact — or can be reused, recycled or composted. "We're opening our first metro brewpub in Brunswick East later this year and we can't wait to be a part of the community, so we decided to give locals a taste of what's to come with a pop-up. However, not just any old pop-up, but a unique one that celebrates the idea of its temporary nature while being mindful of our environmental impact," says Bridge Road Brewers founder Ben Kraus. "A Bar Made of Cardboard will only operate for six months before we open our permanent Melbourne home around the corner, so the space allows us to have a bit of fun and share what we do in Beechworth, all while doing the right thing from a sustainability perspective." If you're keen to head by, the pop-up opens on Friday, April 22, operating from Wednesday–Sunday. Bridge Road Brewers' full range of core and seasonal beers will rotate through the bar's six bar taps, and there's also a wine list that heroes small wine producers from throughout Victoria's High Country. And, an onsite bottle shop will be selling all of the above, plus Victorian spirits as well. In the bar, you can sip the latter as well — aka small-batch spirits and aperitifs which comes courtesy of Barking Owl Gin and Beechworth Bitters Amaro from Provenance's Michael Ryan. And, snacks-wise, Chappy's Chips and Mount Zero Olives feature on the menu, plus there'll be food trucks serving up meals on Friday and Saturday evenings. Find A Bar Made of Cardboard by Bridge Road Brewers at East Brunswick Village, 129 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East from Friday, April 22 — open from 4pm–late Wednesday–Friday and 12pm–late Saturday–Sunday. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen.
Every evening between now and October 2, Alice Springs will be the brightest place in Australia. Lights will illuminate a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the nearby MacDonnell Ranges, and luminous artwork will be projected onto the city's desert sands — and yes, that's just the beginning of the region's glowing wonders. Both form part of Parrtjima – A Festival in Light, which holds the honour of being the nation's first Indigenous festival of its kind. Showcasing contemporary and traditional Indigenous art, culture and stories using light and sound, it's also Australia's biggest-ever light installation. It is created by the Northern Territory Government and local artists in collaboration with AGB Events (aka the folks that light up Sydney each year for Vivid), after all. Visitors won't just celebrate Aboriginal culture by basking in the glory of a glimmering 300-million-year-old land mass — they'll also play a part in choosing just how the Ranges come to glowing life. An interactive component, called Range of Expression, allows festival-goers to pick their favourite colours and then see them projected onto the vast landscape. Looking down rather than up, Grounded immerses attendees in a sequence of artworks symbolising the return of Indigenous art to the country. The festival also features three light-filled caterpillar installations that tell the Yeperenye Dreamtime story, as well as five illuminated '50s-style skirts covered in watercolour landscape paintings by Alice Springs artists, including Albert Namatjira's granddaughter Lenie Namatjira. And while Parrtjima only brightens up the outback for ten nights, it's hoped that it'll become an annual drawcard. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until October 2 in the Alice Springs Desert Park, Norther Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
The duo behind Melbourne's sake brand Toji Sake is bringing a new taste of Japan to Richmond next month. Founders Shar and Yuta Kobayashi have joined forces with chef Dan Chan (Cumulus Up, Supernormal Canteen), who recently completed a stint at Hong Kong's highly lauded yakitori restaurant Yardbird, to open Eazy Peazy. The 100-seat restaurant is slated to open along Swan Street in early July, and, when it does, it'll be dishing up food inspired by both Australia and Japan, as well as sake cocktails. Kobayashi's Australian-Japanese roots and Chan's experience cooking Japanese fare have both influenced the menu, which focuses on izakaya-style snacks, such as yakitori, and dishes cooked on a hibachi (a Japanese charcoal grill). Expect the likes of duck gyoza with shiso and salted plum, kingfish sashimi with smoked daikon and cheesy beef croquettes. Bigger items might include crispy chicken skin fried rice, wagyu sirloin and baked sesame meringue with yuzu sorbet for dessert. Behind the restaurant's long concrete bar, you'll, of course, find a few Toji Sake concoctions. The brand's crisp junmai ginjo and high-grade junmai daiginjo sakes will feature in a selection of cocktails, and a mostly Australian wine list will round out the drinks offering. [caption id="attachment_725418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maegan Brown[/caption] The fit-out, by award-winning Melbourne firm Carr Design, is meant to fuse traditional Japanese elements with modern touches. Think interior walls representing the rice fields of the Niigata Prefecture, a snow-like ceiling reminiscent of the Asahi mountain ranges and doors that look like raked sand in a zen garden. These elements will be juxtaposed with projections of Tokyo's famed Shibuya Crossing and Japanese cartoon figurines used as handbag hooks. Find Eazy Peazy at 108 Swan Street, Richmond from July 11. Opening hours are Monday through Wednesday 5.30pm–late and Thursday through Sunday noon–late. Images: Hortenzia and Maegan Brown
There's something hypnotic about those viral 'is it cake' videos. You know the ones. Seemingly inanimate object, knife appears, oh wow, it was cake all along. Even when you know it's cake, you still stay for the reveal. Why? Well, we're humans, we like cake, and we like art — we like cake art! Therefore, we like that Le Yeahllow is opening a bricks and mortar store in Melbourne. That's right, the once online-only dessert vendor can now be found on the corner of Elizabeth and Little Collins — perfect if you're in the city and feel like grabbing a bite of an edible work of art. To celebrate the opening — and the festive season — Le Yeahllow has crafted a bunch of creations for its annual Christmas gift guide featuring two limited-edition cakes, artisanal chocolates and other mouth-watering treats. The Chestnut Blackcurrant Yule Log, a festive twist on the traditional Christmas cake, layers chestnut cream, blackcurrant puree, and vanilla sponge, crowned with chantilly cream and festive gift wrapping. Meanwhile, the Christmas Cherry — a fan favourite — makes its return this year, combining chocolate sponge with Valrhona chocolate mousse, cinnamon Bavarian cream and orange cremeux topped with a sprinkle of chocolate crumble. The Christmas lineup also includes a Chocolate Gift Box ($29), a Macaron Gift Box ($29), a deluxe Homebake Gift Tin ($95), and a Christmas Hamper ($135), giving you a variety of options if you feel like being the most popular person at Christmas lunch. Le Yeahllow is open Monday–Friday, 7am–6.30pm, and weekends and public holidays 9am–6.30pm. Find it at 366 Little Collins Street.
Google autocomplete results are often unintentionally hilarious and weirdly sad at the same time. But have you ever thought of them as an art form? Google Poetics is a Tumblr blog where users are invited to submit screenshots of their own 'Google poems'. After his generic Google search resulted in the strangely poetic "am I an alcoholic / am I fit to drive/ am I allergic to dogs / tell me, Andriy, am I", Finnish comedy writer Sampsa Nuotio experimented with a few more 'poems' and posted them on Facebook, where they were spotted by Raisa Omaheimo, who convinced him to set up the original Finnish-language version of the blog. Since then, Google Poetics has been expanded into 11 different languages and been featured in the Huffington Post, the Guardian, the Telegraph, and the New Yorker, and it's also inspired a 'googlepoems' page on Reddit. Co-founder Omaheimo says that she saw the poems as a kind of surreal art form, similar to The Situationists or the Fluxus movement. "I'm constantly touched and amused by the vision of a modern human being that these poems paint us," she said in a Huffington Post interview. "Many of us have these moments where we ponder questions like 'why am I single' or 'how big is the universe'. It is in a way extremely comforting to know this to be so. And also deeply amusing." See more of their sublime examples at Google Poetics.
The sweaty summer season might be behind us, but the balmy vibes remain thanks to the return of W Melbourne's weekly indoor pool party WET Sessions. Come rain, hail or shine — or all three, knowing our city — the series promises to transport you to sunnier places, helping to banish those Sunday scaries in style. From 2pm each Sunday starting March 5, partygoers can live it up in the pool and the poolside bar, enjoying panoramic views of the city's skyline from 14 storeys up. There'll be DJs on the decks, too, with a rotation of local talent set to drop by. [caption id="attachment_889782" align="alignnone" width="1920"] C Hawks[/caption] Tickets come in at $45, which gets you entry, a cocktail on arrival and roving snacks to keep you going throughout the afternoon — whether that's to keep you energised for swimming some laps or just to have a poolside dance is up to you. Feeling a little more luxe? You can nab a day bed for the arvo for $80, or claim the 30-person VIP lounge for a cool $4500.
