It was one of the biggest celebrity scandals of the 90s, and it's now heading back to screens. When a sex tape featuring Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and her then-husband Tommy Lee was stolen from their home in 1995, then leaked on online, it fuelled tabloid headlines (and internet downloads) for years and years. Now, the whole saga has been turned into a drama called Pam & Tommy — starring Lily James (The Pursuit of Love) as Anderson and Sebastian Stan (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as the Mötley Crüe drummer. Even better: US streaming platform Hulu, which is behind the eight-part show, has just dropped the first teaser trailer for the series. James obviously dons the red swimsuit that Anderson was so famous for wearing for 76 episodes of everyone's favourite 90s lifeguard drama — you really couldn't make a series about Anderson without it — and, given that the focus is squarely on the couple's intimate recording, how it became public, and the impact it had on Anderson and Lee, things clearly get chaotic rather quickly. In the sneak peek, a mullet-wearing duo played by Seth Rogen (An American Pickle) and Nick Offerman (Devs) can't quite believe what they've stumbled across. That's the focus of the trailer; however, the clip does also show Anderson and Lee's reaction when the tape makes its way out into the world. Pam & Tommy's stars firmly look the part — calling James' appearance a transformation definitely fits — and the trailer sports an expectedly hectic vibe. Australian-born director Craig Gillespie has jumped into larger-than-life true tales before with I, Tonya, so he's in somewhat familiar territory. He also keeps being drawn to decades gone by: the 90s here and in I, Tonya, the 80s in aerobics-focused dark comedy series Physical, and the 70s in this year's live-action Cruella as well. Hulu has set a February 2 release date for Pam & Tommy in America, dropping the first three episodes on that date and then streaming the rest week-to-week afterwards. At the moment, where and when it'll surface Down Under hasn't yet been revealed, but hopefully that'll happen around the same time. Check out the Pam & Tommy teaser trailer below: Pam & Tommy will start screening via Hulu in the US on February 2. A release date Down Under hasn't yet been revealed — we'll update you when one is announced.
What's better than one of the Attenborough siblings marvelling over our planet's ancient creatures? None other than David Attenborough following in his brother Richard Attenborough's footsteps, of course. While the latter showed dinos some love back in Jurassic Park — with the now-late actor and filmmaker even uttering the iconic words "welcome to Jurassic Park" — his broadcaster, biologist and natural historian sibling has largely surveyed the rest of the earth's living creatures in his iconic documentaries. In David's next series, however, he's solely focusing on prehistoric critters. That show is Prehistoric Planet, a five-part natural history doco that's coming to Apple TV+ — and yes, fittingly, it's arriving on the small screen just before new Jurassic Park franchise instalment Jurassic World Dominion reaches cinemas in June. Even better: after revealing a few sneak peeks earlier in the month, the streaming platform has just dropped the full Prehistoric Planet trailer. Here, you'll hear David Attenborough talk through everything you need to know about dinosaurs. And, while peering back at what the earth was like 66 million years ago, he'll give the fascinating creatures the same treatment he's rolled out in past shows The Living Planet, State of the Planet, The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, Blue Planet II, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet and Green Planet (as well as Planet Earth and Planet Earth II, plus documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet). Basically, if you're always wanted to see a David Attenborough series about dinosaurs, life just found a way. And, it's clearly a must-see if you'd listen to him narrate anything and you're always awed by dinos (both of those apply to pretty much everyone). Get ready to discover little-known and surprising facts of dinosaur life, step through the environments of Cretaceous times, see how the Tyrannosaurus rex parented, and explore the ancient creatures of both the sea and sky. That's what Prehistoric Planet will cover across five episodes, which'll drop daily on Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27. Unsurprisingly, CGI will feature heavily in Prehistoric Planet — David Attenborough can do many things, but time travelling isn't one of them — but the show's special effects-created dinos will be combined with wildlife filmmaking and paleontology learnings. While the broadcaster's voice is always music to anyone's ears, Hans Zimmer will be adding rousing score to the show — fresh from winning his latest Oscar for Dune. And, if you're wondering about the photorealistic imagery that's bringing dinosaurs to life, filmmaker Jon Favreau is one of the Prehistoric Planet's executive producers. Also, the effects company behind his versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King is doing the CGI honours. Check out Prehistoric Planet's full trailer below: Prehistoric Planet will hit Apple TV+ across Monday, May 23–Friday, May 27, with a new episode available to stream each day.
How does Jon Snow's future pan out? Sorry Game of Thrones fan, you're going to keep knowing nothing. Back in 2022, it was announced that HBO was potentially making a Jon Snow-focused sequel series, but those plans have now hit a wall according to none other than Kit Harington himself. If you're a fan of the series and you've been mourning the show's end back ever since 2019, you'll know that the US network has floated no shortage of options for extending everyone's time in Westeros. Prequel series House of the Dragon premiered in 2022, and will return for season two in 2024. Another series set before Game of Thrones itself, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, will arrive in 2025. Among the rumours, a second new series to the Targaryens has also been mentioned. But this is the end of the line for the Jon Snow spinoff at the moment. In an interview with Screen Rant, Harington (Eternals) advised that "currently, it's off the table, because we all couldn't find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough". "So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being. There may be a time in the future where we return to it, but at the moment, no. It's firmly on the shelf," he continued. The series was set to explore Jon Snow's story after the events of Game of Thrones' eighth and final season. You might recall that that last batch of episodes were rather eventful for the character, even more than normal. He found out that he was born Aegon Targaryen, and that he has a claim to the Iron Throne. He also ditched Westeros — after being exiled — to head North of the Wall. So, for now, you'll just have to look forward to the return of House of the Dragon this winter Down Under (when else?), starting on Monday, June 17, 2024. And as for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, it is based on the novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg, as has been rumoured for a few years now. The story follows knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg as they wander Westeros a century before the events of GoT, when the Targaryens remain on the Iron Throne and everyone still remembers dragons. Check out the latest House of the Dragon season two trailer below: HBO's Jon Snow Game of Thrones spinoff is no longer happening. House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand, with season two arriving on Monday, June 17, 2024. Read our full review of season one. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set to premiere in 2025 — we'll update you with exact details when they're announced. Via: Screen Rant. Images: Helen Sloan/HBO.
The hair, the hips, a whole lotta shakin' and Tom Hanks in a far less friendly role than usual: they're all part of the just-dropped trailer for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. After a nine-year absence from the silver screen following 2013's The Great Gatsby, the Australian filmmaker returns to cinemas with a biopic about the world's most famous blue suede shoe aficionado, with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Dead Don't Die's Austin Butler sporting Presley's pompadour. Shot in Australia with a cast that also spans a wealth of local talent — Olivia DeJonge (Better Watch Out) as Priscilla, Richard Roxburgh (Fires) as Presley's father Vernon, newly minted Oscar-nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) as singer Jimmie Rodgers, and David Wenham (The Furnace) as country artist Hank Snow, for starters — Elvis clearly has a big story to tell. Charting the king of rock 'n' roll's rise to fame, exploring the role that manager Colonel Tom Parker played in that success and examining how Presley became the enduring symbol of rock 'n' roll that he still remains now, 45 years after his death, as everything from touring exhibitions to his enduring status in popular culture keep showing: that's all in the movie's remit, too. As Parker, Hanks also has a significant task. In the trailer, the News of the World and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood star's first words set the mood for his character: "there are some who make me out to be the villain of this story". Launching Elvis' initial sneak peek, Luhrmann explained that Hanks' role obviously isn't quite that simple. "He ran towards that. It's interesting because 'villain' is too easy to wrap it up," the filmmaker advises. "He tells the story, [but] he doesn't go on to tell the story that says 'and they're right'... It's a device, because when it comes to a historical character, there's only ever someone's telling of that story. Even in life, if you lived with an Elvis, it's your memory — your version of their life." From its first trailer, Elvis is unmistakably a Luhrmann movie. As everything from Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet to Moulin Rouge! and his Netflix series The Get Down have already shown, the Aussie director doesn't hold back when it comes to style, flair, and embracing the look and feel of whichever world he's diving into. Describing his process, Luhrmann goes a step further. "I am the ultimate outsider. I come from a very small country town, not dissimilar to Tupelo [Mississippi, where Presley was born] — where I come from, Tupelo would've been called the big smoke or a city because my town was so small, like five houses. But I'm the ultimate outsider, so when I go and do Moulin Rouge! and it's in Paris, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Get Down, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Great Gatsby, I come as an outsider and I live like [author F Scott] Fitzgerald — I probably got a little bit too much into some of the things that Fitzgerald did — but I do live it, it's a real truth." "That's why I make films so infrequently. So the greatest joy for me is to make films and to live it," he explains. For the writer/director, who works here with a script also credited to his regular co-screenwriter Craig Pearce, plus The Get Down's Sam Bromell and The Killing's Jeremy Doner, Elvis isn't just about its namesake. "A great biopic is terrific, but something like Amadeus, for example, it's not really about Mozart — it's about jealousy. And the truth is is that in this modern era, the life of Elvis Presley could not be a better canvas on which to explore America in the 50s, the 60s and the 70s," Luhrmann notes. "It's a mythical life that he lived‚ very young, 42 years. But that 42 years is is three great lives put into a short period of time. And what's extraordinary about it is that that life is culturally at the centre of the 50s, and socially the 60s and actually the 70s. And it's a great canvas on which to us explore America. So that's what drew me in — that and a guy called Colonel Tom Parker, who I always like to say was never a Colonel, never a Tom and and never a Parker." Check out the trailer for Elvis below: Elvis releases in cinemas Down Under on June 23, 2022. Images: Hugh Stewart.
Justine Clarke is Australia’s answer to children’s entertainment, and is preparing to “pop up” for a pre-Christmas show. Justine will be bringing her pop up book theme to life on the stage, where she’ll share the stories we tell through music and song. Among these will be a musical reading of Justine’s first book The Gobbledygook Is Reading A Book which was released in October. Combining the stories and songs with live music, and the interactive large screen backdrop, Justine will have audiences engaged throughout the 55-minute musical of fun. There are group discounts available for groups of 6 or more people, and children under the age of one year are free on the knee. This is a one-day-only show with two sittings, so don’t miss out.
Any reason to take a holiday is a good reason to take a holiday, but a little bit of international acclaim certainly doesn't hurt when it comes to choosing a getaway spot. So, if you've been thinking about heading to Kangaroo Island at some point, or making the trip to Australia's Red Centre to soak in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's wonders, here's the push you might've been waiting for: they've both been named by The New York Times as two of the best places to visit in 2023. The publication has put together a '52 Places to Go' list for this year, with the pair of Aussie destinations earning mentions. Even better: Kangaroo Island, the South Australian landmass that's also the nation's third-largest island, landed in the top ten. The location came in seventh, and was specifically called out for its "incredible wildlife, breathtaking ocean views, and its status as an ecological haven". [caption id="attachment_688401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivonne Bar/SA Tourism Commission[/caption] If you're wondering exactly where the NYT says you should check out on the island, that'd be the Kangaroo Island Koala and Wildlife Rescue Centre, especially its private tours of its animal hospital facilities and bottle-feeding a joey while you're there — and watching sea lions at the Seal Bay Conservation Park. The Southern Ocean Lodge also scored a shoutout for when it reopens. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia's second spot on the list, ranked 29th. It was recognised for being "the shape-shifting sandstone heart of a continent and its Indigenous heritage" — and yes, its world-famous monolith obviously got a mention. [caption id="attachment_869882" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT[/caption] Still Down Under but across the ditch, the entire city of Auckland pipped both Australian locales by coming in fifth, and was dubbed New Zealand's "culinary capital". According to the NYT, travellers should add visits to Hugo's Bistro, Cazador, Omni and Little French Cafe — which serves up "mille-feuille rivaling Paris's best" — to their itineraries. Elsewhere around the globe, London came in first for being "a buzzing city ready for a coronation, a brand-new airport link and a prehistoric colossus"; with Morioka in Japan sitting in second; Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park taking out third place; and Scotland's Kilmartin Glen in fourth. Rounding out the top ten, alongside Auckland in fifth and Kangaroo Island in seventh: California's Palm Springs at sixth, Vjosa River in Albania at eighth, Accra in Ghana sitting ninth and Tromso in Norway at tenth. Other places named include Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, the Namib Desert in Southern Africa, Flores in Indonesia, Nîmes in France, Vilnius in Lithuania, and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [caption id="attachment_886033" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Little French Cafe[/caption] For The New York Times' full 52 Places to Go list for 2023, head to the publication's website. Top image: Ben Goode via South Australian Tourism Commission. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world — including Kangaroo Island.
When Wine Machine and Snow Machine first popped up, pairing vineyards and alpine settings with live tunes, one of each event's big drawcards was right there in their names. Dream Machine's moniker isn't quite as descriptive; however, it still sets the scene. Fancy hitting up a music festival in a tropical setting? That's on the bill at this dream event — including in 2023. Dream Machine first took place early in 2022, at a secluded beachside resort in The Whitsundays, after initially planning to go ahead in 2021 but getting waylaid by the pandemic. For its next event from Thursday, June 8–Monday, June 12, it's still going tropical, this time in Nusa Dua in Bali. If you've been longing to hear your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and while taking a trip to a beachside resort in Indonesia, this fest has you covered. 2023's dest will take place over a five-day, four-night run again, too, and bring together a hefty lineup of must-see talent. On up the party-forward bill: 1300, Boy & Bear, Client Liaison, Girl Talk, San Cisco, Spacey Jane, Sycco and Vera Blue, as well as Harvey Sutherland and Peking Duk hitting the decks for DJ sets. Yes, the list goes on. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes in tropical surroundings, including by the pool and ocean, isn't enough motivation for you, festival-goers will have a range of resorts to choose from in the fest's ticket package options. Keen to treat yo'self to a beachfront stay? You can add that to your itinerary. At the 2022 event, you could also enjoy other activities, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails — fingers crossed they're on the roster as well. [caption id="attachment_873059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Hendel[/caption] Unsurprisingly, this isn't a cheap festival to attend, but accommodation, transfers and festival tickets are all included in the fest packages. Folks feeling particularly flush can also upgrade their tickets to gain VIP access to the festival's compound to watch the main stage shows, where there'll be a cocktail bar, chill zone, table service, fancy toilets and sit-down dinner options. And, you'll score luxury airport transfer upgrades and access to an exclusive pool party at Manarai Beach Club, complete with special guest DJs. DREAM MACHINE 2023 LINEUP: 1300 Boy & Bear Client Liaison Girl Talk (USA) Groove City Harvey Sutherland (DJ Set) Holy Holy Hot Dub Time Machine Illy Jimi The Kween Ldru Mell Hall Northeast Party House Peking Duk (DJ Set) San Cisco Sideboob Spacey Jane Stace Cadet Sycco Tori Levett Tyson O'brien Vera Blue Winston Surfshirt Dream Machine takes place from Thursday, June 8–Monday, June 12 at Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, with pre-sales from 6pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 18 and general sales from 12pm AEST on Wednesday, October 19 via the festival's website. Dream Machine images: Brittany Long / Pat Stevenson. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world. That includes a Bali escape surrounded by nature, if you're keen to extend your stay around Dream Machine,
Fans of Liverpool Street's SPQR now have another way to get their hands on its signature woodfired sourdough pizzas, with a second outpost opening within Docklands precinct The District. While SPQR's latest is fuelled by the same pizza obsession as its sibling, you'll spy a few tweaks to both the experience and the food offering. As always, the heroes are the bases, slow-fermented for 48 hours, decked out in primo ingredients and finished in a custom-built woodfired oven. But here, thanks to a nifty new 'dough lab', you'll also have the chance to watch the chefs hand-shaping the dough balls throughout each day. SPQR The District is whipping up a simple menu of four white- and four red-based pizzas, running from classics like a capricciosa ($17 for seven inch, $26 for 12) and pepperoni ($15/$24), to the Jim's Pie — an assembly of 'nduja, portobello mushroom, pecorino, stracciatella and oregano ($17/$26). Opt for a standard 12-inch pizza, or have any variety served as a one-person seven-inch pizzette. Vegan cheese and gluten-free bases are available, too, as is garlic bread ($5), party packs and classic desserts like tiramisu ($10/$18) and Nutella-topped pizza ($10/$16). Street art graces the walls, while the drinks lineup champions smashable tinnies, Curatif cocktail cans and a tight selection of cider and wine. Takeaway is available through your mates at Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Menulog. Images: Annika Kafcaloudis and Paul R.Kolarik
It's often said that modern technology is ruining our lives; turning us more and more in on ourselves in a dangerous spiral of introversion, narcissism and disconnection from the physical world. And can you blame us? An iPhone can look significantly more appealing than the other sweating, mouth-breathing humans we sit next to on public transport or pass on the morning commute. But, occasionally there comes along a real reminder that the human race isn't totally doomed to becoming robotic unfeeling drones. A new project by Sydney photographer Pete Hawk is one such reminder. In Stranded Corridors, Hawk takes to frequented 'corridors' about town – the tunnel at Central, Newtown's King Street, and the wind tunnel opposite Redfern station. Using one light, he photographs people passing by and asks them to write something about themselves. Think Humans of New York, but in black and white, and coming to you from your own backyard. It's a simple idea, but Hawk's photographs are really quite beautiful. And the captions people have written offer snippets of their lives, aspirations and worries, which range from life advice ("Wear colour and enjoy your night.") to confession ("I fell in love. Twice."), and where they're going to (Zumba) or coming from (Japanese class). If the popularity of projects like HONY has taught us anything, it's that we love to peek into other people's lives. It speaks to some of those good old-fashioned human pastimes — like voyeurism and eavesdropping — but packaged in an artful, socially acceptable format. It's the perfect way to people watch without the awkward eye contact. All images via Pete Hawk.
