Celebrating memorable sandwiches and top-quality coffee in equal measure, this little spot within the Melbourne Arts Precinct is the brainchild of Reverence Coffee Roasters' Andreas and Annie Martinu, along with Martin Mcevoy and Nicholas Tan. And with Palermo Head Chef Michael Dalton behind the menu, it's got some chops. Decked out in fresh green and white, OlMate's is embracing the beauty in simplicity with a short-but-sweet food offering matched to primo Reverence coffee. Sandwich fiends can expect well-crafted, refreshed classics like the Big Tuna — a riff on the tuna melt featuring nori aioli and provolone on Tuscan-style flatbread ($15) — plus the plant-based roast cauliflower roll with green chilli sauce ($16), and a hot egg salad brekkie muffin ($12). The roast beef sanga heroes spice-crusted meat, mint and coriander chutney, and comes paired with a rogan josh dipping sauce ($17). And a hefty salad sandwich teams beetroot, sprouts and other goodies with either lemon roast chicken or vegan-friendly crushed chickpeas ($16). Sips by Reverence showcase the roaster's Lion Tamer blend alongside a rotating single-origin batch brew, with a fun illustration of co-owner Andreas gracing the statement green takeaway cups. Otherwise, you can match your feed with an icy beer from the likes of Bodriggy, Hop Nation or Balter.
Adelaide has been getting a major dose of cool as of late. Though the small bar scene may be a Melbournian namesake, this SA sister city is in the midst of a rebirth and has all of the makings to become its own small bar mecca. If you're headed to Adelaide, you'll want to check out the East End, along with Peel and Leigh streets, which house many of the city's newer bars — many of which only opened in 2015. From underground speakeasies and sake bars to American style dives and even a bar fitted out to resemble a log cabin, Adelaide has it all and in partnership with the Hahn Brewers we're bringing you the best of it. MAYBE MAE The concealed entrance to this 1950s cocktail lounge is not easy to find, but Maybe Mae is well worth the extra effort. Hidden in a tunnel beneath the Bread and Bone Wood Grill, the timber wall has no signage or even a door handle — this spot is as speakeasy as it gets. The space, inspired by movie star and sex symbol Mae West, is marked by a glamorous, Hollywood interior of green leather booths and large brass mirrors. It only opened last year, but this throwback of a bar is already a favourite stop on a night out. 15 Peel Street, Adelaide. PINK MOON SALOON Pink Moon Saloon is possibly the coolest-looking bar in the city. Located in the site of a former service laneway, the space best resembles a log cabin set in between two tall city buildings. Opened in 2015, this newcomer is a perfect addition to Adelaide's blooming small bar scene. The vibe itself is worth the visit alone. The drinks menu is inventive and playful (you can still grab a beer) while the small food menu is well designed for drink-induced nibbling. 21 Leigh Street, Adelaide. BANK STREET SOCIAL For a busy local hotspot, the Bank Street Social is your go-to. Get your boogie on to DJs spinning funk and disco, or relax on one of their luxe, golden-clad booths. On the food side of things, the regional pizza bar is focused on fresh, local ingredients and keeps the post-dance hanger at bay. 48 Hindley Street, Adelaide. MR. GOODBAR The vibe at Mr. Goodbar is best understood by their shrine to Saint Amand — that is, the patron saint of bartenders. The joint is dedicated to good times and, in their own words, to "the best kinds of sin". The waistcoat-wearing staff serve up their drinks alongside a simple food menu includes a daily cheese and charcuterie selection ($16-18) and blue swimmer crab cakes ($16). Overall, the space has a emphasises the old-world chic to it and is well-deserving of its name. 12 Union Street, Adelaide. [caption id="attachment_589691" align="alignnone" width="1280"] @jenjen_fifinha via Instagram[/caption] BADDOG BAR Baddog is a grunge-lovers haven, with an interior combination of leather, concrete and steel that just works. The well-lit bar boasts an impressive selection of small batch, local and international liquor, but is a great spot to settle down with a beer. Their in-house piano is the centre for which their blues and roots live acts congregate and play most nights until late. 63 Hyde Street, Adelaide. BRKLYN Housed upstairs at 260 Rundle Street, BRKLYN pays homage to New York's most loved borough. The entrance to this hidden gem is styled to look like a NYC subway — complete with subway-style mosaic tiling — and one half of the bar has even been made to look like a Brooklyn street, with various shopfronts and even an in-house barber. To cap it all off, their menu pays homage to the Jewish-owned delis of NYC, serving up the classic Reuben pastrami on rye with house-made pickles and Old Bay popcorn. 260A Rundle Street, Adelaide. 55ML 55ml is an intimate hole-in-the-wall with a simple but top-notch booze list, board games and tacos — need we say more? It has all the makings of great night out and is an ideal location for getting stuck in. Patrons easily lose time in this dimly-lit small bar, where the relaxed vibe is matched with pickleback specials — and they're just a few reasons to check this place out. We suggest you settle in with a beer and some chorizo tacos, grab the Jenga and let the hours fly by. 55 Mill Street, Adelaide. THE QUEEN'S HEAD This gem is the oldest licensed venue in its original location in the whole of South Australia, it's been sitting pretty on the corner of Kermode Street and Abbott Lane for 175 years. Not only a sunny spot for an afternoon beer, the kitchen at Queen's Head has award-winning pizza, burgers, steaks and sides and each weeknight has its own food special. 2KW BAR When you want to go somewhere a little bigger (and a little fancier) than the above, which also has incredible views of Adelaide and is cool in summer and warm in winter, then head to 2KW Bar. Sit back in the privacy of perfectly manicured hedges and enjoy a drink and some fancy food (try the crayfish). GONDOLA GONDOLA Gondola Gondola is an Asian-inspired bar and bistro that serves up sake, Japanese whiskies and craft beer. The food menu is also varied, from Vietnamese lamb shank stew and banh xeo (savoury pancake) to some Thai-flavoured sashimi and lemongrass beef. Despite this variety, the space has an authentic vibe and is a must do on any boozy (or foodie) visit to Adelaide. 1 Peel Street, Adelaide. Sign up to Hahn Brewers and use your weekend to take a trip to Adelaide.
You can rest assured everyone in your merry party will have a good time if you go to Shark Fin Inn. Offering a daily lunchtime Yum Cha, pick and choose from over 100 different Cantonese varieties to suit your tastes at this bustling restaurant. If you'd prefer to have the choices made for you, banquets ranging from $38-50 per person are available. First established in 1980s, the Shark Fin Group's restaurants are arguably one of the most well known Yum Cha branches, and certainly one of the oldest.
Opening quietly in the even quieter suburb of Mount Waverley, Son of Tucci has been warmly welcomed in the south east of Melbourne. Tucked between the ageing, pasty walls of Hamilton Place, this fresh-faced newbie is refreshingly modern and delightfully different in a precinct that could use a serious makeover. The second Melbourne venture for the Crea Siblings, Son of Tucci pays homage to their grandfather. "His surname was Santuccis," Massimo Crea says. "And he always wanted a son — so that's where it comes from." Fittingly, Massimo's grandparents also used to live in Mount Waverley. And even though they had to start from scratch — the space was previously a retail store — the Creas were determined to open in the area because, according to Massimo, there was nowhere for a younger generation to simply 'hang out' in Mount Waverley. Their clientele seems suspiciously well rounded, despite his sentiment. Between featured concrete walls and exposed brick, you can choose from a range of buttery sweets to go. Seasonal blends by Veneziano are the caffeinated base for your morning latte, with filtered coffee and an eight-hour cold drip also on offer. Order your coffee black (beans are by Small Batch), and you'll receive a card detailing the coffee’s origins. Teas are by specialist brand Larsen & Thompson. If you're planning to linger for longer, Son of Tucci's menu has everything you could possibly need for an extended family brunch. Traditional breakfast fare with contemporary touches rein supreme, like their smashed avo and Sriracha maple glazed bacon ($14), or pancakes with sweet dukkah and poached pear ($15). Nutella fanatics will adore their Nutella shakes ($4.50), while the espresso variety are the perfect caffeinated treat — and with polished concrete floors, the Son of Tucci team are more than ready to wipe up the occasional spill. The typical local cafe, Son of Tucci isn't a game-changer in Melbourne's mammoth cafe scene. But it's certainly a tasty choice for this little south-east suburb.
The heart and soul behind this East Lebanese joint in Brunswick is the owners' Téta (grandmother) Mona, and the village soul food they were raised on. Surrounded by black and white photos of the family, tables covered in plastic and vintage kitchenware, you'll feel like you've gone back in time to your grandparents' place for Sunday lunch. Nab a table in the courtyard out the back, and enjoy crunchy falafel, smoky baba ganoush, zucchinis stuffed with wild rice and vegan baklava. And good news: it's just $1 per bottle to BYO beer (or $8 per bottle of wine). Images: Tracey Ah-kee
You could travel to the Murray and do nothing but eat, drink and be merry. And you should. The region is jam-packed with incredible producers, innovative makers and chefs, old-school artisans and new-wave cuisine. Having access to some of the country's best farmers and makers gives these venues the luxury of a hyper-local, hyper-seasonal approach to food and drink. From swanky bistros and rustic wineries to experimental distillers and fire-focused chefs, the Murray region is an unmissable foodie destination. If you're a flavour-chaser, prepare yourself to get amongst it all: swirl small-batch wines, discover ancient flavours and native ingredients, and experience new locavore dining experiences and European-inspired eateries. Whatever your taste, whenever you decide to visit, there's someone in the Murray region putting their heart and soul into something delicious. [caption id="attachment_662395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morrisons Riverview Winery and Restaurant[/caption] WINE AND DINE Trentham Estate Winery lies on the banks of the Murray, offering an award-winning cellar door experience. This much-lauded NSW Tourism Awards Hall-of-Famer boasts 45 sweeping hectares of vines producing French and Italian varietals. Officially established in 1988, it'd actually been in viticulture for decades beforehand, and it's still a family-run winery today. Snag a table at the restaurant to enjoy Modern European fare, or swing by the cellar door to just sit back and watch the boats slide by as you sip shiraz (also, unsurprisingly, award-winning). Morrisons Riverview Winery and Restaurant (pictured above) is more than just a darn gorgeous venue — this Moama winery also has a restaurant that should be on every foodie hitlist. The ever-changing menu is focused on local, seasonal produce with enough variety to suit all tastes. Sweetcorn bread with cashew sambal and burnt chilli butter sits alongside lamb backstrap with pickled cauli, greens, couscous and smoked eggplant puree, calamari caesar salad pimped with pork scratchings and garlic toast, and chips with kasundi, aioli and hop salt. The five-course 'Chef's Feed Me' option is the best way to sample the scope of these flavours. Enjoy it while sipping Morrisons' premium wine blends from its 15 hectares of vines — from chardonnay to moscato to shiraz. [caption id="attachment_893785" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Old School Winery and Meadery, Destination NSW[/caption] SIP SOMETHING SPECIAL For something different, take a drive out to Monak Wine Co. Its first vintage was released in 2020 making it a younger winery (albeit with 25 years of winemaking experience to draw on). Here's what else you need to know: it's family-owned, works with local growers and applies exquisite attention to detail to its small-batch, handmade drops. It's an eclectic mix of wines — some minimal intervention, all very special. The cellar door opens on Friday and Saturday to slake your curiosity. The Old School Winery and Meadery (pictured above) is more than a classic winery. Sure, it makes a few small-batch, handcrafted reds, but the main point of difference is mead — traditionally fermented honey alcohol. On the site of an old Womboota school, this rustic venue offers a taste of history in more ways than one. It has been making mead for over 20 years, spearheading the honey-wine industry growth in Australia. Mead was a drink beloved by Vikings, but the unique flavour of Australian bush honey makes this unlike any European mead. Here, the team crafts everything from sweet and fortified meads to drier styles. They also make medieval mead beakers in the on-site pottery workshop. Bring a picnic and settle into the cellar door garden for an afternoon. [caption id="attachment_893783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Corowa Whisky and Chocolate, Destination NSW[/caption] GET SPIRITED AWAY Drink less, enjoy more: that's the ethos of Echuca Distillery, championing quality and character over quantity. Based in Echuca Moama, David De Vries and his wife Fiona have decades of experience in fragrance and flavour production science. Their fastidious research and passion for playing with gin botanicals lead to unique, expressive flavour profiles. Starting with a base of grain or grape spirit distilled in Lavender, their Italian copper still, they infuse classics like dry and navy strength gin as well as combos like yuzu and ginger, a five-citrus gin and a port barrel-aged gin. In addition to liqueurs, cocktail spirits, arak and agave, Echuca has now added a whisky to the lineup. Corowa Whisky and Chocolate (pictured above) began with an underdog story of three mates buying an abandoned flour mill for a dollar. With one of Australia's youngest head distillers, this business produces a true blue Aussie whisky. It uses local organic barley grains and Murray River water to make its signature dram, aided by the drastically fluctuating temperatures of the area which leads to faster maturation. The most popular whisky, Corowa Characters, honours the team behind it and is aged in American, French and Hungarian oak. There are other whisky styles that use ex-bourbon, ex-muscat and ex-sherry casks, as well as single barrel releases and a special collab with Bridge Road Brewers, distilled from unsold kegs of beer in 2020. For those with a sweet tooth, there are Belgian chocolates crafted in-house on offer that are the perfect complement to whisky. What more could you need? [caption id="attachment_894105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yardbird[/caption] EAT ELITE Bistro Selle is a classic European bistro in the heart of a country city. There's a balance between comfortable familiarity, charming elegance and playful experiments. As well as freshly shucked oysters and smoked beef tartare, you'll find crispy tripe, goat ragu and a porcini-choc-fennel-malt dessert. Refined dishes are plated in an artistic, almost sculptural, way that's as pleasing to the eye as to the tastebuds. All are accompanied by an extensive wine list of Australian and European drops. The key focus of Yardbird (pictured above) is flame, from the Spanish Mibrasa woodfired oven in the kitchen to the roaring glass-fronted fire centrepiece of the dining room. It only opened in 2021, but it's been making a name for itself in the region. The decor is stylish yet warm and comforting: light-flooded, pale timber accents and post-industrial warehouse ceilings. The western European-inspired menu changes in line with the daily produce and opportunity, but can include whipped cod roe and flatbread; deep fried Crottin de Chavignol with figs, green beans and honey; bavette steak with bone marrow, persillade and green peppercorn; rosemary duck fat potatoes and mamasita-style fire-roasted corn; and poached cherry pavlova to finish. Now, imagine all that paired with a bright wine list of mineral-driven, minimal intervention vino. [caption id="attachment_893786" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The River Deck Cafe, Destination NSW[/caption] OR KEEP IT CASUAL The River Deck Cafe serves Modern Australian cuisine in Albury, overlooking the tree-lined banks of the Murray. Local and native ingredients take centre stage here, so you can really taste the region, with its creative flourish on a farm-to-table menu. It's very seasonal. So seasonal that the menu changes every two to four weeks in line with the availability of the best produce. At breakfast and lunch, it offers comforting country classics like sourdough crumpets alongside the smashed avo and house granola any city slicker expects of brekkie, followed by hearty mains like a porterhouse steak, barramundi and chips and pasta dishes. The Albury offshoot of a locally loved Lake Mulwala restaurant, Blacksmith Provedore, has distilled that same European aperitivo hour aesthetic of the original into a space within the famously top-notch Harris Farm market. With a white and grey marble bar, hanging charcuterie and rows of delicious wines, it brings more casual riviera elegance than you might expect. Plus, being in the market, it has access to the finest ingredients. As well as local produce, expect prosciutto from San Daniele, San Marzano tomatoes from Salerno and buffalo Mozzarella from Shaw River. You can start your day with luxurious pastries, a Reuben toastie or fruit-topped chia puddings. Stop by later to get in on those famous woodfired pizzas with a three-day slow-fermented base. Pair it with a spritz or cocktail special, or opt for a wine from the truly delicious list. Located at the rear of Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), looking over the gardens, Canvas Eatery is a bright light-filled modern space offering a peaceful retreat in the heart of Albury. It's open 8am—3pm daily but also opens on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5pm till late. It serves some of the best coffee in town, according to the locals. Not to mention craft beer and excellent wines. Food-wise, it's a fun, fresh menu, with Coco Pops, crumpets with honeycomb butter and raspberry cheesecake waffles for breakfast. An open bagel smørrebrød with herb creme fraiche, smoked salmon, avo and salmon caviar features on the lunch menu. Then by night, expect an eclectic mix of share plates, including smoked river fish croquettes, prawn toast banh mi, duck parfait with rye wattleseed waffle, and pizzas. [caption id="attachment_893788" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paddle Streamer, Destination NSW[/caption] TAKE A TASTING TOUR Take a cruise down the river, capturing that old-timey charm on board an award-winning tour. Murray River Paddle Steamer's 'Wharf to Winery' premium cruise takes you along the Murray in an iconic, beautifully restored historic paddle steamer. The total tour is about three hours, accompanied by a captain's commentary on the history and culture of the area. Then it's time for a two-course lunch at Morrisons Winery and a guided tasting. On the way back, enjoy complimentary vino as you sail along the Murray in style. Nothing compares to meeting the folks behind the food, and The Eating, Drinking, Tasting tour with Albury Eating Travel allows you to do just that. A full-day tour of two to seven guests in a Mercedes van will take you around the region to chat with the experts themselves: small-scale, private farms, boutique wineries and distilleries. And each tour is unique and catered to your taste and the seasons. For more ways to enjoy the Murray region, check out our nature guide or history and culture guide. Or, to start planning your food pilgrimage to the Murray region, head to the website. Top images: Destination NSW (Corowa Distillery; Blacksmith Provedore, Albury).