Think there's just one Hottest 100 in January? Think again. The second important countdown of the month actually goes rather well with the music poll that just proclaimed Sydney band Ocean Alley's 'Confidence' the nation's best track of 2018. In the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers list, great brews are in the spotlight. And, just like its music counterpart, a victor has come out on top. That'd be Balter Brewing Company, the Gold Coast-based outfit part-owned by surfers Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbidge. It has again beat Stone & Wood — the winner of both the 2015 and 2016 polls — to the number one spot, claiming victory for the second year in the row. The label also had three beers in the top ten. Now that's something to toast to, ideally with their winning 'XPA' Extra Pale Ale in your glass. Clearly, plenty of folks did just that throughout 2018. Run by GABS — or the annual brew fest also known as the 'Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular' — the countdown is a people's choice poll decided by booze-lovers around the country, with a record 31,000 voters taking part this time round. Elsewhere on the list, 21 brews that first wet lips in the past year were included in the GABS Hottest 100, and 88 percent of the beers on the list are made by independently owned breweries. If you're particularly keen on either, GABS have also released rundowns of the Hottest 100 New Craft Beers and the Hottest 100 Indie Craft Beers (those owned independently) plus the next 100 from the main countdown. If you're thinking "less background, more beer", here's what you've been waiting for: the rundown of the best beverages from the past year that just keep tempting tastebuds. Working your way through them isn't just a great way to show your appreciation for locally made brews — consider it research for the 2019 countdown. From today, Dan Murphy's is also selling 24-packs of beers from the list, which are available through its website. GABS HOTTEST 100 AUSSIE CRAFT BEERS OF 2018 1. Balter 'XPA' (Pale Ale) Qld* 2. Stone & Wood 'Pacific Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 3. BentSpoke 'Crankshaft' (American IPA) ACT* 4. Young Henrys 'Newtowner' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 5. Bridge Road 'Beechworth Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Vic* 6. Balter 'IIPA' (Imperial IPA) Qld* NEW 7. Balter 'IPA' (American IPA) Qld* 8. KAIJU! KRUSH! 'Tropical Pale Ale' (Pale Ale) Vic* 9. Hop Nation 'Jedi Juice' (New England IPA) Vic* 10. Gage Roads 'Single Fin' (Australian Pale Ale) WA* 11. BentSpoke 'Barley Griffen' (Australian Pale Ale) ACT* 12. BentSpoke 'Cluster 8' (Imperial IPA) ACT* NEW 13. Your Mates'Larry' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 14. Black Hops 'Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 15. Capital 'Coast Ale' (California Common) ACT* 16. BentSpoke 'Sprocket' (American IPA) ACT* 17. Coopers 'Original Pale Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) SA* 18. Big Shed 'Boozy Fruit' (New England IPA) SA* NEW 19. Balter 'Captain Sensible' (American Pale Ale) Qld* NEW 20. Green Beacon 'Windjammer' (American IPA) Qld* 21. Capital 'Rock Hopper' (American IPA) ACT* NEW 22. Coopers 'Session Ale' (Pale Ale) SA* 23. BentSpoke 'Red Nut' (Red IPA) ACT* NEW 24. Balter 'Strong Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) Qld* NEW 25. Furphy 'Furphy Refreshing Ale' (Kölsch) Vic 26. Philter 'XPA' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 27. Capital 'Trail Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) ACT* 28. Stone & Wood 'Cloud Catcher' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 29. Jetty Road 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) Vic* 30. Pirate Life 'Mosaic' (American IPA) SA 31. Young Henrys 'Natural Lager' (Kellerbier) NSW* 32. Modus Operandi 'Sonic Prayer' (American IPA) NSW* 33. Modus Operandi 'Former Tenant' (Red IPA) NSW* 34. Hemingway's 'Pitchford Betty's' (American Pale Ale) Qld* 35. The Welder's Dog 'Farmhouse Ginger Beer' (Ginger/Spiced Beer) NSW* 36. Dainton 'Blood Orange NERIPA' (New England IPA) Vic* 37. 10 Toes 'Pipeline' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 38. Grifter 'Pale' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW* 39. The Welder's Dog 'Australian Wheat Ale' (American Wheat) NSW* NEW 40. 4 Pines 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) NSW 41. One Mile '4:21' (Kölsch) NT* 42. The Welder's Dog 'India Pale Ale' (Australian IPA) NSW* NEW 43. Black Hops 'Hornet' (American IPA) Qld* 44. James Squire 'One Fifty Lashes' (Australian Pale Ale) NSW 45. Thirsty Crow 'Vanilla Milk Stout' (Sweet Stout) NSW* 46. Coopers 'Sparkling Ale' (Australian Sparkling Ale) SA* 47. Bridge Road 'Beechy Summer Ale' (Australian Pale Ale) Vic* 48. Burleigh 'Twisted Palm' (Australian Pale Ale) Qld* 49. Capital 'Evil Eye' (Red IPA) ACT* 50. Hop Nation 'The Dawn' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 51. One Mile 'RDO' (Pale Ale) NT* 52. Akasha 'Hopsmith' (American IPA) NSW* 53. Feral 'Hop Hog' (American Pale Ale) WA 54. Fortitude 'Pacer' (American Pale Ale) Qld 55. Moon Dog 'Old Mate' (American Pale Ale) Vic* 56. Green Beacon 'Wayfarer' (Pale Ale) QLD* 57. Gage Roads 'Little Dove' (American Pale Ale) WA* 58. Pirate Life 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) SA 59. Akasha 'Korben D.' (Imperial IPA) NSW* 60. Colonial 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) WA/Vic* 61. Capital 'Summit Session XPA' (Pale Ale) ACT* NEW 62. Little Creatures 'Pale Ale' (American Pale Ale) WA/Vic 63. CoConspirators 'The Matriarch' (New England IPA) Vic* 64. Wayward 'Raspberry Berliner Weisse Sourpuss' (Berliner Weisse) NSW* 65. Balter 'Pilsner' (Classic Pilsner) Qld* 66. Gage Roads 'Atomic' (American Pale Ale) WA* 67. 10 Toes 'Longboard' (Australian Pilsner) Qld* 68. Moon Dog 'Beer Can' (Hoppy Lager) Vic* 69. Pirate Life 'IPA' (American IPA) SA 70. 10 Toes 'Happy Days' (American IPA) Qld* NEW 71. Burleigh 'Bighead' (Pale Lager) Qld* 72. Nail 'VPA' (Pale Ale) WA* 73. One Mile 'No Limits' (American IPA) NT* 74. Green Beacon '3 Bolt' (American Pale Ale) Qld* 75. Yak Ales 'Wilk Yak Pacific Ale' (Pale Ale) Vic 76. Jetty Road ' India Pale Ale' (American IPA) Vic* NEW 77. Brouhaha 'Strawberry Rhubarb Sour' (Kettle Sour) Qld* 78. Grifter 'Serpents Kiss' (Fruit Beer) NSW* 79. Pirate Life 'IIPA' (Imperial IPA) SA 80. Blackman's 'Juice Banger' (Hoppy Lager) Vic* 81. 4 Pines 'Indian Summer Ale' (American Pale Ale) NSW 82. One Mile 'Otto's' (Irish Amber/Red) NT* 83. Mornington Peninsula 'Squid Rising' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 84. Modus Operandi 'Dream Weaver' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 85. Mornington Peninsula 'Squid Supremacy' (New England IPA) Vic* NEW 86. 3 Ravens 'Juicy' (New England IPA) Vic* 87. Bridge Road 'Bling' (American IPA) Vic* 88. Black Hops 'Super Hornet' (Imperial IPA) Qld* 89. Young Henrys 'Summer Hop Ale' (Australian IPA) NSW* 90. Big Shed 'Golden Stout Time' (Sweet Stout) SA* 91. Fixation 'Fixation IPA' (American IPA) Vic* 92. Batch 'Pash the Magic Dragon' (Kettle Sour) NSW 93. Your Mates 'Donnie' (Porter) Qld* 94. Young Henrys 'Motorcycle Oil' (Porter) NSW* 95. Young Henrys 'Afends Hemp IPA' (Specialty Beer) NSW* NEW 96. Colonial 'South West Sour' (Hoppy Sour) WA/Vic* NEW 97. Capital 'Hang Loose Juice Blood Orange NEIPA' (New England IPA) ACT* NEW 98. Sauce 'Trubble & Squeak' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 99. Sauce 'Bubble & Squeak' (New England IPA) NSW* NEW 100. Feral 'Biggie Juice' (New England IPA) WA * — Brewed by an independent brewery. NEW — First brewed in 2018. Images: The Craft Pint.
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day and dinner is the tastiest, where does that leave lunch? Working the daily grind often leaves the midday meal as an afterthought. That great life hack of meal prepping is specifically conceived so you don't have to think about what to have for lunch each day — after all, we make enough decisions on a daily basis that one less choice can have a near meditative effect. But if lunch is an afterthought, there are ways to make sure it becomes a highlight of your day. We've teamed up with Yumi's to compile a list of seven easy lunch hacks that will make you look forward to lunch every day. [caption id="attachment_816218" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mae Mu (Unsplash)[/caption] KEEP YOUR OWN LOAF OF BREAD IN YOUR DESK — AND BRING YOUR OWN SANDWICH FILLINGS There's a reason that the humble sandwich has long been the perfect office lunch for a busy worker with little time to spare. Not only can you hold it in one hand, but it's easy to make, super transportable, and, more importantly, the possibilities are endless — from choice of bread to choice of fillings. You could have a sandwich five days a week and have a different meal every day. Perhaps, though, its greatest strength is also its biggest downfall. How many times have you pre-made a delicious sandwich only to unwrap it at lunchtime and be greeted with a disintegrating, soggy mess? The solution is more simple than you think. Buy a loaf of bread, keep it in your desk and bring in your fillings. You could do this every day or prep it properly, bring in your week's worth of fillings each Monday and stack your sarnie when the lunchtime hunger hits. It's simple, fresh and won't leave you with more mess than meal. STORE YUMI'S DIPS AND VEGGIE BITES AT WORK Getting snacky while working in an office (or 'studio' or 'base' or whatever terminology you choose to use), is hardly an uncommon occurrence. In fact, one of the great joys of parking yourself in a chair all day is — and we speak from experience here — the quick hit of joy that a cheeky snack can provide. We like to keep it classy with crudités, crackers and dip. And with over 20 varieties of dip on offer, Yumi's covers the full gamut of snacktime cravings. We love the creamy avo with sea salt, while the sweet potato and roasted cashew is also a winner. They're versatile, too — you can use them as an alternative spread for that fresh sandwich you've got in your meal plan. If you feel like biting into something, Yumi's veggie bites are a quick easy snack hack. The great range of flavours jazz up just about any savoury plate (not to mention the otherwise sad salad you were probably going to tolerate for lunch). Just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and you're good to go. They come in resealable bags, too, making storage — and freshness — a cinch. [caption id="attachment_816227" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Karolina Kolodziejczak (Unsplash)[/caption] BRING YOUR OWN PLATES This might seem a bit extra, but hear us out. Long lunches seem to be a thing of the past — the desk lunch, sadly, is often our only respite from the storm of work. Even if you do go to the effort of taking your lunch out of the Tupperware (or the container you had it delivered in), it's not exactly inspiring when you're staring down at the same crockery every day. A simple solution? Bring in your own. You probably already have your own mug, so it's really just the next step in making your work day that little bit more personal. [caption id="attachment_816238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nielsen Ramon (Unsplash)[/caption] ORGANISE A LUNCH SWAP WITH COLLEAGUES Be honest with yourself: how many times have you had the same thing for lunch five days in a row? That Sunday meal prep is a time- and money-saver, sure, but it doesn't actually offer much in the way of variety. Mix it up with an office lunch swap. The benefits of such an arrangement are many and varied — you can connect with your colleagues on a whole new level (that, hopefully, doesn't involve either party exchanging passive-aggressive emails), potentially save yourself time (and money), but, more importantly, it will spare you from eating the same thing day in, day out. If you're looking for a lunchtime shake-up, this could be just the fix you need. [caption id="attachment_816251" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maddi Bazzocco (Unsplash)[/caption] ADD SOME CRUNCH TO YOUR LUNCH So you've gone for the desk salad. But it doesn't need to be sad — even if it has been sitting in the fridge all day. Spruce up that bowl by adding a bit of crunch. Chopped nuts, grains, and dukkah are go-to additions for when we want to top up a bowl, adding a bit of texture to what could otherwise be a bit of a floppy bore. Nuts and grains also have a number of nutrition benefits, so it's a great way to make that healthy lunch work even harder for your body. Another hot tip: keep a pack of Yumi's Falafels or Veggie Bites on hand, and throw a few in your bowl to take your salad to the next level. [caption id="attachment_816254" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tetiana Bykovets (Unsplash)[/caption] MAKE A MEAL OF IT — AND HAVE A SQUARE OR TWO OF DARK CHOCOLATE FOR DESSERT We all know that a meal isn't really a meal unless you have dessert. But you don't have to forego the experience just because you're having lunch in the office. The benefits of dark chocolate have been long proven: it's packed with antioxidants, fibre, minerals, and can improve blood flow to the brain as it contains stimulants like caffeine and theobromine. It's not only a great way to end your lunch on a sweet note but it will ensure that you power through the afternoon. [caption id="attachment_816256" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Priscilla du Preez (Unsplash)[/caption] ACTUALLY MAKE TIME FOR A LUNCH BREAK, AWAY FROM YOUR DESK (AND WORK) We're all so busy these days. Busyness is almost like a badge of honour or an ongoing game of oneupmanship that borders on masochism. But we should never be too busy to look after ourselves. Leaving that report to the afternoon isn't going to make that much of a difference in the scheme of things, no matter what the artificial stress of work life tells us. Stepping away from your desk — even just for 15 minutes — has even been shown to improve productivity thanks to the energy and focus recharge that a lunch break can provide, and can also boost your creativity. You'll also be less inclined to have that regular afternoon slump that even the most seemingly untouchable are prone to. No time for the full lunch break? Even a stroll around the block is a great way to get the blood flowing, which will have you ready to tackle that afternoon to-do list. For more healthy lunch hacks, check out the full range of Yumi's falafels, veggie bites and dips.
Extended non-stop flights that almost take an entire day. Airlines specifically for arts, snow sports and craft beer. One brand that specifically focuses on millennial passengers. Planes free of single-use plastic. Air travel is an ever-changing realm, but the industry's latest development might just be its most curious — although it relates to a matter that everyone has an opinion on. The subject of countless stand-up routines, a topic of conversation any time flights come up and a part of the journey plenty of folks dread, airline food is hardly anyone's favourite meal. But United Airlines is testing that idea by releasing its own cookbook inspired by the dishes that it serves up in the air. With coconut soup with sambal oelek chicken just one of the 40 meals featured, the carrier hasn't published a collection of recipes dedicated to economy fare. Rather, the United Polaris Cookbook is based on its business and first-class offerings. The cookbook has been created in collaboration with the airline's executive chefs, as well as those from the Trotter Project — a non-profit organisation started by chef Charlie Trotter to provide opportunities to wannabe culinary stars who mightn't have the means to pursue cooking as a career otherwise. For those eager to fly high in the kitchen, the cookbook is on sale now for US$29.99. Whether the end results really do taste like airline food or something much more gourmet, whipping a few dishes up yourself is certainly cheaper than a business-class ticket.