Technology is now a player in how we carry out one of the bare necessities of life: eating and drinking. We've lately been enraptured by the thought of being able to 3D print our food (the 3D chocolate printer is already among us, while the 3D pizza printer is just around the corner). And the excitement isn't just based on our own appetite for novelty foodstuffs; these are technologies with the capacity to help us through the global food shortage. Yet the internet and mobile technology that's ubiquitous right now has already changed the way we eat — in some very positive ways. We take a closer look at the apps and websites that are helping people reduce waste, save time and be better informed. We Can Make Less Waste According to the 2009 study, What a Waste! from the Australia Institute, Australians throw out 4.45 million tonnes of food every year, or in dollar terms, $5 billion. If this makes you wince a little, but not enough to start composting or dumpster diving, the internet may be your saving grace. Websites such as Germany's Foodsharing.de are harnessing the web to connect individuals who would prefer to share their excess food than turf it. Their only rule is that you offer food you would eat yourself. Here in Australia similar sites like Fare Share and Second Bite, aimed at collecting food from supermarkets and farmers to be redistributed to those in need, are reducing this inefficiency. Taking a different tack, Sydney's HelloFresh, a new online service, is making judicious grocery shopping easier. With new menus each week, they deliver only those ingredients required for a particular meal. As Tom Rutledge from HelloFresh put it to us, "By packing precise amounts of ingredients we supply only what is required for the recipes. Gone is the need to buy a big jar of capers when you only need a tablespoon. The customers save money and there are no nasty surprises lurking at the back of the pantry when it comes time for a spring clean." Aussie Farmers Direct makes a good case for the internet's role in reducing waste, as their buying is done after customers' orders are placed online. Internet grocery shopping in general wins over bricks and mortar outlets, because perishable products are not simply displayed on the off chance that a shopper is making leak soup this week. We Pay with No Money Apps such as Beat the Q allow queue-averse customers to pre-pay for their coffee en route. They simply pick it up and go. CLIPP app allows barflies to run a tab from their phone without ever flashing cash or card. While this may be extremely convenient, it will also encourage higher spending — a phenomenon called hyperbolic discounting means people are likely to buy more if they don't have to pay until the end of the night. Apps such as these, along with Paypal's payment processor and Square.com are making a cashless future not only possible but, according to Adam Theobald of Beat the Q, inevitable. "In coming months, consumers will be presented with a large number of e-wallet alternatives," he told us. "Imagine your bank, telco, ISP, Google, Apple, Mastercard, Visa, Amex all offering you a great incentive to use their mobile wallet." Though the payment interaction is being reduced to the touch of a screen, Theobald doesn't think that technology is taking away from the human interaction. "I'm not sure about you, but I am much better to talk to if I haven't waited, and have a coffee in my hand!" he says. He figures the 10,000 customers registered with his app must feel the same way. We Know All the Things And then, of course, technology is giving customers better access to information. The internet is allowing smaller ventures to succeed by connecting with punters to let them know their changing hours and locations. Hungry Mondays is a collection of Sydney restaurants (started by El Capo) who slow cook meat on a Sunday and offer vacuum packed meals the following Monday for pickup from a range of changing venues (the Hollywood Hotel, the Lord Wolseley), which are spruiked on Facebook. The nomadic food trucks of Sydney rely on their online communities to advertise times and locations, as do pop-up venues. While bloggers and review sites such as Urbanspoon and Eatability may strike terror in the hearts of restaurateurs, they give a fuller picture of a venue for diners. As well as advice on where to eat, technology is helping customers with what to eat. The Traffic Light Food Tracker app, released by Cancer Council Victoria, allows consumers to scan the barcode of a product and immediately receive a red, orange or green light from the app according to the product's nutritional value. Prevailing ideas about the future of food culture tend to polarise into either a fast food dystopia of mindless Cheezel consumption or a slow food utopia in which we harvest quinoa each morning from our organic hobby farm in Tasmania. But there is a happier medium, where technology speeds up boring activities like shopping and paying and gives us more time to enjoy food. Top image by Binpress.
There's so much art in Melbourne, both inside and out, that getting around to see everything you should've by now is pretty much impossible. Frankly, as the days become increasingly wintery, it can be tempting to just hide away in bed. But instead, we're encouraging you to seize the chilly nights with the new Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ and make use of their brilliant low light camera — perfect for when the only lighting you have for your shot is but a single street light. Whether it's making up for lost time with NGV Friday Night's after-hours access or exploring the must-see street art of Melbourne's dimly lit alleyways, here's five artworks that you have to go out and capture for yourself. KEITH HARING'S MURAL ON JOHNSTON STREET, COLLINGWOOD Surrounded by trendy bars, cafes and restaurants, Keith Haring's Collingwood mural is one of the city's most well-known and loved examples of public art. Painted on the side of the former Collingwood Technical College right next to Circus Oz's quirky Melba Spiegeltent, the iconic figures appeared when the acclaimed New York artist arrived in Australia in 1984 to paint and speak on behalf of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Snap some photos of this cherished mural and then find a warm bar nearby and grab yourself a drink. THIS SIDE IS THE OTHER SIDE BY SUBODH GUPTA AT NGV At first glance, This Side Is the Other Side by Indian artist Subodh Gupta can be viewed with all the wanderlust of a good ol' dusty road journey. And while travel is one of the key themes, the fact that Gupta was born and raised in India's poorest province of Bihar, it may not be the leisure travel your mind first jumped to. That said, his Hindu heritage places the divine in all objects, which explains the gold sheen over this humble, motor scooter hung with milk pails. This Side Is the Other Side is but one of the photogenic pieces in this thoughtful exhibition, aptly named Everyday Divine. INDIGENOUS BOY BY ADNATE ON HOSIER LANE, CBD Hosier Lane is famous for its graffiti and street art – and while most works get tagged and painted over with clockwork predictability, one piece stands out above all the others. Painted by admired Melbourne street artist Adnate, 'Indigenous Boy' is a 23-metre tall mural set against the rear of McDonald House. Drawing attention to the original Indigenous owners of the land that the Melbourne CBD is built upon, the photorealistic portrait is seen looking out towards Birrarung Marr. Head down after dark to photograph Adnate's massive artwork – and while you're there you might catch Melbourne's nocturnal graffiti artists hard at work. PIXCELL RED DEER BY KOHEI NAWA AT NGV Born in Kyoto in 1975, Japanese artist Kohei Nawa's work embodies numerous worldly influences. Drawing on everything from the symbolism of Buddhism and Japanese Shintoism, to the works of British and European sculptures he was exposed to while studying at London's Royal College of Art, Nawa is one of Japan's leading young artists. And lucky for us, the NGV was able to acquire one of Nawa's 'PixCell' works back in 2013. Coined by the artist himself, PixCell is the process of combining organic cells with minute digital pixels. With deer appearing throughout Nawa's work, this is a special piece in Nawa's collection and one you have to see in person to fully appreciate (but don't let that stop you taking a few snaps). FINTAN MAGEE'S MURAL ON AC/DC LANE, CBD Growing up in Brisbane, Fintan Magee has travelled the world painting massive murals and hosting exhibitions for his smaller-scale works. From London and Las Vegas to Tunisia and Turkey, Magee's brand of street art has earned him fans wherever he goes. Often creating work around the environment, climate change and the global refugee crisis, Magee's works make you reflect on the world around you. Tucked away down the end of the CBD's AC/DC Lane, hidden amongst the surviving dive bars and newcomer cafes, his Melbourne mural towers high above the streets, showing a man carrying a tree trunk through the densely urban landscape. It's a little less crowded than Hosier Lane too, so you'll be able to get plenty of snaps without the random strangers. Instead of spending your winter nights on the couch, discover all the after-dark happenings in your city here — and don't forget to document it all on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light so you can capture your best moments no matter what. Images: Cole Bennetts.
Cosy up by the fire sipping Margaret River cabernet at Empire Retreat and Spa or embrace Sydney’s industrial past at 1888 Hotel. Either way, you’ll be chasing away winter blues and indulging at each of these top ten Mr & Mrs Smith hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Stay three nights (or more) to save 30 percent on stays until the end of September — but get in quick; these exclusive offers must be booked by July 31. Hotel Hotel, Canberra Overlooking Lake Burley Griffin in the cultural heart of Canberra, Hotel Hotel is the designer pad you’ve always wanted — on a greater scale. Out of the 68 individually styled rooms, the Meandering Rooms are by far the biggest and best, with a tub for two and double rain showers. Housed in the Nishi Building in NewActon, the hotel is part of a new development that combines contemporary art, landscaped gardens and the bespoke modern living that’s becoming popular in Australia. The courtyard cinema is closed in winter, but don’t fret: you can still get your arthouse cinematic fix at Palace Electric, just downstairs. Spicers Vineyards Estate, Hunter Valley A tapestry of vines and veggie patches surrounds this handsome hotel in the Hunter Valley. Spicers Vineyards Estate is just two hours from Sydney and draws on its location to provide you with a romantic, culinary-themed getaway. Here, fresh regional produce teamed with the latest vintages (featuring grapes harvested from the estate’s vines) will have you mellow in no time. An added bonus is Spa Anise, where you can replenish mind, body and soul with organic honey-and-cocoa treatments or hot-stone massages. Ground-floor King Spa Rooms open onto an inviting verandah: first-floor rooms will earn you views all the way to the Brokenback Mountain Range. For cosy nights by the fire, opt for a Luxury Spa Suite. QT Gold Coast Bright pops of colour and retro furniture complete the Miami-esque feel at QT Gold Coast. Just a stone’s throw away from Surfers Paradise beach, you can soak up some sun and set yourself free from the weight of those winter woollies. Sample international cuisine at Bazaar, the hotel’s restaurant, styled with a bustling marketplace in mind. All rooms are fun and flirty with bonus DIY lemonade kits, but the QT King Ocean View rooms take the cake with seascape vistas and surfer-spotting potential. The Gold Coast is known for being a party playground, so join in the fun at the hotel’s bar, Stingray, where cocktails flow in an industrial-chic setting. Eveningwear is a must when the sun goes down: no board shorts allowed. The Prince Hotel, Melbourne Situated in the vibrant St Kilda precinct in Melbourne, The Prince Hotel is an edgy designer’s dream. Its modern, contemporary rooms feature timber floors, artfully placed throws and stand-alone bath tubs for peaceful soaks. You’ll get 30 percent off the Boutique and Deluxe rooms here, so take those savings and sample some of the fantastic restaurants that St Kilda has to offer. Stroll past nearby Acland Street for delectable treats at Monarch Cakes or sample the menu at the hotel’s restaurant, Circa, which champions seasonal eating using the freshest produce from Victorian and Australian farmers. If you fall in love with any of the artworks adorning the walls, you might be able to take them home (for a price, of course). The walls, curated by Utopian Slumps’ Melissa Loughnan, allow art to be seen in a more social, everyday environment. Spicers Peak Lodge, Qld A mountain retreat on the Scenic Rim of Queensland, Spicers Peak Lodge is a place where you can surround yourself in nature without sacrificing luxurious comforts. Set on a 9000-acre cattle station, the hotel has bushwalking and mountain bike trails for adventurous types and gourmet picnics on offer too. Five of the seven luxury lodge suites have warming stone fireplaces, perfect to snuggle by on a winter’s eve. The earthy, natural tones are calming and fuss-free, drawing you outwards to the natural beauty of the area. Dining at the lodge is a must. The cuisine highlights seasonal and organic produce, including honey, which stars in delicacies such as the chocolate, caramel popcorn and honeycomb dessert. Empire Retreat and Spa, WA A relaxing oasis among the southern wilderness of Western Australia, Empire Retreat and Spa combines a level of luxury and seclusion among the gum trees. The retreat’s villas and suites are set in and around a restored farmhouse — once the owner’s family home. Both rustic and modern interiors work well with timber and natural stone accents that celebrate the beauty of the surrounding native bushland. The main house has an open fireplace, timber decking and a secluded Jacuzzi and sauna for extra entertainment. Some of the nation’s best cabernets and pristine beaches can be found in this pocket of the west, so it’s well worth hiring a car to explore. The Spire, Queenstown The Spire is an urban hideaway in the midst of Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand's South Island. Interiors of dark wood and rich, candy-apple red highlight create rooms that are inviting sanctuaries away from wintry winds. Room six has an exclusive view of the spire that the hotel is named after, but all have stone-clad fireplaces and private balconies. Sip a cocktail while enjoying some Mediterranean- and European Alps-inspired tapas at No5 Church Lane, the hotel’s laidback lounge bar, or venture to the waterfront for some of the freshest seafood Queenstown has to offer. The hotel is more than happy to arrange some adrenaline-pumping activities such as bungee-jumping or jet-boating, but a simple hike and picnic lunch is also on the menu. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, NZ Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand is a pristine natural wonder. Rolling green hills stretch from The Farm at Cape Kidnappers all the way to the churning water’s edge. A par-71 golf course is on hand, along with 180-degree views of the spectacular Pacific Ocean. A luxurious barn-like conversion worthy of a Grand Designs feature, the Owner’s Cottage has added seclusion away from the main lodge, a large stone fireplace and an open kitchen for entertaining. Tawny interiors throughout add to the farmhouse style, and invoke a homey, welcoming environment. The lodge even has its own winery located in the Gimblett Gravels region, with regular wine tastings. There’s an onsite pastry chef and a new vegetable garden that provides head chef James Honore with fresh produce to accompany the locally sourced meats and seafood. 1888 Hotel, Sydney An eclectic industrial conversion, 1888 Hotel turns Sydney’s past into a stylish inner-city hangout. In a prime location for visiting Sydney’s famous harbour and the captivating Powerhouse Museum, this historic wool store offers a vibrant resting place that moulds together the best of days gone by and modern Australian design. Three-metre-high ceilings and original wooden beams are featured throughout rooms, and the Attic room has a sun-kissed patio and sociable lounge for entertaining. A philosophy of simplicity encompasses the menu at 1888 Eatery & Bar, where meals celebrate wholesome and sustainably sourced ingredients. There’s also a monthly photography competition for all you avid Instagrammers, so don’t forget to tag the hotel in any snaps as it could win you a free night’s stay. Islington Hotel, Tasmania A Regency house situated just outside of Hobart in Tasmania, Islington Hotel sports views of Mount Wellington and hosts manicured gardens. A sustainability motto that will knock your socks off, paired with an 80 percent organic decree, sets this hotel above the rest with its eco-friendly practices. The moreish dishes at the hotel’s restaurant — such as maple-and-whisky-glazed pork loin and Tasmanian wallaby shank — are definitely set to spoil. Rooms in the old house are generous and elegant with bespoke bedding and contemporary artworks from the owner’s worldwide travels adorning walls. This is the perfect getaway for curling up by the outdoor open fire and settling in with a good book while sipping on some of the hotel’s swill-worthy wines. Browse all Smith’s winter warmer offers or see all available hotel offers online. Contact our expert Travel Team on 1300 896 627 for further details on the hotels and their deals.