If there's one thing that every Brooklyn Nine-Nine fan knows about Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), it's that he loves, adores, worships and obsesses over one of the best cop films of the 80s. Come Christmas — and any other excuse he can think of — the detective likes nothing more than watching Die Hard. So, when it comes to dropping a trailer for B99's upcoming seventh season, of course the sitcom's powers that be took inspiration from several decades ago. Crafted to look like grainy VHS footage — complete with a square aspect ratio to match the boxy TV sets of the time — the just-released 80s-style trailer picks up where the series' sixth season left off. If you need a refresher (and consider this your spoiler warning), the New York precinct wrapped up its last batch of episodes with a bang. The squad brought down the city's corrupt police commissioner, and their beloved Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) managed to avoid being transferred to Staten Island. When Captain Holt's (Andre Braugher) boss and nemesis found out that he hadn't spent enough time in uniform back in the day, however, he was demoted. The new season will chart the fallout from all of the above, plus the usual B99 antics — and based on this amusing teaser, there's much in store for Peralta, Jeffords, Holt, Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) and Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), as well as Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller). If you're not already counting down the days until the show returns, the seventh season will start its 13-episode run on Friday, February 7, Australian time. The series has also been renewed for an eighth season, which'll air either later in 2020 or early in 2021. Watch the season seven trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=QuJ1ih5srzw&feature=emb_logo Brooklyn Nine-Nine's seventh season will start airing from 8.30pm on Friday, February 7, Australian time on SBS Viceland, with episodes available to stream on SBS On Demand after they've been broadcast.
On the small screen, 2023 started by showing the world exactly how a beloved video game should be turned into a television series. By the time the year had reached its midpoint, it had delivered one of the best TV murder-mysteries ever — from Australia, too, and also a smart and savvy comedy. Now that 2024 is almost upon us, a cringe-inducing parody of reality home-improvement programs, among a wealth of other targets, has proven a late-in-the-year stunner. So, as the best new TV shows of 2023 illustrate, no one can say that there hasn't been anything new to watch over the past 12 months. This year's television slate also gave viewers a subversive social satire, a David Cronenberg body-horror masterpiece turned into TV and a calming show about friendship in Japan. They're all among the best of the top brand-new arrivals, as are an eat-the-rich horror gem, a telemarketing true tale that has to be seen to be believed and a side-splitting history-of-the-world mockumentary. Here's an even better piece of news: not only has the past year been exceptional for television, but summer is a glorious time to reflect, revisit and, if you need to, work through your catch-up list. After filling 2023 viewing and rounding up TV highlights — and first selecting the must-sees midyear — we've now whittled down the results of all that couch time to the 15 best small-screen newcomers. THE CURSE It has always been impossible to watch TV shows by Nathan Fielder, including Nathan for You and The Rehearsal, without feeling awkwardness gushing from the screen. The films of Josh and Benny Safdie, such as Good Time and Uncut Gems, are such masterclasses in anxiety and chaos that viewers can be forgiven for thinking that their chairs are jittering along with them. From Easy A, La La Land and Maniac to The Favourite and Poor Things, Emma Stone keeps proving an inimitable acting force. Combine Fielder, the Safdies and Stone on one series, then, and whatever sprang was always going to be a must-see. Dark satire The Curse is also as extraordinary in its brilliance as it is excruciating in its discomfort. As well as co-creating the ten-part series, Fielder and Benny Safdie co-star, co-write and co-direct. Stone joins them on-screen and as an executive producer, with Benny's brother Josh doing the latter as well. And the Safdies' regular collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never, aka Daniel Lopatin, gets the show buzzing with atmospheric agitation in one of his best scores yet. Yes, The Curse is everything that the sum of these parts promises. It flows with disquiet like a burst hydrant. It fills each almost hour-long episode with a lifetime's worth of cringe. It's relentless in its unease, and also a marvellous, intense and hilarious black comedy that apes the metal Doug Aitken-esque houses that Stone and Fielder's Whitney and Asher Siegel like to build, reflecting oh-so-much about the world around it. The Curse takes the show-within-a-show route, with the Siegels eager to grace the world's screens as reality TV hosts spruiking environmentally sustainable passive homes in New Mexico's Española. The newly married pair have American pay TV network Home & Garden Television interested in Fliplanthropy, as well as their efforts to green up the community, create jobs for locals, and revitalise a place otherwise equated with struggling and crime stats. Lurking between the couple and HGTV is producer Dougie Schecter (Safdie, Oppenheimer), Asher's childhood friend with a nose for sensationalism — particularly as disharmony lingers among his stars as they try to start a family, get their show on the air, build their gleaming houses, find ideal buyers, honour the area's Indigenous history and overcome The Curse's title. The Curse streams via Paramount+. Read our full review. DEADLOCH Trust Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, Australia's favourite Kates and funniest double act, to make a killer TV show about chasing a killer that's the perfect sum of two excellent halves. Given their individual and shared backgrounds, including creating and starring in cooking show sendup The Katering Show and morning television spoof Get Krack!n, the pair unsurprisingly add another reason to get chuckling to their resumes; however, with Deadloch, they also turn their attention to crime procedurals. The Kates already know how to make viewers laugh. They've established their talents as brilliant satirists and lovers of the absurd in the process. Now, splashing around those skills in Deadloch's exceptional eight-episode first season lead by Kate Box (Stateless) and Madeleine Sami (The Breaker Upperers), they've also crafted a dead-set stellar murder-mystery series that ranks among The Kates' best work in almost every way. The only time that it doesn't? Not putting the tremendous pair on-screen themselves. Taking place in a sleepy small town, commencing with a body on a beach, and following both the local cop trying to solve the case and the gung-ho blow-in from a big city leading the enquiries, Deadloch has all the crime genre basics covered from the get-go. The Tasmanian spot scandalised by the death is a sitcom-esque quirky community, another television staple that McCartney and McLennan nail. Parody requires deep knowledge and understanding; you can't comically rip into and riff on something if you aren't familiar with its every in and out. That said, Deadloch isn't in the business of simply mining well-worn TV setups and their myriad of conventions for giggles, although it does that expertly. With whip-smart writing, the Australian series is intelligent, hilarious, and all-round cracking as a whodunnit-style noir drama and as a comedy alike — and, as Box's by-the-book Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins and Sami's loose and chaotic Darwin blow-in Eddie Redcliffe are forced to team up, it's also one of the streaming highlights of the year. Deadloch streams via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan. I'M A VIRGO No one makes social satires like Boots Riley. Late in I'm a Virgo, when a character proclaims that "all art is propaganda", these words may as well be coming from The Coup frontman-turned-filmmaker's very own lips. In only his second screen project after the equally impassioned, intelligent, energetic, anarchic and exceptional 2018 film Sorry to Bother You, Riley doesn't have his latest struggling and striving hero utter this sentiment, however. Rather, it springs from the billionaire technology mogul also known as The Hero (Walton Goggins, George & Tammy), who's gleefully made himself the nemesis of 13-foot-tall series protagonist Cootie (Jharrel Jerome, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse). Knowing that all stories make a statement isn't just the domain of activists fighting for better futures for the masses, as Riley is, and he wants to ensure that his audience knows it. Indeed, I'm a Virgo is a show with something to say, and forcefully. Its creator is angry again, too, and wants everyone giving him their time to be bothered — and he still isn't sorry for a second. With Jerome as well-cast a lead as Atlanta's Lakeith Stanfield was the last time that Riley was behind the lens, I'm a Virgo also hinges upon a surreal central detail: instead of a Black telemarketer discovering the impact of his "white voice", it hones in on the oversized Cootie. When it comes to assimilation, consider this series Sorry to Bother You's flipside, because there's no way that a young Black man that's more than double the tallest average height is passing for anyone but himself. Riley knows that Black men are too often seen as threats and targets regardless of their stature anyway. He's read the research showing that white folks can perceive Black boys as older and less innocent. As Cootie wades through these experiences himself, there isn't a single aspect of I'm a Virgo that doesn't convey Riley's ire at the state of the world — that doesn't virtually scream about it, actually — with this series going big and bold over and over. I'm a Virgo streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. DEAD RINGERS Twin gynaecologists at the top of their game. Blood-red costuming and bodily fluids. The kind of perturbing mood that seeing flesh as a source of horror does and must bring. An exquisite eye for stylish yet unsettling imagery. Utterly impeccable lead casting. When 1988's Dead Ringers hit cinemas, it was with this exact combination, all in the hands of David Cronenberg following Shivers, The Brood, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly. He took inspiration from real-life siblings Stewart and Cyril Marcus, whose existence was fictionalised in 1977 novel Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland, and turned it into something spectacularly haunting. Attempting to stitch together those parts again, this time without the Crimes of the Future filmmaker at the helm — and as a miniseries, too — on paper seems as wild a feat as some of modern medicine's biggest advancements. This time starring a phenomenal Rachel Weisz as both Beverly and Elliot Mantle, and birthed by Lady Macbeth and The Wonder screenwriter Alice Birch, Dead Ringers 2.0 is indeed an achievement. It's also another masterpiece. Playing the gender-swapped roles that Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) inhabited so commandingly 35 years back, Weisz (Black Widow) is quiet, calm, dutiful, sensible and yearning as Beverly, then volatile, outspoken, blunt, reckless and rebellious as Elliot. Her performance as each is that distinct — that fleshed-out as well — that it leaves viewers thinking they're seeing double. Of course, technical trickery is also behind the duplicate portrayals, with directors Sean Durkin (The Nest), Karena Evans (Snowfall), Lauren Wolkstein (The Strange Ones) and Karyn Kusama's (Destroyer) behind the show's lens; however, Weisz is devastatingly convincing. Beverly is also the patient-facing doctor of the two, helping usher women into motherhood, while Elliot prefers tinkering in a state-of-the-art lab trying to push the boundaries of fertility. Still, the pair are forever together or, with unwitting patients and dates alike, swapping places and pretending to be each other. Most folks in their company don't know what hit them, which includes actor Genevieve (Britne Oldford, The Umbrella Academy), who segues from a patient to Beverly's girlfriend — and big-pharma billionaire Rebecca (Jennifer Ehle, She Said), who Dead Ringers' weird sisters court to fund their dream birthing centre. Dead Ringers streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LAST OF US If the end of the world comes, or a parasitic fungus evolves via climate change, spreads globally, infests brains en masse and almost wipes out humanity, spectacular video game-to-TV adaptation The Last of Us will have you wanting Pedro Pascal in your corner. Already a standout in Game of Thrones, then Narcos, then The Mandalorian, he's perfectly cast in HBO's blockbuster series — a character-driven show that ruminates on what it means to not just survive but to want to live and thrive after the apocalypse. In this smart and gripping series (one that's thankfully already been renewed for season two, too), he plays Joel. Dad to teenager Sarah (Nico Parker, The Third Day), he's consumed by grief and loss after what starts as a normal day, and his birthday, changes everything for everyone. Twenty years later, he's a smuggler tasked with tapping into his paternal instincts to accompany a different young girl, the headstrong Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Catherine Called Birdy), on a perilous but potentially existence-saving trip across the US. Starting to watch The Last of Us, or even merely describing it, is an instant exercise in déjà vu. Whether or not you've played the hit game since it first arrived in 2013, or its 2014 expansion pack, 2020 sequel or 2022 remake, its nine-part TV iteration ventures where plenty of on-screen fare including The Road and The Walking Dead has previously trodden. The best example that springs to mind during The Last of Us is Station Eleven, however, which is the heartiest of compliments given how thoughtful, empathetic and textured that 2021–22 series proved. As everything about pandemics, contagions and diseases that upend the world order now does, The Last of Us feels steeped in stone-cold reality as well, as spearheaded by a co-creator, executive producer, writer and director who has already turned an IRL doomsday into stunning television with Chernobyl. That creative force is Craig Mazin, teaming up with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also wrote and directed The Last of Us games. The Last of Us streams via Binge. Read our full review, and our interview with Melanie Lynskey. THE MAKANAI: COOKING FOR THE MAIKO HOUSE At the beginning of The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, 16-year-old best friends Kiyo (Nana Mori, Liar x Liar) and Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi, Silent Parade) leave home for the first time with smiles as wide as their hearts are open. Departing the rural Aomari for Kyoto in the thick of winter, they have internships as maiko lined up — apprentice geiko, as geishas are called in the Kyoto dialect. Their path to their dearest wishes isn't all sunshine and cherry blossoms from there, of course, but this is a series that lingers on the details, on slices of life, and on everyday events rather than big dramatic developments. Watch, for instance, how lovingly Kiyo and Sumire's last meal is lensed before they set out for their new future, and how devotedly the camera surveys the humble act of sitting down to share a dumpling soup, legs tucked beneath blankets under the table, while having an ordinary conversation. Soothing, tender, compassionate, bubbling with warmth: that's The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House from the outset. There's a key reason that this cosy and comforting new treasure overflows with such affection and understanding — for its characters, their lives and just the act of living. Prolific writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda simply isn't capable of anything else. Yes, Netflix has been in the auteur game of late, and The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House is unmistakably the work of its rightly applauded creative force. One of the biggest names in Japanese cinema today, and the winner of the received Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or back in 2018 for the sublime Shoplifters, Kore-eda makes empathetic, rich and deeply emotional works. His movies, including the France-set The Truth and South Korea-set Broker, truly see the people within their frames. On the small screen, and hailing from manga, the nine-episode The Makanai is no different. It's also as calming as a show about friendships, chasing dreams and devouring ample dumplings can and should be. The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House streams via Netflix. FULL CIRCLE Whether on screens big and small, when an audience watches a Steven Soderbergh project, they're watching one of America's great current directors ply his full range of filmmaking skills. Usually, he doesn't just helm. Going by Peter Andrews and Mary Ann Bernard — aliases from his parents' names — he shoots and edits as well. And he's prolific: since advising that he'd retire from making features after Side Effects, he's directed, lensed and spliced nine more, plus three TV