When Australia started to get excited about Brisbane potentially hosting the 2032 Olympic Games — with the Queensland capital named as the preferred host last month — one important detail stood out. Planning for an event 11 years away is all well and good (and necessary, of course), but the 2020 Tokyo Olympics hasn't yet been held, with the Games postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Given that COVID-19 case numbers are still high around the world, there has been much speculation about whether the Tokyo Olympics will go ahead this year, too; however, Japan is currently forging ahead with its plans. Much will likely be different about the event, which is slated to run from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8 — and a total lack of overseas spectators is one of the big changes. First reported earlier in March, and confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday, March 20, the five Japanese bodies organising the games — the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), the Organising Committee Tokyo 2020 and the Government of Japan — have decided to exclude international fans from attending both the Olympics and the Paralympics. "Currently, the COVID-19 situation in Japan and many other countries around the world is still very challenging and a number of variant strains have emerged, whilst international travel remains severely restricted globally," the Tokyo Olympics organisers said. "Based on the present situation of the pandemic, it is highly unlikely that entry into Japan will be guaranteed this summer for people from overseas," the statement continued. At present, restrictions on international travellers entering Japan are in place in general. With that in mind, organisers said that "in order to give clarity to ticket holders living overseas and to enable them to adjust their travel plans at this stage, the parties on the Japanese side have come to the conclusion that they will not be able to enter into Japan at the time of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This conclusion will further contribute to ensure safe and secure Games for all participants and the Japanese public. In line with their principle of safety first for all participants and out of respect for all the parties on the Japanese side, the IOC and IPC announced in today's Five Parties meeting that they fully respect and accept this conclusion." Refunds will be issued to current ticketholders from overseas, who'll be contacted with more information about getting their money back. Tokyo Olympics organisers are yet to confirm capacity levels for the Games, including whether Japanese spectators will be permitted to attend at all, too; however, a decision on the topic is expected in April. For more information about the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which are due to be held from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8, 2021, head to the event's website. Images: IOC Media.
Thanks to seminal documentaries such as The Endless Summer, excellent action flicks like Point Break and even the formulaic cheesiness such as Blue Crush, surfing is no stranger to cinemas. Big waves and big screens go hand in hand quite often, in fact, as seen in everything from beach party flicks like Gidget, surf dramas such as Drift, docos including Morning of the Earth and even the animated likes of Ride Your Wave. The next addition to the ever-growing surf movie genre: documentary Girls Can't Surf, which heads back to the 80s and into the backlash by female surfers against the male-dominated industry. Sick of being told that professional surfing wasn't for them — and being considered a gimmick, sideshow and complete afterthought compared to their male peers — a group of women fought back, striving for equal pay and treatment. Yes, this doco features an important story — as told through interviews with pioneering female surfers such as Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha and Layne Beachley. Behind the lens, it's directed by Christopher Nelius, who is no stranger to the waves thanks to 2012's Storm Surfers 3D. With summer now in full swing, the arrival of Girls Can't Surf's trailer couldn't be better timed — although you will have to wait to see the film itself. After being selected as part of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, it'll premiere locally at the Perth Arts Festival in January, then hit up Sydney Film Festival's Summer Season and Westpac Openair, before hitting cinemas nationwide on March 11. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjcbZla2cA&feature=youtu.be Girls Can't Surf releases in Australian cinemas on March 11, 2021. Top image: Don King
Chapel Street is popping off right now. In the past few months, the strip scored Suzie Q, Windsor Wine Room, The Chapel and Inca — and now Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Kisumé, Grill Americano, Society, Yakimono and Baby Pizza) is giving it a go. Come Saturday, September 7, his two-storey Japanese-inspired restaurant and sake bar Tombo Den will open next door to Lucas' own Hawker Hall. This latest venue is inspired by Lucas' time living and working in Tokyo in the 90s, and is a celebration of Japanese street food and izakaya culture. Head Chef Dan Chan (Supernormal and Michelin-starred Yardbird in Hong Kong) is spearheading the culinary offerings at Tombo Den, serving up a heap of dumplings, rice and noodle dishes and charcoal-barbecued seafood and meats. Desserts like strawberry and sake ice cream sundaes and brûléed dark chocolate mousse with black sesame also feature. Tombo Den's menu also champions sushi, which is strongly inspired by the food's more casual beginnings as a street food staple. Kisumé's Sushi Masters Toaki Kyo and Carlos Lopez oversee the sushi lineup, crafting a selection of sashimi, nigiri and handrolls. This more casual dining style is complemented by an approachable drinks lineup curated by Society's own Tokyo-born Master Sommelier Yuki Hirose. Society is known for its encyclopedic drinks offering — often winning international wine list awards — but Tomo Den's menu won't be quite as exhaustive. This isn't meant to be a fine-diner. The aim is for it to have a more laidback izakaya feel where you don't need a sommelier to guide you through the offerings. A good mix of local and international wines will be up for grabs, with plenty offered by the glass or in a half-bottle carafe. Classic cocktails also get a Japanese twist, so you can expect to find sips like the sake martini, yuzu spritz, and macadamia and tonka espresso martini. Japanese beers and a fairly extensive collection of whiskies also feature here, while sakes are championed upstairs in the separate Sake Bar. Adding to the late-night Tokyo vibes is Tombo Den's own private karaoke room, which is sure to book out well in advance. This all sits within a totally revamped space that has a distinctly brutalist Japanese feel. DKO Architecture and Projects of Imagination have achieved this by blocking out the space with concrete, mahogany wood and marble finishes. AI-generated artwork from artist Tom Blachford breaks up these somewhat cold design features, adding a little colour and playfulness to the whole affair. All in all, it looks to be another winner for Lucas, who's built up a hugely successful Australian restaurant empire, and still plans to open more venues in the coming years. [caption id="attachment_971728" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Chan[/caption] Tombo Den is set to open on Saturday, September 7, and will be found at 100 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more information, you can visit the venue's website. Images: Michael Pham.
France's dedication to cinema is well-known, from its thriving and prolific local industry through to its commitment to the big-screen experience — and also its status as the home of the world's most prestigious film festival. But which country boasts the largest showcase of French movies outside of the country itself? That'd be Australia, all thanks to the annual and beloved Alliance Française French Film Festival. One of the first film fests on each year's cinema calendar, AFFFF will return in 2023 for its whopping 34th year, once again highlighting the latest and greatest flicks from France that it can find. The full bill always includes notable comedies and dramas from the past year, both award-winners and contenders, and a focus on classic French films — and while it is too early for the festival to reveal its lineup for its next edition, it has announced its dates ahead of program details arriving in the new year. As usual, the event will make its regular capital city stops. So, cinephiles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, mark your diaries accordingly. In addition, AFFFF is also heading to a heap of regional locations — some that it has visited in past years, others that are new additions for 2023. Movie buffs in Byron Bay, Parramatta, Rooty Hill, Victor Harbour, Bendigo, the Gold Coast and Margaret River, block out your calendars as well. Wondering what the program might entail? The 2022 lineup is a good guide in terms of the kinds of films AFFFF champions. This year's roster included stunning abortion drama Happening, which also won the 2021 Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival; the exceptional Petite Maman, the latest film from Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Céline Sciamma; and grand 19th-century Paris-set drama Lost Illusions. Also on the 2022 bill: Murder Party, a murder-mystery with big Cluedo vibes; Full Time, led by Call My Agent!'s Laure Calamy; and documentary The Velvet Queen, with photographer Vincent Munier and writer Sylvain Tesson heading to the Tibetan highlands on a quest to find the snow leopard. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: March 7–April 5: Sydney, NSW March 8–April 5: Melbourne, VIC March 8–April 5: Perth, WA March 9–19: Hobart, TAS March 9–April 5: Canberra, ACT March 15–April 12: Brisbane, QLD March 16–April 5: Byron Bay, NSW March 23–April 19: Adelaide, SA March 29–April 2: Parramatta, NSW March 29–April 2: Rooty Hill, NSW March 29–April 16: Gold Coast, QLD March 31–April 2: Margaret River, WA April 3 and 10: Victor Harbour, SA April 21–23: Bendigo, VIC + encore dates in some cities The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from Tuesday, March 7–Tuesday, April 25, 2023. For more information, visit the AFFFF website. Check back here on Wednesday, February 1 for the full program.
Melburnians, your love for cheese knows no bounds. From conquering a 150-cheese pizza to indulging in cheese-centric festivals, you've done it all. But here's another challenge for your cheese-loving palate: a one-of-a-kind 29-cheese gnocchi. South Yarra's Cucinetta is the eatery behind the wondrous creation, which it's bringing back for its seventh iteration. If you're amenable to lactose and keen to give it a try, it's available between Monday, September 23–Sunday, October 6 for both lunch and dinner. Each bite of the handmade potato gnocchi is a symphony of flavours, thanks to the 29 carefully selected cheeses from Thomastown's That's Amore Cheese. The lineup includes buffalo mozzarella, truffled caciotta, smoked scamorza, burrata and blue cheese. Setting you back $36.90, the smash-hit dish can be enjoyed alongside the restaurant's usual lineup of classic Italian dishes and be paired with a decent selection of wines. If you, like us, fancy yourself a bit of a cheese fanatic, you're probably curious as to what the 29 cheeses are. Well, here's the full list: Fior di Latte Buffalo Mozzarella Burrata Scamorza Bianca Caciotta Pepper Caciotta Chilli Caciotta Truffle Caciotta Ricotta Delicata Ricotta Salata Mascarpone Squacquerone Buffalo Bocconcini Buffalo Ricotta Buffalo Caciotta Smoked Buffalo Mozzarella Smoked Bocconcini Smoked Scamorza Smoked Caciocavallo Diavoletto Secret of The Forest Drunken Buffalo Lavato, Panettone Panettone with Truffle Caciocavallo Bufalotto Blue Cheese Formaggio di Vacca
Fresh from making history as the only city outside of Melbourne to ever host an AFL Grand Final, Brisbane looks poised to land another huge sporting event: the 2032 Olympic Games. While a final decision hasn't yet been made, the International Olympic Committee has just announced that it will enter into "targeted dialogue" with the committee behind the Queensland capital's hosting bid and the Australian Olympic Committee. The move follows a recommendation by the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad, and will see more detailed discussions about Brisbane staging the games take place. While it isn't guaranteed that the chats between the IOC and Australia's committees will land Brisbane the hosting spot, the former has outlined a number of reasons that Brisbane has been selected to progress to the next stage. They include the city's experience in hosting major international sports events, the advanced nature of its plan, and the proposed focus on existing or temporary venues. Queensland's climate in July and August also weighed in its favour — unsurprisingly — as did the commitment to improving transport infrastructure, Brisbane's lineup of hotels, and the support of the government, the public and the private sector. Also named a factor: "Australia's sporting success throughout modern Olympic history". The IOC specifically referred to the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, which was the last time the Games were held in Oceania. It also noted that if Brisbane was to emerge victorious, there'd be just a 32-year gap between Australia's most recent hosting slots. The Games were first held on our shores back in 1956, in Melbourne. https://twitter.com/AUSOlympicTeam/status/1364647402960023556 Brisbane's bid includes three clusters of venues — with 21 in Brisbane itself, six on the Gold Coast and three on the Sunshine Coast — and proposes that the Games take place between July 23–August 8, 2032. A new Olympic Stadium, arena and indoor sports centre are mooted in the plan, and a new waterfront Olympic Village would be built in Brisbane, with a second set up on the Gold Coast using existing hotels. If Brisbane is picked, it'll mean that southeast Queensland will host the Olympics just 14 years after hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. Brisbane has also staged the Commonwealth Games, back in 1982. A decision on Brisbane's Olympic Games bid is expected to be announced over the next year — after Tokyo holds the postponed 2020 Games this year. Paris is on hosting duties in 2024, while Los Angeles will take the torch in 2028. For further details about the International Olympic Committee's announcement, and about Brisbane's bid for the 2032 Olympics, head to the Games' website. Top image: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport via Wikimedia Commons.