In 2023, Matt Adnate was an Archibald Prize finalist with his portrait of Daniel Johns, his first-ever entry for the acclaimed award. In 2024, the Northern Rivers–based artist has both repeated the feat and gone one better with his second entry, a new work featuring Baker Boy. Rhythms of heritage is among this year's shortlisted entries for the prestigious award, and also the recipient of 2024's Packing Room Prize. Which artist will tale home the Archie in the gong's 103rd year will be unveiled on Friday, June 7, but Rhythms of heritage status as the Packing Room Prize-winner for 2024 has just been announced. The latter is selected by three members of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' packing room team — Timothy Dale, Monica Rudhar and Alexis Wildman in 2024 — hence the name. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) "I have always been inspired by music as it can help me channel and evoke strong emotion into my work. It gives me the energy to keep painting, from canvases in my studio to large-scale murals. I'm in awe of artists like Baker Boy who have the power to use music to transform people's mood, mind and energy," said Adnate about Rhythms of heritage and his Packing Room Prize win. "It was an honour to paint him again and capture the intensity of his music. It has been incredible to watch Baker Boy evolving into a multi-talented and award-winning artist over the last decade, cementing his legacy as an Australian music icon," Adnate continued. "I learned to paint through doing graffiti letters as a teenager; I switched to portraiture in 2010. This painting was produced mostly with spray paint, a medium that has always allowed me the most control. It's been a challenge to maintain my own technique and resist the pressure to use oils or more traditional mediums. I've always considered the Archibald to be the pinnacle of art prizes, especially for portraiture. To win the Packing Room Prize with a portrait that is so significant to me, and to be the first street artist to do so, it really pushes me further." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adnate (@adnate) If you're wondering how Baker Boy, aka Danzal Baker, feels about being a Packing Room Prize-winning subject, he's also thrilled. "Big congratulations to Matt for taking home the Packing Room Prize with his portrait of me. It's unreal to see how he captures me as I am today, reflecting my love for music and a deep connection to my home of Arnhem Land, seen through the soulful reflection in the eyes," he said. Dale, Rudhar and Wildman had no shortage of praise for Adnate's work. "Matt Adnate is an incredible Australian street artist renowned for his large mural paintings. His portrait of singer-songwriter Baker Boy in his signature style is characterised by grand scale, vivid colours and a gaze that draws you in," advised Rudhar. "Matt and Baker Boy are both highly accomplished in their respective fields and share a mutual recognition of each other's talents. Matt's powerful portrait encapsulates Baker Boy as the inspirational Indigenous storyteller that he is, mirroring the joy and hope that his music brings to the world." [caption id="attachment_959475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Caroline Zilinsky 'A lucid heart – the golden age of Jacob Elordi', oil on linen, 152.5 x 122.4 cm © the artist. Sitter: Jacob Elordi[/caption] Rhythms of heritage is one of 57 finalists in the Archibald, as whittled down from 1005 entries. Other works vying for the accolade include Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton. If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. And, they'll have company from works shortlisted for the venue's similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders. The Wynne also made history by selecting 21 pieces by Aboriginal artists — the first time that there's been more works by Aboriginal artists than non-Aboriginal artists among the finalists. [caption id="attachment_959474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Jessie Bourke 'Different, not less', oil on canvas, 130 x 90.2 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Chloé Hayden[/caption] Speculation about who will be awarded the coveted Archibald Prize — and, more often than not, the Archibald winner itself — usually causes much-heated debate. From 2018's five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win to Tony Costa's 2019 victory with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — the first portrait of an Asian Australian to pick up the prize — it's hard a prize to pick. All that's really assured is that it'll be a portrait of a person by an Australian-based artist. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne. Whoever earns the nod for 2024's Archibald, there's still another award up for grabs afterwards. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8. [caption id="attachment_959477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Angus McDonald 'Professor Marcia Langton AO', oil on canvas, 154.5 x 271.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Marcia Langton[/caption] Archibald Prize 2024 Dates: Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery [caption id="attachment_959478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2024 finalist, Drew Bickford 'Direct-to-video', oil on canvas, 152 x 101.7 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Soda Jerk[/caption] The winner of 2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes will be announced on Friday, June 7 at 12pm — check back here then. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Winner Packing Room Prize 2024, Matt Adnate 'Rhythms of heritage', spray paint and synthetic polymer paint on linen, 220 x 188.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter . Sitter: Baker Boy.
They say not to judge something based on its age — and Melbourne institution The Duke of Wellington is proving just that. The city's oldest licensed pub is showing it still has a few new tricks up its sleeve by unveiling a new rooftop bar. Head to the new sky-high setting, which incorporates sweeping city views against a large-scale artwork by illustrator James Gulliver Hancock, for the ideal after-work wind-down. The food menu adds to the casual vibe with burgers, poké bowls and share-style snack food — think Lygon Street-style lasagne croquettes, charcuterie plates and smoky eggplant dip with flatbread. And in a win for late-night snackers, the kitchen will be open until late. The booze program is packed with a range of tap beers and both local and international wines, though you'll easily be tempted by the crafty seasonal cocktails. Among them, you'll find the Spellbound Smash — made with bourbon, orange bitters, blackberries, sage and thyme — and a spiced tequila and coffee number dubbed Café ala Mexicana. If you can tear your gaze away from the city views, six TVs scattered around the venue will display sports matches. Plus, you can reserve one of the booths from this Friday, July 13 if you've managed to rally a big group. For more information on the new rooftop bar, visit The Duke's website. Images: Brook James.
Her milkshake brought all the boys to the yard back in the early 2000s. It also sent Kelis soaring up the charts. Now, that hit track is set to echo through Beyond The Valley. The end-of-year music festival is in announcement mode, dropping its lineup for 2023 — and not just Kelis but also RÜFÜS DU SOL, Central Cee and Peggy Gou lead the bill. Last year, Beyond The Valley also went retro with one of its big-name acts: Nelly Furtado. This year, it's harking back to the same era. Expect to hear fellow nostalgic hits 'Trick Me,' 'Bossy,' and 'Millionaire' when Kelis takes to the stage as well, and to revel in all things noughties. Taking place at Barunah Plains in Hesse in Victoria from Thursday, December 28, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024, 2023's Beyond The Valley will welcome back RÜFÜS DU SOL, in what'll be their third stint at the festival since it began in 2014. British rapper Central Cee will bust out 'Doja', of course, and show why he's notched up two-billion streams. And Peggy Gou hits the decks fresh from her latest single '(It Goes Like) Nanana' doing huge things. Also on the lineup: Destroy Lonely, DMA'S, G Flip, Mall Grab and The Jungle Giants, as well as COBRAH, BIG WETT, Lastlings, King Stingray, Becca Hatch, CXLOE, JessB, Channel Tres and Romy. And yes, the list still goes on from there. Fancy listening to podcasts at a music fest? There's a dedicated stage for that, too, with everyone from Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay to Aussie Rules footballer Mason Cox on the lineup. The event's Barunah Plains site comes compete with a 100,000-square metre-natural amphitheatre — and it'll be setting up three main stages, a 70-metre-wide LED wall, a ferris wheel and more. Fancy hitting up an inflatable wedding chapel? Checking out Poof Doof Pride Patrol's roving drag performances? Trying to find Schmall Klub's hidden party? Having a swim? Doing some yoga? Get ready for that as well. BEYOND THE VALLEY 2023 LINEUP: RÜFÜS DU SOL Central Cee Peggy Gou Destroy Lonely DMA'S G Flip Kelis Mall Grab The Jungle Giants BIG WETT Boo Seeka Cassian Channel Tres COBRAH Conducta b2b Notion DJ Heartstring Ewan McVicar Jayda G KETTAMA King Stingray Lady Shaka Lastlings Logic1000 LUUDE Mella Dee Overmono Rebūke Romy Ross From Friends (DJ set) salute STÜM Taylah Elaine Willaris. K 6 SENSE Baby G Becca Hatch Blusher CRUSH3d Crybaby CXLOE dameeeela Effy Forest Claudette FUKHED Gold Fang House Mum JessB DJ JNETT Mia Wray Miss Kaninna PANIA Pink Matter Saoirse Shake Daddy Sunshine & Disco Faith Choir Tyson O'Brien PODCAST STAGE Scheananigans with Scheana Shay Curious Conversations with Tully and Sarah Flopstars Jamo and Dylan In Bed with Georgia Grace The Maria Thattil Show The Mason Cox Show Where's Your Head At Yarning Up First Nations Stories with Caroline Kell Beyond The Valley will run from Thursday, December 28, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Barunah Plains, Wentworths Road, Hesse, Victoria. Ticket presale registrations are open now, closing at 3pm AEST on Monday, August 21 — with presales starting that same day at 6pm AEST. General sales kick off at 12pm AEST on Tuesday, August 22. For more information, head to the fest's website. Images: Jordan Munns / Josh Bainbridge.
When Melburnians think of a summer activity, cooling down is top of mind. A trip to an idyllic swimming hole, local ice-cream shops and gorgeous beaches top the list, but sitting in a geothermal pool isn't the first thing that springs to mind. Don't write the hot springs off entirely, though: the award-winning Peninsula Hot Springs just debuted an aptly named Cool Zone, amongst other heat-friendly amenities that put a refreshing spin on summer soaks. For the uninitiated, cold plunge pools and a cavernous ice cave sit in the spa's Fire and Ice area, a circuit designed for contrast therapy, where guests move from hot to cold experiences. Now, the icier end of the offering has expanded with the addition of three amphitheatre pools that stay at a comfortable 20 degrees, alongside refreshing mist "clouds" that spritz from above. Follow the Cool Trail as you move from one chilled pool to another — think mist-filled pathways, cold geo-thermal showers and temperature-controlled benches shaded by lush greenery. Summer menus are in full swing around the springs. Right at the entrance, local gelateria The Yard By The Bay has set up an ice cream bar with crowd-pleasing scoops like salted caramel and pistachio. From cold brews to iced matchas to acai bowls and choc-top, the Amphitheatre Cafe is stocked with more sunny-day snacks. And if the day calls for something a little more spirited, the Bath House Cafe is pouring Limoncello spritzes. Pair your bath with the seasonal Summer Salt & Glow treatment — a 75-minute ritual that combines a salt exfoliation with a soothing back massage, ending with a calming aloe vera body moisturiser. The adults-only Spa Dreaming Centre is also equipped with thoughtful details to manage the heat, including chilled face washers, hydration stations and iced teas. Our hot tips? Get to the springs early to enjoy the crisp morning air before exploring the rest of the Mornington region — it opens at 7 am on weekdays and 5 am on weekends — or dodge the UV rays completely with a moonlit bath on the weekend. Images supplied
Romance. Kidnapping. A farm girl called Buttercup. A scheming prince. A swashbuckling saviour. A giant. When William Goldman threw them all together, The Princess Bride was the end result — first in his 1973 novel, and then in the 1987 film that the late, great writer also penned. For more than three decades, viewers have watched Fred Savage hear the world's best bedtime story, Robin Wright and Cary Elwes frolick in fields, and Andre the Giant tower over everyone around, with The Princess Bride one of those beloved 80s flicks that never gets old. That said, if you've ever found yourself enjoying all of the above and thinking "a musical number or two wouldn't go astray", you're about to be in luck. Despite what outlaw boss Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) might exclaim, a musical version is no longer inconceivable. Instead, Disney is channelling another famous Princess Bride line: as you wish. While the project has been in various stages of development for more than a decade, a new creative team has been hired to finally make this all-singing take on the tale a reality, The Hollywood Reporter notes. Fresh from nabbing a 2018 Tony Award for The Band's Visit, David Yazbek will take care of The Princess Bride's original music and lyrics, while book fellow Tony winner Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone) will pair up with Rick Elice (The Cher Show, Jersey Boys) on the book. If The Princess Bride musical does come to fruition this time, it'll join the ever-growing list of movies leaping to the stage, including Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bring It On, Mean Girls, Clueless, The Bodyguard, Amelie, Waitress, Muriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!, with versions of The Devil Wears Prada, Empire Records, Mrs Doubtfire, The Notebook and Aussie classic Starstruck also in the works. No timeframe has been given for The Princess Bride; however the film's trailer will help tide you over until more news comes to hand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9FRDyTerZA Via The Hollywood Reporter.
Ice cream maker-turned-activist Ben & Jerry's is once again taking its frozen treats into the political realm. In the past, the much-loved ice cream (or lack thereof) was used to support marriage equality. Now, it'll become a platform for taking action on climate change with the new limited-edition flavour, Gimme S'More Renewables. The flavour's launch corresponds with the global Rise For Climate Day on Saturday, September 8, and will be available in Ben & Jerry's stores for just one day, and while supplies last. All proceeds will be donated to the company's long-term climate activism partners, 350.org Australia. On the day, fifty marches and picnics are scheduled to take place across Australia — you can find the closest event to you here. Ben & Jerry's has also sent personalised pints of Gimme S'More Renewables to federal and state politicians, acting as a direct call on Australian leaders to accelerate renewable energy and commit to a fossil-fuel-free world. In a show of good faith, the company has committed to being carbon positive and using only renewable resources by 2030. Plus, its 2020 deadline for using renewable electricity sources and eliminating coal from its energy mix is just around the corner. All Ben & Jerry's shops are currently powered by Powershop, an electricity provider that is 100 percent carbon neutral. If you need more than the drought and the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef to convince you to get involved, the Gimme S'More Renewables sounds pretty damn tasty, too — a combination of marshmallow ice cream, chocolate cookies, Graham cracker swirls and fudge flakes. Ben & Jerry's limited-edition Gimme S'More Renewables will be available at all Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops on Saturday, September 8. Find your closest one here.
Axil Coffee Roasters has long operated at the forefront of Melbourne's beloved coffee scene, and their 15th anniversary demands a brew-day bash. To celebrate and give back to the wealth of community support they've received over the years, the team is giving away free coffee every day from Monday, May 12–Monday, May 26. However, to bring a little more fun and interactivity to this giveaway, Axil Coffee Roasters will serve up these complimentary coffees through surprise 15-minute windows. How do you know when you can score a free brew? Keep an eye on their Instagram Stories, as they'll share daily announcements to give fans a heads up. But that's not the only way to get involved in the celebration. Those who purchase a coffee between Monday, May 12–Monday, May 26 can scan the QR code on their cup to receive a raffle ticket, with one lucky winner taking home a La Marzocco Linea Micra espresso machine and a 12-month Axil coffee subscription. Founded by Dave Makin and Zoe Delany in 2010, Axil Coffee Roasters has grown from humble Hawthorn roots to become an icon of Melbourne coffee. Alongside developing some of the city's favourite roasts, Axil's talented team has brought home numerous barista awards, including six Australian Barista Championships and a World Barista Championship title.
We're officially less than two months out from December 25, so, like it or not, you can prepare to be inundated with an assortment of new-release festive goodies. In a similar vein to Four Pillars' annual Christmas concoction, the latest edition of which has just hit the shelves, South Australian distillery Prohibition Liquor Co. has unveiled its own Yuletide-inspired gin for 2018. As always, this year's seasonal small-batch release sets out to bottle the essence of a true-blue Aussie Christmas, blending flavours of star anise, cherry, cinnamon, fig and orange to create a drink that's spicy, syrupy and unmistakably festive. Longtime fans of Prohibition's Christmas Gin will notice a few changes with this latest batch, which is slightly boozier to previous years (at 40 percent) and rocks a new pale blush colour. As with other Prohibition products like the Shiraz Barrel Gin and the Bathtub Cut Gin, this one's all packaged up in a square, Prohibition Era-style bottle — perfect for bootlegging some booze to your family Christmas lunch. Prohibition Liquor Co.'s 2018 Christmas gin is on sale now for $105 online and at select retailers.
We all know the feeling when Uber's hitting you with surge pricing and there's not a taxi in sight. But Melburnians now have another option for getting around town, with government-approved taxi service Oiii launching in the city yesterday. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the company is rolling out 50 of its new multi-coloured cars over the coming weeks, with plans to have over 1000 vehicles on Melbourne roads by June. You'll find them at regular cab ranks, or you can hail them down from the street or order one using the Oiii app. Founder Dennis Jeffees was inspired by the new technology being used by ridesharing services like Uber and has spent the past few years developing his own. The result is a service that operates with ratings for both users and drivers, has zero surcharges, offers fixed-priced tariffs and even boasts free wi-fi in each car. The company's making the most of recent legislative changes, which no longer require taxi licences to be purchased. It'll have primary operators, who'll pay $800 to kit out their car and another $260 a month to drive it, with a 10 percent commission on jobs through the app, as well as secondary operators, who'll be able to use the app in their existing cabs. Once Oiii is settled in Melbourne, the service is expected to roll out across all other states. Via the Sydney Morning Herald. Image: Savio Sebastian via Flickr.