shows. Among those titles sit movies such as Logan Lucky, Unsane, Kimi and Magic Mike's Last Dance; the exceptional two seasons of turn-of-the-20th-century medical drama The Knick; and now New York-set kidnapping miniseries Full Circle. The filmmaker who won Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or at 26 for Sex, Lies and Videotape, earned two Best Director Oscars in one year for Traffic and Erin Brockovich, brought the Ocean's franchise back to cinemas in 2001, and eerily predicted the COVID-19 pandemic with 2011's Contagion is in his element with his latest work. Six-part noir-influenced thriller Full Circle reunites Soderbergh with Mosaic and No Sudden Move screenwriter Ed Solomon, boasts a starry cast, involves money and secrets and deception, and proves a twisty and layered crime tale from the get-go. Full Circle starts with a murder, then a revenge plot, then a missing smartphone. These early inclusions all tie into an intricate narrative that will indeed demonstrate inevitability, cause and effect, the repercussions of our actions, and decisions looping back around. The pivotal death forms part of a turf war, sparking a campaign of retaliation by Queens-based Guyanese community leader and insurance scammer Savitri Mahabir (CCH Pounder, Avatar: The Way of Water). She enlists freshly arrived teens Xavier (Sheyi Cole, Atlanta) and Louis (Gerald Jones, Armageddon Time) to do the seizing under her nephew Aked's (Jharrel Jerome, I'm a Virgo) supervision; one of the newcomers is the brother of the latter's fiancée Natalia (Adia, The Midnight Club), who is also Savitri's masseuse. The target: Manhattan high-schooler Jared (Ethan Stoddard, Mysteries at the Museum), son of the wealthy and privileged Sam (Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble) and Derek Browne (Timothy Olyphant, Daisy Jones & The Six), and grandson through Sam to ponytailed celebrity chef Jeff McCusker (Dennis Quaid, Strange World). Savitri is convinced that this is the only way to stave off the curse she's certain is hanging over her business — a "broken circle", in fact. But, much to the frustration of the US Postal Inspection Service's Manny Broward (Jim Gaffigan, Peter Pan & Wendy), his go-for-broke agent Melody Harmony (Zazie Beetz, Black Mirror) is already investigating before the abduction. Full Circle streams via Binge. Read our full review. RAIN DOGS In 2019's Skint Estate, Cash Carraway told all; A memoir of poverty, motherhood and survival completes the book's full title. Penned about working-class Britain from within working-class Britain, Carraway's written jaunt through her own life steps through the reality of being a single mum without a permanent place to live, of struggling to get by at every second, and of being around the system since she was a teenager. It examines alcoholism, loneliness, mental illness and domestic violence, too, plus refuges, working at peep shows, getting groceries from food banks and hopping between whatever temporary accommodation is available. Rain Dogs isn't a direct adaptation. It doesn't purport to bring Carraway's experiences to the screen exactly as they happened, or with slavish fidelity to the specific details. But this HBO and BBC eight-parter remains not only raw, rich, honest and authentic but lived in, as it tells the same story with candour, humour, warmth and poignancy. Slipping into Carraway's fictionalised shoes is Daisy May Cooper — and she's outstanding. Her on-screen resume includes Avenue 5 and Am I Being Unreasonable?, as well as being a team captain on the latest iteration of Britain's Spicks and Specks-inspiring Never Mind the Buzzcocks, but she's a force to be reckoned with as aspiring writer and mum (to Iris, played by debutant Fleur Tashjian) Costello Jones. When Rain Dogs begins, it's with an eviction. Cooper lives and breathes determination as Costello then scrambles to find somewhere for her and Iris to stay next. But this isn't just their tale, with the pair's lives intersecting with the privileged but self-destructive Selby (Jack Farthing, Spencer), who completes their unconventional and dysfunctional family but tussles with his mental health. Including Costello's best friend Gloria (Ronke Adekoluejo, Alex Rider), plus ailing artist Lenny (The Young Ones legend Adrian Edmondson), this is a clear-eyed look at chasing a place to belong — and it's remarkable. Rain Dogs streams via Binge. Read our full review. SILO Rebecca Ferguson will never be mistaken for Daveed Diggs, but the Dune, Mission: Impossible franchise and Doctor Sleep star now follows in the Hamilton Tony-winner's footsteps. While he has spent multiple seasons navigating dystopian class clashes on a globe-circling train in the TV version of Snowpiercer, battling his way up and down the titular locomotive, she just started ascending and descending the stairs in the underground chamber that gives Silo its moniker. Ferguson's character is also among humanity's last remnants. Attempting to endure in post-apocalyptic times, she hails from her abode's lowliest depths as well. And, when there's a murder in this instantly engrossing new ten-part series — which leaps to the screen from Hugh Howey's novels, and shares a few basic parts with Metropolis, Blade Runner and The Platform, as well as corrupt world orders at the core of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner flicks — she's soon playing detective. Silo captivates from the outset, when its focus is the structure's sheriff Holston (David Oyelowo, See How They Run) and his wife Allison (Rashida Jones, On the Rocks). Both know the cardinal rule of the buried tower, as does deputy Marnes (Will Patton, Outer Range), mayor Ruth (Geraldine James, Benediction), security head Sims (Common, The Hate U Give), IT top brass Bernard (Tim Robbins, Dark Waters) and the other 10,000 souls they live with: if you make the request to go outside, it's irrevocable and you'll be sent there as punishment. No matter who you are, and from which level, anyone posing such a plea becomes a public spectacle. Their ask is framed as "cleaning", referring to wiping down the camera that beams the desolate planet around them onto window-sized screens in their cafeterias. No one has ever come back, or survived for more than minutes. Why? Add that to the questions piling up not just for Silo's viewers, but for the silo's residents. For more than 140 years, the latter have dwelled across their 144 floors in safety from the bleak wasteland that earth has become — but what caused that destruction and who built their cavernous home are among the other queries. Silo streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. BEEF As plenty does, Beef starts with two strangers meeting, but there's absolutely nothing cute about it. Sparks don't fly and hearts don't flutter; instead, this pair grinds each other's gears. In a case of deep and passionate hate at first sight, Danny Cho (Steven Yeun, Nope) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong, Paper Girls) give their respective vehicles' gearboxes a workout, in fact, after he begins to pull out of a hardware store carpark, she honks behind him, and lewd hand signals and terse words are exchanged. Food is thrown, streets are angrily raced down, gardens are ruined, accidents are barely avoided, and the name of Vin Diesel's famous car franchise springs to mind, aptly describing how bitterly these two strangers feel about each other — and how quickly. Created by Lee Sung Jin, who has It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dave and Silicon Valley on his resume before this ten-part Netflix and A24 collaboration, Beef also commences with a simple, indisputable and deeply relatable fact. Whether you're a struggling contractor hardly making ends meet, as he is, or a store-owning entrepreneur trying to secure a big deal, as she is — or, if you're both, neither or anywhere in-between — pettiness reigning supreme is basic human nature. Danny could've just let Amy beep as much as she liked, then waved, apologised and driven away. Amy could've been more courteous about sounding her horn, and afterwards. But each feels immediately slighted by the other, isn't willing to stand for such an indignity and becomes consumed by their trivial spat. Neither takes the high road, not once — and if you've ever gotten irrationally irate about a minor incident, this new standout understands. Episode by episode, it sees that annoyance fester and exasperation grow, too. Beef spends its run with two people who can't let go of their instant rage, keep trying to get the other back, get even more incensed in response, and just add more fuel to the fire again and again until their whole existence is a blaze of revenge. If you've ever taken a small thing and blown it wildly out of proportion, Beef is also on the same wavelength. And if any of the above has ever made you question your entire life — or just the daily grind of endeavouring to get by, having everything go wrong, feeling unappreciated and constantly working — Beef might just feel like it was made for you. Beef streams via Netflix. Read our full review. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER Of the many pies that Succession's Roy family had their fingers in, pharmaceuticals wasn't one of them. For virtually that, Mike Flanagan gives audiences The Fall of the House of Usher. The horror auteur's take on dynastic wealth gets a-fluttering through a world of decadence enabled by pushing pills legally, as six heirs to an addiction-laced kingdom vie to inherit a vast fortune. Flanagan hasn't given up his favourite genre for pure drama, however. The eponymous Usher offspring won't be enjoying the spoils of their father Roderick's (Bruce Greenwood, The Resident) business success, either, in this absorbing, visually ravishing and narratively riveting eight-parter. As the bulk of this tale is unfurled fireside, its patriarch tells federal prosecutor C Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly, SWAT) why his children (including Pet Sematary: Bloodlines' Henry Thomas, Minx's Samantha Sloyan, The Peripheral's T'Nia Miller, iZombie's Rahul Kohli, The Wrath of Becky's Kate Siegel and The Midnight Club's Sauriyan Sapkota) came to die within days of each other — and, with all the gory details, how. As with The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor before it, plus The Midnight Club as well, Flanagan's latest Netflix series finds its basis on the page. The author this time: Edgar Allan Poe, although The Fall of the House of Usher isn't a strict adaptation of the iconic author's 1840 short story of the same name, or just an adaptation, even as it bubbles with greed, violence and paranoia (plus death, loss, decay and the deceased haunting the livin)g. Character monikers, episode titles and other details spring from widely across Poe's bibliography. Cue ravens, black cats, masks, tell-tale hearts, pendulums and a Rue Morgue. What if the writer had penned Succession? That's one of Flanagan's questions — and what if he'd penned Dopesick and Painkiller, too? Hailing from the talent behind the exceptional Midnight Mass as well, plus movies Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, the series that results is a gloriously creepy and involving modern gothic horror entry. The Fall of the House of Usher streams via Netflix. Read our full review. POKER FACE Cards on the table: thanks to Russian Doll and the Knives Out franchise, Natasha Lyonne and Rian Johnson are both on a helluva streak. In their most recent projects before now, each has enjoyed a hot run not once but twice. Lyonne made time trickery one of the best new shows of 2019, plus a returning standout in 2022 as well, while Johnson's first Benoit Blanc whodunnit and followup Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery were gems of the exact same years. The latter also saw the pair team up briefly — Lyonne and Johnson, that is, although getting a Russian Doll-meets-Knives Out crossover from the universe, or just the Netflix algorithm, would be a dream. Until that wish comes true, there's Poker Face. It's no one's stopgap or consolation prize, however. This new mystery-of-the-week series is an all-out must-see in its own right, and a gleaming streaming ace. Given its components and concept, turning out otherwise would've been the biggest head-scratcher. Beneath aviator shades, a trucker cap and her recognisable locks, Lyonne plays detective again, as she did in Russian Doll — because investigating why you're looping through the same day over and over, or jumping through time, is still investigating. Johnson gives the world another sleuth, too, after offering up his own spin on Agatha Christie-style gumshoes with the ongoing Knives Out saga. This time, he's dancing with 1968–2003 television series Columbo, right down to Poker Face's title font. Lyonne isn't one for playing conventional detectives, though. Here, she's Charlie Cale, who starts poking around in sudden deaths thanks to an unusual gift and a personal tragedy. As outlined in the show's ten-part first season, Charlie is a human lie detector. She can always tell if someone is being untruthful, a knack she first used in gambling before getting on the wrong side of the wrong people. Then, when a friend and colleague at the far-from-flashy Las Vegas casino where Charlie works winds up dead, that talent couldn't be handier. Poker Face streams via Stan. Read our full review. TELEMARKETERS No one likes it when their phone rings from an unknown number, whether "no caller ID" or digits that you don't recognise flash up on your mobile's screen. Telemarketers isn't going to change that response. It won't dampen the collective ire that the world holds towards the pushy people on the other end of the line, either. HBO's thrilling three-part docuseries doesn't just reinforce what viewers already feel about the nuisance industry that thinks it can interrupt your day and life with a spiel that no one wants, and impact your bank balance in the process. In addition, it spins a true tale that demonstrates why a deep-seated dislike of telemarketing is so well-founded, and also why cold-calling operations can be so insidious. This true-crime story about the New Jersey-based Civic Development Group surpasses even the most call centre-despising audience member's low expectations of the field — and it's gripping, can't-look-away, has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed stuff. In fact, it's also an account of a tenacious duo revealing a billion-dollar fraud, and bringing this staggering whistleblower documentary to the masses. "Every other telemarketer who drives you crazy in the whole world is because of CDG," advises one of the series' interviewees. That might seem like a big claim, but co-directors Sam Lipman-Stern (Live From the Streets) and Adam Bhala Lough (The New Radical) step through its truth. The former knows the outfit's approach from experience, working there for seven years from the age of 14 after dropping out of high school, while the latter is the filmmaker cousin he wasn't aware of. Lipman-Stern is Telemarketers' on-screen guiding hand, too, but his ex-colleague Patrick J Pespas is its heart and soul. As seen early, Pespas is called a "telemarketing legend". Although he's happy snorting heroin on-camera in 2000s-era footage, he's switched on to CDG's shonkiness; more than that, he's determined to expose it even if it takes two decades. Everywhere that Lipman-Stern and Pespas look from there, this tale gets worse. It's no wonder that Uncut Gems and Good Time filmmakers Benny and Josh Safdie are among Telemarketers' executive producers, plus Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green. Telemarketers streams via Binge. Read our full review. SWARM Becky with the good hair gets a shoutout in Swarm. Facial bites do as well, complete with a Love & Basketball reference when the culprit flees. This seven-part series about a global pop sensation and her buzzing fans and stans also has its music icon unexpectedly drop a stunner of a visual album, ride a white horse, be married to a well-known rapper, become a mum to twins and see said husband fight with her sister in an elevator. Her sibling is also a singer, and plenty of folks contend she's the more interesting of the two. Still, Swarm's object of fascination — protagonist Dre's (Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah) undying obsession — sells out tours, breaks Ticketmaster and headlines one of the biggest music festivals there is. And, while they call themselves the titular term rather than a hive, her devotees are zealous and then some, especially humming around on social media. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show's creators and past colleagues on Glover's exceptional, now-finished Atlanta — Nabers also worked on Watchmen, too — couldn't be more upfront about who they're referring to. No one says Beyoncé's name, however, but Swarm's Houston-born music megastar is the former Destiny's Child singer in everything except moniker. In case anyone watching thinks that this series is trading in coincidences and déjà vu, or just failing to be subtle when it comes to Ni'Jah (Nirine S Brown, Ruthless), the Prime Video newcomer keeps making an overt opening declaration. "This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional," it announces before each episode. From there, it dives into Dre's journey as a twentysomething in 2016 who still adores her childhood idol with the same passion she did as a teen and, instalment by instalment, shows how far she's willing to go to prove it. Swarm streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. CUNK ON EARTH If you've ever watched a David Attenborough documentary about the planet and wished it was sillier and stupider, to the point of being entertainingly ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining alike, then Netflix comes bearing wonderful news. Actually, the BBC got there first, airing history-of-the-world mockumentary Cunk on Earth back in September 2022. Glorious things come to waiting viewers Down Under now, however — and this gleefully, delightfully absurd take on human civilisation from its earliest days till now, spanning cave paintings, Roman empires, Star Wars' empire, 1989 Belgian techno anthem 'Pump Up the Jam' and more, is one of the best shows to hit Australia in 2023. This series is a comedy masterclass, in fact, featuring everything from a Black Mirror-leaning skit about Beethoven resurrected inside a smart speaker to a recreation of a Dark Ages fray purely through sound also thrown in. It's flat-out masterful, too, and tremendously funny. This sometimes Technotronic-soundtracked five-part show's beat? Surveying how humanity came to its present state, stretching back through species' origins and evolution, and pondering everything from whether the Egyptian pyramids were built from the top down to the Cold War bringing about the "Soviet onion". The audience's guide across this condensed and comic history is the tweed-wearing Philomena Cunk, who has the steady voice of seasoned doco presenter down pat, plus the solemn gaze, but is firmly a fictional — and satirical — character. Comedian Diane Morgan first started playing the misinformed interviewer in 2013, in Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, with Black Mirror creator Brooker behind Cunk on Earth as well. Over the past decade, Cunk has also brought her odd questions to 2016's one-off Cunk on Shakespeare and Cunk on Christmas, and 2018's also five-instalment Cunk on Britain. After you're done with the character's latest spin, you'll want to devour the rest ASAP. Cunk on Earth streams via Netflix. Read our full review, and our interview with Charlie Brooker. Looking for more viewing highlights? We also rounded up the 15 best returning TV series of 2023, as well as 15 excellent new TV shows of 2023 that you might've missed — plus the 15 top films, another 15 exceptional flicks that hardly anyone saw in cinemas this year and the 15 best straight-to-streaming movies of the year as well. And, we've kept a running list of must-stream TV from across the year, complete with full reviews. Also, you can check out our regular rundown of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
When you live in Melbourne, budgeting can be tough. Even though you're trying to save money, everywhere you look there are temptations: gelato being scooped on every corner, dumplings beckoning sweetly from bamboo baskets, scents of bacon wafting on the breeze. And don't even think about walking down Lygon Street — you won't make it out without a face full of fancy pasta. The whole city conspires to part you from your money and fill your belly with delicious eats. But just because you're on a money diet, doesn't mean you have to go hungry or resort to the sad 'food hacks' you've started using to save some dosh. You can still indulge in some cheap and cheerful meals out and save up for your talking Japanese toilet (or whatever it is you're saving for). That's the fine thing about cuisine in Melbourne — there's something delicious available for every budget. The trick is to develop an encyclopaedic knowledge of the best deals and specials and work the menu to live a sparkling life on a still budget. That's what we've done. In partnership with American Express, we've pinned down the best eateries in Melbourne that won't ruin your saving schedule — and they accept Amex so you can just tap if you're running low on cold, hard cash. Can't wait to start travelling the world again? American Express has the card for you. Sign up for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card and you'll score 55,000 bonus Qantas Points, plus $450 of Qantas Travel Credit and two passes to the American Express Lounge every year. And you'll earn 1.25 Qantas Points for every dollar spent. T&Cs, minimum spend and eligibility criteria apply.
High tea is a classic Mother's Day experience, and this year, you can treat mum to a decadent experience by the esteemed Tommy Collins team at Queen Victoria Market. Book in for either brunch or lunch on Sunday, May 12, and you and mum can kick off the celebration with a mimosa upon arrival, before continuing on with your choice of coffee, tea, fresh juice and soft drinks. A selection of treats will be available for breakfast, such as smoked salmon croissants, cinnamon knots, pain au chocolats, Portuguese tarts and smoked ham and gruyere scrolls. If you're opting for lunch, the menu includes smoked salmon rolls, finger sandwiches and a truffled mushroom and ricotta quiche. For dessert, there's a tangy lemon meringue or rich chocolate ganache tart. Tickets are $85 per person and it's recommended that you book online as spots are limited. Brunch will run from 10am–12pm and lunch will run from 1–3pm on Sunday, May 12.
Not even Australia's balmy December temperatures can keep us from embracing the ironic ugly Christmas sweater trend. Christmas in July is here again, my friends, and so too is the Colonel's line of OTT Yuletide-themed pullovers for another year. Yep, KFC has just dropped its 2023 Christmas jumper range — and, like in 2022, there's a matching outfit for the furry mate in your life, too. Available to snap up now, the limited-edition designs are primed for cheesy family photos, rocking a cheery red-and-white pattern and emblazoned with a cheeky nod to fried chicken: "Tis The Seasonings". Both the human sweaters ($60) and the pet versions ($40) come in a range of sizes, so you're sure to find a good fit no matter how hard you — or Murphy— have gone on the winter comfort food this year. What's more, there's zero shame to be felt in this daggy knitwear purchase, since all profits from the jumpers are going to support KFC's charity partners such as The Black Dog Institute, ReachOut Australia and Whitelion. 2023's range also includes socks ($25) — if you're all about business on top and a party on your feet — and a black long-sleeved jumper ($60) that's a bit more subtle in its seasonal cheer (although KFC buckets and drumsticks still feature). And if the matchy-matchy outfits have left you and your pooch really wanting to cash in on that Christmas in July spirit, KFC is also doing festive food specials until Tuesday, July 11. KFC's 2023 Christmas in July sweaters are available to buy online, costing $60 for the human jumpers and $40 for pets.
Last year, Rooftop at QT received a major revamp, scoring an new fitout, and an updated food and drink lineup. It then got a mini summertime makeover for the Australian Open, setting up its own pickleball court on the terrace. And now, for winter, it's transformed into a snow globe — sort of. The bar isn't exactly encased in a glass dome, and no one is shaking you around, but you will find fake snow falling down on you every hour. The regular snow show runs from 5pm–late every Thursday–Sunday. Visually it's a beaut, but just be sure to guard your drinks from rogue snow flakes. For more theatrics, the QT team has teamed up with Grey Goose to create a new cocktail menu filled with playful flourishes. The Frosted Martini is stirred with liquid nitrogen, so your drink will be surrounded by cascading clouds. And the Flaming Blazer — an intriguing mix of Grey Goose, Dewar's 12-year-old whisky, white peach, rosemary, caramel peach, bitters and nutmeg — is served with a dramatic gust of fire. (Watch the eyebrows.) Executive Chef Nic Wood has created special bites to be paired with these new cocktails, including braised duck croquettes with plum purée; spanner crab tartlets with chives, espellete and lemon aioli; Abrolhos Island half-shell scallops with orange and fermented chilli butter; and a classic Pacific oyster topped with oscietra caviar. Everything is on the luxury end of the rooftop bar spectrum, but what else would you expect from QT Melbourne — there's a reason we've named it one of Melbourne's top hotels, after all. The Snow Globe on Rooftop at QT is running until Sunday, September 2, with the snow shows taking place from Thursday–Sunday. For more information, visit the venue's website.
Tired of grocery prices going up? Now's your chance to buy in bulk and save, as Epping's Melbourne Market opens to the public for the first time. Launching at 8.30am on Saturday, January 31, Melbourne Market Super Saturdays will become a weekly event, where this typically wholesale market transforms into a vibrant destination for fresh produce and flowers. So, shop as the industry does, buying in bulk to store at home or even share the love with family, friends and neighbours. To entice you into this sprawling space, Melbourne Market has put together a host of opening-day specials, including five-kilogram trays of juicy V.F. Siciliano peaches and nectarines for $25 or Latorres eggs for $2 per dozen. "Opening the wholesale market to the public for the first time means families can access fruit and vegetables at great value, while getting a unique insight into where Melbourne's food comes from," says Melbourne Market Acting CEO Malcom Lum. Besides roaming the stacked stalls, Melbourne Market Super Saturdays is intended for the whole family. Once you've scored a few trading floor deals, head over to the food trucks to grab a bite to eat, with potato twists, banh mi, burgers, bureks and ice creams on offer. Plus, the kids will appreciate free face painting while munching on just-picked fresh fruit.
If you like your art contemporary, independent and far from boring, a big serve of eye-candy coming your way from Thursday, May 2 to Sunday, May 5. The Other Art Fair returns to Kensington events space The Facility, delivering a dynamic curation of installations, performance, music, workshops and art tours. A far cry from what you might once have expected from an art fair, the Saatchi Art event showcases works from over 120 contemporary artists, with the program covering everything from live tattooing to virtual reality experiences. You'll catch eye-opening pieces from top Aussie talent, including photographer Jon Setter, Emma Itzstein, Sun Haas, Paul Yore and floral artist Renee Tsironis. Our own five-time ARIA award-winner Courtney Barnett will present immersive installation Tell Me How You Really Feel, produced alongside her recent album of the same name. Built from responses from thousands of everyday people, the project explores shared experiences of loneliness, fatigue, hope and joy. Meanwhile, Lily Gloria will be creating intricate live tattoo art starting at $100 a piece, Han Cao guides a workshop on the art of paper embroidery, and visitors can escape reality to a VR world crafted by Brisbane-based artist Michelle Brown. And, as part of The Other Art Fair's sustainability-focused Greener Future program, Upcycle Art will see a handful of acclaimed Aussie artists revamping pre-loved original works, giving them a second life. It's all backed by Italian snacks from Saluministi and cocktails from Four Pillars.
Despite the challenges of the past couple of years, the Sapphire Coast continues to be a much-loved holiday destination thanks to its stunning coastline, beautiful national parks and friendly locals. There's also a booming arts and culture scene in the region for you to explore if you time your trip right. To help you decide when to explore this picturesque part of the world, we've picked eight cultural highlights happening in the region that will give you plenty of reasons to plan a trip sooner rather than later. WANDERER FESTIVAL For an event in its first year, Wanderer Festival has one hell of a lineup. From international acts like Curtis Harding and The Dandy Warhols to breakout Aussie stars like Confidence Man and Jack River, the festival features a diverse group of artists. It's not all about the music, though. This multi-day event will also feature comedy, cabaret and circus alongside delicious local artisan produce at its idyllic location. There's also a strong focus on sustainability, with festival organisers implementing a 'leave no trace' policy to ensure there's minimal impact on the natural environment. Keen to head along? It's all happening from Friday, September 23 till Sunday, September 25. [caption id="attachment_861448" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Rogers Photography courtesy of Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing[/caption] GIIYONG FESTIVAL Meaning 'come to welcome' in the local First Nations language, Giiyong is a festival that showcases and celebrates First Nations culture across music, dance, comedy, film, workshops and the spoken word each April. Since its inception in 2018, the festival has evolved into a Regional Tourism Award-winning event that hosts nationally renowned names such as Briggs and Baker Boy while continuing its community links. There aren't many arts festivals that include a local primary school dance group on its lineup, but it's performances like this that make Giiyong the memorable festival that it is. FAR SOUTH FILM FESTIVAL The Far South Film Festival shines a light on regional and remote filmmakers from across Australia. For this year's iteration, the festival is taking a hybrid approach, meaning films can be viewed online or in the theatres in Merimbula from August 19–31. From music videos to short films and feature-length productions, the program's highlights include a recording of a dance performance billed as "a pirouette through the turbulence of life," a spoken-word examination of female familial relationships, and a documentary about the Snowy Hydro scheme. MERIMBULA FESTIVAL AND YARN BOMBING Yes, it does look like we're recommending two completely unconnected events under one heading here. However, that's most certainly not the case. Merimbula Festival and Yarn Bombing is one of the most unusual but original attractions on the Sapphire Coast. The two-week event will take place from Saturday, August 20–Sunday, September 4. Organised by the Merimbula Historical Society, the festival begins with a day of food, stalls and displays in the local museum. Then, over the following fortnight, the museum grounds and surrounding areas will be adorned by a host of crocheted, knitted and woven art. Everyone is encouraged to add a little colour to the area to help wrap the town in wool for winter. [caption id="attachment_861449" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Marden courtesy of Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing[/caption] COBARGO FOLK FESTIVAL Having celebrated its 25th event earlier this year, the Cobargo Folk Festival is a long-established name on the folk and roots festival calendar. The event has been organised by the local Yuin Folk Club since 1996 and is staffed entirely by volunteers. In fact, any money the festival does make goes straight back into the local community. Folk musicians are known to break out into song at any opportunity, so you're just as likely to see a top-quality set in the middle of the campground as you are on one of the main stages. You've got a bit time to get organised for this must-do event — next festival is scheduled to take place from Friday, March 3 till Sunday, March 5, 2023. ART MONTH SAPPHIRE COAST This Sapphire Coast celebration kicks off with an art fair at the NIMO Motel on Friday, July 29, showcasing works from the best and brightest local artists. Following this, an entire month of events exploring visual art, dance, theatre and music at various venues across the region will take place. There are also partnerships with local eateries and accommodation providers, with the whole month geared towards helping visitors make the most of what the Sapphire Coast has to offer. Want to check it out? Book in a trip to the Sapphire Coast from Friday, July 29 till Wednesday, August 31 to see it for yourself. [caption id="attachment_861447" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sapphire Coast Destination Marketing[/caption] SCULPTURE BERMAGUI Sculpture is one art form that really encourages us to consider our surroundings. And when those surroundings are the picturesque landscapes of Sapphire Coast, it's nothing but a treat. If you're a fan of Sydney's Sculpture by the Sea, Sculpture Bermagui will be a welcome addition to your Sapphire Coast holiday itinerary. Browsing the gallery of previous years' festivals shows a gorgeous landscape augmented by stunningly crafted artworks. You've got a bit of time to sort out your schedule to attend the event, the next one kicks off in March 2023. MERIMBULA JAZZ FESTIVAL Since 1981, the Merimbula Jazz Festival has been delighting jazz aficionados from the local region and beyond thanks to its roster of talented artists and its fiercely independent ethos. From the very beginning, the volunteer-run festival has prided itself on providing equal opportunity for jazz musicians and steering clear of paid advertising. Alongside the incredible independent music events at the festival, you can expect market stalls and a lakeside lantern walk and more. Want to head along? It takes place on the Queen's birthday long weekend each June, so you've got ample time to get prepped for next year's event. Keen to take a break on the Sapphire Coast? Want to pair it with Wanderer Festival? To peep the full lineup and book tickets, visit the website.