Immersive and Instagrammable art has been all the rage in Australia for a few years now. Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Room has taken up permanent residence in Canberra, Sugar Republic's "dessert museum" keeps popping up, both multi-sensory playground Imaginaria and Van Gogh Alive have been touring the country in 2021, and Melbourne now has its own permanent digital art museum. And, after first hitting our shores in Sydney in 2020, Happy Place is about to jump back on the must-photograph list. Dubbed the "world's most Instagrammable exhibit", the multi-room installation had already travelled across the US and Canada before its first Aussie stop, and now it's heading to Crown Melbourne from Thursday, December 2–Sunday, January 30. Once inside the exhibition, you'll find many OTT rooms to explore, including a rubber ducky bathtub room, a cookie room that actually smells like freshly baked cookies, a room filled with 40,000 golden handmade flowers and a giant rainbow with a golden ball pit (no leprechauns though, sorry). If that doesn't have you reaching for your smartphone, there's also a mind-bending upside-down room and the "world's largest indoor confetti dome". Happy Place will be operating under COVID-safe guidelines in Melbourne, which means that all patrons over the age of 16 will need to be double-vaccinated — and there'll be contact tracing in effect, as well as increased sanitisation measures. A visit will cost adults $24.99 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between Thursday, December 2–Wednesday, December 15; $29.99 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between the same dates; and still $29.99 from Tuesday–Sunday between Thursday, December 16–Sunday, January 30. Hours-wise, midweek sessions will run from 10am–7.30pm until Wednesday, December 8, and from 9am–7.30pm afterwards. Friday and Saturday sessions run from 9am–9pm, and the pop-up is open from 9am–6pm on Sundays.
When The Dry became a massive Australian box-office hit in 2021, it did so with a twisty mystery, a determined detective, stunning Aussie scenery, a spectacular cast and a proven success on the page. Throw that formula together again and you have Force of Nature: The Dry 2, the big-screen sequel that was always going to happen, once again based on a beloved novel by author Jane Harper. Hitting cinemas in Australia and New Zealand on August 24, and just dropping its first teaser trailer now, Force of Nature sees the core duo of writer/director Robert Connolly (Blueback) and actor Eric Bana (Dirty John) return, with the latter once again playing Detective Aaron Falk. This time, he's investigating the disappearance of a hiker from a corporate retreat attended by five women. Alongside fellow federal agent Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie, Ruby's Choice), Falk heads deep into Victoria's mountain ranges to try to find the missing traveller — who also happens to be a whistle-blowing informant — alive. Touting its connection to The Dry right there in its name, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 comes after its predecessor did massive ticket-selling business. Not only did it notch up more than $20 million in Australian ticket sales, but it sat in sixth at the annual Aussie box office two years back after Hollywood franchise titles Spider-Man: No Way Home, No Time to Die, Godzilla vs Kong, Peter Rabbit 2 and Fast and Furious 9. Yes, greenlighting this sequel must've been the easiest decision ever. Yes, you can probably expect Harper's Exiles to get the movie treatment next. Also featuring in Force of Nature, which has a powerhouse list of Aussie talent just like its predecessor: Anna Torv (The Last of Us) as missing hiker Alice Russell, plus Deborra-Lee Furness (Jindabyne), Robin McLeavy (Homeland), Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat) and Lucy Ansell (Utopia). Richard Roxburgh (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe), Tony Briggs (Preppers) and Kenneth Radley (The Power of the Dog) pop up, too, while Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor (Heartbreak High) is back in the role of Erik Falk. Reteaming not just after The Dry, but also fellow 2023 release Blueback, Connolly and Bana make quite the pair when it comes to Aussie crime cinema — with Connolly the producer of one of the best local crime movies ever made, aka 1998's unnerving The Boys, and Bana famously the star of the similarly excellent Chopper. Can't wait till late August to check out the duo's latest collaboration? Given the timing of that release date, seeing Force of Nature: The Dry 2 pop up as an opening- or closing-night pick at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival wouldn't be a surprise. Check out the first trailer for Force of Nature: The Dry 2 below: Force of Nature: The Dry 2 releases in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on August 24, 2023. Read our full review of The Dry. Images: Narelle Portanier.
Like all the good things in life, Melbourne Music Week (MMW) — which is renowned for throwing gigs in unusual Melbourne venues — has proven it only gets better with age. And you can bet this annual celebration of Melbourne's world-class music scene has big things up its sleeve for its tenth anniversary edition. Descending on the city from Friday, November 15, to Saturday, November 23, the festival of aural delights will this year pay tribute to some of the highlights of its first decade, with a retrospective program that once again transforms unlikely spaces across the city into rollicking live music venues. In the ultimate throwback move, MMW 2019 marks the return of a fan favourite, with immersive pop-up venue Kubik returning as the festival hub. After first appearing at the 2011 festival, it will this time make its home at Alexandra Gardens, delivering a nightly program of local and international sounds. Designed by Germany's Balestra Berlin, the outdoor structure offers up a feast for the senses, featuring technology that allows it to light up in time with the music. Headline acts including Melbourne dance legend CC:Disco!, German electronic act Monolake, and French natives Kittin and Raphaël Top-Secret promise to give Kubik a serious workout this year. [caption id="attachment_743323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Rubik set-up from 2011.[/caption] Elsewhere in the 70-event program, more international goodness comes courtesy of German electro-punk icons Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF), who are headed to the Melbourne Town Hall for their Aussie debut, raising the roof alongside homegrown heroes Total Control and Dark Water. Tiny Ruins, Steve Gunn and Grand Salvo will electrify the Redmond Barry Reading Room at State Library Victoria, Melbourne-based Sarah Mary Chadwick works her brand of magic on the iconic T.C. Lewis Organ at St Paul's Cathedral, and a host of free panels and conversations covers everything from sustainability in the industry, to the psychology of music. Opening night kicks things off with an audible bang on Thursday, November 14, featuring over 100 free gigs and performances between MMW events like Live Music Safari and Swell 5.0. As for the closing party, it's also digging deep, pulling local legend Roza Terenzi to the foyer of Hamer Hall, for a late-night aural celebration set to kick on until 4am. Melbourne Music Week 2019 will run from Friday, November 15, to Saturday, November 23, at various venues across the city. Tickets will go on sale at 10am tomorrow, Thursday, September 26. Take a look at the full program here.
If you grew up in the 90s, odds are that you tried to memorise every single word to Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Every 90s kid did. That's a skill that probably hasn't been called upon much since — other than while watching one specific episode of Parks and Recreation, and all of The Boys — but it's about to get its time to shine. Yes, the Piano Man himself is coming Down Under to sing us a song or several. Making his first trip to Melbourne in the longest time — well, in 14 years — Joel will only play one Aussie gig. He's hitting up the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, December 10, in an Australian exclusive thanks to the Victorian Government's Always Live program. That's the blockbuster live music program that's designed to attract international acts to the state, and kicked off earlier in 2022 with the Foo Fighters playing in Geelong. When Joel takes over the MCG, the sounds of AFL club tunes will be replaced with everything from 'Uptown Girl' and 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me' to 'You May Be Right' and 'Only the Good Die Young' — plus 'Tell Her About It', 'Big Shot', 'River of Dreams' and, yes, 'The Longest Time' and 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Joel hasn't been our way for a while, but the six-time Grammy-winner has been playing one show a month at New York City's Madison Square Garden since January 2014 — and became the venue's first-ever music franchise in the process. Before he makes the trip to Melbourne, he'll notch up his 84th monthly and 130th show at The Garden. Obviously, that's just one of his achievements. Joel has sold over 150 million records, making him the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time and the third best-selling solo artist. If you're now keen to see the Piano Man in what's promising to be one huge gig, tickets go on sale at 10am AEST on Monday, July 4, with pre-sales from 11am AEST on Thursday, June 30. Billy Joel will play the MCG on Saturday, December 10. Tickets go on sale at 10am AEST on Monday, July 4, with pre-sales from 11am AEST on Thursday, June 30. Images: Myrna Suárez.
Rescued from demolition and relaunching to the public this Friday night, The Terminus Hotel has been reimagined, revamped and replenished from its former days as a local dive — all while holding onto its trademark laidback charm. It's tough saving drinking establishments in sought-after locations from the lusty eyes of real-estate developers these days (Melbourne music venue The Palace, suffered a more unfortunate fate), but a quality parma and pint can clearly go a long way to sway the powers that be. Ultimately, it was venue veterans Matt and Andy Mullins, Tom Birch and Doug Maskiell from Sand Hill Road hospitality group who found themselves with the keys to the grand old property. Originally built in 1938, the pub has been looking rather haggard in recent years. But Techne Architects — the designers responsible for the award-winning Prahran Hotel refurbishment — were primed to attack the interior with creative abandon. What results is a multilevel venue, plush with cushioned booths and lush with green fernery. A careful balance between the slick party sling-back of Southside and local Richmond ruffian has been achieved; rich wooden surfaces, emerald tiles and just a faint accent of the ol' AstroTurf keep things colloquial. Consequently, they've created a polished space that still manages to be accessible and unthreatening to families, foodies, and 3am party-harders alike. Food-wise, on-trend dishes like buttermilk popcorn chicken ($15), orange and bourbon pulled pork sliders ($16) will be included on the brand new menu, along with traditional pub crowd-pleasers, the pie floater with mushy peas ($24) and beer battered fish and chips ($24). The Terminus has retained its heritage-protected, lurid green facade — in fact, the green colour scheme has been emphasised throughout the venue's five bars, rather than downplayed. But inside, the broken tiles and sticky carpets have been replaced with an 'urban jungle beer garden', and the interior has been fitted with tropical trees, expansive windows and a glass roof that refuses to compromise on exposure to problematic elements, despite the open surrounds. It's another sophisticated, impressive design from this crew. That said, sometimes a bit of nostalgic Australiana is nice too — and for that reason, bingo night will stay. The Terminus Hotel is located at 605 Victoria Street, Abbotsford. It will open its doors this Friday, August 8, and is open midday till late Sunday to Thursday, and until 3am Friday and Saturday. Photography by Ben Habarow.