The Heiresses, a Paraguayan film featuring a first-time actress and hailing from a debut feature writer and director, has emerged victorious at this year's Sydney Film Festival. After picking up two awards at this year's Berlinale — including best actress for star Ana Brun — Marcelo Martinessi's moving drama beat out 11 other contenders to win the 2018 Sydney Film Prize. That's no mean feat in any year, but given that this year's competition included Cannes prizewinner BlacKkKlansman; Sundance hits Leave No Trace and The Miseducation of Cameron Post; and fellow Berlin standouts Transit, Aga and Daughter of Mine, it's quite the considerable achievement. Telling the tale of Chela, who is forced to adjust when her girlfriend of more than three decades is imprisoned due to the couple's mounting debts, The Heiresses became the 11th feature to nab the festival's $60,000 award. Again, it's in fine company, with previous winners including On Body and Soul (2017), Aquarius (2016), Arabian Nights (2015), Two Days, One Night (2014), Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012), A Separation (2011), Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD_LxrE9vVA Comprised of Australian artist and filmmaker Lynette Wallworth, Aussie actor Ewen Leslie (The Daughter), Filipino producer and writer Bianca Balbuena (Season of the Devil), South African film composer and songwriter Chris Letcher and Tokyo Film Festival programming director Yoshi Yatabe, the jury dubbed The Heiresses a "provocative, layered and surprising film". "The film we chose carried us with restraint and confidence into a world still shielded by entitlement even as its structures crumble," explained Wallworth at SFF's closing night ceremony. "It revealed a delicately unfolding courage to release what we cling to, even when it is all we know, and let change come — within ourselves and within this collective frame that we build, that is society." The fest's other big 2018 prize — the $10,000 Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary — went to Aussie doco Ghosthunter by another first-timer, Ben Lawrence. In the kind of story that has to be seen to be believed, the documentary starts out as a portrait of Sydney security guard Jason King and his after-hours gig as an amateur ghost hunter. That's not how it ends up, however, with the film evolving over the course of its seven-year shoot to delve into King's troubled family history.
The last two years have been peppered with high-flying hotel openings, with the likes of Next, the W, AC Hotels and Movenpick just some of the brands that have come to make Melbourne home. But the city's next exciting accommodation addition comes not in the form of a sleek newcomer, but an old favourite reimagined. Rydges Melbourne is currently undergoing a top-to-toe transformation, slated to return in its next incarnation from autumn. And it's leaving the past well behind. You can push aside any existing notions you had of this long-running hotel brand — Rydges Melbourne 2.0 is a whole new kettle of fish. Set in the heart of the action on Exhibition Street, the hotel is set to reopen as a Rydges flagship complete with 370 freshly revamped rooms, including 35 suites, plus 25 new apartments catering to the business-leisure set. A completely overhauled look steered by the renowned Luchetti Krelle features soothing interiors of natural stone and pale timber complemented by loads of natural light. An impressive collection of local art has been curated by interior designer Janet Graham, and all the rooms are kitted out with Rydges' signature DreamBeds. Alongside all that, there's a hefty 1500 square metres of revamped event and conference spaces, including a lofty ballroom in the former Bobby McGees digs and a brand-new rooftop terrace. And there'll be more news to come soon about the property's signature restaurant, which is set to "celebrate the theatre of food". Rydges Melbourne is currently taking bookings from June onwards, with prices starting from $270 a night. Rydges Melbourne is set to reopen at 186 Exhibition Street, Melbourne some time in autumn. We'll share more details about its offerings as they drop.
This article is sponsored by our partners, lastminute.com.au. So, you like wine? You love it? Well my friends, allow me to introduce you to one of the best wine regions in Australia: the Barossa Valley. Situated almost 60km northeast of Adelaide, the Barossa has the oldest Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cabernet vineyards in the world. The area is most commonly associated with its signature grape variety: Shiraz. However, the region does grow a number of other grape varieties, so if you're a fan of Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre, Mataro, Cabernet and even Merlot then you'll be wanting to book a getaway quick smart. So you can get your bearings, the main towns on the valley floor are Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Rowland Flat and Lyndoch. Nuriootpa is the larger of the four towns and seen as the commercial hub of the area, while Tanunda and Angaston have more attractions to cater for fans of sweet little antique stores — but more importantly wine bars, cellar doors and buzzing cafes. BAROSSA EATS Make sure you get yourself a full belly of food before you embark on any tasting tour of the region. Not only is the Barossa famous for its wines, it also prides itself on local produce with some of the best restaurants in the country. For something quaint, why not visit Maggie Beer's Farm Shop? It's the very place her ABC TV series, The Cook and The Chef is filmed. After you've taken an 'I'm on a TV set selfie' you can top up your shopping cart with some MB products and be on your way. FermentAsian is an incredibly reputable Vietnamese restaurant you can't pass by having recently won the Best Asian Restaurant in South Australia. Also worth noting is Hentley Farm Restaurant, where the team will pair their wines with nosh for you, and Appellation at The Louise for some world class dining reflecting the local growing seasons. Be sure to check out the Barossa Farmers Market in Angaston. Open every Saturday from 7:30–11:30am, this bustling market has a plethora of goodies from fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and small goods to oils, pickles, preserves, condiments, baked goods and delicious macaroons. You're spoilt for choice. BAROSSA SLEEPS Before you crack in to the wines you'll need a place to sleep off all this indulgence. Some of the wineries have accommodation on site but if you want a hotel, one of my top picks around is the Novotel Barossa Valley. If it's luxury you're after then look no further than The Louise, set upon an original heritage property atop the stunning Marananga hill top site. This place is pure indulgence. Top picks for B&Bs include The Lodge or the incredibly romantic 'Cupids Cottages' (which will earn you huge brownie points) sitting with a view of your very own lake at Stonewell Cottages. Check out lastminute.com.au for some pretty sweet deals. BAROSSA QUAFFS Now my friends, it's time to quaff! By visiting the Barossa website you can either plan your own trip with their online Trip Planner or book a wine tour with Taste The Barossa. For something different, you can also book bikes to 'taste by bike' from Barossa Bike Hire. They can either deliver your bike to your accommodation or you can pick it up from Nuriootpa. If you're feeling fit, take a detour up to the Barossa Sculpture Park by following Basedow Road to the Menglers Hill Lookout and you'll enjoy some amazing sculptures carved from local marble and granite, backdropped by a stunning view of the valley. With more than 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries in the Barossa, you could say the world is your wine glass. Check out my Top 20 below, in no particular order. Concrete Playground's Top 20 Barossa Valley Cellar Doors and Wineries: Artisans of Barossa Kind of like The Avengers of wine. John Duval (famed winemaker of Penfolds Grange) has teamed up with six other individual winemakers to keep small batch winemaking alive and well. Try what all seven wine makers have to offer in their tasting room. Henschke Famous for its 'Hill of Grace' Shiraz, this winery has a great range of premium reds and whites on offer Chateau Tanunda This place is worth the visit just to see Australia's oldest chateau alone. It's like being on the set of The Great Gatsby. Top wines too; the Noble Baron range is handpicked, basket-pressed and unfiltered. Seppeltsfield Superbly scenic. Well known for their Centennial Collection, which is an "unbroken lineage of Tawny of every vintage from 1878 to current year". Peter Lehman Big reds and a true five-star winery. Chateau Yaldara Another beautiful chateau worth checking out. Taste McGuigans Wines and perhaps grab a light meal at Café Y if you're peckish. Bethany Killer Rieslings. Great reds and food wines. Also get on board their delicious stickies and fortifieds. Pindarie These guys do a lovely range of wines including varietals like Tempranillo and Sangiovese. Penfolds This isn't the actual winery but a cellar door where you can purchase their Taste of Grange package or make-your-own blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre. Wolf Blass If you haven't heard of these guys you've somehow been living in a sealed-off cave. Wolf Blass have a massive range. Why not cleanse your palette and enjoy some of their lovely sparkling? Two Hands Their focus is primarily Shiraz but their Grenache also is exceptional. St Hallet Sensational reds. Get stuck in to their Shiraz, Shiraz Grenache or their big and dense Mataro. They also have a Christmas favourite, the Sparkling Shiraz. For white fans try their moscato style Gewürztraminer. It's like drinking lychee juice with bubbles. Saltrams Award winning reds and whites. A lovely tasting bar and restaurant onsite makes this place a definite go-er. Elderton The first red I ever let sit for over ten years was an Elderton Shiraz and it was incredible when I eventually opened it up, drank it and cheekily slopped a little in to my pasta sauce as it cooked. They produce some of the most highly regarded reds in Australia. Glaetzer The team do four reds and focus "simply on the production of small volume, super premium red wines." Mountadam One of Australia's pioneer Chardonnay producers. Kies Family Wines An 1880s-styled cottage cellar door with a chilled-out vibe and quality wines. Irvine Estate Jim Irvine loves Merlot. He also loves interesting wines like his Cabernet Franc called The Baroness or his Zinfandel red, which is not as big and bold as some. But you can't go past his Grand Merlot. Whistler I love their reds and their red blends. Their Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre blend is one I could happily slurp every day. Grant Burge Hot tip: Buy yourself some of the Holy Trinity GSM to drink while you wait for their Filsell Shiraz or the Meshach Shiraz you also bought ages to perfection. Enjoy! Get amongst that tasty tasty vino and book your getaway to the Barossa Valley now with lastminute.com.au.
After dropping its music program for 2023 in late February, Alice Springs' luminous Parrtjima — A Festival In Light has unveiled the full lineup of installations, tunes, talks and more that'll be lighting up the Red Centre come April. On the bill: informative discussions, impressive flicks and must-try workshops, all in stunning surroundings. Some events are worth locking into your diary regardless of who's playing and what's brightening up the place, of course, and this fest is one of them. The Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling festival just might be Australia's most luminous event, as attendees will learn when it returns from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 16. 2023's focus: 'Listening with Heart'. That's what this year's light-heavy installations, which were announced late in 2022, will focus on. Parrtjima's theme is inspired by the artwork surrounding the Statement from the Heart, with that piece depicting Uluru-Ku Tjukurrpa, the Uluru story of connection, as created by a group of artists from Multijulu as led by Maruku artist Rene Kulitja. So, Kulitja will work with other of artists for Parrtjima to turn the Statement from the Heart artwork into a large-scale immersive light and sound installation. That means that Parrtjima attendees will find themselves plunged in the world of the Aṉangu people of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands surrounding Uluru. The idea is to feature ancient songlines, plus Indigenous viewpoints on Country, as well as connecting to First Peoples' strong links with the land, water and sky. Two things that are also on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic, 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. As for the music program, it overflows with First Nations talent, including Docker River Band, Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara, JK-47, KAIIT, Karnage and Paul Ah Chee. They'll be joined by Radical Son, Richard J Frankland, Discovering Leerpeen Mara, Rowdy Birds, The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and The Merindas across the ten days — and with a range of dazzling backdrops. The talks lineup features actor Steven Oliver, marathon hero Charlie Maher, media identity Naomi Moran, scientist Corey Tutt, Olympian Nova Peris and more, such as musicians Richard Frankland, KAIIT and Paul Ah Chee — doing double duty on stage and having a chat. Movie-wise, attendees can look forward to Westwind: Djalu's Legacy, Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, Araatika: Rise Up and The Australian Wars. And, the workshops schedule includes dance, art and pottery. PARRTJIMA — A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT 2023 MUSIC LINEUP: Docker River Band Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara JK-47 KAIIT Karnage (DJ) Karnage n Darknis Paul Ah Chee Radical Son Richard J Frankland Discovering Leerpeen Mara Rowdy Birds (DJ) The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band The Merindas PARRTJIMA — A FESTIVAL IN LIGHT 2023 TALKS LINEUP: Steven Oliver Richard J Frankland Charlie Maher Naomi Moran Corey Tutt Nova Peris KAIIT Paul Ah Chee Rene Kulitja, Charmaine Kulitja and Christine Brumby Christine Ross and Roxanne Highfold Dean Parkin and Ursula Raymond Parrtjima – A Festival in Light will run from Friday, April 7–Sunday, April 16, 2023 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: NTMEC/Parrtjima – A Festival in Light. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If you've ever tucked into a scoop of Gelato Messina's frosty wares, savoured not just the taste but the scent and wished you could soak in the latter for longer, the dessert fiends have good news. Now, you can enjoy the enticing smell of gelato at home, all the time, even when you're not eating any — all thanks to Messina's new candle range. In collaboration with perfumed candle outfit Maison Balzac, Messina's Creative Department has turned its attention to something other than inventive gelato flavours and impressive degustations. The result: two candles, both inspired by honey. The 'Miel d'Hiver' candle (which means 'winter honey' in French) is designed to conjure up the scent of plants pollinated by bees in winter, and features notes of smoke, thyme, lemon, cedarleaf, frankincense, nutmeg, tonka bean, palo santo and peru balsam. Or, you can opt for the 'Miel d'Ete' ('summer honey'), which combines bergamot, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, orris, lily of the valley and musk patchouli. Anyone that's been to one of the Messina Creative Department's meals will know that wild honey gelato — made from honey from the company's local Sydney apiary, Rosebery Honey — is a big feature, so it's no surprise that the company has taken inspiration from honey for its new candles. If you're eager to make your whole house smell like dessert, the Maison Balzac x Messina Creative Department range is available from Maison Balzac, and from Messina's stores in Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Bondi, Tramsheds, Fitzroy, South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley — while stocks last. They come in two sizes, so you can go big with a 300-gram candle (which'll burn for around 70 hours) for $69, or opt for the smaller 55-gram version (which'll burn for approximately 18 hours) for $29. All Messina shops are also serving up a new 'miel' gelato flavour, too, so you can lick your way through a cup or cone of citrus-infused honey gelato with honeycomb and burnt honey caramel as well. Gelato Messina's Maison Balzac candles are available from Maison Balzac, as well as from Messina's stores in Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Bondi, Tramsheds, Fitzroy, South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley — while stocks last. All Messina shops are also serving up its new 'miel' gelato flavour, again while stocks last.
There's something so satisfying about pssssst sound made when cracking a tab on a canned beverage. That coupled with the fact canned drinks have in-built portion control, guaranteed freshness (with a delightful little spritz to them) and can be recycled, more winemakers, distillers and brewers are saying "yes, we can" to the can. Plus, they're perfect for a multitude of drinking scenarios — from a fruity pinot gris while sitting on your balcony at home watching the sunset to a super refreshing G&T at your mate's barbecue. So, we've scoured bottle shops and online retailers across the country for the best canned beverages in each category: boozy, caffeinated and alcohol-free. No glassware or garnishes needed — just crack open a can, throw on your best playlist and you've got yourself an instant party. WINE BLIND CORNER SOUTH WEST COOLER 2019 ($34 FOR A SIX-PACK) Straddling the line between wine and a cocktail, this newest creation comes from organic and biodynamic winemakers Blind Corner. The team's homage to the 80s is a wine spritzer (or cooler) made from their estate-grown shiraz grapes. A juicy, bright, red fruited nouveau-style wine, it's a must-have for any barbecue. Just add grilled meats (or grilled eggplant for the vegos). SITE WINE PINOT GRIS 2019 ($12) Site Wine's single-site Victorian pinot gris has been handpicked and naturally fermented to create a refreshing and vibrant wine with hints of tropical fruits. There's the unavoidable spritz — that you find in all canned wine — but it dissipates after a few sips. With 3.8 standard drinks per can, this little delightful little number is packed full of flavour, so drink slowly. INNOCENT BYSTANDER MOSCATO NV ($6) Many people's favourite "secret shame" drink from arguably Australia's best moscato producer, Innocent Bystander's moscato NV is now available in easy-to-slurp can form. Smells like fairy floss, rose petals and mandarin peel, and is filled with flavours of vibrant strawberry, red apples and a hint of jasmine flowers, with a well-integrated sweetness that jumps out of the can and into your mouth. In our opinion, it goes with any brunch scenario you want to throw at it — pavlovas; pancakes with lemon sugar; blue cheese, pear and candied walnut salads. COCKTAILS CURATIF TOMMY'S MARGARITA From the creative minds that brought you the negroni in a can (a collab with Four Pillars) and the espresso martini in a can (a collab with Archie Rose), Curatif's newest drink is a tommy's margarita made in collaboration with Tromba tequila. Curatif prides itself on making the world's best cocktails by sourcing only the finest ingredients from around the globe, and the tommy's is no different. It's made with Tromba's blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, agave syrup and salt. Simply pour over ice, and you've got instant summertime in a glass — all year round. At this stage, the Curatif Escape Series is only available at limited locations (Jackalope Hotel, Victoria; Pink Hotel, Coolangatta; Sails Motel, Brunswick Heads; and Pablo & Rustys, Sydney). However, the tommy's margarita (and a very delicious looking bloody mary in conjunction with Archie Rose) will be launched more widely come June 2020. MOUNTAIN GIN AND TONIC ($8.99) You can't throw a lime without hitting a new Australian gin distiller. However, not many have decided to pre-package the much-loved G&T in a can ready for your next barbecue. This is where the team at Mountain Gin (hailing from Victoria's Macedon Ranges) comes in with one of the most delicious and well-balanced canned G&Ts available. Each can includes 45 millilitres of its 100-percent batch-distilled gin, carefully blended with its recipe for low-sugar tonic, to bring forth the sharp citrus character of orange peel and lemon myrtle. The gin is inspired by locally foraged botanicals, and made using new growth pine needles and native pepperberry found throughout the area. The flavours in the gin are so crisp and clean — it's like taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air. LOVE CAN SPRITZ ($7.50) The complexity of a negroni meets the refreshing lightness if a spritz. Made with Mildura lemon juice, Poor Toms strawberry gin, Poor Toms Imbroglio orange amaro, the Sydney-distilled Love Can is also fairly low-calorie (if that's something you care about) at only 120 per can. If not, it's just another excuse to skip the gym and workout your drinking arm instead. The Love Cans — which also come in vodka yuzu and G&T varieties — are a collaboration between Marrickville's Poor Toms distillery and soda maker Strange Love. ALCOHOL-FREE SOBAH DAVIDSON PLUM GLUTEN-FREE ALE ($20 A FOUR-PACK) Indigenous Australian-owned Sobah is Australia's first non-alcoholic craft beer company. It's run by husband-wife team Clinton and Lozen Schultz, who are creating brews that are equal parts flavoursome and sustainably made. The duo's newest flavour is a light and aromatic gluten-free brew, that's sold out on the website, but our friends at Newtown bottle shop P&V currently have some on their shelves (plus the other styles in the Sobah range). It has an earthy aroma with musk and a touch of sweetness, the taste of davidson plum is tart ( similar to a cranberry) with some sourness and a slight bitterness. If you can't get your hands on this one, there are plenty of other flavours — including lemon aspen pilsner and pepperberry IPA — to try. FIRE TONIC SPARKLING SWITCHEL LEMON AND GINGER ($24 FOR A SIX-PACK) Based on an 18th-century rural American recipe, switchel is thought to be the 'original sports drink'. So, move over Gatorade — the ultimate hangover cure is here thanks to Victorian-based company Hilbilby. Bursting with good things, this can is refined sugar-free and only contains all-natural ingredients, such as apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, raw honey and pink mineral salt. With so many non-alcoholic drinks and sodas on the market filled with excess sugar, this is the perfect drink for those wanting something a little more savoury. COFFEE MINOR FIGURES NITRO COLD BREW ($24 FOR A MIXED SIX-PACK) Brewed with a focus on sustainability and no dairy or added sugar, Minor Figures is our latest coffee obsession. What makes its brews so special is the process of nitrogen-infused cold brewing, which assists in producing a silkier, frothier consistency and a softer, but more flavoursome brew that's guaranteed to shake out the brain fog in the morning and wake up the senses. The cold brew comes in three caffeinated flavours: black, oat milk latte and oat milk mocha.