With its frames filled with teenagers and 20-somethings driving across America in search of a different life, watching American Honey feels like tagging along on a road trip. Many movies have charted characters coming of age as they traverse streets and highways and varying landscapes, but, with this film, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights writer-director Andrea Arnold wants audiences to feel — rather than simply observe — the journey that results. "It's like an experience, rather than like a film," offers actor Riley Keough. After rocking out in The Runaways, racing through the desert in Mad Max: Fury Road, and starring in the television remake of The Girlfriend Experience, Keough plays the tough-talking, no-nonsense, money-focused Krystal, the leader of a crew that ventures from town to town and door to door selling magazine subscriptions. Jake (Shia LaBeouf) is the closest she has to a second-in-charge — and he's the reason that 18-year-old Star (Sasha Lane) decides to join the group, lured in by his charm, epic rat-tail and Rihanna-inspired dance moves. Theirs is a careening trek, with Star's entry into this brave new world the focal point. Mile by mile, they encounter privilege and poverty, kind and cruel passers-by, and new revelations about themselves and others, all set to an eclectic rock, pop and hip hop soundtrack. Populated by a mostly non-professional cast (who largely improvise dialogue), Arnold's film was shot on the road and in sequence — meaning that it replicates reality as much as possible. With American Honey now screening in Australian cinemas, we spoke with Keough about living rather than acting her part, seeking out complicated roles and making a movie that touches people. ON WANTING TO BE A PART OF AMERICAN HONEY "Well, I heard that Andrea [Arnold] was making a film, and I was a really huge fan of her. And I went and met the casting person, and it was a bit of a different casting experience. I was just kind of, I was very persistent on wanting to do everything I could to be able to be in this film, I guess. I knew that she liked to work with non-actors. I knew it was going to be wild. I knew it was going to be like, you know, a once in a lifetime kind of experience. So I was just kind of like, 'I'll do anything I can to come with you.'" ON MAKING A MOVIE IN SEQUENCE ON THE ROAD "She [Arnold] gave us a situation where we were allowed to just exist as these people, and it wasn't like something that a movie normally is. You kind of just had to take it day by day, and see what happens. It was like she was writing our lives for us, sort of, day by day. It was in sequence, and we wouldn't know what was happening until the day of. I don't think any day was the same. You get picked up, you go do your thing, you go back to your motel. There was no line or boundary between anything really. It was all just kind of what you see in the film. Everything she captured was real. I don't think people really knew either when she was rolling and when she wasn't." ON ACTING WITHOUT FEELING LIKE ACTING "There weren't really any acting choices. The thing is, when you're acting with non-actors or children, you can't really have an acting choice. You can't really act. You're forced to really open up to the scenario, which is what I think everyone's looking for, which is non-acting. You know what I mean? If I could do it on every film, I would, because it's what you're looking for when you're working with actors on every film. Because for us to be fully present and spontaneous and not have to have any attention on anything going on around us — it's a really magical thing to me. I prefer it that way, because there's not a lot of thought, there's not a lot of heavy intellectualising about every single thing that's happening. It just kind of really allowed us to exist in the moment and not feel like you're making a movie, which is kind of what you're always trying to not feel like, you know." ON SEEKING OUT STRONG, INTERESTING DEPICTIONS OF WOMEN "I definitely try to avoid a cookie cutter woman at all costs, just because I don't find that interesting. The normal characters that are written for women that are a bit two-dimensional — I definitely want to avoid that because I don't like doing that. I don't think any woman likes that. It's just like, a lot of the types of roles that are written for women are supporting the narrative in some way, and writers don't really want to go in deep on who these people are. And Andrea's amazing at that, in all of her films. Every little person, you know, they're so complicated. I think that's what makes her films so full of life. I look for something that I've never done before, whether it's the tone of the film, or the style or the character, or all of it. Just things I haven't done before, you know. But also, I like strong women." ON REACTIONS TO THE FILM "I have a lot of people walk up to me on the street or in the store and be like 'American Honey!'. I can see it in their eyes, how much they enjoyed watching the film. And I've never had that as an actress before. I have a couple of times, with Fury Road and GFE [The Girlfriend Experience], but with American Honey it was in a different way. I could tell it really touched people in the way that films touched me when I was teenager. I think it really touches people's sort of core. And that, to me, we've done something to the audience, which is kind of what you're always trying to achieve. So, I don't know how to really describe it, but it's kind of like what we always want to be doing with art. I think it happens a lot with singers, where they see sort of a more clear version of it. They listen to your song, and people are like 'oh this song got me through this thing.' It's very like clear version of art touching someone in a way, and I think American Honey is really getting to that sort of place in people's souls. It's just been a really cool thing to watch." American Honey is now screening in Australian cinemas. You can read our review here.
For its size, Thornbury definitely punches above its weight class when it comes to open green spaces. Of the many in the area, our favourite is the leafy Penders Park. Set a couple of blocks over from High Street, the park features plenty of spots for chilled outdoor activities. Pack a picnic and set yourself up on a lush patch of lawn, or choose a cosy spot under one of the many trees for an afternoon reading session. There's also a fenced-off playground to occupy any little ones that includes swings, a rope climbing-pyramid frame, hammock and skateboard springer. Penders Park also permits dogs off the leash, so your goodest boy will love it, too. Our tip: pick up a takeaway from nearby Umberto Espresso Bar Greek Street Food, a nice drop of something from Carwyn Cellars, and make an afternoon out of it. Images: Julia Sansone
Wondering which restaurants around the globe should tempt your tastebuds each year? There's an annual Top 100 list for that. Keen to sip drinks made by Australia's best bartenders, too? There's a countdown of those as well. Fancy tucking into a meal made by the only Aussie figure to nab a spot on the Top 100 Best Chefs list for 2022? Yes, you can also do that — and you'll be making a beeline to Josh Niland's various eateries. The Sydney seafood king has just scored some love at The Best Chef Awards 2022, becoming the only Australian to make this year's gongs. He placed in 78th spot, and also won another accolade: the Best Chef Innovation Award, for his nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. [caption id="attachment_855330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland[/caption] Sydneysiders will be familiar with Niland thanks to Saint Peter since 2016 and Fish Butchery since 2018 — the latter now in both Paddington and Waterloo — as well as sustainable fish and chip shop Charcoal Fish in Rose Bay. As for everyone else, Niland has been winning fans and awards for a few years now, including via his applauded The Whole Fish Cookbook. It earned him the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020 (becoming the first Australian to ever take out the prize, in fact). The reason that Niland keeps proving such a hit? His culinary philosophy, with an ethical and sustainable approach to seafood paramount to his cooking. The Whole Fish Cookbook's recipes include cod liver pate on toast, fish cassoulet, roast fish bone marrow, and the chef's 'perfect' version of fish and chips — and the tome also collected the Food Book Award at the 2019 André Simon Awards, and was named illustrated book of the year at the 2020 Australian Book Industry Awards. [caption id="attachment_866128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Pynt[/caption] While Niland is the only Aussie to receive recognition at The Best Chef Awards 2022, Dave Pynt, the Perth-born chef-owner of Burnt Ends in Singapore, made the long list of candidates that the Top 100 was chosen from — after placing 86th in 2021. Also, the UK's Clare Smyth took 35th spot in 2022 — fresh from opening Oncore 26 levels above Sydney Harbour, her first restaurant outside of the United Kingdom, in late 2021. [caption id="attachment_830929" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Clare Smyth[/caption] Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the male-dominated list for this year includes well-known global names such as Spain's Dabiz Muñoz in top spot, Denmark's René Redzepi in second place, Spain's Joan Roca in third, Italy's Massimo Bottura in fourth position and Spain's Andoni Luis Aduriz coming in at fifth. And if you're wondering what The Best Chef Awards are about, and how they came about, they were created in 2015 by Polish neuroscientist Joanna Slusarczyk and Italian gastronomist Cristian Gadau. The aim: to showcase the best of the world's gastronomic scene, including its experienced, passionate and determined talents. For the full The Best Chef Awards 2022 list, head to the awards' website. Josh Niland images: Rob Palmer.
Two courses for $35 without going any further than Fitzroy North sounds almost to good to be true, and — to be honest — it almost is. Lucky for us, the only catch here is that you'll be helping out some young hospitality trainees whilst enjoying some delectable food at the same time. Doesn't seem like much of a compromise. Scarf Dinners are back, and for spring they are taking over Fitzroy North's Jorg every Monday until October 16. While the venue would usually be closed on Mondays, Scarf trainees (marginalised youth who otherwise may not be able to get the hospitality experience they need) are given the opportunity to open the restaurant to the public for an otherwise normal night of dining. Jorg Head Chef Bryce Bernhardt will be designing and cooking a modern European seasonal menu, which will be served by Scarf front-of-house trainees and their mentors. Dinners have previously been held at Top Paddock, Epocha and Three Bags Full — many of which have sold out, and all have been successful. The first Scarf Dinner was held this Monday, and the following dates are still to come over the next month: Monday, September 23 Monday, September 30 Monday, October 7 Monday, October 16
At the end of 2023 we sadly bade farewell to Baby Snakes, one of the best wine bars in Melbourne. But just as soon as the team packed up, a trio of Melbourne hospo veterans stepped in to create a new bar in its wake. Jacob Bell (Whitehart), Jerry Poon (The Operatives) and Amber Hahipene (Section 8) have revived the space with some splashes of paint, new floors, house plants and more refined decor. Where Baby Snake edged towards dive bar, Misfits is considerably sleeker and more put-together. The new bar isn't losing any of the community feels, as it's set to host workshops, panels and live recordings, alongside a weekly selection of local and international DJs. The team even has big plans for the square behind Misfits, hoping to use the space for laneway parties and local arts and community festivals. Hahipene notes how "we want Misfits to be a platform for new talent, a stomping ground for the local community and a home to people who love music and hospitality." Bevs will be an all-round affair as opposed to specialising in just one spirit or type of booze. Plenty of wines will be up for grabs, plus limited-release beers and some cocktails. Those wanting a feed are also free to get pizzas delivered from the downstairs Slice Shop Pizza. A casual affair, this space remains. Just with a little more spit and polish. Misfits will open on Friday, March 15, at 30 Chambers Street, Footscray. The new bar will be open 5-11pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, and 5pm–1am on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, head to the venue's Instagram page.
Now that Melbourne has opened back up, the city is ripe and ready for exploration. This includes scouring for indulgent snacks that make the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, mid-week treat or something to hit that sugary sweet craving. The great thing about this city is the range of quality vegan options so you can treat yourself — cruelty-free and responsibly. To help you on your next food adventure, we've teamed up with Vegkit to bring you some of the best plant-based snacks around town for your next indulgent — but guilt-free — treat. [caption id="attachment_835537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] STICKY CINNAMON BUNS FROM MISTER NICE GUY'S BAKESHOP Melbourne's first dedicated plant-based bakery, Mister Nice Guy's is a popular spot for its mouth-watering celebration cakes, cupcakes and patisserie-style pastries. But it's the gooey glazed cinnamon bun that is the most popular item on the menu and well worth the trip to Ascot Vale. Grab a regular bun for $5.85 or get a box of minis for your friends or family (or just you, no judgement) for $2.75 a pop with a minimum order of six. There are also gluten-free options so everyone can enjoy one. DECADENT VEGAN KEBABS FROM KEVABS Sometimes, the only thing that'll hit the spot is a kebab. And when you're looking for a plant-based option, Kevabs in Brunswick is the answer. The eatery is all about flavour-crammed, animal-friendly Turkish bites, and the star is the kevab — a plant-based take on the classic kebab, made with in-house kevab protein that's free of soy, gluten, wheat and nuts. It's hearty, delicious and a go-to indulgent snack to fill you up responsibly. JUICY JAM DOUGHNUTS FROM SMITH & DELI Spearheaded by culinary superstar Shannon Martinez, Smith & Deli is an extension of pioneering plant-based restaurant Smith & Daughters that offers a vegan take on classic delicatessen. However, it's hard to go past the jam doughnuts here — fluffy sugared dough, fried to perfection and pumped full of rasplum jam. You can grab a two-pack for $8 but it's best to grab extra for later, too. PS: Martinez recently announced that she's moving Smith & Deli and Smith & Daughters into one massive vegan hub. It's set to open in Collingwood soon, so watch this space for more details. PERFECT PITA POCKET FROM MARKO Marko is South Melbourne Market's first entirely plant-based restaurant and when you're in need of a good vegan snack, the pita really comes through. There are three options to choose from: the Marko falafel (which comes with house-made green pea falafel), spicy falafel (same but with spicy chipotle mayo instead of tahini sauce), and roasted mushroom if you're in the mood for fungi. All choices come served in fluffy, freshly baked pita from Sydney Road stalwart Alasya Bakery. [caption id="attachment_835538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] INDULGENT COOKIE SANDWICH FROM GIRLS & BOYS Girls & Boys in Fitzroy really delivers on the dairy-free dessert front. The ice creamery offers up all the plant-based gelato and sorbet you need to hit the sweet spot and cool you down when the sun kicks in. The real winner? That'd be the cookie sandwich. For $12, you get your choice of gelato served between two chunky cookies. I mean, need we say more? The gelato flavours include cookie dough and honeycomb, lemon and yuzu, hazelnut brownie and espresso macadamia with white chocolate, so we won't blame you if you need to go back to try them all. [caption id="attachment_835539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] CAROLINA LOADED FRIES FROM GREEN BURGER When only hot carbs will do, Green Burger's got you sorted. This Smith Street eatery specialises in plant-based burgers that rival any in the area, but the Carolina loaded fries will satisfy any hot chip cravings you might have. We're talking twice-cooked crinkle-cut fries topped with smoked pulled barbecued plant meat, hot cheese sauce, Carolina barbecue mustard sauce, pickled red onions and mayo. More of a meal than a snack, perhaps, but who's complaining? [caption id="attachment_835540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] TASTY TACOS FROM DON TACO The clue's in the name here. Don Taco is a plant-based Mexican restaurant on the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street that pulls its flavours straight from the kitchens of Mexico. Here, you'll find a lineup of plant-based tacos made with fresh seasonal produce, all sourced locally. Try the chipotle cauliflower tacos, made with deep-fried chipotle cauliflower and Mexican pesto, or the carnitas taco with king oyster mushrooms, roasted spring onion and a coriander-lime cream. CHUNKY CHOC CHIP COOKIES FROM SABLE Sable specialises in bagels but it also does damn good plant-based cookies, too. While there are several varieties to choose from, it's hard to go past the chunky choc chip cookie. Made with top-shelf vegan chocolate, the gooey melt-in-your-mouth treat is made fresh in house and finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt for extra umami. While you're there, grab a cup of Proud Mary coffee or dairy-free maltshake to help wash it down. [caption id="attachment_835548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] TWO-HANDER TOASTIES FROM TOKEN TOASTIES For a sandwich fix, head to Token Toasties on Brunswick Street. There, you'll find the decadent toasties like the intriguingly named Morning Glory Story that layers two hash browns, tomato, vegan cheddar and cracked pepper and is finished with a generous drizzle of special burger sauce. Another great shout is the Jumping Jack Flash — it features sautéed barbecued jackfruit, diced baby pickles and sriracha. For a final touch, grab a serve of the crunchy beer-battered fries or crispy onion rings. All sandwiches are served on Michelino's sourdough, which is made exclusively for Token Toasties. [caption id="attachment_835542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] OLD-SCHOOL SAUSAGE ROLL FROM LA PANELLA High Street Preston's La Panella is the classic bakery that every suburb has, but with one significant difference: everything here is free of animal products. It's also long been a go-to for northsiders seeking plant-based baked goods at very reasonable prices. And if you're looking for a quick treat, it's hard to go past the sausage roll, a deceptively delicious parcel of plant protein wrapped in flaky pastry for just $3.50. Hot tip: La Panella is cash only, so make sure to have a fiver (or more) ready on approach. For more plant-based dining and recipe inspo, head to the Vegkit website. Top image: Token Toasties, Julia Sansone.