In a world of flash floods and rising sea levels, who'd start a family? In his dark romantic comedy, actor and writer Ian Meadows (seen last year in The Coming World and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo) explores the funny and terrifying ways an uncertain future can affect Gen X and Y's family planning. He spoke to Concrete Playground about science, working with Sam Strong, and babies in his upcoming play at Griffin, Between Two Waves. So, without giving away any plot spoilers, tell me a bit about Between Two Waves. It's about a climatologist called Daniel Wells who has been approached by the minister for climate change and energy efficiency to move from science to working in policy. He's particularly anxious about the future, and he's quite a withheld, constrained person. He meets a woman who is very much the opposite of that — spontaneous and carefree. If his fault is not being able to live in the moment, then hers is not being able to think about what might happen in the future. They collide, and it works, and they face the idea of a future together with children. The play revolves around this love story, and whether he is able to live in the present or just be completely terrified about a future that might come. I guess it was only a matter of time until someone wrote a romantic comedy about climate change! Yeah totally, the idea was to make it as funny and full of life as possible, because you're dealing with those potentially darker, more serious social and political themes. Earlier in the year, Melbourne Theatre Company had Richard Bean's The Heretic on, a polemic about climate sceptics. Andrew Bolt loved it! Is there any persuading going on in your play? I'm more interested in the human, emotional core of someone who is scared of a potential future. I'll let people make up their own minds. I think Andrew Bolt would probably be less happy with my reading of the climate science. So in terms of getting that onto the stage, how do you write, because you're an actor as well — are you at the desk or are you on the floor improvising and then writing? I love improvising when I can, but with this particular project I've been working on it for quite a while, in different forms. It began as a screenplay that was developed with the assistance of Screen NSW early on, but we could never quite get it up, so Sam [Strong] came on as a script editor on the film script in my last round of development at the NSW FTO [Film and Television Office] a couple of years ago, and when he became artistic director of Griffin, he said, hey, what do you think about this as a play? It had always been a very dialogue-driven, very character-driven sort of film, so I got very excited about that idea. Do you ever feel that there might be a risk of making writing choices based on your comfort zone as an actor? Yeah, that's a really interesting point, because as an actor, you have a script and it's your job to make it work, whereas when you've written something where you're also acting, I could just write something else couldn't I? [laughs] Something easier? And you were part of Griffin Studio last year? Yeah, it was incredible. We'd meet once a week and throw ideas around, which as a writer is excellent, because otherwise you're stuck at your computer. Just being in a room with other great minds is so freeing. We did numerous readings of the play, which is endlessly helpful as a writer, to hear it out loud. There were some great actors: Maeve Dermody, Ewen Lesley, Andrew McFarlane, Susan Prior — great people. I'd go away and do a draft and then we'd do again and we'd do it again and we'd do it again. I had a lot of opportunities … basically, if it's a terrible play, I've got no excuse [laughs] I'll keep that in mind! So then Sam's come on board to direct. How's that process been? It's awesome. Sam and I have been good friends for a while and he dramaturged the thing as a film script, so his imprint is all over it. As a director, there's nothing that he enforces upon anyone or on the script, it's all suggestions — sometimes I'm trying to decipher what it is he's saying! [laughs] I really trust his instinct. He really knows the script and he's been really passionate about driving it forward. Tell me a bit about the style of the piece, it started out as a screenplay… It's a fast-paced, naturalistic style that has these elements of fluidity. You know, I would never suggest it's at the level of a Kaufman or a Gondry, but there's definitely the idea of the space being very fluid; very real situations flowing in and out of a space. It's very malleable, in terms of what's real, what's memory, what's dream. And in a space like Griffin, it's so exciting, there is the possibility to do that in a really visceral way. So that's the idea, we kind of hope that people feel like they're inside the head of this guy, or that they're in this couple's living room. Sometimes with plays about a topical issue, it can be a bit like a dramatic lecture on stage, it sounds like you've managed to avoid that. Well, I hope so. We're really conscious of the fact that there is so much information about climate change around, you know. I started writing around seven years ago and part of the reason was seeing An Inconvenient Truth and since then it's just exploded. So now there's the question of why write it, why continue to put it on? I don't think we've dealt with it on a personal, emotional level. You know, all of my friends at the moment are having babies, they just all are! And yet the stuff that I'm being told by these scientists is really quite scary, so it just feels like it's a really pressing issue for our generation particularly. The idea that our children won't be able to enjoy all the things that we were is terrifying. Between Two Waves plays at the SBW Stables from October 5 to November 17.
Little Hunter, a newcomer to the Melbourne dining scene, has been creating quite a buzz. Their bread made with chicken skin and chicken fat (yes, chicken fat) is gathering somewhat of a cult following already. When they aren't serving up bread from our dreams, curing and smoking meat is their strong point. American-born Gavin Baker is bringing a Josper charcoal oven, one of only three in Australia, to the party and preparing meat like no other. We chat to Gavin about meat, vegetarians and Justin Timberlake. Smoking and curing are big for Little Hunter. Can you tell us a little about both of these processes? Originally smoke was used as a preserving, curing agent. In recent times we have moved beyond this, probably in the past 100 years, and it is primarily used for flavouring. At Little Hunter we make our own bacon by double smoking it in our Bradley Smoker, and we use several different preserving methods. Brines and dry rubs that contain salt are used widely to cure meats, fish and poultry. We also use dry ageing as a curing method. Dry ageing creates a hermetic seal on the meat, allowing it to tenderise from the inside and without risk of contamination. Our New York strip and lamb are hung and dry aged for up to 45 days, to increase tenderness and flavour, and resulting in a superior product. We also use short-term curing on a daily basis. Our Chatham Island Blue Cod is salt cured for 20 minutes before cooking to firm the flesh of the fish, allowing it to hold shape while being cooked. The king fish is cured in a mix of sugar, salt and citrus zest, which adds flavour and firms the fish. Our bar staff also smoke ingredients in our cocktails. We smoke cherries and olives for garnishs in two of our cocktails. What are the benefits from smoking meats? The primary benefit of smoking meats is preservation, as it creates a layer of acidic film that deters micro growth. The secondary purpose is to flavour the ingredient that is being smoked. Speaking of flavour, can you describe the different flavours that you can get from the smoking process? We can get subtle and delicate flavours, for example, using dried herbs to smoke fish. Or more nuanced flavours can come from aromatic elements such as tea, which is used to smoke duck. We can also use pipe tobacco to lightly smoke vegetables. Pronounced flavours come from hickory or other hard woods, which can add a lot of flavour to pork and beef. Depending on what you are looking to do, which could be either complimenting or contrasting flavours, smoking can be used in many different ways to impart flavour. Does smoking affect the texture or mouth feel of the meat, or simply the flavour? Any cooking method affects all of these things, and smoking is no exception. Hot smoking fish imparts flavour but also changes the mouth feel and texture of the fish. Cold smoking fish imparts flavour but leaves the texture almost the same as uncooked fish. We hear you have a very fancy Josper charcoal oven, one of only three in Australia. Can you tell us what benefits this oven gives you over others? The Josper oven is 100 percent wood or charcoal powered (not connected to the wall in any way). It allows us to cook at a controlled burn or temperature for long periods of time. Anything that can be cooked over a fire can be cooked in the Josper oven, giving us a full range of possibilities. It is engineered to conserve heat and in some ways is built like a Tandoor oven, with thick walls. As we are cooking off fire, the Josper imparts different flavour elements that you would not normally get from a traditional grill. The Josper also allows long cooking methods. It has all the benefits of wood and open fire cookery in a controlled environment, to produce superior quality food. Are you a big meat eater yourself? No. My wife and I are primarily vegetarian but I do have a deep respect for the animals and the cookery. I enjoy the process of cooking meat. That's very interesting. As someone who doesn't eat all that much meat, do you think vegetarians would enjoy Little Hunter? The vegetarians that have visited Little Hunter have enjoyed their experiences. Our non-meat-based dishes are produced with the same care as our meat dishes. If you are a conscious diner, vegetarian or otherwise, you have to respect the integrity that goes into the cooking at Little Hunter. We do offer a daily vegetarian main that isn't listed on the menu, and can be requested to our staff. This allows our cooks to be creative. After such career heights like working at The Fat Duck and filming documentaries, what is it that really drew you to this new venture? What are you excited about for Little Hunter? I like building teams, mentoring and fostering creativity, and watching people grow in their roles. I like settling down to cook and Little Hunter allows me to do all these things. What do you want people to walk away with after eating at Little Hunter? A feeling that they have returned to food. I have to ask, what was it like managing Justin Timberlake's restaurant on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles? If you are looking for a concentrated version of what life is like in LA, then being the executive chef for Justin Timberlake's restaurant on the sunset strip is as close as it gets. It was an A-list hangout. It was a different experience for me, but enjoyable.
Presented in a year like no other in modern history, the 2020 Emmy Awards were always going to look and feel vastly different to previous ceremonies. Unlike last year, the proceedings had a host, with Jimmy Kimmel doing the honours. But, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no red carpet — and no packed theatre full of Hollywood's most famous TV faces either. Prior to the chaos of 2020, you'd probably never wondered what an awards ceremony without all the celebrities and hoopla would look like. Now, however, you definitely have the answer. Kimmel rightly pointed out that these things are frivolous and unnecessary whether there's a virus spreading around the globe or not, and this year's virtual event was never going to dispel that reality. Still, amidst some understandable awkwardness — including countless gags about social distancing and an overextended opening joke that spliced old audience footage with Kimmel's monologue to make it look like he was talking to a full room — the awards gave a heap of talented folks shiny trophies for their hard work. Some, like the big winners from Schitt's Creek crew, beamed in from their own socially distanced party in Canada. Others, such as Watchmen's Regina King and I Know This Much Is True's Mark Ruffalo, streamed in from their homes. A select few stars did join Kimmel in-person for skits and to act as presenters, including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Zendaya, Laverne Cox, Sterling K Brown and Barry's Anthony Carrigan. But these events are always about the people receiving the prizes — and the great shows that, if you haven't watched them already, you should immediately add to your must-watch list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0uWS6CnC2o SCHITT'S CREEK What it's about: The idea behind Schitt's Creek is immensely straightforward, and also incredibly obvious: if one of those obscenely wealthy families who monopolise all those trashy reality TV shows was suddenly forced to live without their money, like the rest of us, how would they cope? As envisaged by father-son duo — and the program's stars — Eugene and Daniel Levy, that's the scenario the Rose crew finds itself in, including moving to the titular town that it happens to own as a last resort. Yes, as the name gives away, they're in a sticky situation. The adjustment process isn't easy, but it is very, very funny. And, although plenty of other credits on her resume have made this plain (such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, Waiting for Guffman and For Your Consideration, all also with Eugene Levy), the great Catherine O'Hara is an absolute comedy powerhouse as the Rose family matriarch. Won: Outstanding Comedy Series, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Catherine O'Hara), Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Eugene Levy), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Daniel Levy), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Annie Murphy), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Daniel Levy), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy). Where to watch it: Netflix and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymgtV99Rko WATCHMEN What it's about: If the current spate of seemingly non-stop superhero movies and TV shows has taught us anything, it's that any story can hit the screen multiple times. Viewers have watched oh-so-many versions of Batman, multiple Hulks and many a Spider-Man, after all, so 2019's version of Watchmen — following the 2009 film of the same name — really didn't come as a surprise. The series takes place 34 years after the events of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons-penned comic books of the same name, so it's a sequel, in a way. This is a particularly textured, timely and powerful take on the vigilante tale, however, even though that description has always applied to the underlying material. Starring Oscar-winner Regina King alongside Jeremy Irons, Hong