If this pandemic has given you a newfound appreciation of speedy grab-and-go options, then, boy, does Market Lane Coffee have a treat for you. The specialty roaster has taken cues from our ever-efficient Japanese mates and installed a new vending machine out the front of its Brunswick East Roastery. Instead of Boss Coffee and Pocari Sweat, it is stocked with coffee filter papers and various packs of Market Lane beans, ready to take home and be transformed into your morning cuppa. The concept for this new addition has been brewing for a while, but it as the recent lockdowns — which forced the city's hospitality venues to close to dine-in customers and change to takeaway-only — that accelerated its creation. "We loved the idea of people being able to come to our roastery at any time of day and being able to load up on freshly roasted coffee beans or last minute filter papers for their brewers," explained Market Lane Co-Founder and Director Fleur Studd. "When COVID-19 hit, this idea felt even more relevant and urgent, as it enables people to buy our coffees in a contactless manner, at whatever time is convenient to them." [caption id="attachment_780486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abigail Varney[/caption] So, there's no need to restrict your caffeine fix to conventional cafe hours — this beauty is open for business 24/7. Just don't forget about that stage four curfew (from 8pm–5am daily) and five kilometre travel limit in your rush to get top-quality beans. The Weston Street vending machine is slinging a range of freshly roasted coffee beans in 250-gram and one-kilo bags, with options to suit both espresso and filter brews. Maybe you fancy the dark chocolate and orange notes of the seasonal espresso roast, or perhaps you like the blueberry and caramel finish on the Ethiopian aroresa espresso. Prices start from $16, running up to $68 for one of the big guys. The machine's also got a selection of filter papers for pour over, Aeropress and Moccamaster machines, ranging from $6 to $10. Find Market Lane HQ and its coffee bean vending machine at 126 Weston Street, Brunswick East. Images: Abigail Varney
On the big screen, Marvel largely sat out 2024, only releasing Deadpool & Wolverine in cinemas. That might've left some gaps in the moviegoing market, but it still wasn't a great year for superhero and supervillain films from other studios, at least according to the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards. After both Madame Web and Joker: Folie à Deux notched up a heap of Razzie nominations, they've each collected multiple accolades. Only one could be named the Worst Picture of last year, though — the one that made the line "he was in the Amazon with my mum when she was researching spiders right before she died" famous via its trailer. Dakota Johnson's (Daddio) spin into Sony's Spider-Man Universe collected three Razzies, the most of any film, with its star dubbed Worst Actress and its script chosen as Worst Screenplay. Following his Oscar-win for the first Joker film, Joaquin Phoenix (Napoleon) avoided being named Worst Actor, but picked up the prize for Worst Screen Combo with Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) instead. Joker: Folie à Deux was also selected as the Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel. Only two other titles received multiple prizes at Hollywood's least-coveted accolades: Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis and Jerry Seinfeld-directed comedy Unfrosted. For his win for the former, the iconic filmmaker noted on social media that he was "thrilled to accept the Razzie Award in so many important categories for Megalopolis, and for the distinctive honour of being nominated as the worst director, worst screenplay and worst picture at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking". "In this wreck of a world today, where art is given scores as if it were professional wrestling, I chose to not follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so terrified of risk that, despite the enormous pool of young talent at its disposal, may not create pictures that will be relevant and alive 50 years from now," the director of The Godfather franchise, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now continued. "What an honour to stand alongside a great and courageous filmmaker like Jacques Tati, who impoverished himself completely to make one of cinema's most beloved failures, Playtime! My sincere thanks to all my brilliant colleagues who joined me to make our work of art, Megalopolis, and let us remind ourselves us that box office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics has no true place in our future." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Francis Ford Coppola (@francisfordcoppola) Nominated across the categories but going home empty-handed: Borderlands, Reagan, Dear Santa, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Argylle, Atlas, The Crow, Kraven the Hunter, Mufasa: The Lion King and Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver. This year's winners might be tomorrow's Razzie Redeemer Award recipients, however, with the Golden Raspberries selecting someone each year who once graced its list but has gone on to better work. Its 2025 pick: Pamela Anderson, Worst New Star of 1996 for Barb Wire, picking up the Redeemer prize for her excellent performance in The Last Showgirl. Check out the full list of Razzie winners and nominees below: Golden Raspberry Winners and Nominees 2025 Worst Picture: Borderlands Joker: Folie à Deux Madame Web — WINNER Megalopolis Reagan Worst Actor: Jack Black, Dear Santa Zachary Levi, Harold and the Purple Crayon Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux Dennis Quaid, Reagan Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted — WINNER Worst Actress: Cate Blanchett, Borderlands Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux Bryce Dallas Howard, Argylle Dakota Johnson, Madame Web — WINNER Jennifer Lopez, Atlas Worst Supporting Actor: Jack Black, Borderlands Kevin Hart, Borderlands Shia LaBeouf, Megalopolis Tahar Rahim, Madame Web Jon Voight, Megalopolis, Reagan, Shadow Land and Strangers — WINNER Worst Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, Argylle and Kraven the Hunter Leslie Anne Down, Reagan Emma Roberts, Madame Web Amy Schumer, Unfrosted — WINNER FKA Twigs, The Crow Worst Screen Combo: Any two obnoxious characters (but especially Jack Black), Borderlands Any two unfunny "comedic actors", Unfrosted The entire cast of Megalopolis Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux — WINNER Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller, Reagan Worst Director: SJ Clarkson, Madame Web Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis — WINNER Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux Eli Roth, Borderlands Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: The Crow Joker: Folie à Deux — WINNER Kraven the Hunter Mufasa: The Lion King Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver Worst Screenplay: Joker: Folie à Deux Kraven the Hunter Madame Web — WINNER Megalopolis Reagan Razzie Redeemer: Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl For more information about the Golden Raspberry Awards, head to the accolades' website.
When you have so many huge musicals to your name, as Andrew Lloyd Webber does, one is always likely to be playing a stage somewhere. That includes in Australia, where the acclaimed composer's The Phantom of the Opera will start its latest stint Down Under in August — to be swiftly followed by Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. While the latest version of Phantom heads our way fresh from proving a huge hit in both the United Kingdom and the United States, this iteration Joseph makes the leap straight from London's West End. It also marks the first time that it's being staged outside of the UK, with seasons in Melbourne and Sydney locked in. Hailing from not only Lloyd Webber, but from lyricist Tim Rice as well, Joseph will enjoy its Australian premiere run at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday, November 11, 2022, before heading to Sydney's Capitol Theatre from Saturday, February 11, 2023. If you live elsewhere in the country, cross your fingers that it adds shows in other capitals to its Aussie run. (No matter where you reside, perhaps cross your fingers that Cats isn't the next big Lloyd Webber musical to prowl across local stages.) Joseph's Aussie seasons will feature all the expected songs, of course — so 'Any Dream Will Do', 'Close Every Door To Me', 'Jacob and Sons', 'There's One More Angel in Heaven' and 'Go Go Go Joseph' will all get a whirl. Leading the cast: Euan Fistrovic Doidge (Saturday Night Fever, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Les Misérables and Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Joseph, plus Australian Idol contestant and singer Paulini as the Narrator. And if you're new to this particular sing-through show — and didn't catch the streamed 2000 adaptation back at the beginning of the pandemic, when Lloyd Webber was screening his hits via YouTube — it does indeed focus on the biblical figure, and was actually the first of Lloyd Webber and Rice's musicals to be performed publicly. That happened back in 1968 at a school concert, of all places, before it started getting more attention after Jesus Chris Superstar became such a success. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT 2022–23 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From Friday, November 11, 2022 — Melbourne's Regent Theatre From Saturday, February 11, 2023 — Sydney's Capitol Theatre Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will hit Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday, November 11, 2022, before playing Sydney's Capitol Theatre from Saturday, February 11, 2023. For more information or to buy tickets — with the Sydney season on-sale from Friday, July 15 — head to the musical's website.
When you're looking for a change of pace, Queensland's outback reaches might just be the perfect place to take some time out and get into the wild. But where should you start exploring the seemingly endless expanse of red dirt and rolling hills? Located about 800 kilometres west of Brisbane, the charming community of Cunnamulla fits the bill. Boundless opportunities await for you and your travelling buddies to embrace this rural heartbeat of Australia, thanks to its enchanting river systems, soaring sand dunes and historic outback stations. Meanwhile, Cunnamulla also has just enough creature comforts to ensure a relaxing stay. In partnership with Wild Turkey, we've picked out seven ways to experience this fascinating rural region. [caption id="attachment_841312" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] VISIT A TRADITIONAL OUTBACK STATION AND EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THE LAND Whether you're a city slicker or certified survivalist, enjoying life on an outback station is an unforgettable experience. Fortunately, the areas surrounding Cunnamulla are home to a number of historic farmlands that welcome visitors for outdoor adventures and backcountry camping. One such example is Franc Villers Station, which features serene unpowered camping sites alongside a picturesque dam. Here, you're welcome to fish, swim or just relax in the country air. Meanwhile, Nulla Station offers camping along the Warrego River right beside a wildlife reserve, with a network of tributaries and rocky outcrops offering self-guided explorations. [caption id="attachment_841313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] KAYAK, FISH OR SWIM IN THE MIGHTY WARREGO RIVER The Warrego River gives life to this dusty part of the country, stretching for more than 1000 kilometres and supporting the region's remarkable flora and fauna. Running through central northern New South Wales and southwest Queensland, this alluring intermittent river system is best experienced up close — and Cunnamulla is one of the best spots from which to do just that. Bringing along a kayak or canoe ensures you catch a glimpse of the shifting landscape, which traverses through wide-open plains and dense timber forests. The Warrego is also great for fishing, with freshwater species like silver perch and Murray cod known to inhabit the biodiverse waterways. [caption id="attachment_844554" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elliott Kramer[/caption] GO SANDBOARDING ON NATURAL RED SANDHILLS Cunnamulla might be 850 kilometres from the nearest beach, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of the country's best sandboarding adventures in the heart of the outback. While the climb to the top of these natural lofty dunes is a little tough, your efforts will be well rewarded with a thrilling ride down the slopes. A selection of local tour companies transport travellers to and from the nearby sand dunes, and also provide all the gear you need to surf these granular waves. Plus, the dunes offer awesome views of the surrounding landscape, ensuring you can fully appreciate the scale of the outback. TEE OFF AT THE CUNNAMULLA GOLF CLUB If you're planning to head to Cunnamulla, you don't have to leave your favourite set of clubs behind. The Cunnamulla Golf Club offers 18 challenging holes that ensure you practice your game overlooking the great outback expanse. However, don't expect the Augusta National when you arrive. This remote golf course is landscaped using dirt fairways and sandy 'greens', meaning you might have to give your swing some extra oomph. Sections of the course are lined with river gums and coolabah trees, so keep an eye out for local wildlife using the course as a thoroughfare from the nearby Warrego River. [caption id="attachment_844043" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Gillow (Flickr)[/caption] TAKE A STROLL AND GO WILDLIFE SPOTTING AT THE CUNNAMULLA BUSHLANDS The Cunnamulla Bushlands are perfect for a relaxed wander that puts you amongst the region's incredible natural beauty. This site is divided into ten ecological sections, with a charming one-kilometre walk that ensures you experience each one. Right at the end, you're rewarded with a peaceful place to sit in the wetlands. Here, striking native animals also run wild. You won't have any problem finding kangaroos with Cunnamulla recognised as having one of the largest populations in Queensland. Plus, the area is also known as a great place to see emus taking a stroll. [caption id="attachment_841311" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] TAKE IN HISTORY AND CULTURE ON THE CUNNAMULLA HERITAGE TRAIL Cunnamulla and the surrounding Shire of Paroo are steeped in history with the land occupied by the Gunya people long before the township's foundation. Nowadays, you can explore this history through the Cunnamulla Heritage Trail, which documents tales about the characters and buildings that forged this captivating outback community. There's great insight into the town's folklore throughout the trail. For instance, the Robber's Tree was climbed by wannabe bandit Joseph Wells as he tried to escape the police after he attempted to pillage the Queensland National Bank in 1880. Meanwhile, the towering bronze figure of the Cunnamulla Fella captures the spirit of 1950s bush characters recounted in Slim Dusty's namesake tune. [caption id="attachment_841310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CAMP OUT AT CHARLOTTE PLAINS STATION AND COOL OFF IN ITS ARTESIAN SPRINGS Cunnamulla offers visitors a range of comfortable accommodation options. But if you're looking for a unique outback stay, resting up at Charlotte Plains Station will deliver something special. Spanning a mind-boggling 70,000 acres, this massive property offers endless ways to reconnect with nature. While hundreds of working sheep and cattle are dotted across the farm, parts of the property have been transformed into idyllic countryside retreats, with powered camping sites, bungalows and more. With guests invited to shear sheep, search for stunning wildlife and bathe overlooking an ancient bore, this outback experience is like no other. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland
When you've got something big to celebrate, an extravagant dinner out is the default solution — and for good reason, too. Getting the gang together for a night of good food, good booze and good vibes is one of the best ways to splash that hard-earned cash. But, we have to acknowledge the minefield of awkward moments that needs to be navigated when organising a dinner, from balancing social calendars to conflicting budgets. The latter is where the magic of banquet menus come in — everyone knows exactly what they're paying for so they can kick back, relax and focus on stuffing themselves with delicious food. Together with Melbourne's ridesharing app DiDi, we've hunted down five of the best banquet menus in Melbourne. Whether you're celebrating a big win at work or taking your partner on a romantic date night, any of these set menus are bound to hit the mark. Oh, and every single one is under $100 a head — talk about bang for your buck. Plus, in more good news, DiDi is also focused on keeping things affordable so, after you've rolled out of the restaurant full and happy, your ride home is equally stress-free on the 'ol hip pocket.