This family-run winery in the King Valley is known for its Italian varieties (like prosecco, nebbiolo and sangiovese) all of which can be enjoyed in its cellar door, open daily. Alfredo and Katrina Pizzini planted the first vines on the property in 1978, and by 1994 Pizzini Wines produced its first wine under the label. Nowadays the whole family is involved in winemaking, including Alfredo and Katrina's four adult children. The family's Italian heritage is celebrated not only in the winemaking, but also in the onsite cooking school where you can try your hand at making gnocchi, risotto and pizza. A tavola! Cooking School runs weekly classes for up to ten people, from $155 per person. Images: Visit Victoria.
NGV International's Kimono exhibition is all about celebrating the enduring legacy of the iconic Japanese garment. Running until Sunday, October 5, there's no shortage of fascinating examples to see in person. However, you're also invited to hear from some of the world's most knowledgeable artists and experts on the subject. From 11.30am–12.30pm on Sunday, August 3, Tokyo-based artist Hiroko Takahashi will take part in an exclusive conversation with NGV senior curator Wayne Crothers. Presented in front of her works, Takahashi will delve deep into her creative process, revealing how she preserves and builds upon kimono traditions for the present day. Yet the experience isn't over once the conversation has concluded. A limited number of volunteers have the chance to get involved in Takahashi's participatory project, Zipper Kimono. Exploring the meaning behind the traditional kimono-wearing process, the addition of a contemporary zipper mechanism transforms the kimono into a living sculpture. By challenging cultural preconceptions and redefining kimono within its artistic context, the experience defies modern society's focus on efficiency and simplification. Taking place during the Kimono exhibition, there's no need to register for the talk. However, you will need an exhibition ticket to gain entry. Images: Mitch Fong.
They say when one bottle opens, another glass leaves the nest. It may not be a reliable adage, but it is something we take to heart when testing Victoria's top distilleries. And to our heart, these distilleries have quickly gone. From the outer suburbs to our regional brethren, we've sipped and nattered our way around the state to find some of the best lesser-known distillers this slice of Down Under. Each of these distilleries have a fine narrative behind them, giving more spirit to their stories than just the liquid itself. Whether navy strength or native botanical-infused, we've selected some of our favourite creators who have been making a an under-the-radar mark on Australia's bar and cocktail cabinet scene. The best part? They all have bars or cellar doors, so you can meet the distillers and drink the spirits in the same spot that they came to life.
It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. Now, it's finally back, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, set to dominate that seaside like only Stokehouse can. First fish and chip kiosk Paper Fish opened as the first stage of the new precinct, with casual beachside bar and eatery Pontoon the next to follow on the ground floor. This chic new 400-capacity beach-inspired establishment preceded the opening of the highly anticipated relaunch of Stokehouse Restaurant. But unlike Stokehouse upstairs, the Pontoon menu is casual and over the counter (think of the kind of food you can eat while standing with a drink in the other hand), and puts their four-metre grill to good use. Expect a lot of seafood, wood-fired pizzas, and noms like the wood-roasted beef brisket toastie. The epic 18-metre-long bar will house a strong wine list, 18 beer taps and of course, cocktails. They're also be serving up globally trending anomaly 'frosé', because how could they not. Peppered with the furniture and trimmings of local Melbourne designers, the interior has been designed by George Livissianis (the design dynamo behind recent Sydney renos of The Dolphin Hotel, The Apollo and Cho Cho San). It has a casual layout and a mixture of warm, natural materials (think wood, leather and cane) offset by concrete and brick. "Looking out onto St Kilda beach was a great starting point in considering colours and materials that would compliment the concrete and blackened timber building," said Livissianis.
"Honey, we're home." Those words are uttered in the first sneak peek at Netflix's Heartbreak High revival and, especially if you were a 90s kid, they're filled with emotion. Screening for seven seasons and 210 episodes between 1994–99, the OG Heartbreak High wasn't just a high school-set Aussie show — it was the high school-set Aussie show of the era. The original series was filled with now-familiar faces, too, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid. Back in 2020, Netflix announced that it was bringing Heartbreak High back — and now that revival is almost here. The series itself will join your streaming queue on Wednesday, September 14, and the platform has dropped the first trailer in the interim. Yes, it definitely looks like a 2020s take on the Aussie classic. While the initial teaser sets the vibe rather than spells out the story, the show obviously returns to Hartley High — the fictional school that everyone watching was obsessed with way back when. This time around, a revelation turns Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect) into a pariah, and also sparks a rift with her best pal Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman). Attempting to repair her reputation, and just navigate the usual teen chaos, she calls on help from her new friends Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud) and Darren (first-timer James Majoos). If you're keen for a bit more background on the new show's characters, back when it announced the cast, Netflix described Amerie as a smart, big-hearted but loud working-class girl, and Harper as the person at Hartley that everyone is a little afraid of, including teachers. Quinni, who has autism, is "a brain trying to connect to a body and a heart", while Darren is "the warmest snarky shit-stirrer you're ever likely to meet". Other characters include Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, All My Friends Are Racist), a Bundjalung boy and basketballer who is new at Hartley High; Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), an insecure bass player in an indie rock band; Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC), who has been badged "the coolest, sexiest, and chiccest lesbian at the school"; and Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), a mullet-wearing drug dealer, food delivery driver and pet duck owner. Rachel House (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Baby Done) plays Hartley High's principal, too — and yes, Netflix is still streaming the original series, should you feel like a double dose of nostalgia. Check out the first trailer for the new Heartbreak High below: Heartbreak High will be available to stream via Netflix on Wednesday, September 14.
Located in a historic blue-stone chapel dating back to 1858, Prahran's Chapel Off Chapel has long been an institution for emerging Melbourne creatives. It has hosted independent productions of musicals, many of which were premiers, including the likes of Is There Life After High School?, Songs for a New World, Putting it Together and The Colour Purple. There have been over a million punters through its doors since it opened in the early 90s, and it has played host to more than 20,000 creatives. The venue is famous for a lot of things, from dance to live musicals, and to this day, it continues to nurture and give a stage to emerging artists. Chapel off Chapel is also renowned for its regular comedy shows, often hosting big names who use the stunning space to record gigs that'll be streamed online.
British artist Ben Turnbull's most recent collection of work, Supermen - An Exhibition of Heroes, is an exploration of idealised superheroes within pop culture comics and the real, heroic acts of everyday citizens. Turnbull's exhibition was inspired by the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, and commemorates all the firemen and policemen that served during this event. His creations are based on the visual vocabulary of an entire generation of superhero lovers. This time, however, the heroes are based on real American citizens rather than fictional characters. The works serve as a bridge between collective fantasy and harsh home truths. Turnbull delves into the idea that superheros echo the idea of a better world, but in reality this world is so far removed from the society we actually live in. Each piece has been created from cut-outs of an enormous personal collection of pre-1990 comics, including fictional superheroes like Captain America, Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, Batman, Spiderman and the Hulk. There's certainly a take-a-second-look appeal about Turnbull's works that has a nostalga-meets-pop-culture charm, while, at the same time, working as a thought-starter. [via yatzer]
Brunswick East's The B.East has long been known for its OTT burger creations and decadent vegan eats, and now its new city sibling Beast CBD is following in the same footsteps. So you can expect to find a very amped-up, burger-inspired menu being plated up as part of the latter's new take on yum cha. Launching February 3 and running every Thursday night (6pm and 7.45pm), Bun-Cha is the new offering paying homage both to the venue's Chinatown location and The B.East's well-documented love of things in buns. Each week, $50 will get you a 90-minute yum cha-style roving feast of dishes like cheeseburger sliders and buffalo fried chicken sliders, along with jambalaya arancini, mac 'n cheese croquettes, poutine, wings and southern fried cauliflower. Maple bacon chocolate brownies make for a fittingly lavish dessert, while the soundtrack is set to celebrate the golden era of hip hop. If you're thirsty, you'll find a menu of specialty bubble tea cocktails to add on; from the Paradisco made with green tea, vodka and passionfruit, to the mango-spiked Gin & Joosh.
After kicking off the summer with boozy frosé sorbet, Gelatissimo has turned its attention to another iconic beverage — Bundaberg ginger beer, but in gelato form. With the warm weather in full swing, the national ice cream chain has turned one of the country's favourite non-alcoholic drinks into its newest flavour. And yes, the chilled dessert is made using bottles of the iconic beverage, so expect each scoop to not only boast a familiar tanginess, but the fizziness of the carbonated brew as well. Why sip your beverage of choice when you can turn it into dessert? That clearly continues to be Gelatissimo's guiding principle. The ginger beer gelato is a short-term addition to Gelatissimo's menu, available in stores nationwide at present — but for a limited time only. It's also the ice creamery's third new summery flavour, joining not only frosé sorbet but a blue-hued sea salt butterscotch blend inspired by Aussie swimwear brand Speedo. For more information, visit Gelatissimo's website.
If you're conscious about how your food is made and where it comes from, Localized has got your every need covered. The organic store stocks seasonal Australian fruit and vegetables, and a wealth of high-quality dry goods, dairy and deli products, pantry staples and locally made ready-to-eat dinners. Plus, the shop's fridges are loaded full of small-run beverages like Remedy Kombucha and The Good Seed's Kefir. Finally, there's a large range of nut and soy-based vegan cheeses, dairy-free cakes and vegan-friendly prepared meals from the likes of The Vegan Dairy and Yay Foods, so you never have to miss out again. This isn't your average fruit and veg market; it has everything you need to replace your weekly woolies run.
If a rollicking rooftop party is on your NYE wish-list, but you'd rather not go up against the hectic CBD crowds, here's one to put on your radar: a good-times extravaganza at Carlton haunt Johnny's Green Room. From 7pm on Saturday, December 31, the rooftop bar is wrapping up 2022 with an openair fiesta full of great tunes, snacks and drinks — plus, top-notch views across the city and those fireworks. Guests can kick things off with two hours of free-flowing canapes and bevs (8–10pm) included with their $130 ticket; from beer and vino, to spirits and house-made pizza. Further drinks can then be bought from the bar. Meanwhile, the tunes will be thumping, courtesy of an expert lineup of selectors curated by the legends at Hope St Radio, with the party kicking on until the wee hours of 2023. Best of all, with limited tickets available, you won't be fighting huge crowds just for a peek at the NYE fireworks — consider Johnny's your rooftop party haven. [caption id="attachment_883029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Pannell[/caption] Top Image: Sarah Pannell
Why is it that we look to books for comfort in times of need? Literature has a beautiful path of communication and leading us into new worlds. In a time when many of us are going inwards, there are a handful of books that can guide us through. Here, that could mean exploring the underbelly of Southeast Queensland through the eyes of a teenage drug dealer, entering the dystopian world of a Man Booker Prize-winning author or learning how to get your bank account sorted. Where possible, support your local independent bookstore through these uncertain times and enjoy the world of literature. BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE BY TRENT DALTON Trent Dalton's groundbreaking debut novel lives up to the accolades on its cover. The Courier Mail journalist explores the underbelly of Southeast Queensland through the eyes of a 12-year-old heroin dealer, who's best friend is a 60-something escaped convict named Slim. Something unusual happened while reading this exquisite piece — I had an urge to scribble on the pages. Do yourself the biggest favour yet, and devour Boy Swallows Universe in one sitting. THE TESTAMENTS BY MARGARET ATWOOD Right now the universe is experiencing something that even Margaret Atwood couldn't have predicted, but this recently released sequel to The Handmaid's Tale predicts a dystopian future that doesn't seem too far off if we don't clean up our act. The Testaments comes 35 years after the Canadian author's novel that sparked the hit TV series we can't get enough of. The novel picks up 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale and alternates between the explosive testaments of three women from the Republic of Gilead. If you've felt yourself on the outskirts of good literary conversation of late, reading the winner of the 2019 Man Booker Prize from cover to cover will throw yourself right into the midst of it. EXPECTATION BY ANNA HOPE If your anticipation for the next Sally Rooney novel is wearing thin, Expectation is for you. Regularly compared to Rooney's cult hits Normal People and Conversations With Friends, Anna Hope's recent release embraces a raw and real approach to relationships. Expectation is a novel of the highs and lows of friendships — how they can dip, dive and rise again, and the way we somehow find our place among it all. It follows the ten-year timeline of best friends Hannah, Cate and Lissa from a shared world of art and activism, romance and revelry to flailing careers and faltering marriages. TALES FROM A FINANCIAL HOT MESS BY FRANCES COOK There are books that you slowly warm to. Then there are books that you know are going to change your life before they jump off the shelf at you. This one is the latter. The New Zealand Herald journalist Frances Cook's debut guide found it's way into my life with divine timing. Books have the power to change your life, and Tales From A Financial Hot Mess was no exception. It offers an opportunity to adopt a new way of being and sort your money shit. Learn new skills and turn the relationship with your bank account on its head (or tails). Money is a difficult, awkward and anxiety-inducing conversation to have, but within the first few chapters of this handy guide your financial stresses might just fly free. Budgets just became beautiful. WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING BY DELIA OWENS It may not be the freshest release, but Where The Crawdads Sing is the book on everyone's tongue and Kindle search list. It has been noted as the coming of age story of the 2010s and a delicate novel with poignant reminders of our fragility. Delia Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps. This debut novel was even a New York Times bestseller for 58 weeks. It's not the newest book on global shelves, but it's slowly making it's way from North Carolina to our shores. THE XX BRAIN BY DR LISA MOSCONI The XX Brain explores one of society's most debilitating conditions: dementia. Dr Lisa Mosconi draws on scientific research and theory to develop an approach for women to prevent disease and improve brain health. The graphs are emotive and the theories are compelling. The flow is engaging even if you failed high school science, and Dr Mosconi's credentials are astounding. Understanding that the brain of a woman is different from that of a man is crucial in saving lives when it comes to dementia, and The XX Brain gives us the tools to do just that. CILKA'S JOURNEY BY HEATHER MORRIS If Heather Morris' The Tattooist of Auschwitz gripped you like no other, then her followup, Cilka's Journey, is the next step on this path. Based on the true story of a woman who survives Auschwitz, it features the same unforgettable tone and strength that taught us all the meaning of survival is inviting. Morris' novel teaches us that sometimes life isn't handed out fairly, but it's how we deal with hardship that shapes who we truly are. A must read for cosy days indoors and an excuse for letting all those bottled emotions run free. KNOW MY NAME: A MEMOIR BY CHANEL MILLER Content warning: sexual assault. You may not know her name, but her assailant's will leave a bitter taste on your tongue. The case of Brock Turner was one that rose to international news, but we never heard his victim's story. She became just that, Emily Doe, the unknown victim who's intimate inner workings of her life were splashed across headlines. But she is so much more; a survivor, a fighter, an artist and a writer. She is Chanel Miller and with Know My Name she reclaims her story. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
With COVID-19 restrictions on international travel still in place, hopping on a plane and heading overseas isn't on any Australian or New Zealander's current agenda. But, while your body can't physically roam the globe at present, your voice — and all the pent-up stress you've been feeling over the past few months — can still make the trip to Iceland. As part of a new promotional campaign called 'Looks Like You Need Iceland', the island nation is asking the planet's frustrated masses to scream into their computers and record the sounds of their 2020-inspired yells. Those clips are then broadcast into the Nordic country's wide open spaces — and you can choose where your voice will echo. There are seven locations to pick from, so your angst about this testing year can reverberate through Iceland's frosty north or south, the farmlands and fjords in the nation's east, or the geologically diverse landscape in the west — or the famed Westfjords region, the capital of Reykjavík or the volcanic surroundings of the Reykjanes peninsula as well. If you've happened to watch Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga lately (and gotten the song 'Volcano Man' stuck in your head in the process), we're guessing you'll probably pick the latter. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCqLXTaijOo/ Overall, the concept is really as simple as it sounds — you scream, with the aim of cathartically venting your pandemic-induced unhappiness, and the results play through speakers in a country far, far away. It taps into the practise known as scream therapy which, again, is exactly what you'd expect, with the website also stepping you through the best tips for a truly satisfying scream. Of course, if you're also motivated to start thinking about planning a holiday to Iceland once Australia and New Zealand's international borders reopen, the campaign has also achieved its main task. To record your scream, or for more information, visit the 'Looks Like You Need Iceland' website.