Chau, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jean Smart and Louis Gossett Jr, and created by The Leftovers' Damon Lindelof, this iteration of Watchmen once again explores an alternative history — with a particular (and often chilling) focus on the impact of racist violence and racial injustice. Won: Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Regina King), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special (Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson). Where to watch it: Binge, Foxtel Now, iTunes and Google Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzYxJV_rmE8 SUCCESSION What it's about: For more than a decade, screenwriter Jesse Armstrong helped give the world one of the best British sitcoms of the 21st century, aka Peep Show. As fans will know, there's a sharp, dark edge to the hit comedy about two flatmates — and while a US drama about a wealthy family of constantly bickering media moguls mightn't necessarily seem like the obvious next step, Succession definitely possesses the same bite. The premise: with patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) suffering from health issues, his children Siobhan (Aussie actor Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Connor (Alan Ruck) all fight to step into his shoes. Brought to the screen with stellar writing, the resulting series is as compelling and clever as it is entertaining. Across its two seasons to date (with a third set to come), it's also filled with such ferocious performances from its top-notch cast — and such exceptionally witty dialogue for them to snipe and spit at each other — that you'll wish every season ran for twice as long. Won: Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Jeremy Strong), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Jesse Armstrong), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Andrij Parekh). Where to watch it: Binge, Foxtel Now, iTunes and Google Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjcfL8fbs7k EUPHORIA What it's about: It'd be easy to think that if you've seen one TV show about angsty teenagers and their antics, you've seen them all. But every now and then — more frequently than you might think, in fact — a new program pops up that demonstrates why that thinking will never ever prove true. Premiering in 2019 and instantly announcing itself as a must-watch addition to its genre, Euphoria is the latest, with Zendaya leading the series as recovering teen drug addict Rue Bennett. The show kicks off when Rue returns from rehab and immediately endeavours to settle back into the lifestyle she prefers. Expect illicit substances, boozy parties, sex, tested friendships, the ups and downs of love, and the quest to feel comfortable in one's shoes, because they all follow. A series that isn't just evocatively shot, but matches its style to the raw emotions on offer, Euphoria serves up one helluva ride. Won: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Zendaya). Where to watch it: Binge, Foxtel Now, iTunes and Google Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4KBGydqlVk I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE What it's about: There's no such thing as too much Mark Ruffalo, so six-part HBO series I Know This Much Is True obliges by casting the Avengers and Dark Waters star as identical twin brothers. In an adaptation of Wally Lamb's book of the same name, Ruffalo plays Dominick and Thomas Birdsey — with the latter struggling with paranoid schizophrenia, and the former's life often defined by his sibling. Set in the fictional small town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, and hopping between the present and the 90s, this is a thematically sprawling yet emotionally intimate drama that tracks the twins' parallel paths, while also spinning a story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness. Although the cast also spans Melissa Leo, Kathryn Hahn, Archie Panjabi, Imogen Poots, Rob Huebel and Aisling Franciosi, Ruffalo unsurprisingly turns in two exceptional performances that steal the show. Prepare to be in particularly, unshakeably grim territory, though, with Blue Valentine filmmaker Derek Cianfrance directing every episode. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Mark Ruffalo). Where to watch it: Binge, Foxtel Now, iTunes and Google Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVhRId0BTw UNORTHODOX What it's about: Deborah Feldman's best-selling 2012 autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots has made the leap to Netflix as a four-part mini-series. And, as the book's title makes plain, both explore her decision to leave her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, New York, flee her arranged marriage and everyone she's ever known, and escape to Berlin to start a brand new life. Names and details have been changed, as tends to be the case with dramas based on real-life stories; however, Unorthodox still follows the same overall path. In a tense but instantly commanding opening to the show's first episode, 19-year-old Esther 'Esty' Shapiro (Shira Haas) slips out of the apartment she shares with her husband Yanky (Amit Rahav), picks up a passport from her piano teacher and nervously heads to the airport. The end result proves a unique and intriguing coming-of-age tale, a thoughtful thriller, and an eye-opening but always careful and respectful look at a culture that's rarely depicted on-screen in such depth. Israeli actress Haas (The Zookeeper's Wife, Foxtrot, Mary Magdalene) turns in a nuanced, weighty and gripping performance as Esty, too — which is pivotal in making Unorthodox so compelling to watch. Won: Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special (Maria Schrader). Where to watch it: Netflix. Further reading: our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMBhxOW5fYo MRS AMERICA What it's about: From Aussie music biopic I Am Woman to US documentary 9to5: The Story of a Movement, the quest to have equal rights for women enshrined in American law has received ample on-screen attention of late. And that should firmly be the case, especially given that the proposed amendment to the US Constitution on that very matter — the Equal Rights Amendment — has yet to be adopted across the entire country. Joining the list of content on the topic, Mrs America explores the subject on the small screen, focusing on the heated fight in the 1970s across a blisteringly potent nine-episode series. As well as a fierce look at a still very relevant chapter of recent history, the series serves up the ever-impressive Cate Blanchett as real-life high-profile conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, fellow Australian Rose Byrne as famed feminist journalist Gloria Steinem, and a lineup of talent that also includes Elizabeth Banks, Uzo Aduba, Sarah Paulson, John Slattery, Margo Martindale, Tracey Ullman and Melanie Lynskey. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Uzo Aduba). Where to watch it: Binge, Foxtel Now, iTunes and Google Play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hAXVqrljbs OZARK What it's about: In 2019, when the final batch of episodes from Arrested Development's fifth season dropped, no one really cared. That might sound harsh; however, it's a case of sad but true. Don't worry — star Jason Bateman certainly has enough to keep him busy elsewhere, particularly in the dramatic realm. As well as playing a part both in front of and behind the lens on this year's Stephen King adaptation The Outsider, since 2017 he's been leading, executive producing and sometimes even directing Netflix crime drama Ozark. Following a financial advisor who moves his family from Chicago to a quiet Missouri town after a money-laundering scheme goes wrong in a big way, this is one of Netflix's quiet achievers. That it also features the always-exceptional Laura Linney, as well as now two-time Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winner Julia Garner — a standout on the big screen in The Assistant, too — also helps. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Julia Garner). Where to watch it: Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dQI67eYz_0 MORNING WARS What it's about: Called The Morning Show overseas and Morning Wars in Australia, this star-studded series takes a straight-from-the-headlines approach. Immersed within one of America's popular morning television shows, it follows the fallout after one of its hosts is fired after reports of sexual misconduct (something that did indeed happen on the US version of Today a couple of years back). Steve Carell plays the anchor newly joining the unemployment line, Jennifer Aniston returns to TV for her first regular role post-Friends as his shell-shocked but fiercely ambitious co-host and Reese Witherspoon is the opinionated upstart who starts making a splash — with the latter happening after a video of her passionate tirade at an uninformed protestor goes viral. Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass and Gugu Mbatha-Raw also feature (we said this was star-studded) in a series that doesn't always hit as hard as it wants to, but remains highly involving. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Billy Crudup). Where to watch it: Apple TV+. Images: Watchmen via Mark Hill/HBO, Succession via Graeme Hunter/HBO. I Know This Much Is True via Atsushi Nishijima/HBO, Ozark via Jessica Miglio/Netflix.
Melbourne's just about got it all when it comes to bars, but that hasn't stopped them opening in droves this year. 2017's newbies have been diverse so far; as well as some top-notch Euro-leaning wine bars, we've had an inner-city microbrewery open alongside an all-out bar dedicated to mini golf with 21 themed holes. Yeah, there's just some things you can't recreate at home. With so many openings hitting the city in a six-month period, we whittled it down to our favourite newcomers raising the bar for Melbourne's drinking scene. Well, our favourites so far — there's still another six months to go. Image: Brook James.
He played 372 matches for the Sydney Swans, kicked 464 goals, won two premierships, earned the code's highest individual honour (the Brownlow Medal) twice and was even anointed Australian of the Year, and now, Adam Goodes has been immortalised in a three-storey mural on a Surry Hills building. Painted by advertising agency Apparition Media, the towering mural is located on the corner of Foveaux and Crown streets, and diagonally opposite the newly opened Pizza Fritta. It's, fittingly, located in the heartland of Goodes' former footy team and just over a kilometre from its home ground, the SCG. https://twitter.com/sydneyswans/status/1270970147692408834 While, according to The Age, the mural was postponed from February to June because of COVID-19, its appearance now is timely for multiple reasons. Not only does its unveiling coincide with the return of the 2020 AFL season (which kicked off yesterday, June 11), as well as with the end of Reconciliation Week, but it also reflects the current global Black Lives Matter movement. The latter is, in Australia, predominantly focused on ending the systemic mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by police — and Indigenous Australian deaths in custody — but it has also become a bigger conversation about racism in general. At the end of Goodes' highly decorated career, he became the target of merciless booing and was verbally attacked by both spectators and high-profile media figures alike — with the Swans player placed under immense scrutiny for celebrating his Indigenous heritage both on and off the field. He ultimately chose not to play for a period, and then eventually retired, due to the resulting toll of his horrific treatment. It's a topic explored in not one but two documentaries that were released last year: The Final Quarter, which received a standing ovation at last year's Sydney Film Festival, and The Australian Dream, which opened the 2019 Melbourne International Film Festival. The Goodes mural also comes as the racist treatment endured by another high-profile ex-AFL footballer — Collingwood and Melbourne's Héritier Lumumba — has been receiving renewed attention this week. The code's first Brazilian-born player and also a premiership player, Lumumba continues to speak out about prejudice, discrimination and the offensive terms directed his way during his 2005–14 tenure at Collingwood, including about club president Eddie McGuire's comments about Goodes (which are covered in both The Final Quarter and The Australian Dream). Lumumba was also the subject of 2017 documentary, Fair Game, about his experiences. Sydney's no stranger to politically-leaning murals, with both a scathing commentary on Australia's treatment of asylum seekers popping up in Bondi and an Egg Boy mural hitting the city in 2019. The latter was painted by prolific street artist Scott Marsh, who's also known for his satirising of political figures in large-scale murals. His previous hits include Casino Mike and Tony Loves Tony. You'll find the new Adam Goodes mural at the corner of Foveaux and Crown streets, Surry Hills. The Australian Dream is currently available to watch on ABC iView.
One of the most strenuous undertakings of summer is deciding how best to allocate your funds to Melbourne's music festival onslaught. This year doing so has proved especially draining to both brain and bank balance what with all the excellent new boutique festivals cropping up alongside the circuit mainstays, but hopefully you've made appropriate arrangements for the fact that Laneway appears a little later on the calendar. This year Laneway returns to the Footscray Community Arts Centre with an indie-dense doozy of a line-up. Headliners Bat for Lashes, Yeasayer and Nicolas Jaar comprise the exciting international contingent, alongside plenty of budding artists you'll have heard a lot of already over the last few months (ahem, Flume). In alphabetical order, the St Jerome's Laneway Festival 2013 Lineup: ALI BARTER ALPINE ALT-J BAT FOR LASHES CHET FAKER CLOUD NOTHINGS DIVINE FITS EL-P FLUME HENRY WAGONS & THE UNWELCOME COMPANY HIGH HIGHS HOLY OTHER JAPANDROIDS JESSIE WARE JULIA HOLTER KINGS OF CONVENIENCE MS MR NICOLAS JAAR NITE JEWEL OF MONSTERS AND MEN PATAPHYSICS PERFUME GENIUS POLICA POND REAL ESTATE SHLOHMO SNAKADAKTAL THE MEN THE NEIGHBOURS THE RUBENS TWERPS YEASAYER Strangely, there are some tickets still for sale. Get yours here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iqkLWlZx7A4
Sourcing a large variety of pots and planters from around the world, The Balcony Garden is where you need to head for top-notch ceramics that'll liven up just about any space, including your makeshift inner city garden. Across a series of thoughtfully created ranges, The Balcony Garden works with local and international artisan designers to produce handmade products that are suited for both modern and classical architecture. After being in business for 12 years, The Balcony Garden opened its Richmond showroom in mid-2018, making it the place to explore if you're on the hunt for some ethically made ceramics and an assortment of related accessories.