It's the first film from Andrea Arnold in almost a decade, since 2016's Cannes Jury Prize-winning American Honey. It boasts Barry Keoghan in his first big-screen role since Saltburn made him a megastar. ("He could pretty much have done anything he wanted and he stuck with my small, low-budget film, so that's pretty spectacular," Arnold tells Concrete Playground.) It gives Franz Rogowski another exceptional part for his ever-growing resume (see also: Victoria, Happy End, Transit, A Hidden Life, Undine, Great Freedom and Passages). It unearths a stellar new talent in British Independent Film Award Breakthrough Performance-nominee and first-time actor Nykiya Adams. It sports a soundtrack filled with British sing-alongs, complete with a nod to its most-famous face's film past worked in among Blur's 'The Universal', The Verve's 'Lucky Man' and Coldplay's 'Yellow'. Bird is worth watching for each of these reasons alone — as well as for Arnold's blazing empathy, a hallmark of her work since her Oscar-winning short film days, and also the brilliant naturalism that always beams through in the cinematography by her regular collaborator Robbie Ryan (a two-time Academy Award-nominee for The Favourite and Poor Things). It's also a must-see for letting audiences discover how Arnold has spun a tender and moving coming-of-age fable that blends social realism with magical realism from a unique starting point: "it was an image of a naked tall man with a long penis standing on a tall building at night in the mist," she advises. "I think it's a metaphor." Bird began the same way that Andrea Arnold's work always does: with a distinctive picture. While every film, be it a short, feature or documentary, trades in visuals, of course, the writer/director's creative process for each of her projects commences with an image that comes to her, and that she's then driven to unlock. Such was her kick-off point when she started penning a movie that now sits beside Red Road, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights on her resume as well — plus episodes of Transparent and I Love Dick, the entire second season of Big Little Lies and heartbreaking doco Cow. Rogowski portrays the titular character, who is indeed sighted on a rooftop. Adams is Bailey, the movie's 12-year-old protagonist. Keoghan plays Bug, her single dad, who she resides with in a north Kent squat — also with her brother Hunter (fellow first-timer Jason Buda) — and whose new engagement shatters Bailey's status quo. Arnold layers Bird with journeys and searches to belong. It's true for the girl at the feature's centre, who feels like the already-chaotic existence that she's living with Bug and Hunter is crumbling. It's accurate of Bird, the mysterious stranger on a quest that's tied to his past, too. Bug's impending nuptials, Hunter's own romantic situation: it applies to them also, as it frequently has to other characters across the helmer's filmography. Chatting with us in 2016, American Honey star Riley Keough described that picture as "like an experience, rather than like a film" and "really getting to that sort of place in people's souls"; again, that applies across every Arnold project. In her Oscar-awarded short Wasp, Arnold's focus is a single mother trying to start a new relationship. Red Road follows a CCTV operator who spots someone that she knows on surveillance footage, Fish Tank charts the change in a 15-year-old's life when her mum begins seeing a new boyfriend, Wuthering Heights obviously adapts Emily Brontë's gothic great about Catherine and Heathcliff, and American Honey heads on a US road trip. A female dairy cow earns the filmmaker's attention in Cow. Each unfurls a different narrative, even if dysfunctional families and growing up are familiar themes. "None of the stories are directly connected, but I'm quite interested in those kind of families, I guess," Arnold notes. "Maybe because my own family was quite sort of chaotic as a child." Her work is linked by a sentiment that's summed up wonderfully in an unforgettable line in Bird, too: "no one's no one". That piece of dialogue was pivotal for the director. Arnold is adamant about that fact, as she was about ensuring that the line made it into Bird. As she keeps demonstrating a devastatingly evocative and effective knack for seeing working-class reality with clear eyes while equally spying the world's beauty wherever her characters can snatch it, Arnold likes to let her films speak for themselves rather than unpacking their meaning — "I really believe in cinema being something that you give to the audience to have their own experience with," she says; "you want the audience to go to the bar afterwards and argue about what they think it meant, 'I think it meant this' or 'I think it meant that', 'no, no, what about that scene, because that scene means that'" — but she's aware of how crucial those four words are. Bird's evolution from that first image of a man on a building, delving into magical realism, casting Keoghan, discovering Adams, guiding naturalistic performances out of her actors, her approach to the film's soundtrack, making three-dimensional movies about the working class: we also spoke with Arnold about all of the above. On How Bird Evolved From Arnold's First Vision of a Man on a Rooftop in the Mist "Every time I write, I have an image that I then treat like a puzzle. It's like a mystery. The image is a mystery. Who's the man? Why is he naked? Why is he in mist? Why is he standing on a building? Is someone looking at him? Is he an alien? How old is he? The image encourages me to ask lots of questions, so it becomes a puzzle that I then have to solve. And usually what happens is, I know that if the image really keeps annoying me, like it keeps coming into my head, that it's something I need to explore. So I go off and I start making notes, and I start thinking about what are the answers to some of the questions, and that starts me thinking about scenes and possible other images and characters. And then I just build it from there, really. Which takes years sometimes. Not like every day, but it doesn't always make sense straight away, and I start digging around and 'yeah, that makes sense' and 'that doesn't make sense'. I keep — I think I started Bird years ago, five years ago or something, but then I did Cow and did other things, and so I came back to it. If I'd made it straight away five years ago, I think it would be a completely film to the one I made just now, actually. I think it would have been an interesting, different film. Because in five years, you change and you grow, and you do other things and your ideas change. So it depends on the kind of person I am at the time — and actually, interestingly I wasn't sure I should do it. Because I felt like somehow, the image, although I started with the image, that maybe I didn't need to really go there. But then I just kept going and did. And then I think some of the magical realism came out of that because I was pushing the idea more than I perhaps would have done. Maybe five years ago, there would have been no magical realism, but now there is." On Bird's Flight Into Magical Realism "It came naturally out of the process of writing. I didn't have any other films in mind. I love films like Pan's Labyrinth, for example. I think that's an amazing film, but it's not a film that I ever thought was anything like my films or anything to with me. When I saw that film, which I loved, I never thought 'oh, yeah, that I'm going to do that' or 'that's something to do with me' — I loved it for what it was, for its own creation. I never even thought about it. When I started writing, it just started coming naturally — the storytelling, my imagination just went there. So I just let it. It was liberating. I thought 'well, it's a film, I can make anything happen'. It's like magic, isn't it? You can do what you like. To me, it would seem like a natural progression from what I already do. Because I think, all the nature things I film, to me they're magical anyway. If you put a camera on something like a dragonfly, for example, that's about as alien and as magical as you can get. If you look at anything that we, all these things we have naturally in our lives, that are around — look at a worm. What an amazing thing a worm is, right. If you want look at a worm, film a worm and study it, you'd be thinking 'wow, that's like an alien. That's a strange thing. Does it move? How does it work? How does it live?'. I find all the things around us magical anyway. I literally find them fascinating. I find a snail, for example — you just have to look at those things and it's magical anyway. So to me, what I did just didn't seem so weird. It didn't seem so strange to me. It felt normal. It felt like an extension and natural progression of what I'd already done." On the Importance of the "No One's No One" Line — and How It Also Echoes Across Arnold's Other Work "That line just came while I was writing and I just thought 'oh god, that just sums up everything I care about. That just sums up absolutely everything'. And I was absolutely adamant. Because sometimes when you're filming scenes — my scripts end up being quite layered, I think, and I lose so much from my scripts when we film, because filming is so clunky compared with when you do layers in a scene. I might layer a scene with all sorts of things, and of course you film it and sometimes it's like driving a tank across your scenes. It's hard to achieve some of the subtleties that I put in my in my script. Sometimes I think 'maybe I should just write, because then I can have all the things that I want in there'. So often I'm improvising — or not, no I'm not improvising, I'm allowing things from the script, I let them go because I just have to, because the situation, the timing. Sometimes they have lots of non-actors, they don't remember a line or they don't always say it like it is. So often, the scene becomes sort of an echo of what I wrote, but not totally what I wrote. But that line, I was absolutely adamant that we didn't lose it. I was like 'it doesn't matter what'. And we had to hurry in that situation, because we didn't have much time to film in the station and we had some other issues that day. So we ended up with very little time to film on the station and outside the station, but I was absolutely like 'we're putting the camera there and we're going to get that line, that's got to be there'. It's my favourite line. And I think you're right, thank you for spotting that — it is something that I really care about and I think probably is across my work, and that is something I believe." On Casting Barry Keoghan as Bug "My casting comrade Lucy Pardee, who I work with — who's an amazing woman and who I've worked with for years — she knows me really well. She knows my worlds really well. She completely understands them. I've known her for many years. And she thinks about people she thinks will fit in my world. She mentioned him very early on, like ages before Banshees came out. And I met him just before The Banshees of Inisherin came out. And I hadn't seen him very much, actually, but she sent me a picture of him and I was like 'wow, I love the way he looks' — and he looked like he could fit straight in. Then I saw him in a couple of things, just small roles in things, and then I went to meet him. I don't always need to see them in another film necessarily. I like meeting people. And I'll always go on meeting. I feel like that's the genuine feeling that you get, from meeting a person. And I met him — he came down from Scotland when I was in London, and we had a meeting, and I just loved him the minute I met him. I think I offered it, we offered it, to him the next day. But that was quite a long time before we started — but I never ever faltered. I don't think I met anyone else for Bug, actually. I think I just met him and I was like 'yeah, totally'. But that's thanks to Lucy because she just knows me so well, so she picks people that she knows what I'm going to respond to and who feel like they go in my world. And then Banshees came out, of course, and I went to see it, and I just loved him in that. He was so fantastic in that. I was like 'yeah, we definitely made the right choice, without a doubt'. But I'd cast him before that came out so. And then, of course, he was in Saltburn. And then he went stratospheric. I actually thought 'he's never going to stay with our film', because he could do anything he wants now. But he did. So that was beautiful. He stuck with us." On Knowing That Adams, Who Only Auditioned to Get Out of a Class at School, Was the Film's Bailey "The first audition was with Lucy, the casting director, and then Lucy took her along to another — when she saw her, she brought her along to meet me after. So when I met her, she just came on a Saturday. We do the auditions up near where everybody lives, so they don't have to travel very far. So we were up in the area, and she came on that Saturday. I think she'd been playing football that day. She does football and stuff. She's very physical, very sporty. I think she did it to get out of a design and technology class, didn't she? I think that's the story. I think I heard her say that the other day — I didn't know that until I heard her say that. She did the audition more to get out of a lesson than she did because she wanted to be an actor. She just did it to get out of something. So I think even, I don't know when she came to see me, I'm not sure that she was still that not sure about this thing. I think I remember her walking in like 'yeah, what is, what is this thing?'. But I remember waking up when I saw her. I felt like she had a presence. And that I really took note of, I kind of thought 'oh, this this kid has got a presence'. It wasn't quite the sort of the kid that I'd written or been looking for, exactly. She was different. But I noted her and she woke me up, and I think you've got to pay attention to those feelings. That never left me, so she ended being the Bailey." On Guiding Naturalistic Performances Out of Bird's Cast "I shoot chronologically, which I think is a huge thing, and I particularly love it. I do that mostly for the people who haven't acted before, because I think it gives them some sense of where they are, and then they don't have to jump in and out of the chronology — they're not having to do a scene from the end and then a scene from the beginning. It gives them some sense of their journey. Then, because I do that, I do that with all the actors as well, of course — and then I don't show them the whole script. I give them scenes bit by bit. And then I think the actual day-to-day directing is, for me, every person I'm working with is an individual and your relationship then is an individual relationship — and different actors, different people who haven't acted before, need you or there's different ways in which you work with each of them. So there's not one way, I don't think, that I work with anybody. But I try to have relationships with everybody with, and for that to be like a living, growing, evolving thing that is something that we do as we go along." On the Use of British Anthems in the Soundtrack "Every character, I make a playlist for. So that was on Bug's playlist, these sort of very blokey anthems. I mean, 'Yellow' is a song that I absolutely love anyway. I try, all the songs I use, I try, even though the character's songs, I still want them to be songs I love — and I usually don't pick any song that I don't love. Most songs in my films, I love. And even if they're particular character songs, I still want to love them. So I try to find songs that I love for every character. So 'Yellow' is, I think, a fantastic song and. And 'The Universal' is a fantastic song. And 'Lucky Man'. They're all on Bug's playlist. Bug had that kind of playlist, sort of anthems, because I think he likes to sing and he likes to be loud, and he likes to sing these songs. He knows all the words. Then I made playlists for everyone else. I made a playlist for Bailey, but her music got drowned out by Bug's — every time I tried to have a song that was Bailey's song, it didn't happen because she's in the house and Bug takes over. So that happened naturally, actually. That wasn't an intention. I didn't mean for that to happen, but it did happen. And actually now, I realise it happened naturally because of the character and because of the way the world was. So that was something that was sort of a truth that happened, even though I planned something different — the truth came out. And then what happened is because we had Burial do some of the soundtrack, and I've never worked with someone doing a soundtrack before, so this was a new experience for me — but his music became more like Bailey's internal world. So she had her own music, but it wasn't songs. It wasn't songs that she would have on a playlist. It was more her internal world." On Making Three-Dimensional Films About the Working Class "I grew up in a working-class family and in that kind of area, so I very much feel that's something I very much understand and feel deeply connected to. So I don't have any judgment of anybody. I don't have that in my bones. So I think that's just going to come out in what I do. I don't have any sort of — I don't need to do anything because that's just how I feel. But I think like that about everybody. I think we should all respect and be kind and caring towards each other. I feel the world doesn't — I feel like that about everybody. I try not to judge anyone when I first meet anyone, or to judge anything or anybody. I try not to. I guess, of course, we probably all do on some level, but I try not to. And I just don't have that in my bones, so it's not going to be there in the film, I don't think. I don't think I'm making political — it's not a political gesture, not really. It's more about the people, I think. And it's more about trying to show people in three-dimensional ways. It's a privilege for someone like me who comes from that working-class background to be a filmmaker. What a privilege. What an amazing place I'm in that I've come from a working-class background, but here I am making films — what an amazing thing that is. And to me, I see that as quite a responsibility. And it's almost I feel like I need to really try to present it — I mean, obviously I'm making a film from my point of view, and that I'm not trying to make a wide political gesture, I'm just trying to make one from my point of view, in a way I understand, and that's all I try to do. I don't try to pretend I know everything, or I have great, sweeping view — obviously I wish the world was a more equal, fairer place for people. And there's plenty of wealth in the world to go around, isn't there? I'd like it that people weren't struggling to eat or to have somewhere to live. Originally in the film, I put the family — because of lockdown here and COVID, nobody went to work, and London at the moment has masses and masses of buildings, it has sprouted up like some sort of Blade Runner futuristic thing. And all the people that didn't go to their offices every day didn't want to go back into the offices. And I thought 'oh, there's all of these empty buildings now, all of these big office blocks, empty — why don't put all of the people that don't have homes there? There's so many people without homes. The homeless situation, it seems to be getting worse in every single country. When I go to America, they say the homeless thing is incredibly awful there. There are tent cities, and there are avenues and streets full of people living in tents and cars. I'm thinking 'but you've got all these empty buildings. You've got all of these office blocks that no one's working in. Why don't we just put everybody in there?'. So originally in the film, I put the family them in there. But we couldn't find a building like that to film in, so we didn't end up filming there. But the intention was there. My heart was there. So there's all these little things that I do care about that I put in the film, but I wouldn't say it's a big, sweeping political gesture. It's more about the people, more about trying to tell a small world in a way that I see as being true, as true to me. It's my truth — I'm not saying it's everyone's truth or a universal truth, it's just a truthful thing for me. There's things I care about in the film always. Everything I care about. But I would say I'm not trying to make a massive statement." Bird opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Images: Robbie Ryan / Atsushi Nishijima.
Ask a few people when they fell in love with David Attenborough documentaries and you might receive an array of answers. Or, everyone might point to Planet Earth. The landmark 2006 series won both awards and love aplenty when it had the world's most-famous natural historian and broadcaster narrate a look at this pale blue dot we call home. Indeed, it was such a success that Planet Earth II followed in 2016, and now Planet Earth III arrives this year. In Australia, the third instalment in the franchise (because everything is now a franchise) starts screening and streaming from Sunday, November 26. Viewers heading to Channel 9 and 9Now can look forward to more spectacular glimpses at the rock from the sun, more time getting to peek at its creatures and more of Attenborough's guiding voice. Eight episodes will peruse the planet, each sending viewers to a different environment or focusing on a specific topic. The series starts with a look at the earth's coasts, including what happens where the land meets the sea, before diving deep into the ocean. From there, it's onto vast deserts and grasslands, then to the place where a tenth of all species live: freshwater. Next up is a wander through forests, before Planet Earth III embraces the extremes that its namesake has to offer. In episode seven, humanity's impact upon the planet is in the spotlight. Then, the series wraps up with a chapter devoted to meeting some of the folks in conservation who are fighting to save the earth. "In this new series of Planet Earth, we travel to the most astonishing wild places, see mysterious creatures, witness rare, spectacular wonders and reveal breathtaking animal dramas," said Attenborough during production, on location near Down House, Charles Darwin's family home. "The natural world continues to surprise us, but since Darwin's time it has changed beyond recognition, being transformed by a powerful force — us. We will see how animals are adapting in extraordinary ways to survive the new challenges they face. At this crucial time in our history, we must now look at the world through a new lens." Five years in the making, and boasting Planet Earth II and Prehistoric Planet's Mike Gunton as an executive producer, the latest must-see from BBC Studios Natural History Production also brings back a big name for its music: Hans Zimmer (The Creator), who has teamed up with Bleeding Finger Music's Russell Emanuel and Bastille's Dan Smith on the show's score. And those astonishing visuals, as glimpsed in the trailer for the series (and expected if you've watched Planet Earth and Planet Earth II)? You've got everything from drones and deep-sea submersibles to high-speed cameras, as placed in the oceans, in deserts, inside caves and in jungles, to thank. Check out the trailer for Planet Earth III below: Planet Earth III will start screening and streaming via Channel 9 and 9Now from 8pm on Sunday, November 26.
The 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving in 2024, is giving the sprawling pop-culture franchise something that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool will officially enter the MCU. So will X-Men hero Wolverine. The movie? Announced in 2022, Deadpool & Wolverine has a date with cinemas this July. In the just-dropped first trailer for the flick, which arrived during the 2024 Super Bowl, the Merc with a Mouth obviously knows exactly what to say. "Your little cinematic universe is about to change forever" advises Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) when he's brought into the Marvel fold by the Time Variance Authority. His way of describing himself now that he's in the MCU? "Marvel Jesus", of course. One won't stop cracking wise. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're about to become the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Hugh Jackman (Faraway Downs) are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine is part of the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Check out the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below: Deadpool & Wolverine will release in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
If you're missing fresh-off-the-grill burgers due to Melbourne's extended lockdown, Simon O'Keefe — aka Goldieboy — is here to change that with his new DIY double cheeseburger kits. You might have experienced Goldieboy's work at private parties and pop-ups, where he's been honing his creations along the way. The result is a beast-like fusion of Martin's potato rolls (the same used by Shake Shack), a patty made with a special blend of chuck and brisket courtesy of Toorak butcher Peter Bouchier, and a top-secret adobo kewpie sauce. Now O'Keefe is unleashing his finely-tuned formula in a DIY kit so you can recreate the magic at home. Each pack contains all the ingredients necessary to whip up a batch of the double cheeseburgers for two or four — patties, pillowy buns, American cheese, pickles and lashings of that secret sauce. A limited number of the kits drop weekly, with online orders open from 5pm Sundays till midnight on Tuesday or until sold out. Deliveries are then sent out on Friday between 7am and 4pm. Goldieboy has also teamed up with the folks at South Yarra's Two Wrongs, where you can collect pre-ordered burger kits each Saturday, alongside a super limited number of ready-to-eat burgs and take-home cocktails. In the coming weeks, more cafes and venues are set to jump on board, expanding the list of places where you can order and collect burger kits. And if all goes to plan, O'Keefe is looking to set up a permanent Goldieboy burger joint next year — more on that to come soon. Goldieboy's DIY kits are available to order via Mr Yum, Sunday to Tuesday. You can keep an eye on his movements over on Instagram. Otherwise catch Goldieboy from 11am Saturdays at Two Wrongs, 637 Chapel St, South Yarra.
Break out your best green lycra outfit and get a rum-flavoured ham a-brewing. Throw in some firm thoughts about rats (no, not rapid antigen tests), a killer rendition of 'Dayman' and a hankering for cat food, and then you just might be ready. What are you getting prepared for? Your next binge-watching session — because all 15 seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have just hit Disney+. Since 2005, this television sitcom about the world's worst bar owners has immersed audiences into the devious, darkly amusing and downright odd antics of the Paddy's Pub gang — and if you have a certain sense of humour, you've likely lapped it all up, probably while sipping brews as you watch. The gloriously long-lived TV comedy is one of the least sensible yet also savagely smart shows currently airing, and now it's all in one digital spot for prime binge-viewing. Yes, even the most recent season, the show's 15th, is now available for streaming via the Mouse House, so you can watch the eight-episode run that only aired in America in December 2021, too. And if you're thinking that Disney+ is a strange place for It's Always Sunny's shenanigans, the service started branching out beyond childhood favourites, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all things Star Wars when it added its Star expansion in Australia back in early 2021. Come February, it'll also be the Aussie home of Pam & Tommy and its sex-tape dramas, for instance. With this It's Always Sunny treasure trove, you'd best prepare for ample shenanigans — and to say "god damn it" a lot, especially if you'll be watching with someone called Dee. Obviously, you'll be basking in the comic stylings of a series with a very straightforward concept, because seeing what happens with a group of friends try to run a bar has always been the show's starting point. Those pals — as played by Charlie Day (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Glenn Howerton (AP Bio), Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest), Kaitlin Olson (Hacks) and Danny DeVito (Jumanji: The Next Level) — usually fail at everything they attempt, of course, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's nihilistic and irreverent sense of humour is all its own. This is a series that's dedicated most of its episodes to a whole range of taboo topics, while also watching its characters stage a twisted rock opera and make their own sequels to 80s action flicks. Indeed, when it comes to satirising despicable behaviour and attitudes, It's Always Sunny is on another level. The show has also made history, becoming the longest-running live-action sitcom ever with its 15th season. And it has already been renewed through till season 18, too, so there's plenty more to come. Check out the trailer for It's Always Sunny's 15th season below: All 15 seasons to-date of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are now available to stream via Disney+.
FBi Radio's boots are getting bigger, better and shinier by the day — for the first time ever, Sydney's independent radio legends launched an Australia-wide competition. Extending their Northern Lights competition nationwide (in which FBi flies two above-and-beyond newbies to Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik), the team looked for talent across the country this time. After trawling through this year's entries, FBi have announced their ten finalists. The 2014 Northern Lights competition finalists are: Shunya (VIC) Jasia (NSW) Hubert Clarke Jr (NSW) LUCIANBLOMKAMP (VIC) Kucka (WA) GL (VIC) Airling (QLD) WZRDKID (VIC) The Walking Who (NSW) White Hex (VIC) A hotly-anticipated date on the music festival calendar, Iceland Airwaves has seen everyone from Bjork to Omar Souleyman, Savages to Harpa Silfurberg playing to packed halls of Icelandic and international fans. FBi competition's now in its third year, offer two winning spots to join the Airwaves lineup — one solo producer/artist, one band. With the help of philanthropist Mitchel Martin-Weber and the federal government, this marks one of FBi's biggest-scale competitions to date, kicking another goal after the recent FBi Click launch. Winners of the first Northern Lights, Oliver Tank and Rainbow Chan, have seen super success following their Icelandic escapade (with Tank supporting Lorde on her recent national tour and Chan joining the lineup for Vivid LIVE's recent Avalanches tribute Since I Left You, no biggie). "It really changed my life that whole trip. It was so incredible," says Tank. "I got to play music overseas before I’d even done that many gigs in Australia. And there were people over there that were interested in my music and that just blew my mind. It was like a dream come true. It was such an experience." As always, the finalists feature on a special edition compilation put together by FBi Radio, yours to download free here. Northern Lights winners will be announced at the end of August, and will head over to perform at Iceland Airwaves in early November.
It isn't hard to find street art in Melbourne. In fact, it's one of the things that the city is known for. But only a specific part of the city is now the Victorian capital's first official street art precinct, and also the host of the Wall to Wall festival for 2024. That spot: Mordialloc, with the suburb's industrial laneways embracing turning public spaces into a canvas in a big way, including from Friday, April 26–Sunday, April 28. Wall to Wall's return is huge news not just because it will bring together Australian and international street artists to get painting, but because it marks the fest's comeback year since the pandemic. Last held in 2019, and initially starting out in the town of Benalla, the Melbourne event will welcome Smug, Adnate, Celeste Mountjoy, George Rose and Zoer among the folks adding a splash of colour to the Mordialloc precinct. This is actually Wall to Wall's second comeback stop, with Murray Bridge in South Australia the first — also in April 2024, running from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 14. One of the aims of Shaun Hossack, who hails from Melbourne street art collective Juddy Roller and is curating the fest, is to grow the event. But paying tribute to the history of street art in Melbourne clearly ranks just as highly. "Melbourne is known as a mecca for street art, but still lacks well-curated areas where major artworks can be viewed one after another, like an outdoor gallery," said Hossack. "The scale of Wall to Wall is unprecedented in Melbourne's beachside suburbs, and will help cement Mordi Village Arts and Cultural Precinct as a beacon of creativity and community engagement." "Street art was born in the heart of cities, but with the evolution of Juddy Roller's Silo Art Trail and Wall to Wall, we can expand the artform across Australia." [caption id="attachment_949524" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] Wall to Wall's Mordialloc home at the Mordi Village Arts and Cultural Precinct on Lamana Road will be filled with large-scale murals, and also host a block party on the Saturday featuring Adnate doing double duty as a DJ, plus April Kerry, Charles Eddy and Blo also on the decks. Attendees can look forward to hitting up food trucks, sipping spirits from local distillery Saint Felix, taking tours and shopping at markets, too, alongside learning new skills at workshops. [caption id="attachment_949520" align="alignnone" width="1920"] George Rose[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lucy Lucy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaffeine[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949525" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] Wall to Wall 2024 takes place in Melbourne from Friday, April 26–Sunday, April 28, in and around the Mordi Village Arts and Cultural Precinct, Lamana Road, Mordialloc. Head to the Juddy Roller website for more details. Top image: Adnate, Martin Ron.
Ponyfish Island has delivered few big changes in the decade it's spent atop the Yarra, beneath the Evan Walker Bridge. Until now. The legendary bar reopened last week, showing off the results of a long-planned revamp, which came to fruition during Melbourne's latest lockdown. Owners Jerome Borazio (Laneway Festival, Back Alley Sally's), DJ Grant Smillie (Melbourne City Brewing Co, and LA's EP & LP) and Andrew Mackinnon (from marketing communication agency The Taboo Group) opened the boozer ten years ago to the month. But the unique set of challenges that comes with such an unconventional location have meant a makeover's been on the wishlist for almost half that time. Bags of ice and bottled drinks had to all be lugged in by hand, and powering appliances often managed to black out half of nearby Southbank. "We realised the business itself wasn't broken, so it was a risk saying 'start again'," Mackinnon tells Concrete Playground. "But the only way to fix it, to make it more efficient, was to strip the whole thing down...and start again." The guys have worked with Adelaide's Studio Gram on multiple makeover plans over the past few years, but various delays kept putting renovations on hold. It wasn't until COVID-19 lockdowns struck that the timing fell into place and this latest design iteration was able to be brought to life. "We were running Ponyfish right up until that week hospitality venues were told to close and it was about that exact week we'd always planned to close," remembers the co-owner. "And so building was allowed to continue." Of course, construction wasn't without its own challenges, requiring a barge to be sent up the Yarra just to move building materials to and from the bar. But now, Ponyfish Island's new look is finally complete, ready for a balmy riverside summer. [caption id="attachment_792748" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] "We were really focused on improving the aesthetic, instead of being that shanty shack, dive bar in the middle of the Yarra," explains Mackinnon. "I think we've challenged what people would expect, it's a bit more modern, more Miami," he says of Studio Gram's newly chic space full of curves and terrazzo. There are now additional bathrooms and extra seating, bumping up capacity to 150 (outside of restrictions), while custom-made adjustable shade paddles rise artistically above the bar's al fresco section. Much of the space is reserved for walk-ins, though there are three green-cushioned booth set-ups available to book. For the first time, the venue's got its own cool room, ice machines and beer lines, the latter pouring a concise range of tap brews that includes a recreation of the Ponyfish lager. Elsewhere on the drinks list, you'll find some bottled beers, an Aussie-led wine selection and a handful of summer-inspired cocktails — ranging from a share-friendly rosé sangria, to the Ponystar Martini crafted with passionfruit liqueur and mango syrup. Meanwhile, a vastly bigger kitchen will be making its debut in the coming weeks, turning out a secret menu from what Mackinnon hints is some "exciting" chef talent. Find the new-look Ponyfish Island beneath the Southbank Pedestrian Bridge, Southbank. It's open from 11am till late daily. Images: Julia Sansone
When they're done well, focus on good recipes and great conversation, and actually step you through the culinary process, cooking shows remain one of the best factual TV genres there is. Fancy all of the above, plus celebrities? That's Netflix's new series, The Chef Show. Just launched on the streaming platform, the show stars actor/director Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi, who first worked together on the aptly titled film Chef. This time around, they're forgoing fiction for reality, taking viewers through their favourite dishes and techniques, and celebrating their shared love of food. Each episode features a different theme — in one, the duo smoke brisket in Texas with pitmaster Aaron Franklin; in another, they pay tribute to the late Los Angeles food critic Jonathan Gold. Given Favreau's career both on-screen and off, and his connection with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series' high-profile guests are also a significant drawcard. On the guest list: Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland, Gwyneth Paltrow, MCU producer Kevin Feige and Avengers' directors the Russo brothers. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez doesn't have a Marvel connection, but he also pops up. The mood is relaxed but informative — like sitting down for a leisurely dinner chat, which also happens on-screen. A word of warning: if you watch the series on an empty stomach, prepare to feel rather hungry. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPtPs22gtOA The eight-episode first season of The Chef Show is now available to stream on Netflix.
If you're in the mood for free live tunes to see out the rest of summer, simply get yourself down to Federation Square. The CBD precinct is dishing up an array of sonic treats with the return of its ever-popular music series Fed Live. This slew of free gigs kicks off on Saturday, January 21, with Aria Award-winning rockers King Stingray joined by surf-pop act The Moving Stills, Arnhem Land's Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and alt-country artist Babitha. [caption id="attachment_884407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Stingray[/caption] Next up, on Saturday, February 18, you can catch electro-pop legend Vera Blue, supported by Filipino Australian songstress Vetta Borne, indie-pop darling Gretta Ray and emerging Afropop star Jewel Owusu. Sydney-based rap star Masked Wolf helps wrap up the series on Friday, March 24, joined on the final bill by a bumper lineup of hip hop and funk acts — Big Twisty & The Funknasty, Kootsie Don, Agung Mango and Pookie included.
UPDATE, APRIL 4: Due to concerns around the coronavirus, Disney has announced that The French Dispatch will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, August 13, 2020, with the film now hitting cinemas on October 15, 2020. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. An offbeat storyline. Mesmerisingly symmetrical frames. A cast that includes Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban and Anjelica Houston. Yep, it must be a new Wes Anderson film — and, based on its just-dropped first trailer, The French Dispatch looks like Wes Anderson at his most Wes Anderson-esque yet. The premise: in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé sometime in the mid-20th century, Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Murray) has turned a series of travelogue columns into a weekly American magazine. A supplement to the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun, The French Dispatch resembles The New Yorker, is staffed by top expatriate journalists, and covers life in France, world politics, high and low art, and diverse stories of human interest. As for the film that shares its name, it focuses on three tales printed in the publication's pages. Cue 'The Concrete Masterpiece', with Benicio del Toro as incarcerated artist Moses Rosenthaler — who paints portraits of his prison guard (Léa Seydoux) and tries to fend off the interests of an art dealer (Adrien Brody). Next comes 'Revisions to a Manifesto', featuring Timothée Chalamet and Lyna Khoudri as student revolutionaries, as well as Frances McDormand as a journalist. And, there's also 'The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner', about a big kidnapping, plus a chef (Stephen Park) known for "the mode of cuisine known as police cooking". A framing story also steps inside the inner workings of the magazine itself, and the publication of a special issue, complete with writers played by Swinton, Wilson, Elisabeth Moss, Jeffrey Wright, Fisher Stevens, Griffin Dunne and Wally Wolodarsky. The cast list isn't done just yet, with Christoph Waltz, Liev Schreiber, Henry Winkler, Rupert Friend, Cecile de France, Matthew Almaric, Lois Smith and The Grand Budapest Hotel's lobby boy Tony Revolori all popping up. Obviously, as has proven the case in every Anderson film from Bottle Rocket and Rushmore to Isle of Dogs, every frame looks like it belongs on a wall — or in Anderson's own recent museum exhibition. Check out the trailer for The French Dispatch below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcPk2p0Zaw4 After being delayed from its original release date of August 13, 2020, The French Dispatch will now open in Australian cinemas on October 15, 2020.
With an abundance of islands ripe for exploration, the Philippines is a vacationer's dream. Snorkel alongside giant sea turtles, discover secret lagoons, eat sea urchin fresh from the shell, hike a volcano — these are just a few of the things on offer at this Southeast Asian wonderland. However, picking where to spend your holiday can be quite tricky. And for those looking to branch out from the tourist haunts and discover some lesser-known islands, the research and planning can take its toll. That's a helluva lot of islands to Google, after all. Well, to help you jet setters out, we've teamed up with Cebu Pacific Air and pulled together a list of stunning islands to visit on your next trip. Since the airline is offering budget flights from Sydney and Melbourne and then to 36 locations throughout the country, it's never been easier to get there and island hop around the Philippines. CORON Surrounded by iridescent turquoise waters, Coron Island is home to arguably the most picturesque surrounds in the Philippines. Located at the northernmost point of Palawan, visitors must fly into Francisco B. Reyes Airport in order to access the remote island. From here, there is a range of ways you can immerse yourself in these crystal-clear waters — kayaking among limestone karsts, island hopping in a local banka boat, swimming in volcanic lagoons at Kayangan Lake or shipwreck diving. The latter is centred around the remains of sunken World War II Japanese battleships and is considered the best wreck diving in Southeast Asia. For those not certified to dive, snorkelling around the pristine Apo Reef is also impressive. Smaller islands to visit include Diatoy Island, Dimalanta Island and Malpagalen Island. And after a long day of exploring, relax back on land at the Maquinit hot springs, just a short tricycle ride north of town. Closest airport: Francisco B. Reyes (AKA Coron) SIARGAO Siargao is synonymous with surfing in the Philippines. The island is accessible via a flight from Manila or Cebu and surfers travel the world 'round to catch the famous Cloud 9 wave. If you're not an expert, no problem; Siargao also caters to learners and Lanuza in Surigao del Sur is home to heaps of surf camps for beginners. So, even newbies can hang ten. But the allure of this island goes well beyond surfing. For day trips, check out the Magpupungko rock pools, which are exposed at low tide and allow you to cliff jump into clear waters. Closer to town is the Tayangban Cave pools, in which you can swim through a dark cavern aided only by torchlight, before emerging into a peaceful lagoon. Nearby island hopping destinations include Daku and Guyam islands — the latter of which is home to the white sand 'secret beach', another much-loved surf spot. And the island's nightly parties don't hurt its appeal, either. Closest airport: Sayak (AKA Siargao) El NIDO, PALAWAN The island of Palawan is home to some truly stunning sites, and you can drive from the northern tip to the southern tip in around ten hours. But there's so much to see and do, that you could spend weeks here and still have more to explore. If you're coming for a short visit, we recommenced choosing one region to focus on and El Nido is an ideal place to start. Situated at the northern end of Palawan Island (just south of Coron Island), the region includes a cluster of islands just off the coast that makes it ideal for island hopping. Expect dramatic rock formations, 'secret' lagoons and that breathtaking azure water Palawan is known for. For larger-than-life limestone, head to Secret Beach on Matinloc Island, which is surrounded by limestone cliffs and hidden from the outside. Divers can choose from more than 30 dive sites, including The Dilumacad in Helicopter Island — a 12-metre deep, 40-metre long tunnel that's filled with rare tropical fish and other sea life. And hikers can explore Taraw Peak or the Mantinloc Shrine and find some incredible vistas. Closest airport: Puerto Princesa with Cebu transfer to El Nido SAMAL ISLANDS, DAVAO For the extreme-sport fanatics, Samal offers heaps of options, including windsurfing, jet-skiing, water-skiing and ATV rental. It's also relatively easy to access, with Samal and its smaller sister island Talikud, just a short boat ride from Davao City, which you can easily reach by flight from Cebu. Along with adrenaline-charged activities, Samal is home to many experiences not found on other Filipino islands. Take a deep plunge into the Hagimit Falls or go caving in the intricate Balete, Mangongawong or Baga cave systems. A swim around the Vanishing Island in Barangay Tambo is another must — but plan carefully, the island disappears during high tide. Requisite water experiences like kayaking, boat rides and snorkelling are on offer, too. Plus conservation diving within the 150-hectares of the Coral Garden and Marine Reservation Park offers a chance to see some rare species in a protected habitat. And, if land animals are more your thing, you can hang out with more than two million bats living inside the Monfort Bats Conservation Park. It's Batman's secret lair, we're sure of it. Closest airport: Francisco Bangoy International (AKA Davao International) MASBATE Tourism has yet to truly take off in Masbate, which makes it all the more appealing. It's the kind of place you don't want to share for fear of it changing. The province consists of three major islands, along with Ticao (extreme solitude) and Burias, and their combined beaches redefine the term 'pristine'. Port Vega Beach is considered a rival to Bantaya's Sugar Beach, and its remoteness is definitely a plus. The island has no end to its exotic beaches, perfect for relaxing with a tipple in hand. If you're keen for an adventure, the 18-metre-high Catandayagan Falls and its pools and caves offer hours of fun. Or take a boat ride to Halea National Park, where you'll spend the night at either the island's only resort or camping on the beach. Wake up to entrancing green-blue waters and snorkel among the brightly coloured fish, then wander around the nature preserve to see the breathtaking tropical flora. Closest airport: Moises R. Espinosa (AKA Masbate) CARAMOAN ISLANDS The remote Caramoan Islands are located 3.5 hours northeast from the tiny Naga Airport — accessible from Manila — in the province of Camarines Sur. The island is considered a 'secret paradise' as it's relatively new to tourism — sounds like our kind of place. It's home to a 4000-hectare limestone forest rich in natural diversity and perfect for those who love to get among nature. Land adventures include limestone rock climbing and cave exploration. Meanwhile, water sports like kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving allow you to explore the lagoons, reefs, waterfalls and smaller islands (including Guinahoan Island and Matukad Island, which, according to locals, are home to an enchanted lagoon). But, honestly, a relaxing day on the beach is just as attractive an option here. Closest airport: Naga BANTAYAN, CEBU Though Cebu City was once considered a beach town, it's now a built-up metropolis that rivals Manila. So, in order to see the true wonders of the Cebuana region, you have to venture outside of the main island and onto the smaller ones that surround. One such island is Bantayan, which is easily accessed from Cebu City. Compared with crowded Cebu, the beaches around Bantayan are secluded and pristine — especially Paradise Beach in Santa Fe, though Sugar Beach, Alice Beach and Maricaban Beach each have their own appeal. Inland, check out Madrilejos' Kota Park — this Spanish fort was built in the 1790s and has since been reclaimed by nature. Once you've finished exploring the site, head to Kota Beach where you can walk along a sandbar deep into the sea. Go farther afoot, and check out the Obo-ob Mangrove forest. To catch all the sites, bicycle rentals are available for around 200 pesos per day (roughly $5). For even more island hopping, Silion Island and Hilantagaan Island are close by, with a half-day tour costing around 700 pesos (about $20). Closest airport: Mactan-Cebu International MALAPASCUA North of Cebu, Malapascua Island is a haven for divers thanks to its marine sanctuary — and well worth the trek to get there, which can involve taxis, buses, boats and your own two feet. Its most famous dive site, known the world over, is Monad Shoal, which allows divers to swim with sharks at sunrise. (Let's hope they're like Bruce from Finding Nemo and not Jaws.) Day or overnight trips to Kalanggaman Island offer more sights for snorkelling and diving, but a trip to Malapascua shouldn't be limited to diving. Motorcycle tours or rentals around the main island cost around 700 pesos per day (about $20) and are a great way to see all that the island has to offer. Rides will take you past Lapus Lapus and Langub white sand beaches, Los Bamboos for cliff jumping and rock formations and the lighthouse for unbeatable sunsets. Afterwards, relax back on Bounty Beach where there are plenty of restaurants, bars and nighttime activities to get stuck into. Closest airport: Mactan-Cebu International BOHOL Bohol offers the ideal combination of jungle and beach holiday for those who love a bit of both. Catch a flight to the new Bohol-Panglao Airport, and head to Panglao Island's main beach, Alona. (It's considered a mini-Boracay, only much cleaner and less crowded.) From here, you are afforded a throng of exploration options, with diving, snorkelling and island hopping easy to organise with your accommodation or with local tour guides along the beach. Make sure to visit Balicasag Island — where you can snorkel with large sea turtles — and eat freshly shucked sea urchin in the Virgin Islands. Inland, trekkers can rent ATVs and explore the Chocolate Hills — mysterious, chocolate-coloured hills. Afterwards, take a cruise through the emerald-green Loboc River or opt for an adrenaline rush with a 200-metre-high, 480-metre-long zipline. You can even do all three activities on one day trip from Alona. You'll be back at your beach-side accommodation just in time to enjoy live music and cocktails as the sun sets. Closest airport: Bohol-Panglao (AKA New Bohol International) Ready for an adventure to the Philippines? Book with Cebu Pacific Air for affordable international flights from Melbourne and Sydney.
Pairing movies with music is no longer new news, but the latest event that's serving up that combo is hoping for two things. Firstly, it's betting on a whole lot of love for Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a classic 1987 romantic drama. Secondly, when it comes to getting excited about seeing that now 35-year-old flick on a big screen with its soundtrack performed live, it's hoping that you've never felt like this before. Obviously, Dirty Dancing in Concert wants to give you the time of your life as well — and to not only let you celebrate one of Swayze's biggest and most charming film roles, but to immerse you in the movie from the moment you take your seat. No one will be carrying watermelons or checking into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, but the digitally remastered feature will grace the big screen, and a live band and singers will perform its iconic songs as it plays. Just as swoon-worthy: the fact that those musicians will stick around afterwards to headline a party that'll naturally have you singing and dancing. If you're feeling adventurous and inspired by the movie, you might even want to try to recreate the famous lift. Here, nobody will put you or Francis 'Baby' Houseman in a corner — and you'd be just a fool to believe otherwise. Your hungry eyes will soak in Baby's first taste of dirty dancing, her eager rehearsals and her growing infatuation with Johnny Castle, as well as her parents' bitter unhappiness about the entire situation. This blast-from-the-past affair is touring Australia from June, with dates locked in for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane so far — and more to come for Perth and Adelaide. And yes, because Dirty Dancing in Concert is certain to be popular, it's bringing its 80s-themed fun to sizeable venues (Hamer Hall, Darling Harbour Theatre and Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre), so you'll be having the time of your Dirty Dancing-loving life with plenty of people. DIRTY DANCING IN CONCERT 2022 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Friday, June 10 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne Saturday, June 18 — Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney Saturday, June 25 — Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane TBC — Perth TBC — Adelaide Dirty Dancing in Concert will start touring Australia in June 2022. Pre-sale tickets go on sale at 11am on Tuesday, April 5, with general sales starting at 11am on Friday, April 8.
World-class rugby is about to hit Melbourne. The British and Irish Lions are in town to face off against the Wallabies at the MCG, and the city will be packed with fans grabbing a beer and getting hyped for the showdown. Before you head into the stadium there's one more stop you'll want to make, getting a free trim inspired by your favourite Aussie sports icons. On Saturday, July 26, Philips is setting up shop in the heart of Fed Square with a pop-up barber shaving experience ahead of the match. From 1.30–9.30pm, the OneBlade Barbershop will be open for walk-ins, with two barbers on hand to give your face a trim, edge or close shave using the Philips OneBlade. You'll get to choose from the icons board of AFL, Rugby, NRL, UFC, Cricket stars to inspire your cut, from Honeybadger and Nick Kyrgios, to Bailey Smith and Volk. There's no need to book ahead, just drop by and scan the QR code to secure your spot on the day. While you're waiting for your shave, you can also spin the prize wheel to win extra goodies to take home. Whether you want to head to the game looking sharp or just want to try the OneBlade for yourself, this is your chance. Catch the OneBlade Barbershop pop-up at Fed Square on Saturday, July 26 from 1.30–9.30pm. For more info, head to the website.
If you thought yoga retreats were all silence and brown rice, Yoga Cucina invites you to reconsider. Initiated by a trio of yoga instructors — and wine drinkers — it's a brand new kind of yoga-inspired getaway. Gear up to spend a weekend practising your salutes to the sun and downward dogs, in between sampling several drops, feasting on Italian fare, playing darts and swimming beneath waterfalls. "We want it to be an adventure, rather than a retreat," says Aly Clarke, who's organised the project alongside friends Rebecca Lockyer and Claire Blackwood. "It's not about people dressing in white and wearing patchouli." The idea came about at 1am, over a year ago. "We'd been to yoga together and were starving," Aly says. "Claire's husband, Marco [Gobbo] and his best friend Luca [Faccin] are both chefs, so they cooked up some risotto. There we were, eating and drinking wine and rum, and playing poker. We started thinking, other people must want to do this." And so, Yoga Cucina was born. The first adventure will be held over three nights, from September 29 to October 2 in The Pill Factory, a 19th century sandstone building in NSW's Southern Highlands. Think Chesterfields, open fireplaces and secretive nooks. "On the first night, we'll meet for a pre-dinner drink, then sit down to a big, family feast," Aly explains. Marco and Luca, who are both Michelin star trained, will be taking care of that. Come morning, you'll wake up to a two-hour yoga session, soundtracked by hip hop, before partaking in a barbecue lunch. Then it'll be off to a local national park for swimming under waterfalls and back to The Pill Factory for a pasta-making class, followed by another epic dinner and an evening in the games room, playing pool, darts and board games. Days two and three offer similar eclecticism, including a meeting with a monk at nearby Sunnataram Theravada Buddhist Monastery. A weekend at the retreat will set you back $880-935 per person, which includes all activities and brunch, dinner and snacks. Space is strictly limited to 26 and there are rooms for singles, doubles and groups. "The building is really big, so there's heaps of space for people to spread out and do whatever they want, Aly says. "We want them to feel free to do as little — or as much — as they'd like." After the first adventure is completed, the Yoga Cucina team will look further afield. When we chatted with them, they were scoping out venues in Tasmania. The first Yoga Cucina adventure will take place from September 29 to October 2 at The Pill Factory in NSW's Southern Highlands. For more information and to book, visit yogacucina.com. Image: Leeroy Te Hira.
If your favourite Nutella recipe is to take a household tablespoon and dig straight in, then we don't blame you. The delicious hazelnut spread makes eating chocolate for breakfast an entirely acceptable concept. In fact, Nutella is so fondly-held across the globe that it's prompted its own dedicated festival, a toaster-shaped food truck and an honourary burger from the golden arches. Melbourne's obsession with the stuff even caused a country-wide shortage a few years ago. Nutella lovers now have 185 new ways to enjoy the spread as the brand launches its very own recipe book. The hardback, titled 'Delicious Creations with Nutella', showcases a selection of recipes for every occasion, covering everyday breakfast and afternoon options to celebratory moments like Christmas and Valentine's Day. The recipes inside were inspired by the creations of Aussie and Kiwi home cooks who have been making and sharing their ideas over the past 12 months. Within the book's 185 pages you can find simple no-frills recipes slathering the chocolatey spread on white bread through to more elaborate creations like three-layer cheesecakes, mille-feuille with chantilly mousse and choux pastries. So how do you get your hands on one? Just 2000 copies of 'Delicious Creations with Nutella' are up for grabs between Australian and New Zealand. Until June 28, those who buy a specially-marked jar of Nutella and then enter online will be in the running to score their own copy. Nutella is also bringing the recipes to life in a series of cooking classes around Australia. Cooking schools hosting classes in May and June include Sydney's VIVE Cooking School, Brisbane's Lumiere, Perth's The Little Italian School and Adelaide Chocolate School. For more information about 'Delicious Creations with Nutella' and the brand's series of cooking classes, visit, nutella.com.
Feeling impulsive? Got annual leave to burn? In need of an escape from the dreaded routine? How about booking a last-minute Asia holiday? We've all dreamed of it, and now you've got a damn good excuse for a surprise sojourn — but only for the next 48 hours. For a limited time, Scoot (the low-cost arm of Singapore Airlines) is offering one-way airfares from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to the most sought-after destinations across Asia — at prices between $139 and $850. Think about it: A little springtime getaway to lounge by a pool on Koh Samui, cycling the streets of Ho Chi Minh City or taking a spin at self-discovery in Chennai. You could be sipping a cocktail in the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool while your colleagues are sipping coffee at their desks. The sale's travel periods are October 13–November 19 or January 19–March 17, so you could spend the last weeks of summer escaping to a market in Seoul, serene temple grounds in Chiang Rai or a winter lights festival in Osaka. Either way, you'd better act fast, you've spent too much time reading about it. On the fence? Need convincing? You officially have our permission to book the impulse holiday of your dreams, and your boss can complain to us about it. Our tip for Melbourne travellers? Be smart with your A/L and book one day off, Tuesday, November 4, for an easy extra-long weekend overseas. Scoot's Gotta Scoot sale is on now until 11.59pm on Friday, September 26th. For more information, visit the website.