Food-lovers will be happy to know that the $40 million revamp of ACMI hasn't skimped out on the culinary side of things. Rather, the precinct is now also home to the latest venture from acclaimed chef and author Karen Martini: a Euro-inspired all-day restaurant named Hero. Championing simplicity while showcasing top Victorian produce, it aims to deliver a fuss-free take on contemporary dining that ties in effortlessly with one of the city's most exciting cultural hubs. From 10.30am daily (11am on Monday), a grab-and-go kiosk offering features bites like three-cheese toasties ($14) and granola pots ($12), with an expanded mezze-driven sit-down menu to come. In the restaurant and bar, which is open from 11.30am Tuesday–Sunday, you'll roll in for the likes of a hearty crumbed fish sambo ($24), chicken liver parfait with verjuice jelly ($18), buffalo mozzarella matched with pickled onion and tomato ($20), cavatelli pasta with crab and chilli ($36) or perhaps the bavette steak starring 'cafe de Hero' butter ($51). A snappy monochromatic fit-out by Chris Connell (Marameo, Il Bacaro) provides a smart, edgy space to unwind and enjoy your pre- or post-museum feed. Or, if you're catching a flick at the cinema, head straight for Hero's reimagined snack bar offering to get stuck into a globe-trotting wine list curated by Phillip Rich (Prince Wine Store, Kisume) and dreamy cheese boxes by Maker and Monger's Anthony Femia. The Grab and Go Kiosk is open from 11am–7pm Monday and from 10.30am Tuesday–Sunday. The Snack Bar is open from 5.30pm daily. Images: Pete Tarasiuk
Music and wine festival Grapevine Gathering is gearing up to return to Victoria's vineyards for another year after taking 2020 off for obvious reasons. The festival will be hitting up the Yarra Valley's Rochford Wines this year, pairing the very best drops with a vibrant music lineup full of local talent. Canberra party-starters Peking Duk and Brisbane indie-rock group The Jungle Giants are two of the bigger acts heading up the lineup. They'll be joined on the winery stage by Vera Blue, The Veronicas, San Cisco, CC:Disco, King Stingray and Rest for the Wicked. It's going to be a big day of tunes, folks. Aussie sketch comedians and Instagram celebrities The Inspired Unemployed are taking on hosting duties in order to keep you entertained between acts. In addition to the tunes, punters will have access to an array of first-rate food options and a heap of wines, of course. To help make commuting to-and-from Rochford Wines a little easier, the festival has organised return buses from Federation Square, Ringwood Station and Frankston Station. You'll just need to add a bus pass to your ticket. Pre-sale tickets drop at 6pm on Wednesday, February 24 (you can sign-up for those here) with general tickets going on sale at midday on Thursday, February 25.
Range Brewing might be unknown to most. After all, it's a Brisbane-based brewery with little in the way of distribution outside its own online store and Newstead brewery bar. But there's something about the style of the beers — modern, aggressively hopped, often with all the appearance and flavour of fruit juice — that lends itself to a cult following. With no core range, no marketing and after just three years in business, Range Brewing is letting Melbourne in on its secret. Visitors are welcome to bring a pizza across the road from Rita's, but there's no food otherwise — it's all about the beers here. With 12 taps in the front bar and another 12 at the rear, to service the little beer garden on sunny days, Range pours predominantly hazy beers. This isn't a place for the traditionalists, and Range is proudly very modern in its style. It was in East London, drinking a beer from UK haze-heads Cloudwater that founders Gerard Martin and Matt McIver knew they had to get in on it. "When Matt and I started the company, we were living in the UK," Martin tells Concrete Playground. "And about that time — about three years ago — this hazy beer style was becoming more popular. I remember sitting down and having my first one and being blown away by the flavour differences, and the aromatic and tropical flavours coming from it." Expect to be blown away yourself. Here, it's predominantly hazy pale ales and IPAs, with plenty of hops and plenty of booze — there's not much below five percent ABV in these kegs. Some, like Plus One, are thickened with creamy lactose and oats, while Elephant in the Room is a juicy blend of New Zealand and US hops. There are sours, too, like the 3.7 percent watermelon, which is a clean and tart melon sour born from Brisbane humidity and perfect for a palate cleanser. There's also a lager from locals Mr Banks — the sole guest tap — but expect more guest appearances in the future. Two double-door fridges welcome visitors, with the latest can releases cold-freighted from Brisbane on a Friday to arrive in Melbourne by Tuesday. The ostentatious can art — by Brisbane-based designer Jess Vandersande — flashes like a neon sign amid the reserved taproom decor. The subtle monochrome of Range Brewing's new Johnston Street taproom gives away little about what's happening inside the kegs. It's all whites, beiges, unpolished rafters. "It's kind of like a cafe vibe," Martin says. "It's a flip of what you would expect for a brewery taproom." The design — by Brisbane's Hurley Architects — evokes classic Queensland, with its outward-opening windows and vertical joinery, combined with American diner-style booth seating and the clean simplicity of Scandinavian design. It's like the chaser to the shot. Find Range Brewing at 272 Johnston Street, Abbotsford from 3–10pm Wednesday–Thursday and 12–10pm Friday–Sunday.
Victoria is upgrading its ticketing system to make everyday travel easier and more convenient. The headline change is moving from the myki system to universal contactless payments — credit or debit cards, smartphones and smart devices — which will begin a staged rollout from early 2026 to streamline moving across the network. Behind the scenes, new ticket readers are being progressively installed across the rail network and trialled on select bus routes: 903, 510 and 512. For now, those readers are myki-only — so keep using your myki card or mobile myki (Android only) — but getting the hardware in is a critical first step before switching on tap and go. New features will be tested, refined and introduced gradually from early 2026, but if you're attached to your current setup, you're covered — passengers, including school children, will be able to keep using a physical myki when the new options arrive. There are no immediate changes to myki, mobile myki or V/Line tickets, and the Department doesn't expect disruptions during the transition. This push follows extensive trials and community feedback. Since late 2023, new myki infrastructure — readers, screens and gates — has been tested, and a six-month tap and go pilot ran on local buses in Wangaratta, wrapping in May 2025. The program is underpinned by technical and customer testing to ensure it works for everyone — a change that should deliver a big lift in day-to-day efficiency. [caption id="attachment_882118" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Realview Studio, Yarra Trams[/caption] The upgrade is being delivered by Conduent Victoria Ticketing System, which has operated myki since December 1, 2023 while developing the new features. Expect a staged rollout across the network from early 2026, plus a support program to help passengers adopt new ways to pay. Until then, keep tapping on with myki — and watch this space as the state's ticketing (finally) goes contactless. The statewide rollout of contactless payment on public transport is expected from early 2026. Head to Transport Victoria for more information. Images: supplied
Australia doesn't have many famous figures that are referred to by their first names alone, but Margaret and David are definitely two of them. Yes, they have full names — Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton — but when you're on TV together for almost three decades, and you're as entertaining to watch as this pair, those surnames just fall away. It has been six years since their second film review series, the ABC's At the Movies, finished up in 2014. It started in 2004, and followed their previous program, The Movie Show, which aired on SBS from 1986–2004. Both Margaret and David have still been active as film critics since, but not together — until satirical news site The Shovel asked them to reunite on-screen to share their thoughts on the past 12 months as part of the Chaser-produced digital War on 2020. No, they don't review movies from the past year, although Christopher Nolan's Tenet gets a mention. Rather, they use their familiar style — including their bickering and bantering — to discuss just how ridiculous 2020 has been. David is disappointed all round, noting how little sense it all makes, while Margaret finds it quite humorous. So, as fans of the pair will know, it's classic Margaret and David, right down to the contrasting star ratings. That's the point, of course, but it's still very amusing to watch. You can view the clip below — and here's hoping that if Margaret and David repeat the feat in 2021, they have something brighter to argue about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHUxHQxI9A
In our own ways, we all fill our homes with interesting items. That's what galleries and museums obviously do, too. Imagine what must sit in their collections — the things they can't always display, and often don't, but are worth holding onto for an array of reasons. Actually, hit up Sydney's Powerhouse Museum in the second half of 2023 and you'll no longer simply have to wonder. The Ultimo venue has just announced its next huge exhibition: 1001 Remarkable Objects. That title is indeed descriptive, with the site's curators, led by curatorium chair Leo Schofield AM, diving into its vast store of pieces. Showcasing 1001 items might sound hefty, but there's a whopping 500,000 in the full collection, making those selections tricky work. [caption id="attachment_895796" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Supreme' mouse-trap making machine by AW Standfield and Co, Mascot, NSW, 1925-2000. Image: Anthony Potter.[/caption] Opening on Saturday, July 22, free to attend, and worth a look whether you're a Sydney local or making a trip to the Harbour City, this exhibition will span a wide variety of objects — celebrity-worn outfits, mousetrap-making machines, ceramic peacock and more. "Our vision for 1001 Remarkable Objects was a seemingly simple one: to create an exhibition celebrating the sheer scale, breadth and relevance of the Powerhouse collection. But how to choose?" said Schofield. "We rejected the nomenclature of 'treasures' or 'masterpieces' and instead determined all choices must be in some way 'remarkable' — whether by virtue of rarity, visual appeal, social history or an ability to invoke wonder. The result is a cornucopia of eras, styles, form, function, size and colour, to stoke memories that so many have of this iconic institution and signal the beginning of a new phase in its marvellous existence." [caption id="attachment_895790" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Performance costumes, 'Fruity Mambo', designed by Catherine Martin, made by Catherine Martin and Rosie Boylan, for Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2014. Image: Laura Moore.[/caption] Four certain highlights all were once donned by someone, well-known names and samurais alike. Kylie Minogue's Sydney 2000 Olympics 'showgirl' costume will be on display, as will Nicole Kidman's 'pink diamonds' Moulin Rouge! dress and, still on Baz Luhrmann, the 'fruity mambo' costumes from Strictly Ballroom the Musical. Or, you can peer at an Edo-period samurai warrior's armour. Featuring pieces that've never been shown before, and filling 25 rooms, Schofield's selections also cover the only surviving fragment of the Lockheed Altair aircraft Lady Southern Cross that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith flew in 1935 on his final flight, that 1.5-metre-tall peacock from 1870s, a Detroit Electric car made in 1917 and part of the original transatlantic cable from 1858. And, there's more than 100 pieces of jewellery, including mourning pieces crafted from human hair — and a focus on glass, as gleaming through French and Venetian examples from the 1800 and 1900s, plus Australian and international glass artworks. [caption id="attachment_895791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Diamond brooch in the form of a bee with sapphires on his head and in stripes across his body and with ruby eyes, gold settings. English c.1870. Image: Marinco Kojdanovski.[/caption] 1001 Remarkable Objects displays at Powerhouse Ultimo, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo, Sydney from Saturday, July 22 through to December 2023. Top image: Detail of suit of armour, possibly of samurai officer Koma Kaemon of Bizen clan, Japan, Edo period, possibly 1775. Image: Ryan Hernandez.
Every last trilby-wearing tween celebrity, former President's daughter and your smug, smug US-based friends will be rubbing their paws together after this morning's Coachella festival lineup announcement. Running over two weekends from April 13–22, the Californian festival has delivered their usual jaw-dropper of a lineup — even if we did already know one of the headliners. After withdrawing from the 2017 festival upon announcing her pregnancy, Beyoncé will take to the stage in 2018, and she has The Weeknd and Eminem as big-name company. Elsewhere, a bonafide metric fucktonne of squealworthy buds fill out the rest of the bill — HAIM, St Vincent, SZA, alt-J, Fleet Foxes, Tyler the Creator, The War on Drugs, David Byrne and even Jamiroquai, to name a few. Homegrown Aussie legends heading over and representing include Vance Joy, Alison Wonderland, Tash Sultana and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Anyway, let's be honest, you haven't truly read any of those words — you'll be wanting this: Coachella runs over two weekends, from April 13-15 and 20-22 in Indio, California. Tickets go on sale at 11am PST on Wednesday, January 3. For more info, visit coachella.com. Top image: Roger Ho ©Coachella 2017
If you're finding yourself with a decent amount of time on your hands this winter, you've come to the right place. Podcasts will keep you entertained through all of life's most mundane tasks (hello, cleaning) while also giving your brain a treat. So, here are the six best podcasts to listen to right now according to Concrete Playground's writers. SUZ TUCKER: Editorial Director, NBA obsessive (even follows summer league) Recommends: Ear Hustle. I've recently gotten very into this nonfiction series called Ear Hustle. It's not new but it's new to me. It's about the experience of being incarcerated in the US prison system, hosted by a former inmate of California's San Quentin State Prison and an artist from the area. Each episode is about life in or after prison, addressing topics like maintaining relationships while in the joint, solitary confinement, getting a job after jail and prison sex — all completely fascinating. It's a strange time to be listening to stories with confinement at the centre, but the show is always interesting and often surprisingly uplifting. MELANIE COLWELL: Branded Content Editor, performed in the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony Recommends: Sexy Stories. First things first: if you're not already following Melbourne-based sexologist Chantelle Otten on Instagram, go do it now, then come back. Done? Cool. On to her podcast, which she released in August 2020. Furthering her mission to empower people in all things sex (education, health, self-esteem, etc.), Sexy Stories sees Otten read erotic literature submitted by listeners. It's audio porn, quite literally. Less capable hands could've treated these tales as sordid but, with Otten on the mic, they are instead a celebration of every kink, fantasy and exploit. Plus, Otten has just about the sexiest voice I've ever heard. Listen with your partner, listen alone, listen to distract yourself from a really mundane task (trust me, you'll be very distracted). Just maybe don't save it for a long car trip with your parents or kids. [caption id="attachment_821096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied, photo by Jess Gleeson.[/caption] BEN HANSEN: Staff Writer, once had swine flu Recommends: Tough Love. As was the case with so many around the world, former Triple J host Linda Marigliano's world was completely warped by the pandemic. Plans to move to the US for her career and to live with her boyfriend were shot forcing her to reconsider everything. Marigliano takes us through a profoundly open and honest look at her life from her long-distance relationship and the process of freezing her eggs when faced with the uncertainty of when she will see her partner again, to her career, self-worth and moments spent with her grandma she may not have experienced if she had moved overseas. It's a touching and relatable look at life over the last year. COURTNEY AMMENHAUSER: Branded Content Producer, can crochet a jumper Recommends: Pieces of Britney. If you watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears earlier this year, the BBC Radio 4 series Pieces of Britney is excellent companion listening. Essentially, it's a fictional audio drama inspired by true events that is stitched together with facts. With Pandora Sykes at the wheel, the eight-part series weaves archival audio and interviews with fiction written by playwright Katie Hims to tell Britney's story. Hims' uses creative license to bring to life parts of Britney's past that have previously been described in interviews or have been alluded to in the past — some more fictitious than others — and somehow, this speculation works. Each part feels qualified and the subtle yet dynamic sound design keeps you hooked. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Culture (@theculture.pod) CORDELIA WILLIAMSON: Branded Content Manager, waited on Billie Eilish once when working in hospo Recommends: The Culture, The Teacher's Pet, The High Low, Dolly Parton's America. I wouldn't call myself a podcast buff, but when I like a series, I fall hard. I've soaked in the bath, with a glass of wine, listening to Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton's witty and oh-so-British pop-culture podcast The High Low; sat in the dark and binged The Teacher's Pet; and hit the highway with the nine-part exploration of the Dollyverse, Dolly Parton's America, blaring from the speakers. Now, with much more time on my hands (thanks COVID-19), I've been walking — a lot. And as I plod along, I've been listening to numerous podcasts. My top choice: The Culture. Hosted by Osman Faruqi, the show has only been around for a couple of months, so it's easy to make your way through the back catalogue. In particular, there are two episodes I recommend: 'How Western Sydney is redefining hip-hop' and 'How a four-year-old song became the biggest hit in Europe'. Whether you're deep in the Aussie music scene or just bop along to Top 40 tunes, both these episodes will hit close to home. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Casefile: True Crime Podcast (@casefilepodcast) NIK ADDAMS: Branded Content Manager, was taught the 1, 2 Step by Ciara herself (and has the video to prove it) Recommends: Casefile, My Dad Wrote A Porno, The Allusionist I probably don't make as much time for podcasts as I'd like to, but when I do listen I fall back on old faves. Casefile remains unmatched in its detail describing the most shocking true crimes from around the world, while The Allusionist is an utterly charming listen that never fails to put a smile on my face while exploring the intricacies (and idiosyncrasies) of the English language. I'm also super excited about binging the latest season of My Dad Wrote A Porno — Rocky Flintstone surely is one of the world's most misunderstood geniuses. Top image: Framing Britney Spears.
The tree-lined streets of Bendigo sometimes seem like they could be straight out of a royal parade. And when you consider Bendigo Art Gallery's latest exhibition, Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits, that's actually quite fitting. Featuring more than 200 works loaned from London's National Portrait Gallery, this exhibition delves into the legendary figures and historical moments from five British dynasties — the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Georgians, the Victorians and the Windsors. Highlights include landmark paintings, photographs and sculptural works depicting King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth II, King George III, Princess Diana and Prince William — among many others. You'll also find some personal effects on display, pulled from Historic Royal Palaces, the Fashion Museum in Bath and the Royal Armouries, including George IV's royal christening gown and the coronation gloves of Queen Elizabeth I (1558) and Queen Elizabeth II (1953). Opening Saturday, March 16, Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits will allow you to stroll through 500 years of regal history and see works from many historically significant artists, including Sir Joshua Reynolds and Lord Snowdon (Princess Margaret's husband). The exhibition also adds a contemporary flair with more recent works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Chris Levine and Annie Leibovitz on display, too. And to celebrate this landmark exhibition, a number of activations fit for a king or queen will be popping up around the city. You can partake in a traditional high tea at The Vault Eatery, trace the steps of former royals on a historic CBD walking tour or take a train ride to Castlemaine in the same luxury carriages that Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Princess Diana once used. Meanwhile, the Royal Tram Pop-Up Cafe will take pride of place in the piazza, right beside the Alexandra fountain, which was opened in 1881 by Prince Albert Victor and Prince George. The tram will be festively kitted out with a Union Jack wrap and will serve coffee, tea, biscuits and more. Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits will run from Saturday, March 16 to Sunday, July 14. Tickets cost $25. For more information and to book tickets, head this way. Images: Lightness of Being, 2007 (NPG 6963), Chris Levine; Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland, with her son, Charles Fitzroy, as the Virgin and Child, by Sir Peter Lely c.1664 © National Portrait Gallery, London; King George VI by Meredith Frampton, 1929 © National Portrait Gallery, London/private collection. Lent by Trustees of Barnardo's, 1997; King William III by an unknown artist, c.1695 © National Portrait Gallery, London; Queen Elizabeth I (The 'Ditchley' portrait) by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, c.1592 © National Portrait Gallery, London; Queen Victoria by Bertha Müller, after Heinrich von Angeli, c.1900, based on a work of 1899 © National Portrait Gallery, London.
Melbourne, we know you love a good food collaboration, so here’s a doozy: the boys from Rockwell and Sons are teaming up with some ex-Attica fellows to open what will no doubt be the coolest new venue in Fitzroy. The new wine bar has been christened Bar Liberty, presumably because it will liberate you from ever having to think about where to drink or eat out again. Rockwell and Sons co-owners, chef Casey Wall and front of house manager Manu Potoi are in on this new venture — and they're coming from a good place. Their incredibly popular Smith Street eatery specialises in every type of meat you can imagine, with a menu that is hearty, salty and will probably give you a heart attack (but will assure you die happy). Wall is curating a 'non-negotiables' menu for Bar Liberty that's based on the basics of local ingredients and big flavours. So you know it’ll be fly. The other half of the dream team includes sommelier Banjo Harris Plane and manager Michael Bascetta, both formerly of Attica. The Ben Shewry-headed Ripponlea restaurant was ranked the 32nd best restaurant in the world in the latest poll, so you can see why we're very, very excited about this match. Bar Liberty is now open at 234 Johnson Street, Fitzroy. For more info, visit their website. Image: Raphael Recht. Via Good Food. Updated: Thursday, February 24.
The Ken doll, Barbie's hunky other half, is flying solo for his 50th birthday in Mattel's new advertising campaign to keep the Barbie brand relevant. The company decided to give Ken a makeover in the only way anyone in the 21st century knows how: creating a reality show. 'Dreamer Ken' Kurtis Taylor was selected as the fresh face of the Ken doll in the web-series Genuine Ken: The Search for the Great American Boyfriend, in which he wiped the floor with the seven other 'ken-testants' in a variety of cooking, decorating, entertaining and surfing challenges. The Hills star Whitney Port hosted the Bachelorette-style show and believed that Taylor, the 25-year-old Pro Football player from Iowa, was exactly what Mattel was looking for. Taylor described that his perfect date would entail: "A helicopter ride over Los Angeles. Then, we would land on a rooftop where dinner is prepared and Frank Sinatra is playing in the background. After a great conversation over dinner, we'd fly to the beach and walk under the moon." He certainly seems to be the perfect new arm candy for our favourite plastic blonde.
In the late 70s, when Texas housewife, mother of two and popular church choir singer Candy Montgomery had an affair with fellow congregation member Allan Gore, commenting about her being a scarlet woman only had one meaning. If anyone other than Elizabeth Olsen was stepping into her shoes in HBO miniseries Love & Death — which streams via Binge in Australia from Thursday, April 27 and Neon in New Zealand from Friday, April 28 — it would've remained that way, too; indeed, Jessica Biel just gave the IRL figure an on-screen portrayal in 2022 series Candy. Of course, Olsen is widely known for playing the Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as seen in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness most recently. So, mention 'scarlet' in a line of dialogue around her, and it calls attention to how far she is away from casting spells and breaking out superhero skills. And she is, although she's also again playing a woman succumbing to her darkest impulses. There's a reason that Montgomery keeps fascinating Hollywood, dating back to 1990 TV movie A Killing in a Small Town (a film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, dad to Ambulance's Jake and The Deuce's Maggie). There's also a reason that she's been the subject of plenty of true-crime podcast episodes since — and had journalists John Bloom and Jim Atkinson writing the 1983 non-fiction book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs before that, plus Texas Monthly articles 'Love & Death on Silicon Prairie, Part I & II'. On June 13, 1980, Allan's wife Betty was murdered with an axe. She wasn't just killed; she was bludgeoned 41 times. Within days, Candy was a suspect. From there, she was accused, arrested and put on trial. And, she ultimately admitted swinging the blade, albeit with a caveat: that after her friend discovered her relationship with Allan, Candy was defending herself. It's with pluck and perkiness that Olsen brings Candy to the screen again, initially painting the picture of a perfect suburban wife and mum. She keeps exuding those traits when Candy decides that she'd quite fancy an extra-marital liaison with Allan (Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog) — slowly winning him over, but setting ground rules in the hope that her husband Pat (Patrick Fugit, Babylon) won't get hurt, nor Betty (Lily Rabe, Shrinking) as well. The quartet have known each other for years when Love & Death starts, through their faith and due to their pre-teen daughters Jenny (TV debutant Amelie Dallimore) and Alisa (Harper Heath, Forever and a Day). Then Allan bumps into Candy during a volleyball game, which gets her thinking about them slipping between the sheets. "He smelled like sex," she tells her pal Sherry Cleckler (Krysten Ritter, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie), convincing herself about getting adulterous with every word. Candy is straightforward when she propositions Allan, as they both are when they meet for strategy sessions to work through the pros, cons and parameters of cheating on their partners together. A sense of foreboding hangs in the air, though; for viewers that don't know the outcome when first sitting down to the seven-episode series, Betty's bloody end is referenced in the first instalment. Much that eventuates between Candy and Allan until things get violent is a tale as old as time, with what was meant to be a purely carnal liaison becoming far more complex as affection blossoms. She feels stuck in a rut with the mild-mannered Pat, seeing her time with Allan as an adventure. He's so accustomed to a reserved form of romance with Betty that he doesn't even know how to French kiss. And when Allan and Betty choose to work on their marriage at a counselling weekend, Candy can't hide her jealously while she minds the pair's children. As it leads up to Betty's death, Love & Death also surveys the local scandal when beloved pastor Jackie Ponder (Elizabeth Marvel, Mrs Davis) leaves for another town, with the younger Ron Adams (Keir Gilchrist, Atypical) her replacement. Jackie's move robs Candy of one of her closest confidants, while Ron's arrival, his visible youth and the changes he's intent on making upsets Betty. Series creator David E Kelley could've told this tale without dipping into church business, but this subplot is pivotal to his take on the story. He isn't just retelling the murder, as so many other projects have explored before. Rather, he's drawn in by who these women were in their everyday lives, and by the fact that they're ordinary folks with routine dramas before the worst occurs. Of late, prolific TV producer and writer Kelley has carved himself a niche with twisty tales about existences upended, beginning with Big Little Lies, then following with The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers (Nicole Kidman, the star of all three, is also an executive producer on Love & Death). With directors Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland) and Clark Johnson (Mayor of Kingstown), he isn't interested in sensationalising his latest narrative, instead crafting a series about a gruesome crime with restraint and sensitivity. That's one of the factors making yet another version of Candy and Betty's encounter so gripping — that, and the show's outstanding performances. Indeed, no past iteration has boasted Kelley behind the scenes, or the stellar Olsen in career-best form at its centre. When Love & Death turns its attention to the inevitable law-and-order proceedings, Kelley also slides easily into one of his preferred modes: legal dramas. He's been bringing such shows to TV since late-80s/early-90s hit LA Law, with his resume also featuring everything from The Practice, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal to Goliath and The Lincoln Lawyer — and an episodic version of Presumed Innocent in the works as well. It's no wonder, then, that She Said's Tom Pelphrey is so magnetic as Candy's lawyer Don Crowder, who jumps into criminal defence for the first time with an immensely difficult case. Although Love & Death is never merely a courtroom series, it's canny about deepening its character study of Candy while she's protesting her innocence by self-defence, and in putting the attitudes and figures around her under a magnifying glass as her life becomes news fodder. Even if there wasn't a 'scarlet woman' reference to remind audiences that Olsen isn't in the MCU here, her complicated lead portrayal makes that plain. Whether she's being bubbly, dutiful, calculating or unsettling, she's terrific, especially in the mid-series episode that depicts Candy's last meeting with Betty, then shows her returning to her errands afterwards. Olsen is particularly masterful at grappling internally with Candy's choices and emotions right in front of viewers' eyes — see also: the spark that clicks when she chooses to pursue Allan, and her reactions under interrogation — and with an also- (and always-) excellent Plemons, is similarly exceptional at selling the love part of series' title. Love & Death never forgets that it's about murder, or who is the victim, but it's always about people rather than headlines. Check out the trailer for Love & Death below: Love & Death streams via Binge in Australia from Thursday, April 27 and Neon in New Zealand from Friday, April 28. Images: Jake Giles Netter/HBO Max.