Ironically enough, this year's been one gnarly ride for Urbnsurf Melbourne. After months of anticipation, Australia's first surf park finally made its grand debut in January, but was forced to take a hiatus from March thanks to the pandemic. The venue then managed to reopen for a few short weeks in June, before restrictions returned and shuttered operations again. Now, four quiet months on, Urbnsurf is gearing up for its long-awaited return, announcing it'll fire up the waves once more starting from this Wednesday, October 21. While the park won't be open in all its glory just yet, it's kicking things off by taking up to 30 surfing guests per hour, on each side of its two-hectare surfing lagoon. Spectator visits are on hold for a little while longer, as is the return of amenities like the kids' playground, lagoon-side hot tubs and that new eatery from the Three Blue Ducks crew. Of course, there'll be a few new rules to follow, in keeping with the Victorian Government's COVID-safe guidelines. Expect caps on numbers for lessons and surf sessions, boosted sanitation procedures, density limits on all indoor areas and enforced social distancing measures. Masks must be worn whenever you're not surfing and visitors need to live or work within 25 kilometres of the park. [caption id="attachment_756496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy Urbnsurf and Ed Sloane[/caption] On the calendar, you'll find two new sessions joining the classic intermediate and advanced options of before. There's the Cruiser Sessions, aimed at novice riders looking for some pointbreak-style waves, and the Expert Sessions, serving up heavier barrels best tackled by experienced surfers. And if you're taking it easy, try the Play In The Bay whitewater sessions or sign up for a lesson. There'll be more events and surfing options to follow, as metropolitan Melbourne's restrictions continue to ease. Find Urbnsurf from Wednesday, October 21, near Melbourne Airport. It's open from 6am–10pm daily in spring, with slightly varied hours during the first week back. You can book in for surf sessions and surf lessons via the park's website. Images: Courtesy Urbnsurf, Ed Sloane and Adam Gibson.
Throwing shapes on the dance floor is one thing, but how about really thrilling that inner tween of yours with a pair of skates, a roller rink, and an afternoon of disco? This weekend you'll have the chance to do all of that, as The Collingwood Underground Roller Disco returns for its second instalment, again setting up shop in a carpark beneath the suburb's landmark high-rise flats. Kicking off at 3pm this Saturday, June 24, it's set to be a family-friendly affair, with a lineup of much-loved Melbourne DJs and performers guiding punters of all ages through a mix of boogie, disco, and house beats. Expect tunes from the likes of J'Nett, Chris NG and Le Soul. You can take your own lucky skates or hire some on the day, and there'll be plenty of eats and drinks on offer to help fuel those freestyle moves. Start practicing now and grab tickets at the door.
It won Emma Stone her second Golden Globe. It just might nab the actor her second Oscar, too. And it was the best film of 2023. Poor Things is also the inspiration behind a key part of this year's Europa! Europa Film Festival in Sydney and Melbourne: a retrospective dedicated to Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos featuring six of his prior flicks. Three of his movies in his homeland are covered, including the Oscar-nominated Dogtooth, earlier psychological drama Kinetta and 2011's Alps. So are his trio of English-language titles before riffing on Frankenstein, aka The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Favourite. 2024 marks two years since Europa! Europa first debuted, giving film fans a new excuse to pretend they're on the other side of the world while settled into three Aussie cinemas, and taking place at the Ritz Cinemas Randwick in Sydney, and Melbourne's Classic Cinemas Elsternwick and Lido Cinemas Hawthorn. The event's third annual fest runs from Thursday, February 15–Sunday, March 10 in the New South Wales capital and from Thursday, February 15–Monday, March 11 in Victoria, both with a lineup of 47 movies from 28 countries. Accordingly, while diving into the bulk of Lanthimos' filmography is a major drawcard, that's just one part of the just-unveiled full program. It all starts with the Mads Mikkelsen (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny)-led The Promised Land, which is also Denmark's shortlisted submission for Best International Feature category at the 2024 Academy Awards. And still on movies with awards ties, the centrepiece gala will screen conversation-driven play-to-film drama Freud's Last Session, which features The Father Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins as an elderly Sigmund Freud. Io Capitano is also a 2024 contender for Best International Feature, for Italy. Hailing from Gomorrah and Dogman's Matteo Garrone, it follows two teens leaving Senegal for Europe. While it didn't make the Academy's shortlist, Poland's The Peasants was the country's submission in the category, with Loving Vincent's DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman behind the animated drama that this time is styled to resemble Polish artworks. From there, other highlights include the futuristic The Beast from Nocturama's Bertrand Bonello, which adapts a Henry James novel, and stars Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) and George Mackay (1917); Les Indésirables, the latest by Les Misérables director Ladj Ly; BPM (Beats Per Minute) filmmaker Robin Campillo returning with the Madagascar-set Red Island; and The Mauritanian helmer Kevin Macdonald's fashion documentary High & Low: John Galliano. Or, there's Spanish comedy Co-Husbands, with Paco León (Staring at Strangers) and Ernesto Alterio (You Shall Not Lie) playing men who learn they've wed the same woman; A Chef for Dali, also from Spain, as inspired by restaurant El Bulli's origins; Greece's The Summer with Carmen, about writing a film script one summer; Men of Deeds, focusing on a Romanian cop; and Germany's Stella. A Life starring Paula Beer (Afire). The Lanthimos retrospective isn't the only way that Europa! Europa is looking backwards, either, thanks to 4K restorations of 1963's Contempt by late, great French directing icon Jean-Luc Godard (Goodbye to Language) and 1970's The Conformist from Bernardo Bertolucci (Stealing Beauty). "This year's Europa! Europa line-up is a testament to the power of diverse storytelling, offering a rich tapestry of narratives that speak to a wide array of experiences and emotions," said Artistic Director Spiro Economopoulos, announcing the program. "Each film, carefully selected, is not just a viewing experience but an invitation to engage with stories that resonate universally, truly exemplifying the essence of European cinema." EUROPA! EUROPA 2024 DATES: Thursday, February 15–Sunday, March 10 — Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Sydney Thursday, February 15–Monday, March 11 — Classic Cinemas Elsternwick and Lido Cinemas Hawthorn, Melbourne Europa! Europa will screen in Sydney and Melbourne between in February and March. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
It's been 18 months since Stranger Things last unravelled the mysteries of the Upside Down — or some of them, at least. Come July, the beloved Netflix show will finally unveil its latest 80s-set supernatural chapter, much to the delight of fans everywhere. And while that's still far too many sleeps away, the streaming platform has gifted fans with something to tide us all over: a first proper look at the series' new eight episodes. Stranger Things season three might hit screens come winter Down Under, but it'll be the sunny summer of 1985 in Hawkins. Yes, its ragtag group of residents are making the most of the warm weather, lack of school and abundance of free time that comes with it. The season's first trailer opens with Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) returning home and reuniting with the gang, before offering a glimpse of the weird adventures to come. That includes toys, trips to the mall, trippy lighting and another monster (that doesn't appear to be just a regular ol' Demogorgon). Everyone is back, although the main crew is a little older, so expect teenage versions of Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) this time around. "We're not kids anymore," says Mike, in case this wasn't clear. "I mean what did you think, we'd just sit in my basement and play games for the rest of our lives?" Elsewhere, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) still looks shaken, Hawkins police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is still a man on a mission, and everyone's favourite walking hairstyle — aka Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) — is now working in an ice cream parlour. Of course he is. Arriving more than two months after the season's initial cryptic teaser, the trailer also serves up plenty of new bits and pieces, but we'll let you discover the rest by watching. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEG3bmU_WaI Stranger Things season three arrives on Netflix on Thursday, July 4. Images: Netflix.
Hailing from hilly Tasmania, Melbourne-based architect Andrew Maynard welcomes the flat, 'blank canvas' that Melbourne's landscape provides. Allowing his design to dominate the landscape and tapping into his ingenuity, Maynard designed his incredible 'Hill House' incorporated into the side of - you guessed it - a hill. Intended to be a "celebration of the synthetic, the manufactured", the house features a modernistic interior within a "reoriented" layout design. Visitors are ushered into the kitchen, as opposed to a traditional living or sitting room, and the lucky kids get an entire little 'home' of their own. [Via Lost at E Minor]
If American bourbon is your drink of choice, one of the finest distillers in the business, Maker's Mark, is giving you a feel-good reason to raise a glass until Sunday, August 31, 2025. The Kentuckian bourbon distiller has collaborated with Australian honey producers Beechworth Honey for a delicious rendition of The Gold Rush: a cocktail that celebrates the brilliant flavour pairing of honey and bourbon served with freshly squeezed lemon juice — a sweet and sour combo served on ice that can brighten up a cool evening. In addition to a focus on craft, sustainability is one of the pillars of the Maker's Mark brand. In fact, it is the largest distillery in the world to achieve B Corp certification. And in a bid to further its efforts to make bourbon that's better for the world, Maker's Mark is teaming up with a handful of Melbourne drinking establishments to donate $2 from every Gold Rush cocktail sold to the Wheen Bee Foundation. So, the next time you're heading out for cocktails, make your way to one of the following venues and order a Gold Rush, and you'll be making a contribution to a foundation dedicated to protecting and conserving the Australian honey bee simply by enjoying a very good drink. Geelong bar crawl, anyone? Participating venues: The 18th Amendment Bar in Geelong Deadwood in Dromana Le Bar in Beaumaris Beneath Driver Lane in the CBD Whisky and Alement in the CBD Marmont in the CBD Mr McCracken in Essendon Goodwater in Northcote
The capital of Malaysia and home of the tallest twin skyscrapers in the world, Kuala Lumpur is a thriving hub that offers an intriguing melting pot of cultures — the name literally translates as 'the point where two rivers join'. The weave of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures ultimately makes for an extraordinary food experience — you'll regularly encounter fragrant clouds of spice and find restaurants overflowing at any hour of the day. For those with limited time, the city's compact centre and accessible public transport makes it a breeze to tick off all the good bits. To save even more time, here's how to spend 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur. WHERE TO STAY Element Kuala Lumpur is the fourth tallest building in KL and one of the newest properties. The property is ideal for larger groups with several suites offering two or three bedrooms and fully-functional kitchens. Guests also have easy access to the metro system and sights like KLCC Park and the Petronas Twin Towers in walking distance. Sustainability is a key focus of the property; water filters are fitted in every room to deter the purchase of plastic water bottles, the pool uses saline over chlorine and the onsite restaurant can link every single ingredient back to its origin. Found 40 floors up, TRACE — a "sky dining venue" — has views to write home about. Western-fusion is the overarching theme. The breakfast buffet ticks every single box; as well as all the early morning classics you'll encounter a noodle and dim sum station, fresh pastries and pure honeycomb. During lunch and dinner service traditional dishes are given a contemporary spin. [caption id="attachment_639376" align="alignnone" width="1920"] McKay Savage[/caption] EAT AND DRINK With such a great commingling of cultures food is always going to be a main attraction. The burning question is: what to order? The staples are a good place to start: piping hot curry laksa, banana leaf rice served with a variety of vegetables and curry, fall-apart Hainanese chicken rice (a safe option for those not down with spice) and roti canai which you can pick up for pennies. For something a little blurrier on tourist maps, the Dharma Realm Guan Yin Sagely Monastery is somewhere you can find inner peace and load up on a vegetarian banquet at the same time. Found down the side of a Chinese Buddist temple, the buffet of all buffets is open from 11.30 - 2.30pm daily. Fill a plate from 20-30 local vegetarian options for just over $1. With that price you can be sure that it gets busy; expect to wait in line and don't expect to find a seat with friends. And as you stumble out in a food coma just be wary that tourists aren't allowed to enter the temple. Between unassuming hole-in-the-wall joints and shiny tourist eateries, finding exactly the right spot to eat can be a task. Found in the popular shopping district Bukit Bintang, Lot 10 Hutong is a reliable option and what many consider to be the best food court in KL. Flaunting every single type of hawker-style food you can imagine, you'll be more than spoilt for choice — just be sure to look around the entire subterranean eating spot before making a decision. The fried Char Kuey Teow noodles are a major attraction. As the locals say, there are only two season in KL: hot and really hot. Humidity is a given and there's no better way to combat the extreme sweaty heat than by grabbing an ice-cold drink. Teh tarik (sweet pulled tea) is the number one beverage of choice and can be served either hot or cold. For something entirely different, there's the drink fondly referred to as 'Michael Jackson'. The soya milk drink comes on ice with floating grass jelly that gives off a herbaceous flavour and provides an odd mouth sensation — for lovers of bubble tea. SEE AND DO Dominating the skyline, the Petronas Towers are the main attraction of KL and no trip would be complete without a photo in front or a journey up to the 86th floor. Tickets are released on a first-come, first-served basis so booking ahead is recommended. For that reason you should grab a skip-the-line ticket. The towers are most popular from sunset through until closing time when the majestic skyline is glowing. On the first and third Sunday of each month the major streets of the city's Golden Triangle are closed off to cars as a way for residents to stay healthy and give mother nature a rest. Open to cyclists and runners, the seven-kilometre loop starts from Dataran DBKL and makes its way around the twin towers and back. It's a great way to navigate the city without having to constantly be on guard for traffic. Around 150 loan bicycles are provided by organisers on a first-come, first-served basis — be sure to take ID. Any tourist map will point you in the direction of the Petaling Street Chinese markets. Those in the market for dirt-cheap knock-offs will have no trouble finding something here, as long as you have the patience to barter. A more relaxing environment to pick up souvenirs is the Central Market. Just a short walk away from Chinatown, the market offers air-conditioning, smaller crowds, free Wi-Fi and practically the same prices. A 20-minute drive from the city centre you'll find the Batu Caves. Overseen by the world's tallest statue of Hindu war god, Murugan, the temple boasts 272 steps up to deep limestone chasm which has gradually been created by wind and waves. A large continent of macaques rule the site so make sure you don't have any food or drink on you unless entirely concealed — you'll need a drink at the top. GETTING THERE AirAsia flies daily to Kuala Lumpur from Auckland, starting from $269 one way economy. The mentioned attractions were booked through TripAdvisor. Feature image: I Gunawan
When it comes to ticket lotteries to score you budget-friendly seats to smash-hit stage musicals in Melbourne, it really is beginning to feel like a tale as old as time. Mary Poppins had one. Hamilton did as well, plus Moulin Rouge!, too. The next on the list: Disney's Beauty and the Beast: The Musical, which wants you to be its guest for cheap. How cheap? For just $24 a seat via TodayTix, which has been behind past Melbourne lotteries. The first chance to head along at a significant discount opened on Friday, June 14, and will close at 1pm on Friday, June 21 — with winners advised each Friday for the coming week's performances. After the first round, the lottery will open on Saturdays at 12.01am weekly. For every single Melbourne show, there'll be 24 of the $24 tickets available. Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical is headed to Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, June 27, on its latest stop Down Under as a newly reimagined and redesigned production. Playing until November at least, this Beauty and the Beast first made its way to the stage in the UK in 2021, and reworks the original show that premiered in the US in the 90s — adapting Disney's hit 1991 animated movie musical, of course. Fans can expect the same Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated score courtesy of composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, including all the beloved tunes such as 'Be Our Guest' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. It also comes with new dance arrangements by David Chase, and with original choreographer Matt West revisiting his work. And yes, that $24 price is accurate. Yes, this is your chance to see the acclaimed production for less than the price of a dinner (and, at some places, breakfast and lunch). To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app, which is available for iOS and Android. And if your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via TodayTix, too. Check out the trailer for Disney's Beauty and the Beast: The Musical below: Disney's Beauty and the Beast: The Musical plays Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre from Thursday, June 27, 2024. To enter the Today Tix $24 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Daniel Boud.
Imagine carrying home five grocery bags heaving with fresh, shiny fruits and vegetables, then picking up one bag, walking to the bin, and throwing it in. Startling isn't it? That's exactly what the average Aussie household discards on a regular basis — one out of every five bags of grocery we buy — and it's contributing to the 800,000 tonnes of food thrown out by Australian householders each year. So why are we doing it? One of the main culprits cited by food conservationists is our urban, time-poor lifestyle. We go grocery shopping on a Monday with dreams of becoming the next Nigella but by Friday we morph into Matt Prestons, wanting to eat our way through an array of diners regardless of what's fermenting in the fridge. Think our favourite restaurants are doing a better job at conserving food? Think again. With our fickle appetite for food trends, our local eateries have been known to toss out an estimated 340,000 tonnes of food annually. But swearing off your favourite nosh pit for life isn't only improbable — can you really go without your favourite pad thai or your sticky pork-rib Friday night food staple? — it might not necessarily be the answer. A sustainable table movement has been quietly sweeping the state, with some organisations — from food rescue groups like OzHarvest to restaurants that specialise in using seasonal, local produce like Sydney's Cornersmith — showing that today's funnily shaped fruit and veg could be tomorrow's gourmet offering. According to Cornersmith's owner and 'chief pickler' Alex Elliott-Howery, fruit and veg that's gone past its official use by date, or that doesn't always match an aesthetic ideal, is often best for cooking. "We have a very close relationship with imperfect fruit and vegetables at Cornersmith," he says. "By imperfect I don't mean rotten. So many vegetables and fruits that don't look like they come from a plastic mould get thrown away when in fact they are delicious and there are millions of ways to use them. "[For example] we make pickles out of bendy cucumbers; chutney, sauces, and compotes for our milk shakes out of very ripe fruits; pesto out of basil leaves that may be slightly affected by weather conditions or insects." In fact, Cornersmith takes food wastage so seriously there's a zero-tolerance approach that underpins every aspect of the business. From the small, seasonally oriented menu, which ensures key ingredients are used across several dishes, to the on-site food composting, rooftop beehive, and Monday 'preserving day', food wastage loathers can take a leaf out Cornersmith's book. "We just got a whole lot of lemons that are too 'ugly' for the grower to sell at the markets but are delicious, so we're using them for juicing, jam making, and dressings," says Alex. Similarly, Glebe diner Two Peas, launched by former Jamie's Italian alumni Nick Johnson and Tom Stoneham, has a "through-the-line" approach to sustainable and ethical dining with the goal of not only minimising food wastage but also decreasing the resource intensive paddock-to-plate process. "People don't often think about where their food comes from and the resources involved in getting it to their plate," says Tom. "Take something as simple as the wine you're drinking, people from NSW love wines from other regions. Although there's nothing wrong with that, there are often hidden costs involved in transporting it from cellar to tabletop. We're very conscious of that at Two Peas; in fact, everything we use is grown in Australian and sourced from local suppliers wherever possible." But where other eateries may stop at the produce, Two Peas goes even further in its holistic approach to sustainable dining. "Our tablecloths, napkins, and takeaway containers are made from recycled materials, whilst our menus, which we print ourselves, are made from post-consumer recycled material." With our love affair with food showing no signs of abating (just look at the recent glut of prime-time cooking shows), how can savvy diners get on the sustainable food train? According to Tom, education and awareness are the key, as well as an open mind. "Start by looking at what produce is in season and seeing if this is reflected in what's being offered at the restaurants you visit. For example, if you see asparagus on the menu and it's not in season, you can be sure it's been sourced from overseas. It's also a good idea to try something new, rather than sticking with your favourite dish, because it's a great way of showing support for seasonally designed menus." With a menu based around reusing excess food, the Cornersmith chefs don't just practice what they preach; they take an active role in educating the community as well. "We are starting our pickling and preserving classes and sustainable food workshops in April of this year," says Alex. "We figure that teaching people how to deal with their excess produce will help to stop food waste in the community." All images (except top) from Cornersmith's Instagram.
Friday, February 25, 2022 mightn't be the day of your daughter's wedding, but it is when that famous movie quote about offspring and nuptials will echo through cinemas once again. Delivered by Marlon Brando in one of his finest-ever performances — which won him a thoroughly deserved Oscar for Best Actor — the line has become one of the all-time great pieces of dialogue. Whether you know why or you've always been meaning to find out, here's your chance. Some films demand a big-screen viewing at least once, and The Godfather is high among them — and, 50 years after it first flickered through picture palaces, the Francis Ford Coppola-directed mafia masterpiece is getting another theatrical run to mark that huge milestone. This really is the gangster flick that has it all, including equally superb performances from Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan. It isn't considered one of the best movies ever made without good reason. Arriving a few weeks before the feature officially hits the big five-o — it premiered back in March 1972 and released in US cinemas later the same month — this season of The Godfather will also give movie-goers an offer they can't refuse: seeing the flick in a restored version overseen by Coppola's production company American Zoetrope and the film's distributor Paramount Pictures. All three Godfather features got the same treatment, as guided by the legendary filmmaker, who originally directed the movie when he was just 33; however, only the first film is returning to cinemas. Story-wise, if you really are new to it all, the trilogy follows the Corleones — with the first film focusing on Vito Corleone (Brando) and his youngest son Michael (Pacino) as the latter reluctantly (at first) joins the family business. All three movies, including 1974's The Godfather Part II and Coppola's recently re-edited version of 1990's The Godfather Part III, now called The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone and briefly released in cinemas back in 2020, will hit home entertainment on Wednesday, March 23, too. And yes, at home, that means you can see Lost in Translation and On the Rocks director Sofia Coppola as a baby in the OG flick and also play Michael's daughter Mary in the third film. Check out the trailer for the 50th-anniversary restoration of The Godfather below: The Godfather 50th-anniversary re-release will hit cinemas Down Under on February 25, 2022.
Dumpster diving found itself well and truly Brooklynised over the weekend, when 20 diners feasted on day-old bread, bruised apricots and super ripe bananas in a old Williamsburg dumpster. Brooklyn-based initiative Salvage Supperclub served up course after course of revisualised foods deemed unworthy for selling — wilting vegetables, semi-stale loaves and old cookies. Held once a month to make a big public statement about sustainability and how much food we throw away for aesthetic reasons, Salvage Supperclub was developed by Josh Treuhaft, an MFA in Design for Social Innovation at New York's School of Visual Arts. Linked to his own graduate thesis, 'Eat Everything', and raising funds for a non-profit, Treuhaft teamed up with chef Celia Lam (Manhattan's Natural Gourmet Institute) to create the entirely vegetarian menu. The pair dropped by Migliorelli Farm, Bushwick Food Coop and Natural Gourmet Institute to collect ingredients — the chipped, bruised and totally edible vegie heroes who would have found themselves in a dumpster anyway. With only 20 spots at the table, the Salvage dining experience was one of NYC's one-to-brag-about tickets this weekend. All proceeds from the $50-a-plate dinner were donated to the US non-profit organisation Culinary Corps. With diners happily seated at a long bench snuggled inside the dumpster, chef Lam served up a dazzling six-course tasting menu on old subway tiles — we're talking rescued root vegetable fettuccine, super ripe banana custard with captured cookie crust — alongside a cheeky illegal champagne cocktail hour. Lam took time to explain to guests the rewards from working with 'spoiled' foods — bruised fruits are better for pureeing, for example. While the stunt might cause many an "Oh, Williamsburg," head shake, Salvage has harnessed that pressing sustainability conundrum for well-off, aesthetically obsessed countries. Just because it's ugly, doesn't mean it's inedible. Via Pixable and Grub Street